I left Malaysia under duress. I didn’t want to leave Catherine, especially after Pastor Arul asked me to take her with me. Especially after Brother Joseph asked me to take her with me. Especially after Sharlini asked me to take her with me. Especially after Catherine called me "Mama" and asked why she wasn't coming with me. My heart broke to leave her behind, and yet I knew that the LORD hadn’t called me to leave the Race midway. He was calling me to Africa.
The squad flew out of Kuala Lumpur and into Bangkok. It was surreal to be back in Thailand, even for a few hours. I made sure to get a Thai Tea and mango sticky rice before heading outside for some time with Jesus. The airport was packed with people and I felt crowded, needed air. I ran out to the garden outside and plugged into my iPod. Jesus Culture blasted through the headphones as I slipped out of my shoes and began to dance.
It’d been month since I’d danced with Jesus. My heart felt so heavy, but as I danced less than gracefully across the courtyard it began to lift. I heard Him say He would take care of Catherine. Though I’d left, He’d not abandoned her.
I walked into Kenya with a longing I couldn't wrap my fingers around. The air was cool on my face and for the first time in four months, I wasn't immediately sweating when we stepped outside. As we drove away from the airport towards the retreat center where we'd stay for a few days, I was amazed at the colors around me. We saw giraffes walking along the side of the highway and baboons with their knuckles pressed to the pavement. We pulled up to a stone compound and, inside, found bunk beds where we could collapse, finally able to rest.
But I didn't rest. I went into the empty building next to us, turned up Bethel worship and danced again. And oh, it felt good to dance. After a while, I pulled out my red Moleskine journal–the fourth one I'd begun in eight months–and wrote:
"Father I give you Kenya. Thank you for his ministry you have planned for us, for the ways you have prepared us for it and it for us. LORD, I'm thankful for whatever you have. You've benen so faithful to provide everything I need, LORD. Above and beyond all I could ask or imagine is your faithful love, LORD. Father let my lips always praise you. Let my heart be full of your life-giving joy. Help me to find comfort and strength in you. To laugh without fear of the future. I know you have only good planned for me, Papa."
And it's true. He has only good for me. So far, the blessings are too many to count, but they include:
Being able to walk to the National Park, which means that we're NOT in a big city. Praise the LORD for a country month!
The precious little ones who seem to follow us wherever we go.
This view for my morning Jesus time.
Insta-Love.
Dancing with the beautiful little ones at a local children's home.
Our new brothers, Pato and Micah, who walked MILES in the rain to fetch gas when the car ran out on a remote dirt road near our church.
Our beautiful little church. See our awesome skylights?
But by far the biggest blessing of all is this lady right here. Her name is Pastor Mary Nyasende… but we just call her Mom. This is one of her amazing sons, Joshua, who just went back to boarding school. Mom's the definition of a woman of God. She loves us relentlessly. She speaks life into us, listens to the LORD to direct us as we begin to do ministry, and prophesies like no one I've ever heard. If HALF the things she's spoken of us come true (and I think they will) our lives are going to be pretty amazing.
We're working at Deliverance Church-Pipeline, a tiny offshoot of a big church in town. We've been to a local children's home and also plan on going to the Internally Displaced Persons Camp (IDP Camp) at soon. We've even had some hospital ministry happen because of a random stomach infection that swept through Erica for a few days. He's so good, so faithful, such a healer and redeemer.
The LORD is teaching me about taking spiritual rest (pretty sure you prayed me into that one, B.). He's showing me how to rely on Him in times of crisis. He's releasing me from strongholds, from intercessory burdens and from my own stupidity. Praise Him for the hard lessons, the smack-me-in-the-face lessons, the get-me-off-my-pedastal lessons that leave me winded, broken and desperate for more of my Jesus.
Pray for more of Him for us.
His strength in our bones.
His renewal for our minds.
His peace for our hearts.
His direction for our feet.
His love for our hands.
I was always meant to go to Africa. I'm starting to see why.
"The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
-Psalm 32:8
