Last of my days in Kenya

Dear Friends and Family,
This might be one of my last few posts in Kenya because I don’t know when I’ll have internet again. I’m having a hard time writing this blog because I simply don’t know how to summarize a two month trip that literally changed the way I view missions. I mean, the Lord took all my struggles and pains and sufferings and pushed them into my life and the lives of my team. I’ve blogged about it before, and I’ll blog about it again. God took the crutch that I had been using to support myself and kicked it aside, causing me to fall. And as I was falling, I grabbed his hand and just held on because I knew that His way was the right way. When I think that I know what I am doing, and that I can make it on my own, that’s when the Lord proves me wrong. The Lord has taught me to rest in him because his plan for my life is so much better than my plan for my life. He knows the whole world and everything that happens to every creature. He created everything in his power and might and that includes everything about me. He knows my heart and my needs and what I want out of life and what I struggle with the most. One of the hardest things I’m having to deal with at this time is adjusting to the end of the trip. This week begins the week of goodbyes. And the weird thing is just the fact that it’s already here. I’ve been looking forward to this internship for months, and now, it’s done. What I’m going through now is that I don’t want to leave at all but at the same time, I’m excited to get home, start a new chapter, and take all the knowledge and things I’ve learned here and apply it. I don’t want to be leaving but I’m not upset about coming home either. I don’t want to say goodbye at all to all the people and friends I’ve made here. I’m really going to miss my first graders and the girls at Shunam. But, like high school graduation, I refuse to say goodbye. It’s more like “see you later.” First of all, I’ve been praying a lot about whether the Lord would have me return to Kenya sometime later. I don’t know yet because honestly, I have to pay off student loans after college before I can come back. And yet, how cool would it be to come back and spend a year or so working as a teacher somewhere. Second of all, we’re all a family in Christ so the encouraging thing about leaving is knowing that someday I’ll see my Kenyan brothers and sisters again forever. We are all united under the blood of Jesus and that’s a powerful and wonderful thing.
Today (Monday, July 18) me, Rachel, Jacob and Dot (woman living with us) went on an adventure. We walked down the road that our house is on to the end of it and waited for a matatu (taxi) to pick us up. Then we went to our local market and bought fresh fruit. Mangos, pineapples, bananas, and other little goodies that are fresh and wonderful. Well, fruit is heavy, and suddenly, we realized we didn’t want to walk all the way back to our home. It took us at least 30 minutes of just walking to get to the end of the road. Imagine holding really heavy fruits in plastic bags. So, we chose a different mean of transportation. Motor Bikes!! That’s right. We called a man that Dot knew and trusted and he brought 3 of his friends and rode us back. Amazing! I could have ridden it all day. I was able to see more than I see in a van, and it was just incredible feeling that wind in my hair. It was so awesome! If I could have the opportunity to do it again, I would in a heart beat.
The most beautiful thing about this trip that I’m both really going to miss and really excited to take with me is the natural features of the land. The sun rises are breath takingly amazing and the sun sets are gorgeous. And God is in all of that. He created the whole world and everything that is in it. He made it all, and knows all, and loves all. He loves seeing his creation at work. His heart smiles when he sees the sun rise, and he laughs when the chickens freak out over food. What a beautiful thing it is to know that the God I serve and love is all about laughter and joy. I love laughing, and throughout this trip, my team mates have seen that. I laugh at everything, even if I don’t understand what’s happening. Laughter is my automatic response to everything. And you know what, God loves that. He made me to love laughing and he loves that. When I am in awe of the power and beauty of a sunset, God is pleased by that. He loves it when I am in love with his creation. What I am excited about is coming home and treating Flowery Branch sunsets or Auburn sunrises with the same awe and respect that I have here. Also, one thing that still blows my mind is the extreme generosity that is shown by the Kenyans who go to Kibera Reformed Presbyterian Church. The teachers and staff that work there don’t make nearly enough money to stay afloat. They work so hard, and sometimes aren’t even noticed. Their work is in secret, and that makes them so humble. The women in the kitchen give a part of their salary (which is little) to a pot, and then they use that money for those who are in need. How humbling is that? They have nothing as it is, and yet they give what they do not have. Excellent examples of the Good Samaritan. The teachers are so wonderful and Godly, and yet half of them live in Kibera. They themselves don’t have anything and yet they give so much time away for the children. I have been incredibly blessed to have had the chance to shadow them and learn from them. They are all amazing people with incredibly big hearts for the Lord.
I’ll blog again to tell you guys that I am home and to fully summarize my feelings on this trip. It will be a final Kenyan blog that I’ll use to thank everyone for praying for me these past two months and to again, thank the Lord for such a wonderful summer. It will be tough to leave this wonderful country but I am confident that the Lord will strengthen me and keep me safe. He is my rock and my redeemer. He sees me when nobody else does. He loves me when nobody else does. He hears my cries, my tears, my laughter, and my joy.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” - Psalm 16:11

Virginia