Wrapping things up...

Well what a year!

First of all, I just want to say that I am so blessed by all the love and support I am getting from family and friends. I truly feel the love of Christ extended to me through you. Thank you.

I can't believe the year is coming to an end already. It really has flown by. It seems as if it were yesterday I was packing to come out here. The school year ends for me in 3 days. Christmas is around the corner and you can feel it in the air even though it is a perfect 80 degrees here everyday. Christmas decorations, goodies, plays, concerts, parties..you name it, it's going on here. The skinny Santa with a square pillow stuffed in his suit really is a sight to see and that's when you are snapped back out from sugarplum land and you realize you really aren't in America anymore. But I will be there in 3 days.

There really isn't anything better for me than spending Christmas with my family--I can't wait. However, I can wait for the frigid weather I will be experiencing...did I mention how perfect the weather is here? A high of -6 degrees just doesn't seem right to me. Why did my family move to Minnesota? God must have told them...that seems to be the only logical explanation.

The packing has started and gifts are in hand ready for my nieces and nephews. What won't be in hand is my sweet Matisse. I have to leave him for obvious reasons (he doesn't have a passport). Saying good-bye this morning was very hard- I won't see him for 3 weeks. I have seen the world through different eyes now that I have fostered him. He brings me so much joy. How can someone that is not yours and that you only have known for such a short while do that? I don't know, but I do know that he truly is a gift and I know God has a special plan for his life.

I just received word that last week Matisse's mother passed away from AIDS. His father probably has it as well. Matisse however, doesn't-thank you Lord! Other news is that I found out that his father, who is in prison, doesn't want to give Matisse over for adoption now. So I am just praying the Lord's will be done in this situation. The father is in for awhile and it makes me sad for Matisse. He would be adopted into a loving, healthy home if he were available. This sort of thing just keeps him in the system for a long, long time.

So much more to update you on...before I forget.. 2 weeks ago I was fortunate to have taken a short trip to Uganda to go white water rafting down the Nile. Insane is all I can say...I would do it again in a heart beat. Unbelievable Class V rapids and the most beautiful scenery that took my breath away. God is good!

Have a wonderful Christmas...be blessed!

Sleepless in Nairobi

okay, I am not really sleepless, but the nights I have this cute little baby I feel I am a little less without sleep than I was before I got him.

The baby is Matisse. Matisse is an orphan from The Nest Orphanage I volunteered at last year while I was here. For awhile, I have sensed that I was to foster a baby from there. 2 of my co-workers have fostered 3 babies over the course of 2 years and all 3 babies have been adopted out. Soo, I prayed about it and received total peace that I can do this during this time in my life. The good of it far outweighed the bad.

Matisse is 9 months old and is perhaps one of the sweetest babies I have seen. He is a pure joy to be around. I keep him for 4 nights out of the week. The agreement is that I take over the expenses of a baby during that time and that relieves the workers at the orphanage of one less mouth to feed. These babies sleep 3 to a crib sometimes and are packed in a tiny room. Sick or not,they are all together.

Great thing is is that Matisse is getting one-on-one attention. He laughs and smiles a lot and is really quiet the charmer with the ladies.

Please pray that some wonderful couple sees him and falls head over heels for him and adopts
him.

Tour de Kenya

Well, the month of October is winding down. I look outside and the view hasn't changed. The leaves are still bright green. I imagine where you are the view is quiet different. Oh how I miss the changing of the seasons-fall is my favorite. But, I'll take warm days all year round instead...poor me!

(eating acacia...ouch!)

This month brought a few holidays--thanks to the Muslims and President's Day :) I have been on a whirlwind of sightseeing it seems. Safari was a couple of weeks ago and that of course was amazing. I now have seen the big 5 - rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard, and lion!! I ventured up to Mt. Kenya with friends from work and what a sight it was. Our lodge had views of Mt. Kenya and a watering hole where all sorts of animals came for refreshments. The game drive was most amazing. Whatever you are picturing in your mind is what it was like--right out of the movies! Seeing the wonder of God's creatures with all their intricate patterns truly takes your breath away and you can't help but adore God even more!

The following long weekend I headed to the port town of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean with some other friends and well, I have to say, the ocean is where I am most happy. Our bungalow (thatched roof) was a sight to see. Zanzibar beds, open terrace, amazing meals cooked by our own private chef...(i won't even tell you how little we paid for it all, you'll hate me!). It was a wonderful weekend of swimming in the bluest ocean, taking a dhow boat to snorkel and walking along sand that would blind you it's so white.

Thank you for all your love and support!

Love thy Neighbor

Jambo!

Well, I never promised I was good at this blogging, so once again, I find myself apologizing for the time that has gone by since my last post.

I am officially settled in my new home! It has been somewhat of an adjustment but all is well and I am happy and healthy. I am busy busy busy. Besides being completely drained at the end of the day from teaching, I am filling my time with building strong friendships here at Rosslyn. Tuesday nights a few of us girls meet together for a Bible study, Friday nights are with the Kean's for a small "church group meeting" until we can acquire a building or another location to hold church in, and I have just filled an afternoon slot for a small Bible study with some other ladies (outside of Rosslyn). I forgot to mention that Tuesday evenings are my Kiswahili language class. That is fun! Mimi ni Kami. Mimi ni Mwamerika. Nina penda chai na sukari (i like tea with sugar).
Not bad, huh?

Recently I visited the Masai. This village really is a neighbor to Nairobi. Just over the Ngong Hills and in the valley...watch Out of Africa for a reference.
It was wonderful being back there. I recognized friends and that was thrilling. I was there for a celebration for one of the pastor's graduating from seminary. It was wonderful. Most of the village was at the church for the celebration. The bishop and other leaders were there to pray over him and anoint him (which they poured over him)with oil....it was a special moment to see the whole congregation in support of this. Everyone was crying aloud and praying aloud and worshipping. It was most beautiful. They take this sort of thing very seriously and it was humbling to be a part of it. After the service, we were the guest of honor at the graduate's hut and a goat was slaughtered and we took part of the feasting. They served us as if we were royalty. I have much to learn from them regarding hospitality.

I am hoping I get to visit them alot more. With my school schedule it is somewhat difficult..I had no idea really. Brenda Kean has brought the sewing ministry out there and I that is something I am praying to God that someway I can fit that into my schedule. At times, I forget I am living here and feel I need to have things happen quickly or I will miss out. That is not the case and I am having to trust God that those outside ministry opportunities will come in His timing! Right now, my ministry is here at Rosslyn with these mission kids and what a ministry it is!

Learning to be flexible...

Well,

It's been a few weeks since my last blog...i get so busy and am honestly too tired to write at times...forgive me.

I am almost in my 4th week of school and I have to say it has been somewhat frustrating. In the beginning I was so excited about my new big classroom. I stayed late everyday and on the weekends fixing it up, making it look fantastic. THEN, last week I was informed that they needed me to move out of my classroom because they were adding another class to one of the grades and me having the smallest number of students made it ideal for the other class to move in. SO, with a smile on my face and frustration filling up inside of me...I moved to a very small classroom which used to be the boardroom. After all that, 2 days ago one of the teachers informed me they have scheduled a 3 day major event and will need my room for it because....they can't imagine the meetings being held anywhere else!!! I find that hard to believe, but once again, I am being stretched like a rubber-band...flexibility is being mastered in my life :)

I have discovered that to be sent on the mission field you have to go with the flow so to speak. Surprises await you around every corner and if you don't have any expectations, you won't be disappointed. After all, the reason I am here is to serve, not to be served. And what seems to be a frustrating event but not "life altering" turns for the good. I looove my new cozy room!! I have created it into a beautiful place that the children love. It is more private than the last one. I have my own private courtyard surrounded by beautiful flora where the children and I can teach outside on nice days (which is everyday) AND there is the most wonderful avocado tree right outside my room....YUMMY!! So they can have my room for 3 days...I'll teach outside...no biggie in the scheme of things, right?

I have learned alot about myself moving out here. The old way of doing things, the thinking, is quickly being sloughed off. It just doesn't work out here and if you bring that way of thinking here with you, then you will be a miserable person. And who wants to be miserable?? Actually - I am wrong, it shouldn't matter about location. God is the same and we all are dealt with things that gives us a chance to be stretched. And I truly believe God allows these tiny or huge events to frequently appear in our lives. It is all about revealing less of us and more of Him!

I have a feeling more surprises await me here.... who knows..they might just tell me to permanetly teach outdoors :)

Yellow, Red and Black and White....

Well hello again.

There are sounds of children everywhere now..well not right now, crickets actually...but most of the day you see and hear children of all color and different dialects. Belgian, Ethiopian, Japanese, French, Canadian, Israeli... the list goes on and on where these kids are all from. I love it actually and feel so priveledge to be apart of their lives.

It is providential that I am here. Long ago when I was a tween, a "prophetic" woman from my church said she saw me standing in front of different color children. Later on, another similar prophetic word was given over me that I was going to be teaching in front of children from all over the world! So there you have it, now at age 32 I am finally living out that call that was spoken over my life at a young age. I would have never thought it. I fought it for years. But God has a way of reaching our hearts when we are ready and He is so good at it that we think we thought of it all along! But the jokes on us, eh? He never forces us. He is so patient and it amazes me. But what seems like an eternity of waiting is nothing but a blink for Him.

So I pray that as I begin this school year at Rosslyn Academy "...that I walk worthy of the vocation where I am called" (Eph. 4:1). I don't take it for granted that I have a very important job to do. Not just to teach these kids how to speak English or read, but more importantly, to teach them the love of Christ - to BE the love of Christ. I pray that it is not my words that penetrate their hearts, but my actions. Christ dwells in us and it is Christ who must shine forth.

God's peace and love to everyone of you!

A first time for everything!

Hello family and friends!

It's been awhile since I have written to many of you regarding my travels over to East Africa. I apologize, but I have been rather busy setting up life here in Nairobi and preparing for a new school year which begins tomorrow.

So this is a first for me....blogging that is. I am not sure how well I will be at it, but I figure it is the best way to write to those who are genuinely interested in what I am doing over here. Plus, it will be good for me - I think.

What am I doing over here some of you may have wondered and have even asked, but all I can say is that God has set this path before me and I am walking down it. I would be lying if I were to say that it has been a piece of cake - it hasn't. It has been one of the most trying and difficult things I have had to do. But, there is grace from our Lord and most of all, there is this amazing peace that I am in the center of God's will - so He is the one who has to work out all the worries I have. I eagerly hand them over to Him.

What worries? Well, I want bore you with all of them but there is this worry of not quiet finding my "fit" here. Ya see, I fit rather fine in good 'ole Nashville. I was comfortable at my church, New Song, and I have to say I had the most amazing friends anyone could ever ask for. I felt safe. Then there is the worry of missing family and not seeing them alot. FAMILY is a word that is so concrete in my life. I have the most wonderful family and I miss them everyday. And the worry of being here at a new school teaching something I really don't feel quiet qualified for (facilitating a literacy lab). But, as my pastor's wise words ring in my ear, " God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called," I hand over those cares to Jesus. And how wonderful my Jesus is.

Jesus has supplied all my needs. He has supplied me with a teaching job at a wonderful Christian school. I also have new friends that love God and are fun and I have been supplied with a beautiful apartment that is taken care of by the school. I have my dear friends here, the Keans, whom I will work along side of with their new church plant - New Song Nairobi. There is so much to be thankful for already.

So I thank Jesus for this new path I am on. And I am reminded of C.S. Lewis writing about Aslan, the Christ-figure in The Chronicles of Narnia - "He isn't safe, but He is good!" How true of our Lord. The "safe" path isn't for me anymore. I'll stay on this one until I am led to another one by the One who knows the way. For Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light!