Television news has reported that North Africa is covered with cells of terrorist groups which are moving south on the African continent.  Most of you will remember that our embassy in Nairobi was bombed in 1998 by terrorists.  Therefore, several weeks before I arrived in Kenya in July 2006, my brother had already made plans for my departure in case it became necessary.  If a plan hadn’t already been in place, there would not have been enough time to execute it safely.  I knew nothing about what he had done until the Thursday afternoon before I left on Saturday. On Monday of the week I left, my brother was given the information about the threat on my life and immediately activated the plan.  He didn’t tell me about the threat at first because he wanted me to act as if nothing was wrong.  Within a few hours after the threat was revealed, men were watching me and my house to ensure my safety, and my brother began sending a barrage of emails telling me I needed to leave Kenya immediately.  I felt safe where I was and God hadn’t told me to leave, so that’s what I emailed back to him.  Then on Thursday morning he sent an email in which he detailed what a terrorist group would do to someone they captured and made even stronger statements about the necessity for me to get out of there. I began to pray more earnestly.  As I prayed I heard (not audibly), two voices:  one said, Stay, the other said, Go.  I immediately recognized spiritual warfare was taking place.  A good friend had sent me these Bible verses:  One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”  (Acts 18:9-10)  These verses helped get me through some uncertain times while I was in Kenya and they gave me peace that I was safe.  But my friend also included this verse:  After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there…. (Acts 18:23)  When my eyes fell on this verse, I felt the peace of God and knew then that God was the One telling me to go.  The enemy (Satan) was using the other verses to keep me there. I then emailed my brother that the Lord had told me to leave.  He immediately sent back the message stating I was going to be kidnapped and killed on Sunday morning, February 3, 2008, at 7:00 a.m.  I was shocked!  I began sobbing and had to walk away from the computer.  I went back to my bedroom where I had been praying and wept until I suddenly began rejoicing.  I told the Lord that I must have done something right for them to want me dead. My brother began sending me detailed directions to follow that I shouldn’t question, just obey.  I trusted him completely and had total peace that God was controlling every aspect of the extraction, which was intense and involved a lot of men my brother trusted.  I could use my cell phone and computer only for the purpose of making flight arrangements.  God miraculously provided the means to travel to the airport in Eldoret to fly to Nairobi to connect with the international flights home.  All of that was accomplished within 36 hours. The details of that journey were told in the last update which I sent after arriving in the US. The kidnapping plan was confirmed when four men arrived at my property on that Sunday morning at the right time.  I thank my great God and Savior I wasn’t there!  I later thought about how the Lord had already prepared for this event even before I left the US and used my brother whose efforts saved my life.  I call him Superman! It took several weeks after arriving in the US for the shock and trauma of all that happened to fade away.  During those first few weeks, I was afraid to go anywhere by myself since I had been warned not to do so before I left Kenya.   After the shock wore off, I realized I was going through a grieving process for the people who had become such good friends and were now suffering so greatly, for the churches and all that still needed to be done for them, and for a country that was once a stable, prosperous model for other African countries but is now at the mercy of terrorists.  A few weeks ago I heard from an evangelist friend who is working with one of the many slums in Nairobi.  He said food prices have tripled and continue to rise weekly so that now he and his family can afford only one meal a day.  Eldoret was experiencing more deadly violence last month.  Henry said a few days ago that food and other supplies are in very short supply, but they’re expecting some items to arrive by next month.  Gas is now $8.00 a gallon.   I’ve been able to communicate with Henry via the internet and cell phone so I can keep up with the progress of the churches and the welfare of the people and send encouragement and information to them.  Most of the churches are still meeting regularly with good attendance.  God’s people are enduring their hardships and going on with their lives even in the midst of great fear.  The two pastors I have been sending to theological school were able to continue their education last month.  Hopefully, they will earn their diplomas soon, and then they can teach the other pastors.   The Lord has been giving me many opportunities to share all that He did while I was in Kenya and the miraculous story of my safe return.  A friend is helping to write a book about it.  When I look back at what I’ve been through, it’s like watching a movie.  It doesn’t seem real.   Only God knows if I will ever return to Kenya.  As long as the terrorists are there, it isn’t safe for me to return.  Henry is still living on the property and taking care of my house and car and so far everything is still in good shape.   I wondered why the Lord let me build a house when He knew it wouldn’t be long before I had to leave.  Let me share what He has revealed about it.  In an earlier update I told about the property being in the shape of a triangle representing the triune God:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Therefore, the property is a reminder that God is there.  The house is built on a solid rock foundation and we know that Jesus is that Solid Rock.  The workers had to dig through the rock into the side of the hill to make a level place to build, so it’s built into the cleft of the rock, the place where God keeps us safe.  After I returned home, the Lord brought to mind the Ebenezer stone that Samuel set up (1 Samuel 7:12).  Ebenezer means the Lord is our help and the house is made of stone.  All of this means the house is a reminder to the people that God loves them and He is there to help them and keep them safe in Jesus Christ.  Just this week the Lord told me to let the people use the house for the Bible school/training center which is sorely needed.  A set of commentaries and other books used in the theological school in Nairobi are already there for the pastors and others to use.  Many details about the school must be worked out, but I know the Lord will accomplish His perfect will I told this story at a missions conference recently where the Bible teacher shared 1 Corinthians 3:6:  I [Paul] planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  This verse brought everything into perspective for me.  Paul and Apollos shared the gospel and discipled the people in the churches for a certain length of time and then moved on to other places.  After they left, God used the people they discipled to continue the work and grow His churches.  I had to leave, but God is still there working through the people.  In fact since I left they have started another church at Kipkoimet Tea Estate.  Mungu ni mwema!  God is good! By the way, you read above the verses that helped me decide whether to go or stay.  After arriving home I was amazed to read that Acts 18:11 says: So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.  That’s exactly how long I was in Kenya. Please pray with me for the people of Kenya as Paul did in Philippians 1:3-6:  I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  NIV As always, thank you for your prayers!  God is still at work. Mungu awabariki!Judy