One thousand, one hundred and thirty-five days… Three summers, three winters, three new year’s days... That’s how long it’s been since Susan last stepped foot in Kitale, Kenya. An ‘out of the blue’ herniated disc kept her home on our 2020 trip. COVID cancelled our January 2021 trip and then when we about to leave for Kenya last July we found out a travel ban to the rural areas outside Nairobi had been enacted. No trip to Kitale, no visit with the ladies in Kakamega, no evening devotion with the children at the Seeds Children’s home or visiting Seeds High School. You see, we think we know what we’re going to do next year, next month, even the next hour. But we really don’t! “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.” (Prov. 16:9 NLT). You do this long enough and you learn never to take for granted the opportunities God gives you to, as Blackaby says, “Watch to see where God is working and join Him in His work.” And God is clearly at work in Kenya.
I ran across this picture the other day and I think it’s my new favorite picture of Susan and me. It so vividly portrays the joy we feel when God allows us to have a small part of His plan for Kenya. The thought that God allows us to lead teams to visit our ministry partners in Kenya just fills our hearts and makes us smile! On Thursday we get to take another rock star team of people from Bellevue Baptist Church to meet, teach, and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Kitale, Kakamega, Mt. Elgon and Nairobi. We will teach marriage seminars in Kitale and at the Mt. Elgon School of Ministry, speak in four different churches, visit Seeds Children’s Home and Seed’s High School, dedicate The Rebecca House (a new women’s center in Kakamega), and visit with the IMB missionary team in Nairobi. It’s a very full itinerary for a relatively short trip! Susan and I will stay behind for a couple of days when the rest of the team returns to meet with Baron Muga and some of our local partners. We will be doing some dreaming and planning for additional ministry opportunities. Stay tuned for that….
Please pray for Matt, Jessica, SarahKate, Eleanor, Shirynn, Camden, Chris, Shayla, Katie, Susan and me as we leave Thursday morning. There are so many more steps, restrictions and protocols to fly overseas these days. Please pray that the Lord will go before us and that he will use the next week and a half for His glory!