Getting Ready!!!- Kenya 2013

Cannot believe how soon I will be headed to Kenya. This time next week I will be sleeping because it will be nearly 4am. But I will have lions roaring outside my window!!!! Haha. And will be busy with the many things we have planned. We will be going between Kandaria and Katito while there. I'm super stoked that I get to participate in therapy screenings and eye glass fitting for the Kenyans, as well as, many other ministries. It's all hitting me as I pack and prepare. Today I did my last Walmart run, hemmed the last skirt that needs packed and went over my check list! Almost completely packed and ready to go!!! I am so blessed for all the support I have gotten throughout the preparations of this trip. Our God is awesome and I can't wait to see what He will do through us I'm Kenya!!! :) Thank you all one last time before I go for all you've done!! 

I will try to post on here with some updates while there so stay tuned! In If y'all want to check out House of Hope in the meantime, go to http://hohkandaria.tumblr.com/

:)

Melissa

Kenya in T minus 25 Days!

I cannot believe that I will be in Kenya in less than a month. Everything is coming up so quickly!! I am beyond excited! I just got home from Walmart getting the essentials: bug spray, sunscreen, toothpaste, etc. This morning I called to get my script for my malaria medications and those dog-gone vaccines are ALL done. (Hallelujah!!)  And let me tell you, God has been absolutely MAGNIFICIENT in this whole process. (I mean, as He is always!)

I originally was afraid to sign up for the trip because of the price tag. Yes, I know God is bigger than a price tag. But it was scary putting it on the line. I was also scared because, although I was going with my church, I knew NO ONE on the trip when I signed up. Since I’ve been in Erie for school the past 5 years and started going to Grace my sophomore year of college I hadn’t really connected much with the church. But back to the point…God continually has been laying Africa and Kenya in particular on my heart and I knew I had to go there and as time went on I knew, more than anything I’ve ever known in my entire life, that God wants me in Kenya.

So all rainbows and butterflies now, right? NO. I still had that HUGE price tag to fill and was not sure how to do it. As a new grad school graduate there isn’t much room in the bank for a trip to Africa, so support raising it was. I knew God has a plan for me during my time there. Not exactly sure how He’ll use me but I know He is going to use me, so I asked family and friends to support the trip through prayers (which have been helping my nerves and preparation tremendously!!!!) and/or monetary donations. I’ll admit I was nervous sending letters out and putting myself out there, but the responses were amazing. I can’t even tell you how many times I cried of pure joy from God’s faithfulness. I am so blessed to be surrounded and to know such wonderful and amazing people that, because of them I will be on my way to Kandaria, Kenya in 25 days! I have also been amazed at how many times and how easily this trip has been a bridge to talking to people (sometimes even strangers) about Jesus.

I was stressed at times about this trip and how everything will fall into place.  This past week in particular has been very stressful.  Our funds are due on Sunday and last Sunday I still had a little over $1,000 to go. I kept calculating in my head how I was going to make it work. I kept praying, wondering why God would bring me this far if it wasn’t going to work out! (Silly me! God already had it figured out!) Tuesday on my drive home from work I got a phone call from our mission team leader. The trip costs had miraculously gone down tremendously in price and I now owed less than $500. WHAT!? I seriously could have fainted when she told me! THANK YOU JESUS!  I got home and couldn’t wait to tell my mom. As we were talking she told me how there was a check that came for me in the mail while I was away the past weekend. Slowly but surely more money keeps showing up in the strangest of places. Why would I ever doubt my God? He’s got this covered and I am privileged enough to be a vessel of HIS love and compassion to the Kenyan people.

I am constantly amazed at God’s faithfulness. We, as humans, cannot even fathom such loyalty and grace. We serve a God that is much bigger than any circumstance before us. Don’t let worry or doubt get in your way this week. God has His hand in the situation you face. (Deuteronomy 31:6) Be the seed that has a noble and good heart, hear God’s word and hold it close. (Luke 8:11-15) He doesn’t waste experiences, so take in every moment. Use every moment to grow closer to Him!