Tuesday night marked our last team meeting before the morning of our departure! We spent the evening sorting and organizing and packing up all the donations that were made to our efforts at Beacon of Hope, including hundreds of childrens books, hundreds of Beanie Babies, hundreds of pairs of shoes (seeing a theme here?), and craft and teaching supplies. Thanks to all of you who gave!
Two of our elders, Mike Anderson and Rick Lindroth, along with several former team members were on hand for a time of prayer and commissioning, followed by dinner and story-telling. It was a great night together!
In the midst of all of that chaos, we received some interesting news and we can certainly use your prayers this week! We've had our airfare booked for the last month through Delta/NWA and our return trip was on a newly opened itinerary through Delta. For the first time in over 30 years, a US airline was going to be flying direct to and from Nairobi. The itinerary called for a 19 hour return flight from Nairobi to Atlanta, by way of a short refueling stop in Dakar, Senegal (West Africa). This is the return flight we were supposed to be on.
However, this week we learned (in a passing comment by our travel agent) that this particular itinerary has been canceled. So we could use your prayers as we navigate getting Delta to put us on a new return flight. Our travel agent has been calling 2-3 times a day with no success, so specifically you can pray that she will be able to get through and they can resolve the issue.
Thanks everyone for your support and for your prayers. We really appreciate you!
13 Days and counting!
Blessings,
Joel
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Preparations
With our departure date rapidly drawing near, I am attempting to check off the tasks on my "to-do" list in hope that all details are in order before we leave. Taking care of the logistics of the trip has been time consuming but relatively easy compared to the other part of preparation. This is the part that I've been avoiding - preparing my heart and mind for this journey. Why is this part so difficult?
It is truly a gift to be able to return to Kenya. I feel like a part of me has been longing to return since my first visit there two years ago. What I experienced then has changed my life. My eyes have been opened to see the world and not just my little corner of it. I have witnessed God's presence in the midst of extreme poverty. I have learned the importance of investing in people and not in things. I have learned to live more simply. However, with these life lessons came emotional challenges. My heart still aches from stories that I heard, people that I met, and poverty that I saw. Even as I prepare for this trip, I feel like I'm still processing things from two years ago and I know that with this journey will come new challenges. But yet, I'm excited to return. I look forward to seeing my Kenyan friends and joining them as a participant in God's work. I am also excited to see what God has done through Beacon of Hope over these past two years.
So, as I struggle with being prepared, it is my hope to go forward with a mind that wants to learn and with a heart that God will shape into what He wants it to be.
Lisa
It is truly a gift to be able to return to Kenya. I feel like a part of me has been longing to return since my first visit there two years ago. What I experienced then has changed my life. My eyes have been opened to see the world and not just my little corner of it. I have witnessed God's presence in the midst of extreme poverty. I have learned the importance of investing in people and not in things. I have learned to live more simply. However, with these life lessons came emotional challenges. My heart still aches from stories that I heard, people that I met, and poverty that I saw. Even as I prepare for this trip, I feel like I'm still processing things from two years ago and I know that with this journey will come new challenges. But yet, I'm excited to return. I look forward to seeing my Kenyan friends and joining them as a participant in God's work. I am also excited to see what God has done through Beacon of Hope over these past two years.
So, as I struggle with being prepared, it is my hope to go forward with a mind that wants to learn and with a heart that God will shape into what He wants it to be.
Lisa
Saturday, June 13, 2009
24 days until departure
24 more days! It feels like the big 'to-do's have been completed and the smaller details are all falling into place. Everyone has been sufficiently vaccinated, tested, prescribed, and all those not particularly enjoyable, but necessary things. Logistics, travel details, and rough daily schedules are all hammered out and the reality of the trip has set in.
It has been a long time coming for many of us. Waiting 6 months between finding out we're going and actually going has in many instances felt like the departure moment would never come. But, this past week in my case, another fire has been ignited -the same one that I felt when I learned of this opportunity to go to Kenya. It's hitting home that the wait is almost over and it's almost time to go be a part of and a witness to something incredible on the other side of the world. Since vaccinations and logistical details are now fairly set, I feel like this is the time for all of us to really just open up and let our hearts be prepared. Prepared to listen, to learn, to ask questions, to respect, to empathize, to absorb, to celebrate, and above and in all, love our God, teammates, and fellow Kenyan brothers and sisters as we're all underneath the God Umbrella (if you will).
Another aspect of this trip that I'm particularly proud to be a part of is this mission's idea of evangelizing. Many very respectable American churches do mission trips to foreign countries to bring The Word of God - preaching, teaching, evangelizing. While it is clear that bringing God's word to others is essential and good, I feel that sometimes this gets out of hand and creates a self-righetous image of Christians/Americans/Christian Americans, and maybe even a sense of pride and superiority in some of those mission go-ers. This Kenya trip is visibly different. Kenya has more self-reported Christians (by percentage) than the United States. If we looked at who needed to hear The Word in terms of percentages, we should be turning to our own country. Like Blackhawk's Love Madison project that sent God's people out into a community to do good works, we are going to Kenya as God's people to do good works and build in fellowship with other believers as well as non-believers. Our fellowship under Christ is not and should not be limited to those people who happen to reside in our neighborhood, classrooms or workplace. God's world and what he offers us extends so far beyond what is immediately accessible. Here is an opportunity to impact lives not simply through evangelizing in word but by deed, action, and relationship, to name a few. Also, here is an opportunity to experience God in new ways through unique situations that we have not yet encountered in our lives that will challenge us in ways that, without Kenya, we would not be challenged and thus would not grow. What an incredible opportunity to be people that exude and experience Christ's grace. In closing: a favorite quote of mine that has been dancing in my brain tonight that applies to all of us in many ways: "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi.
-Emily
It has been a long time coming for many of us. Waiting 6 months between finding out we're going and actually going has in many instances felt like the departure moment would never come. But, this past week in my case, another fire has been ignited -the same one that I felt when I learned of this opportunity to go to Kenya. It's hitting home that the wait is almost over and it's almost time to go be a part of and a witness to something incredible on the other side of the world. Since vaccinations and logistical details are now fairly set, I feel like this is the time for all of us to really just open up and let our hearts be prepared. Prepared to listen, to learn, to ask questions, to respect, to empathize, to absorb, to celebrate, and above and in all, love our God, teammates, and fellow Kenyan brothers and sisters as we're all underneath the God Umbrella (if you will).
Another aspect of this trip that I'm particularly proud to be a part of is this mission's idea of evangelizing. Many very respectable American churches do mission trips to foreign countries to bring The Word of God - preaching, teaching, evangelizing. While it is clear that bringing God's word to others is essential and good, I feel that sometimes this gets out of hand and creates a self-righetous image of Christians/Americans/Christian Americans, and maybe even a sense of pride and superiority in some of those mission go-ers. This Kenya trip is visibly different. Kenya has more self-reported Christians (by percentage) than the United States. If we looked at who needed to hear The Word in terms of percentages, we should be turning to our own country. Like Blackhawk's Love Madison project that sent God's people out into a community to do good works, we are going to Kenya as God's people to do good works and build in fellowship with other believers as well as non-believers. Our fellowship under Christ is not and should not be limited to those people who happen to reside in our neighborhood, classrooms or workplace. God's world and what he offers us extends so far beyond what is immediately accessible. Here is an opportunity to impact lives not simply through evangelizing in word but by deed, action, and relationship, to name a few. Also, here is an opportunity to experience God in new ways through unique situations that we have not yet encountered in our lives that will challenge us in ways that, without Kenya, we would not be challenged and thus would not grow. What an incredible opportunity to be people that exude and experience Christ's grace. In closing: a favorite quote of mine that has been dancing in my brain tonight that applies to all of us in many ways: "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." - St. Francis of Assisi.
-Emily
Monday, June 8, 2009
Team Pictures
We are one month away (to the day) from our departure for Kenya! Here are a couple pictures of the team from our overnight retreat a month ago!Shown from left to right:
Back: Joel Hassenzahl, Andy Simon-Wambach, Maggie Rodgers, Tim Schiefelbein, Ginger McCullough, Emily Hindman, Dale Bertram, Gail Bertram, Paul Pankratz
Front: Holly Hassenzahl, Cammie Sorensen, Amy Schiefelbein, Clare Tillman, Lisa Underhill, Sarah Parker
Not Shown: Tony Hunter
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