What a Journey!

Last night we arrived back in the United States after over 24 hours of traveling. Our final days were spent finishing up the last of our projects in each department and saying goodbye to the wonderful people we have met and worked alongside in Nairobi.
Saturday night we had dinner with the founder of Missions of Hope International, Mary Kamau. After we finished our stew and chapati, we each went around and talked about our expectations coming into the trip...how they differed from reality, ways those expectations were exceeded or not met, and what we've learned through it all.
For me, I felt somewhat prepared for many of the basic expectations because I have been to Kenya, Nairobi, and Missions of Hope before. The surprises, difficulties, and victories were found in carrying out our tasks in the Business Development Services (BDS) department. For example, aspects I thought would be simple, such as filling out the form with an individual, proved to be much more time consuming and difficult than I had anticipated. However, collecting the completed forms and writing the two-paragraph profiles took less time.

God really taught me about his faithfulness this summer. I really learned that nothing is too small or insignificant, or too vast and overwhelming for God to handle. He is waiting and wanting to help you through the struggles and trials, you just have to ask Him and allow Him to do so. So often I'll catch myself trying to fix all my troubles, struggles, and short-comings on my own...with my own strength, discipline, and hard work....when it is much healthier and effective, and much less exhausting, to ask God for his help in the first place. He is much more capable than I, and knows infinitely more than I ever will.

Whether it's the crippling day-to-day toil to survive that is witnessed in Mathare Valley slums, or overcoming our own insecurities to reach people and place other's needs above our own, He is anxiously waiting for us to relinquish control so that He can transform our lives and communities in ways we never thought possible. The Gospel is alive and active, sharper than a double-edged sword, and coursing through the veins of Christ's body of believers all around the globe.