It has been an interesting week. We got three new volunteers from California last Sunday afternoon. Mari (who was here the first day I got here) she is here until April 16th. She is super cool and has an amazing heart and desire to follow Jesus!! She brought her Pastor and his wife along with her; Dan and Tasha. They are leaving on Monday already, but they are super easy to get along with and we have had a blast this week, I will definitely be sad when they have to leave.
Since I have been here, there have been 11 different volunteers here with me, and another one is coming sometime next week. It has been so cool to have these different people in my life, because I get to get to know people from different walks of life. It has also been very interesting realizing the difference between Christian believers and non. I have appreciated conversations with each volunteer, but at the same time there is something special about having other volunteers who love Jesus and can encourage me (like the three right now). The four of us have had some amazing conversations and they have encouraged me soooo much. I definitely take community and fellowship for granted, because at home I am surrounded by, and in fellowship with, believers several times a week. And here I have gone through times where none of the volunteers are believers, and it is totally different!! This is one of the things I am thanking God for right now.
Updates:
- Cathy is back at Happy Life!! She looks super healthy, and she even has chubby cheeks now :)
- There are no babies in Isolation now, Praise God!!
- One little boy though isn't doing well. He is about three years old and he has a rectal prolapse. The poor guy won't eat and he will barely drink. I will try to find out his name, because I don't remember. Please send up a chorus of prayers for him. He will be well in Jesus' name!!!!
- The building project at Juja Farm is going slowly but surely. I have been giving your donations to Peter a little bit at a time (as I have a limit at an ATM that I can withdrawal). This money will be going towards the Juja Farm project, and before I leave I hope to be able to be involved in using the money to purchase the needed supplies!! I am excited about that so that I can report back home and say what exactly your donations were used for.
- The rainy season is definitely here, but it isn't what I expected. I thought it was rainy all day every day, because that is what Google makes it sound like. But in reality, it rains at night then is cloudy in the morning then it gets sunny, then it rains again, then it gets sunny again. So there is still sun during the day!!!
There are only 32 days left of this journey for me, which is super crazy!! I am very thankful that I didn't plan only a two month mission because that would mean I would be heading home soon and I am not ready to go. This place feels like home, which is a God given blessing :) This past week has been full of business outside the orphanage because Dan and Tasha are here for only a short time so I have been showing them around to a few places. Today I was planning on going to Liuba's house (the nurse) to learn how to make mandazi (pretty much rollkuken!!) but I realized yesterday that I miss the babies and being here with them. I decided to stay at Happy Life today to feed the babies and play soccer with the older kids. I might even paint some of the little girl's nails :) I love the fact that I feel like I should be here. This past week I have gone to Victorious-Joy School/Children's Home and back to Kicheko Slum in Mlolongo and don't get me wrong I enjoy visiting there, but I know that God has called me here to Happy Life for this time.
Several times this week I have felt very overwhelmed with the need here. There are so many different organizations and orphanages and projects going on. Some to help kids, some to help people with HIV/Aids some to educate children, and the list goes on. It breaks my heart how many people suffer here. It is a different kind of suffering here than at home though. Lots of people (maybe not all) at home are in a homeless or jobless situation because of choices that they have made or because of laziness. Here, there are so very many people who are born into a bad situation and can't get out. When I go visit these places I feel a tug at my heart to give money or help to them, but at the same time, I can't give to everyone!! It is hard for me to visit them and not help them, you know?? I know God has a plan for these organizations, and they are all awesome, but it is hard to see. Not gonna lie, there are lots of these organizations that are not faith based and that surprises me. It makes me wonder why the church isn't doing more?! Why do we stay at home in our comfortable lives when God could call us to live an amazingly radical life, but we are just too scared to accept it?! I know God calls people to be the supporters of missionaries at home, and that not everyone is called to be a missionary.
Are we really doing everything that God is calling us to do??
Are we seeking Him every day??
Are we asking Him to guide and direct our lives no matter what the cost??
Do we love Him enough to pick up our crosses and follow Him??
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