Feels like Home!

During our short time in Romania for debrief, right before leaving for Kenya, everything changed for me. I had been a Team Leader for my amazing team, Cologne of Christ, for the past three months and suddenly was asked to step into a new role of leadership: Squad Leader. Yes, things were going to be different. I knew this role brought more responsibility and more challenges to the plate and the transition wasn't exactly easy, but I know it is exactly where God wants me! I am so blessed to be able to work alongside Caleb Durham as we seek the Lord on where He wants to take this whole squad of 53 people.

Part of our new calling is to travel from team to team throughout each month to make sure things run smoothly and to spend quality time with each member of our squad. In Kenya we visited three teams and traveled to three cities: Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kitale.  I was beyond ecstatic to be in Africa serving in orphanages, schools, churches, yard work, street ministry, hut to hut evangelism, music, and prayer meetings.

I could not get enough of these kids!! Everywhere we went we heard "Mzungu Mzungu!!!" This means "white person" and the children were so excited we were there they would run to our vehicle or grab our hand on the street just to walk with us to wherever we were going.  The people I met were the nicest, most helpful, and friendliest people I have ever been around. They made it so easy to love!!

One day we had the opportunity to take a kid to lunch with us. We were so excited to spend time with him but the thought never crossed our minds of how uncomfortable he would be sitting in a restaurant. We couldn't quite figure out why at first, but after receiving his food we realized quickly he had never used silverware and had no idea how to work a knife and a fork. Sounds simple right? He doesn't need it though and it's okay. Later that week we had a birthday party for my co-squad leader, Caleb, at one of the orphanages we had been serving. We decided we wanted to make it special for everyone and bought buckets of ice cream. After serving it and watching the kids devour it with anticipation of every bite a few of them stood to say a word of thanks. To our amazement we discovered most of them had never had ice cream before. They saw it as such a blessing! When was the last time you thanked the Father for just having ice cream?!

Before I left Nakuru I spent the day sharing encouragement and testimonies with some of the older kids at Pistis Academy and CMD orphanage. We ordered some coffee and sat talking for hours. I asked one of them why he wasn't drinking his coffee and he responded that it wasn't sweet enough. The answer was simple to me: put sugar in it. I threw a packet over his way. When he dropped the whole thing in his coffee without opening it I realized he had never used sugar packets before. Just another simple thing that we take for granted. I love America. I really do. But there is something about going to another place that makes you realize just how good we have it. Have you ever thanked God for a sugar packet? A pair of shoes? A shirt? A toilet? Running water? A house? A bed? Your family?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, ask yourself these questions. What would your life look like without "things"? Would you still be happy? Would you still be content? Where is your joy? Is it wrapped up in your "things"? Or is it wrapped up in Jesus??