Eastcoast Remix

Jambo from New York!

God is good and faithful and providing and knows every step we ever took in life and every step we'll ever take hereafter.

You may be wondering how someone from NY ended up on CCC's trip to Kisumu this summer. My journey toward this summer and being part of the STARS really began last summer.

I worked at a Christian summer camp in Pennsylvania and while other people felt called to missions so clearly, I didn't feel such a calling. In fact, I felt the absence of a calling. I knew God was preparing me for all that was before me, and chose to respond willingly with a "Ndiyo" [yes] as His plan unfolded step by step.

I go to Hofstra University on Long Island and am really involved with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Every 3 years they have a missions conference called Urbana. This past December in St. Louis, I joined more than 17,000 college students and young adults to worship God, learn about how God is working all around the world, and meet hundreds of mission organizations eagerly seeking young people [no joke, there was an exhibit hall with all the organizations table after table after table and the room stretches for forever, and there was no way to not feel overwhelmed!]

On the very last day [after I felt like I met every organization out there], I met Christ's Hope. As the conference ended, I made a commitment to serve for at least 2 years in a mission setting, whether home or abroad, though I didn't know when or where or how. I was still talking with some other organizations as the new year began, but after several phone conversations and lots of time in prayer, I realized my heart was already in Kenya loving God's children.

It's incredible what God will do when we offer ourselves to be used as He chooses. This time last year [even 3 months ago!] it would have never even crossed my mind that I could potentially be working in Kenya all summer. I'm constantly reflecting on Proverbs 16:9- "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." How true! When we offer ourselves to be used by God, He'll respond to our desire to serve Him and lead us in life as a part of His good and loving plan, step by step.

Mungu Yu Mwema [God is Good!],
Mary

Habari gani! (How's it going?)

Blessed to be a blessing!  As I write this entry I am filled up to overflowing with the knowledge of God's immense love for each of us.  Like Jessica, I can hardly wait to tell those we meet in Africa of this great love.

Even though many of the people we will meet in Kenya speak English, we are doing our best to learn some key words and phrases in Swahili.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Jambo!  (Hello)
Nafurahi kukuona  (it's nice to meet you)
Tutaonana (see you later)
Asante Sana  (thank you very much)
Ndiyo  (Yes)
Hapana  (No)
Lala Salama  (sleep with peace)

So there you have it.

Mungu aku bariki!  (God bless you!)

Pamela

Love each other

As Pat had mentioned we are doing a continuous Bible study. While preparing for my entry I was drawn to scripture from our study yesterday.
     "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15: 12-17
     This resonates with me in so many ways. It is such a privilege to be able to serve the Lord and his people in Africa, and at the same time unfathomable to be chosen by God to spread the light of Christ. There is no doubt that we will all change and be changed by this experience. It is humbling to be able to just go and LOVE these people who don't think they have any value in this world, and to let them know that there is a God who LOVES them no matter what they have done or what they will do. I cannot wait to LOVE LOVE LOVE God's people and show them the LOVE I have so graciously received from the Lord.

Praise God!
Jessica

Jambo!

Sundays = Tanea :)

I figure Sunday is a busy day for a lot of us Church goers, and decided I would take it on to lift a little load from the wonderful ladies on my team...

1st off: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to 2 of our Stars Team mates!
Brooke = 24 TODAY!
Jessica = 21 TODAY!
We celebrated with a beautiful cake shaped of Africa made by Jessica and some great balloons and 20 year old bubbles stolen from a wedding!

Sundays are our days we gals get together to prepare for our trip! I also promised them I would have a video blog of a song we will be teaching the children in Africa up, but it will have to wait til next Sunday to make the cut. :)

I want to thank everyone who is taking the time to follow our blog and support us with prayer or financially. We weighed our bags today and it looks like we will be getting to take a lot of needed supplies for the missionaries living in Kisumu and some of the HIV/Aids Patients. If there is anyway you feel lead to help please find one of us and let us know.

I feel beyond honored to be representing CCC on this trip and can't wait to see who God touches to come next time! :)

Thanks Again!
Through Christ (who strengthens...

Me, Tanea (Philippians 4:13)

Forty-two days and counting!

Hello Everyone,
Thank you for your prayers and contributions! I just received my assignment for blogging and Saturday will be the day I share our adventure with you. As I am writing this I am thinking about all of the things that still need to be accomplished before we leave on June 4th for Kisumu. When we fly into Kisumu, Kenya we will be allowed one checked bag that can only weigh 33 pounds! This Sunday afternoon we will be doing a "weigh-in" of our luggage. I anticipate some very creative packing and re-prioritizing as we begin to fine-tune our needs versus wants. We also want to take the items that have been requested by our Kisumu hosts as well as the items donated to our team from our Christ Community Church family. And we have to have room for peanut butter! It is a much-requested favorite!
As you can probably tell there are a lot of details that must be considered when undertaking a journey like this. There are immunizations, medications, visas, passports, work schedules, care-providing schedules, monies, etc. that must be in place before we even set foot on the plane.
Most importantly, we have been preparing as a team to go forward and offer Christ's hope to the people we will meet in Kisumu. We have asked Christ to be at the center of our team. We have completed a 40 day progressive fast together; we have had a team retreat and shared our testimonies with each other; we have participated in a team-building exercise together that really stretched all of us physically and mentally; we are all on day 62 of a four-month long Bible study; we continue to meet weekly to iron out details and have additional training to prepare us for what lies ahead. We are also praying for the people we will be working with and praying that we will all have "servant hearts".
I would like to share with you what we are all studying today as a team.
Today's Bible study was "Be Holy" referencing I Peter 1:13-25. It begins with "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy."
What a great reminder that all this preparation is pointing us to Jesus and the grace he will give to us all!
Until next time, may God bless you all richly
Pat Swarm

We're going to Africa!

Hello all!


Here begins the journey of the BLOG...


As many of you know there is a team of 6 women from Christ Community Church in Carmichael, CA, and 1 woman from New York, that are headed to Kisumu in Kenya, Africa.  We leave June 4, 2010 and 5 of us will return on June 26th.  Here is the team:  Laura Anderson, our leader - who went solo on this mission last year, paving the way for the rest of us; Brooke Culverhouse, Tanea DeVriend, Pat Swarm, Pamela McClanahan, Jessica Fuller and Mary Fugate - from New York!  Jessica and Mary will be staying in Kisumu for a full 10 weeks.


Recently someone asked me, "So....WHY are you going?"  I told him we are going to support the missionaries from Christ's Hope International who are working towards an AIDS Free World.  Specifically, we will be providing care and compassion to those who are dying of AIDS, and to the children who are left behind when their parents are gone.  (NOTE: It is estimated there are 14 MILLION children orphaned because of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa.)  We will also be teaching a program called Choose To Wait, which stresses the inherent value of each person and the importance of purity.


After all that, he asked again, "So....WHY are you going?"  This time I answered, "I am going to make sure these people know that they are loved and not forgotten."


As our team has gathered together weekly for the last 2+ months, preparing for this trip, we have learned that in the culture we are going to, people with HIV/AIDS are often cast aside.  Many times they are shunned by their families and neighbors.  I told my friend, "That is no way to live and it is no way to die."


We are honored and privileged to carry the life-giving news of Jesus Christ to those we will meet.  God loves each and every one of us and wishes that none would be left behind.  That is why we are going.


It is the prayer of our team that those of you following this BLOG would join us, as we join God in this work.  There are 3 tangible ways you can join us (and we'll probably think of more as we go on...):

1. You can pray for us.  Pray for our health and our families.  Pray that nothing would interfere with God's plan for us.  Pray that we would have strength and courage in all circumstances.  Pray that we would SHINE with God's love over every person we meet.
2. You can support us financially.  Click on the Christ Community Church - Africa Missions link above and you will find all of our photos.  Just click on the DONATE tab beneath any of our pictures to make a tax deductible contribution.  As a team we still need to raise about $8000.
3. You can follow our BLOG and send us notes of encouragement!

Ahhh...a couple more important items.

You might be wondering where we came up with the name, "STARS over Kisumu".  As we pondered a name, one of our members found a passage of scripture in Philippians 2.  In verses 15-16 it says, "...shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life...".  So we will be Serving God and those we meet; Thanking God for the privilege of working beside Him; Abiding in Him continually; Rejoicing in all things; and Shining like STARS in the universe!


This BLOG will have multiple contributors as each of us share our perspective on this journey.  Thanks for coming along!  (Pamela)