Kenya Bound!

This summer has been CRAZY!  If someone had told me everything that was going to happen in January I would have laughed at them.  It seems like forever since we set our dates for Kenya and bought the tickets.  It was a hard secret to keep from our friends at Fellowship, Borger.  I almost slipped several times during their training session in January.  It was pretty cool to see their reaction when Kim and I told them that we would already be in Kenya when they get there next Friday.  I am really looking forward to spending time with our missionary friends and seeing what God has in store for their team.

Kenya 2009

Tomorrow when we get on the plane for Kenya, it will be exactly 2 months since we moved into the apartment.  Just being honest with you, this move was very hard for me/us.  I thought that I could be happy anywhere as long as I was with Kim and Sam. When we sold the house I was 100% at peace and knew that God was in it.  It was exciting, crazy, sad and almost a grieving process.  I missed our home, I missed the thought of having over our friends, I missed our life that I was so used to.  One of the weirdest things I missed was getting ready in our bathroom. We have 2 small bathrooms in the apartment.  Kim and I always got ready for church or events together and it took me about 2 weeks to figure out what felt so strange.  The move, all the weddings and the long days of working in the heat had really worn me down.  One night it really sunk in that I was so very tired.  I cried out to God for relief.  I had been doing everything in my own power.  It was really rough.  When I let Him have the control that He should have had all along it was like a huge weight was lifted off of me.

As we board our plane for Kenya tomorrow we will embark on a journey that we have made many times before.  We will go to Amsterdam, Nairobi and on to Mombasa.  I will smell the diesel combined with the dust, the smell of the meat packing plant and the large city dump across the highway. (let that sink in for a minute and try to imagine that smell) We will cross the ferry and head south on the bumpy roads to Ukunda, just  as we have done before.  This is all in God's hands.  I am trusting that He will go before us and prepare the paths ahead of us.

Kenya 2009

Please pray that God will really show us what His plan is for our lives.  I love Kenya and want to be involved there as much as He allows.  The dream of a pastor and missionary retreat is something that has been on my heart and mind a long time too.  It is something that is greatly needed.

We just want to be used of God.  Our hearts are soft, our ears are open and my mind is pretty clear and ready to see Him work!

We will do our best to share stories here and on Facebook.  After resting Friday,  I will head out with Chris, Brandon and Erick to the Tanzania border to visit 4 church plants.  I am so ready to get to Kenya!