Nairobi withdrawl

I was driving to our homeschool science co-op and got to thinking. For the last year and a half or so, the journey began in December 2009, my life was filled with getting prepared to go to Nairobi Kenya. Going to Kenya was something that I had dreamed about since I can remember. At first, it started off wanting to just visit Africa. Then, as I got older, I wanted to do something life changing and join the Peace Corps. I figured, I would help change lives for the better. Then, I became a Christian and I knew that someday, I wanted to do a mission trip to Africa to help those who never heard about Christ and transform their life of poverty and hopelessness into one of joy and happiness. Crossway (my home church) was finally going to Kenya! I couldn't believe it. When I heard our Pastor talking about it, I just knew that it was where I was supposed to go. For a long time, a close friend of ours had been trying to get the both of us to the Dominican Republic. I didn't have any desire to go. I knew where God was calling me and it wasn't the DR. So when the opportunity came, I jumped on board right away. So began the planning over the next few months. I signed the application and dreamed about what it would be like. I had no idea! Mike was all for me going. He knew that it was where I was supposed to go. So I was extremely surprised when he told me that he was going to go with me! What an amazing thing to be sharing my dream with my husband! Thus began our journey to raise money and have the both of us head to Nairobi and do all of the training together. From January 2009 to October 2009, we met once a month with our team. We had a weekend of training from CMF of CHE which is Community Health Evangelism. This is an amazing concept that I just fell in love with. It teaches people (communities) how to teach themselves in their community to live a better life. And as we teach them, we use biblical concepts and hope as our foundation. There is so much to learn. CHE had such a big impact on both me and my church that I went with another friend to Indiana for a weeks training in CHE concepts and am now a CHE trainer. I teach others about the CHE concept and its impact. What an amazing thing! God has brought me so far and has had me stretch so much, that I am even amazed that I can do so many things through HIM! Anyway, we had our trip in October 2009, which was frightening and amazing. You can learn about that on one here http://www.crosswaycckenya2009.blogspot.com/
When we got home, decompressing what we saw was very hard. But we got through it and changes were made. Then, in November 2009, my journey began again. We had our Kenya information night and then Kenya informational meetings. I felt God was not through with me in Nairobi yet. I had to go back. I wasn't done. So began my journey again from December 2009-October 2010. I went through training with a new team and this time I didn't have my husband. It was very different and I felt sad that he wasn't going with me. But I knew that this was where I was supposed to be. So my months were again filled with preparing for a vacation bible school, teaching CHE and getting to know the new team members. I was also asked to sit on the Global Ministry for our church and that entails interviewing any applicants for the Kenya trip. That was a lot of fun to do! I had an advantage in knowing who was going! :-) Fun!
So we had our meetings and went on the trip. You can learn about that here http://www.crosswaycckenya2010.blogspot.com/
When we came home, I had to decompress again and that was harder. But I had my husband to help me through it, because he had been there. Then in November, we had our informational night again. And we also talked about how we were going to send a team of teachers, as well as others, to Nairobi in July of 2011. This meant that we had to get the ball rolling really fast in applications and interviews. Thus went the process of interviews from November to the beginning of January. The team is now meeting and my work is mainly done. Wow! What am I going to do? So much of my time was devoted to preparation and the like. I am so excited for this new team and I don't feel called to go again, yet. I know that I will go again, for sure. When, I don't know. I hope to go again with my family. I am praying for this new team and for what they will accomplish. God is amazing in HIS WORKS. One of my favorite songs is by Leeland called Follow YOu. It talks about following you (God) into the homes of the broken and doing His work. That is my desire. To continue to do Gods work and use my hands and feet as His. But for now, I will do that at home in my community. I will go through Nairobi withdrawl right now and know that someday I will return. God bless Missions of Hope and what they are doing and may we bring some of that here.