AN OKEHAMPTON couple have returned from Kenya where they led a teaching conference in Nairobi and met African pastors and their wives. Chris and Brenda Bourne from Inspiration (Church of the Nations) in Okehampton recently visited Nairobi as the invited guests of Bishop Isaiah Challo who had asked them to minister to the lives of Kenyan pastors and their families. The focus of the conference which ran at the end of April, was on teaching lifestyle fundamental values and basic truths. Joining the Okehampton team for the Kenyan trip were Matt and Ellie Parsons from Connections (Church of the Nations) in Cardiff. This was the first trip to Kenya for both Brenda Bourne and Ellie Parsons. The team were based at a guest home in Rusam. The team ministered to the pastors morning and evening with an afternoon seminar that was split into men and women only groups. At the end of the conference, the team visited the orphanage in Umoja 2 district, located close to the Living Waters International Centre set up by Bishop Challo. Brenda said: ?My trip to Kenya was both rewarding and challenging. ?It seemed as if I had been there many times before, I felt quite at home. On the whole the food was good, although the goat and chicken were very tough and chewy.? She added: ?Each evening Elle and I led a question and sharing session with just the ladies. This showed us that there are many issues that woman face in their culture.? Brenda said she also had to turn her hand to teaching children while in Kenya: ?Sunday school with about 200 children aged between three and 12 years old was awesome and hectic. ?We were called to speak to 13 to 20-year-olds and before we had actually finished the Sunday school, already 100 had turned up waiting for the session to begin. So we had to quickly put our teaching hats on and a quick prayer outside the door to help us focus. ?We did craft activities with both groups, which meant we had to work really hard as all the teachers wanted to do the craft activity as well. ?The children said ?Teacher I need sellotape, teacher I need scissors, teacher I need?? coming at us from every angle.? Brenda said they left all the craft materials behind, a gesture which was really appreciated by the young people. Inspiration will also be providing speakers for a national Youth Conference in Kenya in December, and for the African Dominion Conference to be held in August 2007.