Missions Blog

A Day of Healing, Hope & Joy

Today was a long day—a really long day! 😴 We started at 7:30 a.m. and for most, we didn’t finally crawl into bed until 1 a.m. Sunday. But as exhausting as it was, it was also one of the most meaningful and joy-filled days of the trip.

We started our morning with devotional and prayer time as a team before heading to breakfast with all of the women attending the conference. As more women arrived, we gathered together for praise and worship. It was absolutely beautiful to hear hundreds of women lifting their voices to God—each in their own native language, yet worshipping the same God. ❤️

After worship, two more women from our team shared their testimonies with the help of a translator. This has definitely been one of the most nerve-racking parts of the trip. There is something incredibly vulnerable about standing in front of hundreds of women and sharing the difficult and painful parts of your story.

But there has also been such freedom and peace on the other side of that vulnerability. We aren’t sharing our stories because they’re perfect—we’re sharing them because God has redeemed them. And if being transparent about our struggles can give even one woman hope that God can heal and restore her story too, then it’s worth it.

Next, Laura, the Word of Life missionary who was our conference speaker, shared a powerful message about the Lord healing our hearts and finding our identity in Him.

One of the most meaningful parts of her message involved the mirrors we had purchased for the women. She encouraged them to look beyond their physical reflection and consider how distorted our view of ourselves can become through our own flaws, experiences and the expectations of society.

Our reflection in a mirror can show us what we look like—but it can’t tell us who we are.

She encouraged the women to see themselves through the eyes of their Heavenly Father. We are daughters of the King. We are children of God. Our identity isn’t found in our appearance, our past, our mistakes, our circumstances or what other people think of us. It is found in Him. 💜

After the morning sessions, we enjoyed lunch and then into more of our testimonials.

Following this we moved into one of the fun parts of the conference—craft time!

A big part of the fundraising and preparation for this trip involved collecting supplies for the craft, and today we got to see all of that hard work come together. The women created their own hats for our Kentucky Derby-themed party that evening. They had so much fun being creative and making each hat completely their own.

And honestly, the best part was seeing them all show up later wearing their creations! 🎩💐

After crafting, we had a little free time, and some of our team helped lead water aerobics. It was a welcome chance to get out of our chairs, move around and cool off. There was plenty of laughter involved, too!

Then it was time to get ready for the party. We all put on our dresses and florals to fit the Kentucky Derby theme, and we headed to dinner where our team helped serve the women.

After dinner, we gathered for worship, and two women from our team had the opportunity to help lead a song in both English and Spanish. Once again, it was such a beautiful reminder that even though we may speak different languages and come from very different places, we are united in Christ.

We then heard two more testimonies from our team, followed by more teaching and sharing from Laura.

And, of course, there were plenty of coffee breaks sprinkled throughout the day—which were VERY much needed on a day this long! ☕😂

Once the conference sessions were finally finished, it was time for something completely different: FUN!

One of the women’s favorite traditions is the conference pageant, where they compete to be crowned queen of the conference. The women are divided into two age groups. The women over 40 are the “Ensure” group, while those under 40 are the “Collagen” group. (Yes, they have a sense of humor! 😂)

The contestants walked the runway, performed a talent and then were judged by the crowd’s applause.

Our fearless team leader, Sarah, even entered the competition—and she made it to the finals! 🎉

At the end of the night, last year’s queens crowned the new queens, and the women laughed, cheered and celebrated well into the night.

By the time we finally headed to bed around 12:30 a.m., we were exhausted—but our hearts were full.

One of the greatest joys of this trip has been watching these women simply enjoy being together. We even recognized some of the women from the Emberá tribe we visited earlier in the week!

For some of these women, this conference may be the only opportunity they have to step away from their jobs, responsibilities and families for a little while. It’s a chance to be surrounded by other women of God—to find fellowship, encouragement and support.

A place where they can laugh together, cry together, learn together and grow together.

And tonight, as I watched them laughing and celebrating late into the night, I was reminded that sometimes healing doesn’t always look like a serious moment of prayer or a powerful message.

Sometimes healing looks like a room full of women laughing together.

Sometimes it looks like a handmade hat.

Sometimes it looks like a testimony shared through a translator.

Sometimes it looks like worship in a language you don’t understand.

And sometimes it looks like simply knowing, I’m not alone.

What a beautiful gift it has been to be part of it. 💜🇵🇦

Day 3 — Preparing the Way

Our day started early with group devotion and prayer time, preparing our hearts for what would be a very full and meaningful day. Afterward, we joined the other missionaries and staff for breakfast, fueled up, and got straight to work.

The women’s conference was beginning that evening, and there was plenty to do to prepare for more than 300 women who would be arriving. We tore down all the tables in the pavilion and cleared the space before sweeping and mopping the floors. Then came the fun part — transforming the space into a beautiful place for the women to gather.

We cleaned and set up all the tables and chairs, added tablecloths and centerpieces, and created photo stations throughout the pavilion. Little by little, the empty space became a welcoming place for the women who would soon fill it.

Once everything was ready, we had a little free time — and after working in the hot, humid weather, the camp pool was exactly what we needed! It was such a refreshing time to relax, laugh, and enjoy some time together as a team.

Then it was time for lunch, and once again, we were blessed with an incredible meal prepared for us. We certainly have not gone hungry on this trip!

After lunch, we gathered the blessing bags and conference shirts and finished setting up the registration tables. Then it was time to get ourselves ready. We put on our team shirts, headed back to welcome the women as they arrived.

And then, at 7 p.m., it began.

The reason we are here!

The evening started with dinner and some fun icebreaker games, giving everyone a chance to laugh and connect. Then two women from our team had the incredible honor of sharing their faith testimonies with the group. It was a beautiful reminder that God can use our stories — even the hard parts — to point others toward Him.

Bianca Fowler, the director, then blessed us through worship, followed by a powerful message from Laura, a Word of Life missionary who has served for more than 35 years. Our team was able to listen through headsets with translation so we could follow along.

The message centered around God as our Great Shepherd — the One who cares for His lost sheep. He is the healer of our broken hearts. His name, Jehovah Rapha, means “the Lord who heals.”

We were reminded that only God can truly fill the emptiness we carry. We live in a broken, sinful world that was never God’s original design. Sin brought brokenness, suffering, and struggle into our lives, and we will experience those things until we are with Him again.

But God has not left us alone in the middle of that brokenness. He is here. He offers peace when life feels chaotic, comfort when our hearts are hurting, and strength when we feel like we don’t have anything left to give. He is the Shepherd who sees us, cares for us, seeks us, and heals us.

The conference wrapped up around 11 p.m., but the night wasn’t over yet. Bianca and the worship team began rehearsal, continuing into the early morning hours. A few members of our team who serve in worship back home are hoping to join them during this special time of ministry.

And as we finally headed to bed — you guessed it — exhausted again!

But underneath the exhaustion was excitement and anticipation. We know there is still so much ahead, and we can’t wait to see what God is going to do through another full day with these women.

Another day, another opportunity to serve. And another reminder that God is already at work.

Our final day in Kenya was one filled with worship, gratitude, and many emotional goodbyes.

On Sunday morning, we attended church with the students at Lion of Judah, where the service was held on the school grounds. Students from grades 6–12 participated throughout the service by sharing memory verses, singing songs, and reciting poems they had prepared. Their joy, confidence, and love for the Lord were evident in everything they did.

Matt Gilbert had the opportunity to preach once again, encouraging both the students and staff with God’s Word. At the conclusion of the service, our team was given the chance to express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible welcome and hospitality we had experienced throughout the week. Although we traveled to Kenya hoping to be a blessing, we left feeling that we had been blessed just as much by the people we came to serve.

Saying goodbye was by far the hardest part of the trip. After spending the week building friendships, laughing together, worshiping together, and sharing life, it was difficult to part ways. There were many hugs, tears, and promises to pray for one another before we finally pulled ourselves away and departed the school around 2:30 p.m.

From there, we began the long journey home. We traveled from Nairobi to New York City and then on to Pittsburgh, arriving home on July 20 around 2:00 p.m. after over a full day of travel.

As we reflect on this mission trip, our hearts are filled with gratitude. We witnessed God at work through churches, schools, families, and communities. We experienced the joy of serving alongside fellow believers, built friendships that will last a lifetime, and were reminded that the body of Christ extends far beyond our own community.

None of this would have been possible without the support of so many people back home. Thank you to everyone who donated, prayed faithfully, and followed along with these updates. Your generosity and encouragement made this trip possible, and you were a part of every conversation, every prayer, and every opportunity we had to share the love of Christ.

From all of us on the team, thank you. May God continue to bless the ministries at AIC Zion and Lion of Judah, and may He continue the work that He has begun in the lives of everyone we had the privilege of meeting.

Asante sana—thank you very much.

July 15 – Our Final Day at AIC Zion

Our last day at AIC Zion was filled with both joy and bittersweet goodbyes. Thanks to the generosity of our church family, Chapel Ministries, and Vacation Bible School, we were able to distribute toys and gifts to the students and teachers. Seeing the excitement and gratitude on their faces was a wonderful reminder that even small acts of generosity can have a lasting impact.

Through the donations that were raised, we also had the privilege of purchasing chapati and potato stew for the students. Our team helped serve lunch, and it was a blessing to share one final meal together before saying goodbye.

After lunch, we loaded up and began the drive to Emali. Along the way, we experienced a brief vehicle breakdown, but thankfully it was quickly resolved, and we safely arrived around 6:00 p.m., ready to begin the next part of our mission.

July 16–17 – Serving at Lion of Judah

Our first two days in Emali followed a similar rhythm. Each morning, we spent time in the classrooms interacting with the students, helping with lessons, and building relationships. In the afternoons, we joined them for games, conversations, and plenty of laughter.

One highlight was the school’s track-and-field event. It was incredible to watch some of the best young runners in Africa compete. One student even ran the 200-meter dash in an impressive 21.44 seconds—a reminder of the remarkable talent and potential these students possess.

July 18 – A Day at Amboseli National Park

Today, we had the opportunity to take a field trip with the Maasai Boarders students to Amboseli National Park. It was an unforgettable experience as we saw elephants, giraffes, African buffalo, hippos, wildebeests, antelope, and ostriches in their natural habitat. The beauty of God’s creation was on full display, and it was a special day to share with the students. We returned home around 6:00 p.m., tired but grateful for another incredible day together.

As we write this, it’s hard to believe that tomorrow is our final full day in Kenya. It’s bittersweet knowing our time here is coming to an end. Over the past week, the students, teachers, pastors, and families we’ve met have welcomed us with such incredible love and hospitality. While we’re looking forward to seeing our families back home, we’re also saddened to say goodbye to the friends we’ve made here. We would appreciate your prayers as we finish our final day of ministry well and for safe travels as we begin our journey home. Thank you for praying for us every step of the way.