Long time no blog,...

Cairo, Eygpt

It feels like a long time since we've been able to update our blog. A lot has been happening over the past two months. In May, we said good-bye to our colleagues Colin and Karen Godwin and their family, who have completed their ministry with CBM and are now living in British Columbia where Colin is serving as the president of Carey Theological College. 

After our children finished up their school year, we took a family vacation travelling North to Eygpt and on to France. This was such a great adventure with our kids. We rented a simple apartment in the Belleville area of Paris and had an incredible week exploring the city. We are indebted to our friends Terry, Melissa, Melanie, Kerry, Silvia, Colin and Karen for all of their recommendations of favourite spots for cheese, bread, pastries, picnics, shopping and site seeing. Although we couldn't do it all, our time was wonderful! 

Eiffel Tower

We actually had five full days to crisscross the city. We had fun poking around Le Marais and picnicking in the St. Louis Square. Among our finds was a beautiful puzzle shop that makes hand cut wooden puzzles, we've a starry night put away for our Christmas vacation -- too beautiful not to frame. Of course visited the Arc de Triomphe and the major monuments of the city -- a highlight for our kids was ice cream and a carousal ride at the Eiffel Tower. 

Basilique Du Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre 

The cathedrals and churches were also spectacular. One of our best memories from the trip is our time in Notre Dame where we lit candles at the prayer stations in the church. Tristan, Emma and Ava were so much fun to be with as visited walked along the canals, through Musuems, the artists square around Sacre-Coeur and the quirky old bookshops near Notre Dame. Even with the rain and cool weather, we had a blast.

Louvre

 Hoping you and your family also have a great summer!

Love the Kennys

Michael Morgan

Michael Morgan playing "Scummy or Scubb" 

with Emma and his cousin, Cassandra 

Last week we shared a sad good-bye for our friend Michael Morgan (Wayne and Maureen's youngest son), who has returned to Canada for his final year of high school. We had the joy of getting to know Michael and his two older brothers, David and Sean, over this past year. 

We wish Michael all the best as he returns to British Columbia to connect with family and friends, and complete high school. We will miss his great humour and the fun of beating him in card games!

You can read more about the Morgan's life and ministry in Kenya on their blog at

http://morgansinkenya.blogspot.com

Manzoni

Randy Legassie introducing Bishop Meshach Mukwilu to 

Rev. Dr. Glenn Wooden of Acadia Divinity College, Nova Scotia

This past week, we had the pleasure of participating in meeting with our colleagues Randy and Elizabeth Legassie and friends from Acadia Divinity College who have been volunteering with the Africa Brotherhood Church, assisting with their theological library. On Thursday, Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki and the leadership of the church's education department met with our guests to discuss the direction of the Eastern Kenya Integrated College (EKIC), an important ministry of the church.

We are blessed to have people like Glenn Wooden and Stewert Dockendorff lend their expertise and experience to encourage and strengthen the theological studies of both our partner churches in Kenya. On Wednesday, they also visited the new theological library of the ACC&S in Thika.

Rev. Stewert Dockendorff and 

Archbishop Ndambuki's wife, Cannon Mary Nzyoki,

at Manzoni, near Machakos, Kenya

The People from Nowhere

Waliwana villages in the Mathengi scrub bush 

of North Eastern Province, Kenya

Depending on who you ask, the tribal sub groups within Kenya number as high as 90. The Cushitic peoples of Northern and North Eastern Kenya for about 2% of the national population, mostly Somali and Oromo speaking groups that struggle for political voice and influence. But there are many other smaller people groups who have little to no visibility. Over the past two years, Canadian Baptist Ministries has been increasing its work amongst such communities.

"Malakote" is pejorative term for the Waliwana people of Kenya's Tana River. It basically means "the people who don't belong anywhere".  The Waliwana are an ethnically Bantu people who farm along the river banks. Having little to no official land ownership, they are a marginalized people.

The famine of 2011 was devastating for much of the Waliwana people, but harder still were the floods of this winter that destroyed homes and farms. Presently, CBM is providing emergency relief through supplementary feeding and rations to Waliwana people of three villages in partnership with local churches and Muslim NGOs in the community.

Please pray for the Waliwana community, that through this time of relief and recovery that they would experience hope and dignity as they rebuild their villages and discover the love of their Christian neighbours.

Our CBM colleague Yattani Gollo meeting with 

a group of Waliwana Leaders, near the Tana River