The travel day from Nairobi to our ministry location in Kitale went pretty smooth.
Aside from the random guy on the bus checking everyones tickets on the hour every hour, it was well. Oh, and the drive was filled with crater like holes in the road which kept me giggeling the entire way there because it felt like an 8 hour roller coaster.
Our bus arrived and as we stepped off I couldn’t help but be blown away that the culture, the people, the landscape, everything….. felt like home. I’m not just saying I feel comfortable here, I’m saying I feel like it’s home.
For the past year God has been putting Africa on my heart. I would groan and say “God! No! That’s not where I’m going to be called to! I have no yerning for those people, please don’t send me there!”
I was okay that God had put those countries on the route for my Race, because it was temporary. But the month leading up to Africa…. well I could feel the tug. I can’t explain how it felt other than my home sickeness for my actual home in the States started to disappear and I got a home sickness for a continent I had never been to.
Specifically, God has kept saying over and over to me “Mozambique is where your mighty heart will be” Woah! Seriously, God? My “mighty heart?” get real! But the second we arrived in Nairobi I could feel it. God is lighting this fire and I know He is going to keep it going until it’s so bright for Mozambique.
Our contact picked us up. Judith. Her and her husband, Evans, started a ministry here for Orphans with the intent on seeing them continue on with higher education. In 2001 she sat with 7 orphans on her door step and prayed to God for ways to be able to provide for them. And, well, now there are up to 180 children here at a time!
Not only are we staying in the orphanage community, we are working here too! It is gorgeous! I wonder why I bother with pictures at all because they don’t do it justice! Everything about this country is beautiful. We are the first World Race team to stay here, the first Americans to come here, and we are their very first Christian missionaries to be here too! Judith and Evans made it very clear tonight their intention is just to serve and bless these children. No fancy doctrine talk, no dos and don’t, but just to serve and love. That’s it. That’s my job for the month. To love these children, every day for our month here. WAHOOOOOO
They sang and prayed both in English and in Swahili. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. To see them being so thankful to God and praying to Him.
They literally have nothing other than clothes and a tin chest beside their beds but are so THANKFUL!!!!
I see Jesus in every single one of these children.
I write this blog to you by candle light because the electricity is out. I took a shower by candle light. And let me tell you, it felt NORMAL!
Everything about today was normal. This is my life. This where I am meant to be. God hasn’t said Kenya, but Mozambique. But I don’t see how at the end of the month I’ll be able to leave.
My heart is at peace here in Kenya. I am at peace.
Update since I first wrote this blog
I spent my first day of ministry being assigned to a classroom at the orphanage
I walked in and was greeted by 26 smiling faces. All from the ages of 6-10.
The actual teacher, Mildred, handed me a lesson booklet and said “teach!” and teach I did! Before we got started I had the honor of going up to each and every child and shaking their hand. They stood up for me, told me their name, smiled and said welcome, and then sat down.
We worked on english, compositions, singular to plural and then they each told me a story while I was grading their papers.
Just when I thought the day couldn’t be better, a subtle breeze filled the tin room shack with a mud foundation and then the thunder and rain started to pour. I never thought I’d be sitting behind a desk teaching orphans while a rainstorm was happening right outside.
But despite me not ever thinking I’d be here, let me tell you that the most beautiful sound you ever did hear was 26 orphans of Kenya singing and dancing in my classrom while the rain sounded on the tin roof.
After class I went outside where I was greeted by ALL the orphans who tugged on every inch of me. One was getting trampled so I scooped her up and put her on my hip, running nose, muddy boots, tattered sweater and all, off we went to go play.
I could go on and on about the heart breaking stories I heard of these children as they talked to me as the day wore on. But for now… let me just say… I don’t belong behind a desk wearing a power suit and sipping starbucks anymore.
Kenya dumped the old Christina and brought in the NEW!
PS
Adventures in Missions has graciously given me a ONE MONTH extension to get $3,500 in by NOVEMBER FIRST! This is a hard deadline. By the end of the month I will no longer have any time left to raise the money. Please consider donating to me so I can keep on sharing the good news and doing the work I’m currently doing. Any amount helps SO MUCH! Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your mom, tell your grandma, tell whoever… please help! I don't want to go home!
Road from our house!
I love this girl!
The class I teach this month!
Playtime after lessons!
