Amazing Week in Kenya!

Abby, Julie and me at Happy Life Children's Home 2015

I've returned home from our mission trip to Kenya with a full heart and feeling totally blessed for having this opportunity to return to Africa and spend an amazing week loving on all the precious children we met there!

 

We had a wonderful stay at Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi.  It was a blessing and joy to meet the staff and serve alongside the African "Mothers" who care for the children.  

We were thrilled to be able to bring almost 400 lbs. of clothing and donations with us to bless the children and staff at Happy Life!  We were also able to provide 2 new washing machines and purchase school books for the children through the generous donations we received.

         

We spent the most part of each day in the infant room during feeding times, helping the mother on duty with feeding the babies and prepping them to be changed, bathed....and my favorite part, giving the babies some extra love and attention before putting them back down to bed. 

Me and baby Max

Infant Nursery

With 10-12 babies in the nursery we joked with one another that it was like a baby "assembly line" getting them all feed, changed, bathed, snuggled and loved on....and back to bed!  It's hard to imagine how one momma  takes care of all these little ones on her own for a 12-hour shift, so we know what a huge help and blessing it was to have 3 extra "volunteer mommas" on hand in the nursery for the week!! 

Happy Life would love to see more overseas volunteer teams coming to help throughout the year, but they are blessed to have student volunteers come out during the week from the local University as part of their Community Service Program. It was great to meet some of these young people and see them invest their time in the lives of these precious little ones and be such a blessing to Happy Life!

Student Volunteer with baby Max

We had the opportunity to visit the Happy Life Juja Farm School one afternoon and had fun meeting the children and playing with them during their afternoon recess...and taking lots of pictures! 

We enjoyed taking 26 of the younger school children on an outing to the Giraffe Center to feed the giraffes and have a picnic lunch. This was a blast for all of us!

We went into town on Friday afternoon and shopped for souvenirs and gifts at the Maasai Market in Nairobi, where the locals sell their handmade artwork and jewelry. Our driver, Paul helped us bargain with the merchants for good deals.

Maasai Market

The highlight of the week was having the special privilege to go along with Happy Life's Administrator and Social Worker, Sarah to pick up a baby from the hospital who had been left there by his mother, and bring him to his new home and "family" at Happy Life.  It was awesome to see how much the doctors and hospital staff loved and cared for baby Eric during his one month stay....this was a very moving experience for us!

                                                       

                                                   

Happy Life Children's Home is a wonderful place where the children are loved and cared for as a family. It was such a joy to serve there!

Julie with baby Eric at Happy Life

It was a pleasure meeting Bishop Peter and his wife, Pastor Faith, who oversee this ministry, and all the wonderful staff who serve there....and I look forward to the opportunity to return to serve and share God's love in this wonderful place again next year!!

Me with our driver, Paul and his wife,
Winnie & baby, Joy Vision

Me with Bishop Peter and his wife, Pastor Faith

"But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for He has been good to me."    

~Psalm 13:5-6~

Ready to leave for Kenya!

 Bags are packed and we are ready to leave for Kenya!! 

SO excited to be leaving in just two days to go serve and love on the precious children of Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi!         

The really exciting news is...not only do we have our own bags packed and ready to go, but we were able to collect enough donations of clothing and supplies for the children to fill 6 large suitcases to bring along with us...thanks to all of our generous supporters!!!  

We will be leaving this Friday, May 15 and arrive in Nairobi on Saturday evening and will be staying and serving at Happy Life Children's Home for 9 days.  We will be staying in guest accommodations at Happy Life, which is a 4-story complex just outside Nairobi City Center.  

 

Happy Life Children's Home, Nairobi

Juja Campus

We will also be visiting the children at Happy Life Christian School, at their Juja Campus about an hour away.  The school is open to the community and teaches the children from a Christ-Centered perspective. They currently have 67 children attending the school. 

Happy Life Christian School, Juja Campus

We are planning to take the children on outings to a Giraffe Park & Nature Preserve and a nature walk in the Nairobi National Park, where the children can feed the giraffes and monkeys, enjoy nature...and just have fun.

I can't wait to see the many ways God will use us to bring LOVE, JOY, and HOPE to these precious children and to the orphanage staff as we are His hands and feet....AND what He will do in our hearts as well, as we serve Him!!

    

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'"
-Matthew 19:14

Returning to Africa!

Uganda 2012

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, 

and He will direct your path."

~Proverbs 3:5-6~

I'm SO excited to share the news that the Lord has provided an opportunity for me to go back and serve in the mission field in Africa! 

I have been praying for an opportunity to return...
and on May 15, I will be joining a few women from Faithbridge, my new home church, on a 10-day mission trip to Kenya. We will be going to help and serve at Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi, Kenya, and will be assisting the staff, bringing needed supplies, and loving on the orphaned children living there. 

Happy Life Children's Home is a Christ-centered, orphanage founded in 2002 by a pastor and his wife from the U.S. together with a Kenyan pastor from their church, who now serves as the director of their Kenyan Board that oversees operation of the home. Their mission is to provide the abandoned children of Kenya with a home where they receive loving care and have a hope for adoption.  They are working closely with the local churches in Kenya and churches around the world to find sponsors for the children and to promote adoption among its members and friends.  

We are thrilled to be going and partnering with them in this mission!

 

                                 

Please take a moment and check out their website @ http://happylifechildrenshome.com

to learn more about the orphanage and the difference they are making in these orphaned children's lives! *Make sure to click on the Adoptions Link on their Homepage and read the personal stories of each one of these precious children and how they came to Happy Life. Their photos and stories will melt your heart!!

The cost of this mission trip will be approximately $2,000 per person, including airfare, meals, and accommodation.  I am raising funds to cover the costs and donations for the orphanage, and would be so blessed if you would partner with me on this mission trip with your support and prayers!  

If you would like to partner with me through your financial support and send a tax-deductible donation, Please make your check payable to: Happy Life Children's Home, with my name in the memo line, and mail your check to me by May 1st at:

Cindy Gross
4018 Coltwood Dr. 
Spring, TX 77388.

Our team will also be collecting donations to purchase needed clothing and supplies prior to the trip to take with us to Kenya to bless the staff and children, and help meet their needs.  If you would like to give a donation to help purchase these supplies to bless Happy Life Children's Home, please also make these checks payable to: Happy Life Children's Home, and mail to me.

Your prayers and support are so appreciated! 

Please join me in praying for this upcoming trip, and also for the prayer requests and needs of Happy Life Children's home which they've posted on their website....

Prayers and Needs:

> For the health of the children, many who come to us with unknown conditions.
> That Happy Life Christian School has a great year as we strive to provide education from a Christian perspective.
> To instill in the hearts of Kenyan parents the desire to adopt our children. Currently economic conditions in Kenya seem to be slowing down adoption by Kenyans.
> For the Kenyan and US boards to both know and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in unity.
> God to provide for our current operating budget for our more than 100 children in both Nairobi and Juja campuses.
> Provision for Happy Life Christian School. The board led by Faith Ndung'u  (Managing Director).
> Construction/furnishing costs for our second floor of the school building and the second floor of the housing units.
> God's blessings on the sponsorship program. More sponsors needed.
> For loving volunteers to come and stay at our guest quarters for any length of time any time of the year.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?"And who will go for us? And I said,"Here I am. Send me!" 

~Isaiah 6:8~

                                  

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, 
you did for me."  ~Matthew 25:40~

Returning Home For A Season

 YWAM Oxford Family (2013)

It is time to say goodbye to my home and family here at YWAM Oxford.  God is calling me home to Texas to be with my family and serve in the mission field back home for a season. Over the past several months God has been showing me that this next season is a time to be back home in Texas investing in the lives of my children and grandchildren and walking alongside them through life's ups and downs, supporting and encouraging them, and sharing the Father's Love with them and my community back home.  

During the past few weeks I have been preparing to leave New Zealand and my work and ministry here with YWAM Oxford. I've been visiting some of my favorite places and saying farewell, or as us YWAMers say.... "see you later" to these places and dear friends. 

                                                            Visit to Waikuku Beach                                                           

"My girls"
Base Staff Ladies group

          

Texas Style Farewell

My Kiwi Mum and Dad

                                                                                                                        

Visit to New Brighton Beach with my dear friend Karen

The past two and a half years have been an amazing journey into the Father's heart and the call He has on my life to serve Him in missions. I have discovered who I am in HIS eyes, the gifts He's given me, and the passion He's put in my heart to serve and bless others as I've served in the hospitality ministry with YWAM Oxford. I am so grateful for all God has taught me here and for all the wonderful experiences and adventures He has taken me on here in New Zealand and on outreach in The Cook Islands and Africa. I have been SO blessed to have the privilege and opportunity to reflect the love of Christ and be a blessing to others in these amazing countries! 
I look forward to many more overseas missions opportunities and adventures in the future. 

Uganda 2012

I'm hoping to return to Africa 







 AND... New Zealand one day!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."

~Jeremiah 29:11~

I'm trusting in God's goodness & faithfulness and His plans for me during the next part of this incredible Journey with Him!

The Adventure Continues....

"Truly my soul finds rest in God"
~Psalm 62:1~

The beginning of the new year began with a time of rest and an opportunity to be refreshed while enjoying the warm summer weather of January and February here in New Zealand before preparing for the next Discipleship Training Schools to start. Many evenings were spent on leisurely walks down the country roads of Oxford, watching the sun set and feeling so blessed to be living and serving here!  

 New Zealand sunsets are so spectacular!

Welcoming our new DTS Students....

DTS Welcome

We welcomed our new Around the World in 80 Days and Father's Love Crossroad's DTS students onto the base at the end of February, and currently have two schools running with twenty-six students from all over the world, including several students from Texas!   

AW80 DTS Students

Crossroads DTS Students

The cultural diversity makes life interesting and fun on base. Several of our students enjoy cooking and have prepared for us some delicious Thai, Korean, and Danish meals. To help prepare our students for outreach in different cultures, we sometimes have cultural themed meals and are encouraged to dress up in clothing that is worn in that culture.  

We recently had an "India Night" with Indian style food served and eaten while sitting on the floor. There was even a bit of Bollywood dancing after dinner, lots of photos taken, and a good time had by all!  

During this season, as I continue to serve as Hospitality Ministry Coordinator and as part of the Base Leadership Team, I'm attending a Basic Leadership course offered here at the Oxford base. We meet weekly to be mentored, prayed for, and encouraged to grow in our leadership roles. 

BLS 2013

God continues to surprise and bless me with amazing new adventures as I journey with him here in New Zealand.  My friend and I were recently blessed by a friend and former ywamer, who is a crew member on Carnival Cruise Lines, with a one-day "Cruise Holiday" aboard the Carnival Spirit while the ship was in port a few hours away in Akaroa here on the South Island of NZ. 

We were given a complete tour of the ship - including the crew's quarters, a free buffet lunch, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy the ship's amenities...what a treat!!  

I was also blessed by one of our Crossroads DTS students, who just loves to bless the YWAM staff, to a weekend trip to Queenstown - the "Adventure Capital of the World".   AND treated to one of the most incredible adventures of my life.... Paragliding!! That's me soaring over beautiful Queenstown, NZ in the photo at the top of this post!

I'm learning that when you say "yes" to God's call on your life, you never know where He will take you or the adventures that await!

God is SO good and loves to bless His children!

I was especially blessed to have my first visitors from home this month.... my cousin Debbie and husband Brian, and John & Ginny Stanley from my home church in Texas stopped in Oxford to see me during their trip to NZ.  It was such a blessing to enjoy an afternoon together and share a bit of my life here at YWAM Oxford with them!  

I've been praying about an opportunity to return to Africa this year. We have a DTS team going on outreach to Uganda in May, but after much prayer, it seems that the Lord is closing the door for me to go at this time and asking me to wait. I think about the precious children there often and long to return to bring the Father's love to them!  

I am trusting that He knows my heart and will provide an opportunity to return to Africa in HIS timing.   

Uganda 2012

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

~Psalm 37:1-4~