"The Russians are coming!"

We recently just hosted a short-term missions team from Russia. We had 7 Russian guests that stayed with us for 10 days on a short-term mission trip here in Nairobi. During one of the women’s Bible study the Russian ladies shared their testimonies and one testimony in particular struck me. Lena started out her testimony with the statement “You never know what God is going to do in your life.” She was referring to the fact that she never thought she would be in Africa. As she said that thought provoking statement I was thinking to myself, I never thought I’d be in Africa listening to the testimony of a lady from Russia. As the team was in Africa for their first time they carried such excitement with them everywhere they went. This is the fourth time I’ve been to Africa so I have somewhat become numb to my surroundings. The ministry here for me has become normal everyday life. I no longer cry at the site of the barefoot children running around in tattered clothes playing in trash, or get excited when the kids yell out muzungu (Westerner) and run over to shake my hand. I no longer get a huge smile on my face when I hear the sound of worship songs sung in Swahili. I no longer look out the window for wild game in the safari park next to my home or marvel at the beautiful green trees I pass on the way to church. Just as some Southern Californians get used to seeing the beach everyday I have gotten used to seeing Africa everyday. I enjoyed having the Russians here because they brought back that excitement I once had with being in Africa. As we did a small children’s concert at a school in the slums I found myself tearing up as they sang worship songs and prayed sweet prayers in Swahili and I cried as the women in the hair salon sang their tribal songs for us. As my time here is coming to a quick end the tears have returned and I’m starting to grow sad at the thought of going back home to America. I know I shall miss the African life. It’s hard to imagine that in a matter of 24 days I will be back in San Diego returning to the life I left behind 9 mos ago. I’m going from Nairobi to Mombasa to Uganda to debriefing in the FRM office in Murrieta, Ca to my graduation night and finally back to my normal life. It seems like 9 mos of change happening in 24 days. I can’t even imagine packing up and boarding that plane back to the States. I’ve been in much prayer that God isn’t done using me in Africa. To think that this could be the last time my feet are on African soil is a thought that instantly brings tears to my eyes and one I try to avoid. But as Lena so simply said “You never know what God is going to do in your life.” I’m excited to see what God has for me next!

The Russians with our Kenyan church leaders

2 Corinthians 1:4

On Tuesday I taught 1John 4:17-19 to the ladies at the hair salon in Kibera. I had such a sweet time teaching about how God’s perfect love casts out fear and as we mature in our relationship with God that love is perfected in us and we start to trust Him more and more. I shared with them that I’m having some fear as we approach the end of this program. I’ll be returning to the States on June 1^st and graduating from this EMT (Extreme Missions Training) program on the June 9^th. I mentioned that in order for me to come to Africa I gave up my job and home in America so I have nothing to return to. I’m having some fear because I don’t know where I shall work or where I shall live. This puts me in a position where I am having to practice my trust in God. That morning I was so encouraged by a lady named Eunice. She shared a testimony of how God recently provided for her. Her sister recently died and she had no money to bury her. Here in Nairobi if you don’t have money to pay the morgue or pay for a proper burial a mass burial is then performed. Eunice had been praying 2 weeks for God to provide the money and on the last day before the mass burial was to be performed He provided! Then, Doreen, the owner of the salon, lovingly encouraged me by reminding me that the same God that took me out of America and brought me all the way to Kenya to teach the Bible in hair salon in Kibera was going to take care of me when I get back home. As she was speaking to me tears started to well up in my eyes as it felt like the Lord Himself was directly speaking to me. I find it to be so sweet of the Lord to use these African ladies in my life. As I teach them the Bible it’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that I’m here to feed and encourage them looking past the fact that they can feed and encourage me as well. The truth is as Christians we have all experienced fear at some point and have seen the Lord meet us where we needed Him. I was reminded that just because these ladies live in a slum doesn’t mean they have nothing to offer me. This day was an extra special day because week after week as we go in to teach these ladies, for the most part, they remain silent leaving us to wonder if they are even paying attention or understanding our teachings. It seemed like we had a break through as they shared testimonies of God’s goodness; it was just what I needed to hear. I shall miss them when we leave but I will hold on to their encouragement as fear starts to creep into my mind.



Anna-Marie, Doreen, Christina, and myself 



He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.  2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT)