The Nelson's Scott, Lisa & Luke - sharing the hope of Christ with the world

Nelson September Update

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

September Update

July and August have been great months for our family. In July, Lisa's parents were able to come out for a visit. We went camping, tubing, to the aquarium and Coke Museum in Atlanta and enjoyed each other's company.

Luke caught his first fish with Papa Joe. He was excited and kept trying to feed his rainbow trout. He was slightly less excited when we sat down to dinner, but he tried it. He said, " Not bad Daddy ... but Lukey no have any more! "

We also celebrated our birthdays-big ones this year: Scott turned 39, Lisa 35 and Luke 2! Although, when you ask him how old he is, he sticks up both hands and says, "5!"

Luke is doing really well. His ears have remained completely clear. Thank you SO much for your prayers for him!

He is full of energy and so funny. He talks (or sings) non-stop- he is so curious and asks all kinds of questions like, "where does the rain come from?" and "Lukey have pepperoni and donuts for breafkust?"

He loves to make jokes and tries to get me to laugh at bedtime so he doesn't have to go to sleep. We were singing "Jesus loves the little children..." a few nights ago and instead of "red, yellow, black & white" he grinned at me and sang, "purple, green, pink and orange" and then he giggled for the next 10 minutes :)!

I (Lisa) have much to praise the Lord for! The conference I was able to attend last February was life-changing for me. Much of it was simple truth but the Lord set me free from fear and worry in many areas and my health has improved. Some things are completely healed (food allergies and sleep problems) and some I'm still dealing with, but I'm trusting Him to care for me. Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Scott is finally feeling like he has slowed down from the hectic pace of May & June. We designed a weekly schedule for our sabbatical time and it has helped us to make the most of it.

He has a regular "work" day Mon/Wed/Fri from about 6am-4pm. He spends the time away from the house and uses it to pray, read, journal, research seminary options, get some exercise, etc.

Tues/Thurs mornings he is home and I have the opportunity to spend extra time with the Lord and get a workout in. Then in the afternoons/evenings we use that time to help others with things they may need and connect with our friends.

I will let Scott speak to what he is learning during this time, but as for me and our family in general, it has been very refreshing.

One of the biggest things for me has been reconnecting with the Lord just because; not because we're in ministry. So many things that we have known and experienced are becoming fresh for us again-simple things like God LOVES us :) He provides, He heals, He loves spending time with us, He is faithful, His Word is True and we desperately need Him.

It is a gift to be able to have this oasis with the Lord and each other-Thank you for your prayers and support that have helped to make it possible.

Training Camp

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hi friends,

As I write this email, I am sitting in a session with some of our leaders who will shortly be heading out to lead summer mission teams. The last few weeks have been all about getting leaders and teams ready to come to Georgia for training camps and then out into the field for the summer. We have already sent out the first wave of 140 into the field and we have two more groups to send out by the end of the month. Although there is a lot going on right now Lisa and I knew that we really needed to let you guys know what we have been doing and what lies ahead.

Since we last wrote we have been to California, Kenya and Home again. Lisa attended a ministry conference that blessed us tremendously as a family, she as well got her tonsils out which in the long term will be great but in the short term was not fun. Luke is growing fast and just celebrated his second birthday. He is learning to express his needs and wants J A couple weeks ago he took a big tumble and fractured his upper jaw but he is on the mend!

For my part, I want to share a couple things and then Lisa will follow up next week with a family update.

Training Camp

First, the next couple weeks are going to be really busy for me and I selfishly wanted to get an update out so that you all could be in prayer for AIM, me and our family during this time. Although I am in town, I am not really home. I leave around 6am and get home late in the night. It is a great time of ministry and the Lord is so faithful to take care of the needs at home while I am away. I would appreciate your prayers as we train leaders and teams to head out on mission trips this summer.

I would specifically ask for prayer in the following areas:

Pray for insight as we coach leaders and prepare teams to head out. Pray that as problems are identified we would have wisdom in how to deal with them.

Pray for the missionaries and pastors that will be receiving these teams. Pray that the teams will be a blessing and would serve and honor them and those that they are ministering with and alongside.

Pray that Lisa and Luke would do well with little interaction with Husband & Daddy.

Pray that Scott would have strength, wisdom and a true reliance on the Lord as he invests in these teams.

Sabbatical

The other thing that I want to share with you is that AIM has graciously granted us a 3-month sabbatical this summer beginning the second week of July. After almost 12 years of ministry with AIM, we look forward to taking some time to rest and to spend concentrated time with the Lord. I'm sure as we slow down and sit with the Lord, He will lead us places we don't expect, but we look forward to the journey! We would love to have you join us as we walk through this process; we covet your prayers and insight. We will endeavor to share regularly and invite you into our lives as much as possible. Here are a few things we are praying about:

As we are in a new season with a young child (and hopefully children!) we are asking the Lord to show us His vision for our family and ministry.
Scott feels the Lord may be leading him to pursue some further training to sharpen his ministry skills - we are asking the Lord for confirmation and if so, the timing, specific program/school, etc.
That we would rest in the Lord and wait on His leading during this time.
We will continue to be a support to the Kenya staff working at the school and the orphanage during this time. Please continue to pray for strength for them as they work in a very demanding location. Also, a praise - we have been fundraising for both ministries and the Lord has faithfully provided some new avenues of funding - whoo-hoo!

You each are such a blessing to us - Thank You!

Luke's first "Big-Boy" haircut!

Tue, 5 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Last week we decided to give Luke a real haircut - Scott did a wonderful job and Luke laughed the whole time. I think the clippers tickeled his head. I miss his curls, but he looks really cute and bath time is much easier!

Before Haircut

Checking out the clippers!

Bye-Bye Curls!

Almost Done

Luke & Scott

Luke & Lisa

Remodeling in Seattle

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We made the treck from Georgia to Seattle almost two weeks ago now. The idea was to come to Seattle to help my sister and brother in law with an addition to their house. In the in between times we wanted to catch up with friends and supporters and to get a little rest as well. We have got some good time in with family and have been able to help with the remodel though not as much as i would have liked. After our first week here i came down with the flu and since then have managed to pass it on to Luke and then Lisa. We are just about at the end of it now and are praying that no one else gets hit with it. It has slowed our progress for sure but we are still making the most of our time.

In the middle of all that i am coaching some of the summer teams that we have overseas at the moment. it has been good to hear from the leaders and to be able to walk them through some of their decisions and struggles.

Now that we are mostly healthy we hope to connect with some more friends this coming week as well as get some more work done on the house. Thus far i have mostly been building a deck and working on siding with some other small projects thrown in between.

we head back to Georgia on the 22nd of July. More later on our fall plans.

Scott, Lisa & Luke

Sacrifice

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday I had the opportunity to check in with one of the people that we were able to help with some funds during the riots. Her name is Monica and she runs a feeding program for orphans and needy children in Kibera. We wandered through the slum meandering up and down for about 15 minutes before we finally reached her house; a small eight by eight room. There I found a sick girl who was about seventeen that she had snatched from the streets, I prayed. Next we met some of the kids that are "just around." Most weren't hers but a few were. Finally she pulled back a sheet that divided the room and she said, "I have had this baby since she was two days old. Her mother died and I didn't know what to do with her." The baby is three months old now.

There is so much more to say about Monica. She doesn't have anything of worldly value. She started feeding the children from a sympathetic heart once her husband left her. One of our past teams got to know her eldest son who is in secondary school and that is how we found out about Monica. She is a woman of faith. Full of hope that God will provide and she has seen him provide for her. I was cautious when I wrote the last sentence because when you see her it doesn't look like God has provided; not how I would imagine His provision. But that is a lesson I often relearn here, God's provision is what we need not what we want. He knows better than me how to provide what His people need and still I continue to imagine what will bring joy and contentment.

Monica feeds 250 children every day at a church that she rents during the week. Her house isn't nearly big enough to accommodate these children. But God continues to provide as the feeding program and her adopted family grows.

I will write more about Monica and some of our other friends when I get home and have more time. The stories are backlogged in my brain but I haven't been able to get them out yet. I am still trying to take it all in and process it myself.

Today is my last day here. I fly out tonight and today is still a very full day. Here is the agenda, at least what I know of the agenda. I am sure God will change this as the day continues.

Check on a piece of land to use as a farm for the orphans and the school. It is about an hour outside of town.
Connect with the lawyer about the status of our registration as a Non-governmental Organization
Go visit an orphanage for disabled children. We are hoping to be able to help them when our teams are in town.
I still have a couple friends to connect with, one being my favorite taxi driver Ronald.
Visit a micro finance group that some friends in Kibera are a part of to see how it is going and to encourage them.
Take a few more pictures and take care of a few other details from our Kenyan staff.

Thanks for your encouragement and prayers while I have been here.

HOPE!

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Today was another day filled with activity. Without getting into the whole day let me share one thing and i will fill you in on the rest later.

I met with my friend again today but this time just the two of us. We did a very "unkenyan" thing today, we sat and shared very openly. I was able to share from my heart how our last meeting left me feeling and he was able to share how hard things have been for him. it was a sweet time. After ministering together for almost 10 years it was how I imagined our relationship should be. There were still some small questions in my mind as I left but it was nothing that can't be worked out as we move forward.

I breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the Lord as we prayed together and parted ways. As I drove away after dropping him off I felt a renewed hope and I praised the Lord.

I still have allot to process and learn from the whole experience. I feel like there are a number of lessons that God wants to teach me as I pray, process and ask the Lord what he has for me in this relationship going forward.

Thank you for your prayers of reconciliation, God is faithful.

Eburru & Kijabe: Catching up with good friends

Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So we made it to Eburru and Kijabe on Friday and had a great time. It has been a while since I had been to Eburru and I thought I needed to go this trip. Pastor Steve has tried to get me to go the last two times I have been here but when you are in country for a week it is a significant commitment. But it was worth the trip. They have really done allot since I have been there. There is now a nice clinic, fun rooms for people to stay in, a new church building and they are half way through with a small training center. The community also sold them this old British house (old but huge and really cool) and 10 acres of land to start an orphanage. There is allot of work to do before it starts but it is going to be pretty awesome.

We were able to travel around and to catch up with a few of the church members while we were there. After that it was down the mountain to Naivasha for lunch and then on to Kijabe for the night. With only a small delay after a radiator hose broke we were on our way again. We thanked the Lord because if the hose blew in Eburru we would have been out of luck for sure, but instead it broke just as we were leaving Naivasha and we were able to head quickly into town to get it fixed.

While in Kijabe we stayed with Pastor Simon and Margaret. It was a great visit and it was really good to be able to hear how they are doing and to see how God used them to minister to so many during the riots after the election. Simon has got to be one of the wisest men I have met in Kenya and I appreciate his council and I love to hear his ideas about the best ways to minister in Kenya. He always has so much going on!

After Kijabe it was back to Nairobi.

Desperation

Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

We left Kijabe about 11am on Saturday and headed back to Nairobi where there were a number of meetings waiting for us. I don't have allot of time to go into this now since I am heading to church early to meet with Pastor Sheth but let me give you a short account of what happened.

Without going into detail I had one of the most disappointing experiences I have had in a long time. One of my long time friends in Kenya is desperate financially and he responded by formally confronting me with a number of people about how I need to "help out" the board members who work with us on the school. It happened in Kenyan fashion where we talked around and around until getting to the point but on a number of times during the conversation I just want to walk away.

I know that God can reconcile this and I am sure that with His wisdom we will be able to reconcile this situation but it hurt me deeply. I am sure I haven't done everything right here and both last night and this morning I have been asking myself what I could have done differently and how I need to respond. I want to help him and yet a part of me (probably the prideful part) just wants to walk away from that situation.

What I would ask is that you pray that God would be glorified and that He would give me wisdom as to my response. Please pray for His provision for his people. I think that this is a good picture of how desperate some of the Kenyans are after this crisis that they would risk years of relationship because they don't know what else to do.

I am going to meet with this pastor alone again before I go. Please pray that God would reconcile our hearts and that we would both have wisdom as we meet. I don't think he really knows how this conversation affected. Because of that I am really praying that God would give me clear perspective on how to proceed.

Thanks for your prayer!

Life after the riots; for now!

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

There is a lot going on today. Lot's of running around trying to connect with people and just generally getting a feel for how things are now. I don't have a lot of time to type right now but I thought I would at least post a couple pictures and share a little about how people seem to be doing here.

Jason and I were walking around some today to see how things have changed. There are a number of areas that have been completely burned down. They are starting to rebuild most of them but it has completely changed the way things look. There is a big church near where we work in the area and it got vandalized and burnt by a group of thugs. I talked to one of the staff there today and he gave us the story of what happened. It was a beautiful church and now they have to completely rebuild the roof and window and other portions. If they didn't build with concrete the entire building would be demolished.

There is a major market for the slum that was burnt to the ground and one of the estates was heavily damaged by looting and fire as well. I will try and take some more pictures later so that you can see how they are rebuilding.

The three things that I noticed today were awe at how inhumane people were, hope that Kenya will be able to move beyond this and a hesitancy to trust.

A picture of the inhumane

One of our friends, referring to the time of all the violence and destruction said, "Not even animals would do this sort of thing to one another!"

A glimpse of hope

As Jason and I walked through the Toi market I was amazed at how the entire thing had been rebuilt. There is a lot of work to be done still because people lost a lot of their supplies, but to see the new construction happening brought a sense of hope that many have verbalized as well.

A hesitancy to trust

As I sat with an old friend today and talked about the last few months she told stories about how she has moved a number of times in the last few months in order to avoid the violence. As we talked and caught up I asked if she was going to move out of the area. Her response was this, "I can't leave this is my home! These days I just pray and hope that God will protect us."

Hopefully that gives you a glimpse of what is going on with us in Kenya.

More soon,

scott

Awake!

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Its 3:37a.m right now and once again I find myself the victim of "jet-lag." I am sitting in our apartment in Kenya, feet up on the coffee table with my nalgene by my side and my computer on my lap. Jason is lying on the couch on the other side of the room reading a book. It looks like we share the same fate tonight.

The good thing about being awake is that I have time, time to read, time to pray and time to write. Just a few weeks ago I told Lisa that I was wiped out. Not just physically but emotionally as well, I needed a break. There were things I needed to do that I just couldn't bring myself to do because I didn't have the emotional margin in my life. Later that week I was talking to my friend Robert and mentioned this same thing, his comment was, "let's go!" He said, "Buy a ticket we are heading to Mexico." He made all the arrangements I just got on the plan about two weeks ago and showed up. It was a great trip. I didn't surf, I didn't fish, I just rested and spent time with God and with my friend. It was a breath of fresh air that I didn't think I had time for. But then again, we never do.

Last week was a completely different experience. A couple that I have ministered with for the last 8 years at AIM was coming off staff. God was taking them a different direction. They flew in from New Zealand for the week. A time to process the past, Celebrate what God has done and bring some closure. How do you do that in a week? How do you take years of ministry and bring closure to it? My answer now looking back is that you don't. You remind each other how amazing God is. You celebrate what He has done. You make it clear that relationship isn't about being on staff with the same organization. So we renewed friendships, Celebrated the good and the hard times, prayed, and we thanked God for letting us serve Him with friends.

And then it was mother's day. It was a great day for me. I have both an amazing mother and an amazing wife. I once again find myself blessed beyond measure. Lisa and I stole a few minutes together to share and catch up after the last few busy weeks. Not nearly enough time since I was leaving the next day for Kenya, but the few minute we had were sweet.

And then the next morning I packed up and headed off to Kenya for a week. And that brings us back to where I am now; it's now 4:01am but the rest of the picture is still the same. Jason is still reading (I thought he would be asleep by now) and as for me, I am still sitting in the same spot with my feet up, nalgene by my side and computer on my lap. The only change is that now there is a pesky mosquito buzzing around me.

So what does this week look like? I am wondering the same thing. I needed to come to check on the school and the orphanage. I also needed to come to do some setup for the trips that will be starting up in September. I wanted to come and to see our Kenyan staff, to encourage them and to see what they needed. But the thing that drew me here more than anything was my desire to see how we can help pick up the pieces after the chaotic election. Now that the papers say things are "getting back to normal." Now that the government says "the differences are being worked out." Now that CNN is no longer covering the story I wanted to see for myself how things really are. To see how my friends are really doing. To pray with them, encourage them and to continue to do what I can, what we can to support them. The next few days will be interesting I am sure. I will try and keep my blog updated daily with what is happening.

In the mean time pray that God would direct our steps here. Jason, Denise and I will for sure have a busy week. Pray that we would have wisdom to make the decisions that we need to and insight to know what decisions can wait.

Pray for Lisa as she takes care of Luke without me. He is recovering from being sick so she isn't getting much sleep or down time right now. And pray for her as she fly's to California to help her family move into their new house. Pray that our squirmy little boy does great on the airplane. Pray for her safety and that she won't be afraid. Living in the slums of Africa has taken its toll on her and one area that the enemy likes to attack her in when I am away is with fear. Thanks for battling with me on behalf of my family while I am away. One of my least favorite things these days is being away from them.

Kenya Trip

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello!

Scott just called to say that he arrived safely in Kenya :)

He will be in Nairobi for just over a week. He has many people to see, details to take care of and wants to see for himself how things are in the wake of the political problems this year.

Thank you for your prayers for him! He will be posting updates and sharing more details as the trip progresses.

Love,

Lisa & Luke (holding down the fort at home)

Nelson Family Update

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello!

I hope everyone is doing well. It's been a while since our last post, so I thought I would write a quick family update :)!

Luke is doing well - he is a very active 11 month old! He loves to race around with someone chasing him, dance, sing, jabber all the time (although we can't understand him!), laugh and eat - himself without any help of course!

Scott and I are doing well. This parenthood adjustment has be HUGE - joyful and hard work. We are feeling like we're coming into some kind of steady rhythm finally. Currently we are seeking the Lord for direction on how to plan in time to get away with Him, individually and as a family. Things since Luke have been so busy we find there isn't much time for intimacy with the Lord and for reflection. Any advice on this would be appreciated!

Scott is in Mexico this week on a much needed mini-vacation with one of his good friends. I'm praying that it would be a refreshing time for him and he comes back on Friday filled up. Luke and I are home holding down the fort and we are doing well.

Once Scott gets back we will be busy. He has a trip to Kenya May 12-22 and then we gear up for training camps and sending out summer teams.

Below I pasted a few new pictures for you.

Blessings! We love you,

Lisa (Scott & Luke)

Food for thought

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who has given and prayed for those in Kenya. God is continuing to provide for his people even in the midst of the troubles in Kenya. I was sent this picture and a report from Pastor Steve in Eburru thanking everyone for all the help. they were able to feed and care for a large number of displaced individuals through the funds we were able to send to them. On behalf of our friends in Kenya, "thank you and God bless!"

Although things are calming down there are still a hundreds of thousands of people without jobs, homes, food or hope. We will continue to send funds as we recieve them for at least the rest of this month. If God is leading you to give you can use this link:

https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=kenyaBaseRelief

If you have any questions that i can help you will directly please let me know.

scott

This isn't the Kenya you knew!

Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As I sit at home this evening I feel almost guilty for having a normal day when my friends in Kenya are hoping that they will make it through another long night. We have been trying to keep up with people to let them know we are praying for them and to know how to help the most with the funds that have been donated to help those in need. It has been both encouraging and very hard. It has amazed me what an encouragement it has been for our friends in Kenya to receive a phone call and to be prayed with from half way around the world. But on the other hand it is so hard to see my friends who are normally positive and trusting take on a hopeless or at least melancholy demeanor.

After two calls today I had to call it quits. It was getting late in the evening in Kenya and I didn't know if I had another call in me anyhow. I was able to get reports on what had been accomplished with some of the funds we had sent over and that was very encouraging. Yet there are so many more needs it seems like we were running a race we couldn't win. I had to remind myself often of the phrase, "You help the ones you can."

Let me share with you some from my conversation with Pastor Steve. He is a Kikuyu who lives in Kijabe and pastors a couple of churches in the Rift Valley. I have known him for years and I have never seen him as somber as I did today. Here are just a few comments from our conversation:

"This isn't the Kenya you knew!"

"You feel like you could die any day"

"We are living a day at a time wondering if morning will come"

"IT'S WAR SCOTT! It was war here."

When commenting on the fact that there are over 300,000 displaced people in the Rift Valley Steve said:

"You can't help everyone."

"Now I am ok."

"Today we are hopeful."

I left the conversation broken and yet encouraged because for some reason his spirit had picked up from a simple phone call from a friend who loved and cared from him half way around the world. I told him we are praying! Will you join me?

I want to share with you some of what Pastor Steve is doing to help those in need. They have formed a pastors committee in the area he works that is hardest hit. There are at least 2,000 refugees in that area and more are coming every day. Many of the families in the area have taken in others and they are camping in their yards and staying in their small homes. They are trying to feed and clothe those they can. To help with medicine and any other needs that might arise. But it is overwhelming. We are doing what we can to help pastors like Steve. We pray and we send as much money as we can to help.

I want to close with another story about Pastor Steve. He wouldn't tell you this unless you specifically asked but some of his family is in the hardest hit areas. One of his brothers and his family is living with them because they have lost everything. Three others from Eldoret are camping in a squatters camp because it isn't safe to be at their homes. They won't know until they can return if anything is left for them to return to.

With all of that the hardest story for me to hear today was Samuel's story. He lives in Nakuru and is like a father to Steve. I have met him and benefited from his hospitality and kind spirit but today his hope is gone. Samuel is, or should I say was a rich man. He lived in a beautiful house with his family and had done very well for himself. Yet in the midst of the chaos his house was burnt and he lost everything. There is no insurance, no large bank account, most of what he had was in his house and now it is all gone. He has lost all hope. Steve said he wasn't in his right mind. I asked if there was anything we could do to help and his response was, "what can you give him, you can't replace it all." I thought about it and he is right, all his worldly possessions are gone. I don't have the resources to replace it. So tonight I sit in my house and pray to God that my security isn't tied up in what I own. I pray that God will bring me hope and I ask God to show me how to live my life content in Him and not in what I own. And I pray for Samuel that God would restore his hope. Not in what he owns but in the Lord. It is a tall order for one who has lost so much, I can't give him hope but God can.

If you wonder what you can do, pray! If you feel led to give toward the relief effort that is definitely needed and appreciated but your prayers, well, those are the only thing that can really turn things around. The money we send can help a few but only God can restore hope.

Thank you for interceding for our friends in Kenya,

Sincerely,

Scott

Kenya Relief Update

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am copying an update here that i posted on the Kenya Base Website. If you want to read more about what AIM is doing in Kenya you can follow in more detail on that web page. Here is the link: http://kenya.myadventures.org/

Here is the update:

I wanted to give you an update on how the money you have sent in to help Kenya is being used and to ask you to continue to pray. Currently we have sent funds to two different locations both of which have seen continued violence since the election.

One of the things that is so difficult for me is that as we help these two different areas I am also aware that these are the same two tribes who are fighting against one another. In Kibera most of the resources are going to help Kenyans from the Lou tribe and in the Rift valley it is the Kikuyu who are struggling after being chased from there houses. It just breaks my heart to see those I love struggling so violently against one another.

Kibera

In Kibera we sent money to 3 pastors that we work with. Pastor Timothy, Pastor Humphrey, and Pastor Sheth. That money was used to purchase food vouchers that they passed out to those in need both in their congregations and in the community. This was special to us, because these are the 3 churches that countless teams have built into and this allows us to continue serving alongside them in these hard times.

Every time we talk to one of these pastors they are overflowing with thanks. Please know that your gifts are making a world of difference to many people in Kibera.

Rift Valley

Near Kijabe in the Rift valley we are working with Pastor Simon. He has been organizing relief work for those displaced from their homes in western Kenya. The primary effort has been in the hard hit town of Eldoret. This is the area where a church full of people was burnt down. He has organized people to either drive or fly people out of western Kenya. He is working with two impromptu relief camps that have sprung up.

In one on these camps 90 families who have nothing are staying in a church. Simon described this to me as overwhelming. The money going to that area is helping with food, blankets, shelter, transportation, shoesand looking forward even schooling for the kids. In short there are many needs that these families have who have lost everything.

There are 30 families that we know of that are still trapped in Eldoret. Pastor Simon is working to get a truck there to get them out and to safety.

Our prayer is that this verse from 2 Corinthians 1:10 will come true in Kenya:

"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.

On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us

as you help us by your prayers."

Please know your prayers matter!

On behalf of so many in Kenya that you have helped I want to again say thank you.

scott

Trouble in Kenya

Fri, 4 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Kenya Update 2008: Election turns violent but you can help

The latest news out of Kenya is that over 300 have died and 70,000 have been displaced in the wake of a flawed election. Please help us reach out to the poor who are most affected with a donation to help us buy food for the orphans in the slum of Kibera. Any money you give will be wired directly to our base to buy food.

Click here to give.

The country's economy has shut down and most neighbors at our Kibera base simply have no food to eat - the situation is dire and they are desperate. Alex is an example. He is a close Kenyan friend of ours who was shot in the uproar and languishes in a hospital with minimal care.

Our Kenyan staff has asked God what he would have us do and they feel that he wants us to help provide food and share the love of Christ in tangible ways. Yesterday some of the poor in our neighborhood were able to buy a few small vegetables at a very inflated price. Those in the slum who already struggle to get food on a daily basis are suffering the most.

When we buy food, we work with local pastors to distribute it to those in the worst condition. There are a few staging areas beginning to develop and two have been identified thus far that we are going to try and fund.

Please help bring hope to this horrible situation. Here's how you can give.

Merry Christmas from the Nelson Family

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We wanted to take a minute to tell everyone how much we appreciate your friendship, love and support. We are currently in San Diego for Christmas and then we are heading to Seattle for New Years. Hopefully we will get to see some of you along the way.

As we reflect on all the things that God has done this past year we are filled with joy and thankfullness.

Merry Christmas with much love,

Scott, Lisa & Luke

Thanksgiving

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It's been a busy week since we've been back and we find we have much to be thankful for...

1. We found out on our arrival home that our house has some mold and we can't stay there - a bummer, but we're thankful that:

a. the Lord has provided a company to clean the mold for us through our very good friend and insurance guy - thanks Peter!

b. amazing friends ( thanks Barnes' and William's!) that have let us crash at their houses and have a great, warm safe place for Luke!

c. the Lord has given Scott peace and comfort that He will take care of us and give Scott all he needs as head of our family.

2. I (Lisa) had 5 doctor's appointments this week - whew! So far so good with that, they haven't found THE cause of my symptoms but they have ruled out a bunch of bad stuff. Also, I had my thyroid checkup and that looks good.

3. Luke is doing well! He is growing and changing so much and we are loving every minute of it. He played "Peek-A-Boo" today for the first time. He finally understands that you are still there :)! He is feeling a little under the weather this weekend with his first cold. He's sneezing and coughing and generally feeling yucky. Thankfully we didn't have anything big going on and we have been able to cuddle and love on him for the last 2 days.

So, all in all, things aren't perfect but we have all - even above and beyond - what we need. Maybe things are perfect, just not how we pictured it!

Here are some new pictures, I hope you enjoy them.

Love, Lisa

We're Home!

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Scott, Luke and I drove into our driveway last night...we're finally home! (Scott flew from Atlanta to Texas on Saturday so that he could drive back with us.)

I am so thankful for the three weeks I was able to be in Texas with Grandmommi and Pappy, that Luke did so well, that Scott's trip to Kenya was full and fruitful - and for all of your prayers and support for our family in the process.

Tomorrow I have a colonoscopy and Scott is taking care of me and Luke. He's a great husband!

I took some cute pictures of him reconnecting with his son (who is beside himself with joy at being with his daddy again!) so i'll try to post some soon.

Thanks again for loving us!

Lisa

Back from Kenya

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I made it back from Kenya last night. The flight back was uneventful but long. I passed out when i got home and then i woke up at the crack of dawn. i am starting to put some pictures from the trip on my blog so check them out. here are a few to start but check back in the next few days to see the rest and to see some more stories from the trip. There is alot to tell and i am going to try and add a story every couple days.

thanks for all your prayers while i was away.

A Few More Pictures!

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hey!

I just talked to Scott and he has landed safely in Atlanta :) He's two more days away from seeing his boy though, so here are a few more pictures!

10 Hours Left

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Just 10 hours left until I get on the plane to head home. I am truly torn. There is nothing in me that wants me to be away from Lisa and Luke for a minute more than i have too but there are so many things left here to do. I know that God is in control and yet I am struggling with leaving things how they are at the moment.

Things with Maureen are still in the air. the family that was willing to take her isn't a family that we really trust her with. With that option gone we are in a real bind. We did however find a Christian Counsel that is going to come and meet with her and Eva today or tomorrow. Pastor Simon was able to connect us with this lady and she specializes in dealing with troubled girls like Maureen. I sat and talked with him for a couple hours this morning, he is such a wise man of God and I am thankful that he is in my life.

The other thing that he mentioned is that because she is so far behind she might struggle in boarding school. There is a trade school that is run by a local denomination her that works with youth like Maureen the reverend in charge of that school agreed to look at taking Maureen even though she hasn't finish standard 8 which is their usual requirement. So we are considering this option for her at the moment but we haven't talked to her about it yet.

There is still alot to do with this situation and many other things that still need attention. I am going to run hard the rest of this day to see what we can get done. I realize in moments like this how little control I have and how deep my trust in God needs to be.

I ask that you will continue to keep all of this in your prayers. one thing that is on my heart is the need for places for girls like Maureen. Kenya needs some homes for troubled girls. please pray with me to see if God wants AIM to take the lead in this area. It is a huge undertaking and so i feel no desire to do this unless it is God who is leading us into this ministry.

more soon,

scott

Just Two Days Left

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Just two days left until I am on an airplane flying home. I fly out late Wednesday night and it is sneaking up on me real quick. There is however a great upside to only having two days left and that is I get to be back with Lisa and Luke soon.

I am spending some time at the New Adventures School today. I am excited to see how everyone is doing. I spent the yesterday afternoon with George Odhiambo who is in charge of the school. We talked about Kim and Michelle who are coming on staff to help out the school. We were able to nail down some of the specifics of their role and more importantly George gave his blessing for them to come. I expected nothing less but I did want to honor his position and to make sure we were on the same page.

We have our first group of children graduating from primary school this year. They take huge tests at graduation and I want to be able to pray with and encourage them as they prepare to take their tests.

This afternoon I am going to spend some more time with the orphans. I want to spoil them a little bit but I also need to talk to them about some things. Sometimes they need to hear from the Mzee (the old man) so that they will stay in check and motivated. But they also need to hear from me that I love them and that in no way are we planning on giving up on them.

Last night Eva, Kayla and I sat and talked with Maureen. We explained to her that we loved her but that her actions needed to change. We talked to her about the changes we want to make for her to put her in a good environment and to help her grow spiritually and her education both. We asked her how she felt about the plan that we laid out about living with a family in the church for the next two months and then going to boarding school starting in January. It was a difficult conversation for her but in the end she agreed. Only time will really tell how she does. She knows that she must do well these next two months in order for us to put her into boarding school. She has to show us that she wants to learn and grow.

So, you maybe asking "what now?" So am I! Now we need to find a family in the church to take her. We have someone in mind and hopefully that will work out well. Besides that we are going to start sending her to a Christian counselor as well as getting her an English tutor. Since almost all the classes are taught in English we feel like that is one of the major reasons she is doing poorly in school. We are also praying over her a ton. Her family background is decorated with involvement in the occult and many other strange things and we can't help but feel that much of her acting out is because of some form of oppression. Please lift her up in your prayers.

Ok, I am off to the school. I will keep you as updated as I can in the next couple days but with all there is to wrap up and get ready to go I am not sure what I will be able to pull off.

Pray that I have stamina to make it through the end. We have been burning the candle at both ends and in the middle and Jason, Kayla and I are all pretty trashed right now. But with all that we know that we only have two days left.

PRESS ON! Fight the Fight!

Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

Scott

Christmas in October

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Papa Joe came home with this outfit for Luke today and it barely fit - so we dressed him up and took some pictures! He laughed at all the "Ho Ho Ho's" and "Merry Christmas's" I used to get him to smile.

Things in Texas are going well. The days fly by with Dr's appts, therapy and time together as family. Pappy and Grandmommi are both doing well and making progress. It's slower than they would like so I am praying for encouragement for them both.

Luke and I just talked to Scott/Daddy on the phone. He sounds absolutely beat, but just has one long busy day left and he'll be on a plane headed home. He will fly home to GA on Wed night and then out to get us on Saturday.

Here are some new pictures:

We love you,

Lisa & Luke

Prayer for Maureen

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It is Monday morning here in Kenya. I miss how perfect the morning temperature is in Kenya. it is so refreshing to sit outside and spend time with God. What a beautiful way to start the day. Now I am sitting at my favorite coffee shop with a coffee in hand catching up on emails and getting ready for another busy day.

I have met with a lot of different people since I have been here and I can really see how God is multiplying my time here. Yesterday I felt like I just sat in the house on Karanja and met with person after person. But the conversations were good and I was able to see how God is working here and to be able to counsel and encourage those I had the chance to talk with.

One situation that you can be in prayer for is in regards to Maureen. Maureen is one of our kids at the AIM House. She is having a lot of trouble with school, authority, life in Kibera and more. A week before I arrived she got in a fight with Eva who is carrying for the home. Eva had been working hard to help Maureen even when others in the area had given up home on here and that situation caused Eva to ask the question, "Is this too much for me?" As we talked about options everything seemed less than ideal. Everyone involved started to pray and ask God, "Lord how can we help this girl and not give up on her like everyone else?"

The option that has arisen is to send her to a boarding school far away from Kibera. We are looking for a school that is pretty strict but also that is based on Christian principles. The hope is that she will be able to improve her schooling, to forget some of the things from her past. To learn more about God's love for her and to be in a controlled environment. Now the challenge is to find this school. I would love to find it before I leave but I don't know if that is possible.

The other challenge will be that we can't send her until schools open in January. That leaves us two months still and we feel strongly that there is a better option than for her to stay in the orphanage for these two months. If she didn't have to finish school this year I would immediately send her out of Kibera to live with some friends that can love on her and take care of her apart from the setting she is now in. Because that is not an option we are going to talk to her pastor here to see if there is anyone that she could live with for the time being. We are not sure what the best option is here but we are walking this process out in prayer.

One other thing you can be in prayer about. Maureen's past is full of abuse and odd spiritual issues. We are pretty sure that she is in need of counseling and much prayer. It is our hope that as we get her into a safer environment she will be in a position where God can heal her spiritually and emotionally as well. Please pray that God will show us how we can help facilitate this healing as well.

The short version is that we love Maureen and we don't want to give up on her.

For now I have to run. I am late for me next meeting. Thanks for the prayers and encouragement.

Scott

Day 1 5a.m.

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

After a pretty comfortable trip half way around the world I arrived once again on familiar ground, Kenya. This time I found myself in our new apartments just outside Kibera. It was weird to be staying somewhere other than my familiar home on Karanja road but the upside is that these new apartments both save us money and are way nicer. Since I had not been living in Kenya I found it necessary to employ a security firm to watch out for the houses on Karanja Road. This was a good decision but because I wasn't there to supervise I had chosen a very reputable and therefore expensive company. These new apartments have security included and that has made the difference in price.

So, this morning I woke up at about 5am after a great but short night sleep. I laid in bed for a minute asking the Lord if He wouldn't mind helping me get back to sleep, but I felt Him instead nudge me out of bed to spend time with Him. It was a sweet time where He lead me both into His truth and it was also a gentle reminder that His agenda for this time here would most likely be somewhat different than mine. After giving Him my list of the things I hoped to accomplish I felt released to let iHs agenda guide my time here.

It was a sweet time watching the sun come up once again over an African landscape and I was reminded of how much God has taught me through my times in Africa.

Last night I relived the history of what God has done through AIM and myself in Kibera as I sat around with some of the guys from the Real Life team answering their questions about how things started here. It was probably a sweeter time for me than for them because it reminded me of many of the ways I have seen God work over the years and it gave me a renewed sense of God's heart for His people and His longing to use us to reach out to the world around us. I can't wait to see what the next few years bring as Lisa, Luke and I continue to serve God together.

This morning I am meeting with Kayla and Jason who came with me to make a plan for the week. I am meeting with the Real Life leaders this afternoon to see if there is any way that I can serve them while I am here. Beyond that today is going to be a day of making calls to setup appointments with people and walking through Kibera with the intention of renewing some relationships that have simmered since the last time I was here.

Let the fun begin!

Update From the Home Front

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

While Scott is in Kenya, Luke and I are in Mt. Pleasant, Texas with my Grandparents. I thought it would be fun for us to give you updates on our status as well!

The last week has been eventful here in Mt. Pleasant. We started the week with both Grandmommi and Pappy in the hospital - Pappy on the third floor and Grandmommi on the 5th. Pappy came home a few days ago and Grandmommi was able to come home today, so we are thankful. Grandmommi is recovering well from both open-heart surgery and a broken hip. She is now able to do all the basic necessities of life without any assistance so that is a huge achievement!! She has really worked hard. Pappy has a couple of weeks downtime to rest and recover and then will go back to have some tests and a possible surgery to clear some blocks in his carotid arteries.

My Dad is here as well (Mom came out for a few days this week too!) so it is good to have time with him and to help him as he cares for his parents. We will be here until Scott gets back (Nov 3) and then we will drive back to Georgia together.

Luke is doing well - growing like crazy! He got a Johnny-Jump-Up this week and he loves his newfound freedom to move around upright. He is eating cereal, applesauce, pears, carrots and peas and LOVES it! He is smiley and a joy to be around. I am going to try to post pictures every couple of days to keep Scott and everyone else updated with him.

I'm doing well, just trying to pace myself and get enough rest. I was considering going home early to get back to my doctor for some tests. However, they aren't able to fit me in next week so I decided to stay here and keep my regular appointment week after next.

That's the news from us, hope you are all doing well!

Love, Lisa & Luke

More Travels

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I wanted to drop you all a quick note to let you know the latest.

I (Scott) have my bags packed and will be out the door in 30 minutes to head to Kenya for 9 days. It is a quick trip but with a packed agenda. Some of the things that I will be doing are.

Meeting with the head of the school to set a working relationship for two new staff(from the USA) we are bringing on in January to work with the school.

Checking on the new gal (Eva) who we hired to work with the orphanage.

Checking in with the Real Life team which is in Kenya right now.

Taking care of loose ends in relation to the new apartments we are renting and the ones we are no longer using

Checking with the lawyers about the status of our registration as an NGO

Following up on some of the students that we are sponsoring in school

The elections will be held in December and I need to see if it will be safe for the teams to be there in December or not.

Okay, there is more but those are some highlights.

Lisa is currently in texas helping her grandparents who have been in the hospital. They are doing better but there is still a lot that she can help with. she was going to stay there until I returned but now she might come home to get some more tests done here. the doctor thinks it would be wise and could help her to get better. She hasn't been feeling good over the last couple days so she is seriously considering coming home this Monday instead of waiting for me to fly back to Texas so that we can drive back together.

Luke, is growing and doing great!

Ok, we would appreciate your prayers.

We love you all

Scott, Lisa and Luke

Luke at his best

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some new pictures of Luke and the family. we hope you enjoy!

Look at Luke Grow!

Mon, 1 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I thought that you guys might want to see a couple new pictures of Luke.

The first picture is during a get together we had at our house. During the FYM training Camp we thought all the Staff might need a night away from camping and responsibility so we invited them over for some food and a relaxed night at "home!" It was our first real big get together at our house and it was a blast. We had about 25 people in our little house and it was just like we envisioned it would be to finally have our own place.

The second picture is of Luke's first flight. After our trip to Texas to spend some time helping out Lisa's grandparents I drove home to get ready for the Staff Training and Lisa, Luke and her Dad flew to San Diego to celebrate Lisa's Dads 60th birthday. Lisa said that it was really nice to have help the first time she flew with Luke, there are a whole set of rules for flying with a baby and until you do it you don't know what they are. But Luke was a champ on the airplane and it looks like he is going to be a traveler like both his mom and dad! Africa here we come!!! Ok, we might wait just a little bit longer before he takes that flight.

Our camera is on the fritz but we will try and keep the pictures coming as best we can.