Abby and I have been blessed to see more of Kenya in a year than the average Kenyan sees all his life. It seems like we are always on the road, and sometimes it can feel tiring and chaotic. Most recently we visited the coastal town of Mombasa with my best friend, Jonathan, and his wife, Kelsey, who came to visit.
As the manager of a scuba diving shop in Florida, Jonathan was eager to spend some time in the Indian Ocean. For Abby and I, the trip wasn’t just about fun and relaxation, although we did that too, but it provided an opportunity to see the ministry of Chris and Lisa Moore (who we are extremely grateful towards for opening their home for us to sleep at).
The Moore’s are developing community centers focused around a church and evangelism with the goal of providing access to good medical care, quality education, and clean water (http://www.real4christ.com/). They are doing a phenomenal job reaching out to villages that have been largely overlooked and forgotten about, and I learned a lot, especially in the area of project management in a foreign country.
In December, we visited Vernon and Mary Smith in Tanzania for Christmas, another opportunity to see another great ministry. They also have a church, school, and medical facilities, but in a suburb of a large town. It was encouraging to see their love for the Tanzanians and how they lead people to grow in Christ through care and relationships.
We also have a church and school here in Nanyuki with the Daniels. In many ways, these other ministries are modeled after what the Daniels have done, but each one has made improvements and changed things to fit their gifting and the needs of the area, allowing me to compare and contrast.
The above mentioned trips are just a glimpse of our travels. There are countless other ministries we have had the blessing to see, including many within our own fellowship of churches. From leading American teams to working with groups of Kenyan pastors/evangelists, we have also led many trips.
At the end of each one, I am always happy to return to our home in Nanyuki. Travelling is exhausting. Sometimes I struggle to stay organized because by the time I settle back in it is time to go again. Sometimes my bag is never unpacked from the last trip as I begin a new one (although that is partially my personality as Abby always manages to unpack ). I feel like I have a perpetual to-do list since I am never home long enough to finish everything, but I am thankful for the craziness.
Abby and I have both learned so much in the chaos. These first two years are about discovering our future of missions. I am thankful for this time of learning, but looking forward to settling down more. Until then I know that God will continue to give us the grace to push on in His will.