It's a little late but...

...the team is home! We sure missed them! They got home late Monday night. Chris came in the church a little bit yesterday and was talking about their travels and their work. I can't wait until Sunday when they share with the church body! Please make it a point to be in the service Sunday morning @ 10:45!
This is the letter that Kelly Stanfield sent to all of our prayer partners!

I know this is a little late coming since the team has been home since late last night and some of you reading this have already hugged your loved one BUT for those of you who are still wondering...THEY ARE HOME!  After almost four days of traveling and one missed connection, the team safely arrived in OKC last night just before 10pm. Thank you Jesus! It will take a few days for all the team members to get their schedules back on track so please keep praying for them this week as they try to absorb all the experiences they have had in Africa and as they search for how God wants to use those times of growing, trusting and joy in their everyday lives here at home. I hope to have several, if not all, of the team members share a little bit of their journey with you over the next couple weeks so don't stop watching for these emails just yet.  
  
I have attached just one of Chris' over 1500 pictures he took while in Africa. I have only barely begun to edit all of them.  This one is the team with the Governor of Gitega Providence. 
  
On a personal note, I have extremely enjoyed getting to share the team's journey with all of you over the past two weeks! Even though I have not seen many of you and have never even met some of you, I feel like you have been my constant companions as we prayed together for the team. Everytime I would get an email or a call, I couldn't wait to get the email sent, knowing you all were waiting for the news too and that you would be praying or praising with me. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough. 


God Bless! 
Kelly Stanfield

I tried to post the picture, but was unable to. Please watch for it later today!

They're Home!

From Facebook, I see that our team has arrived at home! Continue to pray for them as they adjust to the time difference and life back home! I know there are some happy people that were waiting for their loved ones to get home!
Mar. 6: Pray for GOOD physical and emotional rest for each team member.

ALMOST HOME!!

After many delays and long flights, our team should arrive home at 10 tonight! I know there are some families that are really missing them! It will be great to have them back!
Pray their last flight to OKC is a quick one!

On their way home... but...

...they are delayed... AGAIN!
Here is the original message that Steve text Lori from Amsterdam at 5:30:
"Plane has computer problems in Amsterdam not off the ground yet we are now 1:15 late sitting in plane on Tarmac while mechanics work on it. May have to unload and change planes will let you know when we're leaving."
It seems like Satan is playing his role in getting them home, but we know that God will protect them and get them home safe! Please keep praying for the team as they travel home!

Headed our way!

Yesterday, Kelly did receive a phone call (and FaceTime on the iPad, isn't technology wonderful) from Chris and the rest of the team while they were in the airport! Everyone is doing good, and they can't wait to get home to see their families and their church family!
Thank you for all the prayer and support you have showed for our team while they were in Africa. They are supposed to get into OKC tomorrow around 4:30.

The reason we haven't heard from our team...

This could be one of the main reasons we have not heard from our team in Burundi as much as we would have liked. A ship off the coast of Africa dropped anchor and cut the internet to six Eastern African countries, Burundi included! To read the whole article, please click here.
Please continue to pray for our team!
Mar. 2: Pray for opportunities to affirm the ministry of the Kibimba Hospital and the staff!

Still nothing...

As of today, we still haven't heard anything from the team in Burundi. Their internet must still be down. Please continue praying for them as they are away. Also, remember their families as they eagerly await the arrival of their loved one!
Twitter is still down, and I am not able to update the Prayer Calendar, so I will update it here:
Mar. 1: Pray for the ability to deal with physical fatigue and emotional overload!

Kelly got a birthday phone call...

...from Chris, all the way from Africa!
She said that the team is doing well and have been away from the hospital for the last couple of days, that is why they haven't been able to send any e-mails. Also they were able to see the drummers. At the end of the show, they pulled Travis in and he was playing the drums too! I can post the video and pictures when the team gets home!
Also, on a good note, both Chris and Keaghan's bags arrived. Praise the Lord for that!
Chris also hopes that one of the team members can send out an e-mail telling of their last couple of days in Burundi a little later in the day (remember that Burundi is 7 hours ahead of our time).
Thank you for your continued prayer and support of the team as they are serving in God's work at the hospital.
Also continue to pray for the team members and their families. This is the halfway point for the trip and homesickness sets in about this time.

No e-mails yet!

We have not received any word from our team in Burundi. They were having some internet problems the last we heard from them. Pray for them as they continue to minister and serve the needs of the people at the hospital. Again, I was not able to post today's prayer update, so here it is:
Feb. 27:  Pray for the team member's families at home and for each team member's personal homesickness. This is the halfway point of the trip.

God is working...

...and so are our team members! Here is an e-mail we received early this morning.

It is Friday around lunch time and we just finished working for the morning! We are waiting for lunch. Yesterday we got an invite to see the govenor's office which was a treat!  We also went to the Kwibuka station and toured where Dave and Mae lived for 16 years. Love that place! Beautiful! 


Today We have continued to work on unpacking and sorting the stuff in the container.  Our nurses have been having some great experiences in surgery as well! We are seeing God move in so many ways and our group is growing closer together! We are having so much fun together and helping each other grow in the Lord!  We are going to see the drummers tommorrow as well as maybe the market and some other things! Sunday morning we will get up early and travel north to the Mutaho area for church and see some of our other mission stations! 

Please continue to pray for our health and our lost luggage! But even in that God has provided all we need in awesome ways! Please pray for our Burundi friends tomorrow as they are holding their yearly meeting sessions! They are making some really important decisons this year about the future of the Friends church in Burundi! Also pray fevervently for Doctor Elisee and all he does! He is a godly man and has so much responsibility! Pray for his family as well! 

Please continue to pray for the team... I haven't been able to update the daily prayer updates.

So here is today's: Feb. 24: Pray that our team is a blessing to the hospital staff and patients!

No news...

...is good news, right?! We have not heard from our team today, but they had some problems with the e-mail about a day ago. We know that they are right where God wants them, and I know that they are being protected and provided for...

Our first team e-mail

This is an e-mail that Chris sent us today.

We have been working hard to be able to email and are not having much 
luck! We hope it will be better now!  We arrived okay! Except they 
made Keaghan and I check our carry on bags in Alanta and they did not 
arrive in Burundi! We have no clothes! Please pray that they will find 
our bags!  Also have had some with some sickness myself included but 
we seem to be getting better! We worked today sorting and testing 
machines and putting together IV poles! 100 of them. We wil continue 
to sort the stuff from the container! One fun note is that the Nurse 
got to help with a c section this monring and got pic's of the new 
baby getting a layette! They were excited! 

Continue to pray for our health and our bags! Things are good and It 
is good to be back in Burundi! God is good and in control! HE has 
proven himself again and again already! HE is so faithful! 

THEY MADE IT!

Lori Brown got a phone call from Steve this morning and everyone made it to the hospital okay. But Chris and Keaghan had to check their carry ons in Kenya and the bags did not arrive in Burundi! Please pray that they will arrive soon, as they are without some of the essentials. Also on a positive note, all of the trunks arrived safely. The container also arrived before the team got there and is unloaded and the container is being unloaded from the truck. On a negative note, the internet at the hospital is down, so we aren't sure when we will be able to receive e-mails from the team. We thank God that everyone is feeling better after a lot of traveling and sitting on an airplane. Please continue to pray for their safety and the safe arrival of Chris and Keaghan's bags.

The team made it to Kenya!

The team made it to Nairobi, Kenya about an hour ago. Kelly Stanfield posted on Facebook that several of the team members have already been sick on their flights! Please pray for them as they join in God's work there!

Our team as they leave.

Please check out the slideshow of some pictures from our team leaving on Sunday morning.

Headed to Kenya!

Got another message from Chris at 3 AM that they made it to Amsterdam and they were headed to Kenya! Pray for the rest of their flights and safe arrival in Burundi.

In Atlanta!

Just got a message from Chris that the team is in Atlanta! He said they have 35 minutes to make their connecting flight! Pray that they make it or else they will be stuck in Atlanta for a while!

ON THE PLANE....

FINALLY! Got a message from Chris that the team is on the plane to Atlanta!

DELAYED!!!

Our team should be in the air on their way to Atlanta right now, but they have been delayed. They were delayed until 1:30pm, but then were delayed even more! Their new departure time is around 2:30. Please pray that they will be able to leave OKC and make it to Atlanta! Please pray that the rest of their flights will be a smooth transition.

And they're off!

The team got off this morning at about 8:30am. We gathered at the church for some quick instruction and a short time of prayer for the team. I will post some pictures later tonight or tomorrow morning. Their flight leaves out of OKC at 12:50pm. They have 14 trunks full of supplies for the team and for the hospital that they are checking in the plane. Please pray for safe arrival of our team, health, safety, and smooth changes in planes. Also pray for safe arrival of the trunks as well! We are so happy and proud of our team as they are joining in the work that God is already doing in the Kibimba Hospital. Thank you for your support and prayer! Stay up to date by following the blog!

Kellums and Twila Flowers....

MADE IT TO BURUNDI! We received word this morning that they made it safely and are in Burundi. Keep them in your prayers as they prepare for the team to arrive in a few days!

Kellums and Twila Flowers

Dave and Mae Kellum and Twila Flowers left for Burundi yesterday and are on their way! They should arrive to Burundi sometime early in the morning! They left Amsterdam this morning and are on their way to Nairobi now! We are very excited for them and the rest of the team as they continue preparing for their trip as they leave from OKC at 12:50 on Sunday afternoon.
We also received word that the container is in Gitega, about 20 miles from the Kibimba Hospital. It should arrive at the hospital in a couple of days. This is the container that left in the first part of December. So it's been 3 months and our team and the container will arrive at about the same time. Isn't God's timing perfect?!
Please continue to pray for the team as they prepare to leave.
Click here to visit our website and get a printable prayer calender.
Click here to visit the blog for the Friends of Kibimba Hospital.

5 days!

This Valentine's Day, remember the ones you love! Please pray for Chris Stanfield, Debbie Brown, Karen Duncan, Travis Lee, Steve Brown, Dave Kellum, Keaghan Welter, Julie Kinser, Mae Kellum, Betty Dawley, Twila Flowers, Amanda Hicks, and Zana Jardina as they prepare their hearts, minds, and bodies for Burundi. Please click here if you would like to download and print a prayer calendar. I will also be updating a Twitter feed for our team of their daily prayer updates. If you would like, you can subscribe by following @Burundi2012. Thank you and always remember to pray for our team daily!

Less than one week until the team leaves!

Wow! I can't believe that the time for our team to leave is almost here! They leave in less than one week on Sunday! Their flight leaves at 12:50 from OKC on Sunday. Please continue to pray for our team as they prepare to leave. I have heard stories from the team of Satan attacking, including sickness, lack of funds, among other things. God is going to do some great things through our team going to Burundi, and I know that God is going to bring them through whatever Satan throws their way!

Here's our team.

Below is a team picture of the members going to Burundi to work at the Kibimba Hospital.

Our team includes (back row): Chris Stanfield, Debbie Brown, Karen Duncan, Travis Lee, Steve Brown, Dave Kellum
(front row): Keaghan Welter, Julie Kinser, Mae Kellum, Betty Dawley, Twila Flowers, Amanda Hicks
Not pictured is Zana Jardina

Our team leaves in about a week!

Our team had a very successful orientation meeting this last Saturday with everyone attending except one. Below is a slideshow from the orientation meeting.

Please pray for our team...

...as they prepare to leave.
There are only 19 more days until our team leaves for Burundi. We are excited for them as they experience Burundi and the Kibimba hospital. Just remember to check out the Kibimba hospital's blog here.
I am very excited to hear reports from the team and get to share all their e-mails with you.
Please pray for the team as they prepare to serve the Lord and the Burundi churches. They have an all day training this Saturday, Feb. 4.
The t-shirts for the team have arrived. Below is a picture of what the front and back looks like.
The front of the shirt has the theme verse for the trip, Rev. 14:4, and the back has the flag of Burundi on it.

The team has chosen Revelation 14:4 as their theme verse. It says, "They follow the Lamb, wherever He goes." If God calls our church to service in Burundi, we know that the Lamb is there. We just want to be obedient to follow Him, wherever He goes.
Our team is getting very excited to go in just a couple of weeks! I hope that you continue to pray for them as they serve over seas. Thanks again!
Kris

The team leaves in 32 Days!

We are excitedly anticipating the departure of our team from Chandler Friends on February 19th! They will be back on March 5th. I will be updating this blog directly from the members of the team. They will be sending me e-mails and I will put them in a blog.
We have been gathering supplies to send with our team. The things that we are collecting are painting supplies, crayons, pouches of tuna, boxed oatmeal, and other supplies.
Below is one of the 10 trunks that we have going to Burundi with our team in February. If you would like to be involved, or have questions, please contact the church office here or call at 405-258-0722.

The team from our church consists of Chris Stanfield, Karen Duncan, Betty Dawley, Travis Lee, Amanda Hicks, Keaghan Welter, Steve Brown, Debbie Brown, and Dave and Mae Kellum. Along with Twila Flowers from Crossroads Friends in Wichita KS, Julie Kinser from Bethel Friends in Hugoton, KS, and Zana Jardina from Bayshore Friends in Bayshore, TX.
Our church has taken spiritual ownership of the Kibimba Hospital, located in Burundi. You can find out more about the hospital here.
Our church is very excited to have this opportunity to serve right alongside the people of Burundi. Please follow this blog if you would like to be updated from our team in Burundi.