Hello :) We spent our last two weeks in the incredibly green and lush city of Karati with the Kikuyu tribe. It rained (POURED) each day we were there. These two weeks were totally different than the ones we spent with the Masaii in Tangitatu, but they were wonderful. We spent each day going door to door in the village to encourage believers, share the gospel with non believers,and to pray for the sick. I saw many come to Christ and realize the hope, joy, life, and restoration that come from a relationship with Him. I also had an amazing opportunity to work with a little girl named Elizabeth. Elizabeth was 10 years old and her parents told me she was "sick", but it became apparent right away that she had pretty severe autism. I was able to use my background in speech language pathology to explain to her mother why she acted the way she did and to teach her new techniques that would help her to communicate and to have relationships with those around her. It was really cool to be able to use my college degree for the glory of God!
Last week, I was able to pray over a boy who was deaf. He was 22 years old and had never heard a sound. While I was praying for Him, God gave me a vision of trumpets blowing into his ears. The mouthpiece of the trumpets said "The voice of God." I knew that even though this boy couldn't hear the people around him, he could hear clearly from the Lord.
Hearing from the Lord and listening have been two things that I have been learning about these past two weeks. "Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; Let the people renew their strength. Let them approach, then let them speak" Isaiah 41:1.
So often in my walk with the Lord, I had struggled with hearing from the Lord and knowing whether or not what I did hear was from Him. But then I realized how little time I spent actually intentionally listening for His voice. It has been to good to be able to spend that time listening and to hear from Him in new and exciting ways!
God is good, life is good :)
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Blessings in the Airport (from 9/7)
I am writing this blog from the Atlanta airport, which has seemed to be my home for the past two days. Yesterday, my whole team and I were supposed to fly out of Atlanta to Amsterdam at 5:30 pm. I was so excited to finally get to leave for Kenya and to begin ministry there. After spending the entire day at the airport ( a wonderful day, full of conversation, laughter, and anticipation), we arrived at the gate, brimming with excitement. It was there that we found out that the airline had overbooked the flight, and 7 out of the 14 people on our team didn't have a seat on the plane, and I was one of them. I was so disappointed, but I knew that God could provide a miracle and get all of us on the plane. As we waited, seats kept opening up. By the time the plane left, 5 more of our team were able to board the plane and leave for Kenya. My teammate Allegra and I were the ones who didn't get on the plane, and my leader Nikki (bless her heart :)stayed back with us. I am not going to lie...I was crushed. I had been waiting for this moment for so long. Although we are only a day behind the rest of our team, it was so hard to be the ones left behind waiting, wishing we could all be together experiencing the travel adventure.
BUT....God is SO GOOD. Before I had left for this 4 month long adventure, I had so much anxiety. I had struggled with trusting the Lord in everything. Most of this anxiety spouted from the fact that I had just graduated college. I had just boughten a car. I had a mountain of student loans, car payments, phone bills, insurance..etc etc etc.... I questioned whether or not I could commit to leaving and not working so long because I was so worried about money. I brought it to the Lord and prayed that He would provide for my every need, knowing full well that He could and that He would. I knew that this was right where he wanted me and that when I was in the cross-hairs of His will, everything would be alright and provided for. I just didnt know how...yet.
Well...as it turns out, when Delta overbooks a flight, and you involunarily have to stay behind, they compensate you. In fact, they compensate you quiiiiiite well. Delta airlines straight up wrote me a check for a rather large sum of money. This was a COMPLETELY unexpected blessing straight from the Lord. What an incredible, creative answer to prayer. God answers prayers in His timing. I had been praying that God would allow us to be on that flight. He didn't answer that prayer in the way that I wanted, but He answered a different prayer. I am just so blown away by God's faithfulness, creativity, and sense of humor. What an unexpected blessing in the midst of unfortunate circumstances!!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.-Philippians 4:6
BUT....God is SO GOOD. Before I had left for this 4 month long adventure, I had so much anxiety. I had struggled with trusting the Lord in everything. Most of this anxiety spouted from the fact that I had just graduated college. I had just boughten a car. I had a mountain of student loans, car payments, phone bills, insurance..etc etc etc.... I questioned whether or not I could commit to leaving and not working so long because I was so worried about money. I brought it to the Lord and prayed that He would provide for my every need, knowing full well that He could and that He would. I knew that this was right where he wanted me and that when I was in the cross-hairs of His will, everything would be alright and provided for. I just didnt know how...yet.
Well...as it turns out, when Delta overbooks a flight, and you involunarily have to stay behind, they compensate you. In fact, they compensate you quiiiiiite well. Delta airlines straight up wrote me a check for a rather large sum of money. This was a COMPLETELY unexpected blessing straight from the Lord. What an incredible, creative answer to prayer. God answers prayers in His timing. I had been praying that God would allow us to be on that flight. He didn't answer that prayer in the way that I wanted, but He answered a different prayer. I am just so blown away by God's faithfulness, creativity, and sense of humor. What an unexpected blessing in the midst of unfortunate circumstances!!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.-Philippians 4:6
Can You Hear the Prayers of the Children? (from 9/23)
The first night we arrived in Tangitatu to live with the tribe for 2 weeks, I cradled a child named Ellen in my arms and sang her my moms lullaby "Like a Ship in the Harbor". I felt overwhelmed with love from the Lord and wanted to show it to this little girl. I could almost her her prayer for love, attention, and comfort.
The third day of ministry, I prayed over a little girl named Tiotoni, who was 5 years old but could not hear or speak. She was so precious, so beautiful, so full of life. I could almost hear her prayer for healing, for a voice, for freedom from this affliction. Later, the Lord gave me a vision twice that her mother was dancing and praising the Lord, for her daughter had been healed. I know that Tiotoni will be able to hear and speak so soon :)
Last week, we attended a wedding of a 42 year old man and a 16 year old girl. Women here are still affected by arranged marriages and female genital mutilation. Those girls are robbed of so much at such a young age. The girl looked so sad, desperate for a way out. I could almost hear her prayer for rescue and freedom.
I made a wonderful friend named Alice in the tribe. She is 22 like me and is so beautiful and full of love and joy from the Lord. She encouraged me so much in my faith, and the Lord used me to speak truth into her life. Her friendship was one of my best memories from the Tangitatu tribe. She has a baby named Patrice. Patrice is malnourished and as a result, her hair falls out and she is sick often. I heard Alice's prayers for healing, wholeness, and nourishment.
It is so beautiful to see the childrens joy and excitement while we are here. It is beautiful to be able to be Jesus" hands and feet and to love the children and hold them in my arms. But, it is so difficult to leave knowing there is so much work yet to do. There is so much more restoration that needs to happen, so much more freedom and life that needs to be spoken over the people and children of Tangitatu. The pastors of the tribe have such an increidble ministry. Only the love of Christ and the freedom and hope that come from a relationship with Him will answer those children prayers.
I will continue to pray for workers to be sent there. I will continue to pray for the children to be filled, to see freedom, to be nourished, for wholeness, for rescue. And I ask you to pray, too :) Hear the prayers of the children.
The third day of ministry, I prayed over a little girl named Tiotoni, who was 5 years old but could not hear or speak. She was so precious, so beautiful, so full of life. I could almost hear her prayer for healing, for a voice, for freedom from this affliction. Later, the Lord gave me a vision twice that her mother was dancing and praising the Lord, for her daughter had been healed. I know that Tiotoni will be able to hear and speak so soon :)
Last week, we attended a wedding of a 42 year old man and a 16 year old girl. Women here are still affected by arranged marriages and female genital mutilation. Those girls are robbed of so much at such a young age. The girl looked so sad, desperate for a way out. I could almost hear her prayer for rescue and freedom.
I made a wonderful friend named Alice in the tribe. She is 22 like me and is so beautiful and full of love and joy from the Lord. She encouraged me so much in my faith, and the Lord used me to speak truth into her life. Her friendship was one of my best memories from the Tangitatu tribe. She has a baby named Patrice. Patrice is malnourished and as a result, her hair falls out and she is sick often. I heard Alice's prayers for healing, wholeness, and nourishment.
It is so beautiful to see the childrens joy and excitement while we are here. It is beautiful to be able to be Jesus" hands and feet and to love the children and hold them in my arms. But, it is so difficult to leave knowing there is so much work yet to do. There is so much more restoration that needs to happen, so much more freedom and life that needs to be spoken over the people and children of Tangitatu. The pastors of the tribe have such an increidble ministry. Only the love of Christ and the freedom and hope that come from a relationship with Him will answer those children prayers.
I will continue to pray for workers to be sent there. I will continue to pray for the children to be filled, to see freedom, to be nourished, for wholeness, for rescue. And I ask you to pray, too :) Hear the prayers of the children.
Jina Langu Ni Nashipae {My name is Joyful} from 9/23/11
Jombo from the Tangitatu tribe outside of Naivasha, Kenya! Summing up these past 2 weeks is nearly impossible, so I will give you a small glimpse into our time here and what the Lord has been doing in and through me.
We saw so much fruit in Tangitatu. Each day, we did door to door ministry and met with people in their homes. They would greet us with love, excitement, chai tea, and maize. I personally saw over 8 people come to Christ and realize the hope and joy that comes with a relationship with him. I have seen questioning hearts be filled with hope and assurance, and I sang lullibies to children in my arms.
As I saw one young man come to Christ, his mother cried with tears of joy, so happy that her fervant prayers had been answered. As her tears ran down her face at the top of a hill overlooking the gorgeous landscape of acacia trees and the bright blue sky peppered with clouds, I marveled at the life changing gift of salvation and how blessed I am to be a part of Gods work in this tribe.
I loved out time with the Tangitatu. I loved the breathtaking beauty of the place, the smiles on the peoples faces, the shrieks of excitement of the children, the early morning symphony of donkeys, wild dogs, crazy birds, and cows-but let me be real with you...it hasn't been easy. Only showering every 6 days with a bucket half full of water, walking 5-9 miles each day and having more blisters than toes on my feet, being hot during the day and freezing during the night....but it has been so worth it. The Lord gave me such joy and happiness to be in that place.
We were waking around one day when we came upon 5 Masaii shepherds of the tribe who decided to baptize my 5 teammates and I with Masaii names. They gave me the name Nashipae which means Being Joyful to all Peoples. It meant so much to me! God has definately been teaching me about not only being content in all circumstances, but to be joyful and to be overflowing with His love in all circumstances.
I will miss the Tangitatu so much, but I will remember their joy and how it changed me forever.
We saw so much fruit in Tangitatu. Each day, we did door to door ministry and met with people in their homes. They would greet us with love, excitement, chai tea, and maize. I personally saw over 8 people come to Christ and realize the hope and joy that comes with a relationship with him. I have seen questioning hearts be filled with hope and assurance, and I sang lullibies to children in my arms.
As I saw one young man come to Christ, his mother cried with tears of joy, so happy that her fervant prayers had been answered. As her tears ran down her face at the top of a hill overlooking the gorgeous landscape of acacia trees and the bright blue sky peppered with clouds, I marveled at the life changing gift of salvation and how blessed I am to be a part of Gods work in this tribe.
I loved out time with the Tangitatu. I loved the breathtaking beauty of the place, the smiles on the peoples faces, the shrieks of excitement of the children, the early morning symphony of donkeys, wild dogs, crazy birds, and cows-but let me be real with you...it hasn't been easy. Only showering every 6 days with a bucket half full of water, walking 5-9 miles each day and having more blisters than toes on my feet, being hot during the day and freezing during the night....but it has been so worth it. The Lord gave me such joy and happiness to be in that place.
We were waking around one day when we came upon 5 Masaii shepherds of the tribe who decided to baptize my 5 teammates and I with Masaii names. They gave me the name Nashipae which means Being Joyful to all Peoples. It meant so much to me! God has definately been teaching me about not only being content in all circumstances, but to be joyful and to be overflowing with His love in all circumstances.
I will miss the Tangitatu so much, but I will remember their joy and how it changed me forever.
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