Potluck



Now that our time is coming to a close I have been asking myself lots of questions.  I know that people will ask me, what did you do over there Miriam? (I have not been called Micki even by Marv for a month and I have grown too really like it!)  We all know that Marv made a medical contribution that is measurable, but what was your task and what did you accomplish? I did lots of activities.   I went on pediatric rounds with the chaplain, I listened to 5^th graders read aloud, I went to Thread of Hope, I delivered food to widows and orphans ,and I tried to interact with the many Kenyans I came in contact with.  Those were all good things and I will always remember them and pray for those causes.   But I believe that the most important reason that I was here was to establish relationships and to listen to people’s stories.  Many of these stories are too personal and confidential to share on a blog but I do believe that the Lord put me here during this month to be a friend to several people.    Being a friend often means just listening and I was blessed to be able to do that.   Being apart from everyday life offers the time, freedom, and objectivity to listen.  That is the blessing of mission trips!

I am not expert on mission trips, but I now know that each one is different and that you will be stretched in ways you do not expect.  It is good, especially as we grow older to be stretched in our faith and in our concepts of the world.  My faith has grown as I have again witnessed the simple faith of a people who are poor in the world’s eyes; but rich in   God’s eyes.  My faith has grown as I have witnessed Moms with sick kids come to Christ and cast their burdens upon Him. My faith has grown as I have gotten to know children living apart from their missionary parents. My faith has grown as I have seen Somali Moslems coming to Kijabe for medical treatment because “God is here”.   My faith has grown as I wonder at how the Holy Spirit is moving among the “closed countries of Africa” and among the thousands now living in refugee camps along the Kenya border.  My faith has grown as I have met first generation Christians from many places in the world   who are on fire for the Lord.

So this month has been a time of growth for me in many ways and for this I am very grateful.  I will pray for the people I have met and with the wonder of technology I will be able to maintain and grow these friendships. Thanks be to God.   Thanks for being a part of the journey. 

Love to all and God bless,

Mom