|
Monday, 12 July 2010 23:06 |
Finally Home
As I sit here on the bus headed home, I can't help think about how this trip has impacted me...
I have so many emotions going on inside of me that I am trying to take each one and examine why it is that I am feeling this way. First, I am excited that I get to see my wife and girls in a few short hours. I have missed them like crazy and feel like I am missing a part of myself when they are not with me. I feel honored that I was able to go on this trip with each one of these students & adults!! (More on this in a minute). I feel heart broken over the poverty that I have seen this past week. I feel regret that it has taken me 30 years to experience my first over seas foreign mission trip. I feel pain because some of the children I met this trip will not be alive when I return to Kenya because of HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. I feel hope because I know that this group has caught onto what it means to support foreign missions and because there are men & women, like Bobby & Lisa Bechtel who are doing a great work. I feel like I have been loved, loved by the people of Kenya, by my team mates, by a little African boy named Sufian & most importantly I am wildly loved by an amazing God who knew me before time began, before I drew my first breath He knew the plans He had for me. I feel loved by a God who sent His son to die for me & for my brothers & sisters around this world, red, yellow, black, brown, & white, we are ALL precious in His sight.
I had no idea that this trip would impact me the way that it has, but as I have taken the last few hours to reflect I think the one thing that really sticks out to me about this trip is love. Love unashamedly, love unconditionally, love sacrificially, & love totally. 1John says that if we can't love another person then we can't love God because God is love. Did you catch that? God IS love, not that he has love, no, He IS love. I've watched this past week as the people on this team have loved and I want to thank them fordifficult love, even though, at times, it was difficult...
Austin, thank you for loving those kids every day even when it hurt, for leading by loving, for being an encouragement to me personally and for always bringing laughter to our group when it was much needed. I am blown away that God is allowing me the opportunity to walk with you because I know great things are in store!
Jordan, thank you for coming on this trip with such a tender heart and for allowing God to mold & shape you into His purpose. Thank you for showing the younger ladies how to follow hard after Jesus.
Heather, your heart for people is so incredible! Don't ever lose that tenderness, it is so obvious that God desires to use you greatly in His kingdom, be open & willing to go & to do anything He asks of you.
Joel, I'm so glad you came on this trip! Your tender servant's heart is inspiring and the way you loved on the people of Kenya will have an eternal impact. I will always remember the picture of you holding that little girls hand as you walked down the sidewalk...it was a beautiful picture of the way our big God walks with us gently leading us by the hand.
Angela, your soft, quiet demeanor brought a calming presence to our group. It was often you who were the last to board the bus when we were ready to leave because you spent every last moment that you could loving on those children, never in a hurry, always making sure each one of them knew that they were loved.
Kameron, it was so awesome to watch as you served the little children through all different simple acts. I was blown away by your humble, kind spirit as you loved on the children allowing the love of Jesus to shine through you.
Brance, thank you for staying sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, for finding those kids that were maybe just a little different or hung out on the sidelines. You always seemed to make the effort to make sure no one was excluded. And that is what Jesus did.
Kent, I am so blown away by what God has done in your heart. Thank you for daily listening for the voice of God and for being a true servant this past week. Thank you for your leadership & for staying tender towards the things of God. I can't wait to see the overflow of what we have just experienced.
Davis, you are such a giver! I love that you hear the vision & see the need & are always the first to say, let's do something about this. I know God is going to use you to accomplish some phenomenal things and I hope He allows me to share in that with you!
Reece, thanks for always being yourself. You are one of the most authentic people that I have ever met. And you loved those kids by being exactly who you are, it was a joy to watch as you would spin those kids around & laugh with them as they laughed.
Mason, thank you for continuously having a servant's heart. You were always the first to volunteer & time & time again I would watch as you were the first to start a project & the last to leave once it was finished. It is my privilege to be your youth pastor.
Tommey, if anyone gets the friendliest person award it's you. Everywhere we went you made new friends and made people feel special. Even driving down the road you would smile & wave as we passed by. You allowed the love of Christ to spill out of you like a spring of water, it was refreshing & contagious!
Abby, I think of anyone you were the most pleasant surprise to me! From watching as you led the children on an African Safari to tying their bracelets I was humbled as I watched you serve. The old saying that still waters run deep is so true with you, although you were never first to share with what God was doing in you, every time you shared it was incredible & convicting the work He is doing in you!
Kalie, it was such a pleasure to watch as you quietly served the children. Never the center of attention you always managed to have a group of little girls gathered around you loving, playing & serving. Thank you for being the hands & feet of Jesus.
Taylor, your funny comments always came at the perfect time to lighten up our days! Over & over again I saw as you loved on a child one on one, just you & that little one sharing a moment of unconditional love. Never one to be complaining, you managed to find the positive in most every situation.
Nichole, for someone who supposedly doesn't like kids you did an unbelievable job making them believe that you loved them. It was awesome to watch you as you served with little concern for yourself but the utmost concern for those kids. There are little girls in Kenya today who feel like a princess simply because you painted their nails.
Pam, thank you for coming on this trip. It was a pleasure to watch as you & your team put hundreds of bracelets together & how you led them in teaching the Christian life to those children. Your servant's heart was contagious, thank you for sacrificing your time to serve the Kenyan people.
Kaydawn, your heart to lead by serving was so obvious this week. Thank you for always being one of the first to serve in every situation. Your laughter & smiles were contagious, it was a true pleasure to have you as part of this team!
Brittany, thanks for going on this trip. Thanks for being open & real & honest about what God is doing in you. I love what Josh said that one morning, "Don't let the work of your hands outweigh what God wants to do in your heart." And I believe you lived that statement this week, you didn't get so busy with doing that He wasn't able to speak to your heart. I'm thankful that we are able to partner together in student ministries & I am so pumped to see how He is going to blow our minds this next year!!
And last, but not least, Daniel, I cannot even begin to tell you how proud I am of you and how I am so thankful that you were on this trip with me. I know these past few years have been hard & I honestly can't even imagine, but it's so obvious that God has His hand on you & He will never waste a hurt. So, stay sensitive to His voice in your life. I'm glad that my best friend & I were able to experience this life changing experience together!
Well, in some ways this journey is finally coming to a close. I don't have to keep up with any more spreadsheets or call any more meetings, all of the soccer balls have been given away and I won't eat any more Sukumawiki for a long time. However, in other ways this journey is just now beginning, we have seen the need first hand, we have held the hands, smelt the stench & felt the pain and now, more than ever, we are called to action. Action to pray & action to support. Oh yeah, I see it now, this is only the beginning... |
Add comment
|
|
|
|
 |
May 2013 |
|
|
Su
|
Mo
|
Tu
|
We
|
Th
|
Fr
|
Sa
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Comments