IAA'S NEW KITCHEN / DINING HALL PROJECT 2011

This slideshow will show the beginning to present building process as well as pictures of the students their supervisors and local workers who have dedicated their time to make this project a reality.

The shell of our Kitchen/Dining Hall will be completed around the end of this month.  We are so excited to have this facility that will allow our children, visitors and staff to gather together for meals.  We have been separated at meals since IAA began due to lack of space.  This facility will also be a blessing for: community gatherings; cooking for larger groups of visitors; and as a gathering place for the children to do homework, crafts, Bible Studies and more.

Thanks to:

·      The engineering students and faculty at Syracuse University who dedicated several years of time and planning of this project.  Group Picture in slideshow: Chuck Brooks (professional mentor), Lesen Haracz, Isaac Allen, Scott Ranthes and Erin Zeqja. Janet Brooks was present, but taking the photo.  Others from Syracuse University: Shannon Magari, Advisor to the EWB Syracuse University Student Chapter; and all the other volunteer engineers and architects in the Syracuse area who helped to keep the project on target.

·      Gordon Clark who spent volunteer time to oversee this project for IAA. 

·      James Taubitz, who is a Kenya missionary with EMI (Engineer Ministries International), who is overseeing the project construction. 

·      John, our Kenyan contractor, who has done his work professionally and efficiently. 

·     Christine and Samuel, IAA’s staff in Kenya, who has put in extra hours of work to make sure the project is progressing. 

·   All of you who have contributed to the financial provisions for this project.

APRIL'S THOUGHTS AFTER HER RETURN FROM WORKING AT IAA

April with Jacob and Hope
Just over a year ago, I took a giant leap of faith and boarded a plane to Kenya.  I was broken as I said goodbye to my loved ones, but I was trusting God fully with my life for the first time ever.  I had no doubt that I was going exactly where He wanted me to be.  The days were sometimes unbearably long yet my time in Kenya went by entirely too fast.  I can’t believe it’s been a year; I can’t believe I’ve been back home for two months already.
Once I got to Kenya, I waited for the culture shock that I was guaranteed to have.  Believe it or not, it never came.  Sure, there were things about the culture that were irritating sometimes but nothing was ever significant enough to make me want to go home.  When it was all over, I came home and I waited for the reverse culture shock.  This time, it came, but not in a way I would have expected.  I came home and suddenly nothing seemed clear.  I didn’t know who I was, where I was going, or what my life was supposed to be about.  When I was in Kenya, people always asked me what I missed about home.  My answer was always that I missed my freedom, or rather, my independence.  I was completely dependent on someone else for practically everything while I was there.  Coming home, suddenly I had more freedom than I knew what to do with.  Much to my surprise, that tripped me up more than once.  Being able to do what I wanted when I wanted to do it felt like a brand new feeling and was quite overwhelming.

April reading a book with Lydia

My life here at home is very different than my life was in Kenya.  Here, I don’t have children waiting for me.  I sleep half the day away because I don’t know what to do with myself otherwise.  There are no children for me to dress or feed, none to play with or teach new words to, no diapers to change, no little legs running to me or arms reaching for me to hold them the minute I walk downstairs in the morning.  Instead, I wake up and walk upstairs to an empty house.  I take a shower every day-at any time of day I choose.  I can stay in the shower for as long as I want and the water doesn’t suddenly turn ice cold or scalding hot, nor does it stop running when I would stand in the shower freezing and jpraying that the water would start running again so I could get the soap out of my hair.   I don’t have to worry about the lights going off and leaving me to shower in the dark.  I can get out of the shower knowing that if I want to dry my hair, I can.  I don’t have to rush to make sure I dry it while the power is actually on.  I can get in my car at any time I want and drive anywhere I want to.  The roads here are remarkable.  I hear people talk about the ONE giant pothole on I-20 near our exit and think about how nice it would be if there was only one giant pothole instead of hundreds from IAA to the kids’ school.  We take so much for granted here in the US and I immediately fell right back into that same mindset the minute my feet hit American soil.  All these things that we take for granted are great and it’s been nice to have them back, but I also miss Kenya and the simplicity of life there.  It was okay that I didn’t shower every day because no one else did either.  It was okay that I didn’t dry my hair because no one cared what I looked like.  It was okay that there were a million potholes in the road-we were thankful we had something to drive and that it was actually running that day.  There, nothing is reliable but it’s okay because God is reliable.  He shows up on time, even if it’s not in OUR time.  There, it’s okay that nothing is reliable because there, it’s not about things.  It’s about people and relationships.  In Kenya, I loved and was loved in a way that is rarely experienced in America, at least in my experience, because we too often let things and judgments and stuff that doesn’t matter get in the way of loving people for who they are.

As I said, I came home and lost myself.  I felt like I had left Kenya and lost God somewhere along the way back home.  All I knew was uncertainty.  God wasn’t giving me clear answers, or any answers for that matter.  I had no idea where to even begin, no idea how to find my way in a place that was so familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.  While wrestling with myself about all the uncertainty, I went to church and the pastor said this-

“The bad news is that there will ALWAYS be uncertainty BUT the good news is that your life-it’s going to be okay."

April and Jacob

If nothing else, I find comfort in those words.  God didn’t take me on this journey and teach me firsthand about His faithfulness only to abandon me at the “end”.  No, this is just the beginning.  He is here beside me and He always will be.  He may not be making every decision as clear as He did my decision to GO, but He will use every decision I make for the good.  He is sovereign and He is holding me in His hands.  I may be uncertain, but God is not and I will commit my whole self to Him so that my life will reflect His will.  
April Lingle

SUMMER MISSIONS AT IAA

The volunteers who have visited IAA write such beautiful and wonderful words about their visits with our children, but as I was reading through them I thought of all the blessings they bring to us: inter-cultural learning; building relationships; receiving affirmation; training in scripture; modeling service; providing unconditional love and attention; encouragement.  I could go on and on.  Thank You!

INTO ABBA'S ARMS

Indiana, West Virginia, Georgia & Pensylvania

Mission Team - June

Back row: Carey Bailey, Meredith Lydick, April Lingle

Front row: Philip Koech (driver), Bill, Tarin

Our June team spent a very busy two weeks in Kenya this year. We spent four and half days at IAA visiting with the staff and children while working on various maintenance projects around the site. As always, it was a blessing to spend time with the children. One of the highlights of our stay was a Bible lesson and craft project led by Meredith Lydick and Carey Bailey. The girls taught the children a scripture lesson followed by a mosaic project illustrating how God can make something beautiful from things (and people) that are broken. The girls also enjoyed a regular story time in the evening with the children. Our ministry projects took us to areas outside Kinangop as well. With the help of April Lingle, our IAA intern, we assembled and distributed new mother kits in a nearby IDP (Internally Displaced People) camp. While at the camp, we had the opportunity to minister to and read Scripture with some of the women in the camp. It was a blessing to visit with them in their homes and hear them speak of the Lord’s goodness despite their dire circumstances. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the trip was working with One Hope Ministries, whose vision is to place the gospel in the hands of every child on earth by 2030. Using teaching programs created by One Hope, our team went into the public schools of Kinangop presenting the gospel to students and teachers a total of 19 times in 8 different area schools. We were overwhelmed to see the power of God’s word at work as we witnessed many children accept Christ during those two days.From there our team moved west and then south as we delivered food and supplies to widows, churches, and a children’s home in Ahero who were all suffering from a food shortage brought on by the recent drought. I am amazed at how quickly our time in Kenya passes No carry out, we are blessed anew as God continues to find new and exciting ways for us to minister to our brothers and sisters in Kenya.

Tarin Paradise

“I will praise You forever for what You have done; in Your name I will hope, for Your name is good. I will praise You in the presence of the saints.” Psalm 52:9

Woodsedge Church Missions Team-July

       The Woodlands, TX                          

Kim Neeley
Caitlin Chalfant
Kent Anderson
Andrea Shannon
Allie Dorsey
Ashley Markgraf
Hannah Novelli
Austin Rumpel
Corrie Sharpe
Allison Shrimpton
Paul Lassalle
Gretchen Schneider

                                  

Elissa Adams and Kathleen Wilson

Sugar Land, TX Mission Volunteers - July & August

"I was so blessed to be able to visit IAA again this summer! I had been counting down to my return since the day I left last year, and it was such a great feeling to be welcomed back to IAA with open arms. As soon as I was reunited with everyone, it felt like I had never left. I was overwhelmed with joy to finally be a part of that wonderful family again! I was especially excited to be reunited with 4 year old Martha, who I grew very close to last year. The first time I was there, she had been very clingy and in need of extra love and attention. I am so excited to report that although we still had a close connection, she was much less needy and more independent than she had been a year ago. I couldn’t have been happier to see how much she had grown and matured!  This year I was able to stay at IAA for the first half of August, when all of the children were home from school. I was so excited to be able to get to know some of the boarding school students that had not been home the last time I was there. It was so much fun to be there during the vacation month because we were able to do special activities such as take the kids swimming, go hiking with the older boys, and have a sleepover party with the older girls!  The Lord has blessed IAA in such an incredible way, and has blessed me with the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by His wonderful work in Kenya. The children and staff at IAA are a huge part of who I am today, and I am so grateful to have been able to spend the last two summers with them. Although I’m not quite sure of when God will lead me back there, I am very much looking forward to another reunion with all of the people I love and miss so much!" Elissa Adams

"Being back at IAA this summer was a true blessing. After I left last summer, I knew I would be back some day, but I never imagined God would be guiding me back there just a short year after my first visit. I felt overjoyed as I was reunited with all the wonderful kids at IAA.  I quickly learned that some of the toddlers I grew very close to last year were more independent and didn't need quite the same love and attention they needed last summer. At first this was hard to take in, but it was truly a blessing for me to see that the kids were happy, content, and able to be more independent and self-fulfilling.  Milka, the little girl my family sponsors, grew a lot closer to me this year! I really enjoyed spending a great deal of time with her. She has multiple moods ranging from being a complete diva to being the sweetest, most loving little girl in the world. There wasn't a day that went by that she wasn't making me laugh.  I also had the opportunity to grow closer to some of the older girls and boys during their month off from school. Theresia taught me a lot about myself and made me realize the importance of providing the older children with just as much love and attention as the toddlers. Spending time with these beautiful children of God was absolutely incredible and indescribable in ways.  As I reflect on my time at IAA, I am continually amazed at how much love and support is in this organization. I commend Jane for her hard work and dedication to such a successful orphanage. I do not know when I will be back to visit IAA next, as I am preparing myself for the working world, but I have no doubt the Lord will lead me back into his wonderful home for these children one day. I have so many wonderful memories from my six weeks at IAA that I will forever cherish." 
Kathleen Wilson

Kelly Klein, Kristin Klein and Amanda Cook

Summer Volunteers - August

"I will always remember September 15, 2010, as the day I got the green light to go to IAA. I had viewed hundreds of pictures, watched hours of videos and heard stories upon stories about IAA and its beautiful children from my sister and others. I had waited and anticipated this trip for almost a year and never could have prepared myself for what was to come. I had heard stories about growing attached to one child and having such a strong love for them, but I never could have imagined experiencing that for myself.

The moments I spent at IAA this summer were filled with more joy than I knew was possible. Carina captured my heart on the first day and throughout my experience, she continued to make my heart soar. Listening to the sound of her laugh, holding her hand, making noises with her, seeing her face light up, playing our monkey and telephone games - everything about those moments just felt right; nothing else seemed to matter but loving her in that moment. Running around with her on my back, her hugs and kisses, tickling her, dancing with her, and seeing her giant smile could make my heart warm in an instant. Every moment I spent with her I felt peace in my heart. I felt that in loving Carina, I got a new glimpse of God’s love for us – a perfect love. It is almost impossible to imagine that God loves me even more than how much I love Carina. I know this story hasn’t ended yet... this is only the beginning." Kelly Klein

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Frederick Buechner

River Cities Community Church Mission Team – August 2011

Huntington, WV

Top row: Dave Calvert; Tom McGahan; Mary Jane Amos; Jean Howison; Sandy Carroll; Jan Boyd.
Bottom row: Beth Calvert; Garland Bowen; Brenda McGahan; Steve Graves; Kristina Hamilton;  Kevin Hamilton.

One year ago the Lord confirmed that it was time to take a group from River Cities Community Church to IAA. Twelve of us linked with others from our congregation and community purposed to:

     1.   Provide five days of Vacation Bible School.

     2.   Provide learning materials for the IAA   

           preschool.

     3.   Provide curriculum for the Sunday chapel services    

The Lord worked through His people who generously gave and the goals were met.

VBS would officially begin at 10 AM and last until 2 PM. The Kinangop kids were so excited they began coming at 8:30 AM and left when they had to. The theme of the week was “How to Roll with Jesus”. Using songs, skits, teaching times, games, and activities they learned how to enjoy the basic Christian disciplines of prayer, time in Scripture, being with other believers, fighting temptation and obeying the Lord with the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Over 250 participated.

Our free time was spent enjoying the IAA family life. As one of our couples spent time talking with some of the older youth, they perceived the need to have some Bible study time with the IAA older fellows. Three evenings included our men having a discussion from a Biblical perspective answering questions the IAA guys had.
For more about the VBS visit Beth's Blog at:
Beth's Blog Post 

Engineers Without Borders
Engineering Team- August

Syracuse University Enginerring Students

Syracuse, NY

Chuck Brooks (professional mentor), Lesen Haracz, Isaac Allen, Scott Ranthes,

and Erin Zeqja with IAA children on the kitchen project site.

 Janet Brooks was present, but taking the photo 

The Syracuse University Engineers Without Borders team had a fantastic time during our stay at Into Abba's Arms. We were greeted with such warmth and friendliness by everyone at IAA. The children, staff, and community members were all so welcoming. We enjoyed every aspect of our trip, whether we were working with the construction team, playing basketball or soccer with the children, or spending time learning about their schooling and interests after dinner. The children were eager as to spend time learning about our lives as we were to learn about theirs. They were a truly inquisitive, intelligent and amazing group. We are incredibly blessed to have gotten to know them and we cannot wait to go back!

Scott Ranthes