It's Sunday afternoon and I came from a church service in town where people know my family, and piece of my life and its safe. It's Sunday afternoon and I have homework to do. It's Sunday afternoon and there are a million different things I could be doing or thinking about, but Kenya is on my mind! For almost two hours now, I've been reading old blog-posts from a 21 year old girl who moved to Uganda from Tennesse to follow the call of her Lord Jesus. With Kim Walker and other Jesus Culture artists filling my ears and mind with songs to God, I'm also being filled with stories from this girl who has accepted God's mission for her life: To live in and love on Uganda!! Especially the 14 orphans that are living with her in a house that was miraculously provided for her. As she gives glory to God for the daily provision she sees, I am brought back to my time spent in Kenya this summer.
As she describes the pit latrines, the dirty, smelly children, the bumpy roads, unreliable power system, my heart CANNOT help but rejoice with her as she attests to God and His faithfulness to these beautiful people. and to us. This girls blog was posted on facebook by a friend to someone else. I just stumbled upong it and started reading her stories. Looking at her pictures. This is all to basically ice the cake of possibly going back to Kenya this summer! My roomate Rob and I constantly talk about the possibility of going back after school is done. It is so exciting and hard to think about what that looks like. The unknown is...well...unknown. It's not scary for me anymore. It does not matter what stuff gets thrown into the mix, I know my Lord enough to beleive in Him....I know Him enough to understand that all that is required of me is devotion and trust. That if He is for me and my plans (or should I say His plans) there is NOTHING that will stand in the way. There will be things that He allows to cloud the vision, or try and discourage me but He is the lens that I can clearly see life through.
My house is still not sold...O well. It will be taken care of. I do not have the money to get back to Africa this summer. O well. It'll be taken care of. Faith is sooo simple...but so complex. That's upside down thinking! To fit perfectly into His upside down kingdom. The farther I walk in this journey with Him, the more i realize that He is just flipping my life rightside up, and allowing me to think outside of the way the world has taught me to think. I remember all of the good times on my Harley, relaxing in the hot-tub or watching planet earth on my flat-screen tv... but now I "...consider them loss for the sake of Christ" (Phil 3:7). I want to declare a giving up of worldly comfort for the Peace of God!! I am willing to give up my soft bed, to sleep under a mosquito net on a hard mattress. God I don't know what you have in store for me, but I KNOW that it is GOOD!! I am so excited...and nervous. If this is not from you, take it from our hearts to return. If its not the most effective way for me to minister and show your love to others, I don't want to do it.
We're called to Serve a
nd Love no matter what country we live in. We are called to walk in obedience to His voice and proclaim His goodness throughout the journey! As this girl Katie said in one of her posts: "today god reminded me that i have ONE purpose, in africa, and in life, and that is to LOVE. i could ask for no greater an assignment." So I say that I to want to love. Both here in caronport, and saskatoon and to whoever I talk to....And maybe I will have have the amazing privilege to SHOW that love to people all over the hills of Bunyore in Kenya this summer...
