From where I stand I can hear the sweet melody of an African rain storm tinging on the tin roof. I can see the progress of a dream being built by faith right before my eyes. I can feel my heart breaking at the stories of children trapped in a deadly addiction. I can see hope in a city where hearts are so big for Christ that it would be impossible to deny the changes taking place. My feet are currently planted deep in the soil of Eldoret, Kenya.
This month has been one of accepted challenges, big hopes, and cramped living. My team has the privilege of working with another team this month. But with that great privilege comes even less space, and we wouldn't have it any other way. There's 13 team members, 2 squad leaders (for the first two weeks anyway), Pastor and his wife, their 2 kids, grandma Lily, and the 3 lovely women cooking for us. That's a grand total of 23 people in 5 beds, 3 mattress, a couple couches, some sleeping pads, and an Eno hammock. We're a little bit on top of each other to say the least!
For ministry this month we have been working to build a church that a previous World Race team planted. It's pretty insightful for a girl who has never actually built anything in her entire life. I feel uncomfortable and out of place with a hammer in my hand. That's where the men on the teams come in handy, of course, because though it's not a conventional American church (we are building with nails, trees, and a tarp) the men are seriously kicking this things butt and making the best dang church I have ever had the privilege to attend!
A squadmate of mine had a big heart this month for the street kids in Eldoret that are sadly addicted to sniffing glue. These children, most of them orphans, spend every penny they have on glue and spend every second of their lives high. They don't eat and they don't work. They spend their days begging for change or a little bit of food. So she had a wonderful idea to cook food and hand it out for free on the streets for these kids, spend time with them, hear their stories, and just love on them. What I saw were children and men that called Jesus their Saviour, their Father, but didn't believe that He could provide for them, they didn't see that He can take this addiction from them. It's sad and it's heartbreaking to see.
As we are getting closer to the end of month 8 it means we are just three months from going home and just over a week from finding out the exact day we get to fly home. With that my mindset has to change some. While staying present minded I have to start making plans to arrive home, back to "real life" as we call it, and start thinking about what to do next. In all honest I have very little knowledge into what God plans for my next step, but you know what, I think I know more than most people do, because I ask Him daily what He has for me. So let that be the challenge this month. To ask God what He would have for your life instead of what you want for it. Let Him guide you in a big decision and see the glorious reward you get from trusting in His plan.
