Time is up.

Tonight is our last night at Eric's house here in Nakuru. Tomorrow we leave for Nairobi, Sunday we go to church with Shane and his family, and that night we get to have dinner at The Carnivore, which we have been looking forward to since the trip started. On Monday, we fly for almost a day, but arrive in Minnesota only a few hours later.
There is a lot going on in my head right now. I miss my family and friends, and I can't wait to see them! But I also love the time I've had here, and want to stay. When Bryan asked me if I thought the trip has felt long or short, I couldn't decide. I feel like I've been away from home so long that this is home just as much. And that's where I found something very cool...
In Africa, one of the major problems faith faces here is the strong presence of the prosperity gospel. You know, health and wealth preaching that has no real biblical truth in it, but uses verses out of context. Here is one that they often use:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) [prosperity preachers like to ignore the persecution part] and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
-Mark 10:29-31

The prosperity preachers will tell people that God promises to give them nice houses, cars, money, and things like that, but their first mistake is assuming that their listeners have in fact met the requirement for the fulfillment of the promise stated in verse 29.
What we have found is that God has fulfilled that promise in our lives. I think about all the homes I have here; I know that if I ever needed to, Shane and Kara would be more than happy to open their home to me. I have a home with Eric here in Nakuru, a home at the hope center in Narok. I have a home in Wamba, and I have homes in the area around there. One women from Nkiseu wanted me to stay with her and live at her house. And I have friends in Sudan whom I could stay with in the strange and unusual case that I would find myself there needing a place to stay. The point is that we have seen that verse in the flesh. I left my home three months ago and have since then had many different homes and have met many new family members. I have even had the privilege to help some join the family. And to think: I haven't even known Eric for a year's time, and he has since become one of my best friends! I can't say that we faced many persecutions in light of what I know other Christians have had to go through, but we have had our share of rough times and undesirable circumstances during our trip. But it's easy to thank the Lord for these as well when I read that verse and realize that those too are promised.
So that's the verse that speaks to my heart and one that I feel represents what this trip has meant to me.

What I really want to see is for that verse to become the one that represents my life.


And so with that attitude and the launching pad of these amazing three months behind me, I'm springing forward into the next big adventure: college. I know that my time at Moody will be rich and I am anxious about starting there. I have every intention to peruse vocational ministry after Moody, most probably abroad, and with the contacts and friends that I now have here, Africa looks like a prime prospect for future, full-time ministry.

So I want to again say thank you for all of you who have supported me and who have shown consistent interest in what I am doing. It's been very encouraging (and humbling) knowing that so many people have been affected by what started with a simple e-mail less than a year ago. It's been one great year, and I'm grateful for your part in it. Keep in touch, and stay tuned; I'm sure there's more to come.