Sunday!
After the first horizontal sleep (for some of us) and a real life sound machine of calm Kenyan rain showers, we woke up more refreshed for a full day. Beth and Danna met a local elite team (KIPRUN) just as the sun came up at 6:30am to tour the dirt routes of Iten on foot, Carol (local Physician to Nairobi) and Virginia (AT) attended an early church service, and the rest of the team filled their cups with scripture, sleep, and/or coffee!
Running in Iten is a known and welcomed way of life. It is a training Mecca for all levels of runners in and outside of Kenya due to the altitude (>8,000 ft), various terrain options (tarmac road, dirt trail, Singore forest trails, dirt tracks, and grass surface), ideal climate (50 degree lows, 70 degree highs during this season), and numerous groups of training teams who welcome runners from all over the world to visit and train together. It was an honor to share miles (kilometers) this morning with such kind, humble, and welcoming athletes. Beth shared the dirt path Abbigail who is training for her debut marathon in Paris in April. Danna ran alongside Mercy (also training for Paris Marathon), Micha and 7 other of his training partners on a 16k loop. If there is one thing about international travel learned: running provides more views of the area and opportunity to develop conversation and relationship with locals. Micha may have even invited “Diana-Binana” to his wedding next year.
The RTR regrouped following breakfast time and attended AIC Kongosis-Eldoret Church. Wow. It is hard to describe how special this entire experience was. The 2 hour service was filled with K-Swahili hymns, scripture, message from a visiting pastor, introductions and welcoming of our RTR team, tithing with gifts from a family’s local garden (Kenyan kale, bananas), and a recession out of church that was so fun and new to many of us.
Before we said our goodbyes, we were invited back into the newly built (and continuing to be built) church for “pop” and more fellowship. The theme of this country and their way of life continues to be seen, heard, and felt with every big Kenyan smile, genuine “Karibu” (welcome) spoke, and hand slap-turned grip-turned secret handshake plus strong hug. This church service was a reminder from the Man above that “all are welcome here” and this special group of families and friends shared that every visitor to them is a gift to be celebrated and prayed for.
There are experiences in life that feel like the world stops for a moment and you are given a sense of feeling free, feeling fully present where your feet are, and embraced by the ones around you. This service was just that…That, being God…doing His thing.
Sunday afternoon was spent at Wesley Korir’s Transcend Academy. This was founded in 20___ and is home to 150 Kenyan youth athletes who have a unique opportunity to live year round onsite with education, training, worship, and adolescent growth as a family. We were given a brief tour of the grounds which includes buildings for lodging, classes, dining, and soon-to-be dirt track with a stadium built around it. This entire academy was started for Boston Marathon Champion (2012), 2x LA Marathon Champion, and Kenyan diplomat
Wesley Korir. His brother, John Korir, Chicago Marathon champion (2024) lives, trains, and assists with coaching the athletes onsite.
Our visit included introductions to the student-athletes followed by injury consults and prescription exercises specific to each athlete and their symptoms. It was not lost on us as providers that these young athletes carry much strength and youth, but also pressure to run for their position in the academy and wisdom to shut it down or share of any pain if a “whisper” starts to speak in their growing body. In order to not hear that whisper scream, our mission today was to educate each athlete regarding injury and potential cause along with exercises to perform and continue with consistently or prevent further injury.
We enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many timid, humble, hard working, and gracious young men and women. Each of us as providers prayed one-on-one with athletes after the consult if desired and when asked “what is on your heart today”, every athlete (I myself) interviewed said “I am happy today. I am happy to be here”. And to that replied “I think I can work with that, and I know God welcomes us to work with that”…whether storms or sun, God wants us to run to him in prayer for all things.
Back at the Too Guesthouse, Simon (RTR member and pastor) safely arrived and joined up for late home cooked meal of chapati bread (dense savory tortilla), chicken, coleslaw, and stewed peas followed by tea with our Bible study was the fuel we needed after a full but fun and fulfilling day together working through Him. Hebrews 12 focuses on the attitude of Christ and how we can take on the attitude of Christ. Placing others before us, having less and giving more, meeting each other where we are, and doing the little things right…makes the big things possible, through Him. Fix our eyes on the Lord and remember we are sought, pursued, and saved by Him. Always.
Prayer requests:
Storms: None! Praise the Lord for His protection and peace in our day.
Suns: Beth’s bag was found and en route to Iten! Continued connections with God’s people: Eldoret church community, Transcend student-athletes and staff, Simon’s safe arrival to Iten and joining the RTR team, and safe drives to our destinations
Adventure On!