Blessings from Kenya

What a blessing it is to be sitting in Nairobi, Kenya typing my first blog entry of 2012. Who would have imagined a year ago as I welcomed in the new year that this opportunity would even be a possibility, much less a reality. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good and that's His nature. Wow. (as the kids from Fiwagoh orphanage have taught me to say.

A week into the trip, I can't even begin to tell you how humbled I am daily by the humility and love I have experienced while here. Every orphanage we have visited has left me wondering what exactly God brought me here to do. The kids love us so deeply and so wholly, I can't imagine my meager contributions here have any significance compared to how much they loved me. I couldn't help but cry as I thanked my little Kenyan friends for their hospitality this week as out team packed our bags to move to Uganda tonight. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I can't say it didn't leave my heart a little broken. I think I left a piece of it in the red African soil; we shall see what God can grow from it.

In my reading this week I came across a verse that really spoke to my heart right now.

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:1-4

This Psalm reminds me of the beautiful sound of children's voices we heard raised in praise to our Lord when we attended worship at Fiwagoh. "Een theh sweeeht bye end bye,bye end bye, we shall meet en thaht beeyouteeful shore..." It brings a smile to my face, even sitting here remembering the sound of their precious voices, and I know God smiles in heaven every morning that He hears them begin their day praising Him.

The Psalm also talks about the heavens praising God. Let me tell you that the sunsets and sunrises here everyday praise God with glorious splendor. Waking early in the morning to shower before our long, tiresome days, I was tempted to complain about our cold, tiny shower, or the little amount of sleep I got, but all I had to do was look out the window of our tiny bunk house and I knew that these days were ordained by the Lord.

The trip is only halfway over and already I am so excited for the things God is teaching me. He truly is an awesome God, and I am so blessed to be experiencing the power of His love here in Africa. I pray daily that He will continue to open my eyes and my heart to the people He brings into my life here. Thank you all so much for your prayers an support. Keep me in your prayers still for the final week I am here and continue to ask God to show me more of Him.

Much love, and greetings from Kenya!

"If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me." Psalm 139:9-10