Here I am, back in the U.S.A. laying in my comfortable bed-finally rid of my lovely sleeping pad, my bug bites finally healed, my African tan fading quickly away in this Minnesotan winter, and moving into a new season. Leaving Kenya was hard. I love Africa. I loved each tribe and the people there so incredibly much. This love and passion can only be explained by the fact that the Lord placed it on my heart. He said, "These are my people, whom I dearly love. I want you to love them as I love them. To care for them as I care for them. To tell them about Me, the freedom and hope and truth and life that come from a relationship with Me." I tried to do that to the best of my fallen human ability. And I miss it. So. Much.
Coming home was a complete whirlwind. As soon as I arrived in the Minneapolis airport, my sister and dad snuck up behind me and enveloped me in a big hug. It wasn't until that moment that it dawned on me that Kenya was no longer my home, my normal, my ministry. The Lord has called me back home for this season. He has called me home to minister to my family, my friends, my new co-workers, and anybody that He asks me to. It has been incredible to be at home and to see how God has answered prayers that I laid before the throne of grace while I was away. It has been beautiful to see the growth in my family, the ways that the Lord has used my friends in their ministries, and to see how I have been changed.
Tomorrow I start my new job as an Autism Support Education Assistant! The Lord blessed my job search so much and has provided me with a position where I will be able to serve and love on children with special needs. He has provided me with a job that will meet my financial needs. He has provided me with peace of mind and excitement for this new season of my life. A few weeks ago, I challenged myself to see the Lord interlaced into each and every moment. I sit here in awe of the Lord, in absolute awe of the way that He has orchestrated each event in my life, no matter how big or small. I am so thankful for the people He has brought into my life, people that speak life and truth and encouragement over me, but also help to correct me and call me into greatness. I am in awe of His forgiveness, His provision, His grace, His comfort, and His assurance. There are still so many things that I am unsure of. But, I know that the Lord is continuing to lead me. I know that He has me in the palm of His hand.
"In Him was life, and that life was the light of men."-John 1:4. My life is in Him. He will light my way and guide me as He continues to do new things in and through me. Bwana Asifiwe :)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
While in Kenya, we constantly drove past advertisements for candies with the slogan, "My heart beats for....KSL fruit drops". That slogan got us thinking, what do our hearts really beat for? What has the Lord given us an unquenchable passion for?
The Lord has given me a special love and passion for those who have no voice-those who have speech and language difficulties (whom I will work with as a future Speech Language Therapist), but also those whose voices are not heard. My heart aches for abused women living in fear of speaking out, children who are alone, vulnerable, and helpless, unable to speak out their fears, and for those with special needs who can't communicate what they need. The Lord has been speaking to me about being an advocate for those who are living in bondage and whose voices are not heard. My heard beats for being able to enable those people to find their identity in the Lord and to find their voice where they can freely speak out about the love and truth that they have found in Him!
The Lord has given me a special love and passion for those who have no voice-those who have speech and language difficulties (whom I will work with as a future Speech Language Therapist), but also those whose voices are not heard. My heart aches for abused women living in fear of speaking out, children who are alone, vulnerable, and helpless, unable to speak out their fears, and for those with special needs who can't communicate what they need. The Lord has been speaking to me about being an advocate for those who are living in bondage and whose voices are not heard. My heard beats for being able to enable those people to find their identity in the Lord and to find their voice where they can freely speak out about the love and truth that they have found in Him!
Sing, because you Love to Sing
I have loved to sing for as long as I can remember. My family and I gather around the old mahogony piano at my grandma's house each year to sing carols together. With my grandpa's bass voice anchoring the family, the rest of us join in with altos, sopranos, and tenors. My siblings and I belt out bluegrass songs while doing the dishes at home. My mother, sister, and I sing in three part harmony with my dad and brothers on the guitar. I have always loved music; the way that intertwined voices create beautiful, moving melodies. When I gave my life to the Lord, I began to love worship. I loved using my voice to sing praises to my creator, but I always seemed to hold back a part of myself in worship, but I didn't know what it was.
The other day, my iPod was on shuffel and a Copeland song came on with the lyrics, "Sing, not because you love to song, but because you love to sing". Those lyrics made me think about my mindset in worship. Sometimes, I found myself singing the song simply because I loved the song; I loved the notes layered on top of eachother, making beautiful, lyrical lines of music; sometimes I forgot that I was singing because I loved to sing for Jesus.
Being in Africa and witnessing the people worship has given me a fresh perspective and God has used that to change my heart for worship. The Masaai in Tangitatu and the Pokot worshipped with complete abandonment and sang with such passion. The people worshipped late into the night, singing songs with the same exact beat and the same melody, often for 4 hours at a time-but they never lost their enthusiasm, their joy, their reverance for the Lord! In Karati with the Kikuyu tribe, I saw old women who could barely stand on their achy joints sing with their hands raised high to the heavens-; and even though they were out of tune, it was a beautiful, pleasing song to the Lord. In Pokot, I saw people dancing and praising with such joy, even though their only intrument was and old tambourine. In Kijabe, I saw people who were 3 years old to 97, all with the same joy and passion and loveas they sang out at the top of their lungs.
I have realized more and more how pridefull I had been in worship. I had based worship on the feeling that I had, on how much I loved singing each song. But, the Lord has been teaching me and showing me how to come back to the heart of worship--to remember why I am singing--not because I love the song, but because I love to sing praises to my savior. For the Lord is so worthy, so deserving, of our praise.
"Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless your name as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands"-Psalm 63:3-4
The other day, my iPod was on shuffel and a Copeland song came on with the lyrics, "Sing, not because you love to song, but because you love to sing". Those lyrics made me think about my mindset in worship. Sometimes, I found myself singing the song simply because I loved the song; I loved the notes layered on top of eachother, making beautiful, lyrical lines of music; sometimes I forgot that I was singing because I loved to sing for Jesus.
Being in Africa and witnessing the people worship has given me a fresh perspective and God has used that to change my heart for worship. The Masaai in Tangitatu and the Pokot worshipped with complete abandonment and sang with such passion. The people worshipped late into the night, singing songs with the same exact beat and the same melody, often for 4 hours at a time-but they never lost their enthusiasm, their joy, their reverance for the Lord! In Karati with the Kikuyu tribe, I saw old women who could barely stand on their achy joints sing with their hands raised high to the heavens-; and even though they were out of tune, it was a beautiful, pleasing song to the Lord. In Pokot, I saw people dancing and praising with such joy, even though their only intrument was and old tambourine. In Kijabe, I saw people who were 3 years old to 97, all with the same joy and passion and loveas they sang out at the top of their lungs.
I have realized more and more how pridefull I had been in worship. I had based worship on the feeling that I had, on how much I loved singing each song. But, the Lord has been teaching me and showing me how to come back to the heart of worship--to remember why I am singing--not because I love the song, but because I love to sing praises to my savior. For the Lord is so worthy, so deserving, of our praise.
"Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless your name as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands"-Psalm 63:3-4
Where the Lord is Leading Me (from 11/21/2011)
My dear friend Lesley has a poster on her wall that says, "Where you live should no longer determine whether you live". That phrase on the poster always moved me and fed my hunger for justice, especially in Africa.
Since living in Kenya for almost 3 months now, the Lord has been adding to that phrase and has continually reminding me that He has called me to be a minister of reconciliation and of justics. He has said, "Where my people live should not determine whether they have heard about Jesus, whether they have full bellys when they go to sleep, whether they have freedom to choose who they marry, whether they have access to a doctor, whether they can learn to speak".
Many things here in Kenya that the Lord has allowed me to wittness and be a part of have gripped my heart; some have even broken my heart. I want to be like the Lords chosen servant in Isaiah 42 who, "will not grow faint or be discouraged until justice has been established on the Earth" v 4. But, there is one thing that the Lord has heavily placed on my heart lately.
I have had the opportunity to meet three precious little children who have autism. I have heard of many others who have speech and language difficulties. You see, I went to school for Speech, Language, and Hearing disorders. When I chose that major, I knew that the Lords hand was in it. I loved it, but I didn't know if that was what I wanted to do with my life. I enjoyed my classes, but lacked a passion for what I was doing. When I graduated, I was still unsure of whether I would go on to graduate school so that I could be a practicing Speech Pathologist.
Well...the Lord has broken my heart for the children here. I am currrently working with 4 year old Nelly who has autism. She has never received any help with her language because speech therapy simply does not exist in Kenya. She sits in class, disrupting her peers (not on purpose), not able to communicate her needs and frustrations with her preschool teacher. Before the Lord allowed me to work with her and her family, they did not understand why she did what she did and had little idea of how to deal with her language acquisition. Although I still have much to learn, the Lord has used me to teach both her and her family.
I believe that the Lord is asking me to pursue this field...and I also believe that He is asking me this and putting this passion in my heart because He wants to use me here. I dont know exactly what that will look like yet--and it is a bit scary to think about--but it is exciting. The Lord has taught me so much about who I am, who He created me to be. I dont have to fear when and where and who and why because I know Him! Whether I am serving Him in good ol' Minnesota (which I pray I can do, I miss that chilly, wonderful place), or Africa for a time, I know that I will be held in the palm of His hand.
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you perceive it?" Isaiah
I am so excited to be perceiving where the Lord is leading me in this next season of life and to be a part of bringing justice to the children of Africa :)
Since living in Kenya for almost 3 months now, the Lord has been adding to that phrase and has continually reminding me that He has called me to be a minister of reconciliation and of justics. He has said, "Where my people live should not determine whether they have heard about Jesus, whether they have full bellys when they go to sleep, whether they have freedom to choose who they marry, whether they have access to a doctor, whether they can learn to speak".
Many things here in Kenya that the Lord has allowed me to wittness and be a part of have gripped my heart; some have even broken my heart. I want to be like the Lords chosen servant in Isaiah 42 who, "will not grow faint or be discouraged until justice has been established on the Earth" v 4. But, there is one thing that the Lord has heavily placed on my heart lately.
I have had the opportunity to meet three precious little children who have autism. I have heard of many others who have speech and language difficulties. You see, I went to school for Speech, Language, and Hearing disorders. When I chose that major, I knew that the Lords hand was in it. I loved it, but I didn't know if that was what I wanted to do with my life. I enjoyed my classes, but lacked a passion for what I was doing. When I graduated, I was still unsure of whether I would go on to graduate school so that I could be a practicing Speech Pathologist.
Well...the Lord has broken my heart for the children here. I am currrently working with 4 year old Nelly who has autism. She has never received any help with her language because speech therapy simply does not exist in Kenya. She sits in class, disrupting her peers (not on purpose), not able to communicate her needs and frustrations with her preschool teacher. Before the Lord allowed me to work with her and her family, they did not understand why she did what she did and had little idea of how to deal with her language acquisition. Although I still have much to learn, the Lord has used me to teach both her and her family.
I believe that the Lord is asking me to pursue this field...and I also believe that He is asking me this and putting this passion in my heart because He wants to use me here. I dont know exactly what that will look like yet--and it is a bit scary to think about--but it is exciting. The Lord has taught me so much about who I am, who He created me to be. I dont have to fear when and where and who and why because I know Him! Whether I am serving Him in good ol' Minnesota (which I pray I can do, I miss that chilly, wonderful place), or Africa for a time, I know that I will be held in the palm of His hand.
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you perceive it?" Isaiah
I am so excited to be perceiving where the Lord is leading me in this next season of life and to be a part of bringing justice to the children of Africa :)
A Glimpse into Life in Kijabe
I wake up in the morning at about 6:30 am to the sound of Paulina's Ipod alarm clock and lay on my what has now become incredibly comfortable sleeping pad snuggled in my sleeping bag, trying to ward of the freezing Kijabe morning. I'm usually one of the first ones up and I treasure the quiet time in the morning where I listen to the Lord, plug in my bright yellow Ipod, or read my bible. Soon, I see Taylore wake up and head to the bathroom with a handfull of bobby pins, ready to fashion her perfect bun.
At around 8 am, Nikki is already full of energy, and her and Neal wake up the rest of the team. Sometimes our wakeup call is a few gently spoken words, but if we are lucky, it is a sweet serenade, sometimes Neal's renditon of "Cotton Eyed Joe".
Breakfast soon follows, and I immediately pour myself a delicious cup of Kenyan coffee and pass it to Dorothy, my fellow addict. We have gained some self control since our days in Karati where we went a little loco after 7 cups, but we still enjoy it. The rest of the team files into the kitchen, bundled up in bedbug infested blankets we found in the attick of the church (no worries, we prayed against them and most of us are itch free at long last). After a delicious meal of kenyan pancakes, mandazi, or toast, we go back to our big tent to prepare for the day. I also usually get the pleasure of braiding Neal's rat tail, which is always a delight.
Ministry usually begins around 9 am. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we get to teach in the schools, where we often learn more than the children. We have learned that squirrels are animals of prey, Kenyan children LOVE to learn our amazing dance moves and American songs like "Party in the USA", and Americans are all fat and they want to know what we eat. On Wednesdays and Fridays, we get to work in the hospital. I LOVE to work in the Kitchen with Jane, an amazing Kenyan woman. At first I wanted to work with her to get out of cutting the raw meat (which Coltan looooves), but I have come to look forward to working with the spunky lady and to bring patients their tea, porridge, and lunch. When I'm not in the kitchen, we go around encouraging, praying for, and talking with patients. I love to go to the pediatric ward with Breanne, who has a special love for the children. On Saturdays, we go to the IDP camp where we share testimonies, give a biblical challenge, woship together, and then hand out food. After we hand out food, we visit the homes of the people there and encourage and pray with them.
After ministry, we often head straight for Dorothy's Place, a tiny little grocery store where I love to buy apple berry juice. Emily C goes straight for the Coke Lite and Ashlee and I head over to Mama Chico's for a 25 cent samosa (a fried meat thing in bread....so yummy). After climbing the hill back to our "home", Paulina usually heads for the kitchen, refusing to tell us what she is making with Margaret or Vicki, and the rest of us wait "patiently" for dinner while we joke around with eachother and appreciate Allegra's antics--I love that girl!!
During dinner, we talk about how good God is, the way He moved during ministry, and enjoy eachother while eating delicious Kenyan food. Sometimes after dinner, I give Kirsten and Kristin a haircut, we play games like 9 holes of golf, whist, we read our bibles and journal, pluck our eyebrows (which is especially fun when Neal joins in), choreograph dances, play telepictionary, or the vegetable game (which is more fun than it sounds). Some of us enjoy and ice cold shower or just talk and laugh A LOT.
At about 9 pm we have "family time" where we worship together, challenge each other to be more like Christ, get awesome teachings, and spend time together in the Word and in Prayer.
Then it is time to fall fast asleep in our two little lines of sleeping pads and sleeping bags, snuggled up, sometimes singing obnoxious Rhianna or Kelly Clarkston songs, sometimes reading, sometimes laughing uncontrollably...but we are all thankful for another beautiful, wonderful blessed day from the Lord in Kenya, our beloved home <3
At around 8 am, Nikki is already full of energy, and her and Neal wake up the rest of the team. Sometimes our wakeup call is a few gently spoken words, but if we are lucky, it is a sweet serenade, sometimes Neal's renditon of "Cotton Eyed Joe".
Breakfast soon follows, and I immediately pour myself a delicious cup of Kenyan coffee and pass it to Dorothy, my fellow addict. We have gained some self control since our days in Karati where we went a little loco after 7 cups, but we still enjoy it. The rest of the team files into the kitchen, bundled up in bedbug infested blankets we found in the attick of the church (no worries, we prayed against them and most of us are itch free at long last). After a delicious meal of kenyan pancakes, mandazi, or toast, we go back to our big tent to prepare for the day. I also usually get the pleasure of braiding Neal's rat tail, which is always a delight.
Ministry usually begins around 9 am. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we get to teach in the schools, where we often learn more than the children. We have learned that squirrels are animals of prey, Kenyan children LOVE to learn our amazing dance moves and American songs like "Party in the USA", and Americans are all fat and they want to know what we eat. On Wednesdays and Fridays, we get to work in the hospital. I LOVE to work in the Kitchen with Jane, an amazing Kenyan woman. At first I wanted to work with her to get out of cutting the raw meat (which Coltan looooves), but I have come to look forward to working with the spunky lady and to bring patients their tea, porridge, and lunch. When I'm not in the kitchen, we go around encouraging, praying for, and talking with patients. I love to go to the pediatric ward with Breanne, who has a special love for the children. On Saturdays, we go to the IDP camp where we share testimonies, give a biblical challenge, woship together, and then hand out food. After we hand out food, we visit the homes of the people there and encourage and pray with them.
After ministry, we often head straight for Dorothy's Place, a tiny little grocery store where I love to buy apple berry juice. Emily C goes straight for the Coke Lite and Ashlee and I head over to Mama Chico's for a 25 cent samosa (a fried meat thing in bread....so yummy). After climbing the hill back to our "home", Paulina usually heads for the kitchen, refusing to tell us what she is making with Margaret or Vicki, and the rest of us wait "patiently" for dinner while we joke around with eachother and appreciate Allegra's antics--I love that girl!!
During dinner, we talk about how good God is, the way He moved during ministry, and enjoy eachother while eating delicious Kenyan food. Sometimes after dinner, I give Kirsten and Kristin a haircut, we play games like 9 holes of golf, whist, we read our bibles and journal, pluck our eyebrows (which is especially fun when Neal joins in), choreograph dances, play telepictionary, or the vegetable game (which is more fun than it sounds). Some of us enjoy and ice cold shower or just talk and laugh A LOT.
At about 9 pm we have "family time" where we worship together, challenge each other to be more like Christ, get awesome teachings, and spend time together in the Word and in Prayer.
Then it is time to fall fast asleep in our two little lines of sleeping pads and sleeping bags, snuggled up, sometimes singing obnoxious Rhianna or Kelly Clarkston songs, sometimes reading, sometimes laughing uncontrollably...but we are all thankful for another beautiful, wonderful blessed day from the Lord in Kenya, our beloved home <3
Moving Where We Move (From 11/14/2011)
Since arriving in Kenya a few months ago, we have done a lot of moving. Our surroundings are constantly changing and there has been very little constancy. BUT...it has been so good in so many ways.
I left my house 3 days before I had to leave for training camp and stayed in River Falls, WI with some of my best friends. Then, I flew to Atlanta, GA. The first night we stayed in a homeless shelter and then moved to the training camp in Gainesville, GA for 3 days. Finally, we arrived in Kenya after a stop in Amsterdam. We stayed in Kijabe for one night, where all 11 of the girls on my team stayed in one 6 person tent and got to know each other very well.
The second day we were in Kenya, we piled into a matatu to drive down the bumpy remote roads to the Tangitatu tribe where we stayed in tents under the beautiful African sky surrounded by mud huts, mountaints, and donkeys, sheep, and goats. After 2 weeks there, we moved back to Kijabe for 2 days where we stayed in 3 tents in the church's youth center and had some days of rest. Then, lickety split, we moved to Karati, Kenya where we stayed in tents inside a church surrounded by chameleons, beautiful acacia trees, muddy roads, and singing pastors. After two weeks there, we moved baaaack to Kijabe for a few days of rest in our beloved tents and then it was off to Pokot, deep in the bush. In Pokot, we stayed in an old missionary's house, but once again, stayed in our tents to ward off the bugs crawling all over the house (I have come to love and cherish my sleeping pad and sleeping bag and actually find it incredibly comfortable:) After two weeks in Pokot, it was back to beloved Kijabe where we once again moved into our big tents for a few days and then took off for Uganda, where we stayed in very damp tents on the banks of the Nile River. Now, we are finally in Kijabe for good, but have still been moving from tents in the youth center to tiny rooms upstairs in the youth center to our contacts house (where I slept in a BED for 2 nights!!!!!!!) and now fiiiiinally back to one big tent in the youth center in Kijabe.
Things have changed so much in our short time here in Kenya. But, everywhere we go, God is CONSTANT. He never changes and He never will. When everything around me is new and foreign and confusing and hard to look at, God is the same. He is familiar. He is faithful. He is beautiful. He shows Himself to me in each new place. He comforts me when I am having a hard time with a new village or country and shows me His love for the people there and asks me to love them as He does. Although we have been in each place for such a short time, the Lord has used that time in such powerful ways. We have not gone the places we have by accident. The Lord has had a purpose in all of it and has been moving everywhere we have moved.
This give me so much HOPE and EXCITEMENT for my future. I still dont really know what I will exactly be doing when I get back home (although the Lord is revealing that to me more and more which is exciting :) What I do know is this: Where I move, the Lord moves also. He will never abandon me. My circumstances and address to not determine how good God is and do not change how faithful, loving, and just He is. <3
I left my house 3 days before I had to leave for training camp and stayed in River Falls, WI with some of my best friends. Then, I flew to Atlanta, GA. The first night we stayed in a homeless shelter and then moved to the training camp in Gainesville, GA for 3 days. Finally, we arrived in Kenya after a stop in Amsterdam. We stayed in Kijabe for one night, where all 11 of the girls on my team stayed in one 6 person tent and got to know each other very well.
The second day we were in Kenya, we piled into a matatu to drive down the bumpy remote roads to the Tangitatu tribe where we stayed in tents under the beautiful African sky surrounded by mud huts, mountaints, and donkeys, sheep, and goats. After 2 weeks there, we moved back to Kijabe for 2 days where we stayed in 3 tents in the church's youth center and had some days of rest. Then, lickety split, we moved to Karati, Kenya where we stayed in tents inside a church surrounded by chameleons, beautiful acacia trees, muddy roads, and singing pastors. After two weeks there, we moved baaaack to Kijabe for a few days of rest in our beloved tents and then it was off to Pokot, deep in the bush. In Pokot, we stayed in an old missionary's house, but once again, stayed in our tents to ward off the bugs crawling all over the house (I have come to love and cherish my sleeping pad and sleeping bag and actually find it incredibly comfortable:) After two weeks in Pokot, it was back to beloved Kijabe where we once again moved into our big tents for a few days and then took off for Uganda, where we stayed in very damp tents on the banks of the Nile River. Now, we are finally in Kijabe for good, but have still been moving from tents in the youth center to tiny rooms upstairs in the youth center to our contacts house (where I slept in a BED for 2 nights!!!!!!!) and now fiiiiinally back to one big tent in the youth center in Kijabe.
Things have changed so much in our short time here in Kenya. But, everywhere we go, God is CONSTANT. He never changes and He never will. When everything around me is new and foreign and confusing and hard to look at, God is the same. He is familiar. He is faithful. He is beautiful. He shows Himself to me in each new place. He comforts me when I am having a hard time with a new village or country and shows me His love for the people there and asks me to love them as He does. Although we have been in each place for such a short time, the Lord has used that time in such powerful ways. We have not gone the places we have by accident. The Lord has had a purpose in all of it and has been moving everywhere we have moved.
This give me so much HOPE and EXCITEMENT for my future. I still dont really know what I will exactly be doing when I get back home (although the Lord is revealing that to me more and more which is exciting :) What I do know is this: Where I move, the Lord moves also. He will never abandon me. My circumstances and address to not determine how good God is and do not change how faithful, loving, and just He is. <3
Beauty For Ashes (from 10/28/2011)
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord has annointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead or mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Isaiah 61:1,3a
Pokot was a breathtakingly beautiful tribe filled with red dirt, thorny trees, mountains, rivers, adorable camels, exotic bugs, and beautiful people. Our ministry centered on teaching at Amaya Primary School where I taught class 6 CRE (Christian Religious Education) and the occasional dance and American song class :) We also did door to door ministry.
Door to door evangelism at this tribe was incredible. First of all, the Pokot live in an incredibly remote part of Kenya, deep in the bush that took us almost 12 hours to get to from Kijabe. When we went out to evangelize, I was able to share the gospel with people who had never heard of Jesus before. At the end of our time in Pokot, over 50 people had given their lives to Christ, the church was strengthened, and I left changed forever. One ladies story stood out to me:
A few teammates and I stopped by a small hut in the bush and our translator called out an old lady. She was beautiful, tiny with sparkling blue eyes that couldn't see. She was blind. As I greeted her with the Pokot hello, "karam", she lit up with a smile. She had heard of Jesus before but had never quite understood of accepted His love for her. That day, she prayed to receive Christ. Her eyes sparkeled even more with her newfound realization of Christ's boundless love for her and thankfulness for her salvation.
She went on to tell us that she was ashamed to go to church because she was dirty and didn't have soap or a nice dress to wear to church. We went on to tell her all about how God accepted her just as she was and that she didn't have to impress Him, just to come as she was. But, the Lord broke my heart for her and I knew I had to do something for her. So, the next day, my teammates Dorothy, Coloton and I went to the market and bought her a dress. We went back to her hut and gave her the dress along with my soap.
The next sunday at church, the old blind lady arrived at church, sparkling clean, dressed in her new teal dress praising her Lord and Savior. It was such a beautiful thing to see and brought tears to my eyes. The Lord had given her a garment of praise-He had taken her out of the ashes and had made her even more beautiful...not because she was clean and had a new dress, but because her life was changed forever by the Love and hope she had in her heavenly Father and she was made new in Him.
After the service, my teammate Dorothy and I went up to her and told her she was beautiful. She completely lit up, beaming and threw her hands up and cupped her wrinkled face, holding her cheecks with an expression reminiscent of a a timid little girl dressed up like a princess. She embodied the verse, "Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:4. Although she was dressed in new clothes and was clean, the most beautiful part of her was her new heart; her gentleness and humbleness were inspiring.
It was so incredible to be used by God to share with her the freedom in Christ and the life transformation that comes with it and to "be Jesus" to her. Our time in Pokot was amazing and I will miss it <3
Pokot was a breathtakingly beautiful tribe filled with red dirt, thorny trees, mountains, rivers, adorable camels, exotic bugs, and beautiful people. Our ministry centered on teaching at Amaya Primary School where I taught class 6 CRE (Christian Religious Education) and the occasional dance and American song class :) We also did door to door ministry.
Door to door evangelism at this tribe was incredible. First of all, the Pokot live in an incredibly remote part of Kenya, deep in the bush that took us almost 12 hours to get to from Kijabe. When we went out to evangelize, I was able to share the gospel with people who had never heard of Jesus before. At the end of our time in Pokot, over 50 people had given their lives to Christ, the church was strengthened, and I left changed forever. One ladies story stood out to me:
A few teammates and I stopped by a small hut in the bush and our translator called out an old lady. She was beautiful, tiny with sparkling blue eyes that couldn't see. She was blind. As I greeted her with the Pokot hello, "karam", she lit up with a smile. She had heard of Jesus before but had never quite understood of accepted His love for her. That day, she prayed to receive Christ. Her eyes sparkeled even more with her newfound realization of Christ's boundless love for her and thankfulness for her salvation.
She went on to tell us that she was ashamed to go to church because she was dirty and didn't have soap or a nice dress to wear to church. We went on to tell her all about how God accepted her just as she was and that she didn't have to impress Him, just to come as she was. But, the Lord broke my heart for her and I knew I had to do something for her. So, the next day, my teammates Dorothy, Coloton and I went to the market and bought her a dress. We went back to her hut and gave her the dress along with my soap.
The next sunday at church, the old blind lady arrived at church, sparkling clean, dressed in her new teal dress praising her Lord and Savior. It was such a beautiful thing to see and brought tears to my eyes. The Lord had given her a garment of praise-He had taken her out of the ashes and had made her even more beautiful...not because she was clean and had a new dress, but because her life was changed forever by the Love and hope she had in her heavenly Father and she was made new in Him.
After the service, my teammate Dorothy and I went up to her and told her she was beautiful. She completely lit up, beaming and threw her hands up and cupped her wrinkled face, holding her cheecks with an expression reminiscent of a a timid little girl dressed up like a princess. She embodied the verse, "Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:4. Although she was dressed in new clothes and was clean, the most beautiful part of her was her new heart; her gentleness and humbleness were inspiring.
It was so incredible to be used by God to share with her the freedom in Christ and the life transformation that comes with it and to "be Jesus" to her. Our time in Pokot was amazing and I will miss it <3
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