Dear World,
I've been quiet for a bit, but with good reason. Last time I wrote I was leaving soon for the parent week, which was the last week in Kenya. About 12 of us from K-squad left for Kijabe, Kenya and we were SO excited to see our parents! We ventured off to a week filled with laughter, tears, hard conversations, healing and everything else that goes into being open and changed.
(Dad playing volleyball with Kenyans and other WR parents)
We had a mixture of ministry that included door-to-door praying for the IDP camps. IDP camps are for misplaced persons from the violence & killings of the 2007 elections. Most of the people who lived there were from Eldoret, which is where we stayed for the month. We met a lady name Ziporah who had pretty much lost everything and was in her old age struggling to keep herself up. However, her faith motivated dad and me both.
(our first night in Kijabe, Kenya)
Also we did construction, played/taught the kids Christian songs, and participated in 61 Project. This project was started and managed by former racers and locals. It's a discipleship program for kids and also provides meals and schooling for them, as well as hosting sponsorship opportunities for people like us to support those kids. It was an amazing week with many breakthroughs and good conversations.
I got to play soccer with the Kenyans!! However, I was all or nothing. So here's how it goes: I was defense for our goalie, and the other team was about to make a goal…..so naturally, I stepped in front of the Kenyans to divert the ball elsewhere….bad idea. I got absolutely bull-dozed by 2 Kenyans bigger than me! I didn't see it coming because I had one thing on my mind, getting that ball out of the goals pathway. Then the next thing I knew I was on the ground and my head hit too, my hat when flying off. As I stood up I realized both of the guys had jumped in the air first, so……. I basically got body slammed. I felt accomplish, frail, and so glad that I gave it my all. I was the only girl out there, I gave it my all, and it was rewarding.
(playing soccer with Kenyans….the field was 3 times as long as American soccer fields!)
Sadly, the day before the last day in Kijabe, there was a horrible rainstorm. Have you heard the lyrics, "I miss the rains down in Africaaaaaa" ? Yes. The rains here are different to begin with and that night was ridiculous. We woke up and found all of the damage. A huge land/mudslide destroyed over 10 homes and many fields of crops, killed 3 children,destroyed roads and most of Kijabe. That next day was spent in repairing and clearing damage, digging out homes, and praying for all the devastation. Many people were displaced that day and the family whose kids got buried in the mud. However, the good news was that the house we did construction on was saved and stood in the storm without damage due to our efforts THE DAY PRIOR.
The week flew by and Dad left. I cried and processed the week by journaling and talking to God about everything. Then we had month 8 debrief and I felt God still whispering to me about resting. "REST? what is THAT?" As a team leader, I felt I wasn't getting very much needed rest. So I had been praying for a couple weeks about stepping down from leadership. I felt God say to me that He is with me either way. I took the liberty of stepping down from being a team leader during this month 8 debrief and am fully confident in my decision. God has really shown me the freedom in this.
I am now on Austin's team. I fit in perfectly and have been enjoying this new team so much. I have grieved my old team and know God was very present in everything that happened. However, God knew exactly where I needed to be during these last 3 months of the race. I am so grateful for everything that has happened in my life, especially during the most hectic last couple of weeks.
Now we are in Tanzania…….and I don't want to talk about it. Honesty. Blunt. I'm certainly not falling in love with the place. So, here goes nothin'! Let's bring on Europe in 3 weeks! woot woot! Love ya'll!
