Another update from Kate on the Women's Circle of Caring Kenya trip:

I don't even know where to begin. After three days of serving alongside the Emarti Maasai, we left for a brief respite in Amboseli State Park.

All I can say is that Kenya is filled with beauty. The people with their instant smiles, their sincere greetings, their love of color (oh, how the Maasai love color!) and then of course the land itself. We truly gloried in God's creation today as we drove south toward Amboseli National Park.

I am glad for this time to reflect because the days have been so full. On the first day of working at Emarti, we focused on the women. It was rainy and cold, but nothing stopped them. The same could be said for the children, some of whom walk several hours to the project.

One thing we were eager to see was Emarti's new beautiful building, which doubles as a church and community center. I was constantly grateful for this provision as we experienced rain and wind and the intense Kenyan sun. To think the children at this project used to meet under a tree!

The second and third day we played with the children. We taught them how to sing "Jesus Loves Me" with sign language; we reemphasized how to brush their teeth, wash their hands, and cough into their "bird wing" (elbow) rather than their hands. We brought puzzles and taught them how to play tic-tac-toe, both of which they loved.

And then there was the parachute. At all times there was a group playing parachute games, and at all times there was an audience. Sometimes little ones, most of the time their mothers clutching their babies and laughing at the evident glee in the children as they whipped the parachute up and down. The Maasai love color, so the parachute was an instant hit.

On the afternoon of our last day there, the community held a special ceremony and gifted us necklaces... but they gave us so much more as they sang over us with tears of joy streaming down their faces. I can't even begin to describe the sound -- all I could think of is that this is a taste of heaven, all voices uplifted and praising God.

There is so much to write but internet is spotty right now. We are doing well. No one has gotten sick, and we are encouraged by what we have seen and done. Thank you for praying for us! Tomorrow we return to Nairobi. I'll try to update more then.