Christmas is that time of year...

Christmas at the Nest

On Boxing Day, Erica and the girls visited the Nest Children's Home in Limuru where Ava was brought when she was first abandoned. They all had so much fun playing with the children and sharing gifts of fruit and cookies. Ava especially loved playing on the new slide with the Emma and all the other children: There were 60 boys and girls who spent Christmas at the Nest this year plus all of the infants now staying close to Rosslyn Academy at the Nest's halfway house. One highlight of the visit was Ava visiting her old bed (pictured above). Because of the cool temperatures of Limuru (about 6000 ft in elevation), the Nest is doing its best to keep the babies at their warmer Nairobi house.

Ava all played out on Christmas Day

This was a very special Christmas for us as it was Ava's first Christmas as a Kenny. At three years, she was totally into opening presents and all of the excitement. But as always it was the simplest gifts that were the most fun, an inflatable giraffe water toy, a pink whistle, a Dora the Explorer backpack and of course bubble wrap were among Ava's favorite things to play with. (And yes, Santa did manage to find a pink umbrella and cups too!)

What a difference a grape

bubble gum mustache makes

Full of Christmas Cheer!

Tristan sporting his new camo outfit,... already for the Canadian cold or maybe a game of capture the flag

Emma and Ava up bright and early

on Christmas morning

The Nest

Our Friends from the Nest Children's Home just shared some pictures from their Easter Celebrations! The Nest is a Ministry that cares for children and imprisoned mothers. Over the years, they have also provided for hundreds of orphans who are abandoned or brought to their home in Limuru or Gigiri. You can see photos and learn more about the Nest through this link: http://uhuru.de/thenesthome/ or by searching ourblogs on the search bar at the top of the page or using this link http://fivekennys.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Nest

Baby Talk

A very protective mother goose

at the Nest Children's Home

halfway house.

We are at that age and stage in life when many of our siblings and friends are having children. Since we moved to Kenya in 2006, Erica's sister Lori has had a baby boy, Tyler; Aaron's sister Amanda and Justin have had two boys, Dublin and Eliot; and Aaron's brother Adam and Ivy have had two girls Livia and Laurel. We are looking forward to seeing our growing family when we are home next year. We are also excited to see several of our good friends who have had babies over these past three years. Over the internet, we've been able to see how much they are growing, but it isn't the same as being home.

Scott and Lara Barnet with their

newborn daughter, Emma Nicole

Here in Kenya, our friends the Barnet family just gave birth to their first child, a beautiful baby girl. We pray for their safe journey back to the United States as they return to visit their family next week.

Erica helping out with

feeding time at the Nest

From time to time, we are able to take our kids to the Nest Children's Home to volunteer with their orphaned baby program. This is a special experience as this was the children's home that first received our Ava almost three years ago. Throughout Kenya abandoned and orphaned children present a huge need. We are thankful for organizations like the Nest and for programs like CBM's Guardians of Hope that take seriously our Christian responsibility to care for widows and orphans. It is a blessing for us to spend time cradling and loving these kids.

Ava cuddling one of the beautiful babies

Looking back on this past week

"Not My Style Day"

This was "School Spirit Week" at Rosslyn Academy, and Tristan and Emma had a lot of fun dressing up in silly costumes according to each day's theme. Tristan says that "Not my style day was the best!" Emma dressed up as her big brother, while Tristan had fun wearing his Hindi outfit from India.

Too cute!


While November continues to be a busy month, we are so thankful for the fun and laughter of each new day. Thank you for keeping our family in your prayers.

Three Wisemen

The Three Wisemen...

* Ben * Eric * Kyle *

...They traverse a far!

This week, we've had the pleasure of hosting three intrepid young Canadians at the end of nearly three months of volunteering and backpacking up the Eastern Coast of Africa. After a week of exploring South Africa back in September, the guys travelled to Malawi where they served in a children's home for over two months. During their last three weeks in Africa they decided to come to Kenya where they have shared in some time with Tim and Diane Bannister in Athi River, and as well as volunteering in the extreme hot and colds of Kenya (Dadaab and Limuru).

This past Sunday evening, the senior class at Rosslyn Academy lead many of the members of the Nairobi International Christian Fellowship (ICF), in an outdoor Christmas candle lighting service at sunset. Despite a mighty wind, the service was beautiful!

Ava cuddling with Kara Carline at the service

Erica and Kelly at the Candle lighting service

One of our great joys of serving in Kenya has been the wonderful community at Rosslyn and ICF. Although we miss the snow and nearness of our families and friends in Canada, it has been such a gift to be a part of such a diverse and unique community as this.

Aaron and Willem

Erica, Melanie and baby Susan

Many of you will remember our friends Mel and Kerry, who continue to foster orphaned infants from the Nest Children's Home. This past week, Kerry was shocked by the sudden illness and death of her father in America. Please uphold Kerry in your prayers as she has returned to the United States to be with her family there.

Our family's Christmas ball

This year at Rosslyn Academy, the senior class organized a Christmas fundraise for a local orphanage, by having families purchase and decorate Christmas balls to decorate a tree at Rosslyn Academy.

Ben, Eric, Ava and Kyle

The guys continue their journey with an early morning good-bye. After a night away at the Nest and then another night with us, Aaron brought the brave young travellers into Eastleigh early on Tuesday morning to catch a bus to Garissa. The guys have met our colleague Yattani Gollo there and travelled to Dadaab today to visit the refugee camps there. We are praying for their safety as they travel back to Nairobi on Saturday to spend their last three nights in Africa with us -- much to the delight of our children!

3A All-Stars

Mommy and Emma in their 3A All-Star shirts

Erica, Kerry, Melanie, Maddie & Emma

Emma's teacher, Melanie McKee, is using a sports theme in her third grade classroom this year: In the spirit of teamwork, the class called itself the "3A All-Stars" and today they all came to school in their class T-shirts. As the class mom, Erica wore her All-star shirt as well. Three Cheers for 3A!

Yum yum !!

Emma and her pal Maddie helping out at the Nest Children's Home after school today.

Although many orphans live within the Nest, most of the children who call this loving place home are staying here while their mothers are in prison. Emma and Maddy visited the Nest's half-way house today, where released mothers are reunited with their children and provided a stable environment to bond and get back on their feet.

The Enns family

The Enns Family

Wes, Jean, Ezra, Julia and Isaiah

Wes, Jean, Erica and Aaron

This past weekend, we shared a time of good-bye with our friends the Enns family who are returning to Canada for a year to live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Enns have been friends, since we first met in 2007 at Rosslyn Academy where they live on campus as Wes is a high school English teacher. We've had a special connection as each of our children have come up together in the same classes in school (and preschool). We are sad to see them leaving, but so glad that they will be back!

Burger Time!

Ezra and Tristan

"Whose ready for seconds?"

Erica and Jean

Ava and Julia trying their best

to get their kite in the air

Our Puppy

Hermione our BIG puppy

Who could be mad at this face?

On the home front, our kids are looking forward to the June and July "winter" vacation in Nairobi. They finish school at Rosslyn Academy at the end of May, and will go back in the second week of August. There will be lots to do over the school break, including some quality time with our three pups. Hermione will turn a year old this July, and already she seems to be teething. Over the past few weeks she has taken a liking to our young palm trees that we had bought when we first moved to Kenya. We had kept them in our apartment before moving to the house -- it has been fun to watch them grow with us -- that is until Hermione decided that they were a nice chew toy. The other morning we awoke to find a four foot palm reduced to a three inch stump, with Hermione asleep in a nest of twisted fronds and frayed strands of the stock. Those dogs!

Rosslyn

Saying farewell!

Joann and Irene at the Nest

As the New Minas ladies prepared for their return to Canada, we had some fun together at the Rosslyn River Garden and visiting our friends at the Nest Children's home.

So many answers to prayer during these past two weeks. The big praise early yesterday morning was the word that our friend was freed from Somalia - God is so good!

The ladies departed last night for Toronto

We are thankful for all their help these past two weeks

Holiday Happenings

Campfire and great hot chocolate with friends

With the end of the fall semester, we enjoyed a great evening with our friends Melanie, Atalie, Wendy and Melissa, Tristan's homeroom teacher. Kicking off the Christmas holidays with an outdoor film -- The Polar Express.

Board Game in the Backyard

Yesterday we had a great game of Settlers of Catan with the guys. Ben and Kyle were great first time conspirators, but none of us were a match for Eric's devious ways! BUT, there is always time for a rematch! The guys return to Canada on Tuesday night.

Baby Susan

Over the next three weeks, we also have a very special little guest staying with our family: Susan is an orphan from the Nest Children's Home, being fostered by our friends Mel and Kerry. Since they have returned to America for the funeral of Kerry's dad, we will be caring for Susan until Melanie's return on January 8th. Our kids are delighted to have a four month old to cuddle and sing to.

Christmas Vacation!

Boxing Day Battles!

We are enjoying a great Christmas vacation with our children; after such an intense fall it has been so nice to play together at home without having to think about our next trip or ministry assignment. The kids have been enjoying all of the attention.

On Boxing Day, we had a great water war in our yard, setting up large buckets for our water blasters. We also brought a slip n'slide back with us from Canada this summer, which has been a great source of fun!

Careful "Agent M", the evil TK

is sneaking up on you!

We've appreciated all of the Christmas greetings and emails over the past few weeks. We are so blessed to have so many great friends and family thinking and praying for us and the ministries we are a part of here in Africa. We'll have lots to write about in the coming year, but for now please excuse us for their is another battle brewing in Tristan's bedroom.... a video game maybe?

Baby Susan's first Christmas

We've also been blessed by little Susan who has been sharing Christmas with us. Please remember her, and thousands of orphans like her within Kenya. Presently the Nest Children's Home has about a dozen infants who need a loving family.

Kiselo Missions Circle

Emma at the Kiselo Missions Circle, Niagara Falls.

On Tuesday evening we shared a wonderful time with members of two different missions groups in Niagara Falls. It was a great opportunity tell others about the lives being impacted by the generosity of Canadian Baptist Churches.

Erica checking on a newly found bird's nest

at the home of our host Ms. Helen Davis.

Ava peaking into the nest...

Robin's Eggs

Neema

Tristan and Ava saying good-bye to baby Neema

Our good friends Mel and Kerry have cared for orphans from the Nest Children's Home over the past several years. It was with mixed feelings that we joined them today to say farewell to baby Neema who is being adopted by a family from Germany.

One last good-bye hug!