This morning I woke up naturally and felt very well-rested, had a great night of sleep! We began the morning with some team devotional time. Brian asked us to each share one word that described how we felt about the trip at this point.
Long.
Unity.
Funny.
Tired...
Then he asked us to come up with one word we would use to describe how we hope to feel on day 10.
Sad.
Different.
Useful.
Changed.
Heartbroken...
With these he asked us to think about them during the week and what we can do to make these words happen. I loved that.
He also asked us to each be thinking about a question that we cold ask the team each day.
Today's question: "what is your motivation for being on this trip?"
I am going through, "When Helping Hurts" and that was one question that really challenged me. I feel that God is really trying to teach me to TRUST him. When I made the decision to go on this trip, I wasn't sure how financially it was going to happen. Naturally, life happened, finances were tight, the deadlines began approaching and I was not sure how I was going to be able to fund this trip. But God made a way. Through the encouragement and financial support of some amazing friends and family, I am here and I am learning to trust Him more and more everyday. My heart was also heavy over a few personal things in my life and after I saw a video at church and my Pastor Pete Wilson spoke about Missions and how we are called to GO and LOVE, I could not hide the stirring in my heart to want to go. Not to mention 3 of my best buddies, Andrew, Matt & Lauren, are here with me on this trip!
Today we headed to Marurui slum. Truthfully I'm having a difficult time coming up with the words to describe today. Extreme joy and happiness yet also pain and heartbreak. This morning we visited the Jacaranda branch. I was here just one year ago and I am amazed at the growth that has taken place. Today they have an Academic School with 19 of some of the most precious, intelligent, Jesus-filled children I've ever met! Their smiles and laughs filled my heart. The children were divided into 3 rooms by age groups. They were all being taught about the 7 days of Creation. Then they sang for us. There is something so sweet about thr voices of African children singing worship songs. We played games and sometimes just held close the ones that just wanted to be held. We brought cupcakes for their snack and we were all just amazed at how well and how slow they ate them:)
I think God knew that we would need the joy of spending time with these children before we experienced an afternoon of heartbreaking testimonies from the Jacaranda women. Some of them are facing circumstances that some of us in America may never have to face and some of them are similar to our own struggles. The difference: they claimed Jesus as their Lord and Savior first and foremost.
We then split up into groups and began some home visits. This involved walking down dirt roads with garbage and wandering goats surrounding us. The smell of burning charcoal filled the air. We began entering 10x10 shacks with dirt floors, aluminum roofs with holes in them, 1 bed with a thin mattress for a mother and her 5 children, no food and no money. My heart is heavy and burdened for these families. I could just see the desperation in these mothers eyes. Many of the husbands and fathers have walked away and abandoned them. All I know is, when I felt ill-equipped in those moments, all I could do was hug them, turn my thoughts to Jesus and seek his words to pray with them and speak hope into their lives. My heart is broken tonight as I lay here in bed, but I know God is doing a mighty work through Jacaranda Creations.
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion", says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him!" --Lamentations 3:22-24
This was a verse laid on my heart this morning during our devotional time when we were asked to be praying about some encouraging words for the women in the Marurui slum today. What really stuck out for me in this verse was the word, HOPE. Here in Kenya, there is a lot of despair, hopelessness, fear, depression, anxiety & addictions. I know that in my own life I have also struggled with having hope in desolate times so I can relate with some of their emotions, but I know their circumstances are
much more desperate. My prayer for the people here is that they will turn to Jesus for their needs and not just to Brenda & Gary Kean and/or the people that come to visit them.
What a wonderful yet transforming and heart wrenching day..
Long.
Unity.
Funny.
Tired...
Then he asked us to come up with one word we would use to describe how we hope to feel on day 10.
Sad.
Different.
Useful.
Changed.
Heartbroken...
With these he asked us to think about them during the week and what we can do to make these words happen. I loved that.
He also asked us to each be thinking about a question that we cold ask the team each day.
Today's question: "what is your motivation for being on this trip?"
I am going through, "When Helping Hurts" and that was one question that really challenged me. I feel that God is really trying to teach me to TRUST him. When I made the decision to go on this trip, I wasn't sure how financially it was going to happen. Naturally, life happened, finances were tight, the deadlines began approaching and I was not sure how I was going to be able to fund this trip. But God made a way. Through the encouragement and financial support of some amazing friends and family, I am here and I am learning to trust Him more and more everyday. My heart was also heavy over a few personal things in my life and after I saw a video at church and my Pastor Pete Wilson spoke about Missions and how we are called to GO and LOVE, I could not hide the stirring in my heart to want to go. Not to mention 3 of my best buddies, Andrew, Matt & Lauren, are here with me on this trip!
Today we headed to Marurui slum. Truthfully I'm having a difficult time coming up with the words to describe today. Extreme joy and happiness yet also pain and heartbreak. This morning we visited the Jacaranda branch. I was here just one year ago and I am amazed at the growth that has taken place. Today they have an Academic School with 19 of some of the most precious, intelligent, Jesus-filled children I've ever met! Their smiles and laughs filled my heart. The children were divided into 3 rooms by age groups. They were all being taught about the 7 days of Creation. Then they sang for us. There is something so sweet about thr voices of African children singing worship songs. We played games and sometimes just held close the ones that just wanted to be held. We brought cupcakes for their snack and we were all just amazed at how well and how slow they ate them:)
I think God knew that we would need the joy of spending time with these children before we experienced an afternoon of heartbreaking testimonies from the Jacaranda women. Some of them are facing circumstances that some of us in America may never have to face and some of them are similar to our own struggles. The difference: they claimed Jesus as their Lord and Savior first and foremost.
We then split up into groups and began some home visits. This involved walking down dirt roads with garbage and wandering goats surrounding us. The smell of burning charcoal filled the air. We began entering 10x10 shacks with dirt floors, aluminum roofs with holes in them, 1 bed with a thin mattress for a mother and her 5 children, no food and no money. My heart is heavy and burdened for these families. I could just see the desperation in these mothers eyes. Many of the husbands and fathers have walked away and abandoned them. All I know is, when I felt ill-equipped in those moments, all I could do was hug them, turn my thoughts to Jesus and seek his words to pray with them and speak hope into their lives. My heart is broken tonight as I lay here in bed, but I know God is doing a mighty work through Jacaranda Creations.
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion", says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him!" --Lamentations 3:22-24
This was a verse laid on my heart this morning during our devotional time when we were asked to be praying about some encouraging words for the women in the Marurui slum today. What really stuck out for me in this verse was the word, HOPE. Here in Kenya, there is a lot of despair, hopelessness, fear, depression, anxiety & addictions. I know that in my own life I have also struggled with having hope in desolate times so I can relate with some of their emotions, but I know their circumstances are
much more desperate. My prayer for the people here is that they will turn to Jesus for their needs and not just to Brenda & Gary Kean and/or the people that come to visit them.
What a wonderful yet transforming and heart wrenching day..
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