From Bucket Lists to Buckets...

Hey Everyone!

 I always get so encouraged when I see all of your sweet comments on my blog. Thank you so much for the prayers. Our team of 10 people hasn’t really had any major conflicts and I really believe that is because we are covered in prayers—so thank you.

On July 2^nd, we had a July 4^th party with all of the girls at Shunam. It was so fun! We all were so encouraged, because even though we planned for it, only God could have brought the genuine fun and smoothness that the party went into! We had hot dogs wrapped in Kenyan Chipati and some other American foods. It was really fun. We did a water balloon toss while singing some African songs we learned, and ending it with a good old fashion game of Kenyan football/soccer. 6 to 30, not good odds! We definitely lost but had a lot of fun doing it! It was such a sweet time, and probably one of my favorite days so far.

We had a July 4^th party on July 4^th with the workers that live on the land in Kisserian with us. It was so much fun, and it was a great time of dancing, celebrating, and praying with them for both America and for Kenya. It was so cool to feel so united from such different areas of the world.

We were blessed with the opportunity of going on a Safari this past weekend and it was incredible!! I absolutely loved going and God richly blessed us with a wonderful place to say, and all of the animals we prayed to see, God provided. We saw rhinos, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, lions, baby cubs, hippos, crocodiles, and so much more. We went on a game drive on Friday evening and another one on Saturday morning. It was amazing, and words can’t even describe how incredible it was!

When we woke up on Sunday morning, all of the guys were sick except for Justin. We think we may have gotten some food poisoning on the Safari. One of our guys, Corey, had to preach that morning. Even though he was sick, he felt like he was feeling well enough to preach. It was an incredible story, the Holy Spirit worked through him to deliver his sermon—on the Holy Spirit. It was so amazing to see how God used him to preach the word even though he was feeling so awful. It was such a testimony to God working in and through him in his weakness.

3 of the guys stayed back and the rest of us went. On the way, Rachel got sick, and then during the service I got really sick. I’ll spare you the details, but getting sick in Kibera—one of the worst experiences. It was horrible, and this week we’ve been taking it a little easy to recover.

We have a few more days left in Kibera, with a youth event on Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then a VBS the day before we leave. Please be praying for us, because it has already hit me how hard it will be to leave the relationships I have built here. Please be praying for us and for our team, I’m starting to feel the pressure of having to say goodbye and it’s really sad.

I’ve started to think about what God has changed in me these past two months, and while I have a few things I will definitely be taking home with me, part of me thinks I won’t really see some of the change until I get back home. I definitely want everyone to see what Christ has done this summer. Please be praying for us this next week as we have to say goodbye, and please be praying for me and my team, that we will be humbled and know that it is not what we did this summer, but what Christ has done in and through us.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.”

Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)

Thanks for reading!