What do you do to prepare for a trip? 

• Decide where you can afford to go
• Schedule time off from work
• Look for a hotel and make reservations
• See what type of sight-seeing things you’ll do

As the time for departure arrives you:

• Pack
• Stop the mail/newspaper
• Set up pet sitter
• Have a neighbor watch the house
• Anticipation begins to build for the forthcoming trip

The Lord has blessed us during this preparation time.  He decided where He wanted us to go, Kenya (more detail on that in future posts).  He has worked in us on depending totally on Him, not our finances.  He brought us to Gideon (Director at Nice View Academy in Tala, Kenya) who helps us while we are here and in Kenya.  He shows us the beauty of His creation every day.

As we plan on returning to Kenya in May, and that month is fast approaching and will be here before we know it, our garage is a staging ground for donations (pens, pencils, reading books, medical supplies etc.) we will be taking with us.  Our four children (young adults ages 18, 19, 21, 23) have taken over the household expenses and will be living in the house as roommates, so no need for house sitter/stop mail etc.

Getting the material stuff ready is the (fairly) easy part.  Having patience and seeing how God will provide the funds is another matter, but I trust Him!  The other day we were blessed with a couple of “random acts of donation”.  At Bible study a woman came up to us and gave us a check, after the study another woman handed me cash then later in the day a Pastor friend presented us with another check from a Facebook post he had posted on Orphan Sunday.  So I know God is moving hearts to support Saved By God’s Grace and my thanks to all who are, have and are considering supporting this ministry!

The hard part of preparing for me is the mental.  People ask if I’ll miss my kids – yes I’ll miss them but as I mentioned earlier they are young adults making their own life choices and following their paths.  I’m not supposed to live their life for them or live my life through them.  Plus we set them all up with Skype so I can see them whenever we have a video call!  So the mental preparation for me is the cultural aspect.  I’m trusting in God’s sufficient Grace to get me through whatever He calls me to and I pray He guides me through any and all frustrations I may experience.

The article, “Africa is Not That Sexy”, in Relevant Magazine (Nov/Dec 2009 issue) hit home when the writer says:

Although no one ever said giving our lives to something big would be easy, fun or “sexy”, a lot of us have a fantasy that something glamorous happens when we do.  It doesn’t-at least not in the way we thought it would.  The truth looks more like life than a dramatic adventure film. 

Beauty, hope and joy are found in the pursuit of living outwardly-sometimes it just takes patience to see the beauty, find the hope and experience the joy in the everyday.

Living everyday and asking the Lord to be in His will, that is part of what will bring me joy and peace in the preparation.