It is a little hard to believe the Kellys will be leaving for Africa in a little over four weeks. They have been preparing for a year and the time is almost here. Where has the time gone? I'm sure there is still much more to do and at the same time it is all in God's hands. Tim and Chris have been such a big part of Living Hope Church it is difficult to imagine them being anywhere else. I have been going to LHC for 22 years and there has never been a time when the Kellys weren't there, involved in the ministry of the church.
Tim and Chris have directly and indirectly impacted the lives of so many people at LHC, especially the youth. They have been involved in the Psalty program. Who could forget Risky Rat? Tim and Chris have been, and still are, advisers for the Youth Group. They have been involved in Family Camp, working with Spencer Lake Bible Camp, Camp Daniel, and of course leading short-term mission trips all over the world. There are so many people whose walk with God have been impacted by the Kellys. I have been privileged to work with Tim and Chris for over ten years and I will miss seeing them at LHC. It will take a little time to get used to not having the Kelly clan sitting in the middle section, third row from the front on a Sunday morning.
Tim and Chris will soon be gone...but not separated...from us. They are moving to Kenya but they are going as missionaries of Bethany International and Living Hope Church. They will continue to be a vital part of the ministry of our church. We'll just have to Skype, or go on a mission trip to Kenya, to see them. We need to continue to hold Tim and Chris up in prayer providing them spiritual and emotional support.
The Kellys have some specific needs as well. A lot of the day to day household items we take for granted are very expensive in Kenya. The Kellys will still need these things and if they can get them here to take with them it will be much less expensive. A couple of their friends have been working on gathering as many of the items as they can but there are still quite a few things on their wishlist. So, if you are thinking of getting the Kellys a going-away present how about getting one of the items from their list. The wish list can be accessed by clicking here, "The Kelly Wishlist", or by clicking the link below. If you weren't thinking about getting them a going-away present you should be now that you've read the post so follow the link and pick something from the list.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dYki-b7P97iuboJJDh8gJI1FmPWfJwptJjY7Ti1GA30/edit?usp=sharing
If you do get something on the list please post a comment here letting everyone know that the item has been taken care of. That way we can get everything on the list instead of 50 sticks of deodorant.
If you see Tim and Chris over the next few weeks be sure to let them know we love them and are with them as they follow God on this journey. You can also let them know by commenting on their blog http://kellysinkenya.blogspot.com/. Thanks for taking the time to read this and for all you do. May God bless you as you continue to walk with Him!
