Life: A long series of Hello and Goodbye

So the time has come to say goodbye, and I am not good at “goodbye”.

Many of you have asked about the “princess party” and I must say I am excited to share a few photos with you! They were so adorable! And, the girls really enjoyed the night. I loved it that I got to tell them one more time how beautiful they are and how much God has in store for their lives. Still God amazes me that He would let me be a part of His work. Why would He choose me? Why did He want me to experience His love in this way? I suppose those are questions I will not be sure of the answer to until I meet Him face to face. (Oh Lord hasten the day that I may gaze upon your beautiful face.)

I left Bethesda Children’s Home last Thursday to return to Nairobi. There is a lot of paperwork and business things that must be taken care of here before returning home. It was extremely difficult to leave the girls. On Wednesday they had my favorite Kenyan meal and then we said our goodbyes. Of course I cried! I wouldn’t be my mother’s daughter if I didn’t. On Thursday I had to say goodbye to John and Janet (the guard and the house girl). They are some of the most wonderful people I have ever met! I will truly miss them. Mum (Grace) and I had one more day as I had to meet her in Nairobi on Friday to take care of a few more things for BCH. I will miss my mornings with her.
When I arrived in Nairobi, I was no where near ready to leave. I was really struggling with the idea and trying not to think of all that waits for me. However, God has continued to be faithful in His answering of my prayers and He has slowly softened my heart to the reality of re-entry. I know that I must go as the Lord as called me to another place right now. At the same time, the Lord has affirmed His calling on my life and I know I will be back. Debriefing in Nairobi has provided clarity about my purpose here and has also provided an opportunity to reflect upon what the Lord has done in my life and through my life. I look forward to sharing those things with you as you have so graciously trusted me to be your hands, feet, eyes, ears, and heart. As I sit to write this blog to you, I realize I am miles from where I was not 6 short months ago. The Lord has allowed me to see Him in new ways and has changed my heart. Satan attacked and God provided strength and power to triumph over Him. Danger arised and God faithfully protected me in advance. God brought me to Africa to fulfill His calling on my life but to grow me that I would be ready to serve long term. I could sing the praises of our Lord forever just because of how I have seen Him during this time in Kenya. I realize that many of you would get tired of reading, so I will spare you.

By the time many of you read this, I will be close to arriving in the States. Let us all hope that by that time the Lord has really provided closure and peace about the transition. I can not imagine being able to greet you all and thank you personally for all that you have done for me. It is so amazing to have a new understanding of the mission field which includes my understanding of the importance of your church family. I have been so fortunate have such wonderful, faithful support. The floor of heaven has been bombarded with your intercession and I can never thank you enough. As I re-enter the States, I ask that you pray for a smooth transition with little re-entry stress. I also ask that you continue to praise the Lord for all He has done and that He will continue to lead me. I know this is not the end for me in Africa….pray as the Lord directs to the next place and time. I love you all greatly and can not wait to share the wonders of our Lord with you!

“Now to Him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to HIM be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” –Ephesians 3: 20-21

Preaching, Knitting, and Parties

I returned to Kerugoya a week ago and have been busy ever since. As is true for humans, we procrastinate. So, I have been spending the days having lunch and tea with Kenyans and the evenings with the girls. It seems everyday is packed with things to do and people to visit. Oh how I love last minute!

Since I have been back, I have soaked up every minute possible with the girls, had the opportunity to preach in a Kenyan church, and start/finish projects for BCH. There is so much to report on but I will save some for when I return. For now I will tell you of what the girls and I have been doing and will do before my departure from this wonderful town.

On Saturday, we spent the day doing some crafts. Most of you are laughing because you know I am not artistic but the Lord enables us to make the most of what we have. So, I've done exactly that. We used dried maize husk to make angles. It was quite interesting, I must admit. Even more so because they worked and the girls loved them! We also finally got the opportunity to use the coloring books that were sent from the church. Each of the girls got one and we spent the rest of the day coloring. Most of them insisted on finishing that day. They love to color so much. There has been a lot of knitting and I was able to get more wool for the girls so that they can learn to knit their own school sweaters. We will see what will come of that in the future. For now, the girls love to knit and it is something that could eventually provide some income. The systems that we worked on before I left in April needed to be reinforced but for the most part they were still using them. I will pray that they continue even in our absence. This weekend will be my last weekend with the girls and I hope to make is special. Tonight (Friday) we will have a movie night and knit. Tomorrow I have planned a "Princess Party". The story of Esther is one of my absolute favorites. I love that she was so bold in risking her life for her people. I also love the words of Mordecai, "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" I realize that the Lord can always use someone else if I am not willing to serve. Also, that so much of what we are given is for the use of His kingdom. However, the fact that Esther was an orphan and used for God speaks encouragement for the girls at Bethesda. So on Saturday night, I will make paper crowns, pretend robes, have fruit and tea, and decorate the room with candles and fabric. We will talk about Esther and I pray that the girls will understand that they too will be used for the King. Pray for this time. Pray that the girls will know that they are loved by the Most High God, they are special, and have a purpose in this life. I am really excited about the "party"!!!

As for me, as you might expect I still cannot imagine leaving. This is my life now. For the past 6 months this is what I have known as everyday living, and I am not sure how I will go back to the past. I realize that everything is changing when I return home and that probably makes it a little harder to deal with the return. Continue praying that the Lord provides peace in the transition. I do look forward to seeing you all.

Thank you for your prayers and support throughout this process. I will try to write again once I am back in Nairobi. I will be home in about 2 weeks. Love you all and see you soon.

Meg

No Other Name!

There is no other name, under heaven given to men by which we might be saved!
As I spent yesterday meeting with a M friend, I realized how similar our lives really are. We are both the same age, single, jobless, and waiting for all of the above. We sat having coffee, doing our fingernails with henna, talking about life. It is amazing to me some of the things she has been through. It is even more amazing to me how the Lord has ordained this friendship. The first day I met her, she has been excited to meet and share her life with me. I have been excited to meet, share my life, and share the hope of the gospel with her. It has been a slow process. As we talk about the differences in religion and faith, it always comes back to a choice. I take so much comfort in the fact that it is through God alone that salvation comes. Random, I know, but I remember when I was a kid and this "actor" sang at our church one Sunday night. He sang a song that I am sure I have heard again but some of the words stuck with me, "I am a willing vessel and that's all I need to be."

As I prepare to go back up country for the last 3 weeks of my time in this beautiful country, I realize how difficult it will be to say goodbye to the students at New Adventure and to my new close friend. It is my prayer that I have given all of myself in these relationships. Maybe the Lord used me to prepare the "soil" so that they would all be ready in good time to be moved from darkness to light!

Please join me in praying for protection and safety as I return to an area that has recently had a lot of turmoil and fighting. Also, pray that the Lord brings closure and a feeling of finishing for now. And, pray for Bethesda Children's Home as I move back in for 2 weeks. They have gotten use to not having me there and these two weeks will fly by. I do not want them to feel abandoned or left but simply loved because they are beautiful children of God. I pray that at the end of my time, someone (just one) has felt the love of our Father.

“He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:11-12)