What a day! Although it was a little different than the past 2 days, today was awesome!

Matt, Sarah, and Caroline went with 2 children to the hospital. The kids were being tested for TB. One has it and the other does not. Matt was frustrated by what appeared to be a fairly indifferent attitude on the part of the doctors at the hospital.

While they were at the hospital, Ryan, Lissetta, Zach, and Caleb helped clean the room where the 102 kids eat meals (this is quite a job!!). Then they got to test each of beds of the kids being potty trained to see which of the sheets had a “yellow surprise.” Serving others is not always convenient. After this, Zach and Caleb dispensed the water to the community for about 2 hours, while Lissetta played with some of the infants.

Monica, Joshua, and Diana all worked throughout the morning with the school-aged kids in the classroom. They worked in the older classroom that has about 12 students. But these students were in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. The teacher’s name is also Monica and she does a great job!! Monica mentioned that this was such a joy!

I worked this morning to replace the screens on the infant play area. After Ryan finished inside, he helped me.

After lunch, Carla, Matt, Ryan, Lissetta and myself all went to Pastor George’s house. I met Pastor George last year and sensed so powerfully that the Spirit of the Lord was ruling His heart. It has been my hope and desire that to serve with him when we came and the Lord has orchestrated just that. We had a short devotion over 1 Samuel 10 and 13 – where Saul fails to obey the Lord by waiting on Samuel. We shared how each of us has had to wait on the Lord.

The stories of some of the people are nothing short of inspiring! We were all encouraged to wait on the Lord even under what might feel like extreme circumstances. One woman had triplets – beautiful children. But, in her husband’s tribe, multiple births are considered a curse. So her husband abandoned her. Her father told her she could keep the one girl but need to kill the 2 boys, because the curse would flow through them. She was faced with being completely abandoned or killing her children. She even contemplated suicide. But in the end she chose to wait on the Lord. And He has provided for her.

She is not wealthy. In fact she is poor by every standard, except the one that matters: she is rich in the Lord. And how does this wealth demonstrate itself? She goes out and ministers to other women who are caught in similar situations – powerless to free themselves from unjust, cruel, harsh realities – nearly always at the hands of the men in their life. She is like the old woman Jesus saw putting her two coins into the offering bowl. All she has she gives away – knowing Jesus will provide Himself and everything she needs. Wealthy people spend their wealth. People who are wealthy in Jesus spend themselves on behalf of others for His glory! This women exemplifies this wealth!!

There were 5 more stories just as powerful – stories of God searching throughout the whole Earth for someone through whom He might show Himself to be powerful and good! Each of them is choosing to wait on the Lord. And two things we were reminded of are: 1.) in light of our enemy and the flesh waiting ion the Lord is not easy; 2.) in light of God’s greatness and goodness, waiting on Him is right, good, wise, and the only path to life.

And I am once again amazed by God’s ability and willingness to prepare hearts for His revelation. He literally put the message of waiting and the 1 Samuel passage on my heart as we sat down in Pastor’s house. Not only that, but of all people on the trip we have Monica - who has quadruplets! This was such a testimony to the Kenyan woman. her babies are not a curse but rather - in the Lord they are a blessing!! Nothing is impossible for God!

As we were returning it began to pour rain. This was serious rain. My guess is that in 1 hour of rain we got about 1.5 inches (sorry ATX).

Sometimes it is easy to forget that we are half way around the world from home. But as one of the women in the small group meeting today reminded us – this is not our home!

Tomorrow we celebrate the June birthdays. Cake and ice cream!! Sunday morning we will go to church with Pastor George’s community. Please pray for this time – that the Lord would speak through Matt or I and that the Spirit would have His way with each of us. Also, please continue to ray for team unity – especially the humility tat comes as the Spirit breaks us over our subtle, yet powerful self-centeredness.

I end with this encouragement: trust God!! He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine – to the glory of Jesus!!

Blessings,
Mark