Sleep...

Hello Readers!!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers :) I appreciate every single one of them. I wanted to let you all know that the past three nights have been great!! I have slept through them all and.....this past night I slept for....11.5 hours!!!!! It was super wonderful :)

The days are good too. Mostly filled with four feedings for the babies, if I don't miss one.

• They do not ask me for help here, I can only help if I offer.
• So like this morning, I slept in, so I missed the morning feeding
• also, they run on "Kenyan time" (similar to "Mexican time" for those who have expereinced that) so the feedings aren't at the same time each day, so I have been working on timing it right

This morning I played with the toddlers, which was fun. Although I don't know any of their names, and they have NO IDEA what I am saying to them, hahaha, but I enjoyed it. The kids absouletly LOVE anyone who will spend time with them. I went into their "playpen", which I will hopefully post pictures of tomorrow, and sat down. Immidiately I had three kids sitting in my lap, one on my back and another playing with my necklace :) it was super cute. They are pretty mean to eachother though...because they aren't watched at all times and not disciplined either I don't think. But it is crazy, when one of the "Moms" says something to them is Kiswahili, they listen immediately!!

I am getting very attached to one little baby :) his name is  Edward and he is just over a month old I think. He is SUPER cute!! I will try to put up more pictures and one of him too.

It has been hard to update today, because the power keeps coming on and off which means the WIFI does the same. It is crazy because when the power has been going off lately (at least once a day, usually more) the WHOLE city loses power...and it is not like there is ice on the power lines, or lightning, it just goes out.

The last three days have been gloomy and rainy in the afternoon and evenings though, which effects my mood, which sucks. If you could please pray that I would remain sunny even when it is cloudy outside I would appreciate it :) but the forcast is 27deg for the next several days after today!!

I hope you guys are all doing well :) I love you all and I am very thankful for the part that you have played in God's journey for me.

Love: Rach :)

God is GOOD :)

Alright, I will post pictures yet, but I needed to post this entry first.

Nights here have been rough for me...I think I have figured out, with the help of my dad, that I am getting spiritually attacked at night time. It is scary because eveyone here is sleeping so there is no one to talk to, except all of you are awake!! It is mid day for you, so while I am "sleeping" or supposed to be sleeping, you guys are awake and praying!! My Erik pointed that out to me the other day, and it has made things a little easier.

But I guess I will explain what happens at night:
The first two nights, as soon as it got dark here I had this terrible stomach ache and felt like puking. And I had a terrible time sleeping, so I was voxing people and trying to FaceTime Erik and I was very scared. But at that time I hadn't figured out that it was spiritual stuff.

Except last night I went to bed at peace, so I was very thankful for that!! So I went to bed at 12am ish. The power was out here so it was nice and dark (when ususally is is very bright here from the city lights) but then at 1 the power came back on, as did the lights in my room...and I woke up in a panic!! I was sweaty and I felt like I was going to puke and I was sooo scared. So I tried praying, but I didn't feel very close to God :( I was sooo upset so I went on Voxer (iPhone app like a walkie talkie) and chatted with my sisters for a while, Audrey and Sheila, and I was texting some other people too.

• And by the way, at home I thought my phone was awesome because it can do so many cool things, but now I am realizing that it is totally a blessing from The Lord, because He knows that I am a people person and my "love tank" gets empty very quick. But this phone has given me access to chat with the people that I love!! God is amazing how HE plans, and how HE knows my heart <3

Anyways so I was awake for about an hour, and I fell asleep praying which was very comforting. Then I slept from 2-3am, and at three it was the same thing!! Waking up panicking, and sweaty and feeling about to throw up. I was so scared and I didn't feel like God was with me. I was wondering why He "left" me at the time when I really needed Him. So I got on Voxer again, this time to Sarah Martens. And I was (and am) so thankful for her and for Seth too. They really helped me see that I needed to fight of the evil things here and use my God as a shield. There were other people too by the way that I appreciated chatting with :) Then all of a sudden I got this urge to read my Bible!! so I went and did that, and I can honestly say that I have never, ever read my Bible like that before, and I will be blessed to be able to do it again!!  God is amazing in the way that He plans things out. Becuase if I had not woken up then, and been up, there is a great chance I would have not had that time with The Lord. So in the end it was worth it to have the temporary stomach pains and scared feelings, but at the time I sure didn't see it that way. I also got to FaceTime Erik, who was expecting me to be falling apart (like every other time we have chatted this trip.....) and when we chatted, which was after my amazing God experience, I was just sooo happy!!

I am learning that God is using these things to grow me and change me for the bette!! And I truely believe that He wants to change each of you as well, through my experience. Please don't let this just be a blog that you read and forget about it. I want to challange you to talk to God and get intimate with Him like I just did for pretty much the first time!! It is such a rush, and I desire this experience for each of you.

I ended up sleeping from 7am until 11, because I was soo exhausted from the night.

Prayer Requests:

• that I could adjust soon to the time change and be able to sleep at night time here...
• for protection against the devil and his schemes
• it seems to be at 1 and 3 pm that it is the worst for some reason
• this is at 4 and 6 pm Manitoba time
• that I would get my appitite back, I have eaten very little since I have been here

And I apologize for the lengthy post, but I wanted you all to know what was going on with me.

I sooooo appreciate your prayers and thoughts :)




So now it is time for what you have all been waiting for.....
PICTURES OF THE BABIES AND KIDS

These are three good ones :) but my favorite tw are yet to come!! It is a long process uploading pictures here, and I would like to try to get some sleep tonight!! It is 10:09 pm here, and if you could pray for me as you finish reading this, I would appreciate it!!

Love: Rachel :)

I'm Here!!

Hello everyone,

I made it!!! I arrived at Happy Life Children's home at 11pm Nairobi time on Friday evening. (about 2pm Manitoba time). I am realizing now that this experience is harder than I could have ever imagined it to be. The travel was fine as far as flights go I suppose, but being by myself was definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be. And not being able to communicate with anyone and being in a place where you don't speak the language was an experience as well.

Please pray for me that I would be able to lean on God more than anything. I have found myself praying more than ever before, which is comforting. I guess my biggest struggle right now is having this terrible stomach ache and not wanting to eat... But I did get the chance to FaceTime Erik, and his brothers and mom which was fun!! I think I was just missing home and the people there so having that time to just talk was a blessing!! I think it even brought back some of my appitite!! I guess there is nothing like seeing your fiancee's face :)

There are so many cute babies here!! Knowing that there is such a huge need makes me know that I am supposed to be here to be a blessing as best that I can be!! I have not gotten the chance, or had the desire yet, to take pictures but when I do I will be sure to post them :)

Thank you for reading and praying.

PS I think this is posting in Manitoba time, not too sure, but it is 6pm here.

Love you all

Rachel :)

Into Single Digits

Goooooood Morning!!

I suppose today is the first of the single digit countdown!! 9 MORE DAYS!! I have just over a week left to go until I move to warmer climates for 90 days. Planning still seems to be on track, I am not fully packed yet, but definitely started.

Erik sorta threw a curve ball (a good one though) into to my planning by.....asking me to BE HIS WIFE!!! I am so excited about this new step in our relationship, but I do ask that you will all continue to keep us in your prayers as we will be apart for the first half of our engagement.

As far as sendoff's go, two Sunday's ago Somerset Bible Chapel sent me off from their church, and this Sunday is my sendoff as Cornerstone Ministries. Next week Tuesday, I will be attending youth to say a last goodbye to all my friends there, and on Wednesday I will be at jr. youth say my goodbyes there. I am so very thankful for all of the prayer support and and monetary support as well. I am so excited to say that I have enough money (all by donation) to get me to Kenya!!! But not only that, I have enough to buy some toothbrushes, coloring books, crayons, blankets, baby clothes and probably even some toys to bring down!! Plus extra to donate to Happy Life Children's Home for whatever they are needing!! So thank you all for praying and donating, and also for reading what I have to say :)

I really hope you keep checking back for news as I start on this journey that God has placed in my path. I will update with praise items as well and prayer requests, and I urge you to comment because I would love to hear from all of you!!

I hope you have a fantastic day, and thank you so much for being a part of God's mission.

Love: Rachel :)

17 Days :)

Good Morning!!

Today is a great day, but tomorrow will be even better. I get to pick up my flight tickets and my safari stuff!! As well as my malaria pills. Also, I am going shopping for some clothes, which will be fun, and I get to see some nieces and a nephew of mine!!

I am getting super excited to go!! I am dreading the airport goodbyes though...mostly because I will do a ton of crying. But yesterday Erik gave me a sweet pillow!! It is one of those neck pillows so I can supposedly fall asleep anywhere, what a sweet guy :)

Thanks again for all of your prayers and donations!!

I hope and pray you keep reading to see what God has planned for this trip.

Love:
Rachel :D