Saturday Night we came together to surprise Lucy Muteithia on her birthday at the Kentmere Club. We had a great time as the staff and chefs of the Kentmere came out singing with the birthday cake. Sunday morning began with a meeting of the LCI team at the Kentmere. Sunday morning Debbie, Bill, Floyd and Bonnie worshipped with the Koinonia Baptist Church, Ruaka. A great end to an wonderful time serving with our Kenyan partners.

Kenya: Business Conference Honoring Christ in the Marketplace

Friday and Saturday 14 Kenyan business owners came together for the second Annual Business Conference on Honoring Christ in the Marketplace. The business owners came together to learn best business practices based upon Biblical principles. They, also, learned how to develop and grow a successful Christ-honoring busines. Bernard Kabaru, Charles Mbuga, and Robert Muteithia announced the formation of Life Change Investments Inc, a Kenyan company committed to assisting business owners who desire to lead successful, profitable Christ-honoring businesses. Bill and Debbie Kenny, Kenny Pipe and Supply, Nashville, TN, and Floyd and Bonnie Parker, Teleios Ministry, Greenville, SC, are assisting LCI as partners in the vision.

The Longest Ride: Great Conference in Kieni.

We arrive at Bellavue Baptist Church, Kieni

Bonnie, Debbie, and Mary

Bernard Kabaru brings introduction to the conference

Women praying during their session

Anne, pastor's wife, serving a delicious meal

Bill, Debbie, and Bonnie getting their plates full

Debbie joining the women in the shade for lunch

Pastor Stephen sharing in the men's group

The closing session

Debbie with Mary and Bill's helping distributing gifts to the women.

Four hours after leaving the Kentmere we arrived at Kieni for a Women's and Men's Conference hosted by the Bellavue Church with Pastor Stephena and his wife, Anne.   There were 60 women and 16 men for the conference.    We shared together the Biblical basis for effective ministry for women and men.   The participants shared their current ministries and the challenges.   Part of the time is spent working together on a way forward.   We had a short but great time.   At the end, Debbie and Bill Kenny had brought some infant and children's clothes.  These were shared with the women.  Also, the received a beautiful book mark.   We had a great day in a dry land.   The area is semi-arid and it was dry and dusty.    We returned to our home for the next few days, the Westwood Hotel, Nyeri.   The team there greeted us warmly and we settled in. 

Kenya: Happy Day and Celebrating Transformation

Debbie and Mary in the auditorium of Happy Day Academy

Enjoying one of the active songs Happy Day for which "famous"

Bonnie and Mary talk with Jane, head student, at Happy Day

Floyd shares with 8th grade class (Standard 8)

Bill Kenny shares his story encouraging the "graduating class

Debbie enjoys meeting the Scouts at Happy Day

Bill shows off his dish washing skills

Simon came by Koinonia Church to visit with us.

Floyd and Bonnie met Bill and Debbie Kenny, Nashville, TN, in Amsterdam on the 17th.   We fly together to Kenya.   We arrive in Kenya and from arrival we have been moving.    The weather has been bright and dry.   Not too warm (mid 70's) and cool at night (50's).    Our first day was with Happy Day Academy led by Mary Kabaru.  Visiting with Mary, the students, and the teachers and seeing the growth of Happy Day was a great blessing.   In November, the first eight grade class of Happy will graduation from primary school and make the journey to secondary school.  They will take the Standard 8 exam.   This is much anticipated time for Mary and the school.   We enjoyed meeting and spending time with the students and teachers.  Bonnie and Mary talked about the specifics of the graduation.   Debbie thoroughly enjoyed engaging the students in the class room.  We all shared words of encouragement from our lives with the "graduating class." 
We shared lunch with the students of rice, greens, and beans/corn.   Bill showed off his dish washing skills that brought a great delight to the kitchen staff and Mary. 

After we left Happy Day, we traveled to Koinonia Church and met with Pastor Simon.   He shared with us about the mission of Koinonia, some of the challenges, and we met the OVC(Orphans and vulnerable children's team).   Simon, a young man who has been a part of the OVC ministry from the beginning came by.   Teachers in Kenya are on strike so he had the day off.   We were excited to see Simon and share time with him.  He talked about his dream of being a businessman.   Pastor Simon shared Simon's story.   ACTS Fellowship, Greenville, sponsors Simon.   The first Teleios Ministry Holiday Bible Camp is when we met Simon watching him grow and follow Jesus Christ. 

Barnabas Group and Floyd Together Again

The Barnabas group has been in existence for six years.   Every September, Floyd meets with the group to cover the challenges and opportunities of leading their churches.   The Agape Pensiune, Aghires, hosts the group each year with great food and doing a great job.   This year, the focus was upon the full impact of God’s Grace on our lives--How to practically live out that Grace in the world.   An emphasis was given to those who do not participate with or relate to the local church—those who never intend to “go to church”.    The group also had times of fellowship, sharing where they are in life, and praying for each other.   A special treat this year was fresh corn on the cob for a snack prepared in the newly constructed outdoor kitchen/BBQ/Goulash shed.    We had a great time.   Currently, the Barnabas Group is a partnership of Teleios Ministry, the Agape Pensuine, and the pastors. 

Agape on the Left

Lunch

Bread Oven, BBQ, Outdoor Kitchen

Enjoying Corn on the Cob Snack

The Last Gathering until Next Year

Bonnie in Romania: First Days

Bonnie and Floyd parted ways on Monday, September 7.   She went to Satu Mare to begin her speaking at the churches and women’s meetings in the area.   Floyd went to meet with 21 Pastors who belong to the Barnabas Group led by Jozsef Kovacs.   The blog is going to be split between our different trips.   

Bonnie and Elisabeth planned the week.    On Tuesday night, Bonnie spoke at the Tiream Roma (Gypsy) Church in Tiream.    Barna Kovacs, Judith Kovacs’ husband translated for her.   Judith Kovacs, Barna’s wife, did most of Bonnie’s translation.    Satu Mare began work in Tiream the same year that Bonnie and Floyd started going to Romania.   The church has struggled over the years.  We asked that you continue to pray for them—their lives are very hard with little work in the area.   The joy was that a couple of years ago a teacher volunteered to teach some of the members to read.   Now, some of them can read the Bible.  The Bibles are provided by Teleios Ministry partners through the Teleios Christmas Catalog.

Wednesday night, Bonnie was with the women of the Satu Mare Church.   She has known these ladies the longest of any in Romania meeting them on her first trip in August 1999.   On Thursday night, Bonnie was in Oras Nou.  The ladies from all over the village came.   There were more ladies who came that were not members of the Oras Nou church than those who are members.   Bonnie always enjoys being with these women.   Judith Kovacs translated and led in the music.   Irma Ivanisky also joined the team that night.  

Bonnie with Barna at Tiream

Oras Nou with Elisabeth, Irma, and Judith