Meet the Bechtels, one of our missionary partners in Kenya, Africa. Bobby & Lisa have 3 precious boys. Ethan is the oldest. He is in the middle of the picture below. Conner is on the left and their youngest, Dylan, is on the right.

Conner, Bobby, Ethan, Lisa and Dylan Bechtel

Fox River's partnership with the Bechtels began in 2006 when Guy & I visited Kenya for the very first time. In 2007, Bobby started the church in Bomani with national Pastors Allan and Abraham.

Later that year our school was opened. It now has over 400 students and 40 staff members. We have a farm project in Bomani with goats and chickens that supports the nutrition center. Free, clean water is available to the community and an adult literacy class is offered.

The Bechtels also have 2 other schools on the north coast of Kenya. Their ministry serves over 1000 children! There are other ministries scattered around the country as well as they have helped start churches and have a large farm project developing to sustain the nutrition centers at their schools.

In the fall of 2013, their youngest son, Dylan, had to have surgery to repair a birth defect in his heart. The surgery was unsuccessful and Dylan had a series of serious strokes in the days after surgery. As Bobby & Lisa walked Dylan through that recovery they learned that they would not be able to return to live in Kenya. Dylan's health situation required him to be in the states near the doctors caring for him. In 2014, they once again tried the surgery and it was successful. Dylan has made a remarkable recovery! Since that time, Bechtels have lived in the United States. They travel the country spreading the word about what God is doing in Kenya and go to Kenya several times a year. They have great national pastors to carry on the ministries in their absence.

The boys love Kenya and were able to visit with their parents for the first time in June of 2015. These pictures were from that trip.