Reflections on Kenya

As the jet lag is finally wearing off, I wanted to share a few reflections from my recent trip to Africa. First of all, without God’s miraculous provision there’s no way we could have pulled it off so to those of you who helped make it happen for Stella and I we are so grateful for your support that made it all possible. 

We were unsure at first about going but God first laid it on my daughter’s heart to pray and ask God to provide- and as expected He answered by paying for her entire trip via an anonymous sponsor! Faith like a child is still a very real thing. That same day the ministry I work for provided a huge scholarship for me and we knew God was leading us to go. 

As always, God was faithful to supply the rest and on June 24th we left DFW for a 24 hour series of plane rides all the way to Nairobi. The first day was a blur but it was surreal to see how incredibly beautiful Africa really is and how welcoming the people are, not to mention the exotic animals all around you. 

We got to visit with the children of Naomi’s Village who are orphans that have been taken in and given a place to belong. The mission is to restore hope to those who may not otherwise have had much of an opportunity in life, show them God’s love, and raise them up to lead the next generation to follow Christ by following in their footsteps. 

As I reflect on that experience it’s not really that different from our calling as a Church in the community we live in right now. While we aren’t all called to move our lives to a foreign county we are all called to care for those around us and point them to Christ as a community of believers who together are the Church. 

There’s something about visibly seeing the needs around you that motivates us to action and that is probably one of my biggest take aways from this trip. Back here in the US I’ve not done as much outreach in terms of caring for orphans and widows so I was excited to be part of those specific ministry outreaches during our week in Kenya. There’s so much need and not enough physical resources to go around. But what was so encouraging to see were those laborers on the ground not complaining but simply taking the resources they did have and giving them to God so He could multiply them many times over. When we lay down our excuses we release God to use us in ways we could never have done on our own. 

There’s always a cost involved in pretty much everything we do in life. Being part of God’s mission is no different. While this trip did incur a great cost to go, it was well worth it to encounter God in His work outside of my box. Jesus not only calls us to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations” but He also asks each of us to “count the cost”. While we were in Kenya they explained exactly how much money it costs to sponsor a child, help support a family, or provide food for widows. In comparison to what it costs me to run through a drive through on any given day I could easily exchange that for a weeks worth of revenue for a typical family. When you put it in terms like that it really puts it all in perspective. I could easily skip a meal for day and feed and help feed a family for a week. 

Towards the end of our trip we visited a few widows near Kijabe and helped distribute food to them. They of course were some of the most grateful women I have ever met in my life and the look on their faces showed it. Many of them offered to pray for us in their own language and though I didnʼt understand a word I think my spirit understood it completely. We even met one woman who was 106! It was an incredible moment to witness Godʼs love meeting people in a very real way. 

In reality that was a very simple way to think about loving our neighbor. Though the people in Kenya are on the other side of the world they are just as much my neighbor as the family next door. Jesus still calls us to go and do likewise” to the “least of these”. The question this trip pressed upon me was to take inventory of how well I am currently doing both. He always shows me I can do better, give more, serve my needs less, and love in His name better than I am right now. Itʼs easy to get sucked into the daily grind of my own little world that is so small that I miss seeing the much bigger picture of what God is doing. Thankfully this trip was one that helped push me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to see new places and people for whom God also calls me to be His hands and feet. 

For our outreach with Cornerstone Academy we were able to help deliver and assemble bunk beds for one of the families that had multiple people sharing a single bed in one room. While we probably take a good nightʼs sleep for granted, I have a hard time imagining those kids just making do. They were genuinely excited to receive it and grateful as always.

On the last night, we said goodbye to the kids and prayed for them one last time. We were so blessed to see a glimpse into their lives and the impact that Naomiʼs Village is having in their lives. Our short visit was just a small part in the bigger work God will continue doing there. That is the biggest take away for me is that I get to play a part in Godʼs mission as I count the cost in my own life to support His work at the expense of my own comfort. That will continue to be a matter of prayer and reflection as I remember the faces and places we saw over the past few weeks.

Iʼm pretty sure Stella has her heart set on going back and interning after high school, which would be both awesome and terrifying. I believe God planted a seed in her life as well and Iʼm excited to see what He will produce through this experience as she entered high school and decides what she will do with her life afterwards.

To whoever it was that sacrificed and gave so generously for her, Iʼm confident that seed you have sown will produce a harvest of ministry many times over as it continues to grow. Thank you again to all

of our family and friends that gave of your prayers and finances to send us on this journey we will never forget.