Harris Family Update #3

Greetings! We wanted to share a brief update with you, to keep you informed and to help you know how to continue to pray for our family. Our plans have changed, and we are learning to lean into the Lord and HIS plans all along the way. We had originally planned to try to have the required testing for Covid 19 for our family done in Kisumu (where we are from). We were thinking to wait until Monday to travel to Nairobi, and board the plane for America that same evening.

However, things did not go as planned … Due to the time sensitive nature of the Covid testing: (72 hours before travel…but no longer than that). The amount of time it takes to process the results (at least 24 hours, but more likely 48 hours), AND the fact that the tests must be done by a “registered/qualified” facility – we had to make some last minute changes in travel.

On Monday (the 27th) was our 11-year anniversary of our time in Kenya. We had a sweet little celebration of this special milestone as a family. We also heard that same day the news that the borders would remain open for international travel.

We were able to enjoy an incredibly special celebration on Wednesday: where our friends and family (by the blood of Jesus) just showered us with love and appreciation and supported us through the sharing of prayers and words of encouragement. We were overwhelmed by how blessed we have been to have lived alongside and loved and been SO loved by these friends! Truly one of God’s greatest gifts to our family over all the years have been coming to know and love and be able to call so many people our friends. We were SO very blessed by this last special time together with everyone.

And we are in Nairobi (the capitol) now! 

We left Kisumu very early Thursday morning, and arrived yesterday late afternoon/evening.

We were able to do the Covid testing for our whole family today (Friday). It did take quite some time, and for the kids it was a little traumatic (only because they were worried about the whole ordeal). We are so proud of them though. The kids were real troopers: super patient, cooperative and uncomplaining. And super supportive and encouraging with one another (some were much more worried than others).

God was good, and we are very grateful that He helped it to happen today. But it was a lot, and we are hoping and praying that we do not have to do it all over again. So, please do pray with us, according to the will of the Lord: that the tests will be processed in a timely manner, that ALL results for every member of our family will come back negative, and that we will be able to get the official “stamp of approval” to travel on Monday, as we had planned.

Thank you for all of the love and support we have been shown every step of this journey. Your thoughts and prayers for our family mean SO much to us.

In Christ,
Brad and Ellie Harris and family