“Change my life and make it new…” ring out the lyrics to the SuperBook theme song. I’ve always liked the song and the tune sticks in the mind. But I couldn’t stop the tears when I played it, by special request, for a handful of “2nd grade” students at Joy Town boarding school for kids with disabilities in Thika, Kenya, not far from Nairobi. Suddenly, “change my life” took on a whole new meaning and depth – these kids may be viewed as cursed because of their differences, but at least they are alive, unlike some whose parents didn’t have the courage to face the social pressures of their situation.

That week in Kenya took us to Rift Valley Academy (a K-12 boarding school in Kijabi run on the AP system), to AIM AIR’s hangars at Wilson Field (Nairobi), to Moffat Bible College (a seminary in Kijabi where Africans train to reach their own countries with the Gospel) and to the hospital in Kijabi where many foreign and missions organizations collaborate. One of those is Bethany Kids whose travel team we joined for a day in Narok, caring for kids with significant medical challenges and their brave families, and whose chaplain Carol we joined for a couple days of rounds through the rooms in Kijabi where kids and babies recuperated or awaited further care.

What a month of contrast, with Kenya sandwiched between Zoe’s Messina Strait crossing – which raised over $700 for Compassion International – many thanks to YOU all! – and a weekend in the Dolomites on the Austria-Italy border. And in between all that, summer swim started with our entire family involved.

Even while we praise God for the opportunities and experiences He’s laid before us, would you join us in continued requests that God would lead us clearly to any specific purpose He has for us, as well as opportunity to share Jesus with fellow swim families? And let us know how we can sharpen the aim of our prayer arrows regarding the cares on your heart as well.

“Head and shoulders, knees and toes…” One of the girls’ dorms. On the right is Daisy, a sweet, shy girl, and behind her is Mercy, 17. Mercy struggles to speak and has manual dexterity only with her left toes, but she has tremendous perseverance and such a sunny character. She’s the one to requested the SuperBook theme song.

On the other side of Kenya, Zoe feeds a giraffe.

You can find many more pictures of our travels in Africa, of Zoe’s Messian crossing and of our time in the mountains on our Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/donnadouglass/albums (Give me a few days to update it!)