Burdened.

My heart is burdened for a dear friend and her ministry among an unreached people group. She said "yes" to the Lord's calling, leaving behind everything and traveled with the Lord to a land unknown to her, an area dominated by the Muslim faith. She is living out a deep commitment of faith and sacrifice with an evident joy. The people she lives among live in the shadow of darkness, always questioning if they are good enough and have followed proper ceremonies and rules to please their god. They question their place for eternity, Never knowing until its too late. They have a life of torturous uncertainty and a lack a Christ's abounding and unconditional love. Please join me in prayer for this precious daughter of the King as she reaches out to those God loves, as well as the burdening of hearts to join a new wave of people that will go to proclaim the goodness of HOPE and for others to send those called to go, until he final day when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..."

The Lord has been GOOD to me...

Since vacation has officially started, I finally have a few moments (or hours) to upload some pictures of the past month so you can experience some of my joys and excitements. Not that this month has not held its challenges, but these pictures will show you that God outshines them all. Let me take you on a little journey through November.

Above my class got a special package from the Rosales' family, they kids are celebrating fall oreos and teddy grahams. You would have thought they gave them a million dollars. Below you can see my girlfriends and I also enjoyed some goodies in the packages as well. Oh happy day!

Birthday Hunter appeared a few times. The kids LOVE having him all day! Too bad the real one can't be here. He would love hanging out with all the monkeys :)
We start celebrating Christmas early here because the students leave right before Thanksgiving so we have to get all the Christmas festivities in before they leave. We collected and put together "baskets" of food for those in the Kijabe community. Here are my girls and a few precious little ones helping out with this.

(Tori turned 5 on this day and I was invited to celebrate her birthday with a cheese noodle lunch and chocolate milk :) Can you guess how old she turned...she still reminds us a week later! Precious.

Seriously, this precious one is so good for my heart...she reminds me of my little cousin Paige. I can be clear across campus and if she sees me she runs to give me the biggest hug!

My girls and boys wishing all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! I know it's early but it still counts :) Besides, we are in Kenya so it might take a little while to get to you right?How much fun would it be to celebrate leaving for vac at your teacher's house? Well that is just what we did. It was the greatest time. They helped me make chai, we played games inside and outside (I have a huge yard if you can see in the picture and a giant tree) Word has it from my class it is the best one on campus. Probably because it is about a trillion feet in the air and they all want to climb it and give me a heart attack!

Evan thinks I have the best coffee cake ever!

And my dear Sunshine bear has brought more entertainment then alot of things here on campus. She is rented out for slumber parties and the kids come to dres her weekly :) Thanks Franchesca and Bella! RVA loves her!

My kids love SPEED SCRABBLE! Carrie you will have to come and play with us :)

YES, they wanted to give me a heart attack!
PSALM 116:8"Be at rest O my Soul, for the Lord has been good to you."

Thanks IN...

Despite being thousands of miles away from America, there was enough of us here in Kijabe, Kenya to join with family in Christ to celebrate the traditional day of thanks. I have to be honest though, nothing felt like Thanksgiving because it was all so unfamiliar. And although my brother believed I was going to eat "Rhinosari Tusk and Giraffe Thigh", I actually had a splendid Turkey dinner with all the trimmings :) What a gift! As we sat around and shared our meal together and then read verses and shared what we were thankful for, a very important message was pointed out to us that did not come alive to me until today. It made sense.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Give thanks IN all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

How often I give thanks for this, or for that, and I was finding it hard to do yesterday because nothing was the same and I was not with my family and it doesn't feel like the typical "Holiday Season." But boy could I be thankful IN my circumstances of being in Kenya for this Holiday season, and that is just what I was able to do... besides, who gets to say they spent Thanksgiving with some monkeys, zebra, and pinching ants. I do!

Romans 12:13

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."



Praying for all my precious family and friends back at home.



P.S. Yes, this was once again another sunset in Kijabe, Kenya, taken from my front porch.

Around the World

Last week I was able to take a quick trip to meet my Grandpa and Aunt Alice to celebrate the life of my Great Grandma who lived in Germany. Being with family was so good for my heart. I am so thankful for my family and how connected they have allowed our family in Germany despite the miles between us. I absolutely loved my time with all my cousins! It was quite a culture shock and alot to take in a just a few short days, but it was the best decision I could have made to go to attended the funeral with my Grandpa and the rest of my family. I promised my self that I would never go in the winter time again when it was 30 degrees or below the whole time, but there I was again! It even snowed one day for a while. Fall was all around though and it was beatiful. In the pictures you will be able to tell that I thouroughly enjoyed ALL the food and meat, cheese, and ice cream! It was a huge blessing to be able to go to Germany, yet at the same I am so happy to be back in Kenya with my kids and my family here in Kenya.
My cousins Betina, Lea, and Hannah eating ICE CREAM!

Aunt Alice, Aunt Helga, and Uncle Alfons

Enjoying a Berliner! A German Donut, one of my favs!

Oma's favorite flower, they were all around her house.

Johannes, Lea, Hannah

The Cousins!

Grandpa getting ready to go out! Yes, I had to go out with him like this :)

The day of Oma's service

Mom, I knew you would love these picture.

Beautiful, Beautiful Fall

A Church down the street from Oma's

In Ulm, my Oma's town
The Ulmer Minster at Night, the largest church steeple in the world.

Mom

Well, lets just say there are more days then not that I would love to see my mom and enjoy one giant, extra long hug from her. I came upon a piece of scripture I have never read before this week, it gave me a huge sense of comfort that I am in need of at times without her...

Isaiah 65:13

"As a mother comforts her child; so will I comfort you..."

I miss the comfort my mom gives me, but there is another who always has and will continue to sustain me until that time when I get my mom hug.