Experiences are things to be valued! Good or bad, easy or difficult…experiences make us who we are and who we will become. Some experiences, more than others, are life-changing. This has been one of those life-changing experiences for me! God blessed me with the opportunity to live among another culture…for the first time I was amongst the minority (where I now reside, Nathan and I are the only two white people). On this journey I have worked at one of the largest mission hospitals in Kenya, I have stood within 10 feet from wild animals, I have experienced life in the slums of Nairobi, I have worked in an outpatient clinic with the Mausai, and I have traveled to a land that very few white people have ever witnessed! On Tuesday of this week I traveled 2 hours farther into the “bush” into an area that is very densely inhabited and is mostly populated by wild animals. The “road” we traveled was a dirt path filled with large rocks and potholes…the path winded around open plains, through the bush, and over mountains. When we reached our destination I realized how unique this opportunity was. I was told that about one white person per year visits this village. After arriving we hiked through the fields and partially up a mountainside…the view was stunning, we visited the Mausai villagers, then we went to the clinic to supply healthcare. I was the main provider supplying prenatal care…I was amazed at how quickly the facility filled once the villagers heard the white doctors were present! It was a long day, but it was one of those days that only come once in lifetime. As we traveled home that night I rested my head against the vehicle door. With my window rolled down and the cool breeze blowing against my face, I gazed at the multitude of stars in the sky. I sat quietly for 2 hours recollecting my journey these past two months. How can I sum up everything I have experienced, how can I share what God has done in my life the last 52 days??? Words and pictures can only explain so much. More than anything throughout this journey I have longed to share my experiences with my loved ones, especially my fiancé, Justin Crowe. I have desired for others to experience these moments and to see the power of God firsthand. At the end of my journey I have come to appreciate this time alone with God. While I desired to share so much with others, He just desired to share time with me! God knows best!!! He knew that I needed this time alone with Him, He knew that I needed to grow in my faith, that I needed to fall even deeper in love with Him! You see, in 37 days I will no longer be alone…I will become one with my fiancé. God has used this journey to help prepare me for my future marriage…He has strengthened my love for Him so that I am able to always love Him more! He has provided me with a strong foundation going into my marriage. God has opened my eyes to so very much these past two months. More than anything I look forward to seeing how this journey leads to future opportunities to serve! My fiancé and I are very open to Gods plan for our lives; we are both very willing to go wherever He leads! In 37 days I will get to marry an extraordinary guy that God has placed in my life, then in June I will graduate from physician assistant school, then…it is up to God! Not having a plan would have scared me in the past, but now I know that God has a plan! I trust that God will use the skills that He has blessed Justin and I with to best glorify Him! Thank you God for this amazing opportunity to serve you, to glorify you, and to fall deeper in love with you!
“Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:34-39
Friday, November 12, 2010
Inspired
For those that know me, most would agree that I am an excellent planner. I have planned many events in my life, all of which were successful. Even now, I find myself planning my meals each day…rationing out my portions so that my food will sustain through the next couple of weeks. I feel like planning can be a very good quality, one to be admired. But I have begun to ask myself…am I relying on my plans or my faith in God? Sometimes I feel as though my plans are a hindrance on my faith and trust in God. It is the daily reliance on God that I struggle so greatly with. Even now, if I had not planned my meals adequately, would I trust that God would provide for me? I have lived 28 years relying on my plans. I have never once questioned where my food was going to come from…I know food is available and I have the resources to obtain it. I have never once been forced to go hungry. Malnutrition is a serious problem in Kenya. Food stamps do not exist in this country…children starve to death. Gaining weight is something that most Kenyans desire. Well-nourished and overweight Kenyans are seen as being very wealthy. Many Kenyans do not know where their next meal is coming from, but they do not worry…they trust that God will provide for them. Me, I feel like I am just now learning how to rely on God. I have taken a step back from my plans, even with my food, and began to fully rely upon God’s provisions.
I have been extremely blessed with an amazing group of friends that have become my church family at Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green, KY! There are many extraordinary women that I admire and look to as examples of faithful servants within my family. This past week, from thousands of miles away, they inspired me! Many of my brothers and sisters at this church have accepted a challenge…the challenge is to give faithfully for 30 days! I long to see how the results from this challenge will impact my community!
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Matthew 16:26
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21
“Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:44-45
“The most important one: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’” Mark 12:41-44
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
We are commanded to love one another and give to the poor…God commands that of us!
I was reminded by those that I love dearly how important a spirit of giving can be! Thank you for that! The day after I read about this challenge I was sitting in clinic seeing patients. It was a typical day...6 year old boy with HIV, 13 year old girl pregnant, patients with malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, AIDS. The story of every patient is very sad, but it is something I have learned to endure. For some reason today (11/4), one particular patient’s story brought me to tears. A 63 year old HIV+ woman was in need of more ARVs (Antiretroviral Drugs), although according to her last prescription her medication should not be out. She was asked why she needed more drugs, and in Swahili she very calmly replied that her house burnt down and her medicine was inside. The conversation continued, but questions began to race through my mind. So, I asked where she was staying, if everything was burnt, if anyone was injured, if she had a means to food. Once again very calmly the woman replied that everything she owned was burned; even her grandchild was killed in the fire. This woman had NOTHING! She was homeless, had no food, no clothing, had just lost her grandchild, and all she was asking for was a refill on her medication. She was not looking for a hand-out; she wasn’t even looking for sympathy…simply just her medicine. I’m not for sure why her story compelled me anymore than the rest of my patients, but I was drawn to do more for her. I immediately left the clinic and with tear filled eyes walked about 100 yards to my house. Once I got there I filled a plastic bag with some clothing and food. It was not much, and I longed to do more, but to her it was everything! She was not looking for generosity and I was not looking for gratitude, but we each found both. When I handed her the bag, she smiled from appreciation! After losing so much, how could so little make someone so happy!?! Shortly afterward, I went to the HIV Support Group meeting where I have been giving a lecture each Thursday and my patient was seated on the front row. She never stopped grinning at me throughout the whole lecture. I desire to find joy as she has in the small things in life! Her smile will always be with me!
I will conclude with a story. God compelled me to give this elderly woman a portion of my food, which left me without enough for the remainder of the trip…I was going to be without food for the last three days of my journey. Last night (11/11) some long-term missionaries passed through Ewaso Ngiro and stayed overnight. They invited Nathan and me over to enjoy some brownies and ice cream….WOW, what a treat! After their departure this morning, I found that they had left us with plenty of food to last through the remainder of our stay here! God is incredible!!!
I have been extremely blessed with an amazing group of friends that have become my church family at Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green, KY! There are many extraordinary women that I admire and look to as examples of faithful servants within my family. This past week, from thousands of miles away, they inspired me! Many of my brothers and sisters at this church have accepted a challenge…the challenge is to give faithfully for 30 days! I long to see how the results from this challenge will impact my community!
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” Matthew 16:26
“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21
“Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:44-45
“The most important one: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.’” Mark 12:41-44
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35
We are commanded to love one another and give to the poor…God commands that of us!
I was reminded by those that I love dearly how important a spirit of giving can be! Thank you for that! The day after I read about this challenge I was sitting in clinic seeing patients. It was a typical day...6 year old boy with HIV, 13 year old girl pregnant, patients with malaria, typhoid, tuberculosis, AIDS. The story of every patient is very sad, but it is something I have learned to endure. For some reason today (11/4), one particular patient’s story brought me to tears. A 63 year old HIV+ woman was in need of more ARVs (Antiretroviral Drugs), although according to her last prescription her medication should not be out. She was asked why she needed more drugs, and in Swahili she very calmly replied that her house burnt down and her medicine was inside. The conversation continued, but questions began to race through my mind. So, I asked where she was staying, if everything was burnt, if anyone was injured, if she had a means to food. Once again very calmly the woman replied that everything she owned was burned; even her grandchild was killed in the fire. This woman had NOTHING! She was homeless, had no food, no clothing, had just lost her grandchild, and all she was asking for was a refill on her medication. She was not looking for a hand-out; she wasn’t even looking for sympathy…simply just her medicine. I’m not for sure why her story compelled me anymore than the rest of my patients, but I was drawn to do more for her. I immediately left the clinic and with tear filled eyes walked about 100 yards to my house. Once I got there I filled a plastic bag with some clothing and food. It was not much, and I longed to do more, but to her it was everything! She was not looking for generosity and I was not looking for gratitude, but we each found both. When I handed her the bag, she smiled from appreciation! After losing so much, how could so little make someone so happy!?! Shortly afterward, I went to the HIV Support Group meeting where I have been giving a lecture each Thursday and my patient was seated on the front row. She never stopped grinning at me throughout the whole lecture. I desire to find joy as she has in the small things in life! Her smile will always be with me!
I will conclude with a story. God compelled me to give this elderly woman a portion of my food, which left me without enough for the remainder of the trip…I was going to be without food for the last three days of my journey. Last night (11/11) some long-term missionaries passed through Ewaso Ngiro and stayed overnight. They invited Nathan and me over to enjoy some brownies and ice cream….WOW, what a treat! After their departure this morning, I found that they had left us with plenty of food to last through the remainder of our stay here! God is incredible!!!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Radical
I laugh aloud when God makes His work abundantly clear! A central theme for my journey and a struggle I have faced while in Kenya has been trying to understand why the faith of Americans and Kenyans is exceedingly dissimilar. What I have discovered is the struggles that are faced on these separate continents are very different; therefore, the reliance on God’s strength is equally different. While I have been pondering this theme, I was drawn toward a book by David Platt titled “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream,” it was suggested by many new-found friends. While I am only on Chapter 3 of this book, it has begun to answer several questions and unlock many new concepts for me to contemplate! This is a book I highly suggest all Christians read!! I want to share the main theory of this book with you.
David Platt writes, “As the American dream goes, we can do anything we set our minds to accomplish. There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we combine ingenuity, imagination, and innovation with skill and hard work. We can earn any degree, start any business, climb any ladder, attain any prize, and achieve any goal. James Truslow Adams, who is credited with coining the phrase “American Dream” in 1931, spoke of it as “a dream…in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are.” But underlying this American dream is a dangerous assumption that, if we are not cautious, we will unknowingly accept and a deadly goal that, if we are not careful, we will ultimately achieve. The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust in his power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him.”
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
David goes on to write, “Here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God. So the challenge for us is to live in such a way that we are radically dependent on and desperate for the power that only God can provide.”
A theme that has been evident in my life while in Kenya is relying on God’s strength throughout each day, as opposed to my own abilities. I have found myself in numerous situations where I felt inadequate and was forced to turn to the Lord for support. David explains this very well when he writes, “In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. This is how God works. He puts his people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.”
It was no accident this is the book that I chose to read toward the end of my journey in Kenya. I am overflowing with questions about my experiences and this book is guiding me toward the answers. I wish I had time to share more with you, but my time on the internet is short now. I encourage all Christians to read “Radical;” it will expose you to a new way of thinking!
David Platt writes, “As the American dream goes, we can do anything we set our minds to accomplish. There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we combine ingenuity, imagination, and innovation with skill and hard work. We can earn any degree, start any business, climb any ladder, attain any prize, and achieve any goal. James Truslow Adams, who is credited with coining the phrase “American Dream” in 1931, spoke of it as “a dream…in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are.” But underlying this American dream is a dangerous assumption that, if we are not cautious, we will unknowingly accept and a deadly goal that, if we are not careful, we will ultimately achieve. The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn toward such thinking. But the gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust in his power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him.”
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
David goes on to write, “Here the gospel and the American dream are clearly and ultimately antithetical to each other. While the goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the gospel is to make much of God. So the challenge for us is to live in such a way that we are radically dependent on and desperate for the power that only God can provide.”
A theme that has been evident in my life while in Kenya is relying on God’s strength throughout each day, as opposed to my own abilities. I have found myself in numerous situations where I felt inadequate and was forced to turn to the Lord for support. David explains this very well when he writes, “In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. This is how God works. He puts his people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.”
It was no accident this is the book that I chose to read toward the end of my journey in Kenya. I am overflowing with questions about my experiences and this book is guiding me toward the answers. I wish I had time to share more with you, but my time on the internet is short now. I encourage all Christians to read “Radical;” it will expose you to a new way of thinking!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Mausai Mara
Jambo all!!! I have to say that I'm pretty stoked about what God has been doing in my life!!! He has been opening my eyes to so very much...it is a whole different way of life in Kenya! Although there is so much suffering and pain, there is a freedom and faith that I have never experienced!
I quickly want to update you all on my living situation for the next 3 weeks and ask for some prayer request. I arrived to Ewaso Ngiro Clinic last night safely. I am in the middle of the Rift Valley in the Mausai Mara....basically middle of nowhere! But it is amazing...well, parts of it! It is beautiful here! I am very safe...we have Mausai Warriors for our guards!! There is no running water inside our guesthouse, so we have to get our water from outside then boil it...haha! We take our baths out of a plastic container…needless to say it is not in the least bit warm. There is no toilet inside...the one outside is a concrete slab over a hole that goes down into the ground...haha!!! I will only have internet access about once a week and the phone signal is minimal if you stand in certain areas outside. So, with all that said, I cannot believe I am really here...really living this in this manner and all I can do is laugh about it! I seriously sat on my bed and chuckled for about an hour last night! One month ago I would have said put me back on the plane to the US, but now I look at it as a time to rely purely on God! I am still blessed abundantly more than others! I have methods to cook food, I have electricity, a bed to sleep on...what more do I need!?! I have my music on my computer for when it gets too quiet and I have my bible to read. I will have plenty of time to study not only school work, but my devotionals! God really does know best! I would have never volunteered to live in these conditions if I had known them before arriving, but God needs my attention! He has eliminated all distractions so I can have this time with Him!
Today was my first day at the clinic...I'm learning so very much! One Thursday they have a special HIV clinic since the need for HIV education is abundant in Kenya. They offer a group counseling session to everyone that is HIV+, today there was about 75 people that showed up. I was invited to sit in on the session. When I arrived at the meeting they asked me to talk for about 30 minutes on anything I wanted…anything! Wow...what an opportunity! I gave my testimony since I have been in Africa; I told of my experiences and how God has been working in my life. I focused on Luke 6:20-26...of course I had a translator! There were so many questions, so I stood and answered them all. The people were so appreciative! They thanked me for my spiritual encouragement...it was amazing! I pray that is was God’s words, and not my own, that were being spoken!
In the next 3 weeks I am requesting some prayers: Please pray for God to use me in whatever way He sees fit...pray that my words and works be used to glorify God and Him only! Asante!
I quickly want to update you all on my living situation for the next 3 weeks and ask for some prayer request. I arrived to Ewaso Ngiro Clinic last night safely. I am in the middle of the Rift Valley in the Mausai Mara....basically middle of nowhere! But it is amazing...well, parts of it! It is beautiful here! I am very safe...we have Mausai Warriors for our guards!! There is no running water inside our guesthouse, so we have to get our water from outside then boil it...haha! We take our baths out of a plastic container…needless to say it is not in the least bit warm. There is no toilet inside...the one outside is a concrete slab over a hole that goes down into the ground...haha!!! I will only have internet access about once a week and the phone signal is minimal if you stand in certain areas outside. So, with all that said, I cannot believe I am really here...really living this in this manner and all I can do is laugh about it! I seriously sat on my bed and chuckled for about an hour last night! One month ago I would have said put me back on the plane to the US, but now I look at it as a time to rely purely on God! I am still blessed abundantly more than others! I have methods to cook food, I have electricity, a bed to sleep on...what more do I need!?! I have my music on my computer for when it gets too quiet and I have my bible to read. I will have plenty of time to study not only school work, but my devotionals! God really does know best! I would have never volunteered to live in these conditions if I had known them before arriving, but God needs my attention! He has eliminated all distractions so I can have this time with Him!
Today was my first day at the clinic...I'm learning so very much! One Thursday they have a special HIV clinic since the need for HIV education is abundant in Kenya. They offer a group counseling session to everyone that is HIV+, today there was about 75 people that showed up. I was invited to sit in on the session. When I arrived at the meeting they asked me to talk for about 30 minutes on anything I wanted…anything! Wow...what an opportunity! I gave my testimony since I have been in Africa; I told of my experiences and how God has been working in my life. I focused on Luke 6:20-26...of course I had a translator! There were so many questions, so I stood and answered them all. The people were so appreciative! They thanked me for my spiritual encouragement...it was amazing! I pray that is was God’s words, and not my own, that were being spoken!
In the next 3 weeks I am requesting some prayers: Please pray for God to use me in whatever way He sees fit...pray that my words and works be used to glorify God and Him only! Asante!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Good News
Wow...this has been an experience of a lifetime! This could very well be my last post. Today Nathan and I are heading to a Mausai village out by Narok to work in Ewaso Ngiro Clinic for the next three weeks. I am unaware of what the internet situation will be like...it will probably be very limited at most. I want summarize my journey thus far and what I have learned from my experiences.
What I know about Kenya: this country is very poor, the standards of living here are incomparable to anything I have witnessed in the US, the diseases I have treated are rare or nonexistent in the US, the resources are limited, the country is covered by garbage, Nairobi is overpopulated, sewage runs through the streets of the slums. What I have also witnessed are: beautiful countryside’s filled with tea-fields, wildlife in its very own habitat, children who smile no matter what their day brings even if it is death, a country that welcomes anyone and everyone, families who spend a day’s worth of wages to buy you a coke, worship and praise to God that is not confined to a time limit. I have fallen in love with a country that is, to put it mildly, very different from the USA.
I have no doubt that this journey is all part of God's plan to prepare me for something more. My faith in God has grown tremendously throughout this process. Some may question or blame God for the conditions that Kenya faces. But this is not God's plan. The struggles faced by Kenya's culture and society are dilemmas created by man. Kenya is able to face these daily struggles with an open heart thanks to God! I have never witnessed such faith, worship, and love for God as I have since my time in Kenya. I want to love God like that! I found myself beginning to question why such reliance on God is not found in the US. We are blessed abundantly and have so much to praise God for in the US...why don't we?
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” Luke 6:20-26
I have determined that the answer to my question is that we don't "need" God in the US. Hear me out. Yes, of course I believe that everyone "needs" Jesus in their life, but how do we depend on our Lord daily? We know where our food is coming from tomorrow, we know where we are sleeping tonight, we have the opportunity to pursue a higher education, when we are sick we seek medical assistance. I have found that each of my days in the US is centered around my schedule...what is next on my list. This is a common theme in the US. List and plans are not bad things, but in what way was my life dependent upon God? I love God so very much, but did I ever really rely on Him? In the US we are taught to rely on no one, but ourselves...what a flawed concept! We should be taught to rely on no one, but God!! In Kenya reliance upon God is a must to get through the day. The Kenyan's depend on God to provide their next meal, to provide them with good health, safety, and security. What if we lived that way in the US!?! What if we left everything throughout our day in God's hands...how different would your life be perceived? Since my journey began a little over a month ago, I made a personal goal to not use my planner while I was in Kenya. I wanted to be free of my plans so that I could live each day out in God's plan. I have found a freedom in relying on God's strength! In the US I find myself only looking to God for the big decisions in life...the daily ones I can take care of myself...I don't need any help...no thank you. It is the daily reliance upon God that strengthens our faith! I don't want to live a single day on this Earth without giving it fully to God!! I want Him to make every decision in my life so that I can live more in His image! I want to look more and more like Jesus every time I look in the mirror! Kenya has ignited a new passion for my love of Jesus! I am excited to see how this passion carries over to my life in the US. I do admit, I fear this desire leaving me when I return to the states...it is so easy to fall into what you surround yourself with. I can only pray that I continue to surrender all of my days to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! I challenge others to live this way as well...live as the Kenyans do! Surrender your worries, your plans, your everyday to God! I hope and pray that God uses my experiences in Kenya to touch others. I wish everyone was as fortunate as I have been in getting to experience such an amazing society!
I leave you with a question to ponder. Who is it you feel the most remorseful for? The Kenyans for what they must endure on this Earth, or the Americans for what they will have to endure for eternity? I love the USA, but I wonder with all the resources we have at our disposal, what a tremendous difference we could make in this world if we would just let God use us!?! God is doing amazing things in the churches of the US, let us continue to grow in Jesus and spread the good news!
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
What I know about Kenya: this country is very poor, the standards of living here are incomparable to anything I have witnessed in the US, the diseases I have treated are rare or nonexistent in the US, the resources are limited, the country is covered by garbage, Nairobi is overpopulated, sewage runs through the streets of the slums. What I have also witnessed are: beautiful countryside’s filled with tea-fields, wildlife in its very own habitat, children who smile no matter what their day brings even if it is death, a country that welcomes anyone and everyone, families who spend a day’s worth of wages to buy you a coke, worship and praise to God that is not confined to a time limit. I have fallen in love with a country that is, to put it mildly, very different from the USA.
I have no doubt that this journey is all part of God's plan to prepare me for something more. My faith in God has grown tremendously throughout this process. Some may question or blame God for the conditions that Kenya faces. But this is not God's plan. The struggles faced by Kenya's culture and society are dilemmas created by man. Kenya is able to face these daily struggles with an open heart thanks to God! I have never witnessed such faith, worship, and love for God as I have since my time in Kenya. I want to love God like that! I found myself beginning to question why such reliance on God is not found in the US. We are blessed abundantly and have so much to praise God for in the US...why don't we?
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” Luke 6:20-26
I have determined that the answer to my question is that we don't "need" God in the US. Hear me out. Yes, of course I believe that everyone "needs" Jesus in their life, but how do we depend on our Lord daily? We know where our food is coming from tomorrow, we know where we are sleeping tonight, we have the opportunity to pursue a higher education, when we are sick we seek medical assistance. I have found that each of my days in the US is centered around my schedule...what is next on my list. This is a common theme in the US. List and plans are not bad things, but in what way was my life dependent upon God? I love God so very much, but did I ever really rely on Him? In the US we are taught to rely on no one, but ourselves...what a flawed concept! We should be taught to rely on no one, but God!! In Kenya reliance upon God is a must to get through the day. The Kenyan's depend on God to provide their next meal, to provide them with good health, safety, and security. What if we lived that way in the US!?! What if we left everything throughout our day in God's hands...how different would your life be perceived? Since my journey began a little over a month ago, I made a personal goal to not use my planner while I was in Kenya. I wanted to be free of my plans so that I could live each day out in God's plan. I have found a freedom in relying on God's strength! In the US I find myself only looking to God for the big decisions in life...the daily ones I can take care of myself...I don't need any help...no thank you. It is the daily reliance upon God that strengthens our faith! I don't want to live a single day on this Earth without giving it fully to God!! I want Him to make every decision in my life so that I can live more in His image! I want to look more and more like Jesus every time I look in the mirror! Kenya has ignited a new passion for my love of Jesus! I am excited to see how this passion carries over to my life in the US. I do admit, I fear this desire leaving me when I return to the states...it is so easy to fall into what you surround yourself with. I can only pray that I continue to surrender all of my days to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior! I challenge others to live this way as well...live as the Kenyans do! Surrender your worries, your plans, your everyday to God! I hope and pray that God uses my experiences in Kenya to touch others. I wish everyone was as fortunate as I have been in getting to experience such an amazing society!
I leave you with a question to ponder. Who is it you feel the most remorseful for? The Kenyans for what they must endure on this Earth, or the Americans for what they will have to endure for eternity? I love the USA, but I wonder with all the resources we have at our disposal, what a tremendous difference we could make in this world if we would just let God use us!?! God is doing amazing things in the churches of the US, let us continue to grow in Jesus and spread the good news!
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
A Glimpse into the Slums
I have no words to adequately describe what I have seen today. My words will not give it justice. The conditions that I have walked through, the conditions that I have seen with my own eyes...they are unlivable, yet people live in them. The smell alone made me gag repeatedly. I walked around paralyzed by my emotions most of the day. I wanted to breakdown and cry, but what good would that have done? As children ran toward me with smiles on their faces, they would yell out, "Mzungo (white person), how are you?" one of the few English phrases they knew. My only thought was, "How could they be smiling in these conditions?" Somehow the people living in the slums of Kenya find joy among their conditions. They live among garbage, filth, feces, sewage...yet they find joy! My only answer is Jesus! They know there is something better awaiting them after this life...their conditions now are only temporary. Children squat in the streets to use the bathroom, women eat rocks for calcium when they are pregnant, men rape young virgin children because they are told it will cure them of HIV/AIDS, women are so frightened to leave their homes at night that they use the bathroom in plastic bags and throw it into the streets. Homes are thrown together with metal sheets and plastic tarp...there is one room and one room only. The homes have no bathrooms, no kitchen, no running water, and houses entire families. The water system running through the community is overflowing with garbage, goats and pigs bathe and drink from the same water supply as the people. Children sit and play in the sewage and garbage, men rape their neighbors, human beings starve to death. There is no way for me to accurately describe the conditions of the slums, therefore I will post some pictures so that it will give you a glimpse of what I walked through today...of what people live in everyday.
There are over 50,000 people that live in slums of these photographs. The largest slum area in Kenya houses over 2 million people.
There are over 50,000 people that live in slums of these photographs. The largest slum area in Kenya houses over 2 million people.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
28!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!
What a great birthday...for sure one I will never forget!!! My birthday actually started off a bit early the night before with a wonderful surprise from my church family...they made a "Happy Birthday" sign, took various pictures with it, made an album on facebook, and tagged me in all the pictures! It brought tears to my eyes...I miss them all so very much!!! I received a very lovely letter thanks to facebook, from my fiance, Justin Crowe....I received numerous messages from other friends and family, and I was even blessed enough to have a card from my wonderful BFF, Courey McCubbin (she loves me so much, and me her, that she sent my birthday card with me before I left the states)!!! Wow! I am truly blessed!!
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
I wanted to do something a bit fun on my birthday, and what could be more fun than surgery!!!!!! Thanks to Dr Trent Wilson and Dr Greene, I was able to scrub-in on some very interesting cases!!!! What an exciting way to spend my day!
Distal Radius Fracture:
Quadricep Tendon Tear:
As I have previously stated, all of the short-term missionaries at the guesthouse have bonded and became somewhat of a family! I was very surprised when they all gathered the night of my birthday for a celebration! It was a wonderful way to end the day! I sat around the table with new friends and shared birthday cake and ice cream! They all sang "Happy Birthday" to me and I received a stuffed bear and a pack of gum! It was so very special to me! Thanks to all who had a part in it!!!!
Surprise Birthday Party:
So, the big 28!!! What an amazing day the Lord blessed me with!!! Thank you to all of my old and new friends, to my family and my church, to my fiance for making this birthday one I will always remember!!! God has blessed me time and time again...thank you!!!
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4
I wanted to do something a bit fun on my birthday, and what could be more fun than surgery!!!!!! Thanks to Dr Trent Wilson and Dr Greene, I was able to scrub-in on some very interesting cases!!!! What an exciting way to spend my day!
Distal Radius Fracture:
Quadricep Tendon Tear:
As I have previously stated, all of the short-term missionaries at the guesthouse have bonded and became somewhat of a family! I was very surprised when they all gathered the night of my birthday for a celebration! It was a wonderful way to end the day! I sat around the table with new friends and shared birthday cake and ice cream! They all sang "Happy Birthday" to me and I received a stuffed bear and a pack of gum! It was so very special to me! Thanks to all who had a part in it!!!!
Surprise Birthday Party:
So, the big 28!!! What an amazing day the Lord blessed me with!!! Thank you to all of my old and new friends, to my family and my church, to my fiance for making this birthday one I will always remember!!! God has blessed me time and time again...thank you!!!
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