Hmmmm, how do I summarize the last few days? I think time sped up while I was in Kitale because it went by so fast.

I visited prisons and churches and heard so many testimonies of men and women whose lives are changing through CR. I heard from men who found freedom in prison, a women who is HIV+ that now has hope, a man who realized the impact his anger was having on his family, an alcohol and drug addict turned marathon runner who is now one of the fastest in the nation, I could go on and on. God is good.

I had a great time with my 4 God children. I took them to visit their mother in prison and had an awesome reunion. She is the CR leader in the Eldoret Women’s prison and the ministry continues to grow. She is scheduled to be released in 2016.

I attended a small group meeting where we shared a good meal and had a nice time of fellowship. I visited the family of a young woman that passed away of breast cancer leaving 3 small children. I got to experience life with my Kenyan friends and their family that I stayed with. It was a very special time.

I am back in Nairobi now and looking forward to what God has in store these last 3 days in Kenya before I return home.

Please pray that I am open to what God wants me to do and experience during these last days. That I am His “Muppet” as I meet with various churches and prison leaders. That I have His words as I speak at church tomorrow. For His wisdom as I begin thinking about and tentatively plan for the next trip.

Day 2 in Kitale

On the 1 hour flight from Nairobi to Kitale I could see how bad the drought is here. There was very little green anywhere.

It has been a time of renewing friendships. I had lunch in Kitale town with Margaret and Moses at Twigs (some of you know the place). We visited the new campus of Purpose Driven Academy where they are building a high school. It is a very nice location just outside of town surrounded by corn fields. It’s very peaceful and a great environment for learning. The construction is coming along nicely and will be opening in a couple of months.

I had a wonderful reunion with my 4 God children. They are very healthy and getting so big. It’s hard to find the words to describe the joy of spending time together. I spent time with their new “house parents” that will be raising them along with their own 4 children. They are all settling in their new home very well.

I had great meetings with the prison chaplains from Kitale and Kakamega and heard about how CR is changing lives in prisons around Kenya and people that are doing so well after being released from prison. I have yet to hear of someone that has gone through CR in prison, go back to prison. That is so amazing because up to 90% of people released from prison normally go back in a short period of time.

Had a nice visit at Oasis of Hope, an awesome center that helps street kids transition back to schools. I spent some time with a group of college students from Saddleback that are staying here for 7 months doing various ministries. I’m staying in the home of my friends Margaret and Moses and enjoying the time with their family.

Please pray for the next couple of days when I will be visiting churches and prisons that have CR or are in the process of starting it. Pray that I will be able to hear where they are and guide them as they progress with their CR ministries.

Yesterday I met with a pastor friend that is the Senior Chaplain at Malindi Prison on the Kenya Coast. He is attending seminary in Nairobi until the end of the year. The CR ministry at his prison continues going strong with men from different denominations and religious backgrounds. Many of the men that were in CR last year when we visited have been released and none of them have gone back to prison! That's unheard of here in Kenya. One man has been accepted into a Bible College to become a pastor. It is wonderful to hear of so many success stories.

In the afternoon my friend Shawna, who was in Nairobi on business earlier in the week, went with me to an orphanage for street boys in Kibera Slums. She is a gymnast and taught them a few tricks and then we played games. These 8-16 year old boys are doing Life Hurts God Heals, led by a pastor who attended a CR seminar 3 years ago. It was a pretty tough visit. The boys were forced into this orphanage and their level of care is what shall I say.... sub standard. We brought them a snack of milk and bread and they were so appreciative. We hope we demonstrated God's love to them in some small way.

Today I attended all 3 services at International Christian Centre (ICC) church with Morris and Pet. Pastors and leaders from their church attended our CR seminar in September and their senior pastor visited Saddleback Church in October and met with Pastor John Baker. They are very excited about CR and have been preparing to begin it next month. I spoke briefly at each service then a man from the US that works for an NGO shared his story of coming to Christ at Saddleback. It is indeed a very small world.

Please pray for ICC as they prepare to begin CR. Pray for safe travels for me tomorrow as I fly to Kitale. Pray for a wonderful reunion with my 4 kids there and lots of friends. Pray for the churches and prisons I will visit, that my time there will be an encouragement for them and that God be glorified.

I'm having a good time in Nairobi visiting churches and pastor friends, building relationships and making new ones. It's great to see the thorough planning in work and support of the senior pastors to launch CR by churches that attended the CR seminar in September of last year.

A friend of the family is in Nairobi on business for a couple of days so I'm showing her around a bit too which is fun.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers. This has been a very good time in Nairobi and I will be here until I fly to Kitale on Monday morning. I come back to Nairobi on Saturday and visit more churches and encoaurging them before traveling home next Tuesday.

Pray for the churches in Nairobi as they move forward in launching CR. Pray for the meetings I have on Saturday and Sunday with various pastor friends and make more church visits.

The last couple of days in Rwanda was very nice and gave me a chance to begin reflecting on the mission and processing the experiences there. The beginning of the trip was very exciting (not in a good way) with John getting sick less than 24 hours after arriving in Rwanda then he and Dave going home without ever leaving the capital. I’m sad that they didn’t get to see the beautiful countryside and meet the amazing people that attended both CR seminars. I know God has a better plan and had a really good reason for that. That’s another one for my list for when I get to heaven :-).

Besides that, the seminars went so well. The people are excited to move forward with CR and start this ministry. The newly translated materials will not be ready soon enough (another 3 weeks) for them. It was great to see their excitement. I truly believe that God has great things in store for the people of Rwanda through this life changing ministry of Celebrate Recovery. What a blessing to get a front row seat to watch it unfold.

Being without a team in Rwanda was a new experience for me although I had 2 Rwandan brothers with me so I was not alone. It was a time of learning more and more about the culture and the people, things I might have missed otherwise. It was a very blessed time. I journaled so much to capture as much as I could, if I keep up at this rate I’m going to have to buy another journal for the rest of the trip!

I flew back to Nairobi this afternoon. The short 1 hour 10 minute flight over Lake Victoria was nice. It was great to see my Kenyan brother, David, meet me at the airport. I’m settled in at my home away from home at Methodist Guest House.

Please pray for me as I make the mental transition from Rwanda to Kenya. Pray for time of connection with others, encouraging their CR ministries and enjoying a slower pace for a few days. Pray that I am open to those unplanned God appointments along the way.

Saturday we drove to Musanze in Northern Rwanda. The drive was beautiful. The trees are taller and it’s a bit cooler. On the way we passed a wedding party walking down the middle of the road. The bride and groom were surrounded by about 50 people who were singing and dancing as they went. It was quite the sight to see.

Yesterday I attended service with standing room only at Anglican Church of Rwanda Kajigeja with Pastor Jean Baptiste Ndayambaje. He preached a sermon on the Beattitudes (8 principles) focusing on denial. I gave my testimony that supported his sermon. It was all so well received. The people are so warm and friendly. The music was awesome!

Afterward we had a wonderful time of fellowship in the pastor’s home with leaders of the church and his family. It was great to see Ester (his wife) and Hope and Abraham who are growing so much.

The church is located in a rural area at the base of a volcano and only 3k from the borders of both Uganda and Congo. It is surrounded by maize fields and potatoes.

Today we enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation and had some down time as I wind down from my time in Rwanda and prepare to go to Kenya for 2 weeks on Wednesday. Tomorrow afternoon we drive back to Kigali.

Please pray for another day of enjoying the beauty of Musanze then safe travels back to Kigali in the afternoon. Pray for all of the people that attended both seminars last week, that God shows them the way forward with starting and continuing CR. Pray for me as I begin to make the shift mentally from Rwanda to Kenya, but not before I leave Rwanda!

We completed the CR seminar today for pastors and church leaders from 64 churches across Karongi District in Western Rwanda. The seminar went really well. They are very excited to be getting the first copies of the newly translated materials in their local language of Kinyarwanda in a couple of weeks so they can launch CR. God is so good. Afterward we drove through the winding roads over many hills back to Kigali, the capital, where we will stay overnight. I am listening to a thunderstorm as I type this.

Tomorrow we make the 4-5 hour drive to Musanze District in Northern Rwanda near the Uganda and Congo borders where we will attend Pastor Jean Baptiste’s church. (He has been my translator this week) He was transferred there last year and has been preparing the church to begin CR. Late last year he took his church through the 40 Days of Purpose and baptized 829 people!! God is doing something amazing in that church and I’m looking forward to visiting it and spending time with Jean Baptiste’s family again.

Please pray for the pastors and church leaders that attended both CR seminars this week. That God will show them the way forward and lead their steps as they start this ministry. Pray for safe travels as Claude navigates the roads through the beautiful landscapes of Rwanda.

PS I tried for about an hour to upload 1 photo and it wouldn't go through so the pics will have to wait.

We completed Day 2 of our 3-day Celebrate Recovery seminar and it is going very well. About 70 people from across Western Rwanda are attending. Today they learned about Large Group meetings and Open Share groups, and then they had the opportunity to experience them for themselves. They are very excited about how this ministry can help the people of Rwanda. Several people told me they believe this can be a process that can help them deal with the pain of the genocide.

Tomorrow we finish the training and teach them how to start Celebrate Recovery in their churches. They are excited to learn and they have so many questions. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen here in Rwanda through this ministry.

I have read several books about the genocide and survivor’s stories. It is very different to sit across from someone and here their story of survival. Wow! It is not my story to tell but I will just say that God must have a special place for them in heaven for the sacrifices they made.

John Brennan and Dave Lopez arrived home yesterday afternoon safely. I can only imagine the disappointment they must be experiencing from not being able to complete “our planned” mission. Please pray for them. We know God had other plans and will use this for good.

I am doing well, am very healthy and enjoying the company of my Rwandan companions, although I do miss John and Dave. It is very peaceful here at Lake Kivu and I am enjoying the beauty of Rwanda.

Please pray for our seminar tomorrow, that the pastors can see a way forward with starting Celebrate Recovery. Pray for the teaching, that it be clear and just what they need to hear. Pray for safe travels for Jean Baptiste, Claude and I as we drive back to Kigali tomorrow after the seminar. Pray for John and Dave as they transition back to being in the US and processing the early departure.

Today we completed the follow up CR seminar in Gitarama. It went really well. They had many questions as they learned how to make this minsitry a safe place for people to come and deal with issues in their lives that separate them from God and others. We focused on the Large Group meeting and Open Share time and the group guidelines. They were very excited to go back to their churches and implemment the things they learned. We also developed a plan for the next time we come on how we can help them continue to grow their minitstries.

After the seminar, Jean Baptiste, Claude and I drove to Kibuye in Karongi District in Western Rwanda. We are staying at Bethany Hotel on Lake Kivu- a very peaceful setting. Tomorrow morning we begin a 3-day seminar for churches in the area to learn how to start CR for the first time. I am excited to see how this goes. We learned so much in the last 2 days that I threw out all the scripts that we had prepared to teach and instead will use what we learned in Gitarama and teach in a way they need to hear it.

Of all of the trips I have been on this by far has required more flexibility and adapting to changes. John's stomach issues are cleared up and no problem now but his blood pressure is a bit low so we decided that it was best if he went back home. He is feeling fine but we thought it best that he not be out trekking around remote parts of Rwanda right now. That will have to wait for next time. Dave, being the servant that he is, is traveling back to the US with him. Their flight leaves in just a few minutes from Kigali and arrives at LAX in the early afternoon tomorrow. I am continuing on with teaching the CR seminars and have 2 Rwandan friends traveling with me and helping out.

Not much of what has happened on this trip has been "our plans" but we all know that God has a better plan and that He will use this somehow for His glory. I have to admit I am a bit curious what He's going to do with this.

Pray for the seminar tomorrow and for the people that will be attending. Pray for open hearts and for me to be the "Muppet" and speak God's words. Pray for safe travels for John and Dave. Pray for the three of us as we adjust to the "new plan".

Day 1 of CR seminar - seeing God at work, again

It is Monday night in Gitarama Rwanda. Today was the first day of a 2 day follow up seminar for people that have previously attended Celebrate Recovery trainings. There was a good turnout with over 70 people attending. We had no agenda for the seminar and just came to help them, wherever they are in starting the ministry.

They spent the morning telling us what they have done with CR so far, what is working well and the challenges they face. I was blown away by the reports from twelve churches that are in various stages of starting CR. Some started and had so many questions that they were waiting for us to help them move forward, others have continued along and have a few simple questions. Three groups are at the 4th step and that we are here to help them through that process. I think some people were getting discouraged but most are pretty much on track and just need some minor adjustments. It was encouraging for them to know they didn’t have far to go to have a healthy CR ministry.

There were many questions from senior pastors so after hearing their reports, I focused the training on the senior pastor’s role. They had lots of really great questions. The Holy Spirit did the teaching today, He just happened to use my mouth. Praise God, it was just what they needed to hear in a way they could hear it. Thank you Lord.

They asked if we would demonstrate a Large Group meeting and Open Share groups for them so after lunch Pastor Jean Baptiste taught the first lesson on Denial and then broke into Open Share groups.

A lot of good questions and issues came up from that experience so tomorrow we will focus on the Small Group Guidelines and other questions that will arise. Overall I am very encouraged and excited to see how CR is progressing here in Rwanda.

Please pray for open hearts and minds tomorrow of the people attending and for me to be the “Muppet” for God and let Him continue to speak through me. Pray for safe travels as we drive about 3 hours to Western Rwanda tomorrow after the seminar. Pray for John and Dave as they are in Kigali until John gets back fully on his feet.

Adjusting to God's Plans

Friday "we planned” a low key day and a nice lunch and fellowship with a pastor friend. Reality was a bit different. We had a good morning of processing our visit to the Genocide Museum and reflecting on the people of Rwanda and what they must have experienced.

We went to lunch with Pastor Hesby and John wasn’t feeling very well. He felt a bit dizzy so we took him to the King Faisal Hospital to get checked out. It turns out he has a stomach bug and they wanted him to be admitted so they could give him some IV antibiotics and get his blood pressure better, it was a little low. He is getting excellent care by one of the best doctor’s of internal medicine in Rwanda. God is good. And thanks to Eric at the PEACE office who arranged for his care and knows everyone at the hospital. Moses, Eric and Jean Pierre from the PEACE office have been amazingly helpful and everyone here is so supportive.

John is feeling much better and as the doctor put it this morning, “on the road to recovery”. Funny, I think I’ve heard that somewhere before.

We have gotten quite the education on the Rwanda health care system. For example, we had to pay a deposit of about $10 for them to treat John in the emergency room. Interesting when you consider that much of the population of Rwanda lives on less than $1 a day.

Our trip plans have changed somewhat (ha ha). We stayed in Kigali (the capital) instead of going to Gitarama yesterday (Saturday) as planned. We were scheduled to attend church there but instead we read scripture in John’s hospital room this morning. The “new plan” is for Dave to stay in Kigali with John and Jean Baptiste and I will travel to Gitarama (1 ½ hour drive) early tomorrow morning to hold a 2 day follow up seminar for churches that have been through previous CR trainings. When John is strong enough, he and Dave will join us for the other planned seminar to teach new churches in Kibuye how to start CR.

We are all learning a new definition of being flexible. We know God is in control and will use this for His glory, but we don’t have to like it. :-)

Please pray for complete healing for John and for Dave and I as we continue to adjust to God’s plans. Pray for John's family to have peace to know that he is in God's hands. Pray for safe travels for Jean Baptiste and I as we go to Gitarama and teach the follow up seminar Monday and Tuesday.

In Kigali

We had a chance to sleep in a bit this morning, but the guys were up early ready to start the day. After breakfast, we sat outside and had a nice devotion entitled "Declare Great Things" from Luke 24:33-35, Isaiah 26 and 1 John 4. It was a great reminder to speak boldly about Jesus.

Nairobi traffic was pretty light and we made good time going to the airport for our flight to Kigali. We had a great prayer time on the ride, reminding us that this trip is about doing God's will, not ours.

The flight went well and we were met by Claude from the PEACE office. A short thunderstorm poured on us on the way to our guest house. We spent time with Moses, and settled into the house. It has a nice view overlooking a valley with many green, rolling hills in the distance.

We had a very sobering visit to the Genocide museum. This is John's first time to Rwanda and the reality of what the people here experienced in 1994 really made an impact. Reading books is one thing but visiting the memorial and hearing first hand accounts makes it real, the best history lesson he has ever had. Even as my 4th visit to the museum, it is still difficult.

We went into town and took care of some logistics - got Rwanda Francs, air time for phone and modems and lots of water. We had a great meeting at the PEACE office about "our plans" here and worked out a few details. Praise God, the translation of the CR materials is complete and God willing we will see printed copies before we leave.

We had a nice dinner at Chez Rogers and now are back at the house blogging then will hit the hay pretty soon as the jet lag is kicking in. Tomorrow is election day for local elections and has been declared a holiday so we have a light day to rest up and get ready for our 2 seminars next week.

Please pray for good rest, health and connection with friends.

We are In Nairobi!

3 planes, 2 trains and 2 automobiles later and we are safe and sound at Methodist Guest House in Nairiobi. Our connections went smoothly and we arrived with all of our luggage to be met by our dear friend David at the Nairobi airport. We stay here tonight then have a 12:30 flight to Kigali, Rwanda.

Thank you so much for your prayers, everything has gone very smoothly. Please pray for good rest tonight (we are 11 hours ahead of CA time here in Nairobi) as we begin adjusting to Africa time and culture.

Team travels to Rwanda to teach CR

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

Even before we set foot on a plane the three of us (L-R) Dave Lopez, Jana O’Guin and John Brennan have had to deal with many challenges. This, of course, means that our trip to Rwanda will have lasting and ground breaking fruit!

Below is a brief itinerary of this journey. You can follow along day by day and pray for specific things. We will be posting on this blog periodically (depending on internet connections!) to let you know how teh trip is going and specifically how you can pray for us during our trip. We love to read your comments back to us too!

February 1 – 2 Our Team will Depart LAX to Seattle in the AM - The Next flight segment is Seattle to Amsterdam - The next flight segment is from Amsterdam to Nairobi with an overnight stay in Nairobi.

February 3 Travel from Nairobi, Kenya to Kigali, Rwanda - Meet with staff at the P.E.A.C.E. office. They advise and guide us throughout our stays in Rwanda.

February 4 Visit the Genocide Museum. In 1994 over 1,000,000 men, women and children were killed during the unrest that occurred there.

February 5 Travel to Muhanga District

February 6 Attend Church

February 7-8 We hold a 2-day Celebrate Recovery follow-up session for churhces who have previously attended CR trainings.

February 9-11 We will travel to Kibuye in Karongi District to conduct Celebrate Recovery Phase 1 Training for Pastors and Lay Leaders of churches in the area.

February 12 Travel to Musanze District in Northern Rwanda. This will be an all-day excursion.

February 13 Attend Anglican Church of Rwanda Kajigeja with Pastor Jean Baptiste Ndayambaje who has been our translator.

February 14-15 R&R – As required by the Saddleback PEACE Trip organizers, we will be spending time processing the experiences of this journey and the people we have met along with the way and to prepare for our return home.

February 15 Travel back to Kigali

February 16-17 Depart Kigali, Rwanda to Nairobi, Kenya – Then to Amsterdam – Then to Detroit and on to Los Angeles.

February 16-March 2 Jana will be will remain in Kenya continuing to build relationships in Nairobi and Kitale for 2 additional weeks after sending Dave & John back home. She will visit and encourage churches and prisons in Kenya that have CR programs while holding follow up seminars to help guide those in the process of starting. She will get to spend time with wonderful friends and her 4 beautiful God-children.

Kenyan Pastor Holds CR Seminar

The following is a trip report from a Kenyan Prison Chaplain who went on a mission trip to the Coast Provence of Kenya to train another prison to start Celebrate Recovery. It is amazing to see how CR continues to grow and is changing lives across the country of Kenya.

Praise be to God for His protection during my travel to Wundanyi prison. The seminar was scheduled on 25-26 September 2010. Indeed I must cherish the organization by the Chaplains of Wundanyi prison for the wonderful work. The people who attended the seminar were from prison, police, Administration police, High school teachers Departmental Heads,and local church leaders. I am delighted to inform you that people who were in the meeting wished that their people were there too to be healed and experienced the healing they have got. The total number of people who attended the meeting were 40, in fact I have been impressed by the gender balance in the meeting. Thanks for the donation of the CR materials. I gave those to Wundanyi prison and people were blessed to have such great materials. Before I close my report allow me then to share a quote from one of the participants immediate message as I left Wundanyi prison "Am Refreshed, Restored, Recovered and cannot stop thanking you."God bless you.from Shalleth Wawuda.

Pastor Abraham Domongole
Senior Chaplain
Kitale Main Prison

End of Day 3 of CR Seminar

Thanks so much for you prayers. I can feel them. Morris is feeling much better and the seminar is going so well.

Wow! What an amazing seminar this has been. To co-teach with Kenyans, to have them lead the small groups, has been wonderful to see how this ministry is becoming Kenyan! The people attending are so open to learning about CR and experiencing their own growth. Today we taught how to do the 4th step inventory and they were so eager to begin writing their own personal inventory. One man was so excited about it that he shared his with his new sponsor shortly after writing it. It was powerful to see how open they are. It has been intense and so obvious that God is at work here. I personally have so much peace about this seminar and it has gone so smoothly. God is good, all the time!

Michael finished his project for ICM and will be meeting with them to discuss his findings and recommendations tomorow afternoon. In the morning he will join us at the seminar so he can meet the people attending.

Tomorrow is our last day of the CR seminar. We will teach amends and forgiveness then the practicle ways of starting this ministry - the 90 day (or so :-))kick-off. In the afternoon we will have the cross and communion. Please pray for them to be open to ways to start this ministry and the feel confident that they are equipped to begin.

Day 1 of CR Seminar

The seminar went really well today. There are senior pastors and key leaders from 10-12 churches in attendance and are really enjoying learning about CR. I can definitely feel God's presence through the people. This morning I began with my testimony and introduced the program. In the afternoon we had a Large Group meeting followed by Open Share Groups. The Swahili praise music was magical. Two Pastors read the 8 principles. Pastor Morris taught the lesson of Denial. It was great to hear the "Kenyanized" version of the teaching. He did an awesome job! I wish I had my video camera there to capture it. It really made an impact on those attending. This is a wonderful Kenyan CR meeting.

Before I came I was a bit concerned about doing the seminar without a team from the US like in the past. I miss my mzungu friends being here to share the experience, but there is a great team here that is helping do everything - the teaching, organizing, leading amazing worship, leading small groups, anything and everything.

Michael spent the day continuing to work on his project with ICM and is coming along nicely and enjoying his time here. It's been pretty cool but afterall it is winter here :-).

Please pray for those attending the CR seminar. Pray for Morris, he has a bad cold and is helping teach and lead groups. Pray that we continue to be the Muppets and be used by God.

Back in Nairobi - Again

So much to catch up on so here goes. Friday, in spite of it being declared a national holiday for the signing of the new constitution and the pouring rain, pastors and prison chaplains came to the CR follow up meeting. Senior pastors came from Eldoret and another brought 2 associate pastors and they all rode their bicycles 20k to be there. Did I mention it was raining?

After presenting an overview of CR we had a lot of great discussion about how to get CR started. They were very excited about how it can bring healing to their congregations but a little overwhelmed with how to get it going. We brainstormed different ways of starting poly, poly (slowly). They had lots of great, thoughtful questions about how to make it work culturally. Many shared how CR has impacted their own lives. Overall it was a very encouraging meeting, both for us and for them.

We were fortunate that during our morning chai break, we were able to witness (on TV)the historic signing of the new constitution. It was great to see so many friends and share their excitement for this ministry.

After the seminar we spent some time with our kids at Purpose Driven Academy (PDA). Brian was feeling much better, recovering well from malaria.

Saturday was an interesting day. We started off back at PDA to see the kids one last time before we leave. It was a tearful goodbye with promises to be back soon. I miss them so much already. That's really all I can say about that now.

We had a request from Kitale Prison for more exercise books (blank notebooks for step study groups) and pens. So went went into town and bought more and took to the prison. We learned that there are about 250 men in CR now at the prison! Wow, the number keeps growing. There are 22 wards at the prison of 1149 men and they all have CR groups. We only met with part of them on Wednesday. I also forgot to mention that Wednesday we heard a testimony form a man who accept Christ when we were there in March and how CR and Jesus has changed his life. There are so many stories.

We visited with Sister Freda and her husband Richard at their home in town. They had been holding medical clinics in other parts of Kenya so it was the only time we could see them. Of course she is the greatest hostess and served us a wonderful meal. We had a great time of fellowship.

We arrived at Kitale Airstrip (yes airstrip, not airport) to catch our 3:20 flight to Nairobi only to learn that it just departed. It was rescheduled to 1:50 and no one told us. There were no more flights until Sunday. I just prayed a quick prayer and said "Ok God, this is Your problem, what are you going to do about it?" I was scheduled to speak at a church just outside Nairobi Sunday morning. As only God could arrange, there was a flight from Eldoret at 7 pm that had 2 seats on it. The airline manager drove us to Eldoret. He will likely be running the airline someday, he was so gracious, very smart and ambitious. He shared his story of not being able to afford to go to high school to now being in college because someone supported him. It doesn't take much to change someones life. The trip would normally take about 1 1/2 hours but it was pouring rain and hailing like crazy. At first it was raining cats and dogs, then it rained elephants and rhinoceroses. The road were flooded and we couldn't even see where the many potholes were. By God's hand we made it and was able to catch that flight and get back to Nairobi.

Today, Sunday we drove about 2 hours East of Nairobi to the small village of Kangari to Bible Fellowship Church, arriving 1 1/2 hours late for service but they were still singing and dancing to praise the Lord when we arrived. We heard an inspirational message from Pastor Peter about how CR changed his life. I spoke about CR, encouraging others to open up with one another. We had a good time of fellowship over lunch prepared by the church members.

On the way back to Nairobi we stopped at CCI in Thika and had a nice visit with the CR ministry leader. The leaders are almost through with their step study groups and we discussed how to launch the ministry church wide. Our visit was very timely.

Please pray for the CR seminar that begins tomorrow morning. Pray that the right people come and God prepare their hearts to learn about this life changing ministry. Pray for me that when I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will speak fearlessly as I should. Pray for Morris who will be co-teaching with me for the first time.

Thursday Evening

We have a bit of catching up to do so this is a long post. I was too tired last night to post so we have two full days to catch up on.

Wednesday morning Michael continued his work with ICM while I went into town and bought a few things to take to the prison - exercise books, pens and some toiletries for the women. I attended morning chapel with friends at ICM before Michael and I headed to prison.

We went into the men's prison, the first place in Kenya where Celebrate Recovery started over 5 years ago. It was Michael's first time in prison and he was a bit anxious going in. It made him grateful for what we have in the US when he recognized what little these men have. They have no beds and sleep on the ground or cement floor, some have blankets, they have rags for clothes, many are without shoes. He was surprised to see so many smiling faces singing with joy for the Lord.

They planned a very special program in honor of Michael being there. We heard awesome worship and many testimonies of lives changed through CR. A couple of inmates shared poems that they had written about how CR has changed their lives. One was entitled "Celebrate Recovery, my best friend." The chaplains were so appreciative toward Michael for him sending his wife to Kenya to minister to the prisoners and what a wonderful job I had been doing here. It was almost embarrassing for me. Michael encouraged them to continue CR and how proud he was of them for being the pioneers of CR in Kenya that has now spread to many prisons across the country. They presented Michael with a beautiful beaded belt with the Kenyan flag emblem and colors and me matching earrings, a bracelet and necklace. I think this visit helped Michael to understand what an impact our visits have made here. It was an awesome experience for Michael and very moving. Pretty cool for me too.

Michael had to return to work with ICM and I went into the women's prison. There are many new women there now and the original CR group has all left. It was so encouraging to meet Lydia, the new CR leader, and to learn the program is continuing and changing lives. The women were filled with so much joy. They sang and performed a drama for me about the prodigal son. It was really powerful. One woman shared that when she heard I was coming that she told all of the new women that they were getting toiletries because when I come I bring things that the prison does not provide. I shared my testimony and encouraged them to continue CR. I heard how CR was bringing them peace and freedom, even behind bars. We passed out the few toiletries and then they got me to dance with them for a while. It was a lot of fun for all of us.

After the time in prison I spent quite a while visiting with the chaplains and the officer in charge (warden). I brought a few photos from our visit earlier this year and they were so excited to have them. I got to meet Pastor Edward's wife Jennifer who is a prison officer now. They all pass their greetings to those that have been there before. It was a great time of deepening friendships.

Late in the afternoon Michael and I spent some time with our kids. It was a wonderful. Even though we speak different languages it was so nice just being together and connecting.

Ok now to today - Michael went back to ICM to continue his work there. I spoke for about an hour at the Women of Purpose and Destiny conference at Deliverance Church Kitale, the first place I ever gave my testimony. I talked about CR (of course) and shared my story of how I came to know God's purpose for my life. God was definitely at work at that conference, the energy was amazing.

I visited Kitale Pentecostal Church, who attended the CR seminar in March. I have known the senior pastor and some of the associates for about 5 years and they were so excited to be fully trained in CR. I met with the senior pastor and 3 associate pastors and answered many of their questions about challenges they have faced in starting CR. Their program is coming along very well and they are on track to establish a solid model for CR for this region of the country.

I spent much of the rest of the day hanging out with my kids. Brian (the oldest at 9) was not feeling well and was diagnosed with Malaria while I was there today. Fortunately he got treatment so he will be fine in a couple of days. So many people across Africa die from malaria because they cannot afford the $3 for medication.

It's been a wonderful few days here in Kitale. Tomorrow we have the follow up meeting for those that attended the CR seminar in March. Pray that people will come and not be distracted because the day has been recently declared a national holiday. Pray that it will be an encouraging time for those already starting CR or planning to start it. Pray for Brian as he recovers from malaria.

Tuesday Evening in Kitale

We had another great day here in Kitale. We spent the morning at Oasis of Hope, a center for street kids. It has grown to about 190 children who drop in Monday - Friday for morning devotion, breakfast, school lessons, Bible study and lunch. Then these 4 - 18 year old children go back to the street and sleep. There are an additional 80+ children that are now attending public or private schools and live in small group homes. It is an amazing transition program to get kids off the street. THe kids are getting an eductioan that would not otheriwse be possible becuae of their desparte circumstances. It was awesome to see how much joy they have when they are there. They have now begun a tailoring training for the older girls so they can learn a trade. I have had the opportunity it watch it grow from a very small center into an amazing program that continues to grow. We had a nice visit with Geoffrey, the director of the center. We got to play all kinds of games with the kids, some I still don't really understand what we were doing but it was a lot of fun.

After lunch I spent some precious, quality time with my friend Margaret. I hung out with my kids for a while then took them into town and bought them some new school shoes and toiletries and such. It is such a blessing to spend time with these beautiful children. But by the grace of God arranging for us to meet, they would become street children themselves.

In the afternoon Michael went to ICM and began working with them on a business project that he will be working on while he is here.

Tonight we had dinner with Pastor Abraham, the senior chaplain of Kitale Main Prison and my friend. He is the one responsible for getting my permit which grants me access to all 93 prisons in Kenya. It was nice that he and Michael got to meet finally. We had a great time of fellowship. They are planning a special program at the prison for us tomorrow in honor of Michael coming here, the strong man behind sending me here to minister to them. They are very excited to meet him tomorrow.

Pray for our day tomorrow at prison and for Michael as he continues his work with ICM.

Tuesday morning in Kitale

Our flight went smoothly from Nairobi to Kitale yesterday morning. We sat on the patio looking toward Mt. Elgon and the Uganda border while I enjoyed a chilled black currant Fanta, a favorite experience in Kenya, while they prepared our room for check in.

After a quick lunch we went to Purpose Driven Academy to see our kids. The head master, Peter, walked us through the local neighborhood to their house to meet them. Word spread that we were on our way and a whole herd of kids came running to meet us with Augustine leading the pack, running as fast as his little legs would carry him with a huge smile on his face. I'm not sure whose was bigger, his or mine. What a great reunion!! We spent most of the afternoon loving on them. They had been asking for days when their mzungu was coming. God is good.

We attended the opening of a women's conference at Deliverance Church Kitale called "Women of Purpose and Destiny". The worship was awesome. The message was inspiring.

In the evening we joined several friends that come here for missions, some of which live nearby us in OC but I only see in Kenya - too funny. It was great to reunite with kindred spirits that have a heart for Africa and got to make some new friends too. It was a very international group with people from Kenya, US, Rwanda, Ukraine and India. God brought us all here to serve Him. What an awesome God we serve.

Please pray for our time here in Kitale, that it glorify God in all we do. We have several things planned but will spare you the details because they will likely change :-). One thing in particular to pray for is our CR Follow Up seminar to be held on Friday. The president has declared Friday a holiday to celebrate the new constitution and I am not sure what impact that will have on our seminar. I know God will work out the details, he always does.

Back in Nairobi

I can't believe we have been gone a week already. Saturday we visited a group of ex-prisoners that have an amazing program to help the "mighty men of God" (a new name they call themselves instead of prisoners) transition to life on the outside. A former inmate started the program and it has been very successful. They help men and women learn skills and become responsible citizens. They have a plant project where they grow plants from seeds and plant them around the city, at schools and other public places. They have a Celebrate Recovery program and we heard some testimonies of lives that are changing and relationships being restored!

Stanley and Gladys took us around Mombasa town and coast for some sight seeing. It was great to spend time with them. We enjoyed coconut milk from it's source - yum!

In the afternoon we visited a church that has a CR group for women. It is very difficult for people to open up and talk about their lives with others so they have been using an "Open Share" format for a few weeks and will be starting a Step Study group soon. I was vulnerable and shared some things with them and it really encouraged them to open up and at the end of our time together one woman shared a big secret for the first time. It really broke the ice and bonded the group at a whole new level.

Today we visited Jesus Mission Center Church in Likoni. It was the second time I was there and we were warmly welcomed by their senior pastor, Rev. Bigvae Mzae. The worship was awesome with lots of singing and dancing. I couldn't quite talk Michael into joining them in their dancing but it was a wonderful experience. I "preached" for about an hour, giving my testimony and talking about CR. So many people came forward for prayer. God is preparing their hearts to begin CR next year. God is good.

The weather was very nice in Mombasa, not too hot for a change. We flew back to Nairobi this afternoon and tomorrow morning we fly to Kitale to begin our ministry there. I can't wait to see my kids and many friends there. Michael will begin his work with ICM tomoorw.

Pray for travel mercies as we fly to Kitale and wonderful reunions. Michael will get to meet our 4 God children tomorrow and I am very excited about that.

Friday night in Mombasa

Yesterday our flight to Mombasa went smoothly, we had a good view of snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro on the way. We just relaxed in the afternoon and enjoyed a nice long walk on the beach of the Indian Ocean.

Today we met with a group of pastors that have attended previous CR trainings here in the Coast Provence. They believe in CR. It was a very informal all day meeting of discussing various challenges that they face in starting CR. We brainstormed different ways of addressing those challenges and the pastors decided to begin monthly meetings to help encourage one another go forward. They are discussing ways of having 1 CR ministry for several small churches. It was great to see so many familiar faces. Michael is relieved that I didn't make him walk back to our hotel due to social blunders. :-) He enjoyed meeting the pastors and learning more about the Kenyan culture.

Tomorrow we are meeting with 2 CR groups. Stanley and Gladys Wainaina will take us to both meetings, it will be nice to spend the day with them. Pray that we continue to be the Muppets and speak God's words in both of these meetings.

We made it to Nairobi!

Paul and Teri picked us up at 2:45 AM on Monday and took us to LAX for our flight. Wow, now that's real friendship! Thanks guys! A TSA agent/CR friend met us at the gate and prayed for us before we took off. Our plane was delayed out of Detroit by 2 hours but we still had plenty of time to make our connection in Amsterdam. Thanks so much for all of your prayers. Everything has gone smoothly, all our luggage arrived with us and we are feeling healthy and were warmly welcomed by the staff at Methodist Guest House where we will stay for the next 2 nights.

Pray for good rest and ab easy transition as we adjust to being 10 hours ahead of time at home. Pray for connections and meetings over the next couple of days here in Nairobi.

CR Missions Trip Leaving for Kenya

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

Michael and Jana O’Guin will depart August 16th for Kenya and will return September 6th. Jana will lead a Celebrate Recovery Seminar for Pastors in Nairobi so that they will be equipped to implement Celebrate Recovery in their churches. For the first time, Kenyans will help teach this CR seminar and lead small groups during the training. She will also conduct follow up trainings in Mombasa and Kitale for church leaders and prison officials that have attended previous CR trainings. Michael will be conducting a business assessment for International Christian Ministries (ICM) to help them improve their ministry.

There will be updates and specific prayer requests during the trip on this blog so check back often.

Monday, August 16th – We depart LAX in the morning, our first stop is Detroit. After a 1-1/2 hr layover we leave for Amsterdam, arriving the morning of the 17th. After a 4-hour layover we have an 8-hour flight to Nairobi, arriving the evening of the 17th. Kenya is 10 hours ahead of PDT.

Wednesday, August 18th - We meet with ICM and others to finalize plans for our time in country. Michael will be meeting and interviewing the leaders of ICM Kenya and Jana will confirm the plans for the CR seminars.

Thursday, August 19th - We will fly from Nairobi to Mombasa and prepare for the CR seminar scheduled for Friday. We celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary!

Friday, August 20th - Jana will lead a Follow-Up Seminar for churches and prisons in the Coast Region that have attended previous CR trainings in 2008 and 2009 to encourage and support them. Michael will work on plans for ICM.

Saturday, August 21st - We will visit a CR program for former inmates transitioning out of prison and spend time with local pastor friends.

Sunday, August 22nd - Spend the morning attending church that has a CR program. In the afternoon fly back to Nairobi.

Monday – Friday August 23rd – 27th - We have a Monday morning flight to Kitale. We will spend time with our 4 God children and many local friends, attend CR programs at churches and prisons, visit Purpose Driven Academy, Oasis of Hope, and Sister Freda’s Hospital. Michael will spend 2-3 days helping ICM understanding and assessing their current operations and analyzing the costs of their ministry. On Friday Jana will lead a Follow-Up Seminar for churches and prisons in the Rift Valley Region that attended the CR training in March.

Saturday, August 28th - We will fly back to Nairobi, spend time with friends and prepare for the CR seminar next week.

Sunday, August 29th - We will attend a local church that has an active CR program to encourage them as they continue their ministry.

Monday, August 30th – Thursday, September 2nd - Jana will lead a Celebrate Recovery seminar for pastors and church leaders to equip them to start CR in their respective churches and prisons. For the first time Kenyans will co-teach the CR seminar. We will be teaching the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, facilitating small groups, giving our testimonies, and equipping them to begin CR programs. Michael will be interviewing and assessing the ICM Kenya’s Nairobi operations and providing his final report to their leaders.

Friday, September 3rd - We have a morning flight to Masai Mara. In the Mara we will visit the animal park and have some time to relax and decompress before returning home.

Sunday September 5th - We depart Masai Mara for Nairobi and have a 10 hour layover before leaving on a late evening flight to Amsterdam, Detroit and then onto LAX International. We will arrive in LAX in the afternoon of September 6th.

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.”