Monkeying around

Just thought i'd share some fun pictures with you of the native "squirrels" around here..Yep...just outside the monkeys jump all around in the trees. They love to come sit under the balcony when its raining, play in the rafters, and when you leave the door open they try their hardest to get inside. Its so fun to watch them!!

Plans for the Week

Hi everyone...first i want to say thank you for all the fun and encouraging comments you have left on my blogspot and thank you Nicole for letting everyone know i made it safely here. Here's some pictures of the road outside my flat (apartment) and some pictures looking off the balcony...

Today i went with one of our teammates Drew to the hospital to have his blood checked out to see if the infection he's had this past week is gone...and Praise the Lord it has and he's feeling much better!

The Polytechnic students are on break right now so we are taking advantage of the time to run errands and get things done before the semester starts back in a few weeks. Tonight we had our first team meeting with the college students who will be joining us on the Busia trip this coming week. It was a great time meeting some of them, listening to Dennis encourage us with the WORD, and planning for the week ahead. This week Dennis, Drew, Kristin and I will be taking a little 3 day trip to the beach for a little relaxation before beginning up work. I will be so greatful for the rest and for the time to get over this yucky jetlag feeling. Then on Saturday we will begin our trip to Busia. We will be driving across the country to the border of Uganda where Dennis and Drew will be leading and teaching at a sexual purity conference in Busia. We are going along to encourage them and to minister to the ladies and young girls there. Five college students are going with us. This will be a great time for Kristin and I to build relationships with these college ladies. Please pray for our safety as we drive that long long bumpy ride. We will stop half way in Nairobi and stay overnight with some other missionary friends. We will all be staying at Dennis' father's house...gonna be a tight squeeze!

I'm HERE!! YEAH!!!

Hi everyone...I'm here. I made it safely to Kenya today!! Praise God! My flight from Raleigh was delayed for about 30 min. due to computer problems which made me wonder if i'd miss my flight in Detroit..but thankfully that flight was delayed almost by 2 hours as well..Thats where i met up with Kristin, one of the girls from Texas i'll be working with and living with these next 4 months. She and I had a great time traveling together and getting to know one another a little. In Amsterdam we got a day room where we were able to relax and sleep for a couple hours before our next long flight to Nairobi. Before we left Amsterdam we ate our last McDonalds Quarter Pounder for a long time. That was the most expensive McDonalds meal i've ever had...burger, fries and drink for $10..yikes! I got into Nairobi then took another flight to Mombasa. Thankfully those flights were uneventful and I'm finally at the coast again. ITS WONDERFUL and feels so good to be here. And praise God the temperature isn't quite as hot as normal right now..it rained a lot today so it cooled things down a little. Kristin and I were met at the airport by Dennis:):) and Drew and taken back to our apartment to drop off our stuff. And guess what was sitting on the kitchen table waiting for me...a HUGE beautiful bouquet of flowers!! Made me smile lots and lots. I enjoyed watching Kristin getting excited about the monkeys in our trees!! Then we went into town for some quick lunch and then to Nakumatt (African's Walmart) to pick up some things for the apartment. Oh my, the driving here hasn't changed a bit...craziness!! Now its about 9pm and i can hardly hold my eyes open. Tomorrow morning I'm going with Dennis to his class as he teaches the pastors in his BTCP classs. Im very excited about meeting the pastors Dennis talks about so much. Praise God with me for a wonderful journey here and even for the simple fact that I got all my luggage!! God is so good!! Will send pictures soon! Thanks for your prayers!!

ON MY WAY AT LAST...

Its the night before the long trip and of course i'm up til 1:30am packing and doing last minute things before i travel tomorrow. Yes, the days have finally turned to hours and in just about 15 hours or so I'll be on the plane headed to Kenya. Not sure if it's actually hit me yet or not that I'm actually finally going...but i wanted to share with everyone some of my thoughts....

Read, from the Journals of Jim Elliot:
"Last day in Portland. The past week has been very busy-full of visits and interruptions while packing. But God has been good and exceedingly loving-kind toward me. The saints have given unhesitantly at every turn and every need has been met-even beyond the need. It is as in the wilderness, "For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exod. 36:7). Pete will arrive today, and we will drive to Williams tomorrow, Lord in your will. That will be the first step away. It is hard to say goodbey, but, as Pete wrote yesterday, "the hand is on the plow." I have had difficulty keeping spiritual pace these last days. Rushing through prayer and scanning the Word only this is no way to have confidence in the soul. Still God is gracious. We change, He changes not; Our Christ can never die. His love, not ours, the resting place, His truth, not mine, the tie."

Just a few weeks ago my dear friend Julie handed me a peace of paper with those words from Jim Elliot's journal and just this morning i read them over and over realizing that those words sum up what life has been like the last few weeks. So I wanted to share with you some of what i wrote in my own journal....

Jim Elliot said it just perfect first in the fact that my friends and family, (the saints) have given of themselves in so many ways over and beyond what I have needed. God has been so good!! What a gracious provider HE IS!! And yes the last few weeks have been full of visits and saying "see you later" to friends and family. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute I've been able to spend with them all!! And yes even for a short four months its not easy to hug necks go seperate ways but Go i must! And yes in the busyness and sickness of the last few weeks its been hard keeping the spiritual pace. But God, HE has still been gracious!! Its very evident that this Christian life is not about a works based gospel or I woul have failed miserably. Its only by God's grace that He's brought me this far and only by HIS grace that I even live, breathe, and remain "sane" most of the time! He never changes and remains faithful even when we change and are "faith-less" God doesn't force us to spend intimate time with HIM, HE lovingly asks us to draw near to HIM! He asks us to be dependent and not independent! Its hard to believe that that tomorrow I will be on the plane headed to Kenya. I am so excited and praise God for the peace and calmness of heart that I've had in the last few days as i prepare to go. I know that that peace that i can't explain only comes from the Lord. (i know many have been praying that for me). The time has come that I've been waiting for since February--and wow my mind can't begin to think about all that has happened since then to make this journey tomorrow finally happen. God has been so good and so faithful! And now here I go off on another "adventure" with the Lord..Off to many unknowns of what its going to be like this time and what's going to happen in the next 4 months. This is yet another opportunity to step out in faith trusting the Lord completely!! May the Lord help me trust HIM! I am so excited to finally be going and excited about seeing Dennis again after 7 months of long distance communication since his visit in December. (ok i know many may not know Dennis and I's story but that is to be written on the blog soon so stay tuned). And excited about meeting the college girls after they return from semester break. And excited about hopefully seeing old friends. I'm just all around excited and can't wait to see what the Lord has planned!!

On the Uphill....

Hey All, thanks for your prayers if you've prayed for me these last few days i've been sick. I went to the doctor yesterday and got some antibiotics. I've been living on Ibuprofen and popsicles the last few days and now today i'm feeling a little better, just still a little weak. Praise God! Yesterday i managed to have enough strength to go see my sweet friend and greatest hair dresser alive, Casey, and she cut and highlighted my hair so i'd feel "beautiful" for Africa! THANKS Casey! You know us girls, no matter how bad we feel, a hair cut is a MUST!! Today I have tried to make myself rest and do some last minute logistical stuff at home in preparation to leave on Tuesday. Tonight Nicole is having a girls night for me at her house...hope there's lots of Chocolate involved!! Looking forward to it. Then this weekend i'll be packing and saying Tutaonana (see you later in Swahili) to people before i leave on Tuesday. I'm so excited and just can't wait to be there and of course can't wait to see Dennis!

I NEED SOME QUICK HEALING PRAYER!!!

Hi Everyone who checks my blog on a regular basis!! I need some quick and fast prayer! I leave next Tuesday for Kenya and have a ton of things to do before then including packing. I am sick i think with strept throat and am feeling awful. I don't even feel like leaving my bed. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so hopefully i can get some antibiotics if i need them and begin feeling better by the weekend or faster!! This is just not a good week to be sick!!! At the same time i'm trying to have a good attitude knowing that the Lord works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Please pray that i can find JOY even in the midst of feeling bad and being pressed for time!!! Please help me fight this with prayer!!!

SUPPORT GOAL MET!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name...Psalms 105:1-3
GOD IS GOOD! GOD IS SO GOOD!!! With JOY inexpressable I announce to everyone that my support goal is complete! Please join me in praising the Lord! Once again God has done exceeding abundantly more than i could ever ask or imagine!! He continues to show Himself so powerful! God has provided even more than the $8000 goal! Praise HIS name! And now in less than two weeks I'll be on my way to Kenya!! Thank you again to everyone who have joined me and are a part of the team and ministry in Kenya through their prayers and support! Please continue to pray for the other team members going and their support raising goals as well! Will update you more later!

RUNNING FINAL LAP!!!

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful”
Hebrews 10:23
“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
I Thessalonians 5:24

“It is with great joy and praise to the Father I send you this update and let you know that I have almost reached my support goal for going to Kenya. As of this past weekend, the Lord has so faithfully provided $7560 of the $8000 I need to spend 4 months in Kenya. PRAISE GOD!! This means I have only about $440 more to raise. GOD IS SO GOOD AND SO FAITHFUL!

Throughout this past month of support raising $8000 sure seemed like a lot and with my human eyes seemed impossible to raise in a month and a half. I have to confess that there were several days that the enemy tried to discourage me BUT once again God has shown that “…with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26) and that “If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Tim. 2:13). Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me, prayed for my support and have given so generously and graciously!

I now have about two weeks before I leave for Kenya. Please pray for me over these next two weeks as I prepare to go. I will be spending some time with my family and saying my “see you laters” this coming weekend. May the Lord prepare me for all that HE has for me in the coming months! (can you tell by the picture that I'm excited:):)

23 Days...17 Hours...8 minutes and counting!!!!

That's how many more days til i get on a plane headed for Mombasa!! YEAH! I'm praising the Lord that this week He has continued to provide for my financial support for going to Kenya! And now I have about 3/4 of the money needed for me to spend 4 months in Kenya.....enough that i have been able to go ahead and buy my plane ticket!!! God is so good! So as you can see from the top of my blog...the countdown has begun. I am scheduled to fly out of Raleigh Durham on July 25th. Thats less than a month away now. WOW!! I am so excited! Now that i have a date set and a ticket reserved it really feels like i'm going. I'm going to be working a lot with Newborn Homecare in the next few weeks and at the same time packing and saying "see you later" (i don't say GOODBYES!!) to family and friends for the next 4 months. Please be in prayer with me as i prepare to go. Pray that the Lord will provide the remaining financial support i need to go. Please pray for my walk and my time with the Lord, that HE would prepare me for ALL HE has for me there in Mombasa!! May HE lead, guide, and give me wisdom as i seek to be obedient and glorify HIM in all i do! Pray that i will trust HIM with all my heart, being a DOER and not just a hearer, never doubting HIM, and allowing Him to use me in whatever way HE chooses, rejoicing and praising HIM ALWAYS! Pray for the team as we prepare to come together...may we be unified as we seek to teach and serve those at Mombasa Polytechnic and everyone we come in contact with. Praise God and pray for the college girls in Mombasa who came to know the Lord this week. Looking forward to meeting them and walking with them as they seek to grow in their knowledge and walk with the Lord.