Our Final Day of Teaching.....at AIU

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8 NIV).

Since this is our last day of instruction, I was reflecting on the team and their individual gifts. I have been truly humbled to serve with such a grace filled and talented team. We were honored to have a special lunch today at Kijiji with Vice Chancellor Dr. Carew. He wanted to personally thank the team for their donation of laptops, computer monitors, server, thin clients but most of all he wanted to thank them for their time and dedication to teaching and serving well here at African International University. He asked the team to share their insights about the experience and asked how AIU could better serve us as we prepare to return. It was truly humbling to hear Dr. Carew ask how they could make the experience better for future teams.

The meal, hosted by Lois Shaw was our best meal yet. Her chef prepared an excellent African stew on rice with several fresh toppings including avocado, peanuts, slaw, tomatoes, green peppers, and much more it was a real treat.

At Chapel today, we heard a very compelling message by Dr. Amy Sherman. She is a Senior

Fellow with the Sagamore Institute based in Indianapolis and also a Senior Fellow with International Justice Ministries (IJM). She is a writer and shared stories of 4 victims and how they were redeemed through the efforts of IJM. She spoke of a pending partnership with one of the AIU schools, the Institute for the Studies of African Realities (ISAR). Having her speak was partially the result of a meeting Dr. Carew had with Jay Hein, President of the Sagamore Institute.

Dr. Sherman's message spoke to the hearts of many students and Pastors in the audience. IJM is seeking partnerships in Kenya and beyond to come along side their efforts as they seek to bring justice to the oppressed in Africa.

The day did not end without some excitement. Carol fell and broke her nose while returning from lunch. Ed and Polly accompanied her to the nearby Karen Hospital where they took a CT Scan and determined that she will be fine but should meet with an ENT specialist when she returns to the USA this weekend. I think Obama and his new health care team could take a lesson from the Karen Hospital. I paid the bill in cash and it was less than $ 200.00. That included all medication, diagnosis, cleaning and dressing the wounds, and a copy of the CT scan. God was really looking out for us as our nurse was the wife of a NEGST graduate and current professor here. Our thanks also go out to the AIU nursing staff that attended to her wounds and to Don Penny who arranged transportation and brought us home safely. Once we returned to HomeCare, Terraza prayed for healing for both Carol and Karen and we trust God that he will provide miraculous healing.

Our Thursday evening will conclude with a Vice Chancellor pot luck with AIU faculty and Dr. Sherman where they will hear more about systemic changes that can results from making Justice ministry a priority in the context of African realities.

It will be kind of sad to say our goodbyes as we have become personally connected to many of the students and staff here at AIU. It is quite evident that this university is at the frontlines of ministry and capably equipping the future Christian Leaders of Africa to serve well in the churches, communities, government, and the marketplace. It was exciting to come a be a small part of great Christian movement. We heard on Sunday from Pastor Oscar that the center of Christianity has shifted to the southern hemisphere. I can see that is true here in Kenya and in many other part of the world south of the equator.

This will be our last spotlight on our team tonight. As author of this blog, I feel a big uncomfortable shining the light on myself. My name is Ed Fischer and even though I have a great job back in West Virginia as the Grant County Economic Development Director and County Administrator, I also find it difficult to leave Africa when it comes time to go home. I always leave a big part of my heart behind when I leave. On my first trip to Dakar, Senegal many years ago to visit missionary friends, Scott and Lisa Hicks, I felt called by God to come and serve in Africa. Even though Carol was not yet ready, I think a Bed and Breakfast or hospitality venture in Kenya is somewhere in my distant future. Not long after going to Senegal, I read the book, "Half Time" by Bob Buford. It really spoke to my heart. What I experienced, is not uncommon to most men. As we approach 50 or near what most would call the "mid-life crisis", I realize that my life was missing real significance. As men, we ofter get most of our self worth and affirmation from our jobs or careers. We are looking to leave a legacy, to make a real difference. That is why I lead these short term trips or as some would say, a "vacation with a purpose". So I would encourage any of you out there that are looking for significance in your life to consider going on a short term mission trip. It just might change your life.

I also owe a great debt of gratitude to my wife Carol. She has kept me centered and allowed me to pursue my passions and serve those in full time ministry and missionaries. That is why we own the North Fork Mountain in beautiful West Virginia. We offer at least a 50% discount to Pastors and Missionaries if they can come Sunday through Thursday and enjoy the beauty and solitude of what John Denver referred to as "almost heaven, West Virginia".

Check in the next few days as we head to Amboselli and debrief the short term experience while enjoying the beauty and splendor of Tanzania on safari at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Monday and African Realities...

It is Monday morning and we are back on campus were we are spending our last two days teaching the most advanced courses. Rich Stolt, our art teacher, has graciously allowed some of the team members to assist him with the daily art classes taught at the Pistus School. You can tell by the excitement and enthusiasm of the children that they have really enjoyed the time and teaching that Rich and his assistants, Meghan and Karen, have brought to their lives.

The internet was not working much of the day so we were not able to upload our Sunday and Monday blog posts until Tuesday when we hope it is working again. Part of the African experience includes the power and internet being unreliable. This is another stark difference between the US and Africa where service level agreements and guaranteed up time are taken for granted. But here, when they are out of service, life goes on as normal. Flexibility is the key to survival in the context of African realities.

Ed and Carol spent the morning working with Lois Shaw of Kijiji Guest House. Lois has transformed this lodging facility on the campus of NEGST into a warm and inviting facility. In addition to a fresh coat of paint, she has added many nice decorative touches. Her skills as both an interior decorator and hostess are evident as we experience the transformation. They will be updating their website soon to reflect the improved accommodations. You can check out their website at http://www.kijijiguesthouse.com/. If you are planning to visit Nairobi or African International University, I would suggest you e-mail Lois at loisshaw2020@gmail.com. You will experience world class hospitality.

Today’s team member spotlight is on Meghan Wilson. She comes to us from Cleveland, Ohio and works as an independent contractor of SAP working with International Marketing Group (IMG). During a strategic meeting with the NEGST executive team, Don Penny recognized that her Human Resource experience from her time working with the Baptist Health System (BHS) in Birmingham, AL and her HR work at IMG would make her a great addition to African International University team. Meghan was caught off guard as they offered her a job right on the spot.

Her impression of Kenya includes their sense of community, relationships, and their unquestioning faith and reliance on God to meet their needs even when they are in dire straits. She appreciated the beauty and splendor of Kenya. We are grateful to have Meghan on the team and owe a big debt of Michelle Moore who recruited her and encouraged her to join the team.

Sunday as a time of worship and fellowship

Sunday was spent with our host families attending their church. Carol and I attended Nairobi Chapel. I am always caught up in the spirit whenever I hear their worship music. You can really feel the presence of God as they use their gifts to lead the congregation and prepare them for the Word. On this Sunday, Senior Pastor Oscar, who had just returned from the US after being the featured speaker at Urbana, commissioned the new interns and pastors in training (some where students we have trained at NEGST). It was a very moving ceremony. It reminded me of the significant commitment they are making as they step out in faith to lead.

Pastor Janet gave a compelling sermon using the illustration of 4 friends. She asked us to write down the names of 4 people that we turn to for advice. She went on to suggest that if any of those 4 is toxic, that we avoid that influence in our life. Her recommendation was that we also avoid those who are negative. They will really drain you instead of being an encouragement. These 4 should also be people that are going in the direction you are going. If you are heading towards the same goals, you will be encouraged along the way. Finally, Pastor Janet said we should choose those who are not impressed with us. They most likely will be honest with us and will love us “warts and all”. You can count on candid feedback from these types of friends. After the service, some of the team were able to visit with Pastor Oscar (NEGST graduate) about his experiences dealing with the record low temperatures he experienced while at Urbana in Chicago and then later in Florida. He seemed to be very happy to be home and enjoying the "warmth of Africa".

As we left church to travel to the Carnivore to meet up with friends, we make one last trip through the Kibera slums. It is a stark reality of poverty, human trafficking, and desperation that is hard to erase from your mind. Many of the inhabitants there are refugees from Sudan. It is hard to imagine that Kibera is still a better place to exist than enduring the atrocities they experienced in Darfur and other areas like Somalia.

We ended the “all too short weekend” with a farewell meal with our host families at the Carnivore restaurant. This is always a fun ritual as we share stories of our weekend adventures and fellowship with friends that we usually see only once a year. The ostrich balls seemed to be a favorite among the team. We also were able to eat crocodile. The waiters brought a variety of grilled meats until we had satisfied our craving for meat. When the last person had finished, we laid the Carnivore flag on its side signaling we were finally finished. What a feast!

Our team member spotlight is on Judy Parker. Judy was part of the original team from Faith Missionary Church that began this effort to bring computer training to NEGST. Judy was a true pioneer developing the curriculum and providing much of the leadership with the teaching and training of students. Her insights and guidance continue to help us refine the process so that we can continue to improve the education experience. In addition to Microsoft Word 3, she also taught Publisher, which was a very popular course. Judy is married to Jerry Parker and they have 3 children and 7 grandchildren. One of their sons, Chris previously served as a missionary in Bolivia. When asked what has been the most significant insight after this 4th trip to NEGST to serve she said, “The students are so appreciative and learn so fast. I am blessed to be able to come and share the Microsoft Suite of products as they will need this knowledge in order to complete their PhD Dissertations and Master’s Theses.” Judy will get to stay a few extra days and go up country and visit some of her and Jerry’s relatives.

Saturday in Nairobi...In the middle of a new government

The weekend is finally here. Carol and I are spending the weekend with our good friends of many years, David and Patience Waweru. We first got acquainted with David about 10 years ago when the Nairobi Chapel band along with their Pastor Oscar came to the United States to begin the strategic partnership between their church and ours, Grace Community Church. We were able to host David and another friend Alfred in our home. This was the beginning of a great friendship. David and I refer to ourselves as “brothers with different mothers”.

A few years later, David came to visit us and was able to experience snow for the first time. We continued to build our friendship as we had a lot in common. We both work in telecom, he worked at Kenya Telkom, and I worked at Verizon. We both enjoyed outreach, music, travel, and he had a real entrepreneurial mind. We kept in touch by e-mail and always looked forward to our short term trips to Kenya. In fact David did a lot of the coordination for us as a host. He arranged for our ground transportation, our host families, the safari, and was always there to help us whether it was bartering at the Masai Market or taking us to visit his mother up country.

In fact, I was able to live vicariously through my Kenyan brother. We were blessed to hear about his courtship of Patience, pray with him during the dowry negotiations, and bless their marriage. We even were able to help them realize their dream of having a child. They had tried for years without success to get pregnant. About 2 years ago, David asked if we could locate for them a fertility product called Pre-Seed. It was not available in Kenya, so Carol went to the internet, found it and sent them a quantity to see if it would help. To their and our amazement, 3 months later, they were pregnant. In fact last year when we were here, Patience was in the early stages of pregnancy, and it took all the self control we could manage to keep it a secret. They wanted to make certain that she was several months along before telling anyone. Shana was born about 4 months ago and she is the most beautiful African girl I have ever seen. She has the sweetest disposition and holding her and singing to her is truly one of my greatest joys.

On Sunday, we will attend Nairobi Chapel with them and will be reunited with many friends there we have been blessed to know over the years. Afterwards we will treat our host families to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, the Carnivore. This restaurant is similar to the Brazilian steakhouses where they bring many different types of exotic wild game and other types of meat on large skewers and carve it for you table side. In the past I have eaten ostrich, camel, crocodile, élan, zebra, water buffalo, and others. For those who want something less exotic they serve more common meats like chicken, beef, goat, pork, and lamb. It is always a lot of fun to fellowship with our host families. In addition to David and Patience, our host families include, Carole Kariuki, Chris and Elizabeth Kamuna, Marcy and Muhia Karianjahi, and Twity and Manaseh Uzele. We are very grateful for them opening up their homes and giving us a taste of Nairobi by experiencing life through their eyes.

Our team member spotlight is on Carol Fischer. She is sleeping in this morning, one of her favorite things to do. Carol grew up in on a farm in Eastern Kentucky. She was the youngest of three girls. An interesting fact about her family is that Carol, her mother, and both of her sisters graduated as valedictorians of their high school class. Carol went on the major in accounting at the University of Kentucky and later earned her Executive MBA from Duke while working at GTE. She held various positions in finance and accounting working in Lexington, Kentucky, Durham, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, and Westfield, Indiana. She met her husband of 11 years, Ed, in Westfield. After 28 years in the corporate world, Ed and Carol realized a dream they had shared for 8 years when their purchased the North Fork Mountain Inn, in beautiful West Virginia. Carol enjoys the hospitality business and feels like she is living out her purpose serving those in ministry and missionaries that come to stay and enjoy the peace and natural beauty of our Inn in “almost heaven, West Virginia”. Carol is an excellent baker and cook. You can see many of her most popular recipes on our website at http://www.northforkmtninn.com/.

Perspectives from Carol: This is my 4th visit to Kenya. I think its part of Ed’s plan to convince me to move here. I always enjoy coming here and enjoying the beauty of Africa. While the animals, flowers and landscapes are beautiful, the real beauty is in the faces of the Kenyans we meet and especially the ones we have gotten to know over the years. The world feels like a much smaller place and makes me much more aware of things that happen outside the US. I am looking forward to the church service on Sunday and especially the music. After the first visit from Nairobi Chapel to Grace, I remember commenting that when I get to heaven, I’m going to find the Kenyans because they know how to worship. That’s even truer today. Even when the songs are in Swahili and I don’t understand the words, there is such a special worshipful quality in their voices that it penetrates my heart and I feel so blessed to be here.

It is Friday, we are looking forward to the weekend

This picture is from our visit to the Kibera slums earlier this week. Here a family is living in a small 9' by 8' room. but you can see from their faces, they are unaware of their poor living conditions.


It is another beautiful day here in Kenya. We have been blessed with amazing weather. This is another great example of God's provision for us. I understand we have been missing freezing rain, snow, and cloudy days back in the USA. It makes us all the more glad to be here. Some on our team have indicated that they not be coming home, that they plan to stay here. I certainly understand that feeling. That happens to me every time I come to Africa. If I did not have a B & B to run and job responsibilities back home in West Virginia, I might be tempted to stay also.


Today's team member spotlight is on Mike McDonald. In speaking with Mike this morning he commented, "I have been amazed at the hand of God which has continually been present on this mission trip. From the sudden and unexpected receipt of funds to cover the exact cost of the trip to the people we have been blessed to meet, it is clear that God is present and guiding this effort."


Dr. John Evans, formerly from Indianapolis came up to greet us. He was excited about seeing folks from Indy. He mentioned that he had gone to school at Heritage Christian School-which floored Mike because that's where his sons, Luke and Jacob go! Imagine traveling all the way to Kenya and bumping into someone from Heritage. John is training missionaries that will serve throughout Africa.


When asked about his impressions so far, Mike stated, "I've heard much about the remarkable hospitality and graciousness of the Kenyan people-but it cannot be fully appreciated until you experience it." He went on to say, "These are people on the front lines of poverty, dire financial circumstances and attacks on Christianity. Yet their reliance on God providing for their needs has made their faith, hope, and love very strong."


Mike works at Eli Lilly in Information Security. He has served 12 years on the Westfield Town
Council. He is married to Kathy, the mother of their 2 boys, Luke (10 years of age) and Jacob (6 going on 7 years of age). Mike serves in Grace Kids Company, Small Groups, and outside the walls of Grace Community Church he is a board member at Fletcher Place Ministries in downtown Indianapolis. This mission provides food, shelter, and education for the homeless and disadvantaged people.


Today we will be teaching computer classes and at 6:00 p.m. we will travel to Mamlaka Hill Church in Nairobi to meet up with our Nairobi Chapel host families and we will be spending the weekend with them seeing the world through their eyes. We will attend church with them on Sunday, afterwards we will take them to a nice dinner and then shop together at an outdoor Masai Market. The Masai Market is always a lot of fun as we get to try out our bargaining skills. They always start out with very high prices as they think Americans are very rich and can afford to pay more. I always find this is a great place to buy souvenirs for my supporters and to take home as memories of my trip. We now have a large collection of African masks and other items. I just tell my wife, "let's get these things so we can re-sell them in our gift shop at the Inn." That rationalization seems to work. You should see the paper bead jewelry and Kazuri Bead accessories that we have acquired this time. We will definitely need to put them in our gift shop. They will be great conversation starters and give us a chance to share about our Adventures in Africa.

Our second day of teaching....

This morning our devotion was on the topic of "seeing where God shows up today". The team agreed that He showed up everywhere we went, or maybe He was already there when we arrived. It was amazing the number of ways and places where we experienced God's love as a team. At chapel, we heard about a team of 4 Canadian women that are raising funds for the proposed student center at NEGST by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro next week. Next year at this time a larger group is planning to raise even more than the 5 million Ksh they raised this year with an even larger group. I was inspired and thought of my friend Phil Arnold, an avid hiker. I plan to see if he can encourage a group of men from Grace Community Church in Indianapolis to match or exceed their goal. You know how competitive men can be. I am hoping they can make this climb next year as I will be glad to participate. You can reach more about this opportunity at www.wowsafaris.org.

Our team was introduced and I was able to introduce each team member and invite additional students to sign up for classes. Don Penny has done an excellent job of promoting our classes as they have been full, some even brought their own laptops so they could join the class. It is very rewarding to see such interest and enthusiasm. We have been receiving great feedback and hope to improve when we return next year.

This afternoon we had lunch with Mary Magdalene and heard about her ministry to young children and single women. We heard three touching stories of how Mary has helped transform their lives and give them hope. She will soon receive her certificate in counseling and will be able to expand her outreach to single mothers, especially those rejected by their husbands or suffering from depression. There was not a dry eye in the room. We sang several songs with the many young women that work with her making paper beaded jewelry. But the greatest surprise of all was the fantastic feast. We enjoyed roasted potatoes, chicken, talapia, peas, salad, taro root, sweet potatoes, mixed vegetables, rice, beef stew, fresh fruit, mangoes, bananas, apples, pineapple, soft drinks, and more. Her fantastic spread was our best meal yet. Afterward the team purchased a treasure trove of necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, belts, greeting cards and much more. Her team does exquisite work. We were glad to purchase these items and help Mary provide food, counsel, shelter, and support over 190 women and children. She is truly an amazing women and reflects the love of God in all she does. She also gave each of us a beautifully wrapped gift. We are looking forward to opening the gifts when we return to the HomeCare this evening after classes. God showed up for us again.

Our team member spotlight today is on Karen Bodach. Karen lives Carmel, Indiana and works as a software consultant for BKD, an accounting firm. Karen has been teaching Excel, Blogging, Word II,III, and PowerPoint. This is her first international short term mission trip. She has been to Canton, Mississippi twice during high school on short term trips, a very racially divided area. These experiences has given Karen a real heart for "racial reconciliation". Her positive attitude and energetic helpfulness has been a real blessing to the team and the people we are serving. Reflecting on her experience so far she remarked how the Africans have such a generous spirit and willing share their material possessions whether food, money, or whatever the immediate need. This is such a paradigm shift to what we experience in the United States. She is contemplating what this will mean for her when she returns to Indiana.

Reflections on Kibera

Yesterday the team toured the campus at NEGST in the morning and planned for our first day of computer classes which begin on Wednesday. After lunch at NEGST, we traveled to the Nairobi Chapel office to prepare for our visit to the Kibera slums. We were provided overviews of these programs by Pastor Faith of Nairobi Chapel and Susan Mbuga.

HARC is geared toward children in the Kibera slum. It is a Saturday program that feeds children who usually in the week barely get enough to eat let alone a nutritious diet. This ministry sponsors some of the children through school as well as have bible class on Saturdays and outreach to the families of the children. Most of the caregivers of these children are HIV positive and they provide support and care for them too. When HARC leaders visit with them, they usually bring care packages that would include flour, some cooking oil, milk, bread so there is a token of love left behind. Pastor Faith from Nairobi Chapel provides leadership to this team.

Susan leads a ministry called PARC which serves children and families living in the slums that often are dealing with health issues related to AIDS. She told how she works with a team of 4-5 women that live in Kibera and help identify those in need. After her overview to prepare us for the experience, we went across the street to Ichumi, to purchase groceries for 6 families that we went to visit. We then took a matatu to Kibera where we met the rest of our team and tour guides.

We left our cameras at home so that the residents would not feel exploited as many tours come here and often they feel marginalized by the tourists taking pictures and gratifying their own self interests. So we quietly made our way through the maze of rooms and buildings which are made of mud walls and tin roofs. The narrow alleys between buildings often include open sewers containing garbage, discarded food scraps, and pungent odors. This guided trip was challenging and strenuous. The smell of garbage burning mixed with odors of the open sewers left an indelible impression. Even a day later, I can still recall the stench. It is hard to imagine 6 people living in a 9 foot square room. Most homes do not have electricity, running water, or toilets. As we visited with families and prayed with them, we realized their reality is far different than ours. We were glad to be able to bring food as many go several days without a meal. It is not uncommon for a 10 year old child to be responsible for raising and supporting other siblings, parents that are ill, and helping neighbors with parenting chores.

The ironic twist to this was the happy greetings from young children that came out to greet us with choruses of "how are you" and eager to shake our hands. Having lived their whole lives in the slums they seemed to be happy and content, not realizing their conditions were substandard. Kibera seems to have it own eco-system and lifestyle. It is interesting how many of the unemployed inhabitants manage to earn money by cooking food, selling charcoal, or selling wood stolen from nearby forests.

Later that evening, the team de-briefed the experience and talked about how this trip has opened their eyes to poverty and has challenged them to get involved serving the less fortunate when they return home. Praying with those we met earlier in the day, took on a new meaning. When praying for others that have real desperate needs, whether, jobs, healing, food, or education, it really tugged at your heart strings when you see the need. It is almost overwhelming when you consider how these million people living in what we would consider inhumane conditions struggle each day to survive. On more that one occasion, I was overcome with sadness and shame as I consider how blessed I am and those living in Kibera struggle with the basic necessities of life.

One of the reason we took this tour was to help our team to be sensitive to the students we will be teaching as some of the NEGST graduates will start ministries in these type of conditions to help improve their medical, spiritual, social, and economic poverty. Having been to Kibera on 3 different trips, it is always a humbling, yet poignant experience. It makes me more determined to return home and more more of an effort to help those who are less fortunate.

Our team member spotlight is on Colleen Armstrong. She works in program management for Universal Music Group (PMO Director). Colleen spends her time at work, managing a group of projects-teaching, coaching, mentoring, and developing processes. She is one of our team co-leaders and is in charge of curriculum development and training. She is married to Greg and they are very fond of their two shelties. She grew up in Wisconsin and in her spare time enjoys reading, kayaking, exercise, and walking the dogs. Colleen will miss the first session of her current Women's Bible Study in Acts which begins tonight.

Colleen remarked that one of her observations in the difference in African and American cultures. Here in Africa, people are more community focused with an emphasis on meeting the most immediate needs as part of their support structure. If your neighbor needs food or rent money, it is not uncommon to share what you have, even if it means you may not have enough when your rent is due. She went on to say how teaching and learning is different. In the United States, as an instructor you are expected to be an expert and are challenged often. Here, the students seemed to be more tolerant of less than perfection, even being able to relate to you better when you are not afraid to expose a weakness or vulnerability. The team is delighted to have Colleen with us and her wacky sense of humor keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously.

It's Tuesday in Africa and "all is well"

It is Tuesday morning and I see that I am not the only one still experiencing jet lag. For the last several days I have awakened to the sound of roosters crowing in the distance. This early morning ritual is becoming all too common. Rather than fight it, I get up, shower, and use this time to meditate and prepare for the day ahead.

In our devotions yesterday, we discussed the “Call of God” (Isaiah 6:8). This can mean many different things to others. For me it is expressed in the “hearing and seeing the ‘call of God’ in others”. I am challenged this week as we serve at NEGST to be intentional about being observant and as we interact with others whether on campus, in community with team members, or while visiting the Kibera slum. Oswald Chambers, in his daily devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest”, talked about how Isaiah was reflective after a time of crisis that provoked this observation. What I learned from this is that we must prepare ourselves to see and experience God in others.

Today we will be taking the team to the Kibera slum, the third largest slum in the world. This area slightly more than one square mile is home to over 1.5 million Kenyans and refugees from other African countries such as Uganda, Sudan, Liberian, and the Congo. As we prepare the team, we remind them to lay aside any preconceived notions they have of poverty and to go and observe. We are challenged to see God in the people living there. One of the ministries that will be our host and guide today serves several families living in Kibera. We will purchase flour, oil, rice, and other basic food items and deliver these items to families that would starve otherwise. Before you can share God’s love, hope, and the Gospel, you have to meet their most basic needs of food, shelter, and protection. I look forward to our team discussion this evening as we debrief the events of the day.


After touring the Kazuri Bead Factory yesterday, the team was able to stimulate the local economy and enjoy a cold soft drink. The Kazuri Bead Factory is located on part of the original plantation owned by Karen Blixen, author of “Out of Africa”. This ministry serves to employ over 400 single women as they make jewelry and pottery that is sold all over the world. Carol and I stocked up as we plan to sell their beautiful handmade jewelry in our gift shop at the North Fork Mountain Inn.

Our team member spotlight today is on Rich Stolt. Rich is the artist in our group. Rich teaches art at Allisonville Elementary School in Indianapolis, IN. Rich was planning to join our team 2 years ago and then again last year, when he found out his son was going to be born while away. So he decided to postpone until this year. I guess the third time is a charm. Rich is married to Lori and they have 2 children, Sierra, 6 years, and Silas who will be 1 year old on February 5th. Rich is working on his Masters Degree and plans to finish this summer. He will be teaching art classes at the Pistus School at NEGST. He is uniquely gifted as both an artist and a “techie”. We are very glad to have Rich as a part of our team. He adds a real element of colorful personality to the group. When asked about his most profound observation thus far, he remarked,"I am amazed at their love for each other. As a community, they are so inter-dependent".

Ed and Carol spend time in Mombasa

Ed and Carol spent time in Mombasa get adjusted to the new time zone prior to meeting the rest of the team in Nairobi on Sunday evening. While there, Ed had a chance to participate in a Masai welcoming ceremony. Never one to pass up a photo opportunity, he also took time to get to know some of the locals in authenic costumes and have his picture taken with them.

We all arrived safely. Ed and Carol Fischer met the rest of the team when they arrived in Kenya on Sunday evening. It was so exciting to welcome the team to one of my favorite places, to the beauty and splendor of Africa. We arrived a few days earlier than the team and spent 3 days relaxing with our Kenyan friends, David and Patience Waweru, in the coastal town of Mombasa. It was a dramatic change from the snow and cold weather we left behind in West Virginia. It was the perfect antidote for jet lag as we spent much of each day on the beach enjoying the sun and the relaxing sound of the waves gently crashing on the shore.

Our first evening, we enjoyed a special dinner around the pool as we were entertained by an excellent band that played many familiar songs. We felt right at home when they played the John Denver song, “Take Me Home, Country Road”. Our table was located next to the US Ambassador to Kenya, so we had a chance to get acquainted with him. I shared with him that our team was serving at NEGST and how we were able to bring 21 donated laptops and 11 flat panel monitors to use for teaching with plans to leave them behind for students to use when our classes are completed. He mentioned how proud he is to represent the United States here in Kenya, and how it warms his heart when he hears stories of Americans coming here and making a difference in the lives of Africans.

Monday will be a relaxing day for the team. After a late breakfast, we will hear from Christi Byerly about some of the social customs and to help prepare us for our interaction with students at NEGST and beyond. We want to be sensitive to the Kenyan culture and most of all, we do not want to embarrass ourselves or our hosts as we serve and spend time in their world. We will tour the NEGST campus this afternoon to help orient those who have not been here before. After a trip to the bank to exchange our US dollars into Kenyan schillings, we will travel to the Kazuri Bead Factory. This is a ministry that provides employment for single women allowing them to earn an income and learn a skill. They make very beautiful necklaces and other types of jewelry. This is a great opportunity to pick up souvenirs and stimulate the local economy.

Each day I will spotlight one of our team members so that you can get to know us better. Today, we will present one of our team leaders, Polly Harrington. This is Polly’s second trip to NEGST and her 4th international mission trip. She has also served in Vienna, Austria and Bucharest, Romania. It was in Vienna, that Polly realized that her calling was to serve in education based short term mission trips. Back in Indiana, Polly volunteers at Grace Kids Company in the infant and toddler area. Polly’s career in is project management and works for a consulting firm. She appreciates the flexibility her job affords her to travel and serve on short term missions.

The Laptops are coming out of the woodwork....

This view from the North Fork Mountain trail shows why we enjoy the mountains of West Virginia. It was during a hike along this trail last Spring that I was inspired to think of ways we could make a difference in the lives of our friends serving in ministry in Kenya and at NEGST.

Last year when we were in Kenya we were delighted that we were able to purchase 2 used laptops and leave behind for deserving student ministries. After returning to the USA, I has a chance to brainstorm with Jay Hein, CEO of the Sagamore Institute. Some of you may know Jay from his service to former President Bush, as head of the "faith based initiatives" program. One of Jay's ideas was to put the word out to request that used laptops be donated so our team could refurbish them and leave them behind after we complete our computer training classes.

I just received an e-mail from our team leader that we now have 21 laptops and 12 flat screen monitors that have been donated. This will allow us to expand our classes as we will use these computers for training and then will be donated to NEGST which will help improve their computing and Information Technology improvement efforts. This was a true blessing from God. It is amazing how God always provides what we need, just in time.

So we send out these prayer requests for our team:

Please pray for safe travels both in, to, and from Kenya

Please pray for team unity

Please pray for good health and stamina

Please pray that we as a team will go and serve as true servant leaders

Please pray that we can listen to and love well the people we will interact with

Please pray that we can be effective in our primary purposes

Please pray that God can use us as ambassadors of the gospel to those that are lost

Please pray that we will see how God is working in Kenya and other parts of Africa

Please pray that the team members will be blessed for the sacrifices they are making to be able to go and serve

Please pray for family members that will be staying behind

ed fischer

We are just a week away, excitement rises...

This is the front porch view of Smoke Hole Canyon at our North Fork Mountain Inn in West Virginia.

It is Thursday and this mornings weather reports warns of another snow storm. Boy am I ever looking forward to heading to a warmer climate. It is hard to focus on the work that has to be done before I leave as I catch myself dreaming of the white sand beaches and warm sunshine in Mombasa, Kenya.

Carol and I have become good friends with David and Patience Waweru. We are leaving next Wednesday so we can spend a few days relaxing with them in Mombasa before we meet the rest of the team when they arrive on Sunday evening. We are very excited to meet their new daughter, Shana. She is 6 months old and a very beautiful girl. Carol and my daughter Danielle skyped them last week and was able to chat with them. I was a bit jealous as I missed it as I was at work.

This is our fourth trip to Kenya and we are looking forward to serving at NEGST. One of the great benefits of a return short term mission trip is that you get to renew and reinvigorate friendships you made on previous trips. Since I serve on the Board of Directors for Christian Leaders for Africa, it is always rewarding to go and see how the money we raise for student scholarships and faculty endowments are making a real difference there. Last year was the 25th anniversary of NEGST and it is exciting to see them transitioning to a larger institution as they become African International University.

The purpose of this blog post was to share my "life story or bio" so here is the "reader's digest" version of my life. I was born in Fort Scott, Kansas and was raised on a dairy farm. I was the oldest of 4 children. Growing up I was active in 4-H and FFA. We raised Registered Holsteins and milked as many as 100 cows sometimes 3 times a day. We enjoyed judging and showing our dairy cows and was the Kansas Star Dairy Farmer my senior year in High School in FFA.

I went to Fort Scott Community College and received my associates degree. After graduating, I continued to help on the dairy farm and started my first job selling livestock feed for MoorMans Feed Company. After several years, I started waiting tables and cooking in restaurants and found that I really enjoyed serving others. I also like to travel so over the next 3 years I lived in Peoria, Illinois, Modesto, California, Prescott, Arizona, and then moved back to Peoria, Illinois where my daughter was born. I almost forgot, I got married during that time also. Danielle, was born 6 weeks premature, so I would work evenings in the lab at Libby's Pumpkin factory in Morton, Illinois and visit with her in the ICU for the next 6 weeks until she was ready to come home.

Joel was born two years later just before we moved to Denver, Colorado where I planned to continue my career as a wine consultant. Raising two children, at times as a single parent, was both rewarding and challenging. Getting a divorce was one of the most painful experiences in my life. But God was faithful in bringing Carol into my life 10 years later and we have been happily married for most of the last 11 years.

Carol retired from Verizon in July 2006 and we were able to realize a dream by buying a B & B in West Virginia. Ed was able to relocate with Qwest and continue his telecom career managing the Government and Education Business Units for the Mid-Atlantic States. But earlier last year in April, he found out that he, like a lot of people with good jobs, were laid off. This was probably a blessing in disguise because Carol needed Ed's help with a "honey do" list about a mile long.

Up to this time, Ed spent most of his free time cooking at the Inn and sharing with guests his passion for food and wine. As a Master Sommilier, he was able to help guests increase their wine appreciation and as a chef, their appreciation for fine dining in our "outpost of luxury in the wilderness". But Carol's extra duties made his new job seem a lot like "life on the farm". Long days, hard work, and seven days a week. After a couple months, he decided he needed to get a job, so he could focus on the parts of Inn Keeping that he enjoyed most.

Timing was right as an opening for Grant County Economic Development Director became available as well as County Administrator. Since he wanted the development job, he agreed to do both jobs for the price of one. So now, he keeps busy with county business, but has been able to transfer his previous work experience into making a difference in Grant County where we live.

One of the highlights this year was being chosen to represent West Virginia in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans. Ed was able to take Danielle as his sous chef and they both were surprised to win 4th place. They were competing with the Top 15 chefs in the US each representing their state. While there he was able to cook and serve a typical cajun meal for a homeless shelter for women and children. After the competition, Ed and Danielle enjoyed the fun and night life of New Orleans.

I am very proud of Danielle and the progress she has made in her life. She is planning to graduate as a Registered Nurse in May and has blessed us with a beautiful 2 year old granddaughter, Olivia. Carol and Ed enjoy spending time with her and Danielle whenever possible.

Joel is married and serving in the Army at Ft. Lewis, near Tacoma, Washington. He gave us our first grandson. We wish our grandchildren lived closer so we could spoil them more often. We were grateful to have all of my children, grandchildren, parents, brother Steve and Carol's sister Nelva join us for a week together at the Inn this past August.

I need to get back to work as I see I have an appointment in 10 minutes. So I look forward to seeing you in Africa and beyond.

ed fischer

ed fischer