KARIBU NYUMBANI! (Welcome Home)

Well I'm home and the picture on the left is what I woke up to on Thursday morning in Raleigh!! SNOW!!! A huge contrast to the picture on the right which is the sunshine and hot humidity I left in Mombasa! Needless to say this Mombasa blooded girl is FREEZING to death. I just can't get warm! Snow was a beautiful scene to wake up to though the day after I arrived home in the States. I haven't seen snow in over 4 years. Its nice to see but too cold for me! It was a light snow fall that came and went but now the weather channel is calling for more on Sunday night.

So let me tell you about my first day or two at home....
First, thank you for your prayers for my traveling. All of my flights went very well and all my luggage made it to Raleigh. A miracle! I arrived last Wednesday and was very warmly welcomed at the airport by my Dad and his wife Mary Jo, my pastor's wife Julie and little Anna, and my friends Nicole, Kimberly, and April. It was so sweet for them to all come to the airport and to be greeted by smiles and warm hugs! My Dad drove all the way from Hickory just to see me and take me to dinner. My first meal back in the States was Chicken Crispers and fries with honey mustard. YUMMY!!! After that my Dad dropped me home at the Asta's and I went with Nicole and Kristin to my church small group to say hello. It was so great to see everyone and to share briefly about my time in Kenya, but i have to admit i don't remember much cause i was so tired!!

At the Asta's my girlfriends had decorated my room with sweet notes, Bible verses, toiletries, and fun American snacks. And beside my bed, Cindy put a framed picture of Dennis and I when we were together at Christmas here in 2005. It was so wonderful. Besides all the encouraging verses left for me, my favorite card said, "Engagement is meant to make you long for its ending". Of course that made me miss Dennis even more! Coming home has been bittersweet for sure. I miss Dennis terribly and hated to say goodbye to all of my Kenya friends. Two of my friends, Betty and Judy, came to the airport with me and we shared many tears. Thankfully it wasn't a forever goodbye knowing I will be back there hopefully next year!

AND YET ANOTHER FUN WELCOME HOME......

Thursday morning after the beautiful snow surprise I spent the morning in the house unpacking a little and resting, then about 2:30 i decided to venture out in the weather to go to Sprint to have my cell phone turned on. The picture to the left is much of what the roads looked like. They weren't too bad but I have to admit I was a little nervous driving for the first time after six months of driving on the other side of the road in Kenya. But I got out in the cold and rainy mess,started my car and drove off. I drove a little ways, got on interstate and all of a sudden my car decelerated and as i pushed the gas it just kept dropping...so i pulled over quickly on the side of the interstate and the car died...It wouldn't restart at all. So i just sat there in the cold freezing rain and snow trying to think of what to do (my phone service wasn't turned on yet) I thought maybe a police would drive up but to my surpise they never did. (come on this is America!!)I thought I was going to have to walk in the freezing cold to the nearest exit but then it dawned on me that despite the fact I had disconnected my Sprint phone service maybe it still worked. So I tried and praise God it did (for a pretty penny). So I called around to the people I knew might be close and finally got a hold of Alicia who was not at work cause of the snow. So she came to rescue me while I called my insurance company to figure out what to do. (THANKS GIRL!!) In the meantime I thought I was going to turn into ice and they were going to have to call Dennis and tell him that his fiancee froze to death. I eventually called a tow truck and they took my car to a nearby repair shop. I think the main thing i remember much about that day was just how COLD I was!!

During the whole event I was a little frustrated and the whole time I prayed for God's help and peace. What a way to spend my first day at home huh. Its very comical now!! But God was good and I am thankful that He kept me safe and that my phone worked so i didn't have to walk in the cold! My car is now fixed and I praise God! God is teaching me so much about trusting HIM!

SO WHAT's NEXT?....(tentatively)

That's the question many of you have. Well for now, I'm home and living with the Asta's. (THANK YALL!!) I'll spend the next few weeks trying to adjust (jet-lag is really bad this time) and going to visit my family and friends I've missed dearly. Then I'll begin looking for a job to sustain me til Dennis and I get married this summer. Dennis is busy in Mombasa trying to finish teaching his BTCP (Bible Classes) classes and will hopefully come to the States by May or June and us get married soon after that. That date is still dependant on a few things. After we are married we will begin to raise support for us to return to Kenya together. We may go to live in Texas for a few months where his missions office is, and then return to spend the Holidays and remaining months in NC. We are hoping to return to Kenya by mid-2008.

WHAT CAN YOU PRAY FOR?

I know that this is going to be an exciting year of many uncertainties, changes, waiting, and twists and turns. As I look ahead my flesh tends to want to be overwhelmed and get anxious so I'm asking that you all pray Philippians 4:4-7 for me.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

And here are some other requests you can be praying for:

• Please pray for my heart as i miss Kenya, my friends there, an especially Dennis


• Pray for a quick adjustment and transition back to N.C. Pray for sweet reunion with family and friends.


• Pray for wisdom and direction as i seek a temporary job for the next 6 months. I want a job that i will enjoy doing!


• Pray for wedding plans and direction for this next step in life. Pray for patience for Dennis and I as we are away from each other til he can come to States later this year!


• Pray I would trust the Lord for my finances. He is faithful and I know He will continue to provide and meet all my needs.


• Pray for my Kenyan friends and those that I discipled in Mombasa. That they would seek the Lord with their whole hearts, being IN the world but not OF the world, and growing deeper in their walk with the Lord, seeking to please HIM in all they do, and sharing the gospel with others!!


• Pray for my walk and relationship with the Lord; that it may deepen, that I would put HIM first and seek HIM first in all that I do and seek HIM in prayer and in His Word daily.

My cell phone is now turned on: 919-744-8382