One step closer to Kenya

One detail that needed to be taken care of before we could embark on our Kenyan adventure was our dog, Riley. We adopted Riley 2 years ago when his family was about to begin their own ministry adventure in Darwin. Now that they are settled into their own home, they are able to take Riley back so that WE can be free to travel! Aren't God's ways awesome? Isn't He so loving and kind and faithful? The fact that He is taking care of this little dog shows me that He surely will take care of us! Onward and upward!

My first Kenyan dish!

One of the staple foods in Kenya is called sukuma wiki, which is Swahili for "push the week". This dish is made of kale or other greens with tomato and onion. I just recently began to experiment with kale in an attempt to add more veggies to our diet, so I figured it would be great to try kale Kenyan style! Honestly, I prefer kale sauteed in oil with some garlic, but the sukuma wiki wasn't too bad. I guess I'd better get used to it!

Here's the recipe from Whole Foods Market:


2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
3 ripe but firm tomatoes, chopped
2 bunches kale or collard greens (about 1 pound total), ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeño (if using) and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until collapsed and juicy, about 10 minutes more.

Add kale, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, salt and pepper, toss once or twice, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve.

Definitely don't skip the step of slicing the kale into thin strips like I did :) The kale is pretty chewy!

One Step of Obedience Leads to Thousands

*The free premier has expired, but you can still watch it by clicking on the "free ticket" icon* Be sure to watch the video AND the behind the scenes part!

I'm not able to embed this video here, but go to this site to watch a free premier video called "True Beauty~Deny Self" to see a powerful testimony of a woman who said "YES" to Jesus and what He did through her obedience.

Deny Self Premier

More on the Garcia Family

The Garcias also have a book coming out in Feb 2014 called "Rich in Love: When God Rescues Messy People". I've got it on my Amazon Wishlist!

A Little David

Please take 5 minutes to listen to this beautiful boy who was adopted (rescued) from Haiti. In the beginning it might sound loud and even a bit annoying, but if you continue to the end you will be blessed. He is anointed! These children come out of such pain and sorrow. They truly KNOW what God has done for them.

This is the work of God.  To rescue and redeem these children so they can be free to be who He made them to be, and to glorify His name on the earth.

What do we do while we wait?

In the Meantime, Part 2

On that very day Abraham took . . . every male in his household,and circumcised them, as God told him. ~ Genesis 17:23
READING: Genesis 17:23-27

Hip deep in the middle of planting a church it can feel as if God’s promises will never come true. They may shimmer out there at the edge of our peripheral vision. And if we aren’t careful, we may make the mistake of thinking all God’s words to us are meant for some vague tomorrow.

I felt dejected the day I ran across Genesis 17 in morning devotions. In spirit I stood beside Abraham, hearing God reaffirm His promise. Abraham helped me refocus my energy “in the meantime” of my own smaller life story.

Abraham could have responded to God merely with a dreamy faith that lives in the fuzzy future. But he balanced his belief for the long haul with a practical and prompt obedience whenever God told him to do something.

In this chapter, God told him to circumcise every male in his household. He obeyed that very day. Back in Genesis 12 he packed up immediately and went to the Promised Land. In Genesis 21, although it broke his heart, he sent Ishmael and Hagar away early the next morning. Years later, when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac, he saddled his donkey early the next day (22:3).

Abraham steered me back to the small but pivotal daily obedience of returning phone calls, acting on His nudges and continuing to knock on doors. I love Abraham’s courageous balance between the theoretical and the practical.

He taught me to:
Believe God for the long haul, and
Obey God today.

Abraham helped me to relax and make peace with my limbo. Armed with faith that God’s timing is best, I’ve learned to look for ways to obey God now – in the meantime.
Dear Lord, Please show me how to obey You today. Amen.

By Dionne Carpenter at churchplants.com

Saving The Unborn and Moms in Ethiopia: Part One

Saving the Unborn and Moms in Ethiopia: Part Two

I'll Follow You, Jesus

You lived among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away.

All my needs you have supplied
When I was dead you gave me life
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken
Follow you into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
Follow you into the world

Use my hands, use my feet
To make your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth
Until your work is done
'Cause Faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was she'd
So how could I not give it away so freely?

And I'll follow you into the homes that are broken.
Follow you into the world.
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy God.
Follow you into the world.


I give all myself.
I give all myself
I give all myself... to you.

And I give all myself.
Yes, I give all myself.
And I give all myself... to you.

Waiting on God and Another Kindle Freebie

I've been wanting to put a new blog post up for some time now...but I just can't think of anything profound to say. Nothing too exciting is going on right now~we're just waiting on God's provision for the move to Kenya. We know that while we wait, God is working in us. He is preparing us. He is refining our vision and correcting some misconceptions. He is teaching us to depend on Him alone~not just for financial provision, but for EVERYTHING. He is also encouraging us in some wonderful ways.

We Skyped with our new friends, the Sweazy's, last night and we are so excited about what God is doing in their lives. He is preparing them and providing for them to go to Kenya as well. It's such a blessing to be on this journey with them. Check out their blog in my sidebar~The 28:19 Call. Such a beautiful family and we share a similar burden for the fatherless.

While we wait, we are going to concentrate on learning Swahili using the Pimsleur method. I'm thankful to have settled on something structured that we can focus on and make some progress!

Some of our loved ones are concerned about us going to Kenya in light of recent happenings there. The Westgate Mall incident isn't a deal breaker for us. God has called us to GO, and we will trust and obey.

Safety does not depend on our conception of the absence of danger. Safety is found in God's presence, in the centre of His perfect will.

T. J. Bach

I just discovered a free Kindle book on Amazon.com that looks really promising! Relentless: Pursuing a Life That Matters. Check it out while it's free!

Sorry if this post seems disjointed, but that kind of reflects the way my brain is working lately. I don't even have a picture to share!

New Drop Box Trailer and update

The Drop Box Team are in the final stages of establishing their non-profit, which exists to support the vision and legacy of Pastor Lee and his flock! A release date for "The Drop Box" is coming soon. The Team has an important meeting this month regarding distribution so please be praying! As always, continue praying for Pastor Lee, his children, and everyone involved at the orphanage. Pray for provision, good health, and God's love!

A Father's Day Challenge

It's Father's Day here in Australia. For the past few days I've been thinking about orphans (who am I kidding? I think about orphans every day!) and ways we can care for them. I've especially been thinking of those orphans who aren't adoptable. Some are in countries where adoption just isn't an option, as there are no provisions for that in place or adoption has been banned. As disciples of Christ, not all of us are called to adopt~but each of us is commanded to care for the orphan. So on this Father's Day I'm issuing a challenge~that we would pray and ask our Heavenly Father how He is calling us as individuals (or families) to care for the fatherless.

Here are some possibilities:

1. Support someone else who is adopting. Get creative and do some fundraising for them!

2. Sponsor an orphan or a ministry who does orphan care, the monthly cost is usually less than a meal out for most families.

3. Seek out a single mom and her child(ren) in your church or community and come alongside them. Invite them over for meals, offer to babysit, help with car and other repairs, etc.

4. Become an advocate for the fatherless on Facebook and/or your blog. One beautiful example is Julia at Micah Six Eight .

If you have any other ideas, please comment!

Giveaway: Anything by Jennie Allen

Yes, a real copy of the real book! If you want to enter, go to my Facebook page (see link in sidebar) and follow the directions. If you don't have a Facebook, no worries~just leave a comment here. Drawing will be done August 31st!

Here's an excerpt:

“God we will do anything. Anything.”

Zac and I climbed into bed on a completely average night two years ago. We were pretty tired. We just laid there looking at the ceiling, with only small firework fantasies of what God might say. Zac took my hand and spoke the simple words we had been processing for the past few months but not yet been ready to say.

God had been opening our eyes to how precious our temporary lives were and how numbly we were moving through them.

We were over it. We were over building our lives. We were over houses and cars and cute Christmas cards. We wanted something; we couldn’t put our finger on it. It was burning in us. We had loved so many other things more than God.

We were ready to do anything.

So we prayed. As sincerely as I have ever prayed any other thing,
I prayed in my heart as Zac spoke:

“God we will do anything. Anything.”

It didn't feel fancy. It wasn’t even a big deal. But the prayer held in it a thousand little deaths. In saying anything, it meant we were handing him everything. My heart raced a little at the thought… and then we fell asleep.

Back to the beginning.

While we believe that God has been preparing us for this for many years, there have been some defining moments along the way~times that He has spoken to us and given us what I call "puzzle pieces"~that one day will all come together to form a beautiful picture~in His perfect timing.

As we seek God's guidance for the next step in this journey, we feel it's very important to go back to the beginning and remind ourselves of what He has shown us so far...so that we don't lose the vision and call He's given us during our searching.

Sean and I will celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary next month. All of our married lives, God has put a major soft spot in our hearts for the fatherless. Years ago, we dreamed of having an orphanage one day. One thing troubled me though~the fact that orphanages just weren't (and still aren't) all that common in the western world, namely America! Yet it never occurred to me that God might take us to another country where orphanages ARE common. Or that there could be a major pit-stop in Australia beforehand! His ways are so far above ours...He has totally changed the way we look at orphan care now~it's not really about institutionalized orphanages...it's about setting the solitary in FAMILIES (Psalm 68:6). But we'll elaborate on that later :)

At one point we were considering adoption through foster care, and we even went as far as to request the paperwork so that we could get the ball rolling. But we never even took a single class. We kept praying, but just never felt the green light for that.

In the meantime I've been having lots of dreams, involving lots of children. They all seem to have the same theme...orphan rescue and care. Children being rounded up, taken to safety and given the specialized nurturing they need for as long as it is needed. Some may go on to be reunited with family, some may be adopted out, and some may stay with us...but all will be given a true family to love and care for them by the grace of God our Father.

Processing

Sean arrived safely home yesterday morning. I think it's safe to say that he is pretty blown away by everything that happened on the trip. I kind of wish I would have been able to record him as he shared some of the highlights with us, but it was a pretty emotional time for us.

Obviously one of the best parts was being used to lead a young man named Dennis to Jesus.

And in turn seeing that man want to share the good news with absolutely everyone! We heard a praise report from Dennis yesterday~his cousin Boniface has been visiting the children's home every day and bringing food. He says he wants to build another children's home like it. Also, Dennis' wife Zaina is coming to church with him! Please continue to pray for her salvation.

Some of the men from the YWAM base are following up with Mohammed as well. He was upset that Sean wasn't able to come back and see him personally, but he is allowing the others to read the Bible to him. Please continue to pray for his salvation as well!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Sean visited a place called Camp Blessed~which is a place for lepers and their families. Sean wept as he shared how humbling it was to visit a man who had lost his fingers and toes and even part of one leg to the disease. His home is smaller than Sean's office, and he has to sit on a cold concrete floor. But this man was filled with such joy because God had not only provided lunch for him that day, He had also sent him a visitor! As Sean held his hand and prayed with him, he realized that he delivers more food in one day than this man will see in a year.

Some children at one of the houses in Camp Blessed. There are still houses that need refurbishing with concrete floors (rather than dirt) and new roofs.

Of course, the main questions for us now are "Lord, when can we go back?" and "What specifically are you calling us to get involved in?" We trust that He will answer these questions as we seek His face, and that He will provide all we need to do His will.

A great way to share Jesus with your loved ones (free Kindle)

Are you looking for a respectful way to share the gospel with a friend or family member? May I recommend that you give them a copy of a little book David Servant wrote some years ago just for that purpose titled, Forgive Me for Waiting so Long to Tell You This. Readers are provoked to think about themselves, Jesus Christ, and their eternal destiny.

You can now download the book for free here. You can read it on your computer or on a Kindle device. Once you have the book in your Amazon account, you can easily loan it to a friend by pressing the "Loan this book" link.

Forgive Me for Waiting So Long to Tell You This is frequently ranked #1 in Amazon's category of "Free Best Sellers in Evangelism." It is a great tool to share the gospel!

While you're at Amazon.com, check out David's other free book, "The Disciple Making Minister".

In Remembrance of Rev. Dr. Abel Thomas

Early this morning, I received the news that our friend Pastor Thomas has gone to be with the Lord. Sean was planning to spend the day with him on Saturday during his layover in Singapore on the way home from India, but now it looks as if he will be attending his funeral instead. Another reminder that we can't take this life for granted~we are never guaranteed our next breath.

Sean met Pastor Thomas during his mission trip to Sri Lanka/India last year. We believe it was a "divine appointment" that both of them were visiting Sri Lanka at the same time. Seven months later, Pastor Abel and his wife, Glory, felt led to come to Australia and visit our church. They stayed at our pastor's house for a week, preaching both services on Sunday and then held a special mid-week service. The following night we had them over for dinner at our house. Pastor Abel began to share some of his testimony with us of how God had called him to go to other nations and how He had faithfully provided during those trips.

At that time, we had already received the call to Kenya and were actively seeking God's confirmation and receiving it in many wonderful ways. Pastor Abel told us about how God had called him to England, and then he mentioned Mombasa! Obviously, at that point he had my full attention. After sharing some experiences of God's faithfulness while visiting Kenya, Pastor Abel asked why I had perked up so much when he started talking about Africa. I was happy to share with him that God had called us to that very city in Kenya and we had been praying for confirmation. Glory began to weep and shared that they had wondered why God had brought them from Singapore...they hadn't felt like anything special had come from this trip and it was almost over.

As you can imagine, it was very encouraging for all of us. God is so good and His ways are so wonderful. To know that he would bring Abel and Glory all the way from Singapore just to answer our prayers for confirmation is such a huge blessing.

I have a picture of all of us together, but it's on the camera which happens to be with Sean in India. I will add it later. For now I will add a short encouragement straight from Pastor Thomas' website. We got to hear all the details of this story and others first-hand! We are so thankful for that blessing and look forward to meeting again in heaven. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15


"Throughout my ministry that covers over three decades, I have often been in situations where I have proved the absolutely trustworthiness of the words of Christ as found in the passage referred to: “Whatsoever things you ask in prayer, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Of course it is always possible to pray and want for an answer, but I have had times when I needed an answer instantly and got it. There is one situation that comes to mind and in narrating it I am endeavoring to encourage you to believe God for your needs.

I was traveling from Mombasa to Kisumu in Kenya in order to fulfil a speaking engagement on my preaching in that country. The bus ride was tedious to say the least. Due to the language barrier I could not explain to the conductor where I needed to get off. As a result I was dropped off at a place about 50 kms from where I should have alighted. It did not take me long to realize I was in the wrong place. As it was nightfall I decided to walk on the road hoping to find a place where I could find a telephone. I found a Petrol Station, with attendants who looked at me crookedly and behold there was no phone. Unable to speak their language I, in desperation, cried out to God. In hardly 5 minutes, a taxi pulled in with these words painted on it - “Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shall be saved.” I knew he was a Christian and he helped me into town at his expense. If God could do that for a foreign preacher in a strange land, surely He can meet whatever needs you present to Him."

~Rev. Dr. Abel Thomas

(Almost) Wordless Monday

I know it should be Wordless Wednesday, but I'm down with the flu today so I'm making my own rules! Sean is getting ready to say "tuonane baadaye" (see you later) to our friends in Kenya for now and will be on his way to Bangalore tonight. Please continue to pray for his health, strength, protection and guidance as he visits our brothers and sisters in India. I wouldn't mind prayer for myself as well~the bug has hit me pretty hard.

Here is a picture of Dennis and his family~please continue to pray for this new believer who is so eager to see all his family and friends come to Jesus. We're believing God for these precious souls.

Baby Life Rescue Center

Sean visited Peter and Selpher Matua at Baby Life Rescue Center yesterday. As I mentioned in an earlier post, an estimated 300 babies are abandoned in Kenya alone each day. Baby Life Rescue center has been caring for abandoned babies for about 8 years now. Happily, most of the children in their care end up being adopted by Kenyans. We are so thankful for godly people like Peter and Selpher, who are willing to receive these precious children as the gifts that they are.

From riches to rags~everyone needs Jesus

Dennis is still making appointments with Sean to share the gospel with people in Mombasa. Yesterday, he introduced Sean to Madame Akarim, a prominent Muslim woman who graciously invited him into her upscale home to talk about Jesus. She had heard "beautiful things" about Jesus, but was confused. If Jesus had died for the sins of the world, then why must people go to hell? Sean was happy to explain God's plan of salvation to her. She invited Sean to come back any time, and we pray that those seeds planted will come to fruition in her life.

After that, Sean visited a leper camp with Action Ministries. They are working with beautiful people who have been affected by this grotesque disease called leprosy. Just as we read in the Bible, these lepers have had to deal with the same stigma, rejection and neglect. The exclusion from society and years of being unloved has run so deep that it has had a severe affect on their children and grand children; who are not lepers, but still outcasts because their family members are.

Through the work of Action Ministry there is a beautiful restoration taking place. The camp was once known as "Tumbe" (meaning a place for rejected people), but they have renamed it "Blessed Camp". Through a feeding program, monthly medical outreaches, educational programs and the founding of a church, they are meeting physical and spiritual needs that have been untouched for years. The work that is being done is incredible… a work of hope and healing.

I've posted this video before, but in case anyone missed it~I'll post it again. These precious people, whom Jesus died for, are considered the outcasts of Kenyan society. But praise God, He has not left them comfortless. There are still many needs at Blessed Camp, many homes that need concrete floors (rather than dirt) and other repairs, food, education for the children, etc. We pray for God's provision for us to be able to help meet those needs.

Stuck in Kenya?

International traffic has obviously been suspended. Sean is supposed to fly out Monday night. We'll see what God does!

Mohammed confesses Jesus is God

Just received this from Sean:

"Shortly after some prayer and walking not far from the YWAM base, this man called out to us to come to his little 3 room house. We went in and talked to this Muslim man, Mohammed. He showed us his 2 hernias, shoulder and knee injuries and asked us for money to help him have hernia surgery. We told him we would pray in Jesus' name. We prayed but did not at the time see any healing.


After this we shared the gospel. Then he went into his room and brought out an old pocket Bible that he had hidden. It is written in English, so he doesn't know how to read it. We read John 10:10 to him. Then we organized to come back on Sunday afternoon as it was not favorable to go any further today. We had already spent over an hour with him and he was getting tired due to the fact that he is old and is fasting for Ramadan.

Praise God at the end he confessed Jesus and God are one after our sharing.

Please pray with Uly from Austria, Julius from Kenya, and myself for salvation to come to Mohammed's house and also for his healing."

Salvation Story continued...

After attending Bible study last night, Dennis the piki-piki driver asked Sean to go meet his brother and share Jesus with him. Of course, Sean was more than happy to oblige. On the way, Dennis informed Sean that his brother was at the pub, and asked if it would be a sin to go there. Sean assured him that it was fine as long as they weren't participating. Once they arrived, Sean found out that Dennis' brother is actually co-owner of the pub. Then Sean sat down with Dennis, his brother and a friend and spoke to them about God and life for an hour. At the end, they both agreed to attend church on Sunday and the business partner told Sean he could come share the gospel at the pub any time he wanted! Wild...

Please join us in praise to God for these opportunities and also prayer for more salvation stories!

Sean and his friend Julius were going door knocking today~can't wait to hear how that turns out!

Mission Mombasa

Sean visited with Chris Moore at Mission Mombasa yesterday. He had a great time of fellowship and was happy to glean from Chris' experience and also discuss possibilities for the future, including aquaponics as a means of feeding the poor and being self-sustaining. We are so appreciative of the brothers and sisters in Kenya who have sowed their time and love into us as we seek God's plan for our family!

You can learn about Mission Mombasa and the work they do at missionmombasa.blogspot.com

Free Kindle~Which None Can Shut: Remarkable True Stories of God's Miraculous Work in the Muslim World

watch on tyndale.com

This book is free on Amazon Kindle through August 6th. Grab it while you can! I'm reading it with keen interest since the majority of the Muslim population in Kenya are living on the coast, especially in Mombasa.

Salvation story!

The other day, Sean and his friend Julius hired a piki-piki to take them somewhere. When the driver heard that Sean was going to preach on Sunday, he asked Sean to come and preach to him one day. So Sean decided that instead of walking to the meeting place on Sunday, he would hire Dennis to drive him there instead~that way he would be able to stay for the service.

Dennis had recently heard the gospel from another customer, and after hearing the same words from Sean he decided that God must be speaking to him! So he repented of his sins and joined the family of God! Later on, Sean visited Dennis' home and shared the gospel with his wife, who is a Muslim. Please keep her in your prayers~we are believing for this whole house to be saved!

Please continue to pray for Sean, especially for his health and protection. We so appreciate your prayer support!

Day 3~Mikindani Slum

Sean visited a slum in Mikindani with a local pastor and met with some men who are trying to facilitate a water system in the slum. Water is being piped into the slum, but only about halfway through~and only 2 or 3 times a week. This means that many people have to travel a way to get water and carry it home.

Here is a picture of one of the slum alleys~you can see that the homes are made of mud and sticks. They are not very stable in the rainy seasons. As you can see, it was raining yesterday. They were surprised that Sean still wanted to go, but he wants to make the most of his time in Kenya. He said the rainwater comes into the homes, and the children walk in the mud with no shoes.

This is Yusef, elder of the Mikindani tribe. If I remember correctly, Sean said he is a believer. He asked when Sean was coming back. There is so much need! We can't make promises to anyone, all we can do is pray and see what God would have us do to help.

Today, after washing his muddy clothes the Kenyan way, Sean will be visiting Onesimus Boy's Centre (the rehabilitation center for boys that I blogged about a while back). Then on Sunday, he has been invited to preach at a local church that meets at the Happy Rock Children's Center.



Asante sana (thank you very much) for your continued prayers~they make a difference!

Happy children

I woke up to pictures in my inbox this morning! Such joy....

These little blessings live at Happy Rock Children's Center in Mombasa. Aren't they precious?

I'll update later after I've spoken to Sean!

Day 2

We had a good phone connection today, so I was able to get a pretty detailed report on how Sean's day went yesterday. If I had my way, I would have asked him a million more questions~but we don't want to use up all our minutes in one day!

First off, I found a pic of the YWAM base in Mombasa. This is where Sean is staying while he "spies out the land". Lots of people who feel called to missions come and stay there while they seek God's will and direction. Sean says the people there are great, and so helpful. By the way, if you have never heard about Youth With a Mission and how it all began, I highly recommend reading "Is That Really You, God?" by Loren Cunningham. It's so inspiring, I've read it twice.

And here are some modes of transport in Kenya~a matatu (not to be confused with a matutu, which is a brand of beer), and a piki-piki (motor bike). Sean says riding in a matatu is like "hell on wheels". He much prefers the piki-piki, but I think either way you're taking your life in your hands! We are very thankful that his new friend Julius went with him, as he says he surely would have gotten lost.

Sean visited two children's homes yesterday. He was able to have lunch and play with the children, while receiving valuable info on what it takes to be able to serve the fatherless in Kenya. He said the children were hanging all over him, and his words to me were "You'd be jealous!" Which I had to laugh at, because of course I do wish I could be there to experience it all first hand.

Today, after a breakfast of mandazi (East African doughnuts), he was planning on returning to one of the children's homes as he wasn't able to spend much time there yesterday. Hopefully I will get another good report tomorrow! I've also asked him to try and send me a picture or two to share, but I'm not holding my breath. He doesn't have a lot of time to try and deal with the internet there.

Kwaheri (goodbye) for now! Thanks for your continued prayer coverage!

Day 1 update

Today is Sean's first full (and coherent) day in Kenya! Thanks to everyone who has been praying~the trip went off without a hitch, and there were no issues getting his visa. God had already arranged several divine appointments~the first of which was seating him next to a sweet lady who was on her way to see her dying father. Sean was able to minister to her and pray with her. Then waiting for his connection to India, he met a group of men from an organization in Holland that he had been wanting to contact (more on that later). On the next flight, he sat next to a young Ugandan believer and was so blessed and encouraged by the fellowship. Then he was able to share the gospel with a Muslim man when he went to get a SIM card for his phone!

Being able to stay at the YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base while in Mombasa is a huge blessing. Sean is having an orientation with them today and then, God willing, he will be meeting with a pastor who does outreach in the slums and runs a small orphanage. One of the YWAM brothers offered to go out with Sean today as well. I'm so thankful, because "two are (definitely) better than one"!

Skype wouldn't cooperate with us today, and the phone connection was sketchy as well. With the time difference, we won't be able to touch base again til tomorrow, so I'll update when I have more news! We so appreciate your continued prayers for Sean! Tuoanane kesho (see you tomorrow)!

Safari Njema (Safe Journey)

Sean should be arriving at the airport any time now! His flight doesn't leave for almost 3 more hours, but I'd say the journey has begun. We appreciate your prayers for his safety, health, strength and guidance during the next few weeks!

We chose a route through Singapore/India, which saved us $500, but also adds to flight time. He'll actually be arriving in Mombasa 27 hours after takeoff (if all goes smoothly). Please pray that he will get some good solid sleep on the plane.

Of course I'll be keeping you all updated along the way~so excited to see what God unfolds for us!

Possible Perils in Mombasa (a funny)

Last night I was looking up some info for the Kenya trip when I stumbled across an article listing 29 possible dangers while visiting Mombasa. I had already read up on and prepared for some of the more obvious things like malaria, jiggers and traveler's trots, but I never would have dreamed of this real (but humorous) possibility as well~the deadly falling coconut.

Apparently, 150 people die each year after being brained by falling coconuts. When you stop to consider how heavy the coconuts are, and the heights from which they're falling...well, your skull just doesn't stand a chance! So now we just might be scurrying for a last minute item~a hard hat.

"Unconventional" Missions

When we first received our calling to Kenya, we had a man from WEC (Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ, which was actually founded by C.T. Studd) come to our home and discuss possibilities in missions with us. During our meeting, we discovered that WEC doesn't have a presence in Kenya right now, but we received some valuable information and best of all were very encouraged to have someone pray with us for God's guidance.

The reason we chose this particular organization is because their policy is to trust that God can provide for the needs of the people He sends without standard fundraising, and that He is able to inspire His servants to give when and where necessary to see His will carried out. Hence, their strategy is to ask God alone-not people-to supply their needs. In short, we call this "His will, His bill."

After reading about the life and ministry of George Mueller, we felt this was the best route for our family to take as well. God has already taken us around this block a few times. He has proven Himself as Jehovah Jireh again and again, especially when Sean quit his job for 9 months to do street ministry. It was amazing to see the different ways He chose to meet our needs. We've learned to trust Him to provide as we obey Him. He has always been so faithful to us!

Many people have asked us what organization or church is funding us. Basically, we are flying by the seat of our pants! We simply continued to pray for God's direction and had godly counsel confirm that we should make an "exploratory trip" to spy out the land. We knew that God would provide the finances in His timing, and He did. Sean received a specific date in prayer, which confirmed the time frame that I had received as well.

While we have the full support of our church (who gathered around and prayed for us during this morning's service), so far God has provided the funds for this trip without using our church family as resources. Not to say He might do things differently in the future, just trying to emphasize that we CAN fly by the seat of our pants. We don't HAVE to have all our ducks in a row. HE knows what we need, and He knows where He's taking us and what it will take to get us there!

In the next post I will share another question we have been asked~with answers, of course! Less than 48 hours til take-off!

Edited to add the following day: The Lord did indeed lead some of our brothers and sisters to sow their finances into this adventure. I love how He works. It will be exciting to see how it will be used for the Kingdom!

C. T. Studd~I love this guy!!!

"Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell."~C.T. Studd

When you read anything about the life of C. T. Studd you can't HELP but be inspired! This man gave up a promising career in cricket, gave away his sizeable inheritance, and gave himself as a living sacrifice as a missionary to China, India and Africa. Guess where he landed in Africa? Mombasa, Kenya!

More quotes from C.T. Studd:


Within A Yard of Hell (drama featuring his life):

Only 9 more days! And some important Kenya stats...

Time is fairly FLYING by~before we know it, Sean will be leaving on a jet plane! And this is why he goes...to learn more about how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to the least of these.

*It is estimated that 300 babies are abandoned in Kenya each day~sweet blessings from God like this little lamb dumped in unimaginable places and left to die.

*Out of the estimated 19 million children in Kenya, an estimated 2.6 million are orphans (children who have lost one or more parents). Many of these children live on the streets.



Onesimus Boys Centre is a Christian rehabilitation centre for street boys who are 13-18 years old. The boys are rescued from the street and offered opportunities and hope by restoring their physical, social, psychological and spiritual well being so that they will become self-sufficient and will be a blessing to their families and community.

For more info on this ministry, go to abridgetokenya.com

FREE KINDLE (no longer free, but I can loan it out!)~The Unlikely Missionary: From Pew-Warmer to Poverty-Fighter

I had this book on my Amazon wish list for a while~so I was thrilled to see that it was on the list of free Kindle. I don't know how long it will be there, so wanted to share!

Edited to add: for anyone who missed this title while it was free, I am able to loan it out for 2 weeks. Just reply to this blog post with your e-mail address if interested!

"Jesus called us to change the world... starting with 'the least of these.'

Dan King, popular blogger and founder of BibleDude.net, wrestled for several years with this idea of what it means to serve like Jesus did. That is, until he started researching the topic of poverty and what the Christian response to it looks like. One little writing project triggered a series of events, like dominoes, that eventually led him on an unlikely trip to Africa. It was a trip that would change things forever.

Follow Dan's journey not only on a poverty-fighting trip through Africa, but also on the journey of discovery as the mission trip helps him find purpose and meaning in his Christian walk."

Read more about Dan at his website BibleDude.net.

Action Ministry~no longer rejected, but BLESSED

Action Ministry from Know Think Act on Vimeo.

Visit Peter Ochiel's website at actionministrykenya.com/

Kenya bound! 15 more days...

Things are coming together nicely~Sean has a place to stay while in Mombasa, he has also made a few contacts with different ministries in the area that he will be able to visit and learn from. Right now we're praying about what he can take with him~not only items for his personal benefit, but also things we can bless others with who are in need (clothing, school supplies, etc). Obviously, one guy can't take that much stuff~but we'll be making the most of every available inch of packing space!

When visiting a third world country, we obviously can't take certain things for granted~such as clean drinking water, "normal" bathroom facilities (including TP), electricity, internet services, etc. This will truly be an adventure! We are thankful that we can trust God to provide everything we need to do His will! This doesn't always mean we will be comfortable, but we can rest knowing He is our Keeper! (Psalm 121)

Off to Kenya in 19 days!!!

I know I haven't blogged about anything personal so far, but the purpose of this blog is to chronicle our family's journey in attempting to live out Isaiah 58. Last October, Sean visited India and Sri Lanka. He was able to fellowship with brothers and sisters who must meet in remote jungle areas due to persecution. He also visited an orphanage. Happily, he will be able to drop in for another visit on the way back from Kenya! We found that it was actually cheaper to fly this route, which ended up being a huge blessing.

It was so awesome to see how God not only provided the funds for that trip, but also covered the wages Sean was unable to earn while he was away. When we seek our Father's kingdom and righteousness first, He truly does supply all our needs. I love His ways!

I will share more details on the Kenya trip soon! In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers for continued guidance and provision for His will to be done!

My first giveaway (of sorts)

It occurred to me that I am able to loan my Kindle version of "No Greater Love" by Levi Benkert. See my blog post from June 15th on his ministry if you've never heard of him. This guy and his family just picked up and moved to Ethiopia indefinitely to rescue children destined to die. It's such an inspirational story of what God can do with a surrendered life!

I am able to loan this title one time for a period of two weeks. Comment on this post if you want to borrow No Greater Love. I will wait a week and then do a drawing if there is more than one person interested.

Trash Mountain Project

Trash Mountain Project, founded by Brett and Jaelle Durbin, is an organization not only dedicated to spreading the message of the affliction of children and families within trash dumps around the world, but also for the purpose of encouraging believers to walk along side of those suffering. As Christian family, the body of Christ can provide for their most eminent needs with the purpose of creating disciples honorable of the Lord. Visit their website trashmountain.com for more information.

FOREVER FAMILIES

From Natasha at The 28:19 Call Blog (the2819call@blogspot.com):

The worldwide orphan population is between 143 million, and 210 million. That is about the whole population of Russia (143,056,383 as of January 1st 2012) to give you a better picture of this colossal epidemic. Twenty thousand children die everyday from malnutrition and preventable diseases. The good news is that God chooses to work through you and me to be His hands and feet.

I truly believe that you cannot lead a child to a place of healing if you do not know the way yourself. That is why we want locals who are completely sold out to Christ Jesus for this vision in East Africa. A forever family is basically a family model. People willing to open up their house and hearts for orphans in their community. They may need a little financial support initially to get livestock and/or agriculture up and running for self sustainability. The important thing is that we don't want to create an orphanage setting; we're reestablishing Christian families where God is the head of the household. Right now these children don't have a model of what they can become... they are street children. Through education, vocational training, and business development we are going to prepare these children for adulthood. But most importantly will be discipling them for the kingdom of God. The orphan crisis in Africa is the greatest opportunity we have to reach Africa with the kingdom of God. These children are looking for hope, and purpose; through forever families, that is what we can give them.

This is the vision. We have a long road ahead of us. First and foremost, we need to research the laws for adoption/legal guardianship in Kenya and hopefully Uganda. We need to find other organizations that have made this work successfully. So we will be contacting the Orphan Care Alliance for some information. An application needs to be made for individuals who feel led to care for "the least of these." Charlton has already started on that. We ask for prayers. We feel like this is a call on our life from the Lord. As followers of Christ we are called to make disciples, and to love. We are building the Lord's army! Rather then rescuing one orphan, we are talking about five, six, seven at a time! Lives transformed by the love of Jesus. The possibilities are huge! All things are possible through Christ who gives me strength!

We add a wholehearted "Amen" to this and our prayers are with this ministry as they wait on God to serve the least of these!

Truth.

"Man made orphanages for children, but God made the family for children."
Johnny Carr, Orphan Justice: How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting

I like adoption.

Mercy House Kenya

The Mercy House exists to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House will aid them in education, nutrition, housing, prenatal care, Bible study, counseling and job skills for sustainable living. Check them out at mercyhousekenya.org

Ethiopia's Children - Levi Benkert

California businessman Levi Benkert was playing with his children in the park when he received an urgent phone call from a friend asking him to drop everything and fly to Ethiopia to help organize a rescue orphanage for children destined to be murdered as part of a tribal superstition known as “mingi killings.” Moved by his friend’s story, Levi packed his bags and left for what he thought would be a short two-week trip. But upon meeting the children, Levi knew there was no turning back. Six weeks later, Levi, his wife, Jessie, and their three young children sold their home and all their belongings and relocated to Ethiopia indefinitely. Check out their website bringlove.in

The Baby Box

The Drop Box - Documentary PROMO

Watoto Children's Choir | Not Forgotten

We are going to see the Watoto Children's Choir tonight. It is such a blessing to see these beautiful children who have been rescued from unspeakable horrors praise their Redeemer Jesus. The story of Watoto is an incredible testimony (see the Watoto Documentary below). These children were once orphans but never forgotten by their heavenly Father. He sets the solitary in families!

Watoto Documentary

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption

Here is another example of what God will do when we just say "Yes, Lord" and obey the command to love others as He loves us. I just finished reading the book~and words can't express how powerful her testimony is.

Cinderella Children - The Documentary

I'm going to be sharing some inspiring testimonies of people who are actually living out Isaiah 58 in ministering to the least of these. It is amazing what the Father will do with a surrendered life!

Free Christian ebook~ He Loves Me!

How can we love the least of these if we don't understand the love our Heavenly Father has for us and for them? We can't give away something that we have not received for ourselves. Many of us think we "know" that God loves us. We've heard it so many times~but is it just head knowledge or has it become actual revelation to our hearts? The information in this book is life changing!

Personally, I had never quite been able to believe that God loved me (at least not all the time). My biological father rejected my mother and I when I was the tender age of 15 months. Then I felt I could never earn the love or approval of my stepfather. Later in life, my first marriage ended when my husband left me for another woman. These experiences had a profound effect on my heart. When it came to loving and receiving love, I was crippled. This emotional deficit had a negative impact on my relationships. It seemed like a fairy tale that God could love me the way I was, with all my warts, and be happy with me.

When I read this book, I received a glimmer of hope. I am reading it again so I can get more of this glorious, liberating truth into my heart. He loves me! He truly does.

Loving the Least of These

Every Single One

Forty pairs of little eyes
Stared into this heart of mine
A memory burned inside my soul
One that never has let go
I looked into the face of need
The least of these looked back at me
I was unprepared and overwhelmed
With little time and much to tell

I’ve seen Jesus standing all alone
I’ve seen Jesus, He was young and He was old
I’ve seen Jesus in the eyes of all His daughters and sons
Every single one

In a world away from luxury
Is where I found prosperity
Where greater love laid down His life
For the orphan and the widowed wife

I found Jesus
He’s living with the poor
I’ve found Jesus
He’s easy to ignore
I’ve found Jesus in the eyes of all His daughters and sons
Every single one

By Geoff Moore and Ben Glover

Hear Him.

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therin, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:25

The Hebrew word for "hear" is shama. Which is translated~to hear intelligently with an implication of attention and obedience. To obey and to be obedient are included in the meanings. So hearing isn't just hearing~hearing means taking action and obeying what you heard. Father, help us to truly hear (shama) Your instructions.

How do we care for the least of these?

By loving the stranger:

For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:17-19

By giving of our increase to feed the stranger, the fatherless, the widow and the full time ministers of the Lord:

At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. Deuteronomy 14:28-29

By treating them justly and sharing our increase with them, remembering that we were once in bondage:

Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing. Deuteronomy 24:17-22

By defending them, delivering and rescuing the poor, afflicted and needy:

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4

By relieving them and advocating for them:

Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17

By sharing our bread with the hungry, bringing the homeless into our homes, and covering the naked:

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Isaiah 58:7 By showing mercy and compassion to them:

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Zechariah 7:9-10

By visiting them in their affliction:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27