Saturday, 25 January 2014

Life with God...

Life with God is...

-Fullness of Joy 

-The Most Amazing Adventure 

-Filled with Love that is better than Life 

-Worth Every Sacrifice 

-Secure and Safe regardless of circumstance or surrounding 

-Always, Always, Always Better 


A short video of how sweet our life is with God...


Wednesday, 15 January 2014

To the Mountain

We headed out again today to see more of Kenya. We left around 7AM and headed towards Embu, a town located near the foothills of Mt. Kenya. I felt like I needed to see the mountain and see it up close. We arrived in Embu and almost immediately the mountain disappeared. I was so disappointed. Instead of heading home we decided to head towards Nanyuki, another town east of Embu and also located near the foothills on the mountain. 




The drive to Nanyuki was incredible. The scenery was breathtaking. You have Mt. Kenya on one side and the Aberdare Range on the other. Every time I look at a mountain I am reminded of how amazing and big God is and I often need to be reminded. I think that is why something inside of me needs to near one.

Somedays I wake up and I am completely overwhelmed by the project that God has placed before me. I don’t know what I am doing. And I don’t know how it will come to pass. I wish there was a book titled “How to Open up a Children’s Home in a Foreign Country.” But maybe if there was I wouldn’t have to rely so much on God. And Maybe this mission wouldn’t require faith. 

It is unbelievably challenging to live by FAITH. 

FAITH: to have FAITH is to be SURE of the things we HOPE for, to be CERTAIN of the things we do not see. 

Sometimes it just isn’t natural to have FAITH. I mean, we are driving around Kenya looking for land that we don’t have money to buy. And on that land we are hoping to build a children’s home, oh and we don’t have money for that either. Then there’s the issue of properly running the home and ensuring that the needs of all the children are met. I could probably go on forever or at least a while with the things we cannot see. 

I have no idea how any of this will come to pass. It is absolutely overwhelming at times. At times I’m terrified to make decisions, knowing that what I choose could potentially affect thousands of lives. 

BUT then I look at the mountain AND I REMEMBER WHO GOD IS. I REMEMBER THAT IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO I AM BUT IT’S ABOUT WHO HE IS IN ME. I remember that my God can move mountains, heal the sick, and raise the dead. My God is in the business of miracles. My God’s power is perfected in my weakness. 





I have FAITH that the vision God has given me will come to pass; I cannot see how it will, but I am CERTAIN and I am SURE. 

Monday, 13 January 2014

While driving around Kenya yesterday looking for land, we realized that God's plan and His timing is always perfect, even if it involves two flat tires.

Saturday, 11 January 2014

Luv Way land search begins...

We have come to Kenya in search of land. 

Today we began our search. 

We took four mutatus and a twenty minute car ride to check out this first piece of land. 

Somedays it feels like it will take a lifetime to accomplish this dream and other days like today it feels as if it is right around the corner. 

I know all of this will happen in God’s perfect timing and it’s pretty exciting to think that one day we will own a piece of land in Kenya and it will be a home for so many precious children.


Thursday, 9 January 2014

Arrived in Kenya!!!

We finally Made it! Every time I think about what we are doing and how we got where we are, I am just amazed at how prevalent God has been throughout everything. While checking our luggage for our flight we found out that technically we never had tickets for our flight, but some how that wasn't a problem for God, He worked that one out. He also, took it one step further and upgraded our seats, God knew i needed a little extra leg room. It is funny how God spoils us sometimes, when we know we don’t deserve it, it’s simply because he loves us. Over all the long flights were not bad at all, and that is coming from someone who has only ever flown to New Jersey, one time. Flying to Kenya I saw some of the most spectacular sights in my life. In LA, where the ocean meets the sky; in the Netherlands where snow just piles on tips of an endless sea of mountains; across Africa where the sand has leopard spots; and clouds like whipped cream, so beautiful, you just know that heaven can't be far away.

      





  I don’t really know what to say about Kenya so far, it is both beautiful and terrible at the same time. I feel like there is no way to really understand it, unless you live it. We only spent a few hours walking around the neighborhood here near Roysambu, and there is so much to take in. Sights and smells are all new to me; fruit, dirt, corn, sewage, cows. Riding in a Mutatu was different. They can fit about 16 people into a van about half the size of a VW bus. Now, I made the mistake of leaving my backpack on while trying to get into the Mutatu, and basically I got stuck and I had people behind me pushing me, trying to help me squeeze myself and my backpack through the door of the Mutatu, It was a great experience on my first morning in Kenya.

       





We saw the babies this morning. Every single one of them has the face of an angel, and they all just want to be loved. That is the number one thing that all of them pine for every day, after seeing them, there is no way to deny that. We visited the older babies first, and I was immediately hit with the panicked feeling of: how can i possibly show all of these babies love in one hour? It was very hard to be there, but it was much harder to leave. We went outside to play with the toddlers and younger children. The second that Mari stepped into their playpen, she was swarmed, and overtaken by little hands and little faces that are crying out for love and attention. I finally manned-up and went in also. Everyone just wants to be held and comforted, they don’t care that they just met you. I had three little ones sitting on my legs, two on my lap, and two on my back, it was too hard to turn anyone away. I wished we could have brought a whole army of people to hold them.





Tuesday, 7 January 2014

We are all ready, packed up, and about to head to the airport!!! Praying and trusting that as we go out God will show us exactly where he wants us to build the future Luv Way Children's home!!!