From the Nairobi Airport, we traveled by public transportation van to Bungoma on the roughest road that you could ever imagine.  When there was a pothole they didn't fill it, just put boulders around it and everyone just drove around it.  Ruts in some of the roads were 1 1/2 feet wide and six inches to a foot deep.  They drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the vehicle.  The roads were two lanes and very narrow, winding up through the mountains and forests, and down through the valleys and across the Serengeti Desert.  They would pass on hills and curves and never even slow down.  There weren't any road signs and most of the highways didn't even have the lines marked on them.  It really wouldn't have mattered because they drove where ever they could to avoid some of the rougher road and other vehicles, animals,or people who were walking along side of the road. Sometimes they would even drive three abreast on a two lane highway. 

     It was as if we stepped back in time about 120 years.  Most places had no electricity, no running water, no toilets, no toilet paper, or showers.  The home that we stayed in with Apostle Amos Ouma Juma and his wife Rhoda and their five children would be considered a mansion to most in Africa.  We did have a toilet, shower, electricity, TV and DVD player.  The only furniture they have is tables, chairs and beds.  The guard would carry water from the well up a homemade ladder and dump it into barrels that were on a platform.  The water ran by gravity down 2 pipes that went to the toilet and shower.  There were no sinks and they washed dished and clothes outside and left them to dry on a platform outside.  They did have cell phones and many use the internet.  There were computer shops where they went that used generators for power and they charged their cell phones where ever they could find electricity.  Their electricity is 240 watts not 110 as we have in the USA.  There were kerosene lamps because on Friday, Saturday and Sundays their power tends to go off often.

  We were blessed in the fact that we had a trained chef do all of our meal preperation.  They cooked on a small propane burner or charcoal burner in the kitchen.  They made the house very smoky.  They also singed the chickens in the house that really smelled bad.  There was no exhaust fans.  They would only cook enough for one meal  because most houses didn't have refrigerators.  There was a small refrigerator in the home that we stayed but they only used it to store water or pop in, no food was stored there.  Some of the African food that we had was Mandazi Meat, like we call a bierock only it was shaped in a triangle and fried tortillas and they were called Samosa.  They had Chapati that was white corn that was ground, mixed with water and cooked.  It looked like rice but there was no flavor to it.  It was rolled in balls and eaten with the fingers.  They had glass bottles of Coke or cola pop.  We also had many fresh fruits and vegetables that they grow themselves all year around, such as bananas, lemons, oranges, limes, avocadoes, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, onion, peppers, peas, sugar cane, honey and milk. Everyone had chickens, usually Rhode Island Reds, so we had fresh brown eggs nearly every day.  They didn't waste anything.  They did not even have a trash can in the house.  They didn't have dumpster service so trash was all over the roadsides.

     We didn't go on a safari, but saw many animals just grazing along side of the highways, such as Holstein cows, brahmas, goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, gorillas, zebras, gazelles,and wild boar hogs.

     They had little stands along the roadside where they sold whatever they had raised such as potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, oranges, honey.  There were some stands with clothing, sheep hides and caps.  Others sold woven baskets and pottery.  There were no Wal-mart or K-Mart stores.  The average wage in Bungoma was $40 dollars a month so they had to be very frugal and only buy necessities or do without.  There money is the shilling.  440 shillings are equal to about 7 American dollars.  There were no toys for the children to play with.  They would play with sticks, old water bottles, old bicycle tires or trash off the ground.  Where we were, the men wore suits and the women wore dresses.  The children wore shorts or pants and t-shirts.  Most wore flip-flops or sandals or went bare footed.  Most people did not have cars, but used public transport buses.  One evening they had 17 people riding in an 8 passenger bus.  If there wasn't room they would just leave the door open and hang out the door.  They also used bicycles for taxis.

     Children had school for six hours a day for the younger children but the high school went from 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM.  Only the top three in the class would be allowed to go on to school.  Education is highly desired.  They want to go and learn.  They sit and listen without being told.  The children would walk 3-4 miles without any parental supervision to come and hear the Word of the Lord.  Many would carry a younger sibling on their back when they came.

      While we were there, Pastor Leo and Donna preached at three pastors conferences with over 200 pastors at each one.  The national language was Swahili and English but each trive had their own language.  Many knew at least two or three different languages.  We had a translator when we preached to the people.  There was a crusade every evening.  It was held in an open field and so it was hard to guess how many people attended but there were many.  It tried to rain several of the evenings at the crusade, but Pastor Leo prayed and commanded the rain to quit and it did.  Another night it started to rain and Pastor Leo prayed and it rained outside of the field but not a drop of rain came down on the field.  We saw many miracle healings from eyes, ears opened, the deaf and dumb spoke, legs grew out, backs, stomachs, goiter healed on a womans neck, many with epilepsy, diabetes, headaches, Malaria, Typhoid, TB, asthma and parasites.  Many were delivered from alcohol, drugs, roaming spirits, and demonic influences.  At least a thousand were born again, saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit including pastors and their wives.  We also preached and taught on Sunday morning church and Sunday school.  The most awesome thing was that when anyone came to the alter for prayer, they were healed instantly. 

     I took many pictures and cam-corded all of the sessions.  Every time I got the cameras out, the kids would gather around and all wanted their pictures taken.  It was something that they had never seen before.  When I showed them their pictures, they became very excited.  The adults were also curious about how to take the pictures from the camera, put them on the computer, and then burn them onto a DVD.

     One of the saddest things we saw was the refugee camps.  There were hundreds of small white tents that the Red Cross supplied for the 300,000 families that had their homes burned down during the riots last year.  When we arrived the people seemed very sad and down cast and fearful, but when we left they were smiling and held their heads up and were praising and worshipping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is coming back soon,  They knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was Kenya's only hope.

     The people that we met in Kenya were very polite, respectful, caring people.  They have already sent us a letter from 40 of the pastors asking us to come back again, which would be awesome, as we all want to go back again.  This trip was the completion of several years of prayer, fasting, planning and preparations and we give God all the glory and honor and praise for all of the awesome things that happened in Africa.