The greatest mission of all

The group of Bethany interns we worked with on our last missions trip has returned from Kenya. As they were preparing to come home, they were all posting pictures and messages to friends and family on Facebook. Seeing all the pictures started me thinking about Kenya and I realized we have been back for six months. Where has the time gone? I realized I have become so busy, especially this time of year, that the hours, days and weeks have flown by and before I knew it my day to day life had lost some focus. The pictures from the interns brought to mind all the amazing things we have been blessed to be part of both here at home and in Kenya. Our God is amazing, awesome and I am humbled when I think of all he has done in my life. As I started thinking about missions and the work we have been able to share in I started thinking about missions and Christmas, since that special day is right around the corner. It occurred to me that the greatest mission trip ever started on Christmas day, in a humble stable, with a baby wrapped in blankets and lying in a manger. A missions trip involves crossing cultural lines to present the gospel to a people group who have never been exposed to Christ and the grace of God. The son of the most high God left his Father to be born the son of a carpenter and a virgin. He was rejected, beaten and killed to bring salvation to all people. Can you imagine leaving heaven, being born in a barn, rejected, mocked and ultimately killed by the very people your are trying to save? Talk about crossing cultural boundaries to reach a group of people! Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ all people can be children of the one true king. Because of the sacrifice of Christ we all have a mission:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”   Matthew 28:19-20

No Christmas? No forgiveness, no salvation, no mission, no hope. In all our comings and goings throughout the Christmas season, and all year long, remember the true meaning of Christmas.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.                                      John 3:16

I'm thankful God and the Son are never too busy and never lose focus. I pray we all remember the true reason for Christmas and as we celebrate with our friends and family we remember to say thanks for the gift we received through the missions trip Jesus started on Christmas day.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Back Home

We all made it home safe and sound. Thanks for all your prayers and support during the trip. We were able to accomplish all we set out to do and more but we couldn't do it without the support of everyone at home. It was good to be back with family and friends and to be able to share stories of our trip. I will try to post a few here over the next few days.

We were able to complete the furniture for two of the classrooms and assist with pouring the second floor ring beam on the school. Completing the ring beam is the first step in building he permanent roof. I'll try to explain more about that in a a future post. For now, a few pictures from the trip....

Nairobi

 Downtown Nairobi

The Team 

A small village... 

Getting ready to pour the ring beam 

Building tables 

Building table legs 

 Getting ready to mix cement

Sanding chairs 

Pouring the ring beam 

Cutting the footing for a new collumn 

The chairs 

The tables 

Completed ring beam 

Book shelf 

After church 

Twiga 

Impala 

Together

We finished our project at the school today. We built seven tables and fourteen chairs for the literacy class, a table for the sewing class and two book shelves. Looking back I am amazed at what the Lord has made. We started with some very rough cut lumber, a few tools, Tim K's skills as a builder and a leader, and a group of people who were willing tp be used by God. In four short days we were able to furnish two classrooms and cast the ring beam for the second story of the building.The tables for the classrooms are five feet long and will seat two adult students. The table for the sewing class is six feet long and will be used foraying out patterns and material for making dresses. Our team, the Bethany interns and the tea from Agape Madaraka all worked together to accomplish what none of us could alone and we had a great time working together. Pastor Wananga said he believed God elevated us to accomplish the work and I would have to agree. One of the interns asked me if I had been at the school before this trip and I said yes. Looking back it is hard to believe that just three years ago there was nothing on this piece of land other than a three sided tin shed. Today there is a two story stone and cement structure that will be used as a platform to show God's love to a group of people that most would rather forget. God has not forgotten or forsaken them. He is working with and through all of us to reach out to them. Seeing what He has accomplished is evidence to them and us that He continues to reach out to everyone. Our continuing involvement in this project is a blessing. To have an opportunity to work with our brothers and sisters from Agape and Bethany is a blessing. The team from Agape took a week to come to a difficult place to work hard for their God. These are men and women who have little to offer other than themselves and their sweat and they give freely. The Kenyans don't always know where their next meal will come from and they are still willing to take time away from work to be a part of what God is doing. The Bethany interns are a group of young people who are willing to go to the ends of the earth, literally, to pour out their lives for God. To have an opportunity to work with people like this is a blessing. Tomorrow we are going to visit the farm and Jason and Bekah's home. Sunday we will have church here with the local Agape congregation then return to Nairobi. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers you are sending us. Without your support and love we couldn't do this.

if you build it...

Spent the day building tables for the school. The progress that has been made on the building is pretty amazing. The walls on one side of the first floor are complete. The ring beam for the second floor will be poured this week. Once the ring beam is done the roof will be constructed and the second floor will be useable. We helped by carrying sand and gravel upstairs for the ring beam. The cement will be mixed, by hand, on the second floor and carried by bucket brigade to the form. Once the pour for the beam is started it has to continue, uninterrupted, until the beam is complete. Lots of buckets! We built the bases for seven 5 ft. Tables yesterday. We also made a template for the chairs and built the first table top. We will make the remaining table tops today and start building the chairs. Everyone worked hard today and seemed to enjoy working alongside the Kenyans and Bethany interns who came with us from Nairobi. The Agape church in Madaraka sent a group of eight, including two pastors, to work with us. There are eight interns from Bethany college here too. The interns will spend 16 months here. It is great to be able to work together and fellowship with our partners in this project. As soon as we have the tables and chairs ready a dress making class will start at the school. They are also using the school to teach language and literacy. We have a comfortable place to stay, food to eat, and we are working for our Father. Could anything be better? The weather has been good - not too hot - we are amazingly blessed! I wish you could all be here with us :) I'm having some technical issues posting pictures but I will keep trying. God is doing amazing things here on the oter side of the world and we can't wait to share it with you.

The Team

We are on site and getting ready to start working on the project tomorrow. Everyone is in a good mood and excited to be here. Hopefully, they will still be in a good mood after working all day tomorrow.

On the Ground!

We arrived in the Northern Kenya today. We chartered a public bus for the trip from Nairobi. The ride was interesting but we all made it safely. The entire trip has gone well to this point. Please continue to pray for us. We will be going to the school for a meeting a little later today. I am excited to see the progress that has been made since we were here last. The project has been moving forward steadily. The ring beam for the second floor should get poured this week. Can't wait to get to the site and start working. I will post again later today and try to include some pictures.

Passion

A couple of days ago, as we were working on preparations for the upcoming trip to Kenya, my wife said something that captured my attention. Her observation really made me stop and think. I am paraphrasing but it was something like "Everyone can see you are very passionate about Kenya." This surprised me because, while I am very passioate about Kenya, I am even more passionate abut short term missions and I try to communicate that too anyone I talk with about missions.

Don't get me wrong, I love the people of Kenya, the relationships we have formed and being able to sustain those relationships over time but I am truly passionate about being involved in what God is doing in my life and the lives of the people I am with.

Christian is not a religion, a denomination or a club. Christian is an adjective that should describe the person it is applied to. What kind of person is described as a Christian? Someone who has a relationship with Christ and is trying to follow the example He set. If we are trying to follow Christ we need to be in a relationship with Christ. Relationships involve a lot of verbs, a lot of doing. The Bible gives us directions for a lot of doing. Go and make disciples of all men, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. There are a lot of verbs, a lot of doing, in this one verse: going, discipling, baptising. Christianity is an adjective that should describe someone who has an active relationship with Christ. Someone who is doing what Jesus is doing. Short term missions provide us with opportunities to do what Christ is doing. This isn't the only opportunity we have to do what Christ is doing but it is something of a unique opportunity. Short term missions allows us to build relationships with our brothers and sisters from across the globe. When I think of all the people I have met and bonded with through the trips we have made to Kenya, and I think of how we would never have met otherwise, I feel blessed. Short term missions give us an opportunity to get outside our comfort zones, to leave behind the familliar (freinds, family, Home Depot), to climb out of the boat, and take a walk on the wild side with Christ. I have seen God impact lives through short term missions and my life has been forever changed because of what God has done to, through and with me on short term mission trips.

Yes I am passionate about Kenya but I am even more passionate about being in the center of whatever God is doing whether that is at Living Hope, Camp Daniel, Rock the Lakes, or in Kenya. If you are involved in what the Father is doing then you know how blessed we are. If you aren't involved then I invite you to take Jesus' hand and go for a walk on the wild side. Your life will never be the same.

Where He Calls

In four short days we will be traveling to Kenya to work with our friends, and brothers and sisters on the other side of the planet. I am getting more and more excited about what God is doing in and through or church. Please pray for us during the trip. We need God's grace for travels and His favor with everyone we meet. Check back here for updates from the trip and don't be afraid to post a comment or question on the blog. It helps us to know people at home are following the trip and praying for us. God bless.

Here we go again!

We are getting ready for another short term missions trip to Kenya. All the trips are unique and this one will be no exception. If you would like to see photos of our past trips checkout http://youtu.be/EF5e7Dyjxw4.


I am excited to see what God will do with us, for us and to us on this trip. I am also excited to have the chance to serve the people of Kenya and the people at Living Hope Church through the opportunity God has provided  us. Please keep the missions trip in your prayers. Pray for the people who are going on the trip, the people we will work with in Kenya and all the people we will meet and serve during the trip. God can do amazing things through the prayers of his people.


If you are interested in joining us in an a life changing experience see me or Tim K at church. I promise, you will never be the same. Besides, who could pass up a little goat stew and ungali.