October, 2010

Kenya, Africa

October has been a challenging and rewarding month at the same time!!

I was blessed with the opportunity to have a dear friend from the states here for a couple of weeks. All of our days were so full of a variety of projects. We also had the opportunity to meet with some lawyers and government officials. Carrie is a lawyer and she is interested in getting involved with adoption in Kenya. It’s so hard to adopt here. Carrie wants to see what she can do to help ease the process. We were trying to meet the Chief of Justice in Nairobi; however, he sent someone in his place. Later, we learned that the person sent in his place was the Head of Intelligence. He wanted to make sure that Carrie had good intentions. It was such a cool experience!


It was so cool because we were in the building that peace was made a couple years ago for Kenya. There was so much political violence and danger after the 2007 elections (due to corruption in the elections). The current president Kibaki and the man he was running against met at this building to make peace. After their meet, peace was made between the fighting people groups (tribes) and a new constitution was on the horizon. The constitution was just voted on this Aug, it went though and will bring a lot of good to the people here. The place we were sitting is where a new hope was formed for Kenya!!!!

We also met a man that may help connect me with people to do a fundraiser here in Kenya for the Operation Give Hope project. And we met a lawyer that is in the process of making OGH a Kenyan foundation - Perfect timing. I do have one big prayer request. Jim and Susie are in the states; before they left we produced about 1000 packets to mail out to their support base. The packets have all the details on the launch of Operation Give Hope, plus a DVD. The packets just went out this week! I am so excited! Please pray that this will touch hearts. I will keep you updated. This has the potential to help MANY children in a HUGE way!

Here is Carrie’s blog of the time she spent here and her upcoming plans. http://carrieslifeinkenya.blogspot.com/

I was a bit challenged this month because of some of the news that I hear. Before, while in the states, I could always turn off the news channel. I did that because, like many of us, it’s hard for me to hear of the bad things that happen in this world. However, now, even though I don’t hear the news channel… I hear news from people I know. A very dear missionary family was robbed and it was an inside job (I thank God they were not hurt). There have been other robberies in the area where people have been hurt. In the villages there are a lot of witch doctors that do horrible things to others, some of which friends of friends have been affected. This is news that I can’t turn off, because it’s right around me. Maybe it was selfish for me to turn off the news in the past. When other people are hurt, my heart breaks. However, there is some sort of value from a broken heart. In fact, that’s what brought me here in the first place. Sometimes for change to occur our hearts have to break for other peoples problems – because it makes us act.

God is at work in AMAZING ways here in Kenya, fighting against that kind of injustice… by raising up a generation of children who have a heart for Christ. He is the only one who can build their hearts in a way to shine brightly in this world…

Here's an example! The letter is from the girl to the left below!!






If you'd like to hear more, there are some newsletters I can send you. Just request it and I'll forward.


I miss you all a lot! <3 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, for your support!

Love,
Kristen
Thank you for reading about Kenya!

MOMBASA

September 2010
Kenya, Africa

A couple missionary friends (Simone, Lisa B. and Lisa M.) and I started working on quite a project!!! The project is to gather student bios, pictures, family, home description and other information. All this information is put into a data base system. This will eventually give child sponsors the capability to view their childs information and picture online.

While we went to the schools to start this work, Lisa M., a nurse, volunteered to do a medical exam on each student. The most common problems were scabies and ring worm. Thankfully we had treatments that were donated to use for these children.

We successfully completed at two schools. This consists of about 500 children. It was fun learning about the personalities of the students, hearing what activities they enjoy, what their favorite subjects are and what sports they like. A lot of the kids speak multiple languages, English, Swahili and their mother tongue (tribal language).

All of the children live in homes with no running water. They have to fetch water at a borehole, well, pond or tap somewhere in the community. These children certainly have a lot of chores and 'to do’s' just to take care of their basic needs. They grow up quickly. Most of the children live in homes that do not have toilets. They either use a bush, or a pit latrine (hole in the ground). For cooking, many families use three stones with firewood in the middle while placing a pot on top. I’ve seen men, women and children carrying huge loads of firewood on their backs. Some use jiko’s with charcoal to cook. Houses are generally made of either, stone, sand, cement or mud and wood. Roofs are generally iron sheets or makuti (leaves from coconut trees).

I talked to a teacher about one of the students that is an orphan. I asked her who he lives with. Many times orphans will live with other family members such as an aunt, uncle or grandparents. However, he lives in a house with other boys that are orphans. He takes care of these other boys that are younger than him. Twelve years old and already a dad.

Hearing about his living situation made me think of my own niece and nephew who are that age. I simply can’t picture them living without their parents while taking care of other orphans, and struggling with basic needs. The thought breaks my heart.

What a courageous and strong boy this is! I am thankful that he and the others that live with him are able to go to the school. They can feel support from the other children, the teachers, the pastor, etc. God can give them Hope during this difficult childhood.

I want to thank you all for your prayers and support. Thank you for notes on fb and emails of encouragement. That always means a lot to me and brightens up my days. Thank you for helping me get here to do this work for these lovely kids. I truly could not be here without all this support!!!

Love,
Kristen

2nd Month Update

This month has been very good!! I’ve had so many fun projects to work on that have kept me really busy! The projects have been for Operation Give Hope (OGH) and the Hope Foundation. Operating under these are a few centers that feed, educate and teach Biblical truth to children living in extreme poverty. It is my job to make OGH an official Kenyan foundation and help organize a sponsorship program and communication tools for OGH and the Hope Foundation.

This last month my time has been dedicated to designing logos, brochures, newsletters and a DVD. My hope is that God will use these tools to touch the hearts of people in America. And those that have a heart to help out in Africa will have an outlet to do that. I think it’s easy for sponsors to gladly and generously pay money to help children, without really think about what it’s actually doing. I know that through experience. Previously when I’d sponsored children before coming to Kenya, I was happy to pay for it, but I did not realize the full impact. Now that I’ve been to Africa I can see first hand just how much the kid’s lives are forever changed. My hope is to share that with fellow supporters.

My church back home, Fox River, is a perfect example of what GREAT things can happen when a church congregation puts their heart into a particular mission. I’m amazed and inspired through the example of so many people at Fox River that have their hearts fixed here in Vipingo and Bomani, Kenya. I have the privilege of seeing the 400 children that have been helped and changed through our congregation and leadership! http://foxriverchristian.org/

Just this week while in the village of Vipingo, I was hanging out with some youth for a bible study that we just started. One of the teens (13 or 14 yrs old) had her two little sisters with her. Both of the little sisters are identical twins. One of them is in the picture on this email. They are just the cutest little girls. One of them came up to me and took my hand, then sat in my lap. I just wanted to squeeze her! My goodness! Both of these girls have a good chance to end up at the center in Vipingo in the kindergarten class next year. I’m so excited for that, because I think of where they live, how little they have and observe they are likely raised by their teen sister (who is in the bible study). I know that if they get a chance at the center in Vipingo, they will have a chance in life, in a way that would be nearly impossible if they can’t attend there. They will have Hope and the ability to reach their potential.

Prayer requests:

Please pray with me for the teens in Bible study. We are doing a study called ‘Experiencing God’ by Henry Blackaby. My prayer is their friendship with God will come to an entire new level and that they will learn what God’s will is. I also pray they can learn to live with purpose, passion for Him and direction. That they will know how to make wise decisions so they can have a wholesome life.

Please pray with me for the 1000 packets that Jim and Susie will send out with a newsletter, brochure and DVD. Pray that God uses them in a way that glorifies Him and reaches hearts to save His children.

Please thank Him with me for the resources He provided to make it possible to do the DVD, make the brochures, newsletters, online database, etc.
I’ve been amazed at how God has provided all the tools I’ve needed to work on all these projects (It’s been a common theme in my walk with Him). To start with, while I was in the states, I did not have a computer or a printer; however, a dear friend purchased one for me. That is what I am using today! Another friend kindly put a program on my computer that I NEED to be able to make brochures and newsletters. And right before I started the DVD project, a Kenyan friend, put a program on my computer that allows me to compose videos. Also, while I was traveling with Bobby and Lisa, they introduced me to a Christian song artist named Jennifer Shaw. She kindly donated her song in support of the ministry here. That is the song on the DVD. A friend here created a database system for us that is exactly customized to the needs of a current project. Prior to coming to Kenya, my friend, helped prepare me with a mission and vision for my time here. All of these and very many more are the amazing things that God positioned in my life and brought together that lead up to today. God is a great composer! He always brings us what we need. And I can never stop thanking Him and all of you for the help!


Treasuring your prayers,
Kristen Missiaen

Enjoy the DVD on you tube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT7Rer5GMUg

1st Month Update

Wow, one month has passed by already! Each day has been unique and rewarding.

The first week, I was blessed with an opportunity to visit my boyfriend in Mozambique. It was the first we’d seen each other in 7 months!! Jerry is a missionary with New Tribes. My friend, Kate, introduced me to him 6 weeks before he left to serve in Mozambique. We have continued to build a relationship long-distance. I loved meeting his Mozambican friends and his friends that are serving on the field with him and seeing their ministries. The entire week was more than amazing…it was perfect!!!

After visiting Jerry, I headed off to meet my church group in Kenya. Arriving in Kenya, I felt happy and at home. There was a group of almost 30 from Fox River Christian Church. We spent our time going to the villages of Vipingo and Bomani serving the children and reaching out to the community. We did lots of activities for the children, interactive lessons, art projects and games! The children sang beautiful songs for us. We love that so much! We had a medical team and dentists working during all of these activities. The children had their teeth cleaned and examined. They all learned how to brush their teeth with their new tooth brushes. Many of the children had teeth pulled. I was surprised when I learned that many children use sticks to brush their teeth because that is all they have.

We also had two community outreach days where thousands of Kenyans attend. Fox River provides food, entertainment, soccer tournaments and most importantly a message of faith, hope and love to the community. The people in the community look forward to this day for a long time! For most, it is the best meal they will eat all year and may be the only opportunity they have this kind of fun and to hear that kind of encouraging message. At the end of the outreach day, we hand out bracelets. I’m amazed at how much a small gift means to them. Here is a blog with tons of pictures and details of all the time we spent at the centers http://frcckenyatrip2010.blogspot.com/. It was truly an enriching time for all of us from Fox River, the children, the staff and the community.

When the Fox River team left for the states, there were 6 people that stayed an extra week. We were officially named ‘the residue team’ thanks to Jim…lol. We gladly took the title. That entire week was jam packed with different experiences and projects. One of the best things was helping build a mud hut! I was so interested to find out how that is done. The frame was all ready for us. It was sticks found from trees in the area. The sticks were bound together with long, dry tree leaves. We started by digging a hole in the dirt. The hole was filled with dirt, and then we added water and stepped in the dirt/water to mix and make mud. Then we gathered rocks from a big pile and started building. First we lay the rocks down, then put a thick layer of mud on top of it and keep adding, more rocks and more mud. It took a few hours with about 10 people at work. The family we were building for said it would have taken them at least 3 days to do on their own.

This family has 18 children! WOW! Some of their kids go to the school in Vipingo. The family is so proud that their children attend there because it has resulted in them gaining a lot of knowledge and learning morals that they would not have known. The children who attend Vipingo’s school have set a new standard for the entire family… they choose to do the right thing, follow God, pray and study hard! The parents also noted that it helps their family so much because the school feeds the children and that is less food they have to provide for them. You see, these parents are unemployed without job opportunities. The entire family benefits so much more than we could imagine from the center in Vipingo.

My other favorite day was teen outreach day. This group of teens are also located in the village of Vipingo. We talked about sex, drugs, peer pressure, serving God and responsibilities. All the teens put together a skit on one of those topics. They were creative and funny!! These teens really have a heart to learn about God. They seem to want to do the right thing. I can’t imagine the things they go through, though! One of the girls gave an example of what one of her friends goes through and asked for advice. Her friend’s parents sell drugs, this is the only way they have found to make money and survive. The parents sell the drugs to her friends. However, the teen in this predicament wants to serve God and do the right thing. She does not know how to talk to her friends about not doing drugs, while her parents are selling them and pressuring her to sell them. When I first heard that, I thought to myself, wow, how do you even give advice in that situation? I’ve never been through something like that. Our friend Pastor Paul was actually in the situation himself when he was a teen; he was able to advise her from his experiences. That is just one example of the struggles these teens face. Thankfully they are plugged into the church at Vipingo’s center and want to follow God.

Well, that was just two of days that the ‘residue team’ served. As you can imagine, there was much more we learned and experienced. They all left yesterday and I’m missing the Fox River crew!! It’s been such a blessing to spend so much time with them these past three weeks.

Now, I will start working with the missionaries to build the bridge…. Very exciting!!!!

Recent Picture of Mohommad...

Keep Praying!~!

Dylan and Kaleb

Today was an amazing day! A group of friends are still here from my church. We did an outreach at a school near by. Last year the school only had 30 students. Most of them were orphans and street kids. The school found funding and has expanded a lot! There are now 80 children there! We got to spend time with them all day today doing a Super Saturday event!

After the event we walked the village to meet children from our school in Vipingo. It was interesting to see the houses the children live in. They are small and made of mud. When we got to the children’s homes, they were so happy to see us there and showed us around the village.

We also went to an orphanage today. I was able to give gifts from my nephews to the kids. My nephew, Kaleb, felt bad that the children don’t have good shoes so he ran upstairs (before I left), grabbed a pair of shoes and asked me to take them here. Today, my friend Paul found a child at the orphanage that the shoes fit perfectly. He was really happy to wear them!!! My other nephew, Dylan, wanted to give away some of his books. I took them to the orphanage, too. I could not believe how much the kids LOVED the books. So many children kept reading them and looking at the pictures the entire time we were there!!

The two pictures above are from the orphanage. The books and shoes from my nephews!! Thanks to you both!

Mohommad needs our Prayers

This little boy is at great risk. Please take the time to read about his story from a missionary family I work with here in Kenya. He needs prayer for his life to be saved. Thank you.

"Dear Praying Friends,

If you heard me speak last year or read our prayer letters you know the story of Mohammed. He is the little boy whose Mom came to the gate of our school crying for us to save her child and even offered for us to adopt her little three year old son if we would help save his life. What you don't know is that Mohammed's whole family had AIDS. For the past five years, his family has battled the disease. We were happy that his father and mother both received Christ as their Savior. While we were in the states this year, Mohammed's father and other died of AIDS. All of his brothers and sisters have also died of AIDS. When she brought him to us, he could not eat and could barely move because he was so weak from malnutrition. His hair was falling out, his eyes were yellow, and his stomach was distended.

We have made sure that Mohammed was under medical care since he came to us at three and the doctors told us that with proper medicine he could live a good life and possibly even have a family of his own.

When his parents died, Mohammed moved into the home of his grandmother. She is a kind lady and loves her grandson very much but the problem is that she is illiterate and does not understand the importance of medicine. For the past month, our teachers have noticed that Mohammed was not acting like the sweet, healthy boy that they have come to love. Just this week, we had a medical team come to visit us from MANNA Worldwide. The nurse who was examining Mohammed noticed that he was not doing well at all. She immediately notified Lisa that this young man was dying of AIDS and would not have long to live. Upon questioning him further we found out that he had been told by his grandmother that he was healthy now and did not need to take the medication any longer. When we asked her she said that he looked and acted fine so she did not want to punish him every day by making him take the medicine.

We would ask that you pray for Mohammed. I have attached his school picture from last year so you can see his lovely face. We need his grandmother to understand the importance of the medicine and we need God to use the medicine to make him whole. We know that Mohammed is saved now and will be with God if the Lord chooses to take him home to glory, but our desire is that he might remain with us for a little longer and continue to bless us. He is already a reminder of God's grace and mercy. Pray that God will help us to know how to minister to him and comfort him during this time.

May God bless you all,
Bobby and Lisa Bechtel
Missionaries to Kenya, Africa"

Good times...

These past couple days have been amazing. So far I’ve been going out with the church group (Fox River) to the centers. It’s been great to see all the familiar faces and greet all the friends I made here last year. I feel quite at home. We have been doing activates with the children. There are games, art projects, story lessons and the list goes on. There’s also a medical team and dentists here.

The children have been in heaven with all this fun stuff! Even the simple things like bubbles are greatly enjoyed. When we took out the bubbles during recess, they all followed us around jumping, smiling and trying to pop the bubbles. The other day I played soccer with a group of girls. WOW, they are Good! Those girls can really play.

During the dental evaluations and cleanings, many of the children had to get teeth pulled. It’s a painful process. One of the teachers told me that many children use sticks to try and brush their teeth. They may soften the stick by chewing on it, and then they go ahead and clean their teeth. Right before I came to Kenya I had some necessary dental work done by a dear friend. I needed the work done so badly and felt great when it was done. Now I’m trying to imagine what it would be like to not have that luxury. Thankfully, because of the dentists that came, there will be about 400 children that can feel great now because of the work they had done on their teeth!!!

Bible Study

I want to share info on the Bible Study I did while in Kenya... it changed my life in a huge way.

Below is a list of the main points. Each point is studied in great detail.

1. God is always at work around you.
2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3. God invites you to become involved in His work.
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways.
5. God's invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6. You mus make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.

The workbook can be ordered here for about $15. It's a daily study for 12 weeks.
http://www.lifeway.com/

Below is a poem that is in the study:

Deep in my soul there’s a longing I feel
To look at my life in the light of your will
Knowing your heart; trusting your truth
Day after day I’m walking in your will
All my hopes; all my dreams
Help me forfeit everything
For whatever Your kingdom requires
Guide my steps
Let me see the best you have for me
Give me a heart for your desire
Teach me, oh God in the ways of your Word
Whisper through voices that I’ve seldom heard
Strengthen my faith
Weaken my will
Lead me to where your love is fulfilled
As I delight in you, oh Lord
Within me there’s a fire
And I’m finding the desire of my heart
Is a desire for your desire
I want a heart for your desire

Going back to Kenya Video

Surprised? To say the least!

It was during my travels in the states with Bobby and Lisa Bechtel that I started to pursue the thought of going back to Kenya. There were a couple things that I did not know how would work out. When I returned from the travels, I wondered how I would find temporary employment and how I would raise enough funds. Well, as usual, God had some things in store…

I posted a note on fb stating that I was looking for temporary employment. With the job market these days, it seemed unlikely to find a job on such short notice and for such a short time (not knowing exactly when I was leaving for Kenya). However, my friend Liz that went to Kenya with me in 2009 saw my posting. She is the EVP of the BBB. We talked and she hired me on until I go to Kenya! I’ve been thanking God ever since! In addition to that, I live with my brother who is very generous. He has not allowed me to pay him for living there, which has helped tremendously! Both of these things combine have helped me be able to prepare for Kenya with much less stress.

Before I started fundraising, I was challenged with a couple things. One of them was fear or doubt that it would not work out. Another was pride, because it’s difficult to ask for help. In the midst of these challenges, my heart to serve God in Kenya stayed strong and outweighed any other thoughts. God has given me the opportunity to experience interdependence at its best. The truth is, every person who has taken part of encouraging, praying, financially supporting and believing in this mission to serve God in Kenya is AS MUCH of a part of this as I am. It’s only possible because God’s provision through all these things combine and each person who has let God use them to bless this ministry in any way.

A couple months ago, I started raising funds for my trip to Kenya by doing presentations, sending out letters, networking, etc. Since then, I have been shocked, amazed, moved and inspired! We serve a Generous, AMAZING, Incomprehensible God! I’ve had the opportunity to see Him work in so many ways through people and circumstances in this process. The generosity of everyone is tremendous! The connections that have been made and the relationships that have been strengthened has made me so HAPPY! I’m very excited to share that I’m getting closer to being fully funded for this trip. To think, that this started only a short time ago… leaves me saying, WOW, I serve an awesome GOD!!!

Looking back and seeing how all these things have fallen into place increases my faith in a big way. He is a provider.

THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who has been a part of this... BLESSINGS to YOU!!!!!

I leave July 8th...

Going back to Kenya ~ Fundraising!!

† Dear friends,


I would like to share my journey into missions with you.

In 2008, I found myself immensely heartbroken as I saw firsthand the spiritual devastation and poverty stricken children living in Kenya. With less than 2 weeks in Kenya, God transformed my thinking and placed a solid passion inside me to serve these problems in any capacity I could.

I am planning to return to Kenya to serve the passion God has placed inside me with missionaries that are well established in Kenya through the BBFI. Currently there is a need to raise more financial support for three of five centers that were started through the missionary families and MANNA Worldwide. The centers provide food, water, Christian education and a church for hundreds of children. My goal while in Kenya is to organize and develop a sponsorship program which can bring consistent support for these centers. By creating an organized sponsorship program and a well thought-out correspondence plan, financial goals can be met, maintained and exceeded.

In addition to these tasks, I will be a communication tool for Fox River Christian Church, my sending church, to centers they have successfully started in Kenya. I will keep supporters informed of how much their support is helping and will be updating a website that holds information of the centers.

These are just a couple of the projects I will be working on.

I see the incalculable value that each center holds. During my last trip in Kenya, I interviewed parents and staff members. I’ve witnessed firsthand the life transformation each child has due to the existence of these centers. Most children become saved through this program and have experienced tremendous advances not only spiritually, but also academically and physically. The spiritual knowledge each child gains has immensely changed their character for the better. Their behavioral changes are so apparent that they offer a witness to the community and in turn bring many individuals from the surrounding village to Christ. Their dire physical needs are met through well balanced meals, water and a degree of medical care. Ultimately, they are given Hope; where without help, they have no hope for this life or the next!

I am confident that if this is part of God’s plan for the children in Kenya and for my life right now then He will provide the support needed in order for these projects to move forward. As I raise support for this cause, I would ask that you prayerfully consider partnering with me in this ministry. In order to pursue this work I need to raise support for a plane ticket, graphic design program (for communication projects ~ web / newsletters, etc.) and monthly support for health insurance, malaria medication, rent, food, transportation, ministry funds, etc. Missionaries are funded by churches and individuals. My hope is that this does not feel like an obligation; but an opportunity to join in ministry with me, only if you feel led to.

If you would like to know more details of my work in Kenya, let’s chat!

All donations are tax deductable. Checks can be made out to MANNA Worldwide. Or, all donations can be made online as an automatic withdrawal or a onetime gift at: http://mannaworldwide.com/ Please specify on the check or online gift that the donation is for Kristen Missiaen's mission trip.

Blessed by an Orange!

Today, I went for a rather long, yet refreshing jog under the Florida sun. When I was running for about an hour, I felt very dehydrated and tired and prayed to find a place with water because I was still far from home. As I looked on the roadside, I saw a small strawberry shop. I almost passed by, thinking they would not give me free water (I had no money on me), but my dry mouth convinced me to at least check. Thankfully, a nice gentleman offered me a fresh cold bottled water right away!

Drinking the bottle of water reminds me of a time when I was in Kenya, jogging. At that time I had bottled water with me and drank it when I was done. Pastor Paul was jogging with me and told me that people from some villages would gratefully make that size of bottle last for an entire family for a few days. WOW! That is just INSANE! But for some, it’s all they have. They do with the small amount of resources available.

After the water, I continued my jog, feeling refreshed. However, I was pretty tired, hungry and thirsty as the jog continued. In the distance, I saw an orange tree. The oranges looked so refreshing! I craved one immediately! As I was contemplating how wonderful the orange would taste, I thought of precious children around the world that suffer from starvation. If I wanted an orange that bad, even though I had eaten before my jog… I contemplated how much starving children crave food after not eating for days. There is enough food in the world to feed everyone to content; however, it’s not distributed that way. I am left again wishing food and water was equal opportunity for all.

At the end of my jog, I came into the house, guzzled more water, went to the fridge, took out the orange and ate it with delight!!! Oh my goodness, it was the best tasting orange, EVER! Yes, I was totally blessed by an orange. 

If you read all of this...As you go on with your day today, I hope you are reminded, as I was, just how blessed your life is to simply have water to use from the faucet and food to grab from the fridge, or cabinet. It’s such an amazing gift, which can be easily forgotten. <3

Bobby and Lisa received amazing news the other day! While in the states, they have been raising funds for a new church at one of their centers. The church will hold 1,000 people. The space is needed with a growing congregation. One of the churches in the US that heard of their need from Bobby and Lisa’s visit, donated $20,000 for the project. Just yesterday, they found out that a member at that same church is donating another $20,000! That’s amazing! Now they are almost to their goal, with another $20,000 to go... God is good!

Fantastic weekend!

This past weekend, I have been ‘Wowed’ by amazing people and circumstances. The Becthel’s and I took the van for a trip that would take us to two churches. Bobby was preach at both. One of the nights I stayed at a sweet couple’s house. They were a joy to be with, VERY kind, and hospitable. Sunday morning they took me to the church where Bobby would preach.

While Bobby did his message in service, I had a power point presentation to show the Sunday school class about Africa. The point of the presentation is to show them a different culture, to show them poverty and make them think of how thankful they can be to live in America, as well as pray for those that are not as fortunate as we are. I think it’s important for children to learn these things at a young age so they are mindful of other places in the world. The children were incredibly receptive, and full of curiosity.

The individuals I spoke with from the church, before and after service were very warm. I enjoyed the conversations. One lady I spoke with told me that she had always wanted to be a missionary. She has many friends that are and hopes she can go someday, even though she is a bit older. She said that at her age, she realizes what is important in her life and all the ‘stuff’ that she has just does not mean anything. She said, “If anything it’s stressful to have so much stuff and I don’t know what will happen with it all when I die.” We discussed how easy it is in America to get wrapped up in things and always want more, but in the end, you can’t take it with you; therefore, it is a waste of time to put so much energy into 'things'. She was very wise. I love conversations like that because after going to Africa, I learned that striving for possessions, positions, etc. in the end is pointless. When I die, I certainly won’t be thinking of the things I had, the successes I achieved, or wishing I had more, I will be thinking of the people I love and the time I spent with them.

***

When we finished up at that church, we had lunch and traveled to the next church in Jacksonville FL. This time there were more children to present to. As I sat down in the children’s room, a couple little girls came and sat next to me. They were so sweet. One of them gave a gift to her friend. I told her I thought it was great that she made a bracelet for her friend. Then she told me that they exchange gifts all the time. The other girl had a gift waiting to give, too. It was a picture for her friend, she happily handed it over return the gift from her friend.

Soon enough, they heard I was going to speak about Africa. They were really excited when they found out that I was the ‘missionary lady’(that’s what they called me). One of them colored a picture for me and wrote on it, “I’ve never sat next to a missionary before!” I don’t think they realized I can’t really call myself a missionary yet. Lol, but it was so cute.

All the kids were FULL of questions about Africa, they were asking about animals and the way people live. One child asked if they have bath tubs and I let her know that in villages, they don’t bathe, or shower because they do not have the resources to. Most of them looked shocked and made funny noises when they learned that.

After the kid talk, I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of bright teenage girls. Both of them had mission work on their hearts. One of them is sure that she wants to be a missionary. The other is considering. It was inspiring to talk with these young girls that were full of ambitions to serve others and reach out for Christ.

I finished up, went into the church where Bobby and Lisa were with Ethan and Connor. They had a huge line of people just hoping to get a chance to talk to them. People waited a long time to have a conversation with them. Everyone wants to talk to the missionaries!

Ahhh, My favorite… the ocean!

Today we arrived in Biloxi and are right across the street from the coast. Going for a jog on the shore is by far one of my favorite things to do. Today, I had the privilege. The sunset was breathtaking. My eyes were hypnotized by the glowing shades of pink, orange, yellow and red, fading together, shining so brightly and reflecting off the water. Whenever I am near the ocean, it reminds me how small I am and how Big God is. I’m reminded that my minute problems, challenges and concerns are nothing in comparison to God’s Big plan.

On the Road

The next couple of months I will be traveling the United States with a missionary family who lives in Africa. They are here to raise additional funds to bring more children into the centers they started. The children that become part of these centers are initially very malnourished, sickly and uneducated with minimal to no knowledge of a loving God.

At the centers the children’s nutritional needs are met and maintained. They immediately start feeling better from having food in their tummies, since they are used to eating one meal (consisting of corn), or less a day. They are finally able to drink clean, fresh water without traveling long distances carrying buckets on their heads, or drinking water from holes in the ground IF it rains (droughts make even that impossible).

In addition to food and water supply, the children are placed in the classroom to get the quality education they deserve. Their alternative is no school at all, or schools that have a very low education quality, with no food, no water, no toilets, etc.

As the children attend these well established centers, they are academically brought to places they never dreamed of. Most importantly, they also have the opportunity to learn about the God that Loves them so much and cares about their every need. They are taught morals, ethics, how to treat others, how to obey their parents and to value themselves as they trust in God and His love for them.

As I think of the immense amount of aid these children receive, I am reminded of a day I recently spent at one of Bobby and Lisa’s centers in Kenya named Injili. I went there to take pictures of potential future enrollment students. Upon arrival, I learned that it may not be the best day to take these pictures because there was a feeding event in the village and most of the families would be at that event. However, there were a couple of parents present with their children for me to photo. I started taking pictures of the few children that were there. By the time I was done taking those pictures, I looked outside and saw a HUGE line of parents with their children. The word got out quickly that pictures were being taken for potential enrollment. Eventually, the staff had to close the gates to stop the flow. I ended up with 144 pictures. When I came back on another occasion to finish up, there were another 100 plus children. That’s well over 200 individual hearts and precious lives just hoping for a chance.

The picture above is one of those children.

I feel thankful to have the opportunity to travel with Bobby and Lisa. Their ministry has helped hundreds of men, women and children. My hope is to learn from them and gain more knowledge about the mission field as I explore the option for myself. Helping the poverty stricken of this world has become something I am very passionate about. My prayer is that God will show me the most effective way to do that. I am excited to see what this journey will transpire!