Roller Coaster Ride

We are not cisterns made for hoarding, we are channels made for sharing.
--Billy Graham

Hmmm…so we’ve been a little quiet on our blog these last few weeks. It’s sometimes hard to know what to write about or how to say things…and I’ve felt a little like I’ve lost my ability to communicate. To say that these last few weeks have been hard may be a little bit of an understatement. We have felt quite stressed and burdened. We have been struggling in quite a few areas, and to be completely honest with you, feel as though we are under attack. We know that this is not coincidence feeling this way at the same time as making some crucial decisions about our future, and are praying for clarity and peace from God. We would appreciate your prayers for us in this regard as well. We will let you know as to some of the decisions we are making as soon as we can.

Other than that…life has been busier than ever. It is so hard to keep up sometimes!

I’ll start with Trevor’s work at the TAM shop…he is always busy. Always, always, always! He is trying to learn and figure out how to manage all the work that has to be done and balance all his responsibilities properly. It has been quite stressful for him.
An exciting thing that has happened, though, is that Rueben (from Mitumba) has started working at the TAM shop with Trevor full time! He is working as an attachment, which is like work experience. This has been so good for both Rueben and Trevor! Rueben has really been thriving and learning so much, and is starting to really see that his life has meaning and purpose. God can use anybody, no matter their circumstances!! And Trevor is a really good teacher, and is able to now start helping Rueben and teach him mechanics, the same way he has been helping Mark. God is really working and doing great things!!

Life in Mitumba is busy, but really good. The kids keep me on my toes, that’s for sure! I am falling more and more in love with them every time I see them though. I am so excited to be getting to know a few new older girls on a deeper level. The other day, I was there late because I was waiting for Pastor Shadrach to be ready to leave. It was the greatest time! I was able to just hang out in the field with a bunch of the youth and kids…not do anything in particular, but just be there. I love those days. One of our boys, Cosmas, said “Andrea, today you are not leaving. Today you will stay here with us. Pastor can go home, but he needs to leave you here!”

On Saturday I also had the chance to visit some girls in their homes. One young girl, Mary, asked me if I would like to come and meet her mom. I immediately agreed, of course, and got to see where Mary and her brother Wilson live, and meet their mom. On our way back from her house, another girl, Maureen, asked if I would like to see her home as well. I spent some time in Maureen’s home and visited with her step-mother. I love opportunities like this. To not just be an outsider. But to get to know their families. To see their homes. To be there. Really be there. To be a familiar face. Not just a mzungu face.

I always get a couple youth and kids who just hang out in the clinic with me, they are not sick, they just want to be there. Kevin has proclaimed himself as my bodyguard. That’s why he’s there. Dennis has proclaimed himself as my son, that’s why he’s there. And Fridah just says “I like spending time with you, but I don’t know why!!” ha that made me laugh!! : )

There’s a little girl, Marcy. She started coming around last week…it was the first time I remember seeing her anyway. She’s about 2 or 3 years old…and the absolute cutest little girl I have ever seen! For some reason, she took to me right away, and since then I have not been able to leave her sight. I carried her everywhere with me on Friday and Saturday…if I needed to put her down for whatever reason, I immediately heard “MZUNGU!!” coming from her mouth in quite the irritated tone! It about broke my heart, though, when we were leaving on Saturday afternoon. I obviously needed to leave her there…and her cry and tears were almost too much for me to handle. She wasn’t mad. She wasn’t irritated. She was so, so sad. She stared at me with her beautiful eyes full of tears, using the bottom of her little pink dress to wipe her face. Oh, my heart. One of our boys said “Andrea, just take her with you.” Oh how I wished that I could.

I have fallen in love with little Marcy.

Oh, and I also celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago! Since I had never celebrated my birthday in Kenya before, it was kind of a momentous event! Ha. =) My birthday fell on a Sunday (June 7). You know, I’m really not a big fan of being sang to. Especially in large groups of people! But…you guessed it. That’s what happened. Our church always does this thing where they bring all the kids up to the front and pray for them before they go to children’s church. And they always ask if any of them had a birthday this week. Well…as soon as that was asked, a bunch of our friends all pointed to me and said “it’s Andrea’s birthday!!!” so I had the whole Church sing to me…it was great. Actually I didn’t mind too much : )
Some sweet friends of ours, Richard and Lesly, invited us over for that evening. It was such a great time for us. WE have LOVED getting to know more people our age, and getting to know friends on a deeper level. We feel so blessed.

This weekend we have had visitors!! Our friends, Craig and Ruthie, and their friend from Rwanda, came to visit! It’s been so great to be able to talk about our lives, since we’re going through many of the same things and same emotions and making the same decisions! It has been wonderful!!

Wow, this has been the most random update EVER! Sorry…I’ll get back to my regular updating soon, but for now, this is what you get! Ha.

Please continue praying for us here in Nairobi. Change is coming in our lives, and we feel slightly like we’re on a crazy roller coaster. Roller coasters can be fun, but they can also be scary when you can’t see where the next turn is coming from. We can’t see around the corner right now, and it’s hard! But God is so good, and we have felt His presence and peace in the midst of all the unknowns.

I’ll update again soon…I promise! =)