One to Remember

This post feels a little selfish to be writing.  But if I'm going to share about my time in Kenya, this is a piece I must share.  God's plans are always perfect, but the way he planned for me to spend my 29th birthday in Kenya was beyond perfect.  Most of you reading this probably already know this, but I'm not big on being the center of attention. This often means that I'd much rather serve others in the background than to let them serve me, that I'd much rather give gifts than receive them, and ultimately that I'm not very good at letting the Lord use people to reflect his love for me. I often avoid this, which can rob others of their joy in serving.  While I can't say that I'm much better at being the center of attention at this point, what I can say is that the Lord used my birthday in Kenya to soften my heart, to teach me to be more willing to let my guard down, and to really give me a better understanding of how big his love is for me.  He used about 60 of the most beautiful smiles, hilarious personalities, and hearts for Jesus to do it.

The day started with a walk to the school to meet the students before heading to nearby Brackenhurst Convention Center for activities.  It was Mashujaa Day, also known as Heroes' Day, which meant they had the day off from school and we got to spend the whole day with them.  The moment they walked out of the gate and greeted us my heart was filled.  The sweet girl pictured below, Natasha, came to find me and gave me a huge hug and a "Happy Birthday."  And the girls continued to come and find me to wish me happy birthday as we made our way to Brackenhurst.  Again, I am not one to love having people's attention, but these girls can make you feel like the most special person and I welcomed their love over and over again.

Me and Natasha

The ropes course.  I know it may not seem like a big deal to you.  People do these all the time here. Team building events and such.  Some people love them, some people hate them.  But for these girls, it was an adventure unlike anything they had ever done.  And they were so brave.  A few were very excited, but several were pretty nervous when they looked up and saw the contraption they'd be climbing across.  It was so cool to watch as each one faced their fears and went for it, with little hesitation.  With their friends below them cheering them on each step, it was a beautiful depiction of the importance of community as we face our fears and learn to trust.  One sweet girl named Shazmin got stuck.  Seriously.  Somehow her hook got caught on the guide rope, which meant she had to be rescued by a ropes course staff member.  She was scared, but so brave.  The girls below provided so much encouragement to her and comfort that she was going to be just fine.  As I watched this moment unfold, and the entire experience at the ropes course for that matter, I continued to think about how this represented so much about their lives.  They need each other to get by in life.  They need the encouragement and support.  And praise God the Lord has provided them with exactly what they need.  Through Uhuru Academy the Lord has provided them with friends and teachers and  discipleship leaders who pour into them and support them through the highs and lows of life.  That was a birthday present enough, to watch the way they supported each other and to be reminded of    how faithful our God is to those who trust in him.      

Ropes course action shot of Ruth

To top off the ropes course experience, Loise came running over to find me after the session.  We might have only met face-to-face the night before, but seeing her running over to give me a birthday hug was a moment I will never forget.  (There were several of those during this trip, as you've probably noticed.  There are more to come.)  It's really impossible for me to describe the love that I felt when she ran my way.  Like I said, God's plan for me to spend my birthday in Kenya was beyond perfect.  That's what he wants for us, ya'll.  He wants us to feel the deep, deep love that he has for us.  That moment, standing around the edges of a ropes course, with a high school girl running to find me simply because she loves me and wanted to tell me happy birthday.  The Lord  may never have it in his plans for me to have kids, but I'm pretty sure I got a glimpse in that moment of what it was like to have your kids love you so innocently and so well.  But man, I pray she loves Jesus and runs after him even more. 

Loise and me after the ropes course

During the walk back from the ropes course was one of the highlights I mentioned in my last post.     Those 20-30 minutes spent talking with Margaret were so special.  Really getting  to know her and  listen to her pour out her heart to me.  This was...wait for it...a walk to remember :)  In all seriousness though, hearing more about Margaret's story and the way the Lord has worked and continues to work in their family was a reminder of the tremendous ways he is working through Uhuru Academy to transform lives for his kingdom's cause.

Once back at the school we had lunch and spent time in bible study groups, which we had been divided into at the ropes course.  During this time we were to debrief and discuss some questions related to the ropes course and how it can teach us about our relationship with God.  This was a great discussion, but there was much more to our debrief time.  As we sat eating lunch and beginning to introduce ourselves I noticed that some girls who were not in our group began to come in the room.  Soon enough there was a group of them gathering together in the corner.  They looked over at me with big smiles and said, "we have something for you."  And with that Vanessa began to play the guitar and Nimmo and the others began to sing a birthday song to me.  I titled my last post "Pure Joy"....this moment....PURE JOY rushed over me, into me, all around me.  Have I mentioned how much I don't like being the center of attention?  For that moment though, I would gladly stand in the center.  It was beautiful, it was funny, it was sweet....but most of all it was another moment the Lord used to show his relentless love for his children.  For me and for these girls.  A group of high school girls from Kenya singing happy birthday to a mzungu they'd only met a few days before.  And He orchestrated this moment to reveal so much of himself.  At the time, there were tears of joy and a huge goofy grin as I listened to them sing.  It was only after I came home and have had time to reflect that I see more and more of the beautiful friendship God designed.   And even if I never see those girls again (I pray that is not the case!!), through a catchy (and perhaps Drake-inspired) birthday song they loved me in a way that will certainly never be forgotten. (I have a video, but it wouldn't load/play properly on the blog.  Just ask me next time you see me, I love sharing it.)

Oh but the fun had only just begun for me.  So lets flash back for a moment to Wednesday when I first met Loise and Margaret.  During our conversation, my girl Shariffa came by and informed them that my birthday was on Thursday, just like hers.  With that news, Loise and Margaret gave me a grin and said "ooohhhh, you're going to get watered."  Not all that sure what "being watered" looked like I reluctantly asked, "so, should I bring a change of clothes with me?"  They laughed and just shook their heads.  So back to Thursday, after the birthday song and our debrief time (which came to a pretty quick ending because there were screams coming from outside...the watering session for the other birthday girls had begun) the girls instructed me to remove my shoes and anything I didn't want to get wet.  They led me to a grassy area outside the dorms and there was no turning back from there.  Immediately there were large buckets of water coming at me.  This went on for about 10 minutes.    Water buckets coming from every angle.  And I couldn't think of a more fun birthday experience.  There were two other girls celebrating their birthdays, Shariffa and Mary, so I was not in it alone.  Which perhaps meant all the more water coming at us.  Another birthday moment I will always remember...the squeals, the laughs, the shouts, and the sprints I ran trying to dodge the next water bucket.  Again a moment of pure joy and unconditional love.  They were so excited to celebrate my birthday with me...and now I will always be excited to think back to that moment that I got to  celebrate with them.  At the end of getting "watered" the whole group sang happy birthday to us as the soaked birthday girls stood arm-in-arm.  Few moments in life  will be filled with that much joy and love.  A birthday celebration that I will never forget.  

Getting watered...

...and some more....

  

Birthday buddies...very wet.

   

The rest of the afternoon we played field games.   It was like back in the day when we had Field Day at Shoals Elementary School.  Think relay races with about 60 high school girls.  Turns out they  cheat...a lot!  But in the most hilarious ways that they fully embrace.  For instance, we did a relay race similar to dizzy bat.  They were supposed to spin 20 times.  They didn't come close to that.  Most would spin about three times and race back.  It was hilarious to watch though as they talked strategy (in cheating) and watched other teams to figure out how to beat them.  My team was super competitive and overly obnoxious... and of course I loved every second of it. They would scream and cheer after every game, making you think we had won every time.  We did not.  But they would try to convince you otherwise, and it was awesome.  The "Troublemakers," as they referred to themselves, lived up to their name. Such a fun time.

Troublemakers, the best team

Field game team celebration

Following field games it was time for us to head to Cheshire for GLOW Club.   Another special moment with Margaret and Loise happened. As we were waiting to load up and head out I found Margaret among the girls who were going with us, but Loise was nowhere to be found.  I asked Margaret if Loise was coming with us or if she knew where she might be.  (At this point I did not realize we would have the chance to see them again on Saturday to say goodbye...so I thought this was my last opportunity and I couldn't leave without a proper goodbye.)  Immediately Margaret passed off the craft supplies she was  holding and went to find Loise for me.  She brought her out and I shared that this might be goodbye.  I asked if she was going to Cheshire with the others or if she needed to study.  At first she said she needed to study for her exams the next day and that was so awesome.  To hear and see how invested she is in her education is incredible.  ...But then I mentioned that I would be going to Cheshire and her eyes lit up.  "Ooohhh, then I will go too," she said.  Ya'll, it was a simple moment, but it overwhelmed me with love.  She wanted to come because I was going. One day I'll probably have to tell my nieces or my own children that they can't come with me  somewhere because they have homework to do or I'll have to encourage them to choose to study instead, but this moment was different.  A few more hours to spend together with a friend was precious time to both of us.  While education is extremely important, there are other days (and I'd argue there should be more) you must encourage them to invest in relationships and spend time with those they love, even if it means a little less time studying or getting the job done.  I certainly did not discourage her from coming, nor encourage her to go back to studying rather than joining us.  For me, seeing her eyes light up when she found out I would be going to Cheshire, that was one moment I was not going to let go. So we walked together to the Land Cruiser and hopped in for a few more hours to hang out.  And I had one more birthday moment I will always remember.

So you might be thinking, what is Cheshire?  Great question.  Cheshire is a vocational school for girls with disabilities.  The girls range in age and have various disabilities from physical to mental and at  varying degrees of severity.  The Uhuru Discipleship Team holds GLOW club at Cheshire.  To remind you, GLOW stands for Girls Leading Our World.  It's a program adopted from the Peace Corps and it teaches life skills.  At Cheshire, Uhuru Academy students who are members of the Service Club come along with the Discipleship Team to lead GLOW Club. Immediately when we walked in the room with the Uhuru students you could see the Cheshire students light up with excitement.  But I also saw the Uhuru students light up the same way.  This was a special time for both groups.   We spent time introducing ourselves and then sang  worship songs together. To his surprise, the student leading the worship time (Mariet) asked our Mercy team member, Zach, to lead us in a song.  We joined together in "Amazing Grace."  Each time we sang that on our trip it got better and better.  This was the pinnacle.  A room full of Kenyan high school girls, girls with special needs, nuns (who run the school), Uhuru staff, and mzungus visiting from across the world, all joining together to sing about the amazing grace of our Savior, his grace to save a wretch like me.   It is in moments like that that we get a taste of the sweetness that Heaven will be.   All fears, ailments, tears, and differences cast aside, joining together to sing praises at the feet of Jesus.  What a sweet day this was...but what an even sweeter day that will be!

Making lanterns at Cheshire

The rest of the time at Cheshire we spent making a craft with them.  The Uhuru students led groups and we helped the Cheshire students make paper lanterns.  It was a joy to watch both.  To watch the faces of the Cheshire students light up as they saw their lantern come together.  To watch the Uhuru students light up as they talked through each step and helped the Cheshire students finish their masterpiece.  We ended by singing "This Little Light of Mine" and it could not have been more perfect.  The girls in that room shine their light in the brightest ways. Praise God for that!

And then came another sweet, sweet birthday moment.  One of the Cheshire students was also named Catherine.  She LOVED that we had the same name.  She was sitting with her friend, Phyllis.  When Catherine and Phyllis found out it was my birthday they got so excited.   Together they sang the most beautiful "Happy Birthday" to me.  A few of their friends joined in too.  I wish I had it on video to share because they truly were the sweetest voices.  Voices that again our gracious Heavenly Father used to share his love for me and reflect the beauty of his love in them.  These girls had literally just met me and yet they lit up to be able to sing and celebrate with me. What a blessing they were in that moment...and will continue to be.

Catherine (next to me), Phyllis (middle in pink) and friends at Cheshire

My birthday ended with a bonfire at the team house.  Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE a good bonfire.  A bonfire in Kenya...what better way to celebrate your birthday.  On top of that, our sweet cook, Petty, surprised me with a delicious birthday cake.  We also had the opportunity that night to pray over the staff of Freedom Global/Uhuru.  I want to share more about the amazing staff, but I'll save that for later.  But I can't think of a better way to end a day like this, where God had blessed me with so much love from the students of Uhuru Academy, than to pray back to him thanks for the staff.  Thanks for the ways he is using the staff and their willingness to pour out their lives, so that these girls may know him and share his love with others.

With our amazing cook, Petty

Finally, I must also give a HUGE shoutout to the rest of the volunteer team, the staff of Uhuru, and certainly my roommate/mother goose/accountability partner/God-send of a friend, Lynn.  These people also loved me so well throughout the day.  They celebrated with me, laughed with me, captured the moments for me, decorated a cake for me, and sang to me multiple times. More than any of this though, throughout the week and especially this day with the students, they exemplified the beauty of the gospel and loved on the girls with all they had to give.  I am so grateful for their hearts and the work the Lord is doing in and through them in Kenya and in America.  So thank you to the volunteer team and the Freedom/Uhuru team, you guys are THE BEST!

In the book of Psalms we read, "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you."  Psalm 63:3.  His love is better than life.  And he wants to shower us with that love.  He used my birthday in Kenya to reveal that to me again.  May I continue to rest in that love He has for me and may my lips praise him, now and forevermore.

My ride-or-die and roommate

Meet Zach and Dennis...

Mercy Team 

Pure Joy

So as you might have noticed, I didn't post at all while we were in Kenya.  We had very limited access to wifi and I didn't want to spend my time at the school staring at a screen when I could spend it making some of the most precious memories of the trip.  So, as promised, I will be blogging this week to share stories, photos, and moments from the trip that completely changed my life.  I started to organize my posts in the most simple way, a day-by-day description of what we did each day.  But instead of making this a diary of our every move, I've decided to take a different approach.  For this first post I'm going to share some highlights and in the rest of the posts I will focus on a specific area(or a few areas combined) or a specific part of the trip to give you a better idea of the many ways the Lord is using Freedom Global and the people in Kenya for His Kingdom's cause.

Painting outside the classrooms at Uhuru Academy

Since returning, several people have asked me to give highlights of the trip.  I'm guessing they think I'm either too jet-lagged to share too much or they know I will go on for hours if they don't limit me.  I am tired, but far more than being physically tired I am emotionally exhausted because I quickly grew to love so many beautiful faces in Kenya and then too quickly had to say goodbye.  Which means highlights are hard to give because the entire trip was a highlight.  God was using each and every moment and experience to teach me something about him.  So to give highlights is a difficult task, but I'll share a few of the most special moments of the trip.  There are many, many more highlights to come in later posts and ones that I would love to share about in person, so please stay tuned and feel free to ask me anything.

When I wrote about the song "Signature of Divine" in my pre-trip post I had it all wrong.  Or at least didn't have the complete story.  To refresh your memory on those lyrics I wrote of prior to the trip, it begins with "Cathedrals have tried in vain, to show the image of your face.  But we are, by your design, signature of divine." While I first wrote about how crazy it is that we are created in his image and get to be called "his" and focused on the amazing opportunity before us to be the signature of divine in Kenya, which is all true, it turns out God had so much more to reveal to me about who he is and who we are in him through the people I encountered in Kenya.  I saw the image of God's face in a way I've never experienced before when I looked at the students at Uhuru Academy.

For just over a year now my mom, my aunt, and I have been praying for and sponsoring a scholarship for a student who attends Uhuru Academy.  Her  name is Loise Wafari.  Last Wednesday, I finally got to meet Loise and my heart was forever changed.  We attended chapel at the school that evening, which I will share more about in another post, but after chapel I was called over to meet Loise.  We quickly connected as we shared stories of our families and talked about our favorite subjects in school.  Loise is a Form 2 and will graduate in 2018.  (Their academic year ends in October/November.  Their closing ceremony for this year is Wednesday.  So Loise will graduate in late October 2018.) She loves history and math, but dislikes chemistry.  Loise wants to be an accountant. Did I mention that my mom also helps sponsor Loise? My mom, the retired accountant, who continues to work long hours crunching numbers as a "part time" accountant. Loise loved that. I took photos to share with her of my family and a photo of Pilot Mountain to show her where I was from; her eyes lit up as I told her about my parents, my sisters, my aunt and uncle, and my home.  In those first few moments of embracing her, hearing stories, and sharing laughter together, the Lord revealed a joy and love that can't be described.  Yes, it was a cool moment to meet and talk to the girl who I've been sponsoring, but it was so much more than just that.  It was full of pure joy and grace and a moment where I experienced the deep love of our Heavenly Father.  Here I had come thousands of miles hoping to meet her and be the hands and feet of Jesus to her, but turns out the Lord used her to completely change my heart.

Margaret (left), Loise (middle)

Another highlight was intertwined with the first highlight of meeting Loise.  This highlight was a girl named Margaret.  I first met Margaret on the football (soccer) field on Monday.  We joined the girls for sports on Monday and despite my limited soccer skills I decided to join that game.  There were lots of brief introductions on the field during periods where the ball was being retrieved from the volleyball court or from the bottom of the hill.  One of those brief intros was with Margaret.  The meeting where I really began to get to know Margaret though happened shortly after I met Loise.  As Loise and I were talking away from the crowd after chapel, another girl walks over and sits down next to Loise.  Meet Margaret.  Turns out Margaret and Loise are best friends.  They have a friendship that reflects the love of Christ in a beautiful way.  Watching them together and hearing them laugh with one another was yet again a moment of pure joy.  The next day we did a ropes course and had a field day with the girls (another portion I will share much more about in another post) and Margaret was on my team.  I would love to say this gave me the chance to pour into her (and I hope the Lord used me to do that), but it was she who really poured into me.  During our longest conversation, as we walked back to the school after the ropes course, Margaret says, "I think you know my sister."  At first I was a little confused, but she then explained that she is the younger sister of Gladys.  I met Gladys three years ago when she was a young Form 1 student.  Gladys is now a Form 4 at Uhuru Academy and about to graduate.  I was able to see her, hug her, and share a very special moment on the soccer field on Monday.  But the Form 4 students didn't get to hang out with us very much because they were focused on reviewing for the KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education), which is the Kenyan version of the SAT on steroids.  So I didn't get to see much of Gladys.  But I got to spend a lot of precious time with her sister Margaret.  Margaret wants to be a pilot.  She loves sciences.  She shared with me about how her sister was the only one to believe in her before she arrived at Uhuru Academy.  That even she didn't believe in herself.  But Gladys continued to encourage her to come to Uhuru, that with God's help they were going to change things for their family.  I have no doubt the Lord is going to use Margaret and Gladys in mighty ways.  Their faith is unshakeable.  After the 2007 post-election violence their family spent seven years in a tent with ten people sleeping on a queen size mattress.   The Lord provided a way first for Gladys to attend Uhuru Academy and then for Margaret to attend Uhuru Academy and both to receive a quality education.  He then used the students of Uhuru to begin to change their family's physical circumstances.  The Uhuru students visited their home and then decided to give up meat for two months in order to save money to help build a home for Gladys and Margaret's family.  A true testament of the Lord at work through this ministry.  Along with the educational and physical needs, he is also very clearly at work in their lives spiritually.  Margaret  passionately shared with me that first and foremost she must keep God first in her life.  That he has provided for their family and she knows he will continue to do so.  One day Margaret is going to fly herself to my country to visit me and then fly me back to visit Kenya.  I am praying for that day, would you pray with me too?

After the intense football (soccer) match.  Gladys is next to me in the middle with the shirt that reads "Blue."

The last highlight will be a brief overview because I'll share a full post on it later.  I spent my birthday in Kenya.  I have been blessed with an amazing family and friends here in the States for my entire life and thanks to you all I've had some awesome birthdays.  But I have to say that this year was THE BEST birthday.  It was spent playing field games, encouraging students on the ropes course, building new friendships, getting "watered," and visiting a vocational school for girls with disabilities.  But the thing that stood out far more than what I "did" on my birthday was the genuine, deep, pure love that I was showered with (both literally and figuratively) throughout the entire day.  Girls I had hardly even met were coming to give me huge birthday hugs. There were many renditions of "Happy Birthday" sung, a lot of water thrown at me, and a continuous joy stirred in my heart.  Pure joy that only comes from the Father.  Our Heavenly Father was so gracious to me as those girls revealed how deep his love is for us.  And once again, my heart was forever changed. How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure.  I pray that He continues to be glorified because the sweet love and joy I experienced on my birthday was not about me, but about the relentless and beautiful love he has for us, which he reveals through others.  For me, it was clearly revealed in the eyes, words, songs, hugs, and smiles of 77 incredible Kenyan high school girls.

With Loise on my birthday.

We sang "Amazing Grace" several times on our trip.  The words are such a true depiction of not only what I was able to experience this trip, but also the reason I was able to experience it all.  What amazing grace Christ has shown me to save me, that I might share in the pure joy and love that he desires for me.  What amazing grace he has given to those beautiful girls.  And what amazing grace that one day we will all get to bow at his feet together, worshiping him forevermore.  I pray that Loise and Margaret and the many others who you will hear more about, always know how much they are loved by me.  But much more than that, I pray they will always know how much they are loved by our Heavenly Father and how sweet his amazing grace is for them.

TOMORROW.  After months of praying, planning, and preparing, our trip is happening.  I know some of you will look at this and immediately put it in the TLDR pile ("too long, didn't read" pile, for those of you wondering what that means), which is totally fine, but at least read this first paragraph as I want to thank you. A huge thank you to all of you reading this who have prayed, offered words of encouragement, listened to me share about my excitement, and several who have  supported my trip through your generous donations.  While I may be the one getting on a plane and spending a week in Kenya, in many ways I'm taking all of you with me, because without you it would not be possible. I am so grateful for your hearts and investment in His kingdom.

I wanted to write this pre-departure note because many of you have been asking whether I will be documenting the trip and if you can follow along somewhere.  Internet access will be very limited during our trip (we are going to a third world country after all), so updates will be limited, if they happen at all.  But I will certainly be sharing about the trip once we return. If you followed along with my trip in 2013 you may recall that I was able to post almost every day.  We are staying at a different location this time, which does not have wifi. But I'm excited about the new spot and also welcome the time to be disconnected.

Since I won't be posting daily, I'll provide a brief overview of what our itinerary looks like.  When I get back and share with you what actually happened on our trip there is a strong chance that it will be very different from what the itinerary says.  Why you ask....well, because it's Africa. We'll be flying out tomorrow afternoon, Charlotte to Atlanta to Amsterdam to Nairobi. (Pray that this part of the trip does NOT change from the itinerary 🙂) We are scheduled to arrive in Kenya on Saturday night, which will be early afternoon back home. We'll be going to church on Sunday to a church plant that was started by a group of Kenyans a couple years ago. It wasn't around when I was there last, so I look forward to this. After church we'll be visiting the homes of some of the students. On Monday, we will work on the farm and then go hang out at Uhuru Academy for a tour of the facilities and sports/games with the students. Tuesday will mainly be spent working on projects on the farm. On Wednesday, we will have a chance to see the area and then participate in GLOW club, which is a girls discipleship program. Thursday will be more farm work and helping with another GLOW club event. During these work days there are various other projects, but more importantly time to get to know the Kenyans and build relationships with them. On Friday, we'll be heading to Maasai Mara to go on safari! Saturday it's back to Limuru to pack up and say goodbyes before heading to the airport for a late flight and eventually arriving back in Charlotte late Sunday afternoon.

So, in case I haven't mentioned it, we leave tomorrow! That means I've got a lot of excitement, but full disclosure, I also have a good bit of anxiety.  With that range of emotions, I want to share a little of what's on my heart pre-trip. As I shared with my roommate (who is also going on the trip!) this morning, I feel very unworthy to be going across the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus and leading an incredible team of people from Mercy Church, and yet in light of the cross, I have never felt more called to go and serve and share Jesus with the nations.  Before work this morning it really hit me that I am headed back to Kenya, a place I fell in love with three years ago. But what also hit me was the joy that comes in obedience, the undeserved grace that Jesus provides, and the incredible mission we are called to as believers. And as these emotions came flooding in several songs came on that help share what my heart is feeling right now. First was the song "Signature of Divine" by my favorite band, NeedtoBreathe. To be completely honest and vulnerable with you guys, the moment I began to hear the words and sing along, the tears began to flow. (This resulted in me having to get myself put back together before rolling into work with mascara everywhere.) Here are a few of the lyrics:

"Cathedrals have tried in vain
To show the image of your face.
But we are, by your design  

The signature of divine. 

We'll always sing your name,

Forever and today. 

Yahweh, Yahweh,

Great is your glory, when you go before me.

Oh, we sing, 

Holy, Holy,

Your ways are lovely, so high above me,

Yahweh"

As I sang those words to a song I've sung hundreds of times, I was struck by both the weight of that calling and the beauty of it...by His design, we are signatures of DIVINE.  To be the signature of divine..God, the holiest of holies, saying these are the ones to be identified as from me, the image bearers of me, the divine one. That's huge! He designed us to be exactly that. With the joy, beauty, and weight of that calling, we can rest in knowing that THE divine one, the one who created us, the one who sits on the throne...He goes before us. His glory is great, his ways are lovely, and he is Yahweh. It's about him, not about us. So as I prepare to go serve his kingdom, I rest in knowing that he has chosen me but does not send me alone, instead he goes before me, and by resting in that I pray this trip would bring glory to his name. Side note: so much more we could dig into here, but I've already rambled enough. Go listen to the song!

"Signature of Divine" was followed by "All Creatures of Our God and King." (Shoutout to Mercy Worship for their recently released EP which includes this song sung by my girl Kalli, shoutout to her amazing voice, too.)  This song always reminds me of a few things: how worthy our God is to be praised, the beauty and vastness of his creation, and that one day all of creation will bow at his feet and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. It also takes me back to one of my favorite parts of my last trip when our team worshiped with the girls at Uhuru Academy. We got to experience the awesome praise that they give to our great God. The same God I worship in the US. The same great God I fail to praise enough in the midst of my privileged first world "problems." That same God is present and praised in Kenya. That same God who created all the earth and everything in it. And I get the opportunity to go across his world and lift my voice and sing praises to him with his creation, on a different continent, in a different language (sometimes), with people of a different tribe. Whoa! "Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son. And praise the Spirit, Three in One. Oh praise him, alleluia."

And the last song that came on before I arrived to work was "My Solid Rock," another one found on the Mercy Worship EP. (Y'all, you NEED to download this EP!) Some of the lyrics for this one:

"My solid rock, it is Jesus. 

My only hope, is in your Name. 

Through it all, you are faithful. 

Forever we will praise the name of Jesus." 

If you take nothing else from this post, would you take a few seconds to pray just that...that Jesus would be our rock during this trip, that he would be the solid rock for believers in Kenya, that people  who don't know him would come to know the unwavering hope we find in Jesus and that he would become their solid rock, and that the name of Jesus will be forever praised, all across the world.

Despite how good it was for me to hear those songs this morning, to take my mind away from the list of all the things I needed to do before tomorrow and focus it back on Jesus, no song lyric compares to the words of Jesus himself. So I want to finish with this: "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" Matthew 9:35-37. My words would be so inadequate, so Thank you Jesus for sending me. Would you continue to teach my heart to show compassion to the harassed and helpless through this trip and may my labor be glorifying to you.

Thank you for taking time to read this ridiculously long post. I can't wait to share with you all the fun and memorable moments from or trip, but more than that, I hope to tell you stories about people and the lives being changed by the gospel!

Love in Christ,

Catherine

In Doha--Waiting for Dulles

Many of you probably ask the same question we all asked when we first received our trip itinerary---what is Doha?  In fact where in the world is Qatar??....well we're here in Doha, which is the capital of Qatar. It is quite the change from the poverty we witnessed in Kenya as Qatar is considered one of the richest countries in the world as it has the highest per capita GDP.

We woke up early this morning to head back to Brackenhurst and then Nairobi.  We left the lodge a little after 6:30 and arrived back to Brackenhurst around 10.  We packed up the luggage, said our goodbyes to Bailey, Taylor, and Heather who are staying in Kenya and then headed for Nairobi to catch our flight.  Traffic en route to Nairobi is not ideal so getting to the airport was slightly stressful.  We arrived at noon with our flight departing at 1:00.  Thankfully we all made it through immigration and on to the plane in time.  I think all of us were ready to head home but left a piece of our hearts in Kenya.  Homeward bound though--first leg, 5 hours to Doha.

Here in Doha Qatar Airways has put us up in a hotel for the night because we have a 12.5 hour layover.  The hotel shuttled us from the airport and during the drive we got some incredible views of the city.  This place is insane.  If you have ever been to or seen pictures of Dubai, this gives it a run for its money.  The architecture, design, and lighting of the buildings is unbelievable.  I took some photos that I'll share later but since it is night they don't show up as well.  So just google image it...you'll see what I'm talking about.  This is my first time in the Middle East and this city has not disappointed.

Our hotel is awesome as well.  It is one of the high rise buildings in the middle of the city with a pool on the 26th floor where you can look out and see a lot of the cool architecture around. We had a buffet dinner here as well which was fantastic.  A great variety of Middle Eastern foods and of course my favorite were the desserts--a berry cobbler-like dish that reminded me of my mom's dump cake, chocolate tart, and many other assorted sweets.  I feel like eating is all I have done the past two days.

This post is short but thought I would update on where we are.  We have to head to the airport at 5AM as the airline requires you to arrive three hours before a flight to the USA.  We fly out at 8:45AM and are scheduled to land in DC 13.5 hours later at 3:30PM.  Pray for safe travels and a quick recovery from jet lag.  My goal is to stay up tonight so I can sleep on the flight and get back on schedule but we'll see how that works.  Regardless, it will be nice to be back in North Carolina.

And God Created Wild Animals

Genesis 1:24-25

God spoke: “Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:

cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds.”

And there it was:

wild animals of every kind,

Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.

God saw that it was good.

Today we got to experience His beautiful creation in one of the most remarkable ways possible.  We went on safari at Lake Nakuru.  We were able to see so much of God's creation here in Kenya--the vegetation, the landscape, and most people's favorite- the wildlife.  Seeing these animals in the wild was breathtaking.  Such a fun trip and such a blessing to see His kingdom on display.  

We woke up this morning bright and early to head out at 6AM.  A great example of "This is Africa" which has commonly been said when it comes to time to leave, etc.---we ended up leaving at 6:30.  We drove about 2.5 hours to Lake Nakuru where the safari park is located.  We drove in three separate vans as opposed to the bus we had the rest of the week.  We had another semi-scary drive in the beginning as the fog was extremely dense again.  Once the fog lifted and the sun actually came out for the first time since we've been here it was a beautiful drive.  Joseph, the driver of my van, was a great one to have as he gave us some great information.  While driving we saw some gazelles, a zebra, and a warthog which Joseph told us most were on a private ranch owned by a rich Kenyan.  

Once we arrived at Lake Nakuru we were ready to start on safari.  Our drivers popped open the top of our vans so we could stand up as we drove through the park.  One of the first crazy sights we saw was the water level of the lake.  The rainy season is ending now so the lake was out which Joseph said was not normal.  The first animal we saw was an impala and a black crested eagle as soon as we entered.  But that definitely was only the beginning.  We all had hopes of which animals we wanted to see and were able to see almost all of them.  We saw tons of buffalo and impalas.  One of the funniest animals we saw was the warthog....aka Pumba!  No sighting of Timon though.  During our morning game viewing session we also saw lots of interesting birds, velvet monkeys, and a HIPPO!  The hippo was one of the animals at the top of my list.  He was at the edge of the water so we weren't all that close but you could see him well with the camera and binoculars.  After the hippo sighting we headed to the lodge to check-in.  We are staying a a game lodge that is absolutely incredible.  It was weird arriving at the lodge and seeing all these white people....after a week with almost all Kenyans and few other mzungus it seemed odd. We had lunch as soon as we got here and it was a buffet feast.  They served a wide variety of foods of which I tried most.  There were things such as: pumpkin marsala, stir fry veggies, lamb curry, traditional irio, steak with thyme infused gravy, matoke in peanut and corriander sauce, tilapia with a lime and arrabiata sauce, and many fresh salads and fruits.  The desserts were phenomenal as well....cappuccino mousse,  korosho mramba, orange gratin (some what like a cobbler or bread pudding with oranges) and many others.  The korosho mramba was like a pay day pie--so so good!  After lunch we hung out around the lodge for a few hours.  The view is breathtaking from here....we can see Lake Nakuru through the trees.  And the fact the sun was out was such a welcomed thing.  



We headed back out in the vans to find some new animals this afternoon.  The animals are typically out early in the morning and at dusk when they are feeding.  This run was even better.  As soon as we left we went to find a leopard that had been spotted.  Unfortunately the leopard had moved but as a trade off we found Simba!!  There was a male lion lying in a tree. Camille asked me to bring her back a lion so I did my best and got some good pictures of him.  We also saw two more lions later on but my camera...both my actual camera and phone had died...so I'm going to be stealing some photos from someone.  These were a male and female lying in the grass asleep.  We waited a few minutes to see if they would move and finally they did...they began to flirt shall we say.  Again...such a cool thing to see.  They weren't but about 20 yards away.  Simba and Nala in their natural habitat.  We also saw rhinos, zebras, baboons, and after briefly getting a glimpse of a giraffe early on we finally saw a giraffe up close on the drive back to the lodge.  All such incredible creatures...fascinating to watch.  Paul commented in our van that it is hard to see an animal like a rhino with the setting we were in, a lake and mountains for the background with sun beams coming down through the clouds and not believe there is  a God.  His kingdom is such a beautiful place and experiencing His creation is such an awesome opportunity.  


Joseph gave us some cool facts about the animals throughout our drive.  I wish I had a recorder with me so I could remember them all.  Paul is supposed to remember them for me but since he's not around I'll tell the ones I remember.  He said the giraffe's heart is the strongest of any animal--it pumps 20 gallons of blood per minute.  When a lion dies the rangers often have to move the carcass themselves rather than other animals feeding on it as happens with most--the others fear the lion so much that they do not dare mess with it even when it's dead.  He said the Maasai women used to place their children on the dead lions because they believed some of his courage would go into their children.  When a lion gets old he loses his teeth which is his killing mechanism.  So the warthog, or pumba as Joseph calls them, becomes his most common meal.  The warthog has a very short memory...12 minutes.  So if the lion is chasing him the warthog eventually forgets and then the lion sneaks up on him.  There were several others that he told but between my own lack of memory and you probably not wanting to read my version of National Geographic, I'll leave it at that and share more when I see you. 

After the drive we came back to the lodge again where there was a dance performance and dinner.  The dancers performed "traditional Kenyan dances" but it was not so authentic according to Joe and Caitlin.  While it was entertaining....and they got Char, Joe, and Caitlin up on stage....it was not so authentic nor was it an award winning performance.  Nevertheless though we were in a beautiful setting with a fire pit, some music, and wrapping up an unforgettable trip.  After the dancing we had dinner which again was a buffet style feast.  They offered a wide variety of international dishes again including some delicious alfredo, steak, red snapper, and the best naan I have ever had.  They also served fresh fruit--I had some pineapple and passionfruit.  The desserts were great again---a toffee chocolate cake that was awesome (Lester, you make a similar version).  Needless to say I'm glad we're only here for a night because I'd otherwise gain so much weight.  

And now it's after dinner and I'm sitting by the firepit as I write this blog on our final night in Kenya.  Most of the group sat out here for a while but pretty much everyone has headed to their cabin now.  It is so peaceful out and so hard to believe it is my last night in Kenya.  It was tough to say goodbye to the Kenyans I have met and it will be tough to say goodbye to Kenya itself.  God has used this week in so many more ways than I probably even realize much less can write about.  Just as sure as He created the creatures of the Earth I know He created me for a great purpose in His works and this was a part of that.  Seeing and doing all that we have this week brings so many things into perspective, but it also leaves me with so many questions.  As I have tried to point out each day, God has answered my prayers and broken my heart for what breaks His.  But now the questions come of what next.  The second part to that request or song lyric is "everything I am for Your kingdom's cause."  God answered that part too this week....but "everything I am" is a big statement.  Tomorrow I get on a flight to Doha and eventually back to the States a few (or 12) hours later....and my prayer is that I continue to seek God just as I was seeking Him in this trip.  I pray that He continues to break my heart for what breaks His, that I give all I am for His kingdom's cause, and that He uses my time here in Kenya to remind me.  I can't leave a place like this and the impact it has made on me and just forget--it is my prayer God uses it daily.  And God-willing I will be back to this place sooner rather than later.  

So that's our trip.  I plan on writing a follow-up once we're America bound and/or back home.  I will say that while I'm going to miss Kenya like crazy and have enjoyed it more than I ever hoped, I am excited to get home too.  I know my dad will be excited to hear that I'm back. Please keep us in your prayers as we make the trip back over the next couple of days.  We leave the lodge at 6:30AM and drive out through the park....back to Brackenhurst to pick up our bags...and then Nairobi to catch our 1PM flight.  We fly through Doha again where we have an extremely long layover...then an extremely long flight back to DC.  It's going to be a long couple of days.  I'm excited to see you guys when I get back and share more stories of God's kingdom and my experiences.  Asante sana (thank you very much) for taking time to follow along on our trip here in Kenya.  

And GO HEELS!  I hope to see us still playing when I return!  A big fist pump happened in Kenya when I heard we beat State.  Beat those Bruins! 

Let the Little Children Come

Each day just continues to get better and makes you want to leave less.  God has broken my heart for this place again today and blessed me in more ways that I could ever express.  Today was our last day actually serving with Uhuru Child as tomorrow morning we leave bright and early to go on safari and then back to the States on Saturday.  As we were driving to work this morning it was hard to believe it was our last day to be with the people we came to serve.  It all went by so fast.  My family jokes with me all the time....especially before I left for this trip....that I was going to come home with a little African baby.  That might be even more true after today.  I got to play with kids and hold babies all day and it was one of the greatest God-moments of my life.  I continued to think throughout the day of the scripture in Matthew 19:14 where Jesus says, "Let the little children come to me, and stop hindering them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." The spirit of these children and their laughter made everything else going on in my life seemingly fade....these little ones Jesus says, that's who Heaven belongs to.

We left out at 8AM this morning to head to the Jikaze shamba (or farm) where they have a chicken house and a 2.5 acre lettuce farm.  Needless to say my dad would have loved this morning.  And Mom probably cringes just at the mention of a chicken house.  When we arrived at the shamba we got to meet Peter who oversees the chicken house and he took us into the house.  The chicken farm is called Uhuru Cookoo.  They have 12,000 chickens in this house...this is their second round of chickens.  It is a pretty crazy operation as they only allow the chickens to sleep 2 hours, constantly keep them moving, use charcoal heaters to keep them warm, etc. etc.  Someone is always in the chicken house with them.  Peter, the overseer, had been in the house for a 24 hour stint minus 2 hours that he slept.  After the chicken house we started on the lettuce.  We were to plant 7,000 seedlings of lettuce.  The farms help to provide scholarships for the school and also provide jobs for the people of Jikaze.  Social businesses at work.  Again, I encourage you to check out Uhuru's website www.uchild.com as this is an awesome organization with such a vision that God is working through every day.  We planted several different types of lettuce.  The process started by digging holes with sticks...followed by dropping a nitrogen product into the hole and mixing it in the dirt....dropping the seedlings....then covering up with dirt.  There were no tractors...not even donkeys.  No setters.  None of the equipment Dad uses for tobacco setting.  The workers seed the greenhouses too.  I used to help seed our greenhouse (or just use it as a reason to get out of school) but they do it all by hand.  So much respect for these workers.  They use a drip irrigation system out of Israel.  Dad will appreciate these details as I can remember him telling me about Israel having the best systems when we bought Pa a drip system from Christmas one year.  But back to our actual day....we got the field fully planted and ourselves quite dirty.

After the farm we headed back to Jikaze to spend time with our families.  I was able to see Sharon briefly at the farm but it was mainly work.  They all came back with us on the bus to Jikaze.  Once in Jikaze we had a couple hours to spend at our families' homes.  It was just as special today as it was on Tuesday...and maybe even more.  When we arrived to the house no one was home but soon after Jeremiah came with several kids.  And we finally got to meet Sharon's daughter...her name is Federis (not Ferris as I think I put in my post on Tuesday).  She was so precious.  The dirtiest little face with the brightest smile and sweetest grin.  Another little girl Mary came too who was a cousin.  Sharon immediately started making chai for us again.  I asked her if I could help and she took me outside and said "I teach you how to wash the utensils."  I laughed and told her I wasn't that clueless in the kitchen. But she took me outside and showed me anyway as it was quite different from the way I do the dishes. I told her about how I used to love to do dishes when I was little with my grandpa.  Paul, one of the men in our group. offered to help and she wasn't having that.  Apparently men don't do any housework here.  So she thought the fact I washed dishes with my grandpa was funny.  We had chai and just before we did a toast and showed them how to cheers.  The grandpa laughed and laughed at it as I guess it was something new.  I really wish I could have understood him as he had to be saying some funny things. Sharon then started cooking for us.  She made ugali for us.  Ugali reminded me a little of cornbread...but it is maize meal and water mixed together and boiled and then it forms into a big loaf like thing.  She served it with a mixture of kale and onions which is called sukuma wiki. We were able to pray with them before we ate which was a great time to share in our faith.  The meal was just as delicious as the last meal!  And Sharon was not going to let anyone leave without them finishing their food.

The kids were incredible.  Federis immediately clung to me and wanted to hug me and sit with me.  It was exactly what I had hoped for in meeting her after hearing about her from Sharon.  I brought a kickball for them and as soon as I gave it to them they were so excited.  They ran outside to play with it.  Mary was quite the dribbler and Federis could catch.  You all know I was in heaven playing ball with little kids in Africa!  (Candice--tell Camille not to worry--she would love them too!)  This time playing with these kids was one of those moments I can't really write about it words.  You looked at them and your hearts broke for them but smiled for them all the same.  The boys came back too...Benson and Ivan.  Benson was a little standoffish at first but before we left he warmed up.  Maybe because he got to play with the camera and have some sweets....but he had a sweet spirit and gave me a big hug.  The boys also got to play with the ball and all the kids seemed to really enjoy it.  A few other new kids came around too--one little girl was Margaret and she was so sweet.  I also had some twizzlers that I shared with the kids but also with Jeremiah, the grandfather.  It was hilarious to watch him eat it as he wasn't sure what to do with it.  He seemed to enjoy it though.

For my softball family reading....I brought over a little DJP to share with Africa.  DJP does Kenya if you will.  I showed her to the family and the little girls LOVED her.  As much as they loved her I couldn't bare to take her away.  She was going to go on safari tomorrow and have her picture made with some lions but a little DJP will forever be in Jikaze with my new family in Kenya.  And I couldn't think of any place I'd rather be.  (The part I leave out is that her shoes/the base might have broken off during her time with the girls too. ....Sharon was so worried about them breaking it but I was sure to tell her that Coach Papa was their's to keep.)

(Federis--Mary--and DJP)

Leaving is never easy.  And it certainly wasn't today.  Just as it was hard to leave the girls at the school yesterday it was maybe even harder to leave Sharon and her family today.  After we ate lunch we were able to get a few (read as: lots) of pictures and then it was time to get back to the bus....and we were late again.  Sharon and the kids walked us back which gave Sharon and I a few minutes to talk some more. She gave me her phone number and said if I wanted to call sometime I could.  She asked if I would be back.  And with that, I will be back to Kenya as soon as possible.  Life is about relationships.  God puts people in our life for a reason and I am sure he purposefully picked her to be my family.  She is nothing short of a blessing in my life.  I loved talking with her and learning from her.  She might be younger than me but she has so much to teach me.  And hopefully I was able to teach her a few things (or will be able to one day).  A piece of my heart will forever be in Kenya now.  As we left Sharon gave me a big hug and I told her I would be praying for her...she immediately responded and said "ok, I have and will be too." I am so grateful for meeting her and having the honor to go into her home and meet her family.

After Jikaze we went headed back towards Limuru to go to Angels which is an abandoned children's home.  This experience too grabs at your heart and makes you never want to leave.  There was about 15 orphan babies here.  Each had a different story but I can tell a few of the ones I held and played with while we were there.  Livingston was the first baby I picked up when we walked in the nursery. He was maybe 6-8 months but a big boy.  He had the biggest eyes and lips.  I didn't want to put him down and definitely didn't want to leave him.  Then we were told that Livingston was left on the side of the road....and after that I wanted to take him with me even more.  Another little guy was Solomon who was left at the hospital.  He was 4-6 months and the cutest little guy.  There was also an older one named Michael who loved to have his picture taken.  He could walk and run around.  There was even a little one month old who also was left on the side of the road.  So many little ones, so precious, and yet abandoned.  If God had not broken my heart many, many times already this afternoon broke it even more.  When we were leaving Ron made the comment that he couldn't help but think that when Jesus returns His first stop won't be a big church or anything like that but will be a place like Angels.  And I couldn't agree more.  Jesus said, "Let the little children come...for their's is the Kingdom of Heaven."

(Livingston)

Our last stop of this full day was Nairobi to go to the maasai markets and have dinner.  The market was insane.  It is complete bartering and for those of you who have never experienced this you need to. (Well maybe not all of you as you might be overwhelmed...but Carmen, you'd be great at it!)  I was pretty proud of some of the deals I got.  I'll leave show and tell for when I get home but there was some really cool stuff.  I wore my bright, highlighter yellow shirt.....and Tadlock, you can take pride in knowing I got so, so many comments as I walked around, Kenyans loved the color! One guy even offered me anything he had for my shirt.  I seriously considered it but then thought I might be pretty chilly.....and then I talked with him more and he seemed to take away his offer of "anything."  Aggressive is an understatement when it comes to these people.  They would come find you 30 minutes later and offer again on the item, grab you and pull you over to see their things, try to keep you from walking away.....but I loved it!  It was so much fun to barter and get the price I wanted.  It was definitely an experience.

We had dinner at ArtCaffe which is one of the restaurants that Uhuru Child sells lettuce.  It was a very Western type cafe, but had really great food.  (And the lettuce was awesome!)  There's not a lot to tell about dinner, but it was nice to have a meal at a place we know has a part in the Uhuru Child mission as one of their customers.

So today was a very full day but a day full of blessings.  I will ask that  you join me in prayer today specifically for Sharon and her family again--that God will hold them close and provide for them and if it is His will He will bring me back to see her again.  I also ask that you pray for the babies we were able to hold today--that He prepares a way for them and brings families to them that they might be loved and treasured here on Earth and that they might grow up knowing the love of their Father in Heaven.  And pray for the ladies running this orphanage....as they truly are angels here on earth.  Pray that they will have the strength to continue their good works, the ability to provide for these children, and love--for they have shown some of the greatest love.  

Tomorrow we wake up bright and early to head out for safari at 6AM.  We'll be there tomorrow night and then back to head to the airport Saturday morning.  I'm super excited for the safari and will hopefully have lots of great photos to share.

Make A Joyful Noise, All the Earth

As Taylor and I walked back to the bus tonight I turned to her and could only say "what an awesome day!"  She fully agreed and asked me if I was a little teary eyed.  I certainly was.  That was about the only way I could describe it.

In Psalm 98 David says:

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

This psalm has so much content to it today. God and His salvation are known throughout the world and  we make a joyful noise to Him.  He deserves all the honor, glory, and praise.  We had the opportunity to have chapel with the girls at the school today and it was one of the most amazing experiences.  I wish all of you could take part in this to feel their joy for singing and praising God.  I have videos but these will not compare to the experience.  It was even better than the first day when they taught us the song.  Today we were able to sing and clap and dance with them as one body.  They thought of us as friends.  I have no doubt it was a more than joyful noise to the Lord.

But to rewind to the beginning of the day--a very full day.  We began at the school to continue some of the work we started on Monday.  Some of the group continued to sledgehammer the big rocks from the rubble of the toilet demolition which are being used for the driveway.  My group worked more on the potholes in the driveway.  We mixed 3 more bags of cement and poured it.  The driveway has definitely improved some.  It may not be the best cement job but it looks a little more smooth.  Dwayne and Char came to help with our group today which was a lot of fun to have them with us.  (If they are reading this, you guys are great and truly an example of a Christ-centered marriage.  I have really enjoyed getting to know them over these past few days.)  We worked at the school for a couple hours and then headed back to Brackenhurst to change.

Next stop was going into the town of Limuru which isn't far from Brackenhurst.  This was one of the most cultural experiences of the trip.  We started our visit by going to Bata Shoe Outlet.  This is a shoe company based out of Switzerland that has factory outlets in many parts of the world, except the US.  Those of you that know me could probably guess that I had to buy a pair...and of course mine have laces.  Several of us actually bought similar shoes.  And they were super cheap...as in under 20 American Dollars.  It was awesome!

After leaving Bata we walked through the middle of the town where the markets are.  Here they have a fruit and vegetable market and on Wednesday they have a clothing market.  Both were eye-opening. Minority is probably an understatement....we were the only white people there.  Which was so cool. It was so interesting to see how they do life here.  There were so many stands with bananas, papayas, and all other kinds of fruit and other stands with all kinds of beans and tea leaves.  There was even a section with live chickens for sale.  And so, so many adorable children around.  I wanted to take pictures of them all but we were asked as we walked in to stop taking photos which was understandable.  Many of the vendors were very friendly.  We got many "oohh mzungus" (which for those of you that don't know means "white people")  Once we left the fruit and vegetable area we had a short walk over to the clothing market.  We stopped to talk to a man on a motorcycle.  He makes his living by driving people around on the motorcycle which is a common job here.  He wanted to know about where we are from and shake everyone's hand. The clothing market is full of used clothing.  Everything you can imagine--from just socks, to shoes, to all sorts of tops and bottoms, to underwear.  There was an area that had actual booths with tables set up where the vendors had a wide variety of items.  Many others though just had a blanket on the ground with their items laid out.  Again, we were the ONLY white people there so everyone noticed when we walked by.  Some asked us to buy but many simply smiled and said Hujambo.  The smiles on these Kenyans' faces can truly change your life. They have the most beautiful smiles and sweetest eyes.  I know I have written this several times but it can't be said enough.  The beauty of God's people has been on display.  A few people bought woven bags from one of the last stands we walked by and at the very last stand 2 women were on the ground weaving the bags.  For a few shillings they allowed us to take a picture and it was a beautiful one.  (I'll have to share it later as it was taken on my phone and that's dead.) At the end of the market we all stopped to snap some photos and give everyone time to catch up with the group.  Just behind the market there was what looked to be a primary school--tons of young kids running around playing.  They all came to the fence to look at us and again were so cute!  

After the markets we walked to the grocery store which is called Clean Shelf (although I'm not positive on the name but something close).  Here we purchased gifts for our resource families in Jikaze.  We each got our families two bags of flour and a large bag of rice.  I can't wait to take it to Sharon tomorrow!  This was a cool experience too to just see how they do daily living.  There was a bridge leading over one of the main roads that led to the shopping mall where the grocery store was.  We all stood there for a few minutes just observing before going to the store.  It was both a humbling experience and a culturally enriching experience.  The world we live in is so much bigger than what we live day-to-day.

Once we left Limuru we headed back to Tim and Jody's house to help with lettuce cleaning and packaging again.  We did the same thing as yesterday but it was great to see the girls again.  I got to talk to Doug and Lynn (a couple in our group) for quite a while about our families and life back home.  They too are an awesome couple and it's been fun to get to know them.

It is hard to choose one particular favorite part of each day because every moment of every day has been such a blessing.  Today though, the time we spent at the school that I briefly mentioned above was one of the biggest blessings I think I've experienced.  Between those few hours and my time with Sharon and her family yesterday, God has truly answered prayers in a way I never imagined.  We did crafts with the girls first thing.  There were three rooms with three different crafts which we all split up into to help.  I was in the room making paper ballerinas.  (For my friends and family reading this--go ahead and laugh.)  This was our time to really get to spend some quality time with the girls.  These girls are beautiful people inside and out.  The first girl I worked with was Gladys.  Gladys had the best laugh and was so easy to talk to.  We hit it off instantly and in fact made a fantastic ballerina.  But our conversation and laughs were so good that it took us a little longer than everyone else.  Gladys is from about 1.5 hours from here.  She told me she loves school and soccer.  She wanted to know about me and where I'm from and what I do.  I showed her a picture of Pilot Mountain and she just laughed.  She asked if I was married or had a boyfriend so I showed her a picture of some guy Korey that I sometimes hang out with :) ....she squealed and said "ohhh he's so cute." We laughed for a while over that.  (Korey, don't let it go to your head.) I later found out Gladys's mom has HIV or AIDS but it's looking more like AIDS and has very little.  Her family lives in an IDP camp and still in a tent.  Again, my heart was broken.  She is such a beautiful soul and from what Caitlin said she is very bright. God is certainly at work in her and I pray that His promise is made true in her life--that every good work He has started He will bring to completion ....I also worked with Mary.  Mary was a Form 1 so a little younger but just as awesome.  Mary and I bonded over sports.  She said she LOVES sports and LOVES to compete.  My kind of girl.  She plays volleyball, soccer, and basketball.  She told me she would teach me to play soccer when I come back.  Mary's family lives in Limuru now where we went to the market today....but before that her family too was in a displacement camp.  Both my girls came from so little but are so full of life.  They in fact have filled my life...through them God has put a new joy in my spirit.

After crafts we went to chapel with the girls.  Chapel started with a time of praise and worship.  These girls can worship like I have never experienced.  You looked around the room and none of us mzungus could help but have a huge smile and join in with them.  We sang and clapped and danced.  Again, bringing a joyful noise to the Father.  One body, worshipping our Savior.  What a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God.  Caitlin then brought the message.  They are learning about the life of David and today it was on 1 Samuel 17--the story of Goliath.  She did a fantastic job--God has truly blessed her with a gift to share His word with these girls.  Several of the girls were so knowledgable, it was amazing.  The message was on trusting in God's plan and how we often are like the Israelites--fearful of what is to come rather than relying on the promise God has made to us and trusting in His plans.  Gladys (a different Gladys than the one I worked with earlier) closed us in prayer.  Never have I been more blown away by a prayer.  It was so heartfelt and full of the gospel.  She prayed for us, the volunteers, that God may bless us--what an impactful moment.  Here we are coming to serve them and wanting to do all we can for them thinking they're the ones that need us--and she prays for us a very strong, bold, and heartfelt prayer.  The Kingdom of God on display again.

Leaving was the hardest part.  We all shared some more laughter and took lots of pictures.  A few of the girls asked to be friends on Facebook.  They're getting wireless at the school soon so hopefully we can stay in touch often.  After many, many photos....including several with my girls Gladys and Teresia with Andrew (they LOVED him!) ....and many hugs and smiles it was time to go.  Several asked me if we would be back tomorrow and if not how about Friday....sadly I had to tell them no, this was goodbye for now until I come back.  It was very tough to leave them.  Even after only a few short hours they already felt like good friends and girls I want to mentor and watch grow up and most importantly walk beside them with Christ.  Their spirits are incredible.  One thing that really impressed me and made me smile was the dreams they have for their future.  Mary wants to be an accountant (so I told her about my mom) and Rochelle wants to be a lawyer.  Rochelle and I talked for a while about law school and her plans for university and then law school.  She was very interested in my life and my experience.  But how awesome is that--they are planning for their future and dreaming big and I have no doubt God is going to use them in mighty ways if they trust in Him.  So I ask you to join me in bold prayers for these girls.  That they will trust in His plans, that God will guide their paths, and that He will use them For His Kingdom's Cause.  God has certainly already used them for His Kingdom's cause in impacting my life in an unbelievable way.  And I continue to pray that through my inadequate words you all back home may see a glimpse of His great works here in Kenya and be blessed.  He alone deserves all the honor, glory, and praise---and the joyful noise we made for him today as we experienced the goodness of God with 21 beautiful Kenyan girls.  

And one last thing I definitely can't forget....Freeman has painted a mural on the wall in the dining hall at the school.  It is absolutely gorgeous.  And the girls LOVE it!!  He spent so much time on it and definitely deserves to be applauded for it.  As with most things here, the picture does not do it justice.  So our hats off to Freeman--he has certainly provided a blessing to these girls!