April 18.  Yes we're going home and I am so looking forward to hugging our kids.  But this next Wednesday, April 21 four of our sons will be setting out for their first missions trip.  They will  go share the love of Jesus with the Pokot tribe of Western Kenya.  The Pokots are virtually unreached -they have never heard that the creator of heaven and earth loves them.  But our sons Jonah, Jonathan, Moreti and Naftayli are ready to proclaim that Jesus not only loves them but wants to transform their lives.  The Pokot people need to know this.  Please pray that our sons are bold as they share this amazing news.  I'll keep you informed as soon as I hear about their adventures.

WOW this is goona be neat!  So many things happen with 21 kids in our house everyday and now you will be the first to know!

We're still in the US for a couple more weeks so don't get impatient waiting for kidsnews.  Yesterday God gave me special gifts.  Mike and I loaded everything and went to paint our house in Independence, Mo. (we only owe 22 more months mortage and it's ours--even now we get income over the mortage which goes directly into the ministry)  Anyway as we drove onto our street, we saw Freddy mowing his lawn-  WOW Freddy and his wife Barbara were in an old-folks home for 6 years and just 2 weeks ago moved back.  Before leaving for Kenya Barbara and I prayed every Friday morning and I thought I had lost touch of one of the most powerful Christian ladies I had ever known.  Barbara and I wept as we embraced -not wanting to let go of each other.    Then as we started to paint, Lonnie-another lost friend- drove up to our neighbor's house.  Lonnie wrote our newsletters in 2002-2003 when we first were in Kenya--during some VERY trying times, she was there to encourage us.  Another long, tearful embraced. Our precious friend Ellen Littleton came with yummy sandwiches and a refreshing quava fruit drink.  THANKS Ellen.   Later on in the afternoon Charlie and Sarah joined us painting and by 5 the west and south sides of our house have a fresh coat of paint.  Charlie and Sarah Hodges were with us in Meru for 6 weeks last summer.  And after their baby is born this September, they plan on coming back to Kenya for a year.  Why? because they're awesome with our kids and we love to work with them.  Even painting was 10 times easier with their help. WOW an ordinary made special because God has blessed us with awesome friends.