summers here lets all cheer.

Hey all
thanks for posting whats been going on in all your lives it makes praying for you all a little easier for everyone i am sure. at least it does for me.

So quick question and prayer request. first off I am working at Joe's place full time and it is awesome I have worked really hard on complying a support letter and was hoping to send it to you all so that you can read exactly what i am doing and have been doing in a more formal way. I think that a Joes place news letter update thing might accompony them so I have some of your addresses that i took from the wedding list thing. but relized that your not all on there. so if you would like a letter about me and the ministry i am in I would love to send it to you if i could get your addresses.

Also I am taking part in three camps this summer the first is coming up fast we have spots for 6 boys but have only had 2 confirm that they are coming. everyone else seems to be busy. I need you help in praying about inviteing the boys that need to get out of Moose Jaw for a week and meet with God in a camp setting. and that those that are invited their scheduals will suddenly clear and they will be able to come to camp. Some of these guys really need a recharge or a chance to meet with God and get away from the drama here. this goes for the other two camps as well one in july to nuntimik (spelling) in Manatobia, and one in august to cypress hills.

Also i am hoping to come to sam and jeri's wedding and then come to the island with John heppting to vist you all that are at camp and around the lower main land and island. Hoping this all works out I really need to come and visit my kaleo family that is in B.C.

Hope to hear from you all soon peace love and prayers.

My Post South Africa Letter

Wow. What an adventure!




First off, I want to thank you so much for supporting my trip. I could see God’s hand in every part of this trip. When the possibility for this trip came up, I asked God to make this trip possible. It seemed nearly impossible due to a lack of money, needing time off from my work, and other factors. Through you, God answered loud and clear that I was to go on this trip. I was fully supported financially, in prayer, and emotionally. Although it was not in my preferred time frame, God provided everything. I got the final okay from work the day before we left. As we traveled, many people on my team got very sick, but I believe that I did not because of your prayer back home. Our team was also totally safe throughout the trip. So thank you! Through you and your prayer, God made this all possible.

God opened my eyes so much on this trip. My prayer throughout the trip was the lyrics to the song Hosanna by Hillsong United:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I go from nothing to
Eternity

I wanted God to open my eyes to the things unseen – what these people deal with, struggle with, and are faced with every day. The major social issues in the country are intertwined with these unseen issues and struggles. I asked God to give me opportunities to be love to these people. He not only allowed me to love and bless these people and my team, but he used these people to love and bless me like crazy! The following line was a dangerous prayer to pray. I left that country with a heavy heart for many reasons. These kids are growing up in a society, culture, community, and country that knows devastation and poverty. Children have greater responsibility and weight on their shoulders as many of them are taking care of their brothers and sisters while parents are working or because their parents have died from HIV/AIDS. The community that we were working in had an unemployment rate of over 75% and an HIV infection rate of over 50% (and we think 8% unemployment rate is bad!). Only about 4% of the country pays taxes, so the government has little to support these people. What a devastating situation!

But I learnt so much from these people! They are friendly, caring, and trustworthy. After every staff meeting, no matter how long it takes, everybody hugs everybody. What a way to start the work day! They also laugh and have so much joy. There was never a time when laughter and community was not happening. People are so much more important than things to do (thus why there is African time... people matter more than time).

What an amazing experience!

There were moments of pure joy, like when the After School program (all 40 kids) sang an energetic Zulu song for literally seven minutes straight without a hint of being tired.

There were moments of being smacked with the devastating reality of the country. I went to put a band-aid on a kid when I was reminded to not touch it. I realized that this 5 year old child might be HIV positive.

There were moments completely in awe as I experienced the beauty of country and the animals.


There were moments where I felt completely overwhelmed by the complexity of the social issues and how helpless I was as an individual.

There are so many memories that I will never forget. I love to talk about what I saw, learnt, and experienced. I have so many stories that I would love to share, but would take way too many pages. Please let me know if you want to hear more.

I already have my heart set on going back some day. I would love to take a month and just go to help out more.

Again, thank you! You were a part of God`s super cool plan for my life. I learnt tons from this. I am changed.

May God bless you as he has me,

Kendall
PS – If you want a hug, let me know. I am missing my daily 25+ hugs.

Breaking my heart

Hey Everybody,

So I still read the news avidly, and lately there have been a number of articles that absolutely break my heart.


This one's about a South African survey that is a hard pill to swallow,

"One in four men in South Africa may have raped someone - with most of those attacking more than one victim, data from a new survey suggests."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8107039.stm


This one's about girls in Zimbabwe (literally girls, as young as 12) who are trading their bodies for food to survive.

"Growing numbers of children in Zimbabwe are turning to prostitution to survive, the charity Save the Children says.
The aid agency says increasing poverty is leading girls as young as 12 to sell their bodies for as little as a packet of biscuits."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8096874.stm


I don't know what to do right now besides pray, but if anyone thinks of something let me know. I know that something needs to be done so desperately, and I know that I need to do something, I just don't know what yet. I spent a while looking for how to help and the charity in the Zimbabwe girls article Save the Children had some good options, I'm not totally satisfied with that though. So yeah, it's hard to read these things through the tears but these people need our help, our support and our prayers. I'm really at a loss for what to do but I knew I had to do something, so here's step one.

No 12 year old girl should have to trade her body so that she can eat, "it could be books, it could be biscuits, chips, some even just to be given a hug.". Seriously that's just . . . yeah . . .
And one in four men? A quarter of the population of South Africa . . .

Something is wrong with this picture.

Please sir, may I have another....

Hey guys,

Here's the question that Sam is asking: How long should a Captain of a sinking ship keep his bold face on? Thinking of that question, we are also praying for Tyler and Tara... we care about you both so much... and are thinking of you.

I guess to start, Sam's summer visa has been rejected for the 4th time - we found out on Saturday night.
Monday we found out that his job, because of this visa issue and other issues, is in question and may be stripped from him and replaced by another Canadian lady.
Tuesday, today, Sam's job was offered to the Canadian.
Later, still today, he got his official rejection from Briercrest College telling him that he wasn't allowed back because of his marks, even though he passed all of his classes, and was told that he was not allowed to appeal the process.

Ummm..... I'm not sure what else to say. We laughed... then cried... then laughed some more...then were utterly silent. Then read the blog, and realized there are others that are hurting like us.

God has a plan... we just don't know what any of it is yet. We encourage you all who are hurting to think of the blessings through the hurt and pain.
God hasn't given up on us yet.

So, what does this mean?
1. Sam gets his student visa revoked.
2. Sam doesn't have a job.
3. Jeri doesn't know what to do.
4. Sam is in the same boat... together with Jeri.
5. They're both broke... in that same boat...

Good aspects:
1. Sam and Jeri are still getting married.
2. Sam has a place to sleep and food to eat.
3. Jeri loves her camp director job
4. Sam might be able to help out Jeri at her camp

If you could pray, that would be sweet.
Love you guys,

Sam and Jeri

Wedding again....

Hey guys,

well the wedding is coming up in about 3 weeks so i just thought that would let everyone know that if you haven't gotten your reply in, then we are going to assume that you aren't coming. We have to tell the banquet venue numbers next week, so if you can make it send me a quick email or message or whatever to let us know. If you didn't get an invitation, good....we hate you. Just kidding. That means that you never sent us an address. Everyone was invited technically, but we only sent invitations to those that supplied us with an address. Hope everyone is having a good summer....hopefully we can talk or hear from everyone soon.

For those that can't make it, we will be sure to post some pics from the big day once it is all said and done.

Muchos Love

I need yalls help

hey yall,

amazing, 2 posts 1 year. i know its a mirracle. But this is what i need right now. I need you guys to help me pray because i am at a point where i can not do this on my own. On wednesday my mom was rushed to the hospital with an incredibly high fever.( one or two more degrees and would have been death) and deathly low blood pressure. As she got into emergency it was found out that she had a very severe kidney infection.
But after many tests, this infection was due to more spreading cancer. So i have left camp(where I am the CIT counsellor for the summer) and i am now at home to be with the family for a short while. So as of right now my mom is ok, physically, the infection is gone but so seem to be her spirits. She is lower than low, with many respectable reasons. She hasnt been given much hope. They have said that they will be doing chemo again after surgery(to remove infection). However, nothing is looking good. and to her who does not know the lord the future is bleek and there is no hope. The doctor has given her the news that this cancer is terminal and the chemo will only prolong death.

So will you please join me in prayer lifting this woman up. I can not do this on my own. But please do not pray for her helath yet. please pray boldly knowing that he will answer our prayers. I want to see this woman in heaven. more than anything, so please pray that she would come to know the lord in a most intimate way. side note. my stepdad, who was an alcoholic has now started to drink again and im the only one that knows and its tearing me up, because i know that this will destroy the family as it has once already if anyone finds out.

i hope this makes sense

i love all of you guys

tyl;er