Times a Flyin'
WOAH.
Last thing I remember it was the beginning of May and I thought I literally might die if summer didn't come ASAP. Now look at me. I've been to Kenya and back and am exactly one month away from being on a plane to Uganda. I'm so nervous, anxious, and excited all wrapped up together!
Kenya wasn't what I had expected. Not to say it wasn't a life altering experience. It just wasn't what I had in mind for the trip. On my previous mission trips to Guatemala I always left feeling I had accomplished something, but this time I was so frustrated. I worked with a group of girls who had been rescued from prostitution. The girls walked everyday from home to the sewing ministry our church is partnered with. The sewing ministry teaches them a skill so that one day they could provide for themselves. The whole week we visited the girls' homes and met with their parents. Many of their parents did not agree with the idea of their daughters attending the sewing class. My team went to encourage them that it was a good thing. Some of the girls walked up to two hours or more each way to get to class everyday.
As the week grew I became frustrated because the girls were so shy and barely spoke English, so getting them to open up seemed almost impossible. It was hard to talk about everyday things because our lives are so different.
That week was so hard.
But then, God taught me something I had never encountered. BEING FAITHFUL DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. I was being faithful to God by being with these girls and encouraging them as well as I could. Although the week ended without immediate results of the girls healing, it ended with sends planted. The next team from Biltmore that visits Kenya and works with these ladies will be able to dig a little deeper.
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Last thing I remember it was the beginning of May and I thought I literally might die if summer didn't come ASAP. Now look at me. I've been to Kenya and back and am exactly one month away from being on a plane to Uganda. I'm so nervous, anxious, and excited all wrapped up together!
Kenya wasn't what I had expected. Not to say it wasn't a life altering experience. It just wasn't what I had in mind for the trip. On my previous mission trips to Guatemala I always left feeling I had accomplished something, but this time I was so frustrated. I worked with a group of girls who had been rescued from prostitution. The girls walked everyday from home to the sewing ministry our church is partnered with. The sewing ministry teaches them a skill so that one day they could provide for themselves. The whole week we visited the girls' homes and met with their parents. Many of their parents did not agree with the idea of their daughters attending the sewing class. My team went to encourage them that it was a good thing. Some of the girls walked up to two hours or more each way to get to class everyday.
As the week grew I became frustrated because the girls were so shy and barely spoke English, so getting them to open up seemed almost impossible. It was hard to talk about everyday things because our lives are so different.
That week was so hard.
But then, God taught me something I had never encountered. BEING FAITHFUL DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. I was being faithful to God by being with these girls and encouraging them as well as I could. Although the week ended without immediate results of the girls healing, it ended with sends planted. The next team from Biltmore that visits Kenya and works with these ladies will be able to dig a little deeper.
Not everything that God calls you to do will end the way you want it to but we are still called to be faithful to Him and to do whatever it is that He calls us to do.
The ladies :)
Praying in one of the ladies' homes
A few more photos from the trip:
"Planting seeds"
Kenyan Sunset
Climbing Mt. Longonot
My Buddy from the Inter Displaced Persons Camp
Kijabe Town Primary School
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Sunday Church
Layover in Cairo, Egypt
Getting my hair braided
My FAVORITE baby in Kenya
As I reminisce on those three weeks, it reminds me of the trip, or rather.. adventure, I have ahead of me in Uganda. YES. I am scared. But twenty times more excited to see what God has in store. Now, the packing process? How do I even begin to pack for a seven month trip? Yeah, no clue. All I've thought about is things for the kids... and a coffee press (the world might end if I forgot that). I'm pretty sure I need more than that... but what and how much of it? This is really as much of an update as I can give you! The overwhelming chore of packing (and not forgetting something important) lies ahead of me. Wish me luck with that chore!
Loved your post! One thing I learned in Uganda (and it sounds like you learned in Kenya) is that we won't always see the fruit of the seeds we plant. I -like you- so desperately wanted to and grew sad and frustrated when that din't happen. But God has different things planned for each of us, and some might help plant the seeds, some might help water them, and others might get to see the fruit from those seeds. One thing I found encouraging was the passage in Hebrews 11, where the author talks about the many people who lived by faith and didn't see the things God promised. Hebrews 11:13 says. "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not received the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance." At the end of the chapter, it says, "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." I thought that was so cool.
ReplyDeleteAs I read what you were writing (about the coffee press) I laughed and was thinking.. if those french presses break, we're going to be 4 very sad, very tired girls. haha.
Sorry for the long ramble. I loved your post, and can't wait to read more :)