INTERNATIONAL NEWS: Tremendous growth with Kindles at the Kenya Children's Project

We are returning to Kenya early next year and we are asking your help to raise the needed funds to cover travel,food,lodging and MEDICAL SUPPLIES. Will you help?;


Want to help? For your donation of just $100US another Kenya student can have a Kindle pre-loaded with textbooks in their native Swahili language and English. Just click the donate button on the left. Thank you!

CLICK NOW TO WATCH THE NEW THREE MINUTE VIDEO:



AlJazeera News Reports on Kindles for Kids:


This past June our team of 23 people from churches in California, Texas, and North Carolina returned to Kilgoris, Kenya among the Masai tribe where 5 elementary schools and churches have been built in the last twelve years.  The schools now service over 450 students.

Three major events occurred on this trip.

1. The huge dedication ceremony at the newest school with hundreds of guests and government officials.
2. The first distribution of Kindles to the students enabling them to access as many as 3000 books in both English and their native Swahili.
3. The establishment of school medical clinics. The doctor and nurses treated over 110 children the very first day of clinic providing treatments like de-worming medicine.

The summer of 2010 saw the digging of the first well finally providing safe clean water for students. We are partnering with another mission group who are raising money for additional wells at our other schools.

Your gift also covers a daily meal for students, medicine, teachers salaries and building of additional schools in the remote areas outside of Kilgoris.

A Living Music Legend- A Message for Our Time

BREAKING NEWS: Two brothers and a sister who robbed a bank in Florida and shot a police officer were captured yesterday in Colorado by the FBI. The "Dougherty Gang" were arrested after a high speed chase of over 100 miles per hour.

Reflecting on the recent riots in London where teenagers and preteens went on a rampage and torched the city, the Bible says  "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

With a career spanning 50 years, Bob Dylan continues to sing his songs,having recorded something like 70 albums and hundreds of songs. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 with the induction tribute speech given by Bruce Springstein.  Bob's album, Slow Train Coming, won Dylan a Grammy Award as "Best Male Vocalist" for the song "Gotta Serve Somebody," which he performed live at the 1980 Grammy Awards preceded and followed by a standing ovation!

It Is Never Too Late To Learn

About two years ago I accepted the challenge of finally finishing my Masters degree that I began 36 years ago in Kansas City.  At that time our son was born and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.  So I chose to drop out of school and go to work full time.  About that same time a local radio station changed ownership and format and invited me to host their morning drive radio show.  KCNW was the station that Rush Limbaugh once worked as a sportscaster for the Kansas City Royals major league baseball team.  The new owner had been a partner with radio celebrity Wolfman Jack.

With the change KCNW became the very first contemporary Christian music station in the greater KC metro area and one of the first in the country.  I was privileged to play the music of the earlier contemporary Christian music pioneers like Amy Grant, Second Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy, Larry Norman, Keith Green, Chuck Girard, Randy Stonehill, John Fischer, Paul Clark and so many more.  It was an exciting time as the Jesus Movement exploded across the United States and young people were choosing to put their faith in Jesus Christ. Thousands of lives were changed as people were being set free from drug addictions, loneliness and other life issues and finding true purpose and meaning.

Now, thirty-six years later I finally complete my Master of Divinity degree and graduated Saturday from a great school in Evansville, Indiana called Newburgh Theological Seminary.  What an incredible experience.  There were graduates from 24 states and four countries walking across the stage for Doctorates to Master degrees to Bachelor degrees.                 www.newburghseminary.com

For anyone of any age that wants to further their education, I highly recommend this school.

Now what? I don't really have any plans.  We'll see where this leads. And don't worry. I'm not divine... yet.

WISDOM

This has been a historic week in more ways than one. It is said that these thoughts were written about 900 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.  The verse was recorded in song in the 1960's by a Los Angeles, California band called The Byrds. They called it Turn, Turn, Turn.  The message is timeless. Read the lyrics below and you'll see what I mean.
PS. I love the 12 string Rickenbacker played by Roger McGuinn. Beautiful classic sound.

A young lady produced this video version of the Byrd's song for her World Geography class project:

A Thousand Points of Light

“There is no success in life that does not include service to others”
President George Herbert Walker Bush

New Kenya well provides safe clean water

The new well at Ntimigom school was bored last summer. On the last day the Kilgoris Project summer team was there it finally struck water. A church in Lubbock Texas provided the funding for the dig. Clean water helps keep the children from drinking out of muddy ditches where men wash their motorcycles and cows walk through and drink.

Outdoor kitchen at new Kenya mountain school

Lois the cook prepares a delicious healthy meal in this impromptu kitchen at the new Oltikampu mountaintop school. The local families were jubilant and very welcoming. The happy children greeted the team with beautiful singing. An official from the Kenya Department of Education and a local Kilgoris government leader accompanied the team for the long trip up the mountain on treacherous roads.

Kenya Children Playing a Frisbee Game

The Kilgoris Project team had several fun exercise activities prepared for the elementary students at this school

Happy Singing Children At New Kenya Elementary School

A large group of singing children and their parents led the procession to the new temporary school building. The cows in the adjoining field enjoyed having company. This was the first time these wonderful and friendly people saw white skinned people. The community had prepared for the team's arrival and the welcome service that followed. Several leaders and teachers gave inspiring speeches filled with hope and positive expectancy.

More Videos from Kilgoris Project, Kenya

Jehoshaphat shows off his new Lion's Club glasses in Downtown Kilgoris

Amazing Highlights From Our Trip to Kenya

At the airport headed to JFK, then Dubai and on to Nairobi

Hilltop site of the new administration building

Down the hill to Ntimigom school

You feel great and look great in your new glasses

Kids around the world love the parachute game

A big "Thank You" to the Lions Club for providing a big box of glasses.

Hanging out with a few Maasai warriors

81 year old Pastor Josiah having fun with just a few of his grandkids

Cows loved grazing in front of the school

A special dinner before heading back to the airport

The new school in the mountains overlooking beautiful farms.  It was a big celebration ceremony

Downtown Kilgoris

We have a strong Young Life teen group here

Our tea farm, a sustainable crop good for 100 years. It's hard to see, but that's a cell phone tower on the hill.  It seemed like just about everyone had a cell phone...and a great signal.

David and Agnes, faithful Kilgoris Project directors and Young Life leaders at home

Back at the Word Ablaze Institute in Nakuru with David

The Little Sisters of Saint Joseph were wonderful hosts and joined in the fun

Steve Larmey, director of Young Life Africa joined Paul Tocco from Word Ablaze Institute and our team at Enkijabe Empiris school

Upendo womens group with leader Tia

Kids and dogs love me

It's a goat stampede!

The Boys Scouts are active in Kenya

Pastor with very practical transportation

Kids around the world also love bubbles

 Willie and Evelyn Lemuso and baby Shari

 

 

 

 

 

While there I met Zev Lowe of WorldReader.org from Barcelona, Spain when he joined our team at one of our five schools in Kilgoris Kenya in January.

Shadrack is one of our Kilgoris Project teachers

Shadrack Lemiso is the headmaster of our  Ntimigom Nursery and Primary School, just outside of Kilgoris. In 2009, he graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s degree in Education. 

READ THE WHOLE STORY on the WORLDREADER BLOG

My Maasai friend Peter with e-reader

"He clicked the “Buy” button, and 5km outside of Kilgoris, on a small hill overlooking the Rift Valley, with five bars of EDGE coverage; we received his book in 6 seconds!"
.

Health and Positive Thinking Guru Jack LaLanne dies this week at 96

Some of you may be old enough to remember Jack LaLanne prior to his branded juicer commercials.  I remember my mother exercising with Jack's famous nationally syndicated television show on our old black and white TV.  All he used for exercise equipment was a kitchen chair.  Smart marketing.  Everyone had a kitchen chair. 

Yes, believe it or not... once upon a time there was no color television, no high definition, no endless cable TV channels, no satellite dishes, and not even a WII or X Box.  Strange, isn't it?

And yet LaLanne's timeless positive message of health and happiness pre-dates all the modern health experts advice.

Here's a quote from Jack just for you today.

"Anything in life is possible if you make it happen."
Jack LaLanne

Listen to this TV news tribute to a man who lived the way he preached for others to do. This is absolutely amazing!

Some times the old timers, and Jack would never consider himself one, have some incredible wisdom for us youngsters to learn from, IF WE WILL LISTEN.

Click this link below...

Why Jack LaLanne Matters 

Listen to Jack's Goodbye Song

Inspirational Thoughts

Oral Roberts is the United Methodist preacher who started a top notch university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Oral Roberts University. He  lived to be 91 years old and was a card carrying member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  The University that bears his name has graduated thousands of students in every major field and their sports teams have an impressive history of success.  I visited the campus of O.R.U. in the 1970's on my way to my alma mater in Oklahoma City.  It is a very impressive campus that reflects Robert's values of excellence.

In the 1980's Life Magazine did a feature pictorial story on Reverend Roberts that talks about his life and legacy.

Roberts was known for making some powerful life transforming statements, that if taken serious could alter a person's life for the better.  The author of many books, Roberts had a powerful way with words.

This one crossed my desk this week:

"God always calls us to be and do more-
 to reach higher, believe for even greater things,

and to pursue even nobler goals.
God is never content with your status quo,

The truth is, your status quo is far below your God-given potential.!"

(From Roberts book, The Ultimate Voice)

An amazing story

I need Les Brown to autograph my copy of his book-Live Your Dreams

The great Les Brown was interviewed by my business partner Darryl Roberts just 4 weeks ago on how to capitalize on today's technology to teach, train, inspire and transform lives...

Okay, its pretty cool, I admit...

Do you know Les's story?  He was told at an early age he was labeled educable mentally retarded! Now, is an Emmy award winning public television personality.

CLICK TO HEAR LES TELL IT LIKE IT IS

For more detailed information go to ONLINE MARKETING MANIAC

Homeless man with Golden Voice Hired by Cleveland Cavs

Wow, what a heartwarming story of a former radio announcer who was down and out, literally homeless as a result of his personal choices with drugs and alcohol.  He's been clean and sober for the last two and a half years and as a result of a YouTube video that went viral he gets interviewed on the CBS Today show and the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team decides to hire him and get him a house.

He was really visibly  moved when he spoke about flying back to Brooklyn to see his 93 year old mother.  He would spend an hour a day during his panhandling praying and gives God the credit for making the dramatic change in his life.

Watch his inspiring interview on CBS-  CLICK HERE

A personal prayer request

A friend of mine passed away today.  She had been battling cancer for 3 years and as of early this morning her battle is over.  She was a very sweet lady and her husband was one of the pastor's at our church.  They have three children, the youngest being 5.  I'm sure some of you believe in prayer and I would ask that you keep this family in your prayers as they mourn their loss of a wonderful mom, daughter and wife.  

I don't mind sharing with you that my "positive attitude" isn't something I created from some kind of mental gymnastics.  It is the result of a hope and a faith instilled in me many years ago as a result of a personal choice I made, that there is one who is worth believing in who has the power to bring peace into our hearts and minds regardless of the personal storms we face.  I have experienced this peace firsthand many times in my life.  And not some kind of drug induced euphoria.  It would be fair to say it is a peace that surpasses understanding.  No, I can't explain it.  A gentle Spirit that brings calm and tranquility even in the midst of very painful and difficult times.

You may or may not be convinced of this or understand it, that's okay.  But there are many that believe that there is a far better place waiting for us after our time here has ended.  No, it isn't the Land of Oz and there is no wizard.  But I too believe that there is someplace "over the rainbow" that words can't even begin to describe.  Someone once wrote that in this place there will no longer be any pain, sorrows or tears.

Would you like to know more about this place?