Leaving for Kenya.......

"I'm leaving, on a jet plane.."

Dear Friends,

Well, what a surprise! Charles Thomas went with us to Kenya this summer and got fired up. Ben Kiker and his "magnificent seven" friends, got fired up, got some friends, and I'm fired up and have some friends, so we are 21 strong, going to Kenya. Nixon Bunch and I will go to Orlando Feb. 1, for a Church planting conference with the Acts 29 organization. Friday at 6:30am we will head to Kenya and arrive, Lord willing Saturday night, and catch a taxi to Karatina early Sunday morning to dedicate the church at Ihwagi, with James Kahaia.

James Kahaia has been our wonderful driver for years. He grew up as a child from a difficult family situation in the church at Karatina, and now several of the family are in ministry. His brother Charles heads up Awana for East Africa, from Kenya. Ben, Charles and their crews willarrive Thursday night, and Friday morning and go together to Karatina, settle, do visiting Saturday and all of us meet at the dedication. Antioch Baptist Church at Ihwagi will be a dream of many years and prayers fulfilled! Thanks all who have prayed, given and visited, and worked there.

We have been blessed to have almost $6,000 from fund raising for wells in Kenya by East Ellijay Baptist over the last couple of years now being activated to dig a well at Migori, and at Isovya, which is an orphanage we will visit.

Whitney Crouch worked with others over the past few years and raised $6,500 for Patrick Kitema at Antioch Baptist Kitui. In the middle of opposition by Muslims and witchcraft, the work now moves ahead, and we will dedicate the partially completed new church there.

Mark Dennis and Elaine have raised $2,850 for the Karatina orphanage, and we look forward to buying shoes, and blankets and as much as the money will stretch, for that ministry to small AIDS orphans, and young children.Mark has helped twice with our police seminar, and his great magical illusions.

A donation of $1,000 for use as needed provided for surgery for a Bible school student's 3 year old club footed child this Wednesday, it is so exciting. Lord willing, he will be able to walk normally in six months.

Ben and Justin Chadwick worked with their crew to raise $5,700 for the new church at Solio. Daniel Vancleave and Cherie raised $2,500 with their youth group in Albany, Ga. for the same ministry. This group of 6,000 people was displaced from government forests, and relocated to the Solio savannah on 4.5 acre plots per family. Our Bible school had evangelistic meetings there, and the Kenyan government has now given us 2 acres to build on. Maybe there will be a church there our next trip!

So many of you have given so kindly to the work there, and have fueled strong works established in many Kenyan communities all across the country.

Thank you. East Ellijay Baptist has given for many years to help Papa and Mama, and several Bible school students be able to complete their 3 year training. Thanks.

Whitney challenged each team member to try to raise $200 for Bibles, and New Testaments to take, and now we have 18-20 containers of Bibles. Each team member surrenders one of their 2 free 50 pound suitcases so we get freight free materials shipped. Over 900pounds of material going to help evangelize and disciple.

SO, please pray for safety, favor with officials, good health, effective spiritual ministry in us and through us. We will send some pictures home, then do more when we get back. Ben and company leave the next Thursday night. Whitney, Nixon and I will go with a team to Kitui Friday afternoon, visit the orphanage Saturday, have a game night, Saturday night with the church at Kitui, dedicate the church Sunday morning return to Karatina. We fly back Tuesday night the 15th.

A ministry team is forming for late July/August, so if you are interested in ministering, pray about giving and or going. We usually do a seminar for police, pastors, We might go to two different locations.

Pray as we get last minute details done, for our families as we are gone, and our responsibilities here, that we leave briefly.

We will have a birthday party for Papa and Mama on Sunday afternoon. Papa is almost 84, and Mama turns 90 in July. She is recovering well from her minor stroke a few weeks ago. Sandra and Terry Washer, my sister and her husband have so graciously been helping plan, and make reservations on that side. We get to see their newest grandchild and meet with Kristie and her husband I have not met yet.

Papa's email is dlfields1224@gmail.com you can put TO STEVE and it will get to us. We are 8 hours ahead of you in time.

Love,

Steve Fields for our team

706-889-1700

Back from Israel

Hi Y'all,

We left Israel one week ago today. The trip down to Kenya was long and quite turbulent. We were met at the airport by a taxi from Menno at 1:45 a.m., which was nice. We got to sleep at after 3 a.m., then were up for breakfast at 7:30 because we wanted to see Daniel, Kristie and Meg. Meg (17 month old granddaughter) will take a while to warm up to us.

When Barbie (my sister) arrived with Pastor James, we went shopping downtown and she was able to get some final things she wanted. Daniel and Kristie went, too. It was very hot. We got back to Menno in time for tea and supper, then we took Barbie to the airport. There were lots of flights going out. She took extra snacks in case her flight got cancelled from Amsterdam on, but it didn’t.

Thursday afternoon I went over to Pan African High School and it has been arranged to go over there each week for knitting and Bible on Thursday afternoons. It is just a small group, but I would rather start that way. Saturday we started up our classes for youth at YIT church. Numbers were down, but it takes people time to get back into the school routine.

Today we had four in deaf church, but it went well. Gloria (Sis Alices’s daughter who used to live with us years ago when she was in Grade one) has some degree as a social worker and has learned sign language. She was in deaf church last week, but we were gone. I don’t know if she plans to come back into this area to work or not.

So, it will take a couple of weeks to get back into routine, but we are trusting the Lord to guide us as we shift some of our ministries around.

There is a new couple in Bible School who are from Tanzania. They have a little boy who looks to be about four, who walks on the out side of his feet and his feet point towards each other. How blessed we have been to have normal limbs for our little ones.

One of the street girls who doesn't come regularly is critically ill and taken to hospital today. She is HIV positive, though only about 15.

Sandy for us both

December 19, 2010

Dear Friend,

It is December 19. We do trust the week is special for you.

We were so thankful to learn this week that my sister, Barbie, is coming out on Wednesday to be here for three weeks, which will cover our time in Israel, and a few days this week before we go. We are so thankful she will be able to be with Papa and Mama. We are to go down and pick her up, then she will leave the night after we get back.

Also, due to some possible complications, it sounds like Daniel and Kristie will come up from Zambia for the birth of the second baby. We don’t know the date of their arrival, but have tried to help get information for them this week.

Mama was released from the hospital on Thursday. The trip was three hours each way… hot and dusty. The trip back was quite taxing on Mama, but she did ok. She is doing quite well, all things considered. Papa has given her “five star+” care. We tried to take care of things at their house while they were gone.

Last week there was a teen camp for the churches here. Our YIT boys who are teens, went. They all came back with prizes. One of them was number four in verses (the number memorized and said during camp). Patrick, who is 16 just learned to write his name this year, and he even said three verses! But the special thing was that John, who came in to the dorm earlier this year, accepted Christ. We are so thankful.

Today we had closing of AWANAS until school starts in mid January. I believe there were about 60 kids there. The weather was clear, warm for this area and nice for being out in the field.

We were blessed today with a visitor in our deaf church; a girl who is hearing but knows signs. We don’t know anything about her, but find it interesting how visitors keep coming. Terry lost his balance moving a small pulpit and fell but didn't break anything, though did hurt his shoulder.

This week promises to be busy for all of us I am sure, there and here.

Sandy for us both

Hi from Kenya, December 2010

Hi from Kenya,

The mercies of God, what a theme for my song,

O I never could number them o’er;

They’re more than the stars in the heavens above

Or the sand on the wave beaten shore.

For mercies so great, what return can I make,

For mercies so constant and sure?

I’ll love him, I’ll serve Him with all that I have,

As long as my life shall endure.

Well, this has been some week:

The safe arrival of our ninth grandchild: John Wesley to Nathan and Rachel in Zambia. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. What a blessing that the rogham injection is available there, as John was their fifth RH + baby. Rachel is RH negative. Mother and baby are fine, and were home within twelve hours from going to the hospital.

Two years ago today, Dad had his stroke. He is doing better, but has a good ways to go yet with his speech, though he does teach in deaf church just about every Sunday a.m. and Wednesday night.

This morning, many folk were out of church due to it being closing day at camp at Karogoto, where they had gone. Pastor Harrison was there, so Papa preached. We were just about to close our deaf class when I was called to go to the church. Mama was sitting in front, kinda in a stupor, a far away look on her face. Her face pulled some to one side. Papa was sure she had a stroke. He called Dr. Macharia, who came right away. Mama pulled him down to her and whispered in his ear, “I had to have a problem so that you would come to church.” He told her to not talk, but she kept making “wise cracks,” and looked so much like her daddy. Dr. Macharia had her taken to the hospital across the street and gave her an injection to stop swelling in her brain. Within 1 ½ hours she was being taken to Nairobi with Papa, Pastor James driving. They should be there by now.

Admin note: (Mama Fields is now recovering.)

Tuesday we went up to make reservations for Steve and friends to go to the Ark. We took Papa and Mama out to eat up there for their Anniversary the last of the month, since we will be gone to Israel then, Lord willing. I had called Charles Nderitu to make reservations, the only problem being I had two Charles Nderitu’s on my phone: one is with our fellowship, the other associated with the Ark. By mistake I called the wrong one to say we would be there in one hour for lunch. By the time we finished the meal I got a phone call from the OTHER Charles, saying they had prepared lunch for us and wondered where we were. I felt SOOOOO bad. We had such a good time. I am so glad we were able to go. The day was SO special.

Will be in touch.

Sandy for us both

Kennedy to Western Kenya

Kennedy and his family left on Monday for Western Kenya, to go back to the church ministry they were in before they came here. They arrived safely Tuesday afternoon. Martin, who has been living up on the plot at Mathaithi was moved down to the boys’ dorm this week after doing some painting and cleaning up work in his quarters. The boys seem pleased to have him there.

Our ladies’ class closed this past week for the holidays. It was fun to have some time to do some sewing this week.

Thursday we were able to go and visit the home where the twins live that are to come in to the dorm in January. The road was rocky and rough and on the way we had a flat tire, but it was all torn up before we knew we had a flat. The drive was beautiful up in the hills covered mostly with tea plantations. Pastor Ndegwa helped Terry replace the flat and we arrived up in the home late where 15 ladies and kids were waiting to meet with us. We were able to have a good time with them, and each of us (Pastor Ndegwa, Carol, Dad and I) were able to each give our testimonies. Terry did really well speaking, which was a blessing to me, as it has been two years this week since his stroke. The twins’ family is Catholic. One of them knew verses, and was “different” than the others. They served us tea before we left. The walk down to the home and back up was almost too much for Terry (the cow/people path was steep and narrow)… we hadn’t had rain for several days, so it was dry… a blessing under the circumstances.

Yesterday we were able to meet together with those involved in the ministry with us, along with the kids in the dorm. We were 21 (two of the girls were away) … six of the kids were new in the dorm this year. It was a special time. The best part for me was seeing the older ones more relaxed this year than last year, and their coming by to say, “Thank-you” for the meal after… a step forward. Also, seeing several hands go up saying they had come to know the Lord since they came into the dorm.

My brother, Steve and 19 others are planning to be here in February for a few days. So we have started working on getting their schedules, reservations in different places and transportation worked out. Two of the group are Daniel and Cherie (my sister's son and his wife).

We were six in deaf church this morning.. one was a new teenager. They all participated in the lesson, which was good.

Sandy for us both