Hi everyone!

Wow, it feels like forever since I've had a chance to update, so I apologize for that. Our email access has been pretty limited, but I'm doing my best. We are only using internet cafes for email right now, so it might only be once a week or so that I get to update all of you.

After a week of ministry, we are starting to get used to our daily routines in a completely new environment. The adjustment to culture shock is definitely much easier than last summer...I felt at home again here after only a couple of days. Much of my Swahili came back to me as well...just from hearing the Kenyans speaking it all around me. I've also learned alot more of the language in the past few days, thanks to a "Teach Yourself Swahili" book and CD. It is really a blessing to know some Swahili, even though many people speak some English. Just the other day, I was able to comfort and 5 year old girl in one of the slums. She was crying, but noone else was paying attention to her. With my broken Swahili, I was able to get her to stop crying and figure out that she lost her jacket. We found it together and she was fine after that.

OK, let me give you a feel for our usual day of ministry. We wake up around 7:30 am, eat breakfast at 8 am in the NEGST (Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology) cafeteria, leave for one of 3 slums (Kibera, Kawangware, or Muthiga) around 9 am, and arrive at 10:30 or 11 am. Our transportation is usually walking and/or matatus (overcrowded 14-passenger vans). At each slum, we go to a church supported by MTW, pray for the day's ministry, and then go out into the surrounding area for door-to-door evangelism, AIDS visitations, AIDS support groups, bible studies, feeding programs, and/or teaching in the public schools. We have chai (tea with milk) and bread for lunch, and usually leave the slum around 2 pm. We arrive home by 4 pm and eat dinner at 6:30 pm. Then we have a daily debriefing/sharing/Bible study time and go to bed around 11 pm.

OK, I wish I could write so much more, but I only have a few more minutes for email. Your prayers are being answered...our team is really unified and working well together. Our ministry is going really well and God is being glorified through us. He is teaching me how to love people selflessly and sacrificially. Also, praise God for healing me. I was sick for 2 days, but just recovered fully yesterday. I was off my feet for the whole time, so that was tough...but it is pretty hard to stay healthy when working in the slums.

Keep praying!

Mark