Update - July 20

juan:

Mom and dad, thank you for the phone call. Even though it was hard to hear each other's voices, I felt your love. I love you both so much and miss you and can't wait to see you again. To comment on a blog entry, click on the comment link below the blog entry.

Carm, thank you for posting pictures of Mocushla :) She is adoreable. Please show her a picture of us everyday so she doesn't forget us:) Jeju, I miss you bro.

Manny and Nashi, how are you? Please comment on this blog and let me know how you are. I love you and miss you both :)

Tia, thank you for your concern. We are fine and God is protecting us. How are you? Give Jim a hug for us please.

Alex, how are you buddy? I can't believe grandma hit me with a chicken bone! How is your job? May God protect you, as you are doing His work.

Abuelita, como estas? Espero que todo esta bien. Nosotros tambien estamos bien. Dios nos esta protejendo. Te amo mucho, mi querida abuelita.

Mike Lee, I miss you bro. Thanks for commenting on the blog. I can't believe you're getting paid $100K at work to read our blog :)

Bobby, how are you? say hi to Tammy. I miss you also, you are dear to me. Please write us a comment :)

My beloved oriental family Winger, Vinny, Geoff, Glorious and Brianna. I hope that all is well you guys. I will miss the camping trip this year. Can someone please moon Geoff in my abscense? Christine asks you to eat lots of bacon :)

Mina Rostom, thank you for your prayers :) We will keep you in ours.

Today we had mass in the morning and after that we went with some of the doctors and pharmacists to a bbq at a place called Paradise Lost. It's a nice place with a lake and waterfalls and some cool caves. There are also camels walking around freely and some ostriches that are in an enclosure. The gang brought 10 KG of meat - pork, goat and lamb, of which I thought goat was the best, and it was my first time trying it. We were stuffed by the end. I didn't think it was humanly possible to eat so much food, but these Egyptians are opening my eyes to new levels of glutony. By the end, some of the guys were so full that they behaved as if they were intoxicated, mumbling and stumbling. We had a great time.

A guy named Ramy had a new baby boy, Martin, so we had a celebration for him.

In the late evening, we all met with the bishop. He was very passionate about not becoming a stagnant mission. He sees that we have become al little too comfortable in our activities and he wants us to be a ever-changing mission. Currently, the mission in Nairobi is mostly a medical mission, with a handful of servants like us reaching out to the people. He wants now for us to reach the prostitues and the homeless and the street kids and the drug addicts. Actually, it's quite funny. I don't know if you know, but Christine and I got rid of all our stuff in Canada BEFORE we contacted the mission. Once we were ready, we then contacted the bishop and told him that we were on our way! We didn't ask if he needed us, we more or less invited ourselves! He was saying that when he heard this, he was like, 'Oh no, what am I going to do with these two?!'. So he prayed a lot about us, asking God what to do. God kept telling him that he should use us to start a new service in a new building that tends to the needy - prostitues, homeless etc (ahem, MC, interested to come help us?). He said that somehow he knew that we were very loving people and that we would be well suited for this purpose. He said that when he looks at us, he sees Christine as the loving mother and me as the funny father, and this is what is needed to love people. He says that these people want to feel loved. So Christine and I will pray very hard about this, as it is both exciting and scary. He also said that even though he was worried about what he would do with us, he really liked the fact that we came here of our own will and didn't have to be asked. He says he knows a lot of servants that he thinks would be great additions to the mission, but he has to beg and plead with them to come, and this is not the way it should be. Doing the work of God should be in our hearts, and we should be voluntarily ready at any time.

So please pray for us, as we know we are the most useless and lazy missionaries that ever lived. Even today, when we were at the bbq, we were supposed to be at some youth meetings! We are the worst and we need God to change us.

We tried quiet time this morning for the first time. Christine really liked it. I have to admit I was sleepy and kept falling asleep during it, but it will get better with time. For those who are interested, here is the guide to successful quiet time with God, of which the goal is to meet Him.

It's important to note that it's not an appointment you set up with Him. Instead, it is an appointment He has set up, and you show up to it. He longs to be with you and talk to you and for you to know Him. Wake up a half hour earlier to start your day with Him.

1. Clear your mind of everything. This is difficult, as we all have lots on our mind. This takes about 3 minutes.

2. Thank Him. He has given you much, even His own Spirit and even His own life.

3. Praise Him. He is all that matters and all that is good.

4. Confess to Him. Recognize that you need His help and ask Him to change you.

5. Ask Him. Whatever you need, He can supply. 'Ask and it shall be given to you' Luke 11:9

6. Clear your mind again.

7. Read the Bible. Follow a quiet time guide or just pick any book out of the Bible and read it from beginning to end, not necessarily in one day of course! Ask God: 'What are you trying to tell me?'. Meet Him in that passage.

Christine:

I just wanted to say that we miss everyone very much, please keep your news coming, we love hearing all about you guys back home.

Mom and Dad, I miss you guys lots, hope you have a good trip back to Calgary and make sure to call us when you get there...hope the jetlag doesn't cause too many problems :) Also don't forget about Cirque de Soliel, let me know how you like it.

George, I hope you're liking Toronto and your new condo. Miss you lots and can't wait till you come visit us here.

Irene, thank you for your phone calls. It's great to hear from you, keep doing them :)

Adel, we miss you and Hako lots already. Can't wait to see you again...hopefully when the weather isn't as hot :)

Menreet and Tante Soso, hope you guys are having TONS of fun in Sharm. I know you guys will go back with awesome tans. we got one from just a few days and we're already peeling.

Jonny, I don't know if you're reading this but Happy Birthday! Hope you had a great day and remember, you're one year wiser now :)

Prab and Shawn, miss you guys TONS! I hope work is going well for both of you guys and make sure you tell us if and when you're going to India. I really want you to go so we can see each other sooner than April. Take care of each other!

Arezou, I miss you so much. I hope everything is going well. Make sure to say hi to your parents, Arash and Sarah. We need to catch up very soon!

Everyone in Calgary, please pray for us and we miss you guys so much. we will remember you in our prayers and we really want to see you in Kenya one of these days!