Wrapping up, but Journeying on

I think this blog post has long been overdue, but I’ve been waiting until I reached home to write a final update.  The first week of December I went up to Kijabe (northwest of Nairobi) to Rift Valley Academy (AIM’s international boarding school for missionary kids) for AIM’s annual Eastern Region conference.  It was neat to meet and be around so many other missionaries.  It was also humbling to talk with missionaries who had been on the field for over 30 years as well as to hear about the different kind of living conditions and challenges others short and long-term missionaries had been facing.  After the conference I attended a short-term missionary retreat and workshop until Friday the 5^th.  I got back to the Mutangilis pretty late and then got ready to be in Pastor Adera’s wedding the next day (I was asked only a few days before).  The wedding was a joyous day and a lot of fun.  I got home in the evening and had to repack for a week in Mombasa.

Sunday morning I met at the church with some other counselors as well as many youth from AIC Plainsview to take a few busses from Nairobi to Mombasa to attend the Word of Life youth camp held there each year.  We left around 8:30am and got to Mombasa around 7:30pm, but it was nice to just sit and rest on the bus.  Before getting to the youth camp we had to take the ferry across the bay from “north shore” to “south shore.”  This meant getting off of our bus, walking through the crowded streets and running to catch the ferry which was crammed with well over 1000 people, running off the ferry and walking up through some hectic marketplace in the dark and eventually getting back to the busses (apparently it’s free for people to take the ferry, but the busses have to pay for any people they bring on with them).  The youth camp was located right on the beach, so my last week in Kenya was spent on white sand beaches with palm trees, bathtub-temperature waters, the hot and humid Mombasa weather and over 200 kids from different parts of Kenya.  It was a week filled with a lot of fun and a lot of ministry, but it was also a week filled with spiritual attack.  I’ve heard it said that the last week of a short-term missionary assignment often has a lot of spiritual attack, and this proved to be true for me.  I was pretty exhausted (physically, emotionally and spiritually) from the past few months and felt unnaturally anxious and oppressed.  It was pretty grueling but at the same time rewarding to build relationships with many of the other counselors and campers.  We finished the week and got up early on Saturday to come back to Nairobi.  This bus ride was one of my favorite parts of the entire week.  I spent much of it with Daniel and Arnold, two campers I’d spent a lot of time with over the week and who had become like younger brothers to me.  The relaxed time of fellowship was really enjoyable, and we even took time midway through the journey to have a dance party in the isle of the bus (which took a short pause when the bus driver had to slam on the brakes once, sending most of us to the floor, haha).   

We got back to Nairobi after dark, and I had to unpack to repack and head home the very next day!  Sunday morning I went to church and was able to give a formal farewell to the congregation.  I also spent some time saying personal goodbyes after the services.  I finished packing up and spent the remainder of the afternoon with Marvin and Christine who had come over.  Around dinner some other friends showed up and we ate and said some more goodbyes.  I left feeling sad but very blessed by the friendships I’d made and the lives I’d had the privilege of sharing in.

On my way to the airport the pastor’s car started having an issue and we could only go about 10 kilometer/hour (Stanley thinks the gas he put in was bad).  So, my final moments in Kenya consisted of Stanley, his kids and me traveling at a whopping 10 kph down the main highway in Nairobi with cars honking and zooming past us…I wouldn’t have had it any other way!  We finally got some more gas and were able to continue on at a normal speed.  At the airport I said my final goodbyes to Stanley and another family who had come out to personally say goodbye and see me off.  I did the whole “airport thing” and a little while later found myself looking out a plane window at the city lights of Nairobi (along with many people I had come to love) fading off into the distance; it was a surreal feeling.

The flight out of Nairobi was delayed, and because of this and some other complications at London-Heathrow I missed my connecting flight to meet my family in Hannover, Germany.  The next available flight was roughly 10 hours later, so I got to spend the day chilling out in the airport—it ended up being nice to have the time to just sit, think and process some of the past three months, and I even got to hear some professional Christmas carolers who came to our terminal at one point.

I arrived in Germany on the evening of Monday the 15^th and met up with my parents who were visiting my brother who is currently working over in Germany.  We spent the next week traveling around and then spent Christmas together at my brother’s place.  We did a lot of cool things, but it was pretty exhausting for me to continue traveling and experiencing yet another different culture.  My parents returned home last night (the 27^th), and it’s good to be home.

In one sense my journey is now complete, but in many other senses it is simply continuing on.  I’m grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to go and share in the lives of those I met in Kenya, and I look forward to the day when we’ll meet again (I will definitely be thinking of my friends, Marvin and Christine, as they get married on January 3^rd).  I want to thank my friends and family for the many prayers they have sent my way.  These prayers have been a vital part of God’s working in and through me, and I can’t imagine what my experience would have been like without the support and power of these prayers.  God has challenged me and stretched me these past three months; He has also taught me things and changed me in ways that I have yet to fully discover (and that I may never fully know).  If you would like to know more about my experiences feel free to contact me and ask.

Continue praying for my transition back home as I enter my final semester at Houghton College, and continue praying for the Kenyan people as well as missionaries around the globe.  I want to encourage all of you reading this to be the “missionary” in the place God has place you in now.  The mission field is in Kenya; the mission field is here in America.  God is working in Africa and in your neighborhood.  Let Him use you; let Him challenge you; let Him speak into the lives of those around you.

Serve Well 

Finishing and Farewell From Kenya

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you back in America!  I was able to spend Thursday with the Kroening family and a few other families, so it’s been nice to still be able to celebrate. 

Believe it or not, this will most likely be my last blog post from the African continent.  From this coming Saturday through next Friday I will be at various missionary conferences associated with Africa Inland Mission.  The next day (Saturday, Dec. 6^th) is Pastor Adera’s wedding, and then from Sunday the 7^th through Saturday the 13^th I’ll be helping out with the Word of Life youth camp down in Mombasa.  Sunday the 14^th will consist of attending church, saying goodbyes and packing to leave that evening to meet my family the next morning up in Germany!  There’s still a lot to do and experience, as you can see from the busy schedule above, and I’m sure I’ll have some things to share about these experiences.

So last Saturday I was in the wedding line of my friend, Aron.  It was a unique experience with blessings and challenges.  The day before what began as me going with Aron to the church to “help decorate” turned into quite the adventure.  I ended up at Aron’s uncle’s house and was told that, since Aron’s best man had to go to South Africa, I was now the best man; consequently, I needed to make sure certain things got done and help Aron so that he could rest before his big day.  I’m still not sure what this exactly meant, but I’m grateful that I didn’t seem to ruin the wedding in any way!  I did, however, end up spending the rest of the evening with Aron, trying to figure out what we (and I guess me, personally) needed to do.  I’ll have some photos of the wedding to post when I get the chance.

Sunday after church I was able to record that song that my friend Abbih and I worked on together, and later in the afternoon I ended up playing a soccer game with a bunch of guys at a nearby field.

This past week AIC Plainsview has had their “Vocational Bible School,” or VBS, so I have been helping with that.  It has been a neat experience to be a part of African children’s ministry, although I have been interacting more specifically with the 7^th-10^th graders (the oldest group).  It’s been a good opportunity to develop a relationship with some of the guys who I’ll be with at the youth camp in Mombasa.  I also went on Wednesday evening to a church member’s home to speak with his sons and a few of their friends.  There were four high-school-aged guys, and I was able to encourage them in their walk with God and in seeking to become men of God according to what the Bible says, not the world and its messages.  It was a really nice time and something I wish I had more opportunity to do while here in Kenya; I’m sure the youth camp in Mombasa will also be a really fruitful time as well.  I am finding that I have a real passion for ministering to the high school guys here in Kenya; they are very cool and have a lot of character.

So, as I leave you, probably until I get to Germany, I want to ask you all for your continued prayers.  As things have picked up I’ve also been really stretched and challenged to rely on God for, well, it feels like just about everything.  Cross-cultural living is rewarding but exhausting.  There are still many opportunities to minister to people, and there are still a lot of things that I believe God wants to teach me, specifically regarding grace and love.  The journey is far from over, and I’m sure it will continue even after I get on the plane in a few weeks.  Blessings to all of you on your own, individual journeys as well!

-Pray against spiritual attack in my life and in the events of the next few weeks

-Pray that God’s grace and strength would overflow in my life and in the lives of all of us (I’m talking Niagara Falls, not some hidden, obscure creek)

-Pray for safety as I travel around Kenya these next few weeks and then as I head up to Germany

-Pray for a strong finish and good closure, spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc.

Approaching the End

Things are speeding up towards a finish here in Kenya.  In some ways it feels like it has been three months, but in other ways the time has gone very quickly.  I feel blessed by what I have already been able to experience (the good, bad and ugly) and am excited for what is still to come as I finish out my time here.  Sometimes I think, “yeah this will be a good story to tell,” and other times I think, “there’s no way people are going to understand this, how sad.”  We shall see.  I do know, however, that God has known about this Kenyan journey of mine for a long, long time, and I am grateful for this idea he had back during the whole “foundation-laying” stage of the universe.

The other Thursday I met up with Mrs. Kroening (the missionary mom of my friend back at Houghton) and was able to go with her up to Rosslyn Academy (in the far north part of Nairobi) to see the Abby, the youngest Kroening kid in the play, “Our Town.”  Rosslyn is an American system international school made up primarily of missionary and diplomat kids.  I walked all the way from where I stay in South B to Upper Hill, where the Kroenings live.  I’ve begun to enjoy taking on the challenges of traveling around Nairobi…it usually makes for some good stories.  This journey consisted of trekking along some pretty muddy paths and along the major highway going through Nairobi for some time, but other than that it was pretty uneventful.  The play was good, and it was weird being around a lot of “white” people again.  It was also nice to see my friend’s alma mater.

On Saturday I went to worship practice, as usual, but this time I was told the normal keyboard player (my friend Tom) was not going to be around.  Apparently I was deemed qualified to fill in.  This was quite the stretching experience, considering I was going to be the “lead instrument” in a bunch of songs that I had never really heard before.  I managed to get through practice, and it was very humbling.  While nervous for Sunday morning, I knew it was a good opportunity for me to rely on God and not my own abilities; however, God must have heard my cries for help and decided that this would require “too much supernatural support” because the power went out right as we began, haha.  We ended up doing acoustic worship, and for the second service I got to play guitar with the singers.  It was a nice time.

Monday around noon I left with Pastor Mutangili, Judihannah and Manasseh to go up to Stanley’s village near mukaa, located in ukambani (Makweni County to be specific) for the night.  I’ve been there a few times before; I’ve posted some pictures from here.  After buying some trees and stopping by another plot of land along the way to plant a few, we arrived at Stanley’s village.  We planted a few more trees and then lit some lanterns as the sun went down; the village doesn’t have electricity yet.  It was really nice to be out in the country and to watch the day end over the African hills and valleys.  Inside the house I got out my guitar, and one of the men with us took it and began to play some Kamba songs.  He sang along with Stanley, his mother and the many kids present.  The small room was filled with music, dancing and clapping, and the warm glow of the lantern.  It was such a blessing to simply sit and take this all in.  We eventually ate, and after preparing for bed I was able to go outside and see the stars.  The most notable thing was how they all seemed to, literally, twinkle (very noticeably and in a way I’d never seen before).  Standing on that African hillside and looking up at the sky as well as down across the dark valley where many other, unseen Kamba people quietly faced the night as they had for years and years, I was humbled and grateful.  This was much more like the “Africa” you hear about, and it was a blessing to experience.  I settled into bed for the night, and the light rain that began soon turned into a downpour, pounding against the tin roof of the home.  I lay there for a while, taking everything in and thanking God for the day’s experiences.  The following day we woke early and spent most of the morning planting more trees before driving back to Nairobi in the afternoon for the Tuesday night, young adult Bible study.

I am grateful for the many prayers of my friends and family.  I am sure that they have uplifted and supported me throughout my entire time here.  God has continued to reveal things to me about myself and His power to work in the lives of those who seek Him, and these things often leave me grateful, amazed and very reflective.  As I see my time here in Kenya growing shorter and shorter, I am becoming more grateful for the experiences I’m having and the time I’m able to spend with the friends I have made.  It will be nice to see people back home, but I will miss many of these people.  My dear friends Marvin (Didy) and Christine (Mutheu) will be getting married January 3^rd; I will most definitely be thinking of them on that day.

-Pray for these last few weeks of my time here in Kenya—that I would finish strong and that God would move mightily (I know He’s not done yet)

-Pray for a continued spirit of gratitude

-Begin praying for the goodbyes I will have to make

Adventures on the Sreets; Adventures at Home

Last Friday I was able to visit the Wilson Airport Hanger, an important part of AIM’s ministry.  I was able to meet two fathers of different people I know from Houghton; that was really neat.  I also helped to polish an older plane down in the hanger, and after lunch joined a lot of the local workers in some soccer (our field was one side of the hanger and its concrete floor).  Upon leaving the hanger with my friend, Alex, I had quite the adventure.  We walked all the way to South B (a pretty hefty distance, although probably faster than if we drove in the Friday afternoon traffic) and were then told that no one was home at the Mutangili house.  We then proceeded to “go to meet the pastor,” although I couldn't seem to ask where exactly we were going in the right way to elicit the answer I was looking for.  Along the way I managed to evade being pummeled by sprinting out of the way of multiple trucks; I then succeeded in fending myself off from the aggressive matatu man who tried to grab me and pull me onto his matatu.  Alex and I then boarded a different matatu (I with the faith that Alex knew where we were going to meet the pastor).  Next, after alighting a ways outside of the city we crossed a few more streets and jumped a few sewage-infested gullies (one of which required me to land a few inches from the cars flying by on the other side).  By this time I had figured out which building we were attempting to get to, but we first had to dodge the small herd of cows that were on a mission and charging down the sidewalk (this required some more jumping back and forth).  At last, after our daunting and heroic journey, the weary travelers found the pastor and his family eating with a family whose daughter had just finished high school…success.

I have also been spending a good amount of time with the pastor’s two eldest kids, Judihannah and Manasseh.  They have a lot of energy, but there are usually many funny stories to tell after spending some time with them.  Just the other night while we were all sitting down to take tea, Manasseh decided he wanted tea as well and valiantly declared as he marched off to the kitchen, “I’m going to take my tea!”  In response, Judihannah marched out of the living room and into the bathroom proclaiming, “I’m going to take my susu!” (I’m sure you all can guess what susu means, haha).  It’s always an entertaining night with the Mutangili kids.  We actually just finished building a fort in the living room with the couch cushions.

I was able to present another song last Sunday to the congregation, and in a few weeks we have an entire service of worship that I will be helping to lead with many of the other young adults.  This Saturday evening Pastor Adera is also hoping to have the young adult men over to his home for the night for a “bachelor party” before his wedding.  It should be a good time of fellowship, and I hear Pastor Adera will have a goat to roast!

Spiritually, things have been pretty exhausting.  I have had opportunities to speak to people and interact with people, but it has been difficult for some reason to really take a joy in the work I’m doing.  I’m still confident that God is working through me, and I also know that God is working in me—although this can often be a difficult process.  The prayers of friends and family have meant a lot, and I am excited to see more clearly how God has and will continue to specifically answer these prayers. 

-Pray that God would continue to work in peoples’ lives throughout my final month here in Kenya

-Pray that I would experience an undeniable peace and joy in the work I’m doing here

-Pray that God would become more and that I would become less

-Pray for a faith that can move mountains (both for me and for others in your life)

Kenya: Challenging but Good

I think the best way to describe my intercultural experience here in Kenya is “immersion.” But let me tell you, while this has often been really challenging, I can also confidently say that this has been a blessing.  I know that God has been able to challenge me to trust Him and rely on Him in ways that I never imagined, and the wealth of experiences I've had is well-worth this cultural immersion and its challenges.  By the end of my time here in Kenya I will have attended two weddings, been in another, attended two up-country, traditional pre-weddings and attended various funerals, just to name a few things.  I haven’t just been a missionary serving in a specific task; I've been an individual living life, relating and interacting with Africans in their daily lives.  I ride the matatus; I've been downtown; I’m used to being the only white person around.  I eat what the Kenyans eat; I live like the Kenyans live; I do what the Kenyans do.  I have no choice, and at times what feels like no escape, but even in the midst of it all I can see the blessings of this kind of experience.  Besides learning to depend more fully on God I’m also continuing to learn about His grace and calling in my life.  It’s challenging but good stuff.

I spent most of last week traveling around to different schools to speak at different schools’ prayer services.  The class eight students (8^th graders) and form four students (12^th grade) have national exams they are currently taking that greatly impact there they will go to high school or college and what kind of educational and career opportunities they will ultimately be able to have.  They’re kind of a big deal, and so these prayer services are a time of encouragement for students as well as their parents and a good opportunity to point people towards God’s providence and care for our lives, ultimately through His gospel message.  I’ve been to schools upcountry as well as schools here in the city.  These times are fulfilling and also tiring—you wouldn’t believe how exhausting it can be to sit through a multi-hour service where you understand little to nothing of what is being said, apart from what I say in English.  Still, it was nice to talk to the different kids and their parents.  I usually start by really emphasizing the core of the gospel message, and then I move into talking about three different points in light of this: 1, don’t worry; 2, seek God; 3, do your best.  It’s been good.

On Saturday I traveled upcountry with some people for the pre-wedding/cultural wedding of my good friend, “Diddy” (his nickname, pronounced D.D.), and his fiancée, Kristen.  This involved Diddy traveling with many of his relatives to the upcountry home of Kristen (who is form the Kamba tribe).  Friends are also invited as well.  So apparently this was all supposed to start at 8:00am, but we didn't arrive until after 12:00pm, and we still just waited under the tents that were set up for most of the afternoon.  Diddy and some of his family members met with Kristen’s family to discuss and decide on a dowry, and two goats were slaughtered as part of the occasion (I was able to witness this first-hand, although I was fine with just watching and not helping).  Once things had been settled, a meal was served for the many guests, and then came the fun part.  In Kamba tradition the pride is paraded out to meet her future husband; however, she is completely covered in cloths and blankets along with a number of other “fake brides.”  After the procession with much dancing and singing, the various “brides” are presented before the groom, and he has to identify his bride from among them.  If he guesses wrong he is usually “fined” another goat (and I’m sure he also experiences a lot of embarrassment).  It’s kind of like a cruel game the woman play with the groom that is entirely delightful to watch.  I’m happy to say that Diddy guessed correctly, and this was followed by a short sermon and then the giving of donations toward the wedding budget.  It was a neat experience, and I also enjoyed traveling with my friend Caleb.  Caleb went to school for a few years in America and is actually getting married to an girl from Kansas.  It’s been a blessing to have a friend who is able to better understand my own culture and way of responding to things but who’s still a Kenyan.

I've also become good friends with a guy named Abby (short for Abraham).  He makes a living as a musician.  We've had some time to get together and sing and play guitar.  This past Monday he actually taught me a song that he recently wrote, and we’re hoping to go to the recording studio to sing and play it together.  It’ll be a cool experience, and I've been able to learn a little more about Kenyan musical style.

-Pray for continued faith in God’s promises and work in my life (not just to believe in them but to step out and live differently in the reality of these things)

-Pray for those who are preparing to get married (those here in Kenya as well as those you know back at home)

-Pray for opportunity as well as the ability to see God powerfully working and moving in peoples’ lives (not just for me here in Kenya, but for yourselves, wherever you are)

Every Day's a Kenya Day

It’s been a while since my last blog post.  Every time I think about sitting down to write something I’m never quite sure where to begin, and I end up finding something else to do.  So, I've decided to come to terms with the fact that all I experience over here in Kenya (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, etc.) will be impossible for others to fully understand; and that’s okay.  What I can give are a few stories that provide a few glimpses into my life over here.  In fact, it’s impossible for any of us to fully understand the life experiences of one another—mine is just a little more exaggerated because of cultural differences—but I’m grateful that God allows us to share at least a part of these experiences with one another.

Monday, October 20^th was a national holiday, so people were out of work and school.  Some people from church decided to organize a soccer game.  I was told to meet at 9:00am and informed by a friend that that actually meant 11:00am.  Naturally, another friend and I left home at around 12:00pm, and we were basically the first people to arrive at the field.  Now in case any of you Westerners are doubting whether or not the game was still on, fear not.  We finally had enough people by mid-afternoon (I’m not sure where all the people came from; I’m pretty sure some just joined us as they passed by).  It was a great experience to play soccer in the middle of Nairobi with a bunch of Kenyans, and I held my own too!  The altitude (a little higher than Denver, CO) caused me to get out of breath pretty quickly, and a month of little physical exercise made itself known by my aching body afterwards, but it was a really nice time.

The next day, Tuesday, was young adult Bible study here at Pastor Mutangili’s house.  This is one of my favorite times of the week, and I usually say goodbye to those who have come feeling very uplifted and thankful for the many new friends I am making here in Kenya.  The Bible study is currently going through 2 Samuel, and we’re almost to chapter 20.  Some weeks we get though an entire chapter; other weeks we get through a few verses, and often times we end up talking about thing I hardly anticipated or expected.  It’s cool to get into God’s word with other Christians, especially those who have different ways of looking at and relating to the Word of God.  One thing that Kenyan’s understand much better than us Westerners is the idea of tribes.  It’s hard to describe what being from a certain tribe means to individuals here.  While they are all Kenyans, there are deep-seeded loyalties and cultural characteristics within each tribe.  Reading about the tribe of Judah abandoning David to follow Absalom has a much deeper meaning with an understanding of tribal ties and heritage.

The following Friday Stanley and I went to a funeral home to conduct a short service for a church member’s daughter who had died.  Generally, there is a small service as the body is removed from the funeral home.  The family and friends of the deceased then travel to the individual’s home (not referring to their house in the city, but to the tribal village that they come from) to continue the funeral and burial process.  I was asked to speak for a portion of the short service, and as we were about to leave another group of people approached Pastor Mutangili and asked if we could stay for their service.  I guess they didn't have anyone lined up to give a message, so I soon found myself speaking again in front of another group of people.  It was cool to see how God opens up doors to use us and minister to others when we don’t expect it.

I have been asked to be in my friend, Aaron’s, wedding line during his marriage on November 22^nd, and so I am excited to be a part of this!  I had to go to our friend, Dennis’, tailoring shop to be measured for the custom suits each of the groomsmen will be wearing, and I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens on the 22^nd.

Last Sunday a group of us went to St. George’s girl’s school and led some music and spoke; it was an enjoyable time and cool to see how the girls worshiped together with a lot of energy.  After returning to church I left with Pastor Adera (the other pastor of AIC Plainsview) to spend a few nights at his home which is just a little bit outside of the city, near the airport.  It was very enjoyable.  Pastor Adera lost his wife just over a year ago, and his oldest daughter is off living at what we would call high school, so it was just him, his son, nephew and myself at the house (aka bachelor pad).  Pastor Adera is actually getting remarried in the beginning of December, so there is a lot of preparation going on for this event.  I really enjoy sitting down and talking with Pastor Adera; he is really laid back, deep and insightful.  While his home is not entirely finished (no running water most specifically) it was a blessing to spend time with him and his son (apart from the giant spider on the wall as I went to bed…I made sure my mosquito net was very tightly tucked in around my bed!).

God is continuing to reveal things to me about Himself and myself.  Often times this can be overwhelming, but I am finding that there is also a lot of joy in this process.  I know I am being changed as a person, and I know that this is ultimately a result of seeking God and learning more about who He is and always will be.  The other week I was feeling really exhausted and overwhelmed.  I asked God to just speak to me (plainly and clearly).  That night in a dream a friend came up to me and opened my bible to Psalm 34.  My friend said something along the lines of, “it’s about God, not you; lean on Him.”  The next morning I woke up and knew I needed to turn to Psalm 34…wow…that’s all I can say.  I will let you read it for yourself, but a few things that clearly stood out were God’s promises to care for us, remove our fears, guilt and shame, and to withhold no good thing from those who seek Him.  I’m learning daily to lean upon these promises and to lean even more heavily upon God’s grace.  Grace: it seems like such a simple word, especially if you've grown up hearing about it, but if you stop and really think about God’s actual grace, the power of this grace, the beauty of this grace, the abundance of this grace—well it’s amazing.  It knocks you off of your feet.  Most days I find myself struggling between either accepting and living in this grace or focusing on my own efforts and inadequacies.  It takes grace to even experience God’s grace!

Pray that I would continue to get out of God’s way and let Him work (in me and through me)

Pray for a deepening understanding of God’s grace and that I would experience the joys of living in this grace daily

Pray for the people of Kenya.  I see them every day walking along the streets.  They have hopes, dreams, hurts and fears, and they, along with all of us, need Jesus Christ     

New Experiences Every Day

Back in Java House for my regular Thursday visit.  This coming week will mark one month of being here.  God has really blessed me with some amazing experiences so far.  It's times like when I'm riding through the Kenyan countryside that I really think of how blessed I am to see and experience the things I'm seeing and to meet the people I've met.  It's sobering to realize that these experiences will only be fully known and understood by me, but this has made me value and look forward to the remaining time I have here in Kenya.  In reality, we all have our own experiences, and whether they are in Africa or in an American suburb, they are uniquely ours and full of value.  Take some time to appreciate the things you are experiencing today.

I have begun to help lead worship with some of the other young adults in our church.  We meet every Saturday afternoon for practice as well as Sunday morning before the services.  Last week I played some guitar with the worship team, and I was able to share a song from back home during the offering.  Many of the songs we sing are in Swahili, and while I cannot understand a lot of our worship, it is humbling to remember that worship is not about us or how it makes us feel; worship is about us glorifying God, and my lack of understanding of the words in a song I'm helping to play does not keep God from being glorified.  This doesn't keep me from serving God and glorifying Him either!  

On Sunday afternoon I was able to meet up with the Kroenings.  They are a missionary family who have been in Africa for over 20 years, and their daughter goes to school with me at Houghton.  I had a nice time meeting them, and it was cool to see where my friend grew up.

On Tuesday I ended up traveling upcountry to bring some supplies to a house Stanley is building.  We loaded up the lorry (like a small moving truck) with packs of tiles, and some other stuff and hopped in front to head to the house.  We then shoveled a bunch of cow duck (manure...I think that's what they called it) into the back of the lorry and brought it to Stanley's village.  I got to spend some time with the kids there; I very well may have been the first white person most of them had ever seen. While at first it's easy to feel like a celebrity, you soon begin to feel like a rare animal breed.  Nevertheless, it was really cool to spend time with these kids.  They were always smiling and laughing, and we had a lot of fun by simply throwing a rock and stick around.

Yesterday I met my friend Joshua in town to go up to a school just outside Nairobi.  Joshua grew up in Mombasa and is a theology student in Nairobi.  He also works for Word of Life ministry, which is why he and a few other guys were going to Rungiri High School.  We met up and arrived at the school to find out that the other guys got stuck in traffic, so I ended up speaking to a bunch of the students (I was able to use the same thing I used for the Masii Girls School the week before).  Joshua and I went to lunch and then he showed me a nearby orphanage.  We then hopped on the back of a motorbike and had the driver take us a few miles to the Word of Life compound.  After visiting I got back on a matatu by myself and managed to get to the center of Nairobi where I got off and found another matatu to take me back to South B where I live.  It was a busy day but full of great experiences!

Life still has its challenges, but I am learning a lot about myself and God every day.  He is working through me and in me and I have a lot to be thankful for.

-Pray for God to continue building meaningful relationships here

-Pray for strength and courage to take the steps of faith God wants me to take as he works in my life     and as he uses me to minister to others

-"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden       with Christ in God." Pray that these words from Colossians 3:2-3 would become a reality for me,       the church in Kenya and the students with whom I shared these verses.

Asking or Proclaiming?

So I'm sitting in Java House (a more western restaurant/cafe that's in many places here in Nairobi...they've got free internet!) and I'm not entirely sure what to write or say.  Life has continued on here in Kenya, and I've continued to see God's blessings as well as experience different challenges.

Sunday's are always uplifting days as I get to worship and hear God's word with others in church.  I will be beginning to help with music (although I'm not sure what this will look like entirely), and I have had some good fellowship and discussions in the young adult bible studies that meet Sunday morning and then on Tuesday night.  This past Sunday I was able to meet and spend time with other young adults at the church for most of the afternoon.  The people here don't necessarily "do" as much, but they are great a simply "being" and simply talking and spending time with one another.  I was able to have some good conversations with people, especially my friend Joshua who is a theology student.

I also attended a "harambee" for a man who is getting married in November.  Harambee means "pull together" in Swahili, and this is a fundraising event to raise money for the upcoming wedding where someone stands up front and simply continues to ask for money and find different ways of collecting money from everyone who has attended (while we all take tea and eat freshly made mandazi--a pastry like thing that to me taste a lot like french toast sticks).

I have been trying to meet up with people throughout the week, but a majority of my time has still been spent at the house.  I have been able to spend a lot of time in prayer for people here as well as people back home (praying is a good way to continue pouring out to others, especially when you don't feel like you have much else to do).  One thing I have been challenged with is how to have a faith that doesn't simply "know" or "understand" God's promises and truths, but that trusts in these things so much that I'm able step out in action without having to "check to see that God has met or is meeting His promises." Do we ask "has God been faithful to His promises?" or do we proclaim "God has been faithful to His promises" and continue to live in response to this?  I often find myself asking, not proclaiming.

Things you can be praying for:
-A continued willingness to be used by God according to His plans and timing
-Confidence (faith) in the work God has called me to do here as well as a trust in the work He is doing in my own life


"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1

A Few Weeks In

So I've been here for almost two weeks now, and a lot has happened.  My internet time is limited so it is a little overwhelming to try to know what to write.  To start, I moved in with Stanley Mutangili and his family (Sylvia, Judihannah, Manasseh, Joshua, N'dunge...wife, 5 yr. old daughter, 3 yr. old son, 3 mo. old son, house help respectively) Friday the 19th.  I have had many experiences from traveling to Stanley's home village upcountry to riding a matatu through crowded streets to traveling to different schools to walking to Westgate Mall to attending and even praying during a wedding.  Check out some of the pictures I've posted on Facebook.  Everyone is very friendly here, but it can be a bit of a challenge to understand one another's English.  I usually don't see any other white people during the day, and I'm continuing to adjust to a new culture.

One thing you all should know is that the Church is alive and well many places here in Kenya.  It has been humbling to see the faith and joy of the Christians here.  People here are so quick to acknowledge God and his blessings and provision.  In many ways I feel that I am simply a learner here, and it has been humbling to lay down any of MY ministry plans or aspirations and to simply trust God to use me.  It is pretty easy to see over here that "when I am week God is strong."  God is faithful and I know He has a lot of great things planned.

Some things I would really appreciate your prayers for:
-That I would get out of God's way, in His work in my life and in His work through me
-Patience with myself and with others as I continue learning and adjusting
-Peace and a strengthened faith that leans on God's TRUTH, not my temporary feelings/emotions
-For a few deep and meaningful friendships with other young adults over here

Bwana Asifiwe (Priase the Lord)
*If you were Kenyan you'd respond, "Amen!"

Karibu Kenya!

I journeyed over Mediterranean Islands...

I've made it to Kenya.  The journey was long but enjoyable; I had a lot of time to think and pray on the 7 and 8 hour flights, and was even able to meet some people along the way.


It is a strange feeling going to bed 8,000 miles from the people you know and not knowing anyone where you are.  I was especially grateful in that moment to serve "El Shalom," the God of Peace.

...across the Sahara Dessert... 

Jet-lag is an interesting feeling (kind of like the morning after that sleepover where you only sleep 30 minutes), but today has been good.  I am learning a lot.  Nairobi is very much like a normal city (although it takes some getting used to driving on the left side of the road!).  I am excited to get to know the Kenyan people, and in a few days I will be moving into the home of one of the pastors of AIC Plainsview.

...and finally saw the lights of Nairobi.

Some things to continue praying about:

-Continuing transition (with a new time zone, different culture and moving in with my host family)

-For humility as a learner and not to worry about making mistakes


Thank you all for your prayers for traveling safety as well as for peace and comfort.

And Here we Go!

Twenty four hours from now I will be boarding my flight to begin my journey to Nairobi.  It's hard to know what to say.  Sure, I don't know the details about my living situation or the work I will be doing, and I'm sure I don't know much about the culture or what to simply expect from everyday life, but I have felt a peace and confidence in the midst of all the unknown and uncertainty.

Some people may say, "there's no way I would be able to do that.  I have to know what's happening.  I'm glad you can," and my response would be, "Who ever said I could either?  I'm not different.  This isn't about what I'm capable of handling or if I enjoy the uncertainty.  The truth is that God is God, and He is in control, whether we think we are in control of part of none of our lives.  He leads, we go, and it usually works out better when we can trust God and get 'us' out of the way."

Experiences like flying across the globe to live and serve for three months don't change who God is, but they sure can show us the real source of peace.  Is our peace rooted in our circumstances or in our control over them?  God brings peace; He is our peace.  This isn't just a defense mechanism for us who have no other option because we're going into the unknown; this is an unchanging truth, just as true for me in Nairobi as it is for you in your suburban living room.  I challenge those who are reading this to seek out God as the source of their peace in the coming months.


On a different note, I am excited and also apprehensive for what God has in store for my time in Kenya.  I know He has been refining me and preparing me for my time this fall, but I still have no idea what God wants to do in or through me.  But, I know He is at work; I know God is waiting to reveal Himself in powerful and unexpected ways.  I also know form the amount of spiritual warfare that has been going on that there are forces that are terrified of what God has planned.  My response: Good.  Let's get to work God.

Lastly, as I step out into the more unknown part of this African journey, I want to thank many of my friends and family for all of their prayer support.  I feel very blessed, and I know I will continue to be blessed by the waves of continuing prayer.  Thanks especially to my immediate and extended family, the congregations of Indian Valley Faith Fellowship and Fillmore Wesleyan Church, and my remarkably "multicultural" friends and townhouse mates who are carrying on with their own adventures up in the Houghton area.

See you all on the flip-side.


"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD yoru God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  Deuteronomy 31:6 

Refining, refining, refining...

It's already the end of July.  The summer has gone quickly, but I am very ready to head off to Kenya, and I am excited to say that God has provided all of my needed support money!  Thank you to all who had a part in this, and please continue to keep my trip in prayer.  

The summer has been a challenge in many ways, but not necessarily in the ways I would have expected.  Interning at my home church has been a great experience with little setbacks or difficulties; God has really blessed my time there.  However, God has been using much of the summer to stretch and challenge me spiritually.  

Refining, refining, refining...an older friend told me at the beginning of the summer that the purest Gold is refined around 21 times.  That's just a metal my friends; we are human beings; living souls with thoughts, emotions, feelings, scars—and

 and the list continues.  I want to ask us all something; how do we view refinement in our lives?  Sure, we know it is a good thing and that it makes us stronger, better, more mature, etc, but when push comes to shove let's be honest—refinement is not fun.  It hurts, and I know that I am generally a lot more angry or confused with God during times of growth and refining than I am grateful or excited.

A continuing prayer of mine this summer has been to not only understand and believe in God’s peace and freedom intellectually but to KNOW God’s peace and freedom in my life.  I have prayed for peace and freedom, but most of the time I've felt less at peace and by no means free from different struggles in my life.  This has caused me a lot of frustration, but I have begun to see more clearly throughout the past few months that God is not interested in giving us peace and freedom as if they are little packets of experience or emotion; God is interested in giving us Himself. 

Pray for peace…God will show you that He is your peace.  Pray for freedom…God will show you that freedom comes from knowing Him.  When I pray for peace and freedom my focus is often on the things I am getting from God rather than on knowing God Himself.  I’m not saying that God doesn't ever want to make things easier or ease or struggles, but do we want these things more than God?  Is He our peace, our freedom?  This isn't something we naturally say “yes” to, and this isn't something we teach ourselves.  This is why we need refinement.

God is a jealous God.  He made us, loves us passionately, pursues us endlessly and has the patience and humility to do this in a way that doesn't force us to come to him.  He lets us get angry at Him; He lets us falsely accuse Him of abandoning us, all the while loving us far too much to take our struggles, our pain, or refining fires away, because if we’re serious about knowing His peace and freedom then He will not settle for anything less than answering these prayers completely—peace and freedom are complete only in Him, apart from our circumstances. 

So…what do we do in the meantime?  What do we do when we recognize that true peace and freedom come only through knowing Jesus Christ; when we really want this but still haven’t seemed to realized it; when God just doesn't seem to be enough; when we seem worse off, crushed, weighed down because of everything else that we want for our own lives—and all the while the rest of the world seems to be doing just fine without this crushing burden to seek out a God who promises to be the “giver of all good things”?  I’m not entirely sure, because this is where I am many days.  However, I do know that holding tightly to God’s promises and commands—even when everything else seems to contradict them—while often more difficult and tiring, has always been worth the fight.  It will always be worth it, and so what we can do is continue to come humbly before the God of the Universe every morning to ask for the strength and faith to keep believing the truth that He is for us and more than capable of giving us what is best for us.  We can find joy in the midst of our journeys by coming together openly and honestly and choosing to praise God together, affirming His plan in each of our lives.  Hebrews 12:1 says that “since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  We are not in the fire alone, nor are we told to endure it alone.  We are to endure—to run—together.  It’s not just about me running the race; it’s about us running the race.

My prayer is that all of you reading this—including myself—will have the courage and faith to keep running; to take God for His word and to really KNOW the peace and freedom that come from seeking and loving the God of the universe, above everyone and everything else.  Maybe then we’ll even begin to head into the refining fires of our lives with gratitude and anticipation.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but...against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

It's been a crazy but good couple of weeks!  From June 4th-7th I traveled to AIM's national headquarters in Peachtree City, GA for short term orientation where I met 12 other individuals who will be serving from 5 weeks to a year all throughout Eastern Africa (homeschooling in Mozambique, physical therapy with special needs orphans in Uganda, working in an airplane hanger in Kenya, etc.).  It is amazing to see how in only a few days such strong friendships were formed.  Preparing to serve the Lord intellectually and spiritually really has a way of bringing the Body of Christ together.

My time in GA was a very encouraging and exciting time as the reality of my trip began to set in and as I was able to pray and join in supporting the work of other short-term missionaries.  At the same time, the reality of spiritual attack and oppression has never been more evident to me.  It's easy to forget what Paul tells the Ephesians: that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).  I repeat, "and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Here in America we live in a society that seeks to understand everything rationally.  We often fail to acknowledge the reality of spiritual warfare; or, if we do believe in this we would rather ignore it and leave that to places like Africa.  Yes...there is A LOT of spiritual warfare throughout Africa (which is why your prayers are VITALLY important before and during my time over there), but the spiritual forces we fight against are just as present here in our daily lives.  While the reality of spiritual darkness and oppression may be recognized and accepted more openly overseas, America is daily assaulted by what I like to call "undercover darkness."  This darkness takes the form of depression, anxiety, sexual messages and ideologies and even the complacency of "The American Dream" and "The Good Life."  We are under attack, and the scariest part is that most of us don't even realize that we are.

The flip side of this, however, is the reality of John 16:33: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  Christ has conquered sin and death; HE has ultimate authority over this world and the spiritual realms, and we are called to "put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground..." (Ephesians 6:13).  Are we arming ourselves with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit?  All of these things root themselves in the reality of Christ and His victory over sin and death.  When we acknowledge this and equip ourselves for battle, darkness stands no chance.

But...there is one more thing we are told to do.  "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Ephesians 6:18).  What is our greatest weapon?  Prayer.  Our direct link with the almighty and sovereign God.  Prayer calls forth the reality of Christ and His victory in our lives and in the world around us.  What are we to do when sin and temptation bear down upon us?  Pray.  What are we to do when peace seems far away?  Pray.  What are we to do when God's promises seem alive and well?  Pray all the more in thanksgiving.  Prayer--it is ESSENTIAL for everything we do.

And so I ask all of you to take the intentional effort to pray.  Pray for the short-term missionaries who have already left for Africa; pray for me in the time leading up to my trip; pray for those who live around you here in America.  Pray alone; pray together.  Be prepared to face the reality of spiritual warfare, but face this with the confidence of Jesus Christ and what He has already accomplished on our behalf.  Pray without ceasing.  

This coming Wednesday, June 4th I'll be heading down to Atlanta for a few days of orientation and short-term mission preparation.  God is doing a lot of cool stuff already this summer as He prepares me for the fall, and I'm excited to see what He has in store for next week!

Recently I have been overwhelmed with the total power and truth of the Gospel in our lives.  The Gospel is literally our life; the reason we have freedom and redemption;  totally undeserved yet freely offered.  This is our ONLY foundation, yet it is completely secure.  It's a reality that I don't consider enough of the time, but one that makes every day work living!

Support letters are printed and coming around!  Prayer as well as financial support for the fall would be much appreciated.  Pray for AIC Plainsview and the people I will be ministering to and with, and please also pray for God to prepare my heart in the months leading up to my trip.

The financial cost for my trip is $5,985, and all support must be received by August 4th.  If you would like to support me financially you can either mail me a check made out to "Africa Inland Mission" (please do not have my name anywhere on the check), or you can go to http://www.aimint.org/usa, click the "give" tab, then the "online giving" option and search for my name.

In the meantime I am beginning work as an intern at my home church, Indian Valley Faith Fellowship.  Prayer would be appreciated as I transition from college life to home life.  I can already sense that God has a lot to teach me in the coming months--particularly about patience, confidence, identity and trust.  My prayer is that I will face this growth with joy rather than fear or resentment.

My blog is up and running, and things are being set into motion for my three month trip to Nairobi, Kenya this Fall to serve at AIC Plainsview Church.  Join me in prayer for my time over there and how God will use this in my life and in the lives of those I meet!