Unspeakable Joy

This is just a short list of things I miss so far about Mpeketoni…
1.   Chapati
2.   Mandazi
3.   Cortilar, well really her whole family (Eugene, Vinley, Bramwell, Mama Christine). They really were like family to me and I had so much fun doing ministry with them and just hearing about their lives! This family really knows how to trust in Jesus.    —->
4.   Chai every day at about 4 pm.
5.   Dancing with the praise and worship team at Christ the King. I actually did pretty good…I do have a video, no worries.
6.   Singing in the choir (only actually did it once but it was SO FUN!)
7.   Walking for several miles almost every morning doing door-to-door. Also loved to yell, “Hody!” when we went to the houses. It is the same as knocking on someone’s door pretty much.
8.   The bats in our room that we frequently killed or saw flying over us at night. Thank you Jesus for mosquito nets!
9.   Walking anywhere and hearing kids screaming, “Mzungu, mzungu how are you?”
10. The children in our area that came and played with us every day.  —> 
11. Being out in the country instead of the crowded city.
12. Learning how to cook African food with the mamas in the kitchen. (I can make chapati and mandazi and cut the head off a chicken)
13. Teaching Sunday school for the children with Teacher Tom and hearing them praise Jesus and laugh and seeing their smiles.
14. Hearing Caleb saying, “habari ya asubuhi" (good morning)
15. Bishop’s laugh.
16. Mama coming into our room to ask Julie what she wants to eat for lunch or dinner.
17. Peter (other translator) just talking about anything because he’s hilarious.
18. Nahashon’s cry and carrying him around on my back like an African woman and seeing him just roll around the ground because he hates walking.
19. Jonah with his little mini-me Franklin.
20. Doris and Victor, Caleb’s children. Doris wrote me notes the first week I was there that she would miss me so much when I left.
21. Kids peeking in our windows to watch the movie with us and to let us know they were home from school.
22. Running down the dirt roads with Freddie chasing a tire.
23. Seeing Rachel playing with and loving the children so beautifully.
24. Going to town to get my shoes repaired, and yes it happened more than once, but I learned how to do it myself now!
25. Talking with Ann about her day.   —>
26. Walking into the kitchen and trying to speak Swahili.
27. Seeing Priscilla’s face light up and her little hand waving at us as we walk by.
28. Travis pretending to be Bishop.
29. Seeing baboons crossing the road or running through our yard.
30. Going to the lake to see hippos and then hearing Bishop preach to them.
31. Watching The Office with Team Jubilee.
32. Lency and Magdalene.
33. Family fellowship every night singing songs in Swahili and praying together.
34. Bishop’s stories.
35. Wednesday cell groups.
36. All the children at El Shaddai.
37. Being asked to preach and finding out that we all are pretty good at it. Not as scary as some might think…
38. Team worship in the church.
39. Angela and little baby Lawrence.
40. Hospital visits at 6am.
41. Crusades.
42. The beautiful beach.
43. Visiting Babu Peter, who did a great job encouraging us to continue spreading Jesus’ love to every nation.
44. The twin goats, Mary-Kate and Ashley.
45. Cody throwing the kids in the sand.
46. Hearing little Austin say, “I’m fine, Kank you”
47. Felix.
48. Our 101-year-old friend, Michael Bugwa.   —->
49. Dancing to African worship music in Stella’s living room with her grandchildren.
50. Everyone’s joyful, servant attitudes.

This season in Kenya was without a doubt a season of joy for me. Not to say everything was always so perfect and I had a smile on every minute of every day, BUT it was for sure filled with many things to be thankful for every day. The people were so beautiful and like I said in my past blog, they are like family to me. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of this church, to encourage them and love them all. Of course it was really hard to say goodbye and I miss them, but I know God’s timing is perfect and it is time to head home. Feel free to ask me about any of these things (when I get home that is) and I can tell you a story or share more about the people I met.
 
Please pray for our travels from Mombasa to Nairobi (meet up with the other teams). Then Nairobi back home (America) and yet another goodbye to all my wonderful teammates…can’t believe it’s already been 8 months.

Love you all and can’t wait to see everyone 🙂