Worship

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.  Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in Heaven.”       Lamentations 3:40-41a

The most glorious worship can be found in the most unlikely places – a tin building with a dirt floor or a tent next to a garbage dump.  When I read the story of Job I always wonder if I would still praise God if everything was stripped away.  Many of my Kenyan brothers and sisters in Christ can answer with a confident “Yes”.  They lift their hands and their voices to praise the Most High God from rented buildings that would only qualify as sheds in America.  They sing and sway while standing on uneven concrete floors or dirt ones.  They listen intently from uncomfortable wooden benches or rented plastic chairs.  And they bring an offering despite the fact that lunch will likely consist of greens and baked cornmeal or nothing at all.  They worship God because He is God.  He has given them life and breath and salvation through His son.

A portion of a popular Christian song comes to mind.   “When the music fades, all is stripped away and I simply come, wanting just to bring something that’s of worth.”  For most of the worshipers in Kenya the only music is the melody of their voices and the rhythm of their hands.  Everything else has already been stripped away.  Yet I know their worship drifts up as a sweet fragrance to the Lord.  Can the same be said of me?

I was back in my home church in Memphis today.  I felt homesick in a way I cannot explain - in a way that seems irrational.  I exchanged little more than passing greetings with most of the people I met in Kenya.  Yet I miss being there as if I had known them a lifetime.  I miss the sweet fellowship and worship I experienced there.  I don’t mean to imply that there are no true worshipers in the church I attend.  I know there are many.  But frankly, there are a lot of people there for other reasons.  I know I have often been guilty of filling a seat rather than truly worshiping God. 

Thankfully I learned from the example of my Kenyan friends that worship is about God, not about what or who is around me.  So I worshiped God because He is God.  He has given me life and breath and salvation through His son.  He has given me the promise of heaven where I will spend eternity in worship even more glorious than what I experienced in Kenya.  Maybe that homesick feeling isn’t so irrational after all.

One of the churches in the Mt. Elgon area.

Women's conference at a church in Nairobi.  The ladies are learning to crochet sleeping mats, handbags and baskets from discarded plastic bags. The plastic chairs are rented because a former landlady has locked up the ones the church owns.   She began seeing dollar signs when she found out that they received support from an American organization.  

This church meets in the dinning hall of a feeding station in Kipsonga, which is a poor community near Kitalie.  The church members are parents and grandparents (mostly grandparents) of children who are served by the feeding station.  They were drawn to Jesus by the love and care shown to their children at the feeding station which also doubles as a school.   Notice the small benches the congregation is sitting on in the background. 

The children come in and out during the service.  Mostly they play outside. They are taught about God and His son Jesus at the feeding station all through the week.  The little girl on my right with the beautiful smile spoke excellent English and helped me communicate with the younger kids.

Outside the Seeds Ministry tent church in Kitalie. You can see the public dump in front of the church.  Services are held every weekday at noon in addition to the regular Sunday service.

Inside the tent church during one of the noon weekday meetings.

Home Safely - With Amazing Stories to Share

We arrived back in Memphis around 6pm Monday evening after 29 hours on airplanes or in airports.  I have many pictures and stories to share but right now I am just trying to get back on "Memphis time"  (There is a 9 hour time difference between Memphis and Kenya and for some reason my body still thinks it is in Kenya.) and get school back up and running smoothly for the kids.  Thanks to everyone who prayed for us.  We could feel God's presence every step of the way.  I will share more with you in the coming days.

Less Than a Week!

Since we learned of God's miraculous provision, I have been working my way through a huge to-do list.   Here is a sample.

·         Get remaining shots – Yellow fever, Typhoid, Meningitis, and a Polio booster.

·         Sell kidney to pay for remaining shots. Just kidding!  Luckily we had planned ahead and put some extra funds on our medical flex spending account.  Shots are VERY expensive.  The grand total for Michael and I to get these four shots was $710. This was in addition to the $120 we spent last year for our Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Tetnus.

·         The longest most expensive trip I have ever taken to Walmart.  You can’t make a quick trip to Walgreen’s if you get a headache or have an upset stomach or allergy attack.  You must bring these items with you just in case.  After we get back I will post a list of the items we brought and which ones we found helpful.

·         Goodwill to purchase an inexpensive wardrobe of 4 long skirts and 4 t-shirts.  Hopefully we will have access to laundry service but I am prepared with some travel packets of Woolite just in case.

·         Target, Hobby Lobby, Office Depot, Dollar Tree

·         The church to gather donated teaching pictures.

·         Homes of homeschool friends to gather donated school supplies.

·         Goodwill again to get Michael some clothes. 

Okay you get the idea. It’s a long list so I will spare you the rest.  But if you are planning a mission trip, I highly recommend keeping one large list of all your to-do’s for the trip.  Then each day add a few of the items to your regular daily to-do list.  I still have a lot to do but it’s not an overwhelming amount because I have already gotten so much done. My sweet kids have tagged along with remarkably little complaining.  Please pray that they will have fun and not worry while we are gone.  (They will be spending a few days with each set of grandparents and their Aunt Mandy and Uncle William.)

Only God Can…..

Only God can turn plastic shopping bags into a ministry tool.  At our last team meeting I learned that in the evenings during the Pastor’s Training Conference we will be teaching the pastor’s wives how to crochet plastic bags into sleeping mats.  They can then sell the mats or give them away as a way to care for the homeless in their communities.  We are bringing a crochet needle for each of them.  Susan brought a sample to show us and I was surprised at how much of a cushion the bags create when they are crochet together. 

I mentioned in a previous post how God is showing me that He can use all the mundane details of my life when I surrender to Him.  He can use my talents, my trials and even my time wasting hobbies.   On a whim, I learned to crochet this fall.  I really enjoyed it but felt guilty for indulging in such a time wasting hobby.  It’s amazing how God works all the details together.

The Multiplying Affect

I have been so blessed and encouraged by the people who have come alongside our team to multiply our efforts.  Michael’s mom has made 150 pillowcase dresses in sizes 1-12.  They are so adorable. She is very talented.  Here’s a picture of what they look like.  She has been working on them since September. 

A Bible study group for sixth grade girls has also made 50 pillowcase dresses.   Members of my homeschool group have filled one full-size suitcase with school supplies and are close to filling a second one.  (It’s a good thing I was able to fit all my stuff in my carry-on).  The father of one team member has hand crafted wooded toy cars.  Even our kids have gotten involved.  Over the summer they each sold some of their toys at a garage sale.  The money was set aside for a charity of their choosing.  They decided to buy soccer balls and bubbles for us to take to the feeding stations.  Below is a picture of them with their proud purchases.

God is so AMAZING!!

God has provided!  We will be going to Kenya after all.  An anonymous donor has agreed to pay the difference between what we raise and the total cost. I stand in awe of God’s goodness and might.   I have tried to write this post 5 times already and somehow words just fail me. My heart is so full of joy and praise that I cannot find the words to express it.  I hope you will join me in praising God for what He has done.  “Come let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout aloud to the Rock of our Salvation.” Psalm 95:1

There is a verse in Job that has new meaning to me.  Job 42:5 says “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”  God is so amazing!

Trusting God When I Don't Understand

I have been planning to teach the story of Joseph to the kids when we visit the feeding stations in Kenya.  If you are familiar with the story of Joseph you will remember that God had a wonderful plan for his life.  He was to become second in command of all Egypt, administer God's plan to save the people of Egypt from famine and save his family from starvation as well.  Sounds great but to get there he had to first be sold into slavery and later imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.

While Joseph was going through these difficult circumstances I'm sure he felt confused.  Why was God allowing this to happen to him? But regardless of how he felt he trusted God.  He did not become bitter.  He continued to live his life to please the Lord.  Joseph is the personification of Romans 8:28 which says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

So, teaching the story of Joseph, that was the plan.  I am sad to share that the new plan is to follow Joseph's example and trust God even when I don't understand.  We will not be going to Kenya in February.  This past Tuesday was the deadline for the church to purchase our airline tickets.  We have not even raised the $1400 each needed to cover the tickets much less the $2500 we each needed for the total cost of the trip.  We also received the news that we will not be eligible for a scholarship from the church.

I don't understand why God would give us a desire to go on a mission trip and then not provide the means to go.  I don't understand why God would give me a love and concern for a group of Kenyan teachers and then not allow me to go help them in some small way.  I don't understand why God would prompt us to step out in faith, to commit our time and our talents, and then seemingly not reward that faith.  But I know from the life of Joseph that things are not always as they seem.  I know that I can trust God even when I don't understand.  I know that He has a plan from my life and somehow this has a purpose in His plan. 

The church has assured us that the money we have raised so far can be applied to another trip.  I want to reassure those who have supported us financially that your money will still be used for missions.  We will either choose another country or work toward the Kenya 2012 trip.  Please pray that we will discern God's will for us.

Autumn