Hello one last time from Kenya!

We are winding down, preparing to come home soon!  This time in Kenya has been great; I have LOVED having the opportunity to lead.  I've also discovered that God has given me a gift and a passion for discipleship.  I have so many stories about opportunities that the Lord gave me to challenge this team to ask difficult questions and face uncertain answers.  It has encouraged me greatly!

I've posted the most recent team blog below.  And for those of you that wanted to know, the ambiguous building that I used as a toilet, I discovered, was a kitchen.  Embarrassing?  Yes.  The end of the world?  Probably not.  I hope, at least, it made you laugh!

Thank you for being part of my adventure.  You are special to me!

 

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Feasting.  It's one of my favorite things to do.  Something significant happens when people share a meal together...in any culture.  We recently found out, however, that Kenyan feasting has some things that rarely happen in the US.

 

Last Friday, we had one of our translators purchase 3 lambs for us.  They were tied up to our fencing for a few days, grazing on the grass and at night, they ransacked our kitchen to eat all the bananas we could find.   Then, on Monday, they met their demise.  With the help of some Kenyans, they were slaughtered, skinned, gutted and cooked.  There is another AIM team in Kenya.  They came to visit, along with many of our new Kenyan family, and we feasted until we were stuffed.  Spontaneously, everyone broke out in song and dance.  The feast was about more than fresh lamb; it was about fellowship and celebration of what God has been doing. 

 

What has God been doing, you ask?  Great question!  He has been showing up in incredible ways.  We have seen the sick healed and the lost found.  We have built some incredible relationships with the Kenyans we have been serving alongside; many have shared with us that they have been encouraged and renewed in their faith because of our team's faithfulness to God.  Even our host pastor told me that in 10 years of hosting teams, ours is the most incredible and top notch team he's ever seen.  What a compliment!  So your son or daughter or sibling or friend...they have made an impact for Jesus Christ on this trip.  The stories we all have will last for hours.  Some will make you laugh; some will make you cry.  If we are lucky, some of our stories will help you to see how your financial and prayer support has changed the world.  Thank you for being part of this.  

 

Shaye

 

Well, its been a pretty crazy time in Kenya.  God has been stretching me pretty much every day!  Being on a team with 14 girls has been interesting, but God has been more than faithful in meeting all of my needs.  And my team rocks the house.  I have gotten to become "a real man", as our Kenyan driver, friend and good brother in Christ, Ben, told me after I killed one of the 3 lamb we had for supper on Tuesday night.  It was pretty intense; look forward to pictures!  I am truly thankful for all God has done to use me to love on my brothers and sisters here in Kenya.  Thank you for all your prayers.  We'll see you soon!

 

Mary Grace

So today we are leaving Eburru.  We are heading to Nairobi for the weekend before we fly back to America.  This has been the most amazing trip I have ever taken.  I have learned so much about myself and the Lord through this journey.  While we were in Eburru we had our little Kenyan family, made up of our translators and people we have met in the community.  The people here are filled with the joy and strength of the Lord.  Everywhere we go we hear the people greeting us, saying "habari" (or "hello! how are you?) and little kids flocking to us, yelling and wanting to walk with us everywhere.  This goodbye is probably the hardest one I have ever had to do, but I am such at peace knowing that the Lord is moving in Eburru and that those people are going to spread the love of Christ even after we are gone.  The next couple of days is going to be all about processing the trip and spending some time with the team.  See everyone soon!

 

As I write this blog, we are pulling away from the huts that have been our home for the last month.  I am caught up in a bunch of emotions - I am glad to be going home, but I am mostly sad to be leaving our new friends and family.  God has done so many things in Eburru since we have been here.  I am amazed at all the different ways He can work through people.  The people of Eburru are so genuine, open and friendly.  I will most them profoundly.  I will miss the community of direct, honest conversation and smiling, encouraging faces looking back at me.  I have come to realize that these people do not need us - really, we need them.  God has done great thigns in Eburru before we arrived and He will continue to do so after we have left.  He has so blessed our team by letting us witness his awesome ability while we are here.  I will never forget His mightly love after being here.

Hello, all.  I am doing well.  Below, I've copied my team blog and thought you'd like to hear how Kenya is!  If you want more updates, check out 09ke0529rl1.myadventures.org.

 

 

Greetings from Kenya!

 

It is 2:13pm in Naivasha, Kenya and I was able to come into the city for a few minutes to send you an update!  First, I thought you'd like to hear a small story.  Hope you laugh.

 

Yesterday, our team went to a wonderful church service.  Being in Swahili, we understood very little, but had a great time.  About 1/2 way through the service, I realized that the abundance of water I've been drinking had caught up to me and I had to find a bathroom.  (In Kenya, we don't have Western toilets, only holes in the ground.)  Someone directed me to a small building outside, which I promptly went to, only to find a large room with an open door frame.  Confused, I walked around the building and resigned myself to the fact that this must be their bathroom.  Dasha came up to me and we decided we'd brave it together.  Taking our respective corners, we squatted.  She did fine; I had some performance anxiety.  After Dasha left, some kids came and stood in the doorway, watching me.  Figuring they were just wondering if I was white all over, I shooed them away and I finally succeeded.  It was mildly embarrassing.  It wasn't until later that the real humor came.

 

I was telling Shirley, the other leader, about our adventure.  She said, "Wait.  Why didn't you shut the door?"  "What door?" I answered.  I realized then that whatever room Dasha and I used wasn't the bathroom.  The mission field is truly adventurous.

 

As a team, we are learning so much here.  We've spent several days getting to know the Kenyans and sharing life with them: laughing, eating, playing and story telling.  This next week is going to be filled with some Bible studies and VBS for over 200 kids and we are serving some very real needs here, from physical labor to providing food for alot of people.  The team is doing well; we are all growing and connecting and learning to love one another.  Even our health is good!  Some have hearts that are breaking for the brokenness they see around them.  And as their leader, I am blessed to see that they are serving God with passion out of their brokenness. Perhaps one monumental moment was when in the middle of the night, Dasha helped deliver a healthy Kenyan baby boy!

 

Below, I've posted a few "mini-blogs" from some of our teammates. Thank you for sharing your beloved child or friend with us.  Each one here is truly a blessing for the Lord.  I hope you enjoy!  (Also, the next blog will not be posted until next Monday.  Each participant will post something once!) Please keep praying for us!

 

Shaye

 

Stephanie:

 

Hey, y'all!

I'm surrounded by Southerners trying to get me to conform =)

Africa is AMAZING and so is the Lord, He has already done mighty things and it's only been a few days.  Kids are so adorable here in Kenya and the weather is beautiful.

Anyway - here is one funny fact!  I offically know how to use a squatty pottie as a bathroom!  (A squatty is a hole in the ground...you definitely cannot sit!)

P.S. Melissa, I love you!

 

Emma:

 

Hey everyone!  Wow, I don't even know where to start.  Well, we made it!  We arrived at Eburru friday afternoon and settled into our cozy little huts.  Ever since then we've been drowning in kids.  They're so loving and eager to interact with you, it melts my heart!  The viedw from our hut is absolutely breathtaking.  I can't even put it into words.  I'm completely flattered and overwhelmed with joy at the fact that God chose me to share this romantic, beautiful scene with Him.  The past couple of days I've really been dwelling on the concept of falling in love with God, I mean head over heels, heart-racing, sweaty palm kind of love.  I'm so stoked to go deeper with Him and see what other intimate moments He has for us to share. 

 

I love you all!  ~Emma, Psalm 143:8

 

Ashley:

 

It's amazing what two and a half days in Eburru, Kenya will do for you.  When you see a small child with hard eyes, suddenly it just doesn't matter that you've been using a hold in the ground as a toilet.  Asa you walk through the center of town and see children covered in dirt, with clothes full of holes and no shoes, suddenly it doesn't really matter if you showered today or not.  (Or within the past 5 days.)  When you see where these children live and realize how often they acutally eat, suddenly your small hut and warm 3 meals a day feel like paradise.  Over these past few days, the Lord ahs really been showing me that there is something bigger than my wants, my desires, and even my needs.  I have found a joy in selflessness that i never knew was possible.  But isn't that what our God is about?

 

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." ~2 Corinthians 2:9

 

PS - Chelsea G says "Thanks for the birthday note, Brandon."

Tomorrow.  I can't believe it.  I know many of you have been praying for me and will continue to.  Already, God has shown up in mighty ways.  I was spending some time praying the other day and God directed me to Psalm 48. 

      "When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.  Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor." 

I was thinking about all the spiritual battles I may face in Kenya and honestly, they scare me a bit.  But God reminded me through this verse that even if all the forces of evil combined their powers to advance together, that in the face of God, they would tremble in fear.  And if God is on my side, who can be against me?  Then, I had this vision of the Lion King.  There is a scene where young Simba is trying to battle with some hyenas.  He is so ill-equipped that the hyenas mock him to his face.  It is when Simba roars and they hear the voice of his father and see him charging from behind Simba that they tremble in fear and terror.  I was to be like Simba.  I want to stand my ground, but I know that my God is fighting for me.  When the enemy attacks, he will see my Father fighting.

 

I cannot wait to tell you about the mighty ways that God fights on my behalf in the next month.  Thank you to those of you that have made this possible.  Mom and Dad, I am blessed that you have released me to freely chase after the heart of God.  Devon, you are so special.  Thank you for inviting me to walk into great adventure, even when it means not knowing the outcome.  And to those of you who are continuing to hold me up in prayer and finances, I am honored to call you part of my team.

 

Speaking of "team"...here is mine!  They are all great.  All together, there are 15 of us.  14 women...one courageous man.  I'm sure I'll share more about them in the months to come!

 

Thank you for all you've done...

 

 

 

So close. 

 

In 7 days, I'll be on a plane, headed halfway around the world.

 

I am an intense mixture of excited and scared.  I'm already at my leader training camp & have been learning alot more information about this trip I'll be leading!  We will be spending the majority of our time in Eburru, which is a city that is on the side of an inactive volcano!   It will be cold (crazy, I know!) and we will have limited use of any electricity or water.  Shirley, my coleader, and I will be working with a local pastor named Pastor Steve and he is setting up lots of great ministry opportunities!  We will be helping with on orphan feeding program and doing lots of teaching in the local schools and churches.  I cannot wait! 

 

Even in the midst of all this, though, my heart is most burdened for the 14 participants on my team.  These young adults will be experiencing God in ways they've never known and I get to join them in this process!

 

So...I covet your prayers.  Even if you aren't a regular "pray-er", will you please ask God to work in and through me in this next month?  I will succeed only if I'm in the will of God.  I don't always discern that clearly & I can use all the prayers you have to offer. 

 

I am so excited to keep you updated!  If you'd like, you can sign up for updates on my team blog page by visiting here* and adding your email address.  Much like this blog, you will get an email after we post a blog.  You'll be reading them at least 1x per week and you'll hear all about our trip!

 

Thank you for your prayers.  I am deeply grateful.

 

S.O.S....Save Our Sister!

 

So many of you have been generous and faithful to support me in this journey of this incredible Community Life experience!  And because of God's faithfulness and your obedience, I am 77% of my way toward my goal for support raising!  I praise God and thank you.

 

However, while I still have some need (which I am confident God will meet between now and December), I have a roommate who is anxiously awaiting to see God's faithfulness in her time here.  You see, she has until June 1st to raise $3000 in order to stay in our Community Life program.  My request of you is that you will first pray for her in her journey here.  Secondly, if you or anyone you know can help her financially, please visit her blog and donate to her experience here! 

 

 

I love this friend and sister and urge you to partner with us.

 

 

I've attached this video so you can see our hearts!  God bless...

I was only 5 years old, but just one game of hide-and-seek tainted my experience for the rest of my life.  It was a beautiful fall afternoon, one that invited hours of childhood fun.  My friend Matt and I decided we were going to play a game of hide-and-seek.  I would hide; he would seek.  There was nowhere off-limits.  I tip-toed away and tried to not squeal as Matt counted to 20 as quickly as he could and yelled his best, "Ready or not, here I come!"  I had cleverly hid on our outer back porch, where I could go unseen but could watch to see where Matt was seeking.  (I probably also had a plan to cheat and move to another location after I saw him check there.  Of course, I would never to that today...)  Anyway, as I saw him round the corner of my house, I held my breath in great anticipation.  I so deeply wanted to not be seen; conflicted as I desperately wanted to be found.  I expected Matt to check among the trees and behind our shed before he came to look on our porch.  Instead, I was met with great disappointment.  I saw Matt walk straight through our backyard, directly toward his own house and he went inside.  He didn't return.  I sat on the porch for what seemed like hours without a clue of what to do.  It is my earliest memory of the feeling of rejection. 

 

I've been pondering this memory for a few days now.  I thought I'd share it because it actually makes me think of my experience with Community Life, which I expect will also impact me for the rest of my life.  I came to Gainesville, Georgia 4.5 months ago, expecting a riviting game of hide-and-seek of the heart.  There would be times that I would try to seek out the heart of another and help them journey into the heart of God.  There would be times that out of fear or control or confusion that I would hide my heart from those around me, not wanting to be seen but desperately wanting to be found.  I expected that it would be an adventure.

 

Some days, this experience called Community Life is great.  Some days, I am met with great disappointment. 

 

I imagine we all do this, but I've experienced some days of my heart in hiding, hoping that someone would come to seek me out, to find where I'm hiding and invite me out into a great adventure.  Instead, I see my friends walk directly past the place I'm hiding and they journey into their own hearts where I no longer can see them.  And here is what I'm learning through this: that it is okay.  We are all human and it takes alot of work to seek after the heart of another.  Some days, we get it here.  And some days we leave room for improvement.  This leaves me with one other very important conclusion: the people in community cannot be God for me.

 

The beautiful thing about the Lord is that He is relentless in seeking after my heart.  I hide from Him.  Multiple times each day, I catch myself hiding in the backporch of my heart (sounds an awful lot like a girl named Eve).  But as I hide, I still desperately want to be found, to be known.  And God reminds me that He already knows my heart.  And He has found me, over and over again.  Here is the beautiful twist...as God draws my heart out of hiding, I am available to seek after the hearts of my brothers and sisters and invite them to no longer hide their struggles or their pain or shame.  So I'm learning that when community starts with God, community can succeed!  This is a game of hide-and-seek that I want to be endlessly engaged in.  As God finds me, I accept the invitation to seek others.

A few weeks ago, I had two roommates who needed to get to the airport in Atlanta by 5:30 AM on a Wednesday.  I figured I could serve my community by offering to drive.  So Maggie the copilot and I drove Kash and Barton the 90 minute drive into the city.  We had a blast...laughing, making up stories about the passers-by, and just sharing an experience.  We dropped Barton off, only to find out that he missed his flight.  So we all decided to travel to the nearest restaurant that was actually open for breakfast at 6 AM.  And so begins my first (and possibly last) Waffle House experience.

 

I've always been a bit afraid to eat at a Waffle House.  It's seemed a bit scary to me.  My favorite part was the syrup-covered tables that said, "Come.  Sit.  Stick around for a while."  The food wasn't too bad.  I do remember it tasting a bit grease-heavy, but I ate my expensive city-meal til I could eat no more.  This, of course, comes into the story momentarily.

 

After our less-than-savory breakfast, Maggie and I dropped Kash and Barton off at the airport and bid them fairwell on their respective adventures.  This left Maggie and I with a 90 minute drive back to Gainesville and back to work with lots of time, lots of discussion and a belly-full of Waffle House.  It's funny what I experienced in that 90 minutes.  Honestly, I experienced intimacy.  I experienced family.  Maggie and I had ample time to discuss the painful after-effects of Waffle House.  (For the sake of modesty, I'll leave details out.  But we can say it isn't something I want to experience anytime soon.)  We also had lots of time to talk.  Maggie left me plenty of room to share my heart, to share my struggles, to talk about my journey with the wonderful man I'm dating.  Basically, she invited me to share my life.  And this is what I see that community offers.

 

In Community Life, I am learning that I am invited to be me.  I'm struggling through it.  Honestly, I would rather present the "pretty" side of me, not the me that struggles.  But wearing a mask all the time grows tiring.  And I want to be free.  I'm invited into this here.

 

Do you or someone you know hunger for the Community experience?  I must warn you, it isn't always easy.  But it is rewarding.  If you are thinking that God might be inviting you to have an experience like this, check out the details below!  I'd love to answer more of your questions...just ask!  There will be another group of ComLifers coming in September; maybe you'll be one of them!

 

Program Dates:
September 1, 2009 - July 30, 2010

January 8, 2010 -- November 19, 2010

To apply, please click here.  Once we receive your application, we'll send more details and contact you to discuss the program.  If you have questions, please call 1-800-881-2461 ext 214 or contact our Admissions Department.

 

 

Scars.

 

They aren't pretty.  If you look closely, you'll see a scar that starts on my left eyelid and ends above my lip.  It tells a story of my first run-in with a dog.  It was 1 week before I started kindergarten and my friend's dog tried to "dance" with me, but missed and caught my face.  I was rushed to the hospital, covered in blood, and had 31 stitches put in my eyelid and upper lip.  I started my kindergarten year with a patch over my eye.  A scar was left on my face; one also remains on my life.

 

I also carry a scar on the upper part of the underside of my right arm.  At the age of 7, I received a puncture wound from the tooth of a different dog when he became frightened and attacked.  There is a permanent scar from the wound I received.  And I will carry it with me for the rest of my life, reminding me of where I've been.

 

All scars tell a story.  The marks left by my past remind me of where I've been.  If I didn't carry these scars, I most likely would have forgotten the stories long ago.  But the scars remind me.  They remind me of where I've been and, consequently, where I'm going.  I will carry them the rest of my life. 

 

You know, I have been thinking about Jesus' scars alot lately.  After Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection to new life, He showed His scars to Thomas, the one who doubted His resurrection.  This means, of course, that in new life, Jesus' scars remained.  His new life and new body didn't come without blemish.  I wonder if this is so that we might be able to see His scars and remember His sacrifice for us.   Will Jesus have scars in Heaven?  His scars tell His story; I want to know His story deeply for all eternity.

 

Will I have scars in Heaven?  Will I bear the markings of where I've been, of my stumblings?  My scars often remind me of how the love of God has rescued me.  Should I be reminded of that in Heaven?  Of the saving power of Jesus in my earthly days?  I wonder...

 

Jesus' scars tell the story of His mission.  Jesus said in Luke 4:18-19:

     "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
         because he has anointed me
         to preach good news to the poor.
      He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners 
        and recovery of sight for the blind, 
        to release the oppressed, 

        to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

 

Jesus' mission was fulfilled on the cross.  His death and resurrection to new life was the fulfilment of His mission.  And the scars that remain on His hands and side are reminders of His journey.  They are the mark of His mission.

 

 

The Mark:  My feet, ankles and wrists are cut up and scarred.  The arch of my foot is even bruised.  Parts of my calves are so banged up that they swell out from atop my sock line.  And the marks hurt.  But to tell you how I got these marks, I must let you in on a few details.

The Mission:  Build a raft, make it float, and get your entire team to the other side of the lake safely.  You can use any tools given and any resources you can find on our property.  Go.

 

With our axe, hatchet, machete and rope, my leadership training team got to business.  The men worked hard at chopping down some trees and the women came up with some strategies.  I mostly helped with a few small details along the way (and, of course, went to town with the axe when I could sneak it away from one of the men).  Our first raft looked a bit questionable, but we were in a competition with other teams, so we figured we'd give it a try.  It failed.  The first raft sunk to the bottom of the lake.  New strategy?  Find dead wood that would float better.  Attempt two?  Failed.  This raft floated until any body weight was put on it.  We then worked very hard to improve our raft, until the facilitator realized we were short on time and suggested that using the raft in whatever condition we had it, we could hop in and get across the lake.  First team to the other side won.

 

My first step in the lake was less than comfortable.  My legs were already severely scratched and wounded from some run-ins with branches and prickers; now they were sunk in a foot of red Georgia clay.  I expected the water to be cold, but it was beyond cold - I couldn't breathe for the first few seconds.  In order to fight our best, the remaining 6 members of my team jumped in on our "raft" (which only floated because we were holding it to keep it from sinking) and swam together across the lake.  With all this effort, you'd think we won.  (This is my team; I am the second in from the right.)

 

We didn't win.  My team hadn't created the best raft and hadn't completed the task first.  We couldn't even claim we'd accomplished our goal most gracefully.  But we did finish.  And I have the scars to prove it.

 

The cut on my foot tells the tale of a mission fought with passion.  The bruise on my wrist reminds me of both the successes and the failures along the way in our rafting adventure.  Brambles left parallel wounds on my ankles, prompting me to reflect on my commitment to finishing the race.

 

I hope my life looks like this, evidence of a commitment to finish the race.  I want to speak as Timothy did, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (II Timothy 4:7)  But some days, I grow weary.  If you'd ask me, I'd tell you how desperately I want my life to count, how deeply I want to run after God with passion.  But if I were being completely honest, I often wonder if I have what it takes to finish this life well.  I know that along the way, I've incurred wounds that speak of the steps I've already taken, the places I've already slipped and fallen.  I have scars that remind me of where I've been hurt and where I've needed the hand of Jesus to touch me.  I suspect I'll get more scars as the days go on.  And I pray that these blemishes that I carry will serve as reminders to me and to those around me that I haven't walked a blameless life.  My figurative raft hasn't always floated and carried me.  But God has not abandoned me.  My marks are evidence of all that Jesus has saved me from. 

 

Do you want to see my scars?  Ask.  I'll share.  Where are your scars?  Do they point you to all that God has done for you?  Or do they remind your of your independence, your failures.  I am learning to run to Jesus more.  Will you join me?