I am home! It feels completely normal yet surreal at the same time. Thank you all for your support while I was on the field. It means so much that you’ve been following me.
I apologize that it has been a while since my last update. This blog is one that I have wanted to post since May, but haven’t been able to upload the video due to lack of high speed Internet. I’m excited for you to read!
Stay tuned for more updates that will fill you in on the last leg of the race and how I’m doing now.
If I had come on the World Race for no other reason than to have met Mercy Wanjala, it would have been worth it.
I met Mercy in Kenya (month 8) when we partnered with Bishop Ben and Christine Tanguli. They oversee Gilgal High School, an orphanage, and are involved in multiple other ministries.
Mercy is a form 4 (senior) student at Gilgal. The first time I met Mercy I was overcome with the Father’s love for her. As she told me part of her story, I couldn’t hold back tears. That day I wrote, “God is aligning my heart with His, and I’m seeing Mercy with so much love it’s unreal.”
After that our relationship grew. She is the closest friend I have made on the race outside of B Squad. Mercy was the highlight of my month in Kenya. When we said goodbye, I cried harder than I had in a long time. I knew I would miss her, and I do.
I want you to know her as I do. I realize you can’t understand my heart for her through words or understand her heart through a video, but I want you to. Because I know you would love her.
Something I learned on the race is that God fights for “the one”. My relationship with Mercy has deepened my understanding of this. I have a deep-rooted love for a girl that I don’t know extremely well, that I haven’t spent much time with. Yet I want good things for her. I want to see her graduate high school, go to college, get married. I want her to be protected and provided for. I want her to know that she is loved. If I have these feelings for Mercy, how much more does God fight for her, and for every ONE of us?
Mercy will be graduating high school in November 2012. She wants to go to college to become a doctor (in the video she talks about business management, but her real dream is to go to medical school). She has no one to help support her through college and no money of her own. If she were to work to try to finance her education, the majority of her income would likely go to supporting her family and college would be a second priority.
God has laid it on my heart to fight for her. I love her. I want good things for her. I want to return to Kenya to visit her. I want to help support her through college.
I am committing, as long as there is money in my bank account, to support Mercy monthly. I am asking that you join me in sponsoring her through college. I am praying for both single donations and monthly supporters.
The cost of one year of medical school is $2000. Med school takes 7 years to complete, which totals $14,000.
If 40 people donate $30 per month for 12 months, Mercy’s education will be fully funded.
If your heart is for Mercy, please email me ([email protected]). I would love to get you more information and answer questions. I can also put you in direct contact with Bishop Ben and Mercy.
If you know right now that you would like to sponsor Mercy, you can mail a check to my home address, and I will transfer the money to Bishop Tanguli.
My home address:
1346 Wren Lane
Green Bay, WI 54313
Thank you for reading and considering partnering with me in supporting Mercy. I am excited! I believe that when God puts desires in our hearts, he provides the way. God has given Mercy the desire to become a doctor, and I believe he will provide what she needs to achieve that dream.
Lastly, here’s an excerpt from a letter Mercy wrote to me after an afternoon we spent together. I had been sick the day she wrote it.
“…Thanks for your encouragement. It really moved me a mile away from failure to success. Kelly you have inspired me so much and I just want to follow your example. May the Lord God open doors of blessing and let the heavenly treasure pour down all its contents on you. It’s my desire that today I hear from you that you’re healed in Jesus’ name.”
ISN’T SHE AWESOME?
“No distrust made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.”
Romans 4:20-21
Video Disclaimer: This isn’t the most professional of interviews. Please have grace for the wind and shakiness of the camera. 🙂
