Friday, August 31, 2012

Friday

When we were getting ready for takeoff at LAX a flight crew member accidently deployed the emergency escape slide, I’m sure they had a lot of explaining to do later.  That led to a 4 hour delay so I got to spend several hours in Amsterdam airport waiting for the next flight to Nairobi as I missed my connection.  I bought a touristy t-shirt at the airport and was able to take a shower so I was a little refreshed.  I arrived early morning on Tuesday and had a full day of meetings.
In the last 3 days I’ve, visited 6 prisons, spoken to several churches around Kenya and reconnected with many friends. A highlight for me was meeting with some young men (teenagers) in a youth correctional training center in Nairobi.  They are arrested for a variety of crimes and have a 4 month stay at YCTC in an effort to rehabilitate them. Unfortunately many of them end up in prison later.  There is a group of brave souls that are in the first step study.  Since their stay is short, they are meeting 3 times a week and so they can complete the full step study before they are released. They are just starting to write their inventory so we spent a lot of time talking about that. It was awesome to see the hope that they have of having a different future. I was asked to encourage and inspire them, I think I got the blessing because they certainly encouraged and inspired me.
Today (Friday) I have no meetings but am getting caught up on a few logistic things for my remaining time on this trip and finally have some time to post a blog.
Pray for the meetings this weekend. I’m attending a step study graduation tomorrow morning at Athi River prison where I get the honor of presenting each participant with a certificate of completion of a step study.  It’s the second group to complete step studies at this prison.  I’m meeting with the CR group at Deliverance Church Kitengela in the afternoon then attending their church on Sunday.  Please pray for good rest for me, arriving in the morning on Tuesday instead of Monday evening has really been hard on my sleep cycle.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

CR Trip to Kenya & Rwanda

Isaiah 6:8 “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, ‘Here I am. Send me!’”

Jana O’Guin will depart August 26th for Kenya and Rwanda and will return September 21st. I will be traveling to and from Africa by myself but will be with African ministries partners and friends throughout the trip. We will visit several Celebrate Recovery ministries in the Nairobi area and hold a Celebrate Recovery Seminar for Pastors in Kakamega in Western Kenya so that they will be equipped to implement Celebrate Recovery in their churches and prisons. I will visit friends and CR ministries in the Kitale area and my 4 beautiful Kenyan children. I will fly to Rwanda to hold follow up seminars for churches with CR ministries in Muhanga District and Karongi District and meet with leaders from the Orphan Care initiative to discuss long term plans for Celebrate Recovery for the whole family.

Your prayers are so important. Please pray now and throughout the trip. There will be updates and specific prayer requests during the trip on this blog.

Sunday - Monday, August 26 - 27 – Depart LAX in the early afternoon on a non-stop flight to Amsterdam. After a 2 hour layover take an 8-hour flight to Nairobi, arriving the evening of the 27th. Kenya is 10 hours ahead of PDT.

Tuesday, August 28 – Saturday, September 1 – Meet with ministry partners to finalize plans for the trip. Visit several CR ministries at churches and prisons in the Nairobi area.

Sunday, September 2 – Attend church in the morning. Fly to Eldoret then drive to Kakamega in the afternoon.

Monday – Thursday, September 3 - 6 – Hold a Celebrate Recovery seminar for pastors and prison officials to equip them to start CR in their respective churches and prisons. We will be teaching the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, facilitating small groups, giving our testimonies, and equipping them to begin CR programs.

Friday, September 7 – Spend the day with friends while visiting their CR ministries.

Saturday, September 8 – Drive to Eldoret then fly back to Nairobi.

Sunday, September 9 – Attend church in the morning at ICC. Meet with their CR ministry.

Monday - Friday, September 10 - 14 – Morning flight to Eldoret, then drive to Kitale. Spend time in and around Kitale with friends, attend and encourage CR ministries at churches and prisons. Spend time with our 4 Kenyan children and many local friends at Purpose Driven Academy, Oasis of Hope, and Sister Freda’s Hospital.

Saturday, September 15 – Fly from Eldoret to Nairobi and on to Kigali, Rwanda.

Sunday, September 16 – Attend church in the morning.

Monday, September 17 – Drive from Kigali to Muhanga to meet with churches with existing CR ministries. Hold refresher training and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive to Karongi in Western Rwanda.

Tuesday, September 18 - Hold refresher training for churches in Karongi District and help them continue strengthening their ministries. Drive back to Kigali.

Wednesday, September 19 – Meetings at the PEACE office about future growth of CR in Rwanda.

Thursday – Friday. September 20 - 21 – Depart Kigali in the evening for Amsterdam, arriving in the early morning. After a 3 hour layover, take a non-stop flight on to LAX arriving around noon on Friday.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”