Ooops... I forgot to post this

Pretend that I posted this on July 27th :)

♫It's gonna take A LOT to drag me away from you... ♫

Last week... well, Wednesday - Friday was a week of goodbyes even though we have about 3 weeks left in Africa. This is the last week of classes, and then the schools have the entire month of August off for holiday... and this week, the Christ's Hope founders, Jos and his wife Sylvia, are here doing a Choose to Wait training in Kisumu... which means our normal ministry is off-kilter.

So the sum of my last week:

Farewell Ramba: This was the first school we had the chance of doing OVC at. I will always remember the passion these kids had to learn the word of the Lord, and the amazing teachers to drilled it into their brains. Memory verses were always learned, and the children always remembered the previous Bible story. Minus the few little terrors who pinched me during the last closing prayer, all the children every week were so lovely, welcoming, and curious about who we were and who we served.

Farewell Mt. Carmel: So this week, we decided to take a picture with them... and I'm surprised no one got smushed to death. The kids were so friendly, and were so enthusiastic to be in front of the camera ALL THE TIME. I wanted pictures of them doing their color sheets, so I discreetly took out my camera... well, see how long that lasted. The kids immediately started jumping into every picture. So, I told them that I'd only take pictures if they were coloring. They then followed me around with their color sheets saying, "Take a picture- I'm coloring! Take a picture!" Needless to say, I got a lot of interesting pictures. But in the end, we got some good snaps- and we also found out that they thoroughly enjoy Mzungu hair- every time I put it up, it got taken down. I'll always remember Mt. Carmel for the great questions from the students, and for leading us in song and poetry.

Farewell Rock VBS and Bible Study: These 15 children were one of the highlights of my week- ALWAYS. Even from the first time I went, I connected to these kids and enjoyed them as part of their family unit. These kids are SO creative and can play for hours and hours. They really love each other and that's seen through the way they share, the way they include each other in games, and the way that they ultimately look out for one another. I'll miss their songs, games, smiles, and hugs. Since most of the kids live on-sight, we're praying that we can get just one more day with them to do a day long camp and go swimming and have more fun then we know what to do with.

The Bible Study was with the older students at Rock. Our group, "Team Jesus," has been so eager to learn God's word as we study it, and so eager to learn more about their leaders! After weeks of them begging, Jessica, Anne, and I sang them the Bubblegum song... but our group didn't allow us to get away that easily. They still made Jessica and I sing for just our team... but then every single song we sang wasn't good enough. I think eventually we ended up singing "Amazing Grace- My Chains are Gone!" and they were finally content. I'll miss their love for us, their eagerness for God, their hope for change, and their commitment to a better life for themselves and their future families.

Farewell Pandi Pieri: Celebrity status and phenomenal music! Those are the 2 things I'll always think of when I think of this school! The very last thing they told us was: Greet your mother, greet your father, greet your brother, greet your sister!!! Such sweethearts!!!

Farewell Lwala: This group was by far the most shy and skeptical of the Wazungu at first... but they certainly warmed up to us! It was the first week we got to have play time with them. Precious children with precious teachers who work so hard for the Lord! I just love them!


So even though it was a week of goodbyes- and processing it is tough- the life and ministry here are still continuing with power and might. The care point on Saturday was so special as ALL the children are really opening up to us more and more and more, and my heart for each of them grows bigger and bigger and bigger... and I didn't even think it was possible!

Like I mentioned, this week we're sitting under the teaching of Christ's Hope founders Jos and Sylvia as they teach us how to teach Choose to Wait. There are about 20 people in the training course every day- and about 5 Kenyans staying in the house with us. Mary Beth, and American who was working with the Masai all summer, has also joined us to check out the ministry for a short time. So we have a very full house with our normal ministries being run by Marieke and Anne and Mary Beth and our local volunteers, and the rest of us in training all day. Pray for a lovely week of fellowship and hospitality, and for peace as we're going and going and going from early morning till late at night.

Please also continue to pray for us and the ministries. I know from the past that I have a tenancy to "Check Out" early emotionally and begin to distance myself from people and the ministry. I refuse to do that here. I love it too much and my heart is so deeply rooted here. But- I still know that goodbyes will get more and more difficult and getting on that plane in 3 weeks will be nearly impossible. I don't want to think about leaving, but I do want to prepare myself and ask for prayer in advance for the hurt we'll feel when we leave this place.

This video is something Denise shared with the team on the 2nd afternoon we were here, just before our first official storm in Africa... and also happens to be a cool version of one of my favorite songs ever. Sunday night, Jessica and I were in a pavilion restaurant eating pizza after a wild Boda ride though the beginnings of an epic storm... which immediately brought me into a place of marveling God's presence... so enjoy this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjbpwlqp5Qw


Mungu Aku Bariki,
Mary