That Which is Good is Never Finished

My heart and my journal are full of stories that might take a while to get onto this blog... but as we are preparing to start our long journey home, I wanted to take a moment to share with all of you.

Our third and final camp comes to a close tomorrow. We've had over 450 children come through these gates in the last three weeks. 450 children with 450 different stories, families, tribes, and even villages. Tomorrow evening we will be joined by our fellow VLMs serving in Chepnyal, before we all leave Kitale on Sunday morning. We will stay the night in Thigio, and hopefully get to see the Dream Center for pregnant women with Aids that the Daughters run in Nairobi on Monday. Tuesday, we will begin our long saga of flights home.

May God continue to bless each and every one of you - and please continue to keep us in prayer. I'll be back soon!

Transitions

Our second camp comes to a close tomorrow. Our final group of 150 children will be joining us for the first time on Monday. Transition has become a buzzword we use many times a day - the children transition from station to station within a class time, the children transition from class to class, the younger children go home after lunch and we transition to our camp for the older children in the afternoon, and each week, one group completes the camp while we transition into preparing for the next. 

Those tangible transitions are easy to focus on. The interior transitions are far more difficult to explain. The true Vincentian question, "What must be done?" has become a permanent part of my prayer. These children need so much more, beyond the tip of the iceberg we are experiencing in this camp. Systemic change cannot be accomplished by one camp, but it can light a fire in the souls of these children, and especially in the people of this community. 

Please continue to pray for us! We have just crossed the halfway point of our time in Kenya. I look forward to sharing much more with you in the coming weeks.

Jambo from Kitale!

Jambo Rafikis! (Hello friends!) Greetings from the beautiful country of Kenya! There is so much to say and so little time to say it in. We are all doing well and so happy to be here with the Daughters.

We just completed week 1 of our camp! We’ve had many successes and some interesting challenges along the way, but overall I feel that it was a huge success. We said farewell to our first group this afternoon.

There are many thoughts I’m wrestling with at the moment – mostly about the best ways to affect systemic change for the harsh poverty surrounding us. Just having these children for a week, and then sending them on their way, is no small task. My heart has been broken by their struggles and been healed again by their smiles more times than I could count this week, and I know next week will bring the same. As time helps me unfold my thoughts, I will share them as I can.

For now, know that we are all well, and we appreciate your prayers as we plan for our next group of children!

Go Without Knowing

One of my favorite songs, sung by Sandi Patty, always reminds and challenges me to give everything I have. It's one of my aspirations for this journey. As I'm heading to the airport, I share with you the lyrics on my mind.

"If my life could be
All my life should be
I would learn to trust God
At every turn
I would hear His words
And my heart would surrender then
Truly depend on Him

I'd go without knowing
Do without doubting
Face without fearing
Any road in front of me
I'd give without glory
Love without limits
Go without knowing
Wherever He may lead

If my eyes could be opened wide
I'd be blind to me
So I could see what He sees
Beyond asking why
I would take up my cross and still
Gladly lay down my will.

I'd go without knowing
Do without doubting
Face without fearing
Any road in front of me
I'd give without glory
Love without limits
Go without knowing

Wherever He may lead."

Even Kenya...

Please pray for all of the VLMs traveling today! God-willing, I will share news with you from Kitale in the near future!