Sunny and warm are two words I never thought I would use when writing about our time in Winnipeg, but that’s exactly what it’s been!  The kids were well prepared with their toques, mitts, scarfs, coats, but they’ve barely had need for them.  We are so thankful for warm weather!

Sunday morning we hopped on the bus and headed to to Gospel Mennonite Church for two morning services.  Pastor Al Letkemen welcomed us warmly to the church and the MCF Choir led the congregation in worship with their songs and testimonies.  We were pleasantly surprised to meet a couple families from Machakos in Kenya who are actually from the same Kumba tribe as the Mulli family!  The choir was very excited to speak in Swahili and chat about their experiences in Canada with fellow friends from Kenya. 

Between the two services, another member of our team – MCFCF board member, Michael Crane – arrived in Winnipeg to join the Western leg of the tour.  The kids were very excited to see him but of course wanted to give him a hard time for flying instead of doing the 2.5 day trek on the bus, so they punished him by speaking to him only in Swahili!  That didn’t last long as they were too excited to have another Canadian ‘rafiki’ along for the trip.

After the services we headed back to the team’s home base at North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren (NKMB) church for some R&R before the evening event there.  The show was packed with over 700 people and the response was incredible.  It was a sepcial pleasure for the team to present at NKBM because it’s the home church of two MCFCF board members – Arvid Loewen and Paul Boge – who have been active advocates for MCF in Winnipeg.  

Arvid is an extreme cyclist who has been raising awareness and funds for the children at MCF in Kenya through cycling challenges that would put Lance Armstrong to shame!  Just this past July, Arvid cycled 8,090 km in 23 days in a challenge called the Tour for Life, raising $275,000 to help purchase the food MCF cannot grow for the children under their care.  Anyone who has met Arvid, knows that he is a man of commitment and compassion that unselfishly devotes all of himself to helping the vulnerabl children in Kenya. 

Paul Boge is the author of Father to the Fatherless, the story of Charles Mulli and the founding of the Mully Children’s Family.  If you’ve read the book, I don’t need to explain it’s power.  If you haven’t read it, you really should!  I cannot begin to tell you how many people have heard about MCF because of the book, and more importantly, have been saved after reading the book.  It’s a true testament that God is alive and working miracles today, and the incredible things that God can accomplish with just one life that is wholely committed to him.  Paul is currently doing research for a sequel to Father to the Fatherless that will focus more on the stories of the children at MCF that have been rescued from the streets – so stay tuned for that gem!

It was special for everyone from NKMB and the surrounding community to finally meet the Mulli family and the choir and see the faces of the children they have been helping by supporting Arvid’s cycling initiatives and by reading and passing along copies of Father to the Fatherless. 

NKMB – thank you for your support and love over the years!  We hope you enjoyed the show!