Team

Lynn Bristow

"I am a Registered Nurse at Cy-Fair Hospital. I am married with two children. I wanted to go to Africa because it would be unlike anything I had ever done. I also think I could use my experience as a R.N. to be a ministry to the people. Melanie has always wanted to go to Africa on a mission trip. I thought this would be special trip for us to take together before she goes to college in the Fall. I expect that I will be taught so much by the people of Maua and also by the people on my team. I want to make new friends, friends for a lifetime. I'd also like to see how the Maua Methodist Hospital and Nursing School operate on a day to day basis."

Melanie Bristow

Betty Duelm

"Since I was very young, I have felt a call to go to Africa. I have had the opportunity to listen to many missionaries who have been in Africa. When this opportunity came I had to say yes. I hope to come back with a better understanding of missions and what that means, and a desire to be more committed to missions. I'm sure God has wonderful things in store for me both as a member of a mission team as well as a participant in the work projects."

Shannon Duelm

"I cannot wait until June 18, it can't come fast enough. I have envisioned going to Africa since I was a litte girl. I have never known in what capacity that might be, but now I do...as a short term missionary, at least for now. My mom asked me if I wanted to go on this trip and I said sure, as any good daughter would (but not really being serious). But as the deadline approached, I really thought that this would be a great opportunity. I am currently attending Asbury Theological Seminary in the bustling metropolis of Wilmore, KY (pop. 6,000). I am a world missions and evangelism major and therefore am currently exploring different areas of the world to see where God might want me long term. I have never visited Africa, but there is already a passion for it in my heart. I want to go on this trip to be stretched, to help stretch others and to continue to help develop the desire and hear the call for missions at Lakewood United Methodist Church."

Jeff Eby

"I have been away from the church for most of my adult life. My wife Kim and I came back to the church in the mid-nineties and discovered a new meaning and purpose for our lives. As I have grown as a Christian, I have begun volunteering more. I feel God smiles when we step outside our comfort zone. I am always both excited and nervous about the unknown adventure that waits ahead when I consider voluneering. I always feel inadaquate to the task. But it is by volunteering despite that feeling that I have come to learn and trust that God is with us and our struggles will serve to glorify Him when done in the same loving spirit of servanthood that Christ showed us. Miracles happen when you answer God's call. It is funny. We go to be a blessing to others and we end up being the one blessed. My expectations for this trip are that we will discover in a special and unexpected way how God knows us, loves us, and blesses us"

Josh Gibbs

"I was born and raised in Houston, attended Texas A&M University and got a BA in Anthropology. I am currently working as an archeological technician (read: low-ranking archeologist) for an environmental consulting firm. I have always had a desire to travel and learn how other cultures live, and my education in Anthropology only fueled that desire. In the long run I would like to use my education (plus more schooling) in an international aid area.

I became interested in this trip after hearing a missionary speak one Sunday morning. It sounded like something I would want to do. Travel and help our fellow human beings. Since then I have joined the church and the Kenya Mission Team. In the end what is more important: how much money you make, how often you attend church, or how much good you do, or at least try to do?

I don't expect much out of this trip, other than a life altering experience. Actually I would like to return home with a better understanding of life in Kenya and the problems they are facing. As well as the knowledge that we did all we could do with the time we had. Also I would like to have made some new friends, within the team and in Kenya. But most importantly I am open to any lessons God sees fit to teach me."

Judy Jackson

"I am a long time member of Lakewood United Methodist Church. I am a wife, mother and grandmother. I have spent more than half of my life serving others through various volunteer organizations and my profession as a social worker. When the opportunity to serve in Kenya was presented to LUMC I felt drawn and directed to sign up instantly. I have had a deep compassion for the suffering of the people of Africa for many years. I have wondered what I could do as an individual to show God's love to the people. I feel that God has provided this opportunity for my personal and spiritual growth. I anticipate receiving blessings beyond my comprehension in just getting to know my Kenyan brothers and sisters. I will work and serve to my greatest ability and, with God's help, show His love in every event."

Jim Robertson

"My wife Ginny and I have been LUMC members for about three years. We have two grown, married daughters (Jeff, this will be true as of 5/8/04!), one of whom lives in Houston, and the other who lives in St. Louis. I am a geologist and am retired from ChevronTexaco.

What lead me to volunteer for the Kenya mission team - I feel we are all called to service in whatever church family which we choose to join. My service in prior churches has generally been through roles in a variety of "committee type" roles with some local mission type experience. Since joining LUMC I have seen a very strong local mission program, as well as a broadening of the mission outreach to the international community of Christ. Last year through the opportunity provided by LUMC, I participated in my first international mission experience in Jamaica. What I experienced on that trip confirmed that the international mission experience provides something not available in any other setting. As a team from LUMC we shared our skills and faith with Methodists whom we met in Jamaica. However, we also gained so much from other Christians who in fact have so much to share with us, even when it appears they have so little.

I have the time at this point in my life to commit to something like this, and I feel that it is truly something that I should do while trusting in the Lord for guidance and strength as I go forward.

My expectatons are to share my faith and skills with others whom I hope can benefit from my doing this. Grow in my own faith as I meet other Christians from a significantly different cultural background than my own. Get to know and grow with other LUMC members as we share this team effort."

Louella Roush

"I am Louella Roush, a versatile volunteer, who likes to grow in knowledge and wisdom on my Christian journey. I was raised and schooled in rural Southern Ohio and married Wayne 39 years ago in June. I have a degree in home economics education from Ohio University and a recently acquired master of science in occupational technology from the University of Houston. We moved to Houston in 1987 from West Virginia with our daughter Valerie who was then a teenager. Now she’s married with two children and I am a grandmother. I volunteered for this mission to Africa because I have never been there. I like to travel and am always fascinated with how people live and adapt to situations. I want to see how God’s love works in their culture and is tested in my heart. It will be a challenge because I want to use my knowledge and experience to make things better and easier in for people. On this trip especially I will need to accept what I cannot change, have the courage to change what I can and remember that this is God’s world after all."

Wayne Roush

Johnnie Thompson

I was born in Eunice, Louisiana. Went to college at Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, Louisiana. Received a BA in Social Science Education and a Minor in Business. Never taught, but spent most of my working career as a Secretary for Insurance and Oil Companies. Met my husband, Gary in Shreveport, Louisiana and was married in 1975. He worked for Texas Eastern and was transferred to Houston in 1976 and we have lived here ever since. I worked for Gulf Oil here in Houston until 1982, when we adopted our son, William. At that time I made the decision to leave Gulf Oil to be a "stay at home" mom.

While William was growing up, I spent most of my time, volunteering at the schools he attended and participating in the activities that he was involved in.......PTO, Homeroom Mom, Baseball Mom, Cub Scout Leader, Band Mom, etc. At church, I was President of a UMW group, worked in vacation Bible School, was a sub for Sunday School and the Nursery. We have been members of Lakewood United Methodist for approximately 17 or 18 years (can't remember the exact date that we joined). Don Little was pastor when we first started attending.

Gary is an engineer and works for Optimized Process Designs, Inc.
William is currently a junior at Rice University majoring in Computer Science and Art.

My hobbies include tennis, softball and traveling. I enjoy entertaining out of town guests and all of William's friends...when the come home....which is less often every year!

I have taken a couple of years off from the heavy duty volunteering but am now ready to start back, doing something that I have been wanting to do for a very long time. That would be mission work. Being a full time "mom" , I never felt the timing was right, but now that my only child is in college and will soon be on his own, I feel like God has spoken to me by putting this opportunity before me to fulfill not only one of my dreams, but to fulfill his calling. He has started me out on a pilgrimage that I hope will continue through the coming years, walking with me each step of the way, giving me the wisdom and understanding to show the unconditional love of Jesus to others through mission work.

I visited South Africa this past summer as a tourist, and that is where I really felt the presence of God calling me to do his work, opening my eyes and heart to the needs of others. When I came back, I mentioned to my Bible Study group that I felt strongly about getting involved in mission work. Then God started talking to me through various sources. He brought Diane Wimberley back into my life (I had not seen her in eight years) and after hearing her speak and church and then having lunch with her and listening to her amazing stories about Bolivia I was inspired once again. Then God spoke to me again on mission fair Sunday and I took the plunge and signed up for the Kenya trip. Two days later, a member of my Bible Study group called me and said that she had a revelation from God, that morning, to talk to me about missions. At this point she had no idea that I had even signed up for the Kenya Mission trip or was even thinking about it. I believe that I got the calling from God in more ways than one. Isn't it wonderful how God works in such mysterious ways! I now feel very fortunate, blessed and thankful that God has allowed me to be a member of such a wonderful team, working together, sharing His love with others and glorifying His name.

My expectations for this trip are, that the Lord will know that I am available to be used by him each day, that he will guide me and lead me in what I say and do. That my words and actions will be a witness that he is living in me. To those that are lonely, I hope to be their friend and to those with heavy burdens, I pray that he will help me to meet their needs and use me to glorify His name. I feel that I don't have enough to offer, but I will give it my all. I pray that God will guide me to be what HE wants me to be. I expect that I will probably gain a lot more than I will give.

Mary Warren

"I am age 55, still learning, still growing. I am a yoga instructor helping people to get/stay in shape; helping them learn to destress and relax. Member of LUMC and Society of St. Stephen, now known as St. Matthews Mission, a community outreach group, for over 20 years. I see our Kenya mission as community outreach as well, just that the community we are reaching out to is all the way to East Africa.

I am fortunate to have been born in America where my generation seems to have all our needs readily met with seemingly so littly effort when compared to most of the world. Science tells us that man originated in Africa and I feel drawn to that continent, that we are all "out of Africa". I guess I want more than a PBS special or to listen to Paul Simon's Graceland. And when Lakewood announced this mission, I felt I should go now and visit with my neighbors while I am able. Let me help them, in whatever small way that I can, with their struggle to provide a better life for themselves and their children. I expect I will come home with a bit of first-hand knowledge of these people of Kenya, East Africa, and I will feel my world getting smaller, more inclusive for we really are all one."

Colin Wilkinson

"I have been interested in supporting missionaries and missions since I was a youth, but it was not until retirement that I began to be more fully involved. I have lead a number of mission teams to work with missionaries in Costa Rica, Bolivia and Kenya and find it such a reward to be able to "give back" after receiving so many blessings. It is truly an uplifting experience to share the love of Christ on a mission trip and experience with the people of other cultures the way in which they praise the Lord.

I have extended my missions involvement in two other ways: 1) by assisting the Texas Conference Partners in Mission program to send thousands of Texas Methodists on mission trips every year to needy places in the US and around the world, and 2) with Medical Bridges, where we collect unused medical supplies and ship them to mission hospitals and clinics overseas.

Maua Methodist Hospital in Kenya has a special place in my heart. I have been visiting there annually for the last five years to help the missionaries revitalize a hospital built by Methodists in 1929. It is wonderful to return to see old friends, smiling faces and a vibrant hospital, serving an area of 600,000 people......people who may not have much in the way of worldly goods, but who can teach us so much about faith in our Lord.

This year it is particularly exciting to lead the first Lakewood team to Kenya. God has much in store for us!"

Joyce Wilkinson

"Once upon a time, and far, far away, the minister of my church said to me "Joyce, why don't you become a missionary?" Obviously I did not take him seriously. But perhaps he knew something that I didn't because all through my married life God seems to have been putting me in the path of missionaries as we lived in West Africa, Egypt and now the USA. I became deeply interested in their work and when the opportunity arose to be a Partner in Mission, it sounded just the right thing to do. Kenya is especially close to my heart having been there three times and now looking forward to a fourth visit. Since this is Lakewood's first venture into the Kenya mission I really felt that I could be useful not only as a missionary, but also as an experienced person on the team. Sadly, it seems this was not to be this year because of unexpected surgery. However, I have enjoyed being a part of the preparations with the team members and will continue to be one with them in spirit."