Well, it's that time again. Tomorrow I leave for Africa for the fourth time in 15 months, this time to Kenya. While you might think this is getting to be routine, preparing for this trip has been very different and more challenging because my destination, my role, and our partner are all new. Doing the homework to serve as both Lead Trainer and Team Leader has been fun, but I have felt more of a burden of responsibility.
That's where yesterday's church service comes in. First Christian Assembly celebrated its "Family Day" with an international flavor. This is a very diverse congregation, and that diversity was well represented in the worship team and the music. I think that there were at least six countries represented among the singers, and we sang worship songs in English, Hebrew, Malaysian - and Amharic (Ethiopia) and Swahili (Kenya) as well! I was wearing one of my traditional Ethiopian shirts and felt very much at home. The worship really brought home the universality of God's Kingdom, and was a foretaste of what we can expect in heaven when all peoples gather together to worship the King. Also, several of the songs used the theme of yielding ourselves to God and allowing Him to work and love others through us. That message is really the theme of my preparation for this trip. I have a sense that God has prepared me my whole life for what I am doing now. Yet, I am just an instrument. I can accomplish nothing without the master playing his music through me. Please pray that I won't be a foolish flute that futilely frets to fashion its own fugue! (How's that for alliteration?)
My flight leaves Cincinnati at 226 PM, and I arrive in Nairobi at 1025 PM Wednesday night (325 PM EDT). The rest of my team arrives on Friday, and we travel to the training site on Saturday. I am not taking my laptop this time, and internet interaction will be intermittent (sorry, couldn't resist!) But please check back in case I'm able to post, or to have Cindy post for me like the last trip. Your prayers are VERY much appreciated, because this is not about what our team is doing - it's about what God is doing through us in those communities. Thank you, and may God bless you all for your support and faithfulness!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
"In his heart a man plans his course..."
"...but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, just a few verses before my personal favorite, v. 31 - check it out!)
When I was returning from my last trip to Ethiopia in March, I told everyone who would listen, "I need to spend some time at home, maybe I'll make another trip next year." Well, apparently God was one of the ones who wasn't listening! About 20 hours after landing in Cincinnati, I got a phone call from Janet at Lifewater asking me if I would consider leading a trip to Kenya at the beginning of June! I was very resistant to the idea at first, but as the days went by, it started to make sense. The project is a partnership with World Vision Kenya. The training is for PTA members at 10 village schools near Mtito Andei, and the curriculum is Transformational Community Development. This is the same training that we did in Ethiopia in February 2010, and it was truly transformational for our participants, their communities - and us! That was the only previous time that this curriculum has been used "in country", so my experience really fit the niche. So, I took the plunge, and will serve as both Lead Trainer and Team Leader!
This will be a truly unique team: Lina (a great staff member from California), Zerihun (our East Africa Director whom I written about extensively), Elizabeth (a volunteer in Kenya whom I've heard lots about), and me! Because of the logistics, we'll have very little opportunity to plan together before we meet in Nairobi. So, I'll be working on a teaching schedule with Janet, and our team will go over it together for the first time a day or two before we begin! We will also do one day of training for the village chiefs. Should be quite an adventure!
I leave on May 31, arriving late on the evening of June 1. The rest of the team joins me on June 3, and we travel to Mtito Andei the next day. I fly home on June 15, arriving the evening of June 16. And yes, I plan to make time for the team to do a safari - we'll be staying minutes from the gates of two of the largest national parks in Kenya!
I'll post more info as the date draws nearer. Meanwhile, please pray for our team, our plans, our participants, and the people of the villages.
When I was returning from my last trip to Ethiopia in March, I told everyone who would listen, "I need to spend some time at home, maybe I'll make another trip next year." Well, apparently God was one of the ones who wasn't listening! About 20 hours after landing in Cincinnati, I got a phone call from Janet at Lifewater asking me if I would consider leading a trip to Kenya at the beginning of June! I was very resistant to the idea at first, but as the days went by, it started to make sense. The project is a partnership with World Vision Kenya. The training is for PTA members at 10 village schools near Mtito Andei, and the curriculum is Transformational Community Development. This is the same training that we did in Ethiopia in February 2010, and it was truly transformational for our participants, their communities - and us! That was the only previous time that this curriculum has been used "in country", so my experience really fit the niche. So, I took the plunge, and will serve as both Lead Trainer and Team Leader!
This will be a truly unique team: Lina (a great staff member from California), Zerihun (our East Africa Director whom I written about extensively), Elizabeth (a volunteer in Kenya whom I've heard lots about), and me! Because of the logistics, we'll have very little opportunity to plan together before we meet in Nairobi. So, I'll be working on a teaching schedule with Janet, and our team will go over it together for the first time a day or two before we begin! We will also do one day of training for the village chiefs. Should be quite an adventure!
I leave on May 31, arriving late on the evening of June 1. The rest of the team joins me on June 3, and we travel to Mtito Andei the next day. I fly home on June 15, arriving the evening of June 16. And yes, I plan to make time for the team to do a safari - we'll be staying minutes from the gates of two of the largest national parks in Kenya!
I'll post more info as the date draws nearer. Meanwhile, please pray for our team, our plans, our participants, and the people of the villages.
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