From April 22nd through May 1st I got to visit our long term missionaries in Kenya. I went to Kenya with a purpose in mind, but God had more plans in mind. Maybe you too are being called to Kenya, or maybe God is just calling you to the mission field in general and He is just waiting for you to take the step of faith. You can read my account below and see that God has plans for us that we may not have scheduled into our calendars. Maybe its time to take that step of faith.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So you think you are going to Kenya to be able to hang out with some friends. Do some talking and laughing. And do a lot of catching up due to the fact that you live some 8,000 miles apart.
But God doesn't just send us to places for no apparent reason. Or even when we think we have reasons, God has bigger and greater plans for us.
I spent 9 (ended up being 10 due to a 24 hour plane mishap) days in Kenya where I had a job and a point of being there. I was there to spend time with our Kenya missionaries and help them clarify their calling for Kenya and to help push them along the way of getting it done. I was there to hang out and hear stories and encourage them in what they were doing.
God saw this as just a small part in a much bigger plan.
On the first trip down to the camp I got to sit and talk with Courtney, one of our missionaries in Kenya, where she told me a story about a family in the camp who is very dear to her heart. She told me that the mother and the youngest daughter have been gone for nearly 10 days now leaving behind the 3 boys to fend for themselves. Mom was only going to be gone a short while to visit some family. 10 days later, Dennis is man of the house; at an age of 13.
Dennis has to take care of his two younger brothers. Cook the food. Wash the clothes. Clean the house. Tend to the garden. Prepare for tomorrow, which he has no idea what it holds in store. Tomorrow?
Well, today, Dennis and his brothers ran out of food. Mom is still not home and the food is gone. Neighbors cannot help because three more mouths too feed is too much. They cannot give what little extra they have because they do not want to bring shame upon the mother of this family. So the boys go to bed hungry.
And the boys wake up hungrier. With no food in sight and no hope for today.
God brought me to Kenya for so much more than what I had "planned." A huge part of the reason I was brought to Kenya was to see Dennis' smile and to know his story. Living in America, we can grow numb to the atrocities around the world. Children going hungry in an IDP camp because there is no family around to take care of them; that is not something that crosses my mind every night.
But God wanted to re-open my eyes. To remind me that while I work for a missionary organization, so much more happens around the world that I need to remember and keep in mind so that I don't grow numb to the things I do. I help send people around the world to provide hope and life to people just like Dennis.
On my last day in the camp, Cris (another one of the team members) and I walked from the back of the camp to the front to the Dukas where we were able to pick up some rations for Dennis and his brothers. Then we trekked back to Dennis' home and snuck the goods into his 10 x 10 foot tent. No one was home so then we searched out Dennis and brought him home to show him that God had provided food and that tomorrow was going to be ok.
God let me be a part of that story. God used that story to remind me of what I am a missionary for. It is so much more than sitting in a cubicle. So much more than answering emails 24/7. So much more than making phone calls and running errands.
I am a missionary so that I can see Dennis smile.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you interested in hearing more about what is happening in Kenya through Adventures In Missions? Sign up on the left hand side of the blog to receive updates each time a new blog is written!! Maybe you are ready to take the leap of faith and head off to the mission field, Click here to see our Kenya trips for 2012 and 2013 and also to view all of our other trips!!
Are you interested in going to Kenya in July?!! Below is a blog from our Missionaries in Kenya who have been working with the people of the Internally Displaced People Camp. You can check out their blog: www.kenya.theworldrace.org and see all the stories they have to share. Things are happening in Kenya and we want you to be a part of making the difference!! ____________________________________________________________________________________
We have now given out 4 micro-loans and have started 4 small businesses! You can read about Veronicah's duka here and Peter's rock quarry here!
Recently, we have helped Lawrence and Jeremiah start their own businesses.
Before his family was displaced, Lawrence worked as a tailor. Unable to continue in this profession, he has done manual labor for the past few years to support his wife and two young children. But his dream has always been to own his own tailoring business.
We loaned Lawrence $700 to start a tailoring business. He purchased a sewing machine, materials, and shares a shop with Jeremiah. He calls his business "Vision Tailoring." When we told him he would be receiving a loan, his eyes lit up with such joy. He had already been gaining customers and had been making beautiful clothing. He is living his dream and is now able to support his family with a consistent income, working at something he loves to do.
However, please be praying for Lawrence. Last week as he was headed to his shop, he was in a car accident. The matatu (a van that serves as public transport here) that he was riding in flipped several times. Thankfully, he only broke his collar bone and he and his family are doing fine. Please pray for healing and quick recovery as he will be unable to work for the next five weeks.
Jeremiah is a 27-year-old young man who lives in Camp Vision. Jeremiah has been doing casual labor for the past four years, finding work wherever he can. He worked as a barber before the elections, and has dreamt ever since to open his own barbershop.
We loaned Jeremiah $300 to start a business. He named his shop "Zion Kinyozi." He has purchased most of his supplies and has already gotten a lot of business! He is joyful and thankful that God has given him the opportunity to pursue this dream.
God is transforming lives here, and one of the ways He is doing so is through employment. He is giving men and women choice and opportunity, something they haven't had in four years, something so precious and priceless. No amount of money can buy that.
Thank you for caring. Thank you for praying. Thank you for supporting this. We always want to give you a tangible look into what God is doing here and lives He is impacting.
Four lives have already been changed forever, but there are still so many families who are struggling, so many who need opportunity.
In the next blog, I will be giving some specific ways that you can get more involved in what God is doing here. But as always, we welcome your prayers. Pray for our four friends and that God would bless their businesses incredibly, especially over this holiday season as they get started. We know God moves here in incredible ways because you pray. Thank you!
An
encouraging reminder of the heart of worship from Patrice Deaton. . .
Her
shoes were on the wrong feet. She was smaller and less coordinated than
the rest of the children. She did not really know the steps to the dance
or the words to the song, but she was filled with JOY!
I couldn't stop
smiling as I watched this 3 year old dance one Sunday that we spent with the
Maasai tribe. In the church we were visiting nearly the whole church at some
point got up in front and performed a song for the congregation. When the
children got up you could tell they hadn't practiced much and that they didn't
really care, they just enjoyed the fact that they were up in front of people to
perform songs about the Lord.
I
have watched a lot of children sing in church and I am confident that most
children's choirs wouldn't get up in front of the church to sing as
disorganized as they were, and if they did they might not get asked back for a
while. When did everything in church become so well organized and need to
be so perfect? When did it become about performance rather than
worship? I'm not saying that all performances at church aren't worship
filled,\ I am just questioning why we practice for months for a performance and
then after church at lunch we criticize the whole performance.
As
I watched this little girl dance and sing in front of the congregation I was
overcome with joy. She's not going to apologize for not fitting
in. She has no clue she was far behind the other children the whole time. Her
mother didn't come and grab her out of the front because she wasn't fitting in
or because she was embarrassing her parents. No one told her she was doing it
wrong. At 3 years old she gets worship better than all of us, no
expectations, no quotas, just follow your heart and the Spirit of God and honor
the Lord.
Her
testimony at 3 years old is POWERFUL... dance, sing and worship the Lord
as he leads you and DO NOT EVER BE ASHAMED! May God challenge you through her
powerful testimony! Worship the King of Kings with wild abandon!!! *
Please
be praying for all of us. Thanks for all of your support!
Feedback
from a Real Life participant, Holli-Noelle Lemke...
I am blown away by how God has impacted me within
the last three months. I have always wanted to go to Africa. I thought Africa
needed me. Yes, the people here are lacking in areas where I have more than my
daily bread. I can come in and hand out some buns and bags of ugoli. I can give
away my extra shoes and shirts. But what the people here need is God's love and
his truth. I am humbled that our Lord has chosen me to be the one to come and
do that for his children. I have realized in my time spent in Kenya that I
needed Kenya more than it needed me. I have been shown God's love, faithfulness,
truth, grace, hospitality- the list goes on and on- in the people living here
so much more than I have shown it to them. They have been the ones to change my
life, rather than me changing theirs.
Fundraising Goal :: 2010
AIM
Kenya's goal is to raise $50,000 this year that will be distributed between the
school and the orphanage to provide school supplies and update the school
itself, to provide tools for learning and a more efficient learning
environment. Also to provide the orphanage with food, housing, clothes and
staff support that are a part of the commitment that we as an organization and
as the hands of Christ made to the people and children of Kenya.
:: Support AIM Kenya! ::
Thank
you for your partnership in our ministry in Kenya; you are changing lives for
the glory of Christ through your prayers and financial support. Please join our
efforts and help us meet our financial goal for 2010. You may make a secure
donation online at www.adventures.org/giveplease designate the gift to "Kenya Base" Or you can mail a donation to
Adventures In Missions P.O. Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353-4470 If you have any questions or comments regarding our ministry
in Kenya or making a financial contribution to our efforts there, please
contact Donor Relations at 1-800- 881-2461.
Real Life Team
This past fall 12 students and 6 leaders headed to Kenya for the first Real Life team since Fall 2007.
Training camp was a great jumpstart to the journey as many of our team members grew in the faith and grew as a "new family" with their team. On September 15th we boarded a plane and the adventure began. The first few days were spent sleeping, and acclimating to their surroundings; and then we jumped right in.
The team headed to Webuye for 10 days and partnered with Alpha Christian Ministries. During that time they participated in a youth conference, prison ministry and many other activities.
The team came back to Nairobi and ministry was up and running. Six students were part of the pilot-tutoring program at New Adventures School. The other six were involved with clinic work and a feeding program in Kibera. The team also spent time at a local boys detention center and became involved in the local churches in Kibera.
Those six weeks flew by and before we knew it, the team was heading to nearby Eburru to continue their ministry. VBS and children's programs were a large part of their time spent there.
The team grew spiritually as well as emotionally and mentally. They loved to have fun and throughout the twelve weeks spent much time learning the language and spending time with the local people. Many of them left Kenya with a piece of their heart still there! Our team verse for the trip was Philippians 4:8. God did great things with this team while they were in Kenya!
New Adventure School Update: A note from our principal George Odhiambo
New Adventure School is a community-based project in Kibera, Kenya. The school sponsors orphans and vulnerable children in the slum community through education, nutrition, sports, care and support.
In the 2008 school year our school participated in sports and performed very well. We were even awarded a trophy by the Sports Minister and this really excited the school and the community at large. We also participated in a music festival where our school excelled in four classes and we were rewarded with another trophy.
God has been good to us this past year; we have also obtained some new desks. Our upper grades are now sitting comfortably, which is an achievement. We are still hoping to be able to provide enough desks for our remaining lower grades.
Even more exciting is the recent completion of our new school addition. Our teachers and staff now have a lounge in which to eat lunch and grade papers; and our students have two new classrooms. We are also very happy to have completed the first tutoring program ever at NAS.
End of the year report:
2008 was a wonderful year of ministry for Adventures In Missions. While we are known as a short-term mission agency, we've found that by growing radically committed disciples of Jesus Christ we're bearing more and more long term fruit around the world. We've also found that as we help our participants understand what God is doing in the world and join with Him, they want to do more. We're in a great season of ministry growth. Not only are our core short term ministries expanding, but we are partnering with local believers around the world to see God work His miracles in hopeless places.
We wanted to give you a quick update about how through your support, we have still been able to send help to Kenya.
What a cool thing to be able to keep sending financial gifts.It seems to be almost a message that we have not forgotten them.
Pastor Steve:
Recently we sent funds over to continue aiding him with his relief work in Eburru.
Monica:
Monica runs a feeding program for the neglected children in Kibera.We were able to send money to her to help purchase food to distribute.
Monica wrote a note of thanks.I have changed some words to make it more understandable.I hope you are as much encouraged by her words that we were.
"I am very sorry for delaying to write.The word of GOD made me busy.I was instructed by the Lord to go for prayers and fasting at Ngong Forest,.I couldn't deny it and had to do as the Lord said.
After coming out of prayers I had a lady's convention in my center for three days.Five ladies gave their lives to Jesus Christ and they were born again.I was very much happy to see the power of the Lord working and touching peoples lives.
There was a lady whose son is in my program, she had never believed that Jesus saves, heals, and fills us with His Holy Spirit.She has been suffering with asthma for almost 6 years.
Her son while at the feeding program asked us to visit his mom.We went and the Lord healed her.She gave her life to Jesus and has become a church member.
All this happened because of the feeding program.Your donations have given the Lord a path to penetrate and touch people of Kibera.The program was started because of the adventures team."
Hannah:
Hannah is part of a feeding and counseling program for the orphans and vulnerable children of Kibera.This year due to the political skirmishes, the number of children who have joined this school has increased daily.
This is a note of thank you.. "I have no words to thank you on behalf of our Christian education committee.I am surprised at how God makes people meet for His own glory. The children moved us to tears when they sang the national anthem and very sad songs about their experiences. M ay GOD BLESS you for touching the poor children with your compassion and generous contribution. Continue praying with us that our beautiful country may resume peace, things seems to be moving positively, I believe the good work that God has started in Kenya He will surely complete it."
"Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord." - Acts 11:22-23
The purpose of these testimonies is to encourage you in your faith and to exhort you to continue spreading the Word of the Lord throughout all nations; "that [His] way may be known on earth, [His] salvation among all nations." (Psalm 67:2)
Today we received a bushel of thank you notes from pastors in Kenya thanking us for the food vouchers we were able to send because of many of you who have supported the Kenya Relief Fund.I wanted to give a few tid-bits from some of the letters.
"Warm greeting in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.The pastors and the Calvary Langata Church members wish to take this opportunity to thank you for remembering us during these difficult times in Kenya after the election.It has rendered people homeless, no food, and many things have become nightmares, people are hopeless and life has become unpredictable not knowing what will happen next, many people have become refugees in their homeland.The church is facing a great challenge of how to take care of hungry members, physically and spiritually.Thank you for the food vouchers you sent…..Continue to pray for Kenya for the restoration of peace and calm among Kenya communities.Let us join together in prayer and fight this battle with prayer and God will give us victory."
This is from Pastor Sheth…"Many thanks to Adventures in Missions for the generous donation to the churches in Kibera at this time of serious trials and scarcity.Those who received the food vouchers in our church really appreciated and are happy that their fellows remembered them during this tough period…Pray that our country would emerge stronger and united….A mighty bless you…"
This from Pastor Humphrey, "As a church we would like to pass our thanksgiving to our dear friend and brothers who showed their deep concern and care by donating their funds that were used to buy food for relief for people who have been affected in post election crisis, as a church this assistance came in the right time when we needed it most. For sure many people were assisted by this aid.As dear friends we ask you to continue praying for us as a church as a nation at large.Surely we are grateful beyond measure and indeed may God bless you more abundantly for such a loving and generous heart.Thank you."
This from Reverend Michael, "Receive Kenya's greetings…Thank you for your sincere prayers and support that you have sent to us as a church at Calvary Evangelistic Fellowship Olympic.The members were very happy for the vouchers you gave them.Most of them had lost their properties in the post-election violence.Their homes and small business were burned down and they remained helpless with nothing to do.They thanked God for remembering them….Please continue praying for us that the Lord may bring peace in our country."
Thank you all for making this possible.How cool is it that we are not alone.Every one of them talked about us remembering them.There is such beauty in the body of Christ.
Because of the Kenya Relief Fund, we were able to send food vouchers for all the children at New Adventure School. Pastor George, who leads the school, sent this email...
Dear Friends,
The management, parents, teachers, pupils and the community at large take this precious opportunity to send a word of Hallo.We hope that you will read this message and be blessed by the power of God.
Second the school want to thank you for the donation we got. The children of New Adventure are happy to receive food gift vouchers from you and now they have something to eat as they go to school, most of them are praying for you and your work. We hope God will always bless it, so that you will keep on in the same spirit.
I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who has given and prayed for those in Kenya. God is continuing to provide for his people even in the midst of the troubles in Kenya. I was sent this picture and a report from Pastor Steve in Eburru thanking everyone for all the help. They were able to feed and care for a large number of displaced individuals through the funds we were able to send to them. On behalf of our friends in Kenya, "Thank you and God bless!"
Although things are calming down, there are still hundreds of thousands of people without jobs, homes, food or hope. We will continue to send funds as we receive them for at least the rest of this month. If God is leading you to give you can use this link:
I
have watched a lot of children sing in church and I am confident that most
children's choirs wouldn't get up in front of the church to sing as
disorganized as they were, and if they did they might not get asked back for a
while. When did everything in church become so well organized and need to
be so perfect? When did it become about performance rather than
worship? I'm not saying that all performances at church aren't worship
filled,\ I am just questioning why we practice for months for a performance and
then after church at lunch we criticize the whole performance.
.jpg)