We are here! Living at the end of a little red dirt road near the rural village of Kithimani, Kenya. Our altitude is almost a mile high. We are living on a plateau, so the view from the road is mountains. The road leading up to the house is lined with wildflowers and acacia, sisal and succulents. There’s been a lot of rain in the past few days and the house sounds like a little tin ship beneath a waterfall. It’s been quite possibly the longest yet most fulfilling 12 days of our lives. From sunup to well after sundown, there is work to be done.
After nearly 40 hours of traveling, we arrived in Kithimani. Our girls all had travelers sickness and Soul ran a fever for a few days, but besides that, everyone has been adjusting well. From the moment we arrived, our kids have embraced learning Kiswahili. They’ve literally embraced everyone they’ve met! They just overflow with love and joy. I have an even greater understanding of Jesus’ words and commands to be like children. The Kingdom of Heaven truly belongs to little children! I’ve been so amazed by their attitudes. They’ve had to pump water for baths, for filtering drinking water, for cleaning dishes. They’ve battled mosquitoes and bugs we don’t know the name of yet. They’ve navigated the stressful driving conditions with more grace than I have! And my mom is here with us for the first month as well! God told her years ago that she would one day go to Africa for missions. She has been the epitome of grace, kindness, and strength!
We have met several amazing Kenyans that have been a blessing to our family already. This country is so warm and welcoming. They have made us feel at home. We are blessed to call them forever friends. Peter, Mary, Julius, Felix, Zaddock, and many more—they have all helped us get our family settled here and we are so grateful for them. We are so thankful to Felista and Angels Center of Hope that we have a house to live in here in a peaceful place.
God has led our every step! I’m in tears typing that. Every obstacle we’ve faced (and there have been many), God has provided a rescue! He’s been our Way-Maker, Miracle-Worker, Promise-Keeper (our girls have been singing that song throughout the house lately—at the top of their lungs). When we needed a van, He provided it. When we needed the right visas to stay here, He provided them. When we needed paperwork that often takes months to get, He got it for us. When that same paperwork was lost in a taxi in Nairobi, God miraculously connected the taxi driver back up with us and he brought us the papers! When we ran out of water in our rain tanks after only a week, God brought a water truck in the night right to our front gate! He is the God who MAKES A WAY. Nothing is too difficult for Him! He never runs out of provision, He never runs out of goodness, He never runs out of faithfulness! God is so good.
We visited our friend Mary’s house down the mountain and the little kids laughed and ran after us. We saw the river the kids bathe in and the road they walk to school sometimes in pouring rain. Our kids gave the school children who visited our house stickers and crayons and they put the stickers all over their faces. They had never seen crayons before, either! We only wish we had brought more to give them. We are wrecked for normal living. Our hearts are stretched, we pray God continues to grow our love and our faith.
We post detailed stories and testimonies, as well as live videos and updates, on our facebook page Commission Mankind. Please follow along there! It’s easier to post live videos, because we don’t have wifi. I use my phone hotspot to log into websites. We PRAISE GOD for YOU!! We wouldn’t be here without our family in Christ in the States making this possible. So, THANK YOU! Your love and support truly strengthens our hearts!
Today we visited White Dove Fellowship
Thankful for the prayers and support of local churches!
WE HAVE EXCITING NEWS!!
We feel like shouting from the mountain tops “Look what God has done!”
We were able to purchase TICKETS to Kenya for our family!! And yes, that means TEN tickets were booked for an international flight! My mom is coming to spend the first month with us!
We leave January 18th! Only Five weeks away.
God is giving us a whole new appreciation for His “suddenlies”.
What He says, He does. What He promises, He fulfills. You can stake your life on it. And as Christians, we are asked to do no less.
We’ve staked our lives on His commission. But that doesn’t mean we are paragons of faith. It simply means we are willing to look foolish to the world. :) We are willing to follow Him, and thankfully He leads us one step at a time.
I used to think following God one step at a time was frustratingly slow—now, I understand why the slow and steady pace—each step of obedience requires more faith than the last one.
Recently, Joel and I were praying about whether or not we should go ahead and purchase tickets when there are still some big things we are waiting on provision for; things like a vehicle and an extra rain collecting tank for the house. (By the way, that’s another awesome testimony— we’ve been graciously offered a house to stay in by a family member of Angels Center of Hope.) In both of our prayer times, God gave us similar scriptures. Joel had written on the top of his notes, “God directs our steps” (Proverbs 20:24) and I had written in my notes, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
How can we walk if we don’t take steps? And how will that walk be one of faith if we can see every step?
“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God,” Paul says (Romans 8:14)
If we are walking by faith, it becomes as simple as Following the Leader. The Spirit of God is the one who leads and this is how we demonstrate our sonship. This is no normal walk. It’s a walk categorized by blind faith and expectant trust. Does it look foolish sometimes? Absolutely! Does it even make sense to us at times? To be honest, no, not always. .
“A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?” Proverbs 20:24
If God is leading, then He knows where He’s going! God doesn't get lost. He doesn’t lose His way. He doesn’t need a map or a program or a list. He thought of everything and He knows how to get us where He wants us. We can’t miss the destination, when He is our guide. We can’t miss our goal, when He is our aim.
God willing, we will be in Kenya in January! And we’ll be taking it one step at a time, as the Lord leads! He’s brought us this far and we are amazed at the love and support of the people of God and the way we travel together on this journey.
In Christ,
Joye