RMI April 2009 Newsletter
RMI » Newsletter
Grace and peace to you from Kitale, Kenya,
Yes we are here!! It was not necessarily easy, but nonetheless, we arrived in Kitale on Thursday morning about 10:30. We left Pearland Monday morning, stopped off for our “last lunch” at Olive Garden. We discovered the airlines are now very strict with the weight of luggage and even carry-ons. Rita and I both had an overweight bag that ended up costing us an extra $100. We were so glad to be on our way home that we didn’t argue much, just paid it and went on our way!
We arrived in Nairobi on Tuesday night, spent the night and on Wednesday afternoon, saw the forwarding agent we are working with in regards to the container. We found out that the container actually arrived in Mombasa on March 26th, the day we were told it would arrive. We have had to provide some additional paperwork, but expect the inspection process by Customs to begin any day. Hopefully, the container could possibly be delivered within the next week to 10 days. Pray with us that it does, since we are charged $29 per day for storage at the port.
The young lady, Irene, we have been in contact with since early January about shipping a container, has proven to be a very professional, knowledgeable person. We feel confident she will advocate very hard on our behalf to keep the duty/taxes down as low as possible. There is really no way to know specifically what to expect until the Customs people make a decision. Thankfully, Irene is very aware how the system works and I believe we will not be taken advantage of. Pray to that end. We are grateful the ship made it through the pirate infested waters off the coast of Kenya !
Getting back into a routine has not yet happened. Our bodies were so tired from packing and moving all our household goods into a storage unit, plus a lot of ministry and travel, the long flight over here, jet-lag, etc, etc., just the last 2 nights have we been able to sleep all night. The first couple of nights we were wide awake at 1-2 a.m. That certainly makes for along day. We feel reasonably certain our “rear-ends” will be showing up just any day now! Somehow along the way we seem to lose them each trip. For those of you who will be coming in the next few months, don’t be surprised when you get here that you have a sense that part of you got left behind, no pun intended. If you are fortunate, you will find it about the time you leave to return to the States, only to repeat the process all over again. That being said, it is worth it all.
You know you are home when virtually everyone you meet welcomes you back home. It may be the security guard at a restaurant, the checkers/stockers at the grocery store, the paper boy, even the street kids, hoping for a quick handout to go buy more glue to sniff. One thing is for sure, you know you are loved and appreciated. Wow, I wouldn’t trade anything for that, knowing we have impacted so many people on so many different levels.
Today, Sunday, we had the privilege to minister in our home church, Airport Worship Centre. I had preached a message on grace the last Sunday we were here and they took that word to heart. So many good things have happened with them during these 5 months. It does only take one word from God to change your life, ministry, destiny, or whatever. Since 2003 Airport has been a special place for me and Rita and we both so enjoy going back and seeing old friends, now 5 years from my first visit there. Bishop Stephen and Ann have had a little girl, Praise, born into their family and I promise you she is one of the prettiest little girls I have ever seen. Our “tribe” continues to increase as our spiritual children continue to bless us with new grandkids.
Beginning Tuesday evening, continuing through next Sunday, the 12th, I will be preaching a conference at Redeemed Gospel Church in Kitale. This is a powerful church with a wonderful man of God leading the congregation. We have another conference, a youth conference, scheduled the second week of December in the same church. I had promised Pastor George I would stay long enough to preach that conference for him, so being a man of my word, Rita and I will not be leaving Kenya until Dec. 20th, just in time to make it home for Christmas.
Tomorrow morning we have our first staff meeting since our return. There are several items we need to address to get us focused and back on track. Basically, our team did a good job in our absence and we commend them for that. We arestill believing God for another missionary couple to come alongside us and cover for us in our absence and we cover for them in their absence. Pray to that end, okay?
Rita and I are so thankful for all the support, financially, in prayer, encouragement and all the other ways, you stand behind us. It makes our return so much easier knowing we have people like you standing in the gap with us and for us. It was so good to see so many of you. We so enjoy going from church to church, ministering and just rekindling old relationships. During the 5 months we were in the States, we ministered in 16 different churches and ministries. We are a blessed people to do what we love the most.
I’ll close for now, but I declare grace to you in Jesus name,
Louie
PS The rains stopped when we left in November. It has been very dry and hot. On Tuesday the rains returned and it has rained 3 out of the last 4 days. In Kenya , as in many African countries, the rain (so needed for the new planting season) is a blessing from God. Several people mentioned that to Rita as they greeted her, “You’ve come, bringing the blessing of rain to us.” Maybe it’s just a coincidence, maybe it’s God saying, “Welcome home!”
Note from Rita
I've taken no pictures (surprise, surprise!!). We expect to have some new ones to attach to Louie's next Update.
Board of Directors:
Louie & Rita Self
Guine & Lisa Anderson
Billy & Sheryle Crouch
Robert & Jeanne Mizell
Pastors Jason & Jodi Morse
Administrator:
Billy Crouch - (281) 701-2860
Prayer Ministry:
Kathy Hahn
U.S. Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 996
Cameron, TX 76520
Kenya Mailing Address:
Louie & Rita Self
P.O. Box 4403-30200
Kitale, Kenya East Africa
E-mail:
restorationmissions@yahoo.com
louieself@yahoo.com
RMI Printed Newsletter Archives
2007 - Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
2006 - Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
