Katie in Kenya

A new beginning

2010-10-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

So this is going to be my last update for this blog site. I am no longer "Katie in Kenya" so the story is complete for this time. I have begun a new chapter in my life. It is a new beginning for me and I am so excited for what lies ahead.

God has been faithful to me this entire time. He has been beside me every step of the way. I can look back and clearly see God's provision and protection in amazing ways. I can testify of the Lord's goodness and faithfullness!

Thanks for following the story!

He gives and takes away... still He is good!

2010-10-19T06:18:00.001-07:00

So I picked up this daily devotional the other day and have been reading through it. Yesterday's message for the day was so great I thought I would share it with all of you. here we go...

Seeing with your eyes

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You."
Job 42:5

"In his time, Job was the most righteous person on earth. He was so godly that the Lord took pleasure in pointing him out to Satan (Job 1:8). Yet, despite his love for God and his diligent obedience to His commands, even Job had not fully come to know God. The blessings God had given to Job had not revealed everything about God's character. There were characteristics that Job would come to realize only though adversity. So the Lord allowed Satan to test Job through suffering.

Although Job lost everything he had, even his 7 children, Job discovered that God was still with him. Though he faced the most difficult and bewildering tribulations imaginable, Job came to understand that God was infinitely wiser than he (Job 42:1-4). As Job endured the insensitivity of his friends, he learned that God is the only One who is absolutely trustworthy. Job learned much about God through his anguish. Finally, he confessed that at first he had only heard about God, but now, through his suffering, he had come to see God (Job 42:5).

When you are in the midst of your trials, your Lord will reveal His character to you in ways you never knew. You will experience His strong and comforting presence. Like Job, you will learn that your Lord will remain, even when everyone else abandons you. You will see God more clearly as He takes you through the dark times. Then you will experience God in ways you had previously only heard about from others."

I thought this message was so good. I learned a lot from it and I hope it speaks to you also. It is such a good reminder that God is good. He knows how to give good gifts to His children but He also takes away, still He remains purely and completely good!

Another transition

2010-10-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

"In the chaos, in confusion
I know your sovereign still
in the moment of my weakness
you give me grace to do your will."

These words from a worship song called, "None but Jesus" have been sticking out to me for the past few weeks. I have been learning this song on the guitar and as I struggle through the notes I inevitably focus a little longer on the words of the song. Wow! How I can relate to these words. In the midst of chaos God will bring grace, as long as we seek Him for it. Grace is coming... I know it!

God has to bring grace to my life because a transition season is again right around the corner for me. On Friday I will be shifting to Minnesota where I will be living on my college campus and volunteering in their admissions office. I'll also be taking some online courses to continue to my education in Cross-cultural Missions work. I am excited about this next step and more than ready to move back into the ministry.

pictures from the last 2 months

2010-10-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

This transition turned out to be a little crazy. I didn't expect to have a hard time transitioning back to the states because I have done it once before. I thought I knew what to except and how I would feel about it.

I still really miss Kenya and being on the mission field but I have learned to be content wherever the Lord places me... even at home. Not that being at home is a bad thing. I love my family and I'll always come back to my home. But I know that I am called to GO.

So these past 2 months the Lord has blessed me with some extra time with friends, family, and supporters. It has been a good time to do some things that I have wanted to do. Here are just a few of the things I've been up too...

I took a trip to MN for some self-initiated debriefing time at Bethany (my sending agency). I got to visit with some of my old team mates from my first trip to Kenya. That helped so much with my transition back to the States.

My brother and I

My family took a day to go out on the lake. I grew up boating and wake boarding. I don't make it wake to wake very often but when I do it's glorious! :)

I also took an extended trip to visit my sister and her family. It was such a blessing to spend some extra time with my niece, Hannah. She is growing up so fast and she is becoming more and more beautiful. We are so excited for her little brother to arrive in February!

This transition has been full of hard times and good times. The Lord has taught me so much through all of this. He taught me to further rely on him. When I arrived back in August I felt so completely weak. I felt no strength in and of myself but God's strength saw me through. I continue to feel weak on a regular basis but I have learned not to rely on my own strength but His. I just have to trust Him each new day for the strength that I will need. I wrote in my journal the other day, "Weakness is not always a bad thing - in fact, it is an opportunity to experience the power of God's amazing grace."

At home and doing well!

2010-08-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

I am at home and doing well. I will update more later but just wanted to drop a quick note now to say that I am doing well.

I arrived back in the states on August 8th. I flew into my sister's house in Maryland and spent a few days with them. It wasn't as exciting as we were expecting because the day after I got back from Kenya I got pretty sick. But I had the right medicine with me. So it was only a matter of waiting for the medicine to kick in and for me to get better.

Now I am back home in Ohio and enjoying it. It has been a lot of change in a short amount of time but I am hanging in there, I've done this before, so I know that it just takes time for things to feel normal again. I am embracing this time with all my heart. How often do I get time at home to rest and be with family?! Not very often, so I have to soak up this time like crazy... and believe me ... I am!

I will try to update again soon with some pictures and more on what I am doing next. But for now, I am just enjoying home!

Those I love in Nairobi

2010-08-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Though I have made many trips to different parts of Kenya, I have been based in Nairobi. I have spent most of the last 5 months working, living and serving in Nairobi. So here are just a few of the friends that I have made in Kenya's capitol city and my home for 5 months.

Jane and I: She works at Africa Center for Missions

Mercy and I: She is our house help

Jeff, Lucy and I

They have become my dear friends and I will miss them so much!

The people I love

2010-07-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today is my last day in NE. I have been here for more than a week and I thought that I would be ready to leave by now but really I am not. Tomorrow I leave NE and I am not sure when I will be back again. There are many reasons of why it will be so hard to leave...

I love Africa
I love the mission field
I love this town
I know I am called to missions
the adventure
the memories
the outreach into the community, etc.

The list goes on and on but I admit that the biggest reason why it is so hard to leave is because of the people I love. Here are just a few of the pictures of the people I love here in Kenya. They are my dear friends and I will miss them greatly

The only thing that is giving me the strength to leave this place is knowing that I am obeying God. I have peace with God knowing that I am following His will for my life. Even though is is so hard, the joy of following Him is my strength. It is my grace to trust and obey!

Lord continue to give me strength to do your will!

Another trip to NE

2010-07-21T02:57:00.000-07:00

This week I am in NE Kenya. A place that is so close to my heart. I spent 1 year here in 08-09 on internship with Bethany College of Missions. I love this place so much!

Before coming, I received a package from my church back home with art supplies and toys. So I took some of the toys to the kids at the orphanage. It was so fun to give them a small toy and see so much joy in their eyes.

Of course, we had to take some time afterwards to actually play with the toys. I gave them a small Frisbee and they didn't know how to throw it. So I had to show them. But I didn't mind at all. It was fun!

The girl on the far left is wearing sunglasses that my church sent. She is blind so the glasses are more of a physical blessing than a toy.

I am in Kenya because I desire to bless the people here. I want to show them the love of Christ through my actions and the blessings they receive through me. But I admit, that sometimes I feel more blessed by them! I love Kenya, I love Africa, I love the people. They have been such a blessing to my life. They have challenged me so much, more than they will ever now. My life is changed as a result of being here!

Thank you Lord for bringing me here. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of your work to bring your Kingdom to Africa!

2010-07-16T04:41:00.000-07:00

My days left in Kenya are getting few. Its really sad. I am embracing everyday. Even the moments that are not so fun... ex: getting stuck in traffic, etc. I am going to miss this place like crazy. During these past few months I have fallen in love with missions and being on the mission field. I love serving God in Africa.

In the midst of hardship (leaving Kenya) my heart is at peace in knowing that I am obeying God. That is what gives me peace that surpasses all understanding and amazing grace to do His will. My home in is in the will of God. That is where I belong... no matter where that may be.

So these next 3 weeks are going to spent: 1 week NE Kenya, 1 week in Nairobi, and about 1 week on the coast. I have a lot of people to say good bye to and things to tie up before I leave. I will embrace everyday that I have left and trust at the same time God will prepare me for the next step... whatever that may be.

May God's kingdom come and will be done in my life. In Jesus name.

Just for fun!

2010-07-12T04:41:00.000-07:00

Today I had some extra time to just hang out with these girls. I have grown to love them so much during my time here in Nairobi. I work with their parents in ministry and also live with their family. I will miss them so much!... just wanted to share some pics with you!

Just spent sometime taking random pictures. Thats always fun!

Ellie and I

Cailin and I

I'm gonna miss these girls so much when I leave :(

Embracing everyday!

2010-07-09T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is actually a really hard post for me to write but here we go...

These past 4 months in Kenya have been AMAZING! Ever since I got here God has opened so many doors for me in ministry. It has been unbelievable how much I have felt the favor of the Lord during my time here in Kenya. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I was called to come to Kenya these past few months. I have enjoyed the time here so much. Just the other day I was thinking to myself... 'I can't imagine going home right now, things are so great here in Kenya'. If I had it my way I would stay here... but I am not living for my own plans and purposes. I am trying to live a life submitted to Jesus Christ.

These past few weeks the Lord has been speaking to my heart that my time here in Kenya is coming to an end. He has confirmed His word over and over again through scripture and godly counsel in my life. I admit that my heart is a little broken to accept this truth that I need to leave Kenya. But God continues to tell me "Katie, trust me. Walk by faith and not by sight because I see things that you don't".

Even though this decision has been really hard, I do have peace with God. I desire to stay in Kenya but my desire to obey the Lord is even stronger.

So... I plan to leave Kenya this August. My departure date is still tentative right now but I expect to be back home by the 2nd week of August.

Believe me when I say that I am embracing everyday that I have left here in Kenya. I realize that everyday I have left is a gift from the Lord. But isn't that how we should view life no matter where we are at? Everyday is a gift from God and it is our choice of how we will embrace that gift.

God bless you all! I will keep the updates coming

Psalm 26:8
"I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells."

Graduation Day!

2010-07-03T02:29:00.000-07:00

July 1st was a very exciting day for me and the rest of the team at Africa Centre for Missions. It was the graduation day for the students from our "Church Leadership in Missions" program that I am currently coordinating. 12 students spent the past 6 weeks training on how to build missions-centered churches. We had 12 church leaders who represented 4-5 different churches from within Nairobi. It was a very exciting day for all of us.

Here one of the students gave her testimony on how the program impacted her life. The students were very pleased with the program, subjects of study, and the teachers.

Here one of the students is receiving his certificate. At then end of the graduation we prayed over the graduates and commissioned them to take what they have learned back to their home churches and missions organizations.

And of course you can't have a genuine celebration without some eating :) So after the graduation we had time to eat and fellowship together.

Here we are; the graduates of the CLM program together with our team at Africa Centre for Missions. It was so encouraging to our ministry to see 12 church leaders graduate with a biblical foundation in missions and equipped to mobilize their home churches and organization.

We praise God of a successful 6 weeks! Now we pray that God will continue to be glorified through our work!

Mission to Northeastern!

2010-06-22T05:41:00.000-07:00

This past week we received a team of 30 Americans from Green Bay, Wisconsin. We took them to Northeastern Kenya to minister among the Somali people. It was a very exciting time for all of us.

There was a variety of ministry outreach that they did. Since we were working among the muslim people, you can't just come in and start preaching. You have to first build trust with the people through access points into the community.

Their main points of minsitry... medical camps, drama, sports, and construction

At one of the churchs we partner with we are building a school for Somali girls. The men on the team spent all day, everyday working hard on the building project.

So many people were involved in this missions trip... up to 80 people. We partnered the American team alongside a team from Nairobi. It was exciting to see the Americans and Kenyans working together in ministry.

Psalm 133:1 "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"

Church Leadership in Missions

2010-06-13T09:33:00.000-07:00

My main role of ministry here in Nairobi is to coordinate our Church Leadership in Missions program. It is a 12 session course that focus' on equipping church leaders on how to build and lead missions centered churches. We teach them on how to biblically and practically lead their congregations to be active in missions.

This is a very vital course considering that many churches in Kenya do not have any mission vision at all.

We are currently in the middle of running the course for 6 weeks, 2x/week. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday to study the different topics of missions. We invited many different teachers who are very educated and experienced in missions to come and teach the church leaders.

Some of the classes include:
Biblical Basis for missions
Mission Vision
Mission Strategy
Missionary Selection and Care
Cross-Cultural communication

.... and much more!

We are so excited to see this course up and running again, considering that it has been sitting for the past few years with no one to coordinate the program. I am so blessed to serve the ministry in this way.

If you want to check out our website it is: www.acmkenya.org

Life as a dance!

2010-06-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I spent some quality time with these two beautiful young girls, Cailin and Ellie. They are the daughters of the missionary family that I am currently living with.

One of the evenings that I was watching them we decided to put some music on, just have fun, and dance. I began to twirl them around, spin them, and dip them. I would lead them in the dance and they would follow me without any hesitation. I would even pick them up and throw them around a bit and they did not flinch at all. They were not scared that I would drop them or hurt them. They totally trusted me to support and catch them.

... Because they trusted me ... it was easy for me to flip them around, spin them, and dip them. I didn't have to fight against them squirming in my arms. They just trusted!

So much joy filled my heart when I related this experience to our walk with the Lord. I realized that when we are going through life it is kind of like we are dancing with the Lord. We are relying on Him to lead us and guide us through life. There are times where we might not be sure of the moves of the dance but we just need to follow His lead.

When we come across those times when we feel like we are being thrown through the air or spun around... we shouldn't fight or squirm, that only makes the dance that much more difficult. Instead, we should just trust and follow.

In the same way that Cailin and Ellie totally trusted me to catch and support them throughout the dance... we should trust the Lord to catch and support us through life. When we submit to God instead of fighting Him it becomes a beautiful dance as He leads us through life.

This was a huge revelation to me ... and I learned it though a simple, playful experience with these two beautiful children. They taught me something tonight... Child-like Faith!

Oh how important it is when walking with Jesus!

A very special delivery!

2010-06-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

"The Giving Doll Ministry"

About one month ago I received 10 dolls from the USA. There is a woman in my church back home who is apart of the "giving doll ministry" where they make dolls for children and send them all around the world. They sent me the dolls to take to an orphanage in NE Kenya.

This past weekend I visited the orphanage and delivered the dolls. The girls were so excited to get a doll, hand-made, all the way from America. Some of them could not stop smiling and others couldn't even look at the camera long enough for a picture because they couldn't stop looking at their doll.

It was so special to personally hand each of the girls their very own doll. I told them that that was their doll and no one could take it away from them. That doll was made special for them all the way from America.

It was nice also to have some helpers. Righteous and Nevaeh assisted me in passing out the dolls to the girls. They are only 3 and 1 yrs old but yet they are already in Africa helping other. They are the sweetest girls and the best helpers!

It was such a blessing to be the one to deliver the dolls to the children. It was a blessing to personally see their faces when we handed them their doll. I am pretty sure that these children have never had their own doll before. They live with very little, so to receive something this nice, this personal, all the way from America blessed them more than I could ever imagine.

A BIG Thank you to the "Giving Doll Ministry" for their hard work and caring hearts. You are touching children's lives all around the world.

3-year visa!

2010-05-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

"The Lord will make a way when there seems to be no way"

These are the words to a song that have been running through my mind the past few days and how it is so true. Sometimes in life we come across road blocks and we feel like we have no where to go and there is no way to get around it. We have tried everything we have known to do and still its not working out. This is when we need to surrender to the Lord and rely on Him to work in power. It is in those times that we come before Him in weakness but relying on His strength.

To be honest, I feel like I am facing a number of those situations in my life... I have done everything that I know to do but still I have to rely on God to make a way.

But just today my heart was so encouraged by this truth. I found out that I was just approved for a 3 year visa for Kenya. That is an amazing miracle considering that I only applied about 2 months ago. Last time when I was in Kenya I had to wait one year to get approved for my visa that was only good for 1 year. By that time I was almost ready to leave the country. So this 3 year visa that I currently have is a gift from the Lord, a blessing, and an absolute miracle.

Once again the Lord showed me that "He can make a way when there seems to be no way". Nothing can stand in the way of the Lord accomplishing His will. He is Almighty!

Thank you Lord for this amazing blessing and lesson today!

... Because of Love ...

2010-05-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to speak at a church outside of Nairobi. I spoke to the Youth Group about why we do missions. The leaders of the church have a vision and passion for missions but they are working to mobilize the rest of their church members. They are trying to get them motivated and active in missions. They asked me to come and speak about missions and they invited me back to build on that foundation. Here is a peek on what I spoke about...

" It is my passion and work to see more missionaries on the field. But I also want to see missionaries go to the field for the right reason. There are many reasons why we should go on the mission field:
...because God said so
...obedience to the Lord
...our Christian commission
...to help others
...to bring others into God's kingdom, etc.

Those are all great reasons to do missions but our foundational reason needs to be LOVE. Love for God. Because Love is the foundation of the Gospel!

1 John 4:16 "God is Love"

1 Corinthians 13:1 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

If we do missions without love then we will only be making noise as far as the world is concerned.

Love must be our foundation
Love must be our motivator
Love must be the reason

Without love... we will work out of obligation. We will become like the pharisees, the religious leaders who crucified Jesus. They had so many religious rituals and even devotion to God... but they did not love Him.

... we must do missions because we love Jesus ...

Once we understand and live out of this foundational issue of LOVE then everything else will fall into place, even the issue of missions.

Matthew 22:37-38 "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."

John 14:15 "Jesus said, 'If you love me, you will obey what I command."

A Tribute to Kayla Marie

2010-05-14T02:04:00.000-07:00

Remembering Kayla...

2 years ago today was the most devastating day in our lives for my family. We lost our first niece, daughter, granddaughter, etc. We lost the most precious possession you could ever have in life. We lost Kayla Marie... our beautiful baby girl. We lost a piece of our hearts and a piece of our family. Even though it has been two years, still it feels like we have a knife in our hearts when we think about that day. But I am writing this blog site not to focus on the day we lost her but on her beautiful life. We remember Kayla Marie's beautiful life!

As you can see... there is no denying that she was absolutely beautiful. With her bright blue eyes and curly blond hair she had all the guys' eyes. She had a smile that warmed your heart and brightened up an entire room.

She was beautiful but she was also very active. She never sat still. She was always running around, getting into things. She was full of life and energy. I remember one time I wanted to hug her so bad but she wouldn't sit still. So I picked her up and laid her next to me on the couch in a way that it would take her a few seconds to get up. In those few seconds I wrapped my arms around her and soaked up every second that she was in my arms but then she was off again running around. I will never forget that!

We called her "our little missionary" because she ministered to everyone she came in contact with. She had a way of making you feel so loved.

It is so hard not to have her here with us, but we also have peace in knowing that she is resting in the arms of Jesus. She has gone ahead of us and is waiting for us on the other side. It gives us peace knowing that she is in no more pain. She is with Jesus and there is no better place for her to be. We will always miss her but we also know that, in light of eternity, we will see her again soon. Soon and very soon Jesus will return, we will receive our resurrected bodies and we will dwell with Him, together, Forever. That day is coming so soon! Life is so short and we must never lose sight that one day this will all pass away, Jesus will return, and He will eternally reign on the earth.

Kayla we remember your beautiful life today. We remember all that you have taught us and continue to teach us. We love you and we will see you soon!

Love, Aunt Katie

*Please remember to pray for my sister and her husband during this time, Thank you*

Safari Time

2010-05-10T07:09:00.000-07:00

After our short-term missions trip to Northern Kenya the team from America surprised me by inviting me to come on a Safari with them and fully paid for my expenses. They told me that they wanted me to be blessed and just have fun! That was a blessing from the Lord and exactly what I needed at the time.

The Safari was an amazing experience. I saw hippos, giraffe, lions and their cubs, elephants, buffalo, wildebeast, zebra, a cheetah, a leopard, and much more!

Our driver has been doing safaris for years and said that it is very rare to see a cheetah. He said that in all his years of driving he has never seen a cheetah climbing a tree like this before. He said that we were so blessed to see this.
We knew that it was blessing from the Lord!

Thank you Jesus for an amazing trip!

More Pictures :)

2010-05-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Africa

By far... the highlight of the trip was when I got to share my testimony with the Rendille Tribe. I was so blessed to have that opportunity! Thats me below, sharing about God's amazing goodness and power in my life.

Everyday we would travel into the interior bush to share the love of Jesus. This is what the roads look like in the bush :) You just drive where there is space for your car to fit.

Africa is a stunningly beautiful land but the true beauty of Africa is seen in the eyes of it's children.

Meet the team: 7 women came from Washington state to spend 2 weeks ministering to the people of Kenya. I was so blessed to be apart of their short term missions experience to Northern Kenya.

Visiting Northern Kenya

2010-05-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

This past week I was given the amazing opportunity to visit Northern Kenya and minister to the Rendille tribe. They are located way up North in Kenya. It is hard to describe this place. The only way I could begin to describe it is that I felt like I was in the scene of a National Geographic photograph. It is a place that few ever go because it is so remote. There is no electricity, no paved roads, no running water. It was the furthest I have ever gone into the villages of Africa.

They are a beautiful people but most of them do not know Jesus. So we spent the afternoons travelling out to the bush to share the Gospel with some of the villages. The highlight of the trip was when I go to share my testimony of how the Lord saved me, changed me, and called me. I thank God for that amazing trip to experience interior Africa, where few ever go.

Everyday an Adventure!

2010-04-24T03:12:00.000-07:00

God is teaching me so much during this time in Kenya! We are working hard in ministry, we are making sacrifices and some days are harder than others but the reality is... it is a blessing to follow God! It is not boring at all... instead it is full of adventure and fun. Especially in these past couple of weeks God has lead me through so many adventures!

Last week I got to hike Ngong Hills just outside of Nairobi with the youth group from the church that I am attending. It was a challenging but beautiful hike through the Rift Valley, one of the most beautiful places in Kenya.

It also gave me the opportunity to get to know the youth more. They are awesome and I am excited to do more things with them!

Just a couple of days ago we had a going away party for the interns who are leaving for America. They have been here for 16 months and arrived when I was an intern last year. Now they are going back to finish their studies and graduate from Bethany College of Missions

We had the party at a beautiful park called "Paradise Lost". There we got to ride camels! It was my first time! Can you tell by the expression on my face? :)

Just today we will be receiving a short term team from America and next week we will take them up to Northern Kenya for a missions trip. I have never been there before. So there we go... another adventure for God. I am so excited and I will try to update about that trip as soon as I can when we get back.

God bless you all!

Going to India while in Kenya

2010-04-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

Last week I got the amazing opportunity to go to an Indian wedding. Our neighbor's son was getting married so we were invited. It was like visiting India while in Kenya. It was a beautiful wedding and definitely a cross-cultural experience.

That's me with Cailin at the reception. It was so beautiful!
There was lots of food and dancing.

The Bride and Groom.
She is a Muslim and he is Hindu.
They combined both religious traditions in the wedding.

That's me getting henna done with some of the women before the ceremony

Visiting NE Kenya

2010-04-07T00:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I got to visit NE Kenya. It was such a blessing to catch up with old friends, spend time with the interns that are currently living there and to see the place that I lived in for almost a year. It was the same place but yet so much had changed in the past year since I have been there. God is doing such an amazing work in that place and I look forward to see what He will do in the future.

I am now back in Nairobi again and things will begin to pick up in speed very soon. There are a lot of things happening and a lot of work to be done.

Upcoming events:
* The old team of interns are preparing to leave the mission field and return to the U.S. (They had arrived when I was here as an intern 16 months ago)
* We will be receiving and leading a short term team from the U.S. at the end of April.
* We are preparing for a Church Leadership in Missions training course at the end of May.
* Another short term team in June
* And many other things in between

We are excited to be busy on the mission field. It encourages our hearts that God is doing something so amazing here in Kenya. We also know that the harvest is so big and workers are so few. Therefore, we must be willing to work hard in doing the work of God and praise Him for His amazing grace to get it all done.

May the Lord bless you in the place that He has you!

A School of Missions

2010-03-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Living in Nairobi is going great. I love it here! I have so much peace from God that I am excatly where He wants me to be. There is no better feeling than knowing that you are in the center of Gods will.

This past week I met with my field supervisor and the director of the missions training school that I will be working with (African centre for Missions) and came to a conclusion of how I would be invovled in the ministry. We decide that I would take the role as Program Coordinator for the Church Leadership in Missions program. Basically, my role is to head up the coordination and revising of programs that will train church leaders on how to build missions-minded churchs. I am so excitd about this opportunity to serve God in this way. Our vision is to reach some of the least reached area of Kenya and beyond by training and equipping the church here in Nairobi

It is only by the grace of God that I am here in Nairobi and it is only by His grace that I will bare fruit in this area of ministry.

Before leaving home I was given 2 dolls from the "Giving Doll Ministry" to bring to Kenya and give away. I decided to give them to Righteous and Nevaeh, who are the daughters of the missionary family in Northeastern Kenya. They were so happy to have the dolls, they wouldn't put them down. The dolls are such a special gift to them considering they do not have access to quality dolls where they are living.

I am so blessed to be here in Kenya! Thank you everyone for all your prayers and support!

God bless you!

Nairobi, Kenya!

2010-03-13T03:51:00.000-08:00

My New Home!

Just to give you a look at the house I am staying at,

this is the front door of the house.

I am staying with a missionary family who have been

working and living in Nairobi for more than 10 years.

They are a wonderful family and I am so blessed to

be living with them. I will also be working with them

within a missionary training school.

Finally in Kenya!

2010-03-10T23:22:00.000-08:00

At home in Kenya!

I have now been in Kenya for a grand total of 2 days now!

I have been to Nairobi many times before but this time it is different.

This time Nairobi is not just a city I will be passing through,

instead it will be my home for the next few months.

I am so excited and so blessed to be here and

my heart is at peace that I am exactly

where the Lord wants me to be.

Right now I am taking these next few days to adjust, settle in

and rest. I still have to overcome some jetlag.

The first night I didn't sleep at all and last night I slept for 6 hours

and then was wide awake at 3 a.m.

On Monday we will discuss how I will specifically be involved

in ministry here and then move ahead.

Here is a picture of my new room!

Next stop Kenya!

2010-03-03T09:11:00.001-08:00

Next Stop Kenya!

These past few months I have been at home

waiting on the Lord for His next step.

It has been a blessed season to be with family

and rest in the Lord. It is so true that those

who wait on the Lord, He will renew their strength.

Isaiah 40:31

But now that my strength in the Lord has been renewed

I am ready to move ahead to the mission field.

I recently got approval from my sending agency

that I can leave for the mission field as soon as possible.

I wasted no time finding and buying a plane ticket.

I leave Monday, March 8th.

I will be living and working in Nairobi, Kenya

where I will be involved in the ministry of

training, equipping, and sending Kenyan missionaries

to go to some of the least reached areas of Africa.

I am so excited for this next step in following the Lord.

He has been so faithful to me ever since I chose

to follow Him years ago and I know that He will

be faithful in this next adventure!

If you are interested in receiving my newsletters

you can email me at katieinkenya@gmail.com

A Trip to remember

2010-02-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Visiting my Sister in Maryland

During the two weeks that I spent

visiting my sister we made

lots of memories together,

cried together, and laughed together.

It was a refreshing time for both of us,

one that we will remember for a long time.

Me with my niece Hannah.

Blizzard of 2010

Shortly after arriving in Maryland the "Blizzard of 2010" hit with a mighty force. It was especially hard for the people in Maryland because they are not used to that much snow.
We were snowed in for days, many lost electricity and there was nothing we could do to dig ourselves out until the snow plows came. But we survived!

My sister's husband trying to shovel a path to the neighbor's house.

He would shovel a path but shortly after it would covered again.

Cars buried in snow for days

A normal winter day in Maryland

With all this drama of snow storms I am now safely back home. I am so blessed to have had that time to spend with my sister and her family. Now I am refreshed, recharged, and ready to move ahead in making plans to go to Kenya soon!

Precious Moments

2010-02-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

Hannah Grace: 6 months old

I am currently in Maryland, staying with my sister and her husband for the next week or two. I am taking this time to help them and spend some good quality time with them. It is not very often that I get to spend this kind of time with them and since I am preparing to leaving for Kenya in March, God only knows when I will see them again.

During this time I am soaking up the moments that I get to spend with my niece, Hannah Grace. She is a strong, beautiful, a precious little girl. Already, we have made memories that I will always hold in my heart. Just the other day I was playing with her on the floor. She began laughing so hard that she started snorting. It was the cutest thing! Other precious moments that we have is every morning. Each morning my sister lets me pick out Hannah's outfit and dress her. I am sure that it is more fun for me than it is her. I guess you're never too old to play dress up :)

I am soaking up this time like crazy! We are having so much fun together and making many memories that will last a long time. I thank God for this time!

A slight delay

2010-01-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

There has been a slight delay in my departure date to leave for Kenya. Do to financial reasons I was not able to leave on the goal date of January 12, 2010. I still press on, confident that I am walking in the will of the Lord. Right now I am at about 38% funded. I praise the Lord for what I have recieved financially and I trust Him to provide the rest. My departure date has been pushed back until I can gather the rest of the funds. I hope to leave in mid February or early March.

I am so excited for what the Lord has in store for me in Kenya this year. I am excited to work for the Lord and see His Kingdom come in that nation.

A little sweeter this year!

2010-01-04T14:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Wow 2010! That is crazy how fast the time goes when looking back. It seems like yesterday that we were counting in the New Millenium and wondering if the world was going to come to an end because all our computer systems were going to crash. That was 10 years ago! Time sure does fly by!

2009 was an intesting year for me. With spending the first 4 months in Kenya, Africa and then the rest of year was spent transitioning back to American culture and trying to figure out what the Lord has next. Still, it was a great year. I learned so much, went so many place, met new people, grew in the Lord and walked in His will. Praise God!

This holiday season seemed to be a little sweeter this year considering that last year was spent in Kenya, away from family and in a hot, desert town in NE Kenya. It has been so wonderful to be home with family, friends, christmas traditions, and yes!... even the snow!

A time of waiting!

2009-12-17T18:44:00.001-08:00

It is true... I am in season of waiting.

It is hard, even painful at times but the Lord is using this time to

teach me so much.

I have a theme song for this season of my life and it is

by John Waller called "While I'm waiting"

(you should look it up on youtube.com)

The other night I took some time to look up

a few verses on "waiting"

and I learned a lot so

I thought I would share it with you.

When we are in a season of waiting

the Bible makes it clear that we are waiting on The Lord,

not on money or jobs or relationships ...

We wait for God! (Lametations 3:24, Psalm 27:14).

While we are waiting we should not get discouraged ...

But we wait in expectation! (Psalm 5:3).

While we are waiting we also should not rush through the season

and try to make our own plans ...

but we wait on the Lord patiently.

The definition for patience is long-suffering (Psalm 37:7)

We must not lose sight of hope ...

we wait in Hope! (Psalm 33:20).

Why do we have hope? ...

because God will turn to us (psalm 40:1)

and He will answer us (Psalm 38:15)

We can rest assured that when God calls us to a season of waiting

... in reality He is calling us to a season of blessing!

Isaiah 30:18

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;

He rises to show you compassion.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for Him!"

One step at a time!

2009-12-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

Things are moving along one step at a time. I am still preparing to go return to Kenya in January 2010. The biggest task on my plate right now is fundraising. I am so thankful for the financial support that I have received but

I still have much further to go.

Right now I have $4,000 out of the $8,200 needed for my set up.

I also have about $100/monthly pledges out of the $1,500/month needed.

It is still very much my desire to return to Kenya, Africa in January. I believe that it is the direction that the Lord wants me to walk. So I walk, one step at a time, in confidence that HE who has called me will be faithful.

If you would like to partner with me to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Kenya and further into some of the least reached areas of the Muslim world then you can do so through a financial gift, either one time or monthly,

or by prayer support.

You can give online by clicking here

If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at katieinkenya@gmail.com

Thank you for your consideration!

2009-11-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

I spoke at my church last Sunday about missions in Kenya and being obedient to God's call on our lives. We have uploaded that message to our church website. If you are interested in listening all you have to do is click here.

(The audio recorded kind of low so you might need some good speakers.)

God Bless you all!

2009-11-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Community Spaghetti Dinner

Saturday, November 14th

5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Ridgewood Baptist Chruch

7891 Ridge Road

Wadsworth, OH 44281

Cost: $8/ plate

for children 4-12 years $4

children under 3 years old eat FREE!

A fundraiser dinner to raise money for missions in Kenya!

Jesus... Hope of the Nations

2009-11-08T18:23:00.000-08:00

Today I spoke to my church about missions in Kenya. I asked if they would prayerfully consider supporting me both corporately and individually. I asked for support both financially and prayerfully.

My financial need; $8,200 for set up in Nairobi, $1,500/month
My prayer needs; The battle we fight is a spiritual one. (Ephesians 6:12) It is going to be won through prayer.

It is out of my hands now. All I can do is wait, pray and trust that the Lord knows my need and He will provide according to His will.

Preparing for the mission field

2009-10-23T15:54:00.001-07:00

I am currently in the beautiful state of Bloomington, Minnesota going through missionary candidacy with Bethany International Ministries (BIM). I am going through a two week seminar and application process to be accepted as a BIM missionary. I plan to hit the mission field in January 2010 and minister in Nairobi, Kenya. The Lord has given me a passion and desire to see the church in Kenya equipped and mobilized for missions to some of the least reached people in Kenya and beyond.

The journey before me is going to be long and hard. Sudden bends and sharp turns lie ahead in the road. I can't see that far ahead. All I have is enough light for each step. Beyond that... I do not know. It is a journey of faith and perseverance. I must go... Why? because of the one who called me... God. He has called me to go to Kenya. He is leading and directing me every step of the way. He is paving the path before me and I am choosing to walk it. Yes, it will be hard but it is my joy to follow Him. I walk in confidence, not because of the path I walk but because of the assurance I have in the one who is leading me. The journey begins here and now... in the beautiful city of Bloomington, Minnesota. Where it ends?... I do not know but I invite you to come along with me on the journey!