Great Scott! Its time to return to Kenya again (1992, 1997, 2001, 2005)
Our kids just discovered the "Back to the Future" movie series with its clever play on moving forward and back through time. Of course, such an adventure is fraught with both danger and humor. Kind of like the life of an overseas missionary family bouncing back-and-forth between two different worlds. We may be headed back to Kenya, but we are definitely headed into the future. We need your prayer support more than ever as we take on new challenges.
1. Responding to the AIDS Crisis
When asked our primary reason for returning for a fourth term, we frequently answer "the AIDS crisis," since the Maasai people are just beginning to feel the impact of what has been aptly described as Africa's tsunami. CMF now has the benefit of partnership with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA) in responding to AIDS on a district-wide level in Maasailand.
We return to a CMF medical system that has mobilized addressing this threat to the Maasai people. The CDC is providing AIDS education, medication, additional personnel, and some clinic improvements for our clinic staff. Supporting US churches continue to provide needed funding to maintain an aggressive education campaign on a village level. Maasai church leaders lift biblical principles of purity and faithfulness in marriage as the only "cure" for overcoming AIDS. Suzie is anxious to resume her participation along with the medical residents who join her for an international elective.
2. The Next Step for the Clinics/Medical Ministry
As a mission, CMF remains committed to disengagement. This means that we actively seek ways to organize the medical ministry so that it remains equipped to continue its mission beyond our years of field service.
One effective way to ensure the ongoing ministry of the clinics is to establish a clinic oversight board composed of both Kenyans and Americans with a shared vision of extending the compassion of Christ through medical care. We also need to make an appraisal of our current facilities to identify areas that need attention. Some of the clinic buildings have significant signs of wear after 20 years of use.
3. An Expanding Role - CMF Africa-wide Medical Work
Suzie has been asked to travel to other African countries where CMF is engaged in medical ministry in order to offer encouragement and share ideas with our CMF medical colleagues in Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. At the request of CMF's Executive Director and some board members, Suzie will return to the USA for several weeks this fall to speak with churches about the challenge of AIDS and the opportunities for ministry to people affected by this pandemic. Suzie also hopes to continue making annual short-term medical trips to Afghanistan.
4. Team Transitions
Please pray for our transition back to Kenya after a 14-month furlough. We also ask that you pray for our future teammates now raising support: Joshua and Ruth Barron, Amy Carew, and Helen bk. Amy and Helen are hoping to join us soon and assist in ministry to Maasai families affected by AIDS. Joshua and Ruth, along with their two children, are coming to lend a hand at a CMF training center for Maasai church leaders.
Next summer, we expect our team to experience a radical change as two veteran families begin a year's furlough about the time Helen, Amy, and the Barrons arrive on the field. Please pray that we can provide our new colleagues with all the support and encouragement they need to get off to a great start in their new areas of service. Our Kenya team also anticipates the arrival of the Jeff and Tammi Brown family who are coming to oversee the Nairobi office next year. Again, please pray for smooth transitions for all our new teammates.
5. Life in Kenya
Please pray for Lauren as she enters 6 grade and Rebekah as she enters 1 0 grade at Rosslyn Academy in Nairobi.
In addition to the normal threats of crime and potential terrorist activity, we now have the added burden of a huge increase in taxes being assessed on missionaries by Kenyan authorities. Some families have already begun leaving Kenya due to the excessive demands for taxes, which often exceed a missionary family's entire income. We appreciate your prayers in this area that God would raise up an advocate within the government who would speak on behalf of the missionary community. [For further information, see "Killer Taxes" at http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/004/1.24.html].
We want to thank those of you who responded to our plea for financial help! We now have funds either in hand or committed to build three additional clinic staff duplexes, sponsor one nurse through an RN course, purchase two new clinic motorcycles, and a good start toward the funds we will need to repair remote clinic facilities. We thank you for this generous outpouring of support and concern for the Maasai. Thanks, too, for the kids who raised funds during their Vacation Bible School for Maasai Bibles and goats.
We cannot begin to express thanks to everyone who blessed us this furlough with:
o The house we have called home now for two furloughs.
o The two vehicles provided for our use.
o The school that welcomed Lauren into 5th grade.
o The families who hosted Rebekah in Kenya.
o The CMF furlough retreat we enjoyed in Indianapolis.
o Rich times together with our extended family.
o The encouragement we received as we reported to churches.
o The joy of seeing old friends and making new ones.
o Suzie's birding buddies who made sure she found some lifers.
o Your prayers for Suzie's successful recertification in Pediatrics.
o The invitation for Suzie to serve part-time at Siloam and the Veterans Hospital.
o The opportunity for Dave to take another class at Emmanuel.
o The grand tour Rebekah was given at Milligan College.
o Those who reminded us to rest ... do Six Flags & Sea World count?!
Thanks for your part in making our furlough a time to shift gears and recharge our batteries. We are ready to go back to Kenya. Well almost. We'll be there by the time you read this, but we have quite a bit of packing to complete in our final week as I am writing. Keep us in your prayers, and let us know how we can pray for you.
Thank you for your prayers and generous support of our family and ministry in Kenya for the past 13 years (as of January 7)!
Dave for Suzie, Rebekah and Lauren Snyder
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