When I was a teenager I spent the majority of my free time doing things most teenagers probably thought was dorky, boring and basic social suicide. I did not attend prom or date in high school. I didn't spend much time "hanging out" with friends except a few from church. I really wanted so much to please God, and to gain the approval of those I looked up to. I think I was probably a "boring" person lol - no real drama to solve for a youth pastor and nothing exciting at school. My aspiriations ran deep and were bigger than school, grades or a social life. I didn't think much of myself or have great beauty or even a really fun personality. I was loyal and I loved great...at the time it didn't seem like much but in retrospect I feel like God was pleased, and that gives me joy.
I spent much of my time babysitting to raise money for missions and traveling to orphanages or humanitarian projects both stateside and abroad. Of those experiences the most marked and life-changing was a trip to Kenya, Africa with friends from church. Of the friends, Miss W was the eldest and is known by those who love her as a woman of wisdom. She is kind and tender...full of gentleness but so very strong. She and her children had lived in this part of Africa as missionaries for a number of years and her husband died tragically while living there; he was buried there as well. There were emotional parts of this visit for them and for me, it was a first exposure to real hurt...real tragedy...real poverty and a keen understanding that many thousands of miles from me there are people who are loved by God and whose plight in life is exceedingly difficult.
I will never forget kneeling in prayer, drinking hot...HOT chai or sleeping in Ngota Milai's hut in Loita the day we arrived there....after many hours of driving in the mountains of this particular area. When I saw her photo here, on Lisa's blog, the tears were quick to appear. She does not know me or the profound affect she has had on my heart or my life or that I pray for her even today, 15 years later. She loves Jesus and her family and her plight in life is much more laborious than mine. The Lord knows her intimately and sees her just as he sees me....amazing. My world, my outlook and my person are forever changed. Why does it take seeing someone so different from us to grasp a little more, the hugeness, the mercy, the greatness and goodness of God?
I still dream of Africa...of its people. I have no doubt God will use us there at some point along the way and I trust this desire is from Him and that His timing is perfect.
While we were there we met a wonderful family, the Bordens (Lisa & Byron), who had a ministry there and have continued to work there and many other places. You can see more on their ministry here. There are 4 children; Jesse, Trevor, Colin and their youngest, Heather. Lisa's love for her family, partnership with her husband and overall attitude has never left me. Her balance and most importantly her desire to intimately know and please the Lord has motivated me. I enjoy reading her blog...and she recently wrote a , Approaching God, that will be coming out soon and thought I'd share it all with you! She hardly knows more of me than my 14 year old self who visited Kenya in the 90's :) so there is no benefit in my sharing this with you other than that I believe you will be encouraged...go give a read :)
Put the Kettle on! Read...support their ministry...pray for them....you can thank me later! :)
Thea
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