Our second deadline for the Kenya trip has come and gone. Some of you already know that the funds for the trip did not come with it. Because of the other things going on for the remainder of the year*, I do not feel that we can simply reschedule it or push it back a little further. It will have to be cancelled. This is not an easy thing, but as a friend recently said, “It is a God decision.” The good thing about “God decisions” is that when you let Him make the decisions you are left with perfect peace.
Please pray as we continue to seek the Lord’s will regarding the ministry in Kenya. I received an email from them this morning and I know they are still very much in need of assistance. We are trying to work out a way for us to meet via Skype. They have found a cyber café to which they can go, now we just have to get the rest of the logistics pulled together. Please be praying about this. Communication has been very difficult over the last month due to my poorly functioning phone card and their lack of internet access. The Lord’s timing is perfect. I know that as we let Him bring things together we will also see His perfect plan.
I am still praying and planning on the trip to Central Asia to help with camp. I look forward to sharing more about this with you in the days ahead. The dates are not set in stone, but it looks like it will be from the middle of June through the middle of July. This trip is as much a step of faith as the Kenya trip. I had hoped to possibly go later in the year, but the missionaries there specifically asked me to come during this time if at all possible. It has been more than four years since I have been able to visit with these children. My heart is practically aching to get on that plane. But just like anything else, I must put it in His hands. Allow Him to direct, lead and provide. Amazing how much peace comes from that simple act!
Again, this is one of the ministries that we include in the Green Bean Project. You may remember that we were able to send them denim for the girls’ skirts and jeans for the boys. Some items on their list went unmet because of shipping costs. If you would be interested in helping provide any of these things, please let me know.
Please be praying with me about all that will go into this trip. As I have looked at the routings it appears that it will be nearly $2000 cheaper to fly from Fargo, ND. This means that I will have a ten-hour drive on top of the 30+ hours of flights and layovers to and from the country. I checked into flying from Billings to Fargo, but there are no direct flights. (Very strange.) I would greatly appreciate prayer for wisdom. This is the route that I took to and from Kenya last year, however, I had a 3 day layover in London on the way home which broke up the travel. It is doable, just not preferable… You may hear me singing at the top of my lungs to keep myself awake all the way across North Dakota and Eastern Montana! (I will also definitely be packing sunscreen for my left arm this time! 🙂
This morning I was studying Job. It is so good to know that “He knoweth the way I take”! As I have been working on the last section of the “New Testament and the Fatherless” blogs, it has been good to review God’s work in our lives through that nearly dreaded virtue – patience. Waiting is hard. Not knowing is hard. Wondering what the next step will be is hard. But patience, leads to experience. Experience shows us that God never fails, and that gives us hope. “And hope maketh not ashamed”. (Romans 5:4,5)
Thank you for your prayer. That is such a trite thing to say, but I mean it with all my heart. The ups and downs of the last couple of weeks have been wearing. Your prayer helps immensely!
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*Bible Institute Course preparation, Trip to Central Asia, GBC Ladies Retreat preparation and planning, Bible Institute Run-thru in the fall, etc.
