A Daughter of Clay, He is Molding Me Today: March 2012

Disclaimer: Super long read.. but SO worth it in my opinion...

This is where a part of the story begins..

A few weeks ago I emailed D* (shortening his name) the American missionary who started BTV* (again- shortened name) in Kenya to see if there are any needs they have which I could possibly be a help with over Christmas break of 2012. When I was there in 2009, he was in the states so we have never actually met, though I have heard so many wonderful things about him and his wife.

The people of Kenya seem to always be in my thoughts. I do not understand fully why but I know that the love God placed in my heart for them is so great. If you know me, you might know that?.. haha..

I have been praying about emailing D for a long time; I just had a peace with it about two weeks ago... so I did.

D’s email back said that they are doing well- and that alone is very encouraging to hear and know. Getting an email from someone Kenya in itself is just so exciting! His email continued to say that they would like me to come out but December is a time when things really slow down at BTV for Christmas season.. and also asked me what it is exactly I would like to do.

In my mind these two thoughts lead me into a time of thinking and needed prayer. I think part of me was expecting him to say, “we would love you to come out then and here is a specific need for you to do” but that is not what happened. I have then been in the process of praying about this further to see what God does/tells me/doesn’t tell me.

I started to wonder if I jumped into trying to get back to Kenya on my own.. and doubted things that the Lord has spoken to me.. BUT through prayer.. He has given me a peace with His plan- which is hard to intellectually grasp.. for I have no idea what His plan is. A few awesome things happened as I am praying through this process and I want to remember every second of it!...

1 Corinthians 1:9- God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ is FAITHFUL (so stinkin faithful)

Continuing in the story of God’s provision...

The BSM here at Aggieland is wonderful.. what great leaders the Lord has raised up here. One of the mission trips that has been planned for Spring Break was set for Fort Worth... working with an organization called World Relief.(http://worldrelieffortworth.org/)

Originally I was not going to go because of financial reasons.. but God sure provided there.

World Relief brings in refugees from all over the world.. they pick them up from the airport, get them settled in apartments, and help them do paperwork and find jobs.

What a beautiful organization.

17 of us set off last week to work with this organization; we were to visit families, share Christ’s love, serve them, and have activities for all the crazy kids! :)

For this main bulk of this blog.. I am going to focus on the first part.. visiting families.

We were told that the families at the Ladera Apartment complex were mainly from Burma and Nepal with a few from Sudan.

In my heart.. before coming I was hoping that we would have some Kenyan families.. but we were not told that.. so I did my best to trust that God had a plan in leading my life.. and even told myself that it really seems like God might not be bringing me back to Kenya. (I feel like I am always keep my eyes and ears open for Kenyans and felt a little bummed when were weren’t expecting any... I tend to get discouraged easily- currently working on that)

So I prayed through this and knew that I wasn’t trusting God- and was humbled at how I was trying to make things my own. God has a plan and I am to walk in that. Weather He sends me to Kenya or not.. He knows what He is doing. His plan is always the best even if I don’t think it might be at the time. That is enough. God is enough.

Psalm 34:8- Taste and see that the Lord is good.

This is where it starts to get interesting...!

Our first day, at World Relief Rebecca ask used if we preferred any people groups to work with.. I asked if I could be with an African family.. and the next day we (I was partnered with two people from the BSM- Tyler and Christina; they are amazing) were to choose our groups.. originally we had two African families.. I was pumped and feeling good.. then one of those families was given to another group.

Inside was was praying for strength.. haha I know it seems silly but I started telling myself all of these crazy things.. like “now we only have one African family.. and they probably won’t be home.. and they probably won’t like us”.. and blah blah blah craziness. I feel like the Holy Spirit then kicked me and said.. KELLEY STOP, this life is not your own. I remember telling my beautiful friend Christine as I left to walk to the first families apartment.. “It will be okay.. God is good.. He has a plan in taking one family away..” haha- little did I know..

So... on the walk over.. we passed two young African boys.. I looked into their eyes.. melted inside.. and started crying. Yes, I am a big cryer.. Tyler and Christine probably thought I was crazy here. But by seeing these two boys.. God just overwhelmed me in His love. Also, on the way over.. it hit me that the name of the family we were going to see was the exact same name that I was given when I was in Kenya, which is swahili for morning. So I realized that this was a Swahili speaking family.

We finally got to our apartment and heard some Swahilli songs playing inside (holding back tears here) then we knocked.. and two beautiful beautiful beautiful girls came to the door.. we said we were with World Relief and the welcomed us in right away.

We had introductions and then I said.. your last name means morning right? (The girls spoke english very well!) And they said YES with huge smiles. I proceeded to tell them that we had the same name! haha CRAZY! What a bonding moment..

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN MORE INTERESTING! (ah I am so excited)

Then.. I asked so.. where are you from? ..Their answer.. “Kenya!”

..amazement overwhelmed me (tears coming down)

And then, I right away asked ..where at in Kenya?

(prepare yourseves..!)

“We are from NBH*!!!” (exact same place I was)

(Now there are many tears coming down my face.. and they probably also think that this white person (mzungu) is insane!)

First of all.. we weren’t expecting Swahili speakers and we definitely weren’t expecting Kenya’s, the only thing my heart could do was sing song’s of thanks to our Savior.

And NBH is a very small village Kenya.. out of all places in Africa, out of all places in Kenya.. they were from NBH. Beautiful.

Pause here for extreme excitement and relfection.. hahaha, but seriously.

We just had such a great time with these girls, they have three brothers and one sister who is just gorgeous. She is three years old.. she can write her ABC’s (mostly) and she sings so beautifully... Their parents were not home.. but they told them about us later that evening and we came back and met them the next day. Because of this.. the father knew our names already when we met him!

The next day when we came back we met the beautiful mother, E*.. and talked with her for quite awhile. I will talk more about the family in just a little bit..

BUT jump ahead another day (so two days after we met this precious family) we were sitting in the living room and talking about Kenya. I had asked if they knew of the school at BTV, and they didn’t but in excitement continued on in conversation. I had not really expected them to know of the school (because wow God, just the fact that they were from NBH was incredible to our hearts) but about 10 minutes later the husband, D*(the father), turned to E* and looked as if he was in thought and said something that was hard to understand.. but I heard “academy”.

Turns out that they do indeed know the academy and BTV.. and she lived right across the river and to the left of it.

!!!!!!

Incredible.

E*(the mother) even recognized somebody in my pictures and we have a picture standing on the same road. Wow.

So thanks and praises pour to our God. He is indeed faithful. God brought this family to me in a time when I was doubting- reminding me that He is in control and He has a plan. The K* family told me that they have been lonely and missing their homeland.. and that me coming to them was the Lord bringing a piece of their home to them.

E* called her mom who still lives in NBH next to the academy and her mom said she has a place waiting for me there! haha! So heart warming.

I look forward to seeing what God continues to do specifically through this relationship. I feel as if I could write on for days about it.

Tyler, Christina, and I went to visit this family each day.. they are so hospitable and loving. E* had peanuts for us as a gift and each day when we left their apartment they would take our bags off our backs and carry them for us. The last day we got to enjoy some coffee/tea with them. We also got to sing many songs with this beautiful family.. creating memories that will never leave.

Each of their voices are so so so beautiful and they had a passion for singing.. and not just singing but for the Lord. They are strong believers that live their life by faith.. they are currently ministering to a muslim family that lives under them by teaching them english and inviting them to their devotionals that they have every morning! The three-year-old prayed for the breakfast the last morning and that was such a special moment. D* prayed for us as we left the apartment complex the last day and wow that was encouraging. We all stood in a circle.. holding hands.. singing and praying and thanking our God who is bigger than life.

I so wish I could capture this week in words... that is impossible but I hope that God’s glory shines through these words.

Each second of this week was so special. During kids club each day Rebecca would tell a story and we would do crafts and play games with the kids. Yes, it absolutely did get crazy... But it was such a joyful time.

The second evening we were there we had an open mic night mixed with some Minute to Win It games! SO fun. The Kenyan kids performed a song and then the parents joined in with them... another special special moment. Some Burmese teenagers played worship music for us and and amazing talent man named Anthony lead us in some African/French songs. (Oula Oula!)

We watched the Jesus Film one evening.. which the people were SO engaged in. God is so good. I had a Nepalese girl in my lap during the movie that told me about how her family is Hindu but she also believes in God.. my prayer for her and so many of the kids who feel this same way is that our Savior would consume them in His truth and love and that they would SEEK deeply. (Jeremiah 29:13) They have Americans who work with World Relief that live in the apartment complex and pray with and for them daily- ministering Christ’s love.

I had the opportunity to talk with one beautiful mother one afternoon about herlife.. she told me about the death of many of her family members one night in Sudan as they military attacked causing her to flee on a three year journey to Kenya while she was pregnant. I will never forget this and I cannot even imagine what her heart has felt and all that she has seen. Her family is Muslim... but I pray that she and her three kids and husband will seek Christ very soon.

On Sunday.. Daniel who was with us from the BSM translated the whole Burmese sermon.. which he did not expect to do! God sure used his gift! It was awesome.

There are so many moments I wish I could capture to tell.. God is good. God is GREAT. I would say that saying goodbye was one of the toughest parts.. but some of the BSMers plan to see many of these faces again. :)

**If you would join me in praying for these families.. that Christ would abound in their hearts- that they will come to know and grow in Him.. and for the family from Kenya.. that God would continue to encourage them and lead the father to a job.

What God did in hearts this week was huge.. some things seen and some unseen but I trust and know He has a plan through it all... and will continue to work.

What a blessing.

Dallas is not to far.. God has brought the nations here to us. How neat is that?!

Nahum 1:7

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him

Psalm 62:5-8

Find rest O my soul, in God alone; for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress and I will not be shaken. My salvation and honor depend on God; He is my might rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O People; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.

*For me and my heart.. I feel some guidance in my next steps.. but most importantly I have learned a huge and beautiful lesson on TRUSTING IN GOD. He has got the whole world in His hands. Walking by faith is what He desires for us.. He has bigs plans for us through that.. and He loves to reward us with indescribable love, all for His glory. All in His love. How great is our God.

-kel (thanks for spending your time reading this! Truly warms my heart)

love yall!