Jones House Happenings

Making House Calls

2012-01-25T20:43:00.003-06:00

Here is the article and link to the video from Samaritan's Purse about our ministry in Kenya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfKNbir5sVw

A physician’s visit to an ailing child opens the door to a new remote medical clinic in Kenya

“This is Kyle. Where is she? Now? I’ll be right there!” Dr. Kyle Jones dropped his cell phone into his pocket and sprinted into the darkness along the rutted, muddy road that led to Kapsowar Hospital, a remote mission hospital in the hills of northwestern Kenya.

In less than five minutes, he delivered healthy twin boys to a woman lying on a gurney in the entryway. It was another typical evening at the hospital.

“You’re always on call,” said the young physician from Tulsa, Oklahoma. “You never know what to expect.”

When Kyle completed his medical residency, he and his wife, Vanessa, packed up their three young sons and headed for Kenya, following in the footsteps of missionary pioneers who had served at Kapsowar Hospital since it started as a small dispensary in 1933.

Last August, Vanessa gave birth to a daughter, Ariella. The local Marakwet people gave her the name Jepchemoi, which means, “born in the middle of the night.”

The move to Kenya fulfilled a call to missions that Kyle first experienced when he was 12 years old. He didn’t know then that he would become a physician serving in Kenya through World Medical Mission’s Post-Residency Program. The program helps Christian physicians pursue careers in medical missions by supporting them for their first two years on the field.

Dr. Jones faced all of the unique challenges of practicing medicine in the developing world, from treating unusual tropical diseases to managing life-threatening complications of preventable illnesses that are rarely seen in the United States.

One of Dr. Jones’ patients was a little boy named Musa who had a severe case of meningitis. Musa was from the Pokot tribe that lived down in Kerio Valley, several hours away.

Dr. Jones treated Musa and prayed earnestly for his recovery. “It was really a miracle that he survived,” he said.

After Musa returned to his village, Dr. Jones wanted to see him for a follow-up exam. He decided to make a house call that had a far-reaching effect on the Pokot people.

News that Dr. Jones was coming to Lodengo quickly spread beyond Musa’s family. Dozens of people were waiting to see the doctari when he arrived.

The need for medical care was overwhelming. Dr. Jones did what he could and promised to return with more supplies and medical personnel to set up a mobile clinic. Before long, teams of doctors, nurses, and interns from Kapsowar Hospital were making regular trips down treacherous mountain roads to minister to Pokot families.

Sick and injured people came from miles around. Expectant mothers received prenatal care and children were immunized. Emergency cases were often transported to the hospital at the end of the day.

A woman named Mercy walked nine miles to bring her 1-year-old daughter, Chebet, to the clinic.

“My baby is sick,” she said. “There is nowhere else as good as this to go to. We all wait until we know the doctors are coming.”

The mobile clinics also included spiritual care. A Kenyan missionary, Stephen Olimaouma, had moved to Lodengo from Lake Victoria to plant a church among the Pokot. The local church family and the Christian medical workers made a powerful team.

“Sharing the Gospel at the clinic is the first thing we do,” Pastor Olimaouma said. “They need to know Jesus.”

Members of the medical team always pray with their patients and find opportunities to share the Gospel.

Dr. Jones was pleased when he asked one woman if she knew Jesus Christ as her Savior and she said yes.

“I was happy when she said yes and I asked her when she got saved,” he said. “She said, ‘The first time you all came.’ What a joy it was to me to see some of the fruits of the ministry!”

The medical pioneers also became unexpected ambassadors of peace. For generations, disputes over cattle and land led to deadly conflicts between the Pokot in the valley and the Marakwet, whose territory extends into the hills surrounding Kapsowar Hospital.

One eerie stretch of the boulder-strewn road that winds down into the valley passes by a Marakwet village that was burned to the ground by a group of Pokot cattle raiders. More than 30 people were killed.

Fear of entering “enemy” territory often prevented Pokot families from seeking medical care at the hospital. The Pokot were at first surprised and then grateful to receive compassionate care from Marakwet medical workers that came their village.

“The medical clinic has brought healing to the community and peace between the Pokot and Marakwet people,” Pastor Olimaouma said.

Visits by the mobile medical teams also emphasized the need for a permanent clinic in the area. Dr. Jones and others dug into their own pockets to create a building fund. The clinic is now under construction. A well is also being drilled to provide clean water for the entire community.

Dr. Jones recently completed his two-year commitment with the Post-Residency Program. He and his family are back in Tulsa, preparing to return to Kapsowar Hospital in July to continue sharing the Gospel as medical missionaries.

“When God gives the vision, we should not be discouraged," Dr. Jones said. "It is only God who receives all the glory. God cares about our physical and spiritual needs, and as a physician, I need to provide that same care for my patients. My prayer is that they will know Jesus.”

Website to donate to Kyle and Vanessa Jones' Ministry is:
http://www.inhisimage.org/international/give.html

Kapsowar Video and Newsletter

2012-01-03T23:36:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Ru8yoIxqw

Here is a link to a slide show that we put together summarizing our past year in Kenya. We are currently back in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but plan to go back to Kapsowar, Kenya in July 2012. We are trusting the Lord to help us raise a financial and prayer support team. I will also put our latest newsletter on the blog as well in case there are people that would like to see it that didn't get one. We can also add names to the list if people want to get our letters in the mail, just contact us by email at kvhjones@sbcglobal.net We have really enjoyed our time back in the States so far and are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible. We appreciate our financial donors so much. If you desire to partner with us in our ministry gifts may be sent to:
In His Image International
Attn: Stewardship Department
PO Box 1191
Tulsa, OK 74101
or
You can now donate Online at:
http://www.inhisimage.org/international/give.html

December Newsletter:
Keepin' Up with the Jones'

Wow, the Lord has really been faithful to us as we have served Him here in Kenya these past 2 years through Samaritan's Purse. Now we are coming home to raise support and come back again next July. Many of you know we were given the opportunity to serve here through a special program for doctors who have just finished their residency. Samaritan's Purse helped us with some funds during this time, but during this next phase of our ministry we will have the opportunity to trust the Lord for our salary through friends, family and churches. So if you would like to start partnering with us, now is the time! We have included a response card for you to give either one time or monthly gifts. While we are at home we would like to meet with each of our supporters to say thank you and share with you more about our ministry. We will be staying in Tulsa, but are looking at other possible trips. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone!

As far as our last few weeks in Kenya, we had a lot going on. Our last weekend here we went on our last Pokot mobile clinic weekend. This trip was our biggest ever with 26 people, 3 cars, 4 times stuck in the mud and other fun surprises. We also took along a camera crew from Samaritan's Purse so they could see the progress of the clinic we are building. It will be fun to see the video and photos soon on their website, www.samaritanspurse.org The clinic foun-dation is done, praise the Lord! And we have already purchased the 10,000 bricks for the walls. We are just waiting on the rains to stop so the roads can get better. We have made arrangements for the work to continue even while we are in the States so that is very good.

Pokot Clinic Under Construction

The well is still underway, but they have been having many problems with break-downs, hard rock, etc. So please keep praying for that. We had a great time looking at the progress and praying at the site. The clinic went very smooth and the people said again how thankful they are to have doctors coming who not only treat them with medicines, but also pray with them.

Hudson Teaching in Pokot Sunday School

Our Local Church

My last week at the hospital was also very fruitful with taking care of patients. November was one of our most busy months for delivering babies and the majority of my time is spent doing the c-section deliveries. I am so thankful to Dr. Nicoll and others at In His Image that trained me to do that surgery in my residency. It has been one of the favorite parts of my job here and a real need in our community. Many moms fail to deliver at home and then are brought to our hospital for surgery. I am always happy to see healthy babies and moms knowing that without the surgery many of them would likely not survive.

C-section in New OR

For those that it is too late and their babies have passed we have the opportunity to minister to them in the name of Christ and bring hope that if they know the Lord Jesus as their Savior they will see their babies again in heaven. Ultimately, the gospel is the reason why we are here in Kenya and the reason why we want to come back for another term.

On the home front, we had a fun time at Hudson's graduation from Kindergarten. We have been homeschooling him in the mornings and for a couple of hours in the afternoon he gets to go to the local Kenyan church school. It has been good for him to socialize with the Kenyan kids. They had a special ceremony and we were so proud of him. Pretty cute kid!

Hudson at Kindergarten Graduation

Ariella is still a big hit with the Kenyans especially some of the women that work in our home. Isaac continues to melt hearts with his big bear hugs. You'll often find him telling his friends and family "I love you too!" And Jude's daydreams have finally come true when he got to pack his backpack to actually take to America. The other day we had all the mission station workers in our home to say thank you. We have been so blessed in this place.

Mission Station Friends

We hope all of you had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

God bless you,
The Jones Family
Kyle, Vanessa, Hudson, Jude, Isaac and Ariella

U.S. Address: 22129 E. 62nd Street Broken Arrow, OK 74014
Kenyan Address: Kapsowar Hospital PO Box 68 Kapsowar 30705 Kenya, East Africa
Email: kvhjones@sbcglobal.net
Keep up with the Jones' at: www.joneshousehappenings.blogspot.com
"Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples."
- 1 Chronicles 16:24

Updates from Life with the Jones'

2011-10-08T15:55:00.008-05:00

There has been a lot going on in the Jones family these days. Of course with a new baby that is usually the case. Ariella is doing wonderful and is growing big and strong. She even had her first round of shots:( Her brothers still love to take turns holding her and she is making lots of Kenyan friends fast. We have now had 2 local churches come over to our house to officially welcome her and bless our family. Their culture is very hospitable and loving toward new mothers especially.

We had the chance to go on the Samaritan's Purse ministry retreat at the beach this September which was a lot of fun. The boys and girl loved the pool and the beach. We were truly blessed by all the speakers, the time to relax and refocus. We left feeling ready to finish this first term in Kapsowar strong. It is amazing how soon we will be back in the States, this December. We are hoping to get to spend good time with family and friends. We do feel the Lord calling us to come back to Kapsowar again though and will be aiming to come back Lord willing by next July.

The w0rk at the hospital has been going well. I have enjoyed working in our new operating rooms. This picture was taken during one of my first c-sections in the new building, the same one where Vanessa had our baby.

I am learning more and more about how our cultures are different in regards to medical care. I have seen that in Kenya it is very rare that health care workers attempt to address spiritual or emotional issues with the patients. I recently had a mom whose baby was born premature and was really struggling. I asked the nursing student to ask the mother how she was doing with it all and she asked the mother only about how her body was feeling after the delivery. It is easy to neglect the soul and the emotions, but these are often what is most important in times like those. We stopped and talked about the whole issue with all the staff that day and it was a good discussion for everyone. I also encourage our visiting medical students and residents to take time during their medical rounds to pray with each of their patients.

As an update on our work among the Pokot we just returned from another successful mobile clinic among them last weekend. Big things are starting to happen. We had our ground-breaking ceremony for the clinic that we are starting to build. Due to many of our generous donors we are well underway for the fundraising of the clinic although it is not fully paid for yet. We had a nice time at the site of prayer and dedication then all took turns with the pick/shovels. Everyone is really excited and the community elders showed their support by bringing several goats each to sell and contribute the money. Construction started this week and I am told they are already almost done with the digging for the foundation. Praise the Lord! After the mobile clinic we had a showing of the Jesus film outside using a generator. It was a big hit. At one point it started to rain, but no one left and it stopped in a short time and never got too heavy. God was watching over us for sure.

The well for the Pokot has really struggled to get to water. The machine has kept on breaking down and the work is temporarily stopped. The lead man told me he needs to basically start a new hole and needed more money. I agreed to that plan and am asking that we all pray hard for a breakthrough especially before the dry season which is approaching again soon.

Back at home we recently celebrated Jude's 4th birthday with all the neighborhood kids. We had a lot of fun with all the usual games of 3 legged race, water balloon toss, etc. And of course the kids all got to have some birthday cake which is a big hit. Jude loved his batman backpack and is already planning what he will put in it for the plane ride home.

Thanks for all your love and prayers. Lots of pics this time since it has been a while since we posted.

Ariella Grace

2011-08-07T12:35:00.005-05:00

We are pleased to introduce you to the newest member of the family, Ariella Grace. She was born on August 4 at 4am. She has been given the Marakwet name of Jepchemoi, which means born in the middle of the night. She is tiny, but mighty. She is beautiful and has brought joy unspeakable to our family.

On Wednesday we reached the 38 week mark of the pregnancy. 2 weeks away from her due date. Showing no signs of her upcoming arrival. Kyle had been doing weekly ultrasounds and keeping a close eye on her throughout the pregnancy, but especially the last couple of months. She had always been a little small, but this week showed she had not grown since the previous week. He diagnosed her with IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction). We consulted Christina, the OB-Gyn that had been working with us here and recently moved back to the states and she also consulted her colleagues. It was decided that a c-section should be done as soon as possible. The stress of a normal delivery could be too much for her. As well as there is not a way for us to continuously monitor the baby during labor here at our hospital. So the c-section was scheduled first thing on Thursday morning. It was a whirlwind and a bit overwhelming, but we knew this was the best thing for her. We went to bed praying for God's protection. I knew it was going to be hard for me to sleep, but not this hard. Contractions started and I officially was in labor. We were off to the hospital at 3am ready to meet little Ariella. Dr. Rhodes performed the c-section, with Dr. Ces as his assistant. Kyle was ready to take care of the baby along with a visiting med/peds Dr. Wong. We were in the best hands. A prayer was said and the surgery began. She came out beautiful. No need for resuscitation. Strong and healthy. Tiny, but mighty. She weighed 4 pounds 10 oz. Which is what Kyle's ultrasound showed.

As I reflect on this precious daughter of ours I am so grateful for the Lord's protection and provision. He gave my husband wisdom and knowledge to watch her growth carefully. We had our trusted friend and surgeon, Dr. Bill, here to perform the surgery. And Dr. Ces to assist him. Our beloved Kenyan friend Thomas, the anesthetist to watch and care for me during the surgery. And of course Kyle, the dad and husband and doctor to care for Ariella. Laura was here to take care of Ariella's big brothers along with some of the nicest Irishmen I've ever met. It is no easy task to feed and entertain 3 anxious and adoring big brothers while they wait to meet their little sister. The minute we found out of her diagnosis and the scheduled surgery, word got out and we had so many praying for us back home. It was humbling and comforting to know so many were lifting us up to a loving Father who created little Ariella in my womb and was watching her every step of the way. So praise the Lord with us for this beautiful life. We are so thankful.

First time with mommy

Kyle and Thomas, the anesthetist

Precious Ariella

Ariella with her sworn protectors in blue

Beautiful Mom and Baby

Ariella and Laura, Dr. Bill's wife

Some of the Irish guys, Gareth and Ian

Famous Dr. Bill after surgery

Dr. Ces and Ariella

Our Kenyan friend Edna

Hellos and Goodbyes

2011-06-21T04:06:00.005-05:00

When it was time to move to Kapsowar many goodbyes were inevitable. It was hard to say the least. But coming to Kapsowar has given us the opportunity to say many "hellos". This hospital draws people from all over the world. We've been blessed to have met people from Canada, Australia, China and all over Europe. It's great geography lessons for the kids as well as a chance to learn things from many different cultures. We cherish the time we have to serve with them and then release them to follow the Lord's call upon their lives. What a blessing to be a part of their journey.

Recently we said "hello" to the Crawfords. These are our dear friends from our In His Image family, where Kyle did his Family Medicine training. Kyle had a blast serving alongside Kris.

And I was refreshed spending time with Nicole and their son. We spent many late nights playing games and just having a fun time. We prayed together and laughed together and had the sweetest of fellowship with them. They even blessed us with a date night and watched our kids as well as cooked us dinner. We are so thankful for their visit and hard work while they were here.

When we left Oklahoma we said goodbye to many aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents. When we arrived here we said "hello" to Christina. Christina quickly became Auntie Nina.

She has loved our kids despite their flaws and rejoiced with us in every triumph. She has recently hosted 2 baby showers for Ariella. The first was organized by my sweet friend Amanda and Nicole. I was touched that so many people are celebrating with us even though they are half a world away.

The 2nd shower was instigated by Christina and Kelly. This one was special because we had Kyle's sister Kelly there and our SP friends Mary Elizabeth and Gail in attendance. Along with them there were my Kenyan friends. This was the first baby shower that they had ever attended. I think they were quite curious what a shower for a baby would look like without the presence of water or a bath tub. It ended with them singing a sweet song of praise to the Lord for the blessing of life. How blessed we are to have Auntie Nina. On Friday we say "goodbye" as her first term ends. We are thankful for such a sweet time that we have had with her, but will miss her dearly.

Our next "hello" was to the Shoop family! The boys were counting down the days for forever. We couldn't wait for their arrival. Joey came and jumped in right away taking his dentistry skills to the Pokot people the morning after he arrived.

He remained busy in the hospital the entire time he was here. Kelly and I caught up on everything we have missed in the last year and a half. We did some projects around the house and we enjoyed watching our kids be reunited and play constantly for 5 days. The Shoops blessed the hospital with their presence as well as some presents. We loved every minute of their visit.

But with every visit comes a "goodbye". They were scheduled to leave in the middle of the night. The kids said their tired goodbyes before they slept for a while. When they were packing up Hudson heard them and came running out to hug them quite tightly and say a tearful goodbye. These are the moments my heart aches for the sacrifice I know they are making. I laid in bed with him and we talked. I asked him what his favorite part about their visit was. He simply replied when we went hunting for chameleons with Jonah and Hannah. It wasn't the road trip to Nairobi, or the elephant orphanage or even the Safari game drive where we spotted lions. It was having his cousins walking in the everyday of his life. To have someone enjoying and sharing his life here in Kapsowar. Life here isn't glamorous. It's quite simple, but very beautiful. We live in the middle of nowhere. A place to enjoy God's creation and His handiwork. Honestly there are moments when I wonder if we are doing the right thing by leaving so many loved ones behind, but then I see my kids learning lessons of sacrifice and service for the Lord. I see them living their lives with grace and love and joy in a culture that longs for the Light of the World to shine forth on their lives. And I rest in that.

So now we are waiting to say "hello" to water for the Pokot people. The drilling has had some hang ups and is going rather slow. Keep praying for that.

We are waiting to say "hello" to the new surgical building at the hospital as so many have labored to bring this vision into reality.

We are waiting to say "hello" to baby Ariella. She is strong and healthy. We've made it to 32 weeks. We can't wait to meet her. What joy she'll bring to our little family.

Join us in prayer as we are waiting for the next "hellos".

Pokot Trip and Well

2011-04-21T09:50:00.004-05:00

Last weekend we took another trip down to the valley to see the Pokot people. God certainly was with us and the trip was a big success. For one, the vehicles made it safely there and back which is always a big blessing. The team all did great and we were able to see many patients and immunize children. I think the stories that struck me most this time were of 2 ladies. One of the ladies I saw in the clinic and after I had treated her medical complaints I asked her if she knew the Lord Jesus as her Savior. I was happy when she said yes and I asked her when she got saved. She said, "the first time you all came!" What a joy it was to me to see some of the fruits of the ministry. The second lady was a home visit that I did that night after the clinic. She was too sick to travel the long way to see us, but she had sent her son to come ask for help. I went with the Kenyan missionary pastor Stephen and we drove as far as we could then walked to her house. I found her very weak and in need of medication and fluids. I treated her and we prayed for her to be healed. The pastor told me that she had no real means of survival because her husband had married another wife and was no longer taking care of her. Her son was all she really had. We told him to come to the village where we were staying the next day and get some of the food that we had brought for them. I saw the boy in church the next day and he told me that his mom was already getting better. Plus the pastor said he will be looking after them. It reminded me of how in need the Pokot people are of a Savior. Join me in praying for them and helping in the ways God shows us.

One way God has opened for us to help them is the construction of a well. These people go through long periods in the year where there is practically no water. It gets very dry there and the people really suffer. I recently got in touch with another missionary that has been in Kenya over 30 years and now does drilling for wells. We also know that availability of water is a key first step if we want to build a clinic for them. So I have asked Samaritan's Purse headquarters for permission to do a well project and it is approved! We found out that the drill will be available by next week so we plan to get started right away. We will also install an electric pump with a generator because of the site where it is we will need to pump the water up a hill slightly so that it can flow back through gravity into the future clinic. The project will cost $10,000 and will be paid for 50/50 between us and a fellow missionary we work with here in Kapsowar, Dr. Christina Francis. The money for the well has already been raised last year by our generous donors so thank you and praise the Lord. We also want to build them a clinic and the final cost for that project is not back yet, but we trust the Lord will provide even if we have to build it slowly. I have been meeting with key interested people including the committee of community members that we formed so that their input will stay in the forefront. The picture below is of our first official meeting that we had underneath a tree.

I am really amazed at how God is moving in these projects. I will keep you all informed of the progress and post pictures as soon as I can. We appreciate and plead for your prayers.

This Just in from the Jones'

2011-04-09T00:00:00.008-05:00

In case you haven't heard we are expecting our 4th child. For me this has meant the early pregnancy "funk". It includes nausea, vomiting, unpredictable emotions and pure exhaustion until about 20 weeks. I am now about 21 1/2. This hopefully explains the lack of posts on the blog. Sorry. To try and recap the last 2 or 3 months is overwhelming. I'll give you a few highlights and then get a fresh start. So here it goes...

~We have had visitors.
~Matt and Lindsey King came in February. They are a couple from In His Image almost ready to graduate. We had such a sweet time of fellowship with them as they served with us here.
~Kyle's parents came at the end of February to middle of March. It was nice to have the comfort of family around. We also took a much needed vacation to Lake Nakuru for a little safari. You can see the details of their trip on their blog at: www.travisandmarlene.blogspot.com You may actually see a few pictures of us if you have forgotten what we look like.

~Hudson turned 6! We had an awesome party. It was completed with Hudson standing on Jimmy the goat's pen thanking everyone for the best birthday he has ever had. And that everyone was welcome to come inside and play with all his toys as long as they wanted. Keep in mind there were about 30 kids in attendance. We are thankful for this little boy who continually teaches us the secrets of the Kingdom of God. He is such a gift to us!

~Kyle's cousins Craig and Lydia came for a long weekend after doing a fruitful ministry around Kenya with their church. The boys so enjoyed having a cousin to play with. And we did too!
~We got a washing machine! Woo Hoo! I've never been more excited about a household appliance in my life. The boys are definitely 3rd culture kids as it provides them with entertainment.

~We found out we are expecting a GIRL!!!! We are absolutely thrilled for this new addition! Jude and Hudson have named her and we agree with their choosing. Ariella Grace. Ariella means "lion of God". Which we think is quite fitting for a little girl born in Kenya in a house full of brothers. Yesterday Hudson asked, "Will our baby sister have brown skin when she comes out since she will be born in Kenya?" I told him, "No her mom and dad have white skin so she should too." Hudson says, "What happens when an American marries a Kenyan?" Here we go. The baby looks strong and healthy. Continue to pray for her. Pray she will stay in my tummy until term.

Ministry is still going strong here in Kapsowar. We lost one of our Kenyan medical officers, which means Kyle is on call about 4 of every 7 days. Some nights aren't so bad and some are really challenging. He perseveres and serves the Lord diligently and with great joy. There is another outreach trip for the Pokot people scheduled for next weekend. Pray for them and the decisions about the clinic. Also we have no vaccinations to bring at this point. Pray we will get some by next Friday.

The boys are doing quite well. Hudson is closing his Kindergarten year. He is doing wonderfully. We are sending him to the local Kenyan school for about 2 hours in the afternoons. We pray he is a light to his teachers and classmates. A couple months ago he came home and told me about a boy who drew a funny picture of his face. The teacher found it and said he would be caned (physically punished). This is still a common practice in the schools in Kenya. His teacher asked Hudson what he thought and Hudson said to her, "I would really like to show him mercy. Please don't cane him."

Jude is growing more tender by the day and goes on journeys to Mombasa, Nairobi, Eldoret or El Dama Ravine almost everyday. He packs his backpack, finds some keys and sets off in the great outdoors for his daily adventure.

Isaac is a joy to all he meets. He never meets a stranger. Praise the Lord we got report that his lead levels in his blood went down. He is growing and talking more and more each day.

We are thankful for the blessings of these little boys who are teaching us new things everyday. We are grateful that they are a part of our ministry here in Kapsowar.

Thanks for your love and support! We are truly grateful. Stay tuned...more blogs to come!

Adventures in the Community

2011-01-08T06:06:00.003-06:00

One of the pieces of advice that someone told me before I came here was to take some time away from the hospital to get out into the community. So I thought I would share a few stories of the people that I have had the opportunity to go and visit in their homes.

The first family I visited was a mother of a child that we treated in the hospital a little over a month ago for pneumonia. He had been sick, in and out of hospitals for several months. At our hospital he was treated and recovered well. Unfortunately, about 3 weeks after discharge he got sick again and this time they were not able to make it to the hospital before he died. When I found out about the news I was very sad for the family. I went with Charles, a chaplain that is at our hospital, to console and pray with the family. They were so gracious to us and their faith was astounding. The mother said that throughout all the times her little boy was in the hospital God taught her perserverance. Please pray with me for the family of Victor.

Mama and Baba Victor are on my left

Next I had the opportunity to go and preach in one of the staff's home churches about 2 hours away. We had a very nice time of fellowship with his family, pastor and friends. I stayed overnight for this one and I think I ate a full weeks worth of food in about 4 meals. They are very hospitable people. I had hoped to bring my whole family, but Vanessa was still feeling nauseous with the pregnancy. (If you are just finding this out, surprise! We first announced it at the end of our video Kapsowar Nativity Slideshow which we posted on youtube and linked on this blog.) Please pray for Killy's family and church, as well as Vanessa's nausea to go away.

Killy's Family at their home

The last community visit I went on was one that I have been wanting to do for a long time. I went to a village called Embobut. Now you have to understand that in our hospital some of the sickest, poorest people come from this village. Plus I was told that most of them are not Christians and there is a big problem with alcohol among them. So we planned a trip to take home a mother and her baby who was born premature here and did not have any money for discharge so she was just trapped at the hospital. Her husband had disappeared and no one from her family had come. With your support we were able to pay her bill and take her home. Well, turned out to be quite exciting. We first met with the chief of her village and talked about some of the issues they are facing. I was able to share with him some of my thoughts about their problems and included the gospel. I don't believe he was saved and he smelled of alcohol himself. Please pray for him to become a spiritual leader also for his community. Next we went to Tecla's home (my patient) and had a nice visit with her family, neighbors, etc. White people kind of draw a crowd there. We had fun passing out candy to the kids. Then I shared the gospel with them and asked for people that were ready to turn from sin and give their life to Jesus. We had quite a few young people and even the man that was introduced to me as the village elder. I told them the story of the 4 seeds except instead of birds I used chickens snatching up the seed since there were chickens eating corn all around us off the ground so pray with me that the seed that was planted there would fall on good soil. Finally, on the way home we came across Janeth who was in labor and in distress. The baby was not coming out in the right position so we put her in the car and drove the 1 & ½ hours back (with her making quite a few sounds in my passenger seat) and immediately did a c-section on her. Praise God that mom and baby are both doing well now. It is amazing to me that God sent us on this little trip and he had so many things in mind for us to do. Thanks for joining me in prayer for the people around us.

Meeting with Chief of Embobut

Giving out candy. Tecla is in the middle

Sharing the gospel. Village Elder in back

Kapsowar Slideshows

2010-12-27T05:11:00.004-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! We made a couple of slideshows for our friends and family to enjoy. Hope you like them. Here are the links to them on YouTube.

Kapsowar 2010 Year in Review

Kapsowar Nativity Slideshow

December Newsletter

2010-12-24T05:43:00.003-06:00

Greetings from Kenya
Wow, we can't believe that it has been almost a whole year since arriving in Kapsowar. We are so thankful for what the Lord has allowed us to do and see during this time. We could not have done it without the prayers and support of people like you. So thank you very much. This Christmas we are also thankful to be celebrating the opening of our new newborn nursery at the hospital. This new space is going to help babies like baby Cynthia whom some of you may have heard about. She was a very special baby that was born severely premature at only 29 weeks (normal is 40). Plus her mother is HIV positive. She weighed less than 1kg which is a little over 2 pounds, the smallest baby I have seen here yet. She struggled and struggled for a long time, but the Lord sustained her and miraculously after 101 days in the hospital she was able to go home. We praise God because we really didn't have the right equipment to keep a baby of her size alive, it was only God who did it. Everyone had been praying for her and when she was discharged we had a party for them. I praise God for her and her mother whom we saw yesterday in follow-up and they are doing great. Cynthia is now 3.3kg or about 7 pounds. We were so happy to pray together and thank God for this miracle. Because of your support we were also able to give her some money to restart her little shop/business that had dropped off while she was in the hospital.

Community Home Visits
Another excited thing that we have started doing at the hospital is community follow-up visits in patient homes. I recently had the chance to visit a girl named Faith. She lives in a nearby village about a 15 minute drive away. She had been in the hospital with rheumatic fever. On follow-up we were able to see that she was improving physically with her treatment. We also addressed her spiritual state and found out that she had never accepted the Lord Jesus as her Savior, but after hearing the gospel she was eager to pray and invite Him in. We also became aware of the many challenges facing their family. The fa- ther told me that he had 9 children and he was unable to meet all the family's financial needs such as school fees. This is a common request for us and it is difficult to know how best to help. In this case we decided to help him start a new gardening project where we supplied seeds and a special sprayer to help him grow some vegetables that he can use to sell and to better feed his family. Please continue to pray for this family and many others like them that are struggling to make ends meet.

Exciting Opportunities Among Pokot People
We also want to give an update on the Pokot trips that we have been doing. We have done 5 trips now down into the valley to see these precious people that have been unreached with the gospel. We always visit a small growing church among them and take about 16 people to do a one day clinic and lead their church service. The last time we went I had the privilege of bringing them
the Pokot Bibles that I had promised them. They were so happy to be holding the whole Bible in their hands written in their own heart language. Praise God for that and pray that God's word would trans- form them and the gospel would spread among them. They are also very much wanting us to help them start a permanent health clinic. They even do- nated to the project 10 acres of land to be used for the clinic. The community has formed a committee to oversee it and I have met with a Kenyan man named Willy Komen that has been helping to start clinics like this among the Pokot people before. This however would be the first clinic for his or- ganization among the East Pokot people. It appears that things are coming together for this, but of course our biggest challenges at this point are finances to build the clinic and proper staff to manage and run it. It is possible that our nursing school could help in some of the staffing needs and I am looking to become more involved in teaching there as well. As far as the cost to build the clinic, I talked to my friend Willy and he said that they have been able to build other similar clinics for around $10,000 which is quite small in comparison to what it would cost to build in the U.S. This is something we feel excited and led to help out with. If any of you would like to help out with this particular project please send me an email and send the money to our Samaritan's Purse account then we will send a gift to Willy Komen's organization which will spearhead the building project.

Family Corner
When I was a young girl I used to daydream that I was Laura Engles or Anne of Green Gables and sometimes Christy and every once in a while Dr. Quinn Medicine woman. I now feel like I am living some of those dreams here in Kapsowar. We have a small farm complete with a goat, rooster, barn cat, a tortoise and every once in a while a chameleon. I have the most amazing little “shamba” or my garden. We grow most produce that we need in our backyard. We don't go to Lowe's to get the supplies needed to tend this garden all we need is here in the land. I have my one room schoolhouse which I am the teacher of. We are now creating all of our Christmas decorations. We will have garland from bushes here, poinsettias from the backyard tree, gingerbread ornaments and stockings bought at a local market. We often have family game nights by lantern. And our Thanksgiving was by candlelight due to an unexpected power outage. It often feels like we have stepped back in time to a simpler time in life. We are truly thankful for God's creation and our friends that help us learn the details of living life without many modern conveniences along the way. Through this year we have seen our family grow closer and be united under one purpose to share the good news of our Savior, Jesus, with the people of Kenya. It is such an honor and privilege to be a part of God's work here. Thank you for being our partner. We are humbly grateful for you allowing us to be your hands and feet to God's children here.

May God Bless You and Merry Christmas,
The Jones Family
Kyle, Vanessa, Hudson, Jude and Isaac

A Mighty Warrior

2010-11-17T13:06:00.006-06:00

From the moment of conception a mother's life is changed. I have learned so much from my firstborn, Hudson. From an early age he displayed a tenderness for the Lord and the things of God that truly bring me to my knees. Here are a few stories that may touch your heart for God's kingdom.

~One day he and I were having lunch together. He was probably 2 1/2 years old. For dessert we were having oranges. His favorite fruit. We had been talking about heaven and what it looks like. He was describing his tree house and what my house would look like right next door to his. Then he asked, "Do you think there will be oranges in heaven?" I replied, "Of course, the best oranges you've ever tasted!" He then stood up on his chair, raised his hands in the air and said, "I just love you God! Thank you for making the oranges!"

Lesson: To praise God without shame for the smallest of blessings.

~When Hudson was about 3 1/2 years old our church had a day of prayer for the persecuted church. We were on our way to lunch and he was asking lots of questions. We tried to explain to the best of our ability to him what it was that was happening that day. He then suggested we should pray right away. He was the first to begin to pray, "Dear Lord, will you please help the bad guys that are being mean to the Christians. Help them be good and know You."

Lesson: Pray for your enemies and those that persecute you. (Not just for your own well-being or the protection of those you love.)

~Recently when we came back from America he was really missing all of his cousins. We were writing letters asking them to come and visit. Praying for them at every meal. Out of no where he said, "I really miss my cousins and I wish they would come. And I really wish we could live in Oklahoma again. But I would really be sad if none of my Kenyan buddies were in heaven. So I think we should stay and keep telling them about Jesus."

Lesson: You must deny yourself and leave those that are dearest to your heart sometimes.

~We have been listening to the Adventures in Odyssey series by tape on our many long road trips to Nairobi. We were listening the the story of Esther. After Haman was executed Hudson said, "Wow, that's really sad. Haman died without ever really knowing the one true God."

Lesson: Vengeance is the Lord's, but shouldn't we be seeking to find one lost sheep and bringing him to the saving knowledge of Jesus? Again, loving our enemy.

Kyle and Hudson worked through a devotional Bible called "God's Mighty Warrior". Hudson loved it. It talked about being a gentlemen, a man of God, fighting for God's glory and doing lots of cool boy things. I could see the lessons really taking shape in his life.

~One weekend Kyle was asked to "compare notes" at the local mosque. The elder men were in town recruiting new members. Kyle bravely accepted the invitation. The boys and I prayed all weekend. Before bed, (when we knew Kyle was there) Hudson said, "Mommy I can't wait to go to battle with Daddy someday with my Bible."

Lesson: Do not fear. Speak boldly. Put on the full armor of God and go to battle.

On Halloween Kyle knighted Hudson. He also had a little Kenyan ninja sidekick aka Jude. Each piece displayed the armor of God. And we prayed for him to continue to be a mighty warrior for Jesus.

~Just yesterday we were finishing the story of Moses. They had just crossed the Red Sea. Hudson's Bible talked about the song of praise Moses sang after they had been delivered to the other side of the sea, but it did not say the words to the song. He wanted to know what the song said. I got up to get my Bible, but then he began to sing his own song of praise for the mighty work God had done for the Israelites. I looked at him in amazement and saw he had tears in his eyes. I asked him if he was ok and he said, "Yes, I just wish God was here right now and I could see Him." If he only knew how present God was in that moment. I could feel Him smiling at His servant.

Lesson: If you want to enter the Kingdom of God you must become like a child.

May your heart be challenged by the faith of this child. God's mighty warrior.

Too Late for One, Just in Time for Another

2010-11-07T14:25:00.003-06:00

Today I got back from my fourth trip to visit the Pokot people down in the valley. As you may know we have been going there doing medical clinics and gospel work. I know many of you were praying so I thank you for that. The trip was a great success in many ways. For one, we made it there safe and sound with no major car problems. (Last time we were stuck multiple times and it took 3 times as long to get home.) When we arrived we were warmly welcomed again by the community. They are really getting excited about our visits and about the possibility of a permanent medical facility being built there in the future. They had organized themselves and formed a committee to oversee the project. They even donated 10 acres of land for us to use to build the clinic. We would love to see this happen because there is only so much we can do on our 2 day trips that have been occurring about every 6-8 weeks. For some, we found out this time, it is too late. During the clinic I heard the devastating news that a 3 year old boy being brought by his mother died while on the way. They think that he had malaria which is easily treated with the right medication. Many people delay seeking care because there are no health facilities nearby. The news broke our hearts, but we were glad that we had brought a pastor along who could go to comfort the mother. Please pray for the family of the child and for this desparate need in the community.
Men discussing at the proposed site for the new clinic

For other patients we found that our arrival was just in time. There was a boy that had been having behavioral problems and had even burned down his grandmother's house/hut. The parents didn't know what else to do. They had taken him to a witchdoctor and to a medical clinic. He was given large doses of anti-psychotic medication. I warned them that with that big of a dose he could start to experience side effects, which are mostly strange uncontrollable movements like extending his neck and such. Well, not 2 hours after we had talked about it, the side effects started happening. Fortunately, we had brought medicines that would help him. I also talked to him about the likelihood that his problem was also a spiritual one. I explained to him about how his anger and acting out was sin and shared the gospel with him. He seemed to understand and expressed a desire to receive Christ. We knelt together and prayed. 2 other older men in the community also prayed to receive Christ during our time there and we are praying that there will be more that decide to follow Christ.

Another really exciting thing about our trip was the dedication ceremony for the new Pokot Bibles that I was able to bring to them this time. 2 visits ago it was the weekend of my Grandfather Smith's funeral and I could not be there, but I told them about how Grandfather had been a Bible translator and how someone had translated their Bible for them as well. There was only 1 Bible in their whole village and none with Old and New Testament. So this time we brought them 40 new Bibles and we handed them out in church and had a dedication ceremony. It was so wonderful. People gave testimonies about how much it meant for them to have a Bible in their own language. I challenged them to read and meditate on God's word as it says in Joshua 1:8.

We feel so privileged to be working among these people and we are excited to see what God is going to continue to do. They are truly becoming dear to us and they seem to like us too. This time they decided to give me a gift so they gave me a live goat! We brought it home in the back of my car. It was pretty quiet for the most part and clean, thankfully. Please continue to pray with us for the work being done among the Pokot. When we get more information about the details of the clinic we would like to build I will let people know, but be praying about how the Lord may lead you to get involved. Thanks.

Visiting a Pokot Home

Can you find the hidden goat in this picture?

Vanessa and the boys didn't get to go with me on this trip, but I had to get some pictures of them too so here are a couple from last Thursday after I got back from a community home visit where we went and followed up on a patient that had been admitted to the hospital. The father decided to give me this rooster. It has been waking us up pretty early so we think we are going to eat it soon:) Love you all.

The Rundown

2010-10-22T09:21:00.018-05:00

We arrived safely back to Kapsowar late August. Within a week our computer crashed. Bummer. Last time we took our computer for repair in Eldoret (the nearest town to us) they attempted to fix the DVD drive by super gluing it in. So we waited until the next time we were going to Nairobi to get our trusted friend, Jeremy, to check it out. Unfortunately, we had to bite the bullet and buy a new computer. Fortunately, he saved all our photos, videos and personal files. And he walked us thru the journey of purchasing our first Mac. Thanks Jeremy, you're the best! So that took about 6 weeks. So here is the rundown of everything that's happened since our last post.

Another Pokot Trip
The biggest and most successful trip yet! There were 2 family docs and one OBGYN (Christina), plus a lot of nurses, a wife who played the role of pharmacist and many translators. The boys and I didn't make this trip. We wanted there to be plenty of room for much needed workers. Kyle also brought gifts for the elders/Chief/men. These consisted of tick bath for their cattle and something else I can't remember. In the past we have mainly seen women and their children. The men would often hide - never to be found. This strategy worked and they were able to meet with them and talk more about how they can work to improve the health of their community. The ride home took them around 11 hours with many car troubles and eventually the abandonment of the 1979 Land Rover on the side of the mountain. Many prayers were said that day. I think they maxed out our vehicle with like 14 passengers. Praise the Lord for the continued work that is going on in this tribe.
The New House
Is all decorated and organized. We love it! Thanks Amanda for all your help and gifts to make it so beautiful!

Jude turned 3
He woke up and said, "I need my game shirt." I searched and brought out every shirt that had a team or football on it. "No, No, Mama! My game shirt!" I finally dug this out of the bottom of the closet and finally -TOUCHDOWN- we had succeeded! He was ready for his "game day"! We had a big party out back with the neighborhood kids complete with "games", popcorn and cake. Then we had another party with all the missionaries here, plus my friend Agnus and her kids. We all showered him with love and attention. This boy sure steals my heart most days! Happy Birthday buddy!
Off to Mombasa
The Samaritan's Purse Post Residents in Kenya had a retreat in Mombasa. We enjoyed spending time with them. We studied the life of Abraham and Sarah as they journeyed where the Lord called them leaving "home" and becoming foreigners. It was a sweet time of fellowship with the Lord and much needed fun. The coast is breathtakingly beautiful! Hudson loved "conquering the waves" and we all loved the glass bottom boat. Being able to peak into sea life was so fascinating. Kyle and the boys also got to take a ride in one of the local's dugout canoe sailboats. It was a great time. Thanks to all that organized the retreat.
Climbing the Mountain
Upon our return Kyle, Gerhard (a visiting doc), Rhiner (his cousin) and Hosea (our Kenyan friend) decided it was high time they hiked the mountain nearby us named Kipkinur. Who would have known what an adventure it would turn out to be. Along the way they helped an old "Gogo", aka a Grandma, chop some firewood, stopped to take pictures and last but not least swing like monkeys from vines. The vine snapped and our dear friend Gerhard fell and broke his femur. Hosea ran to a place he could get reception for his phone to call for help. In the meantime, they ran into some military who were escorting prisoners. Praise the Lord these military helped them build a stretcher out of bamboo, vines and leaves. They also unhandcuffed the prisoners so they could clear the brush for a nice path. They carried him down the mountain. Gerhard went to Kijabe for surgery and is now back with us. Praise the Lord he is recovering well!
The Adventure of Kindergarten
Yes I know, October is a bit late to be starting the school year. But by Kenyan standards I am way ahead. They start a new school year in January. All that to say, we are soaring through and Hudson is loving learning. And though it takes quite a bit of time, I am enjoying this journey as well. We do everything from language arts, science, history, handwriting and Bible. I added a little more Bible since he doesn't get Sunday School here and Art class too. He loves Science and Explode the Code and of course anything Art. It's quite fun and we have the best school room (thanks again Amanda)!
Next post will be shorter, I promise. I won't blame you if you only scroll through the pictures just to see our bright and smiley faces!

We love and miss you all! Thanks for praying for us and being a part of our journey!

Traveling

2010-08-24T09:16:00.002-05:00

We traveled to Oklahoma this month. We came for a sad reason. Vanessa's grandma was leaving this earth. We didn't make it in time to say "goodbye". But before we left Kenya Hudson prayed, "Jesus, if we don't make it back to tell Grandma Betty goodbye, will you please tell her for us." So I'm sure He did. We have had a sweet time with family and friends. It has been a whirlwind of events and emotions. But we are thankful the Lord allowed us all to travel together as a family. Unfortunately I don't think we have taken 1 picture. Here is what I shared at my grandma's service.

Traveling
Ever since I can remember my grandma was always traveling. Her first lesson to me was traveling thru books. I remember being there in the summers and she giving me incentives to read. This was when I learned the adventures books can take you on. I think she was always in the middle of a book. When we were young she often took us girls on summer vacations. They were places she and my grandpa had time shares at like Bella Vista. Or places we had family living that we had never met before. She packed the car with books and colors and pencils and a cooler full of fruit and Vienna sausages. Those were some great trips to spend with my sisters as well as with my sweet grandparents. I’m sure it would have been much more relaxing to have just been the 2 of them, but they chose to let us have some adventures during our summer vacations from school. I’m sure this planted some of the seeds in me that wanted to see the world.

Grandma was a great story teller. Most people at the end of their lives tend to tell the same stories over and over, but not grandma. She always had a new story to tell. i remember being amazed as she would tell me of an adventure from grandpa’s army days or some sweet story from her college years. And she always had a story to tell of her travels around the world. I could never recount to you the many countries she visited, but I know that each one she remembered and held a special place in her heart. She was there to experience the culture and she did that to the fullest. I do have to admit there is one story she told over and over again. “It was a hot Oklahoma, July day. I was baking bread for Ed. This was the day your mom was born. She was breach…I had never held a baby before.” That story she relived every July. The day my mom was born. It was funny to hear every year.

She influenced many lives as she taught elementary school. I’m sure she was a fantastic teacher who invested whole heartedly in the teaching of her students. Just this week when we were going thru her things and looking for old photos we found that she had saved ALL of her own report cards. I’m sure she took her students on many valuable adventures as she taught them lessons that would last a lifetime. She truly valued education and doing your very best. The short time my children knew her they loved her. She would smile as she watched them expel more energy then she had ever seen. She would sing silly children’s songs to them and she always desired them to sing to her. I’m sure she thought to herself, “you have a life time ahead of you. What adventures will you take?”

So now grandma has traveled to the most exotic destination she could ever imagine. A place of beauty incomparable to all the wonders this world has to offer. She is meeting the Creator of the Universe. No travel agent could book a journey like this one for her. She most certainly is telling her stories. And catching Grandpa up on everything he missed these past 15 years. I cannot imagine her in a more spectacular place then where she is now. I love you and will look forward to telling you all my stories of the adventures the Lord has led me on.

We'll be back in Kenya at the end of this week. Continue to pray for us as we follow the Lord on this journey!

Highlights

2010-07-13T21:58:00.011-05:00

I know, I know 6 weeks in between blog entries is unacceptable! So we will give you a rundown of just the highlights and hope for a quicker entry next time.

Isaac turned 1 on May 31^st!

It seems like just yesterday he was surprising us all and coming a month early. He still brings such joy to all he meets. He lights up any room he enters. We celebrated by going to Nairobi. We ate at the Simba saloon where they serve wild game. Then we took Isaac and the boys to meet the giraffes at the giraffe center. It was so fun! He also just started walking last night! It’s not just 1 or 2 steps, but like 10 or 15!

Moved

We moved to another house on the missionary compound. It has been a great move for us. The house is the biggest house we’ve ever lived in. We even have 2 bathrooms. The view is incredible from our backyard and we even have a swing set now! We’ve been painting and my friend Amanda has been helping me with some décor. So pictures will come when it is complete I promise. For now here is a preview of the view from our backyard. I know you all are on expedia.com right now booking your flights for a visit toKenya!

Pets

We have 2 tortoises now. The first is named Toby and the 2^nd is Goliath. A man from the valley came all the way up here in hopes of selling some turtles he captured in order to buy food for his family. We happily accepted these low maintenance pets.

NO MORE PACI!

Jude gave up his paci and is doing just fine without it. Grandparents have been praying for this one for a while J!

Preaching

Kyle has been preaching a lot lately. He was able to preach on father’s day and encourage the father’s in Kenya to look to our Heavenly Father to guide them as they lead their families. He did an incredible job! He has been invited several other times to preach as well. We are so thankful the Lord is allowing us to invest spiritually to our community here. We are continually being stretched to serve beyond our own abilities.

Ladies Bible Study

I have been desiring to start a Bible study for my Kenyan friends since we arrived. The Lord opened the door just within this last month and we had an incredible turn out and the women seem to be hungry for the Word and to fellowship with one another! Christina has helped me get it going and I’m so thankful for her friendship. We also started a study for just the missionary women on the compound. It is encouraging. It also helps me feel a little less lonely at times when we get together and study the Word with each other.

Duininck Girls

We welcomed our first visitors from America! Emily and Hanna arrived on July 2! They both have naturally fit in and have been such servants here in Kapsowar. Emily is working hard in the hospital teaching the nurses some excellent nursing skills. Hanna has also spent some time at the hospital, but a lot of time here with me and the boys. She has an incredible energy and gift for teaching. Hudson loves it when she teaches him school! We stay up late talking, playing games or watching movies! I’m really enjoying having some girls around!

Pokot land here we come again!

Kyle spearheaded another trip to the valley to minister to the Pokot people. We had a team of 18 go this time. Including Christina, the OBGYN, 3 nurses, vaccinations, surgical specialist surveying needs for cleft palate repair (we have a grant that allows us to do the surgery here for free), pharmacy and local missionaries and pastors! We stayed the night this time. We had a full day of clinic and Kyle was able to encourage the elders of the Pokot church with the Word by fireside the night following the clinic. He did an amazing job. We have located some more Bibles in their language to distribute to them the next time we come. The translation was just completed last September. We definitely feel the Lord moving there and in our hearts to continue to serve this underserved community.

Homegoing of Grandpa Smith

We received word just before we left for our outreach trip that Kyle’s Grandpa Smith passed on into Glory! It was so very hard for us to be away from family during this time. Kyle’s grandpa was an amazing servant of Christ. He had a passion for the underserved and unreached peoples of the world. He translated the New Testament into the Chinantec language (a remote tribe in Mexico). He and Grandma have inspired us to obey the Lord’s calling in our lives to go to the Nations and preach Christ! We thought we would best honor his name by continuing our trip to the Pokot people and serve them and teach them from the Word of God. We promised the next time we came we would bring Bibles in dedication to Paul Smith, our beloved Grandpa who is now singing praises to our Lord with people from the Chinantec tribe! Our prayer is that Pokot believers will join Him in Glory as well as their lives are touched by God’s Word.

We miss you all so very much! Thanks for not forgetting about us! We remember you in our prayers and are so thankful for your friendship and partnership!

Community Health trip to the Pokot People

2010-06-01T14:42:00.005-05:00

Last Friday our family had a big adventure. We went on my second community health trip to visit a village among the Pokot people group, which is one of the most rural and most unreached people groups in Kenya.

Pokot lady

They were also the group of people that have been fighting off and on with the Marakwet people, who are the ones who live around us in Kapsowar. There is currently peace between them, but I just heard a story today of one of the lady's that I work with whose brother was killed by the Pokots. Also on the road down to the village, which is an extremely treacherous road at times where you are literally driving over big rocks on the side of a mountain, we saw the remnants of the houses in a village that were burned by Pokot raiders and many people died. In spite of this tension, when I mentioned that I wanted to go minister to them and do a health clinic I had plenty of people who wanted to come with me to help. One of them was a local Kenyan missionary whose target area is among the Pokot people. Praise the Lord for laborers sent to this difficult field.

Kyle and Musa

It all started when I took care of a little 6 month old Pokot boy who was very sick with meningitis. We were not sure if he was going to make it at first, but through prayer, God miraculously brought him back from being unconscious and near death to playful and smiling. I found out his parents (Samual and Mama Musa) were Pokot new believers and I also met their local missionary pastor (Stephen) who was visiting them in the hospital.

Missionary Stephen and Isaac

Before they left the hospital I told them, "Why don't I just come to you to do baby Musa's follow-up visit?" They were very excited to hear this and told their local church who must have then told the whole surrounding community because when we came to do this "follow-up visit" I found about 100 more patients wanting to be seen.

Clinic

Of course, I kind of figured this would happen so I did bring along some medicines and we had a great time. We started our clinic with a time of singing, preaching and prayer. I gave a gospel presentation as well as the other chaplain that came with me and we had quite a few raise their hands to accept Christ. Praise the Lord. We did the clinic at the little church where the missionary pastor serves so they will be able to follow-up. They face many difficulties as you can imagine and one of them is that we found out they only have 1 Bible in their Pokot language for the whole village. We are planning to go back and find more ways to help. Where we were has no access to health care for many miles away.

Sick lady on road

On the way to get to where the church was we were actually flagged down by a very enthusiastic young man who was screaming, "Stop! Is there a doctor in the car? This woman is dying." And so we stopped and treated a lady right there on the side of the road. At the end of the day I found out she was already starting to feel better. Can you imagine, though? What are the chances that we would be passing by at just the right time? God is so good and He gets all the glory.

Jude and Pokot hut

Vanessa and the boys had a good time as well. They enjoyed playing and visiting with the other moms and kids during the clinic. I really enjoyed having them there with me and I think when we go the next time we will stay longer than just one day since we had to leave at 5am and didn't get back until after dark.

Hudson with a bow and arrow

So please be praying for the Pokot people and our ministry to them. God is doing wonderful things among them.

Shambas and Snapshots

2010-05-10T16:13:00.005-05:00

Many of my closest girlfriends have started their own "shambas" or gardens, so I thought I would share a few photos of ours here in Kenya. It's a little primitive, but we have the perfect weather for optimal growth.

Moses, our friend, and one of the groundskeepers here on the missionary compound has been showing us the ropes. Hudson loves helping work the "fields".

What an opportunity to share many Biblical truths with Hudson as we talk about the harvest of souls and our role here in Kenya to tend to God's garden.

The Lord has definitely planted many seeds here in Kapsowar that need some watering and tending to.

So Hudson has started his own little ministry. He takes his Spidey backpack full of art supplies, stickers, paints, etc. and goes up to the children's ward all by himself to make friends and spread some joy to those that are suffering. Some who are just suffering from "boredom" as they wait for their parent's to raise enough money for the hospital bill so that they can go home. He really loves his afternoons at the hospital.

Some other good news is that we received the diaper grant from "Cotton babies"! We received 17 of the best cloth diapers on the market- Bum genius. They are so cute and actually pretty "user friendly". They wash up nicely. Which is always a bonus since we do our laundry in the bathtub. Isaac has been working on his Swahili as well.

We also celebrated Kyle's 31st birthday! He was on call, but a Kenyan medical officer covered his shift for 4 hours so we could have a date. And some medical students from Hong Kong watched the boys. We went to the Kerio Valley View restaurant again in Iten. It was nice to get away and have a peaceful dinner. Here is Kyle with his other date.

So here are a few snapshots into our lives here in Kenya. We covet your prayers. Days can be long and hard for everyone, but we trust and hope in the Lord. He is doing a good work here and in our hearts as well.

Firsts

2010-04-25T13:48:00.005-05:00

The past few weeks have been filled with all sorts of first times for us. For one, I got to meet and shake hands with the Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga. He was here at the hospital because he donated us a new hospital ambulance. It was a big event around this small village. He flew in on his helicopter landing on the local school soccer field then drove over for his 45 minute ceremony which included lots of speeches from different people. Then he flew off. If you know anything about Kenyan politics he was the man that 2 years ago during the election sparked a string of rioting in Kenya. They now share the leadership with an acting President and Prime Minister. It keeps things interesting around here, but fortunately the violence has calmed down. It reminded us to pray for the leadership of this country and for peace. Right now they are debating the issue of abortion in Kenya which is currently illegal, but still done in secret. Pray that they will continue to protect life here.

The next first involves the new vehicle that God has allowed us to purchase. We are excited about using it in so many ways. The first few days we had it we enjoyed exploring the community around us. Many of the roads are like narrow mountain roads so it is good we have 4 wheel drive.

We drove down to the river and found a nice spot to have a family picnic. Of course, it was a quintessential missionary picnic because we were joined by several cows who were coming to get a drink and eat the grass by the river.

Plus we also got lots of stares from the local farmers passing by who probably had never seen crazy white people eating on the ground with blankets. The boys had a blast.

We are excited to use the vehicle for our first community health outreach on May 11th and look forward to using it for God's glory. Thank you to all those who have helped with the purchase of the vehicle.

Finally, yesterday we got to attend our first Kenyan wedding or should I say weddings. It started in the morning when one of my Kenyan friends asked to borrow our car. I said let me come with you. We went to a house where immediately people started putting flowers and ribbons all over my car. About an hour later the bride, maid of honor and several others came and got in the car. We took them to the church about 10 miles away. Then I had to hurry back to make it to the other wedding that we had committed to go to. I made it just in time for them to ask me to do the closing prayer. I have learned I have to be ready for anything here. The wedding lasted all day and it was quite an experience with the whole community there. We were reminded of how amazing it is to see how each culture celebrates weddings differently and how beautiful the people are whom we came to serve.

Easter Blessings

2010-04-06T19:43:00.003-05:00

Praise the Lord! We hope every one of you had a wonderful Easter weekend. We had a great time here in Kapsowar. On Friday Kyle had the chance to do a little devotion for the Pediatric Ward and shared about the cross in Mark 15. He emphasized the curtain that was torn from top to bottom in the temple and how it represents God's desire for us to have our sins forgiven by Christ's death on the cross and come to have relationship with Him. He asked if anyone would like to begin a relationship with Christ to talk with him and 3 people expressed their desire to know Christ. "Mama Ian" accepted the Lord and "Mama and Baba (dad) Evans rededicated their lives to the Lord. It was great to then be able to offer them a Bible in their own tribal language.

On Easter Sunday we started out with doing a little Sunday School for the kids in the hospital. We had a time of singing and Hudson sang a solo of his favorite song "I have decided to follow Jesus." Kyle shared a special Bible story from a kid's book called "Clip and Tell Bible stories" which talked about the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Then the kids watched a video about Jesus. Everyone loved it. Then we went to our church and Kyle was met by one of the church elders who told him that their guest speaker could not make it and asked if he could fill in. He felt like God had really prepared him with a message to share and he really enjoyed it. It was so wonderful to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord with the Kenyans.

We enjoyed a wonderful Kenyan lunch with one of Vanessa's friends in her home. Hudson and her son Brian had a fun time playing together. She is a single mom and doing the best she can to support herself and her son. We are planning to help her go back to a cosmetology school so she can get a special trade doing hair designs which are very popular for African women on special occasions. One of the girls that lives near us has even started coming around asking to braid Vanessa's hair. I'd say she looks pretty good in all braids.

Later that evening we enjoyed a special dinner among the fellow missionaries here on station. We even had a turkey which was a real treat. We also got some plastic Easter eggs filled with candy to hide for the kids. We all had a blast. Then we had our weekly Bible study which was amazing. We talked about how Jesus as the Messiah really was all throughout the Old Testament. Take some time and look at the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22, Psalm 22, and Isaiah 53. Our hearts were encouraged as we remembered our precious Savior.

Little Things

2010-04-01T08:06:00.002-05:00

So I will be honest and share with you I had a bad day. Yes, it was bound to happen. Nothing specifically bad happened. I just was missing the "little things" of home. I kept thinking how I missed our:

Our families. Our friends. Fridays with Leah. Spontaneous lunches with Kelly. Cousin's birthday parties. Worshipping at Tulsa Bible Church. The nursery and Sunday school at TBC. Victory Mom's Day Out. Did I mention our family and friends? I could almost taste a Sonic Cherry Limeade. Being able to call Kyle on the way home and say, "It's been a hard day. Could you stop and bring something home for dinner?". Getting in a car and going to Wal-Mart when I run out of something. Hot water. Consistent electricity. Knowing that all those I loved I could reach by phone anytime. Or better yet just a short drive away. Dates with Kyle and the list could go on.

So then I remembered the "little things" I love here:

The beauty I see of God's creation from every window of my house. Watching my kids' imaginations flourish as they learn to live with minimum. Watching my kids' make friends in a culture that finds joy even in the midst of great poverty. Afternoons with Edna as we laugh together and share openly and honestly the deeper things of the heart. Getting to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with Kyle everyday. Sending Hudson off to the hospital all by himself to be dad's big "assistant". Worshiping our Lord together with another tribe and tongue. Smiles from Kenyans you can see miles away. Walking up the path to buy a dozen fresh eggs. Walking a little further to buy fresh fruits. Mangos (I think of Shannon and Marlene everytime I eat one. I wish I could share one with you right now!) The elderly guy who knocks on my door and brings me fresh lemons and grapefruits straight from his "shamba" (garden) for only 2 shillings a piece. Seeing a new exotic bird everyday. Seeing the local children play outside my door making windmills out of twigs and leaves. The laughter and joy that is always present in their faces. Hearing God's miracles and handiwork from Kyle every evening as he shares about his day at the hospital. Knowing without a doubt that this is exactly where God wants my family and I to be. And all of these little things I love helped me to treasure the rest of my day and enjoy the Lord's goodness to me back at home in Oklahoma as well as my new home here in Kapsowar.

Just for Fun

2010-03-31T07:39:00.002-05:00

Just for fun. Just because we live in Africa. Just because these are now our beloved pets. Can you guess which one of us loved Camilla the Camelion the most?

New Life in Kenya

2010-03-17T14:16:00.003-05:00

Sadly, one of the most frequent hospital admissions we have here at our hospital is from people who try to end their life by taking poison. Last week we had a young man named Richard that had decided his problems were too many and tried to end his life by this method. Fortunately, he was brought in soon enough by his family members that we were able to save his life. He was unconscious for about 2 days before he woke up. On the third day I saw him and asked him what had been going on in his life that made him want to end his life. He stayed pretty generic and just said family issues. I told him that I may not be able to solve all of his problems, but I could tell him about someone who could help him. He said he knew that he was not a christian and that if he would have died he would not have gone to heaven. He listened very closely as I proceeded to tell him the good news of the gospel. In the end he told me that he was ready to give his life to the Lord and start a new life. His brother, who is a christian and an elder in the local church where he lives, was there and was smiling really big. He and his christian mother had been praying for him for a long time. I had the Kenyan nurse that was translating for me pray with him in his language to ask Jesus into his heart. It was really special and exciting for me to see. I also asked one of our chaplains to come and visit with him and confirm that this was truly a sincere decision. He told me later that he thought the man was really ready to accept the Lord and that he knew the local pastor in his village so we will be able to follow-up with him to see how he is doing. Today in our family devotions we read the story about the 4 seeds and I was reminded that Satan loves to come in and snatch up the seed that was sown. So pray with me for Richard as he is a new young believer in Christ. I told him that he should now go and tell others about how God saved him from death and truly gave him new life.

The Golden Birthday!

2010-03-14T22:05:00.006-05:00

The Golden Birthday!

Hudson turned 5 on March 5 and I learned that this is called the “golden birthday”.

We had a fun weekend planned in Nairobi. We stayed with Uncle Marv and Aunt Jan. Hudson requested a lemon birthday cake and of course Jan was able to make his wish come true with a tasty lemon sponge birthday cake complete with sprinkles.

We also met up with some new friends the Simons who work in Nairobi with DOOR (Deaf Opportunity Outreach Ministries). Jeremy’s grandma goes to our church back home and helped get us connected. We also realized Whitney went to NSU where Vanessa went to college and even knew Kyle’s sister and husband! They have 2 absolutely adorable and fun boys that are ages 5 and 3. We went to a water park that cost a whopping $4.00 to get in. It was the best playdate I’ve had in ages! We were able to visit as adults and the kids played so well in the kiddie pool complete with slides!

We also had a neighborhood party! The kids have been waiting for it for it seems like forever. I guess Hudson mentioned it about a month before his birthday. My friend came over and we made an enormous batch of popcorn and 1 cake to feed about 25 kids. We had relay races that made everyone smile. We also learned personally why there is the phrase “Dance like you have ants in your pants”! Apparently after it rains here the ants surface and they all decided to migrate to our backyard. Before we knew it everyone was jumping around like little monkeys trying to get the ants out of their pants!

We had special packages from Kelly and Marlene with birthday goodies for Hudson and party supplies. Thanks! It was a splendid week of celebration!

FYI - for those interested in sending letters or packages to us in Kenya, there is a note on both our facebook pages with detailed instructions on how to send packages, but this in our address~

Our address:

Dr. Kyle Jones

Kapsowar Hospital

PO BOX 68

Kapsowar 30705

Kenya, East Africa

Glimpses of God’s Goodness

2010-02-23T23:41:00.005-06:00

Valentine’s Day

Kyle and I were able to go on a date for Valentine’s Day. There are 3 single girls serving here for a couple of months and they offered to babysit. I had pure confidence in their abilities to care for all 3 of my boys. We were so excited! We got on a matatu or what we call a taxi and headed out of town. Matatus are an adventure in themselves. Their max capacity is 14 and the average number of passengers is 30. There are people on the roof tops and hanging out the back. It is quite a sight. They make frequent, random stops. As I was sitting peacefully, enjoying not having responsibility for anyone... the driver made a stop and came back with a squawking chicken flapping it’s wings and placed it directly under my feet. I provided much entertainment as I screamed and jumped from my seat while the Kenyans laughed at such a sight. It stayed there the entire 2 hour drive. We went to Iten, which is a high altitude training center for gifted runners. We live nearby where many famous Kenyan Olympic runners train. We had a lovely meal of rice and beans. Then we went to the Keiro Valley resort to see the absolutely breathtaking view and have 2 cokes and Crepes Suzette. We made it home safely to our 3 beautiful children with a renewed love for one another. Thanks Amber, Kristen and Ariella!

David and his sling shot

Since we arrived there has been a one-eyed cat that seems to hang around our house. The other day I realized she was a mommy. I saw her 2 little kittens and felt sorry for her. I decided to give her the carcass of the chicken I had cooked the previous night. Within 1 minute (literally) there was a hawk swooping down to fight for lunch. One-eyed Willamina stayed firm and kept eating. My friend Mary came to see what was going on and before I knew it she said, “Get the children inside!” A huge bird called out and swooped down as the cat and hawk fled away. A few days later, Ben, a.k.a. David, killed this Montagious Harrier with one stone and his sling shot. Yep that’s right, David lives in my neighborhood. Apparently these birds kill small hens, cats and even poke people’s eyes out. What a sight! My boys were very impressed!

Sacrificial Giving

Lastly, before we left Oklahoma we gave many of our baby things to Matt and Lindsey King who are entering the journey of foster care. I asked Hudson if he would want to give his bike away. He began to cry, big alligator tears. He said, “I just love my bike. It is so fun and it’s the coolest bike I’ve ever seen”. My mommy heart wanted to protect him from any further sacrifice. He was already sacrificing so much by leaving all of his family and friends and many of his toys. I told him he didn’t have to. We could let Grammy keep it safe for him until we got back. He then proceeded to say thru his tears, “No, if a kid doesn’t have any bike I would like them to have mine.” We gave it to the Kings happily. So last week Shadrach, the station manager, said I have something for you. We went to a storage shed and to our great surprise it was a “BMX Cool Bike”! A young girl, Cara, who lived here before us made a similar sacrifice for Hudson. She knew he was coming and left him her bike! What a lesson in obedience. And what a lesson in the beauty of a child’s heart. I am constantly reminded of God’s goodness and care for the details of our life.

Keep praying for our work here in Kenya!

Hospital Update

2010-02-14T16:59:00.001-06:00

So a month has gone by now and I thought I might share how things have been going for me at the hospital. I want to share a few stories so you can get a glimpse of what it has been like and how you can best pray.
I have been working mostly in the Pediatric ward as well as Maternity. I also see a lot of outpatients in the afternoons. The mornings are not so bad here because the nurses aren’t normally ready for me to come for rounds until about 9:00am. So I get to start my day with devotions among the fellow missionaries here. We have been reading through the Psalms and praying together. I really appreciate the community of believers that are here, both the short-term and long-term people. Then I get to have breakfast with my family and have our family devotions. We read some in Hudson’s Children’s Bible and also through the Gospel of Matthew. I love to hear my kids pray. Next, I round with the nurses and nursing students on my inpatients. I have enjoyed praying with each one of them and sharing my testimony/the gospel with them. I am trying to learn Swahili and am in the process of working through a translation of the Evangelism Explosion track that my dad gave me before I left, just for that “divine appointment.” Thanks dad for that and for your example.
One patient you can pray for is Kiprotich. He is a 6 year old boy from a rural tribe that lives down in the valley called the Polcat. They are very traditional and resistant to change including the gospel. They have also been violent in the recent past with the other tribal groups in this area. But this boy was transferred to our hospital because of severe malaria and a very low blood count of 3, normal is around 12. We transfused him but he continued to have fevers. His belly then began getting bigger and he stopped passing urine well. As of today he was doing slightly better and we started treatment for intestinal parasites. Pray with me that he would survive his illness and that the parents would feel and know the love of Jesus from us. I would love to see more of an open door into reaching these people for Christ.
I have also been covering Maternity ward this week while our Obstetrician is away at a conference. It has been a good opportunity for me to get more comfortable with doing C-sections here and other procedures like tubal ligations and D&Cs (sorry for the medical jargon, I’ll try to keep it to a minimum.) This past Friday was probably the hardest day for me yet. I would like you to pray for two mothers who both came in with premature labor. The first lady, Gladys, came in at 28 weeks (full-term is 40 weeks) in labor, fully dilated. She soon delivered her baby and I noticed her belly was not as small as it should have been. Of course, you guessed it, she had twins. They both delivered head first, which is fortunate, and they weighed around 1kg or 2 pounds each. We spent a long time resuscitating them and they both began to breathe on their own, but very labored. Here at our hospital we don’t have a ventilator so babies have to be able to breathe on their own. Unfortunately, both babies went on to die later that night. They were just too small to survive. This is one of those instances where it is hard for me to see babies die that I know could have been saved in the States and it is even harder to see mom’s get so excited when they are surprised to give birth to twins only to lose them before they turn 1 day old. So please pray for Gladys as she seeks comfort from the Lord and trusts in His sovereignty.
Also, pray for June who is 19 and came in with preterm labor at 27 weeks. Her baby was turned in such a way that the hand actually delivered first. In this case I had to take her for a C-section and the baby survived for only a short time. Once again she was too premature for her lungs to breathe. The surgery went well and June is recovering, but it was hard to see her crying for the loss of her baby. I could see the Lord’s goodness to her and the peace He gave her as we prayed for her.
There is a lot of joy in the work I am doing at the hospital as well and I have to remind myself that God has not called me here to never have to go through hardship or struggle in my own life or sharing it with my patients. It is a privilege to be able to walk with them through their difficult times and point them to Christ, who is our ultimate comforter and healer. Thanks for your prayers. We love and miss you all.

You Know You're in Africa When...

2010-02-01T11:46:00.012-06:00

We have been in Kenya for about 3 weeks now and we have made a few observations that we would like to share with you.

You know you’re in Africa when:

~It rains on your clean laundry hanging out to dry and you call it a second rinse

~Chickens that live next door are your “weed and feed”

~The sheep are your very own lawn mowers as well as pets tied to a post in your front yard

~You’re not sure if you’re getting a tan because you live on the equator or your bath water looks like this before you actually bathe

~This is Aquafina at it’s best: Purified water=4 hours of direct sunlight

~You get an urgent call from the OR that a woman is in on the table in need of your blood type so you rush in only to find that there is only 1 man who has a key and he is at home. So he comes 30 minutes later only to take you to a secret refrigerator that has a secret stash of blood that no one knew about.

~You wake up to this every morning:

~Everyone stops to say “Habari” or “Hello” and shake your hand

~The rooster that lives next door begins crowing at 3am, then 3:30, 4:00…

~You are greeted by these faces every time you get home:

~You don’t need a floral shop all you have to do is go to your backyard and find this:

~Electricity during the day is “optional”

~This is 10 minutes away from your home:

~When you order a couch and ask for light green this is what you get:

~You have to travel 2 hours to get your computer modem serviced (sorry it’s been a while since we've posted)

~Things are quite comical around here at times, but it keeps life interesting.

We are enjoying our adventure here.

Love and praying for you all!

This Is It!

2010-01-13T06:32:00.004-06:00

On the plane as I looked at all my boys sleeping I thought, "This is it"! Not because the Michael Jackson movie was available for viewing, but because this is what the Lord has been preparing for us our entire lives! And even though there were tears and heavy hearts as we departed Tulsa, I knew without a shadow of a doubt we were in the direct will of God! I also believe that if each one of my boys knew what an adventure these next 2 years would hold they would have chosen it for themselves as well!

We had a sweet time in Nairobi with Uncle Marv and Aunt Jan. They are such servants! Highlights include: Jan's gourmet cooking; spending almost an entire day in the immigration office going from window to window not knowing what in the world was going on; going to a Chinese restaurant where we sat outside where there were tons of toys, a playground, a jupiter jump (complete with an employee whose sole purpose was to take off and put on the kids shoes every time their little hearts desire was to get on and off) and petting a real life cheetah!

We flew into Eldoret (2 hours away) and were greeted by our friend, Christina, who is the OB/GYN post resident in Kapsowar! She drove up in the hospital ambulance! She escorted us to town to buy an internet modem and then onto a grocery store to shop for food for a month (talk about meal planning)! She then took us on a tour of the hospital and introduced us to many of the people that work at the hospital as well as the sweet kids that live around here.

So I seriously have the backyard of my dreams! The view is incredible-no picture could do it justice! I also have the neighborhood I always wanted for my boys. I was unpacking and looked out back and saw a crowd of new friends for the kids to play with. Complete with amazing smiles and much laughter! Hudson even taught the kids the game of "tag". And Jude began telling each of them "And my name is Jude" as he shook their hand.

We had a lovely dinner at the Rhodes home. It is a welcoming environment with warm people. We have spent the day unpacking our 16 bags. Lauren is now on her way to the operating room to witness a c-section and the boys are waking up from their naps. Hudson and Jude will be waiting for all of their new friends to come home from school so they can play in the freedom of their new yard where everyone wants to play!

Praises:
~Our luggage arrived safely
~Sweet friendships with grown ups as well as children
~A beautiful 3 bedroom home
~Peace that we are in God's perfect place for us
~Good quality time for Kyle and I
~Lauren arrived safely and is a huge help
~We found our camera charger

Prayer requests:
~Good sleep for all: Hudson has been waking up with "growing pains" and Isaac is up quite often thru the night (looks like he is getting 3 teeth)
~My dad is getting surgery today on his eyes. May he read this blog tonight and be comforted by the Lord's provision and His healing hand! Love you dad!
~God would open our hearts and eyes to each ministry He wants us to be a part of

We love you all and thank you for your friendship and constant support!

We're having some trouble with loading pictures, but we will get some up as soon as possible.

Safe Arrival

2010-01-08T17:13:00.003-06:00

Kyle and Vanessa called this afternoon to tell us that they arrived safely in Nairobi. Praise the Lord! Other praises include the fact that ALL of their luggage made it and the boys did wonderful on all the flights.

Pray they all get rest tonight.

They asked that we continue to pray for Hudson who got sad and cried frequently on the flights when he thought about leaving his cousins. Jude also asked for Grammy frequently. Continue to pray for them.

Lauryn, a 16 year old from TBC, planned to travel with them and help them for the first month while in Kenya. Her flights were changed and delayed numerous times and she has yet to make it to Kenya. Pray for the rest of her travel and safe arrival.

They will be in Nairobi until Tuesday and then travel on to Kapsowar.

~Kelly

Up Up and Away!

2010-01-07T07:54:00.003-06:00

Praying at the airport

Today is departure day! We are on our way to Kenya!

This is our itinerary:

Tulsa to Minneapolis - Northwest Airlines Flight 5087

Departs 11:40 AM Arrives 1:47 PM

Minneapolis to Amsterdam - Northwest Airlines Flight 258

Departs 3:25 PM Arrives 6:40 AM

Amsterdam to Nairobi - Northwest Airlines Flight 8565

Departs 10:20 AM Arrives 8:25 PM

HERE is a link to a flight tracker sight where you can enter our airline and flight number and find out the progress of our trip.

Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you!

Pictures from Kelly at the airport...

Isaac is pretty sure he can take on the world right now.

Jude's got a plan. He's going places.

Hudson is a little nervous but excited.

Pray for Hudson especially since he really felt the weight of leaving his cousins and friends for two years. He was very sad this morning.

The Goodbyes Have Begun

2009-12-19T22:16:00.003-06:00

Well there is a constant "pit" in my stomach these days. Almost every time we see someone it will be our last now. This week we went to an In His Image/Family Medical Christmas party and hugged and said goodbye to so many sweet, sweet friends. We truly felt loved as they prayed for us. We know that they will be with us when we go.

Friday was Hudson and Jude's last day at Victory Mom's Day Out. Almost 4 years ago Hudson started going there. He learned his ABCs and 123s and shapes and colors. He learned the fruits of the spirit. He learned the lesson to turn to the Lord and pray the minute there is pain or a friend who is hurting. Jude learned to say "No thank you" to even the unpleasant things. He learned to take turns and wait in lines and have fun! Each time I had peace and knew they were loved and cared for. So, we said goodbye to the beautiful aquariums filled with exotic fish. We said goodbye to the larger than life giraffe that is sporting some beautiful holiday ball "bling". We rode the carousel for the last time. And we hugged our teachers a little tighter at the end of the day.

So thank you...Ms. Christine, Ms. Donna, Ms. Brooke, Ms. Niesha, Ms. Megan, Ms. Carissa and Ms. Linda. You have planted seeds that will last a lifetime. We will be praying for you in Kenya and looking forward to sharing our stories when we return!

And lastly, tonight we got together with my sweet, lifelong friends. We have been friends for over half my life. It began in high school as Shannon and I were in student government together and then off to college to live and learn about life as freshmen. Natasha came into our lives and "spiced" it up as she came to know Jesus and loved Him with great abandon. We grew more in our walks with the Lord then we ever expected. We learned how to love and serve and cook and we had so much fun! We watched each other cry and fall in love and have babies. I watched Shannon and Greg follow the Lord to India and serve Him faithfully there. My life is richer because they are in it. They are beautiful women who inspire me more then they'll ever know. They have amazing husbands and the most adorable children. My heart aches to think it will be at least 2 years before we'll kneel and pray and cry together again! They are my sisters for eternity!

Desires of the Heart

2009-11-07T23:13:00.016-06:00

Where we've been...

Kyle went to a conference in Florida called ECHO for a week. It's purpose is to help fight world hunger. He left feeling inspired and more equipped for our work in Kenya. Lord conquer the world that lives in a strong cycle of poverty. May they come to know You and know what it means to never hunger or thirst again.

We then had our annual missions conference where we were featured missionaries. Kyle and I were able to host a "Meet the Missionary" room. We were able to speak about our passion for the work we will be doing in Kenya. I'm so thankful to attend a church that longs to spread the Gospel to all nations. Lord may we proclaim the message of your truth until representatives from every, tribe, tongue and nation will bow down and worship You.

Isaac Henry Jones was dedicated to the Lord on October 25. The blessing and charge from our new pastor, Jim Johnston was this: "Isaac was the son of the promise and his name means laughter. Henry comes from the German and it means ruler of the household. Isaac Henry may your life bring Christ's joy to many as you serve the household of faith." What a special time with our eternal family! Children truly are a heritage from the Lord.

And lastly, Grandpa Jones went to be with the Lord on October 31st. We were able to be there when he took his final breath. What a moment. We were in the presence of glory. We don't know exactly how it happens...if the spirit flies up, or angels come and escort, etc. but we do know our sweet grandpa, a faithful servant of Jesus was ushered into the presence of the Holy of Holies and we were present when he left for his glorious home. Kyle's dad and his siblings officiated the service. The church was full of people that were touched by the life of Dr. Ray and were undoubtedly given the grace and truth of God. What a heritage we've been given. We sat down for dinner after the service and Hudson looked at the people sitting next to him and said, "Do you know Jesus?" May we faithfully share the message we've been given. May our children be faithful to the calling that their great-grandfather strived to proclaim as the sole purpose of his life. I long for the day when death will have no sting. When it will be conquered. When we will be reunited at the wedding feast!

Just in Case...

2009-09-28T22:38:00.003-05:00

I ever forget the power of the body of Christ. Or that God cares about the details of my life. Or that the Lord wants us to be in Kenya. I want to record the beauty of the Lord's goodness and provision this last month.

~We sold our house with just a "For Sale by Owner" sign and only 1 open house. All in 1 month.

~We had to replace the roof and fix the windows, but with the insurance it was completely covered.

~We needed a house to stay in by September 12 and the Lord provided an amazing missionary house for us that opened up on September 2. Which is right across the neighborhood from Kyle's parents.

~Our dear friends the Humphreys provided a moving van, movers and storage for our furniture.

~The Duinincks are allowing us to keep our furniture in their basement during out time in Kapsowar.

~Leah came over and worked like crazy to help me sort, throw and pack my house. I couldn't have done it without her!

~My precious neighbor, Marceta, watched my boys countless times so that I could accomplish such a task in such a short time. All with joy.

~My mother in law, Marlene, came over and let the boys spend the night at her house so we could work into the late hours of the night. Never once complaining or letting on how tired she was. And then watched them the next week while we went to WMM orientation.

~The profit from our house was within $100 of the repayment of my student loans!

Praise the Lord with us! Remind me if I ever question God's amazing power and love.

We are now settled for a few months here in Broken Arrow! Things are coming along. Thanks for all who are following and supporting us in this journey!

P.S.

Good report from Isaac's cardiologist. He had no concerns about us leaving for Kenya. EKG looks good. Still a murmur which indicates the holes have not closed yet. Next appointment in November. Keep praying with us that the holes will close on their own.

And Jude had a really fun 2-year-old birthday party with Diego in our new house.

Kapsowar Video

2009-08-23T23:02:00.004-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Check out this cool video. It is from the missionary family that was formerly at Kapsowar Hospital, the place where we are going. Anyone want to come and visit?!

http://www.aimint.org/can/video/kapsowar_hospital.html

More Precious Than Silver

2009-08-15T17:47:00.004-05:00

This week we accepted an offer on our house! We praise the Lord for His faithfulness to provide for all of our needs. I had some mixed emotions. I love this little house of ours. I remember the first night we slept in "our very own house" almost 7 years ago. There are so many memories tied up in this little old house of ours...

When Kyle told me that they accepted our counter-offer I started crying. You see they negotiated our swing set. I couldn't help, but remembering watching Kyle and some of his buddies building that and how excited Hudson was the first time he got to go down his slide and fly in his rocket. And I wanted to hold on so tightly to this precious possession of ours.

Everynight when I put my boys to bed I sing a few songs...and that night I sang to Jude "Lord you are more precious than silver". Tears started streaming down my face and Jude noticed my voice change. He looked up at me and said "crying". He took his little blanket and wiped my tears and put his head back on my chest as I finished the song.

So bottom line, the sweet Holy Spirit reminded me that nothing on this earth compares to Him. Not tattered old houses or well loved swing sets. And I count it a joy to spend my life sharing Jesus with others so that they may know nothing this world has to offer compared to knowing and walking with Him.

Jones Update

2009-08-15T17:02:00.010-05:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, a lot has been happening in our life right now…

First of all, we have a new member of the family! Isaac Henry Jones was born on May 31st, 2009 about 3 weeks early, our smallest baby yet at 5#7oz. He is a little guy but strong! He has recently been diagnosed with an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) in his heart. The cardiologist will continue to monitor him and is very hopeful that the hole will close on its own without surgery. Hudson and Jude love him so much and are wonderful helpers.

Another new beginning in our life is my graduation from Family Medicine Residency. It’s official, the many years of training are over and now starts the “practice” of medicine. I guess doctors are always learning. It has been a privilege to train at a Christian program that really taught me how to combine my faith with medicine. I will be working at the same clinic where I did my training here in Tulsa for the next 5 months and then…

We plan to leave for the mission field in early January 2010. We will be working with World Medical Mission (WMM), a branch of Samaritan’s Purse, at a mission hospital in Kapsowar, Kenya in Africa. We were accepted into WMM’s 2-year Post Residency Program which will provide for some of our financial needs and offer training and mentorship as we get started. We are very excited to see the Lord fulfilling this vision that we have both had for a long time. The Lord’s calling was clear and we are ready to follow His lead. I will be working in a 100-bed hospital with 2 other missionary doctors. We will have the opportunity to minister to the hospital staff, patients and surrounding community. We can’t wait to see how much fun our 3 boys are going to have playing with all the other kids. Hudson already calls himself a missionary. Vanessa is excited to begin homeschooling our kids and getting involved with women and children’s ministry. We certainly covet your prayers and support as we prepare for this next step in our lives. We are tremendously grateful for your prayers and encouragement over the years.

We would love to have you partner with us in our ministry. We need a team that will faithfully pray for us as well as individuals who could support us financially. Enclosed is a response letter. If you have further questions we would be happy to share more about our ministry with you. If you would like to continue to receive our newsletter please send us an email.

In His Service,
Kyle and Vanessa Jones
Hudson, Jude and Isaac

Prayer Requests:
· Pray for the people of Kenya whom we will serve and the hospital in Kapsowar.
· Pray for our preparations to go: spiritual, physical, emotional and financial.
· Pray for the hole in Isaac’s heart to heal and for the health of the rest of our family.

Email: kvhjones@sbcglobal.net

For Lou Lou

2008-09-17T23:00:00.003-05:00

Our neighbor Lou Ann moved away on August 1. She was a dear, sweet friend to us. My boys absolutely loved her and she absolutely adored them. She gave so much joy to our family and we miss her dearly. I could call on her anytime...night or day and she would be there to listen, change a diaper, cook a meal, wrestle with Hudson, rock Jude to sleep and sometimes I even caught her mowing our lawn. She moved to Texas to be close to her sister. It's been almost 2 months now and I still find myself looking out the door waiting for her green truck to pull up. When she calls I put the phone up to Jude's ear and he smiles from ear to ear and tries to talk back to her. She's been emailinng requesting pictures of the boys, so this video is for her from Hudson 'cause I know she misses his sweet little voice, just as much as we miss hers.

Is that Jude Walking?

2008-09-17T22:36:00.005-05:00

Jude started taking his first steps at 10 1/2 months. And by 11 months he's cruising around the house. Here's proof. Plus a few extra photos of the boys for those who don't get to see their sweet faces all the time.

Tiger Magic

2008-09-07T21:33:00.003-05:00

On September 5, 2008 (Happy Birthday Laurel), on an unusually cool day in Tulsa, we hopped in the car and headed to the Broken Arrow vs. Union game. We traditionally go every single year. Each year, I wonder why we torture ourselves because it has be at least 19 years since Broken Arrow has beat Union. Half time always makes up for the bummer of a game. But this year was different. The streak has been broken and the Tigers clobbered those Redskins!!
24-9! As I sat there watching the game and daydreaming (which I usually do during all sports events) I went back to my high school years. I remembered the lifelong friends that I made that were a family to me when mine was broken. A family that took my hand and put it into the hands of Jesus. They showed me how to be loved and to love as Christ compels us to. I remember those high school years so clearly. I was at every football game because I played the clarinet in the marching band.

**Side note**
And I must take a moment to tell you the Broken Arrow Pride is truly the grandest band in all the land (not just for its honors-we were always the underdog during my years). I made the best of friends and the sweetest of memories while committed to the Pride. Broken Arrow is an unusual school. The band kids aren't outcasts. Most everyone finds their niche and is accepted for who they are. I know, I know they aren't as cool, but they aren't the stereotypical band nerds either. Case in point...on Friday night after the game was over and the crowd rushed the field in great excitement, the football players ran over to the band yelling & cheering, helmets high as the band played the fight song over and over. They appeared to recognize their faithfulness as fans all these years through victories and many defeats.

Anyway, I remember those days when I only knew when to cheer because everyone else around me started to. Or when Betsy, our drum major, raised her arms in preparation for us to play. I used to sit in those bleachers and dream about what my life would be like. The Lord gave me visions that I have seen fulfilled. I graduated from college and spent my short career outside the home serving women and children who were hurting. I am married to the most amazing husband, my best friend, the Christian boy who played the saxophone right alongside me during those years (who taught me a significant lesson about football fields-if you are curious ask me about it sometime). Being blessed with 2 children of my own. Going overseas to serve people for the Lord with my family. I cherished the memories made Friday night, watching Hudson chant "B-A, B-A, Broken Arrow Tigers" with his cousins. Watching Hudson running as fast as he could, tackling Kyle once he was let loose on that giant field. I was in awe as I watched Jude mesmerized at the band's half time performance. Oh, what a faithful God I serve. Thank You for giving me vision, for fulfilling those precious dreams You gave me and for walking with me in times of trial and times of joy. Thank You Jesus for making my life here on this earth so much more beautiful because of your handiwork.

The Spiritual Secrets of Hudson Travis

2008-07-30T17:20:00.004-05:00

~About 1 month after our neighbor died we were playing in the backyard and Hudson exclaimed,

"I can't wait to see Nora's body!"
Explanation: When I told him she died I said that God was going to give her a new, strong, healthy body.

~On 4th of July we were at a swim party with some of Kyle's colleagues. We walked in the house and Hudson saw a crowd around one of his "grown up" friends, Andrew.

Hudson said, "What's wrong with Andrew?"
Vanessa said, "He hurt his toe."
Hudson said, "Well, I will pray for him."
He proceeded to walk up to Andrew and put his chubby little hand on Andrew's ankle and prayed,

"Dear Jesus, Thank you Lord for Andrew. Thank you Lord for Andrew's toe. Please help him feel better real soon. Amen."

Explanation: Because this was a "doctor party" they had everything to perform a minor surgery on Andrew's toe. He had fallen on a rock and his toenail was about to fall off.

~On the way home one evening after Bible study, I was trying to make some conversation with Hudson.

Vanessa:"Hudson, you know what?"
Hudson: "What mom?"
Vanessa: "Every time we say a prayer God catches it in a big, golden bowl. And saves it forever! Do you want to try?"
Hudson: "No mom, it's really dark outside and He won't be able to see. Can we try it when the sun wakes up?"
Vanessa: "Sure."

Explanation: In the book of Revelation it speaks of God collecting all the prayers, praises and tears of the saints in golden bowls and upon the day of His return they will be poured out as an offering! Sure inspires me to keep praying, even when it feels like no one is listening.

~One afternoon I was trying to finish my Bible study (I had waited until the day of the Bible study to finish the last 3 days of homework.) The kids were crawling all over me and trying really hard to get my undivided attention.

So I finally gave in and took Hudson's hand and started writing on his hand. I wrote, "Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Papa, Jonah, and Anna"
Hudson: "Mommy, why did you color on my hand?"
Vanessa: "Did you know that when you ask Jesus to come into your heart and decide to follow Him he writes your name on His hand? But when He writes it on His hand it will never, ever, ever be erased? So Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Papa, Jonah and Anna have all decided to ask Jesus in their hearts and our names our on His hand."
Hudson: "But mom I want Jesus to live in my heart. How can He live in everybody's heart if I want Him to live in mine?"
Vanessa: "Let's ask your dad when he gets home."

~Last funny story...
Hudson was sick today. He really has an amazing warning sense before he's going to throw up. I never have to clean up the mess. I think it's the one good thing about me being so sick when I'm pregnant. He watched me run to the bathroom every time.

Anyway, today he started to feel better and had some food. He asked for another cheese stick. I told him no, too many cheese sticks might make his tummy upset. He started laughing so hard.
Hudson: "Mommy, tummy's don't get upset. Tummy's can't cry!"

Ahhh...these are the days! I treasure these moments that I get to spend with my sweet boys as they grow and ask good questions. Questions that cause me to grow in my faith and really just make me smile a whole lot.

Finally a post from Vanessa

2008-07-01T14:32:00.004-05:00

I know, I know it's been forever since I've posted. There are a few of you faithful bloggers and friends who check in hopes that I haven't given up on the blog world. But to tell you the truth life outside of being on global expeditions just doesn't seem as exciting to write about. But here I go anyway.

Life since our return has been a whirlwind to say the least. We hit the road running the day we got back. I think we're just now coming up for air. There have been some family trials...the main one being my sister being diagnosed with breast cancer. She has two children. She is one of the most courageous women I know. Please remember her in your prayers. Another trial and celebration is that my sweet neighbor, Nora went to be with the Lord. She would have been 104 years old on July 27. I sure miss seeing her out working in her garden and sneaking cookies to Hudson through the fence. What a sweet life she lived. Hudson so wants her to come home. What a lesson to learn at the tender age of 3. He's so honest. When we told him about her death, he fought back the tears and sweetly said, "But I will miss her." We told him that we could see her in heaven someday, and that she was with Jesus. He replied, "I just want her to come home."

We just finished what In His Image calls a "retreat". Since Kyle is the chief and I am his wife we had a lot of responsibility. There was much preparation and work involved for us this year. But I think this year is going to be full of the Lord's blessings. Kyle is such a gifted leader and truly pours out everything in himself with the tasks at hand. He received 3rd place for his research! We had a wonderful ladies brunch that I helped plan. Our featured speaker was a sweet lady that is a missionary with 6 children. She truly blessed us with her transparency and encouragement.

We genuinely miss Kenya. What a sweet time we had serving the Lord. I found myself taking walks just to meet people. But it wasn't the same. People here are busy and on a mission of their own. They don't have the time to stop and talk. For example, my car alarm was going off one day. Some sort of malfunction. I couldn't get it to stop or even get my car started. I had both my boys with me on a hot summer day. I found people staring ugly stares at me. I was totally disrupting and annoying them. No one offered to help. I remember in Kenya when we got a flat tire...there were at least 5 people there assisting us with changing the tire. Sure we were white folk and received lots of attention wherever we went. But how often do we see someone here from another culture in need and turn the other way. It was a lesson for me as well as a reminder of the appreciation and love I have for the people of Kenya.

Well we are in the process of planning our next mission trip overseas for February. So my posts will again be adventurous an exciting. Stay tuned. Until then keep checking and I'll try and keep you up with the Jones'.

Final Kenya Update At Last

2008-06-02T20:29:00.004-05:00

OK, I know I'm about a month late in adding this last update that I promised, but I suppose it's better late than never. I thought I might cheat a little and copy in the report I wrote to CMDA. It's a pretty good summary of the trip very condensed. Thanks to all who kept in touch with us through the blog. Love you all.

Praise the Lord! God has been so good to the Jones family. We recently returned from our family mission trip to Tenwek Hospital in Kenya, Africa. We are so thankful to God and to all those who supported us on our way. God truly did some amazing things in our hearts and through our hands as we served the people there. We were so impressed with the people of Kenya and felt God’s heart for them to know Him.
During our time there I was able to minister to patients at the 300 bed mission hospital. I was honestly at times overwhelmed with the difficulties of the situations they face. It was hard to see death and sickness every day. Their stories still touch my heart and my soul. I think of a young boy named Kipkorich who was diagnosed with Leukemia and when I met him he had a dangerously low blood level and was bleeding from his nose. He had been sent back from the national hospital because they didn’t have his rare blood type. Praise God that we were able to find him some blood and stop the bleeding. During his stay at our hospital he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior! Praise the Lord for His sovereignty and goodness. It was a joy to share with them the love of Jesus.
Vanessa and the kids had lots of fun as well. Hudson who is 3 was at home right away and made friends wherever he went. There were several other families there with small children so he spent a lot of time outside playing with his new friends. Vanessa and Hudson were able to go to an orphanage to see the work being done and love on the kids for a day. The orphans were so interested in Hudson and his funny looking white skin. Jude our 7 month old also did great even on the long plane rides. The Kenyan women loved to pat his little head. Vanessa also got to go to the hospital to hold the little babies in the nursery and pray over them. She loved it! Overall, we felt like Tenwek was a great environment for our family and we could see ourselves really thriving there.
There are so many other stories and thoughts to share. We covet your prayers as we seek God for further direction for our future. We are praying about what God would have us do after I finish my Family Medicine residency next year June 2009. Tenwek Hospital interestingly was in need of family doctors to help continue their family medicine training program. Maybe God had more in mind for us than just a short-term trip. May God bless you.

Home Soon!

2008-04-27T11:45:00.004-05:00

We're coming home soon! We will be flying in from Dallas Fort Worth on American Airlines and are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday April 29th at 6:25 pm. We had a good day today with a nice time for processing some of the things that went on this month with some of the other visiting physicians and one of the missionary couples. It was a great time of sharing some of the highs and lows, dreams and visions. Tonight the German medical students in the guest house have made us some traditional German food and they are ready to start soon. I will post again hopefully soon to give more details and wrap up some of our thoughts about our time here.

9:08 am Tuesday, April 29th
A quick update from Kelly:

I just checked their flight from London to Dallas and it looks like they left 2 hours late. This will put them in Dallas too late to make the connecting flight from Dallas to Tulsa. It is possible they will make up for lost time in the air, but I don't know. Most likely, they will have to catch the next flight out of Dallas. It looks like there is a flight leaving Dallas at 7:00pm and one that leaves at 8:25. I will keep you posted.

6:29 pm Tuesday, April 29th
Kyle, Vanessa, Hudson and Jude are on the 7:00 flight from Dallas to Tulsa. They should arrive at 8:00. We are still waiting to see it mom and dad (Travis and Marlene) make it on that flight - they are currently on standby.

Pray with Me

2008-04-24T14:10:00.003-05:00

Well we have had a good week here at Tenwek and our time is coming near to the end. Before we left we had some things that we definitely wanted to fit in. On Wednesday Travis and I went out with the Community Health team to a little village about an hour away. Of course the ride was adventerous with 9 of us piled in a Land Rover on bumpy roads. When we got there we saw a simple building with 4 locked doors. We found out that the man that had the key went into town and wouldn't be back until he was done with his business. Oh well we said, we'll just have the clinic outside. The people must wait until they see the car coming because there was no one there initially. We made use of the time by getting a tour of the village and the local high school. They wanted to hear from the white people that came to their little village so all the high school kids gathered outside so we could speak with them. It was fun to share with them about our lives and our relationship with Christ which was the real reason we had come to Kenya. I shared with them about how to make good choices by repeating something I have probably heard my dad share a thousand times. Before making a decision you must ask yourself how it affects God, others and you. There is so much HIV/AIDS in Africa so it was good to be able to encourage the young kids to stay pure in their relationships. By the time we got back the clinic was full and we had a good time seeing the babies, giving shots and doing check-ups for the pregnant moms. Dad was in charge of praying for the moms before they left. We had a great time.

That same afternoon Vanessa got to go with some of the missionary ladies to a local women's ministry gathering. The Kenyan ladies had a big special event planned for one of the missionary ladies who will be going on furlough soon. Vanessa said it was so special to see how they welcomed them in to the area with singing, hugs and little gifts. Then they each shared how God had impacted their life personally through the study group. Praise God for the strong women's ministry going on. Vanessa said she could see herself really enjoying that kind of work. She also thought that next time we have guests at TBC we should welcome them with loud singing, hugs and gifts.

Hudson had a great time with his new pet Salamander that he and Papa found. We played with it all day and then finally let it go back to it's home. It walked so slow and would just walk up your arm and crawl in your hair. Hudson thought it was so cool and a little tickly.

The work at the hospital continues to be tough but rewarding. I enjoy teaching the interns and learning from them as well every day. They are truly amazing people and the patients are so sweet. I have been working mostly in Pediatrics which has been bitter-sweet. I love taking care of the little ones and seeing them get stronger each day. There are still tough moments when there is nothing more that we can do. Currently there is a boy that we are treating for Acute Leukemia. He really needs chemotherapy, but his blood levels have been so low because of recurrent severe nose bleeds. He has a rare blood type that has been difficult to find. Pray that his condition will stabilize and we will be able to transfer him to another facility tomorrow. His name is "Kip" for short. His picture is above which I took right after we finally were able to stop his latest nose bleed. I told him that I would show the picture to my friends in America and that they would pray for Him. Praise God that he did accept Jesus Christ into his life yesterday.

Well I should go to bed. I will be on call for the last time tomorrow and then I have the weekend off. We plan to teach the children in Sunday School and visit another Kenyan church. May God bless you all.

P.S. Happy Birthday Missy! We love you.

Day Trips!

2008-04-22T13:07:00.003-05:00

We had an amazing weekend! We finally were around to explore the beauty of Tenwek. There is an incredible water fall that generates power for the hospital and surrounding areas. We were filled with visions of young and old carrying huge packs on their backs up an down this hill/mountain. It was so picture perfect.

On Sunday we were given the honor of attending a nationals church. The genuine sincerity of their service was heart warming. They had one instrument, a keyboard. We were very late (because the Matatu-taxi) was late. We came in and I hurriedly sat down next to my husband. Kyle whispered to me..."Look, I think you are supposed to be sitting over there." The women and the men sat on separate sides of the sanctuary. I was emabarrased and immediately got up and sat on the other side. Marlene whispered to me, "I thought you may have just been trying to be rebelious." Most of you know that is not me at all. We were then each asked to give a word to the congregation. I spent some time outside with Hudson and Jude. Most of the children followed me. It was fun. Neither of us understood a word the other was saying, but each of us were filled with joy and entertainment as we sat and played together. This was the first day that I saw Hudson growing a little weary of all the attention. He didn't want his photo taken and he seemed a little hesitant to play and sing as normal, because he always has an audience.

We were then invited to have lunch at Alfred's home. Alfred is an intern here at Tenwek that Kyle has been working with. He actually was his doctor for a week as Alfred had malaria. Alfred has a beautiful wife, Florence and two children Abigail 5 and Lucas 2. We were treated like such royalty. It was a humbling experience as their nephew came around to us with a sports coat on with a pitcher of water and a bowl for us to wash our hands. Florence prepared a beef stew with rice and chipates. She never made it to eat with us. The reason why...I found her in her kitchen. Her kitchen consists of a hut with a wood fire in which she has 2 pots to prepare things with. She washes her dishes behind the hut with a water spout. There is a tiny little bed for Lucas to lay in there...I guess she spends quite a bit of time there. They grow crops on their land that helps to support their family. They have a great vision for their community. They are trying to reach the young people so that they can reach their parents. There is an alcohol problem in the area. On our walk to his home we encounter 2 very drunk people. They also plan to give their land to be used for a children's home as their is a growing number of orphans due to AIDS and alcholoism. Behind them lives a 100 year old lady. She was so joyful and beautiful. She reminded me so much of our sweet, 103 year old neighbor Nora. She has physical and mental strength. She was truly honored to have us visit them. She said in all her years she had not had a "Wazungo" (white person) visit her home. Again we are taught something so huge about the culture and how much we have to learn. I pray that I show as much love, hospitatlity and honor to those that step foot in my home. By the way...Florence finally joined us for chai and we had a sweet time of prayer for them and their community.

Great Times at Tenwek

2008-04-18T11:49:00.006-05:00

We have had a meaningful and fun week with many highlights. We had 3 Kenyan interns over for dinner on Tuesday night. It was a sweet time of fellowship. They are such a kind and genuine people. They even ate all their American food filled plates. It was a sweet time of fellowship as we shared our hearts and prayed for each other. I encouraged them to continue to be bold and combine their faith with their medicine. They shared their faith building experiences when they were bold and took the time to share the love of Jesus with their patients. Since my time here I have seen that sometimes the doctors are less active at sharing Christ with their patients and tend to rely heavily on the chaplains. By God's grace if anything I pray that they might be renewed in their vision of Christ centered patient care. It certainly makes the long rounds, difficult patient cases, limited resources worth it when we can also be involved in Kingdom work.

Wednesday we hosted the weekly Bible study while the long term missionaries were away. We had a most amazing time of worship. Everyone was on their feet dancing to the Kenyan worship songs. We then opened the Word and I was able to lead the group in a study on God's heart for the nations throughout scripture from Genesis to Revelation. We broke up into small groups and prayed for the nations. It was such a sweet time and a taste of heaven.

Today Vanessa, Hudson and Marlene were able to go to an orphanage about 2 hours away on a very bumpy road. Apparently they had quite an adventure with getting stuck in mud 3 times, 1 flat tire in the rain and 4 grown adults in the back seat of a small car. When they got there Hudson was the biggest hit of all. The kids were so enamered with his white skin and fun personality. When they left the kids asked if Hudson could stay with them. Vanessa was a little hesitant to leave him of course. They have some great needs there like fresh water tanks, mattresses, school uniforms or maybe even a cow to provide them with milk. Might be a nice Sunday School project.

Please continue to pray for us and the people here. Thanks.

A Tale of Two Birthdays

2008-04-13T12:44:00.002-05:00

On April 10, 1979 I came into the world. Strong and healthy. My mom always told me I was "right on time". She missed a concert because she thought "surely this baby won't come on the due date". But I did. You could say I was predictable from birth. I have walked a fairly narrow path with few surprises. That is why it is no surprise that I celebrated my birthday here in Kenya with some very sweet people. The day started off a little rough. I was grumpy. I was up every hour the night before either nudging Kyle to go answer the phone (he was on call) or feeding Jude. But my sweet mother in law woke up with a servant's heart. She and Hudson excitedly made me a cake. I even was able to take a nap that afternoon. We invited all the visiting doctors and the Kenyan residents to attend my birthday party. We would serve the traditional chai tea and eat a scrumptious cake. But things turned out a little differently. Kyle did not come home for lunch. We later heard that at around 10:30 am Rosalyn was scheduled for an elective c-section. Rosalyn has lost 3 babies and they were hoping to prevent death by delivering 2 weeks early. Kyle was responsible for taking care of the baby once delivered. Little baby Hope was born. She did not look well. Kyle then began resucitating the baby. He bagged her for approximately 3 hours because they did not have another ventilator machine. At one point Hope made some efforts to breath and we were praying for a miracle. Things looked good for a while. Kyle came home for dinner. But the birthday party was low attended and some seemed a little sad. We later found out that baby Hope had taken a turn for the worse. Another one of the visiting doctors took care of her until 11:30pm. But Jesus loved her so much he took her home to be with him. When the doctor (Christina) told Rosalyn what had happened, tears streaming down her face, Rosalyn began to pray for her. We came to Kenya to give light, and love and hope of Jesus to them, but instead this is what they have given us. So, it is no accident that I was here on this birthday because now I will never take for granted another birthday I have been given. Each day is a gift. Every moment with my husband and family I will treasure. There are now 2 baby Hopes I can't wait to meet in heaven. Both have impacted the lives of so many in the short time they were here. It wasn't the happiest of birthdays, but it was very significant and one that I will never forget. Thank you to all that wished me well. I love you all very much. It is such an encouragement to us when you read, post and pray. Thank you faithful family and friends.

On a lighter note...we went on a little weekend safari. We saw lots of exotic animals. Kyle even petted a baby Rhino. Kyle spotted a lion from a far distance and we drove right next to it (5 feet away). It was amazing. The boys loved it. We'll try and post pictures as soon as we can.

I also got to go to the hospital NICU last week and hold some premature babies. It was such a sweet time to pray for them as I know the Lord has good plans for their lives.

We are all doing well and miss you very much!

First Week in Tenwek

2008-04-08T12:39:00.006-05:00

Wow, so much has happened in the last week. We have gotten our email established now so we may be able to post updates more often. We flew in to where the hospital is located in beautiful Bomet. We were greeted on the gravel/grass runway by a large group of local Kenyans. They really liked to see their picture in the amazing digital camera. The pilot said we were fortunate because normally there are cows grazing on the runway. Eventually someone came to pick us up and take us to the hospital. Our apartment in the guest house is very nice and the boys are sleeping somewhat better. They gave me a short hospital orientation that afternoon and the next day I was placed in charge of the medical ward which was an amazing and overwhelming expierence. They gave me 3 Kenyan interns that I was to be over. They are wonderful and probably teach me more than I teach them. I was also on call that first day. I realized right away how difficult it is to work in this environment. Patients die every day and my first night we actually had 3 babies that passed away. Honestly, those first few days I told Vanessa I am not sure I even want to do medical missions anymore. There are so many needs and often so few resources. Ultimately, I was reminded that what they really need is the Lord and for someone to tell them about him.

Vanessa and the boys are adjusting well to Kenyan life. They take walks everyday and find new people to talk and play with. Of course, Hudson never meets a stranger and everyone loves to pet Jude's little head. Vanessa has really enjoyed visiting with the local missionary wives and seeing what it's like to raise kids in this environment. I started working in the newborn nursery today and have found some baby's that are in need of some extra love and care so she will be helping out in that way and others such as helping teach Sunday school to about 50 Kenyan kids at the local church.

My parents did arrive safely and are enjoying their time very much. I sent dad today to work with the chaplains at the hospital and he fit right in, shared Bible verses and the gospel and at least 1 man prayed to receive Christ. I know he and mom will have a tremendous ministry here.

Well, I better wrap it up for now. Please pray for us, especially over the next couple of weeks as we found out when we got here that this was the month that pretty much all the missionaries are taking their annual retreat and myself, 3 other visiting physicians and the Kenyan interns will be manning the hospital. He is faithful. God bless.

Fun in Nairobi

2008-03-31T13:56:00.004-05:00

We've had an amazing, jam-packed last 2 days! We visited our first African church. It was a sweet and refreshing time with beautiful Kenyan voices singing loudly to the Lord. The pastor spoke frankly regarding the recent crisis and the church's responsibility. We prayed for the nation of Kenya. Please pray for them as well. The Kenyan people were so hospitable. Hudson threw up all his breakfast in the back of the church and they were there right away to help us clean it up. He still perservered and attended children's church and had a blast! Even though he is frowning in the picture. We were then invited for some Kenyan tea in a shed behind the church. Kyle and I are growing and learning new things from the Lord each and everyday. We are challenged by the missionaries we meet to serve selflessly and be good stewards of our time and money. We proceeded to have some authentic Ethiopian food that we had to eat with our fingers! Today we did all sorts of touristy things. Visited the swanky mall, the giraffe conservation park, the safari walk and a local bead factory store. We were exhausted. I'm continually amazed at how God has given us such flexible kids. Jude still struggles in the evenings-keep praying for him. Tomorrow we head out to Tenwek by plane. We are so excited to begin serving. We may not be able to post the next couple of days. Until then we are praying for you all too!

Day at Kijabe

2008-03-29T11:51:00.002-05:00

Today we drove to the edge of the great Rift Valley to visit the Kijabe Hospital and Rift Valley Acadamy. I was able to meet 2 of the missionary doctors that work there and I was so encouraged to see the incredible work that they are doing there. Of course they mentioned that they will be running short on family physicians with 2 of them leaving later this year. Hudson made friends right away with Joanna, a 3 year old little African girl adopted by 1 of the doctors. Jude was very content and happy the whole trip, much better than last night when he decided to not go to sleep until about 5am. We would appreciate prayers for jet lag. Thanks and God bless.

We Made It!

2008-03-28T10:08:00.004-05:00

Praise God we arrived safe in Kenya with all our bags and everything. Hudson and Jude were great world travellers. We will spend these first few days with my Uncle Marv and Aunt Jan, missionaries here with Africa Inland Mission, and head out to Tenwek on Tuesday. We plan to visit the Kijabe Hospital tomorrow and hopefully see some real animals as well here in Nairobi. Please pray for our time with the local missionaries to be an encouragement to them and us. God bless.

Up and Away!

2008-03-26T16:40:00.003-05:00

A quick update from Kelly(Kyle's sister)...

Some of you may have seen on the news that American Airlines cancelled 200 of their flights this morning. The first flight of the trip to Kenya was one of them. Kyle, Vanessa and the boys along with Travis and Marlene (mom and dad) were supposed to leave at 12:45 this afternoon on a flight to Chicago. When they found out the flight was cancelled, they quickly scrambled to find another flight to Chicago. The only flight they could get on left at 10:35 this morning. They quickly packed everything in the car and rushed to the airport to make the flight and they did! The rest of their itinerary should be the same. I just talked to them on the phone and it looks like the flight to London will not be a full one, so they should have a little room to stretch out. Hudson and Jude both did great on the flight from Tulsa to Chicago. Pray that they do just as well on the rest of the flights. Pray also that none of their luggage gets lost since they had to do all the last minute shuffling around with flights. Here is a picture of them before they left the Tulsa Airport this morning...

Kenya or Bust!

2008-03-26T00:03:00.003-05:00

As we furiously pack our belongings to set up home in a distant land, our hearts race with excitement to see what the Lord has in store for our family on this trip to Kenya! Hudson said, "Mommy, maybe we can see heaven and Jesus from the airplane." And I thought, I sure hope we take every moment to see Jesus each and every step of the way. We pray He will use us to further His kingdom in a mighty way! Please continue to pray for us as we travel. Here is our itenerary:

Leave Tulsa: 12:45pm (March 26)
Arrive in Chicago: 2:35pm
Depart Chicago: 6:25pm
Arrive in London: 7:20am (March 27)
Depart London:10:05am
Arrive in Nairobi: 9:30pm

Praise the Lord that He provided financially for our entire trip! Thank you to all who generously gave to this mission trip. Thank you all who faithfully prayed for us! Words are not enough to express our gratitude. We love you and will keep you posted as often as we can.

Here is our address in Kenya:
Tenwek Hospital
P.O. Box 39
Bomet, Kenya
East Africa

Please Pray for Us

2008-02-18T14:09:00.000-06:00

To Kenya We Go

2008-02-18T12:36:00.000-06:00

Dear family and friends,
We are writing to inform you of our family’s upcoming trip to serve at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya March 26-April 29, 2008. We have been planning this trip for some time now and are excited about what God is going to do in and through us for His glory. It is especially exciting to be able to trust Him with everything that has been going on in Kenya recently. As you may know, the once peaceful, democratic country of Kenya has recently been through a terrible time of violence and ethnic hatred centered around the recent political election. The election triggered violence killing more than 1,000 people and displacing 300,000. Currently peace negotiations are underway between the two groups and violence appears to be subsiding.
Kyle’s Uncle Marv is currently serving in Nairobi, Kenya and we hope to spend some time initially visiting with him. He has kept us up to date with what is going on and has been positive that it is still safe for missionaries. Honestly, as we heard of the news and prayed about what we should do it was an incredible opportunity for us to really hear from the Lord and rest in His perfect will for us. There is no safer place to be. We feel this is an amazing time for us to go and serve the people in Kenya that have experienced so much hurt in the last few months.
Kyle will mostly be working in the hospital and ministering to the Kenyan medical interns who are in training. The hospital is on a missionary center with many other activities and ministries going on as well. Vanessa plans to volunteer at the hospital, spend time with the local women and children, and maybe do some village outreach trips. We are confident that Hudson (3 yrs old), with his fun-loving, “rarely meets a stranger” personality will make many friends. And sweet, Jude (6 mos.) is sure to attract some attention with his contagious smile. We are so excited to be taking this journey as a family. Not only will our kids be there, but Kyle’s parents, Travis and Marlene will be joining us as well. What a blessing!
For those who are interested in supporting us through prayer and finances we would appreciate your help. The total cost of our trip will be approximately $8500. There is an account set up for us at World Medical Mission. Make checks payable to “World Medical Mission” and write our account #003531/Kyle & Vanessa Jones in the memo line. The check can be sent to World Medical Mission, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.
We would love to keep you informed while we are in Kenya. Send us an email at kvhjones@sbcglobal.net and we will send you updates on our journey. Thank you so much for sharing in the ministry that God has called us.
In Christ Alone,
Kyle, Vanessa, Hudson & Jude Jones