Trying to explain all we’ve seen and done within this week
is going to be hard.
Before the parents came, we (Racers) prayed so much about
this week. Our whole squad prayed about it, our teams prayed about it, we
prayed about it. We met the night before they came and prayed together as a
group. There are 12 of us from F squad and 4 from G squad whose parents came
for the week; some it was just one parent and some it was both.
What we’ve come to
realize is that God knew this was going to happen. He had this planned when
we signed up for the Race that our parents would be joining us Month 9 in
Kenya. Actually, he knew before we were
born this was going to happen for us and
our parents. He had this written in his plan the whole time.
Last day together on a safari and we see giraffes!
I would have never imagined this happening on my Race, never
in a million years. I am sure all of the Racers feel the same way. We feel so
blessed to be the first group to try it out.
While on the Race, God shared with us a lot about our
families back home. He gave us a new heart for them, a new joy and patience
with them. This week, we were faced with what God had taught us and how God
wanted us to be towards our parents. Families had been brought back together;
they had reached new depths and new truths together.
Let me tell you, God
moved. He didn’t just move in our parent’s hearts, them seeing what the
Race is like for us or seeing the new woman or man we’ve become. He didn’t just
move in our hearts, rejuvenating us and bringing us new light to finish the
rest of the 3 months of our Race. He moved in the nation of Kenya.
This week was hard for the Racers because we didn’t get much
sleep and we were always going like you do on most short mission trips. The
schedule was packed. We’ve explained to our parents that most times the Race is
not this planned out or scheduled, but because our parents only had five days
to see what the Race is, we had a busy week.
We split into four teams and each day the teams did
something different. One day was construction – in one week we tore down a
house and built a new one. One day was door to door ministry -what much of
Africa ministry looks like. Another day was working at an orphanage – whether
hanging out with the kids or doing work where it was needed. And another day
was going to an IDP (inter-displaced people) Camp and reaching out to the
community.
My team on the construction site
Each night we would debrief what happened during the day.
We’d sit in the room and discuss what we did and how we saw the Lord move
through us and the people here.
Here’s the thing though. Parents from all different
backgrounds came on this trip. Some are Catholic, some Methodists, some Nondenominational,
and some didn’t really even have a relationship with God. We all knew this as
Racers and that’s why we were praying so much. We wanted the Spirit to move
within our parents hearts. We wanted them to see what we’ve been seeing these
past 8 months and experience the truth of Jesus love for them. We wanted them
to see the work we were doing for the kingdom.
They haven’t just
seen it, they’ve joined in. They’ve experienced it, felt it, and have been
broken over it. They have been a part of the change in the nation of Kenya
alongside their Racers.
So as we’re debriefing our day, Racers aren’t talking. We’re
so in awe of what the Lord is doing and how he’s actually answering the prayers
we’ve been speaking over this week.
Parents have cried because of the poverty they’ve seen here.
They’ve rejoiced over the physical healings they saw. They’ve stood on chairs
and declared God’s greatness over this nation and us. They’ve felt what it’s
like to live in our community and to worship freely. They’ve held children’s
hands with no shoes and torn clothing. They’ve met mothers with no husbands and
9 children. They’ve met 20 year old girls raising their family because their
parents were murdered. They’ve seen the potential in these men, women, and
children of Kenya. They’ve processed the truth of what kingdom looks like
around the world. And they’ve heard that their life isn’t over yet, there is
much more in store for them.
They have experienced
the Race and they get it.
Group Picture!
They understand what it’s like for us and how we can’t just
go back to normal life in America. We’re no longer alone in going home, we
have our parents with us.
Some parents might have come to see their Racer. I’d say
most did. But God knew it was something so much greater than that. He knew
parents needed to be here to see his kingdom. God knew he wanted our parents to
come so we could have a renewed joy
and energy to take back to our squad.
And that’s what we’ll do. We are so excited to finish these
next three months. Our parents couldn’t have come at a better time. Our God is
so good and so much greater than we could imagine. Thank you Jesus for letting
us do ministry alongside our parents. Thank you for writing that in your plans
for us.
