God’s Faithfulness Part 2
Posted by will | Filed under Christianity, Elizabeth, Kenya, Thoughts
On the third day of my February 2010 trip to Kenya, I got to see water running at Black Tank. Now, when I was there in June 2009, people would walk by Black Tank because the pump for the well was broken and the tank was leaky. Our team in June worked on chiseling out the soft portions of concrete on the tank and replaced it with fresh to stop the leakage. Shortly after, a team from the International Water Mission came and replaced the broken pump and installed solar panels to power it. In November 2009, another NewSpring team built a roof over the tank.
What was once dry is now full of water. What was once barren and devoid, now has life.
It hit me that when I was there in June 2009, Kelly and I had just lost
our daughter Elizabeth and honestly we were devastated. It felt like we were left barren, but our hope was in the LORD. We knew if it was His will for us to not be dry, to not be barren, but rather to have another child, then it would happen.
As I watched the children of Black Tank filling up their containers with the clean drinking water from the well in February, it hit me. God had restored water to this dry desolate area in the same way He had given Kelly and I new hope. As I stood there that day, I knew that God had been faithful. We are expecting a son, William “Liam” Lucas.
God’s Faithfulness
Posted by will | Filed under Christianity, Kenya, Thoughts
During my trip to Kenya in June 2009, I often looked around and wondered if I would be back to see this beautiful place again. I wondered if I would see the Kenyans that I had become friends with again.
Just before I left Kenya on that trip to return to the States, I felt God tell me, “You will be back”.
When I walked out of the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in February 2010, I began to see how faithful God was. In fact, throughout the trip He reminded me over and over.
Our first day in country in February 2010, we crossed the Uaso Nyro river on the way to Segera Mission and the river was flowing unlike in June 2009 when it was only a series of puddles. It was awesome to see water flowing through this dry, dusty region. We went out to Endana to do an outreach service that afternoon and as we got off the bus, one of the guys on our team asked me if I thought it was going to rain because of the dark clouds. I responded, “No, we’ll probably be able to see where it’s raining, but I don’t think it’ll rain here.” Three minutes later, I was eating my words when big drops began to fall. We continued with outreach service in the rain. Apparently sound equipment is more waterproof in Kenya.
As I look back on it, I lacked the faith that it could rain in the Segera area because I had not seen it rain, but just as it says in Isaiah 43:19 (NIV):
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
God was doing a new thing, but yet it wasn’t a new thing, it has rained there plenty. God has been making streams in this wasteland and not just literal ones like the Uaso Nyro river, but ones that never run dry, spiritual ones. It is because of knowing Jesus that these people have hope and joy, just like in John 4:14 (NIV):
“…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus says “never” thirst and because of that we have faith in eternal life because He paid the ultimate price for us. He impressed upon me through this entire trip how faithful He is. No matter what the situation or circumstances He is never failing.
Thank You
Posted by will | Filed under Christianity, Kenya, Technology, Thoughts
On the eve of my departure to Kenya, I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you to all of the people that have partnered with me on this journey.
Because of the sacrifices that you have made, lives are going to be changed 8000 miles away from the U.S. I don’t want you to lose the significance of that. People will hear about The Gospel because you were willing to give. People will be shown an example of Christ’s love because of the sacrifice you made.
It is easy for us to get caught up in what God is doing around where we live in the U.S. It is easy to forget that worship doesn’t just take place in our buildings with electricity, heat and air conditioning. Last time I was in Kenya, I got to walk 2 miles to a church with no electricity. Along that walk to church we were joined by kids as young as 3 who would normally walk 2 or 3 miles to get to church. I can’t begin to describe the authentic worship that I got to be a part of that day. The God that we serve is huge and he is at work all across the world.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be in Segera and see what God is going to do through this trip. I could describe what God, while I am there, by showing you photos and a video to help you understand, but that would only give you a mere glimpse. I wanted to somehow give each of you a window to this journey, so if (read as a big IF- i.e. 3rd world country + technology) everything goes as planned I will be Twittering while I’m there. I hope that it will give you a better view of what God is doing by providing real time updates of what is happening. I think this will give you a better view of day to day activity rather than me trying to remember a whole day of events when I get back to the hotel.
If everything goes as planned you should be able to follow along here.
I hope this will give you an increased perspective of how big God really is and will lead you to either go on a trip yourself or continue to support others; whichever God lays on your heart.
I love Jesus, I love my