Kenya: Day 1

Day 1:

Jambo! We made it to Kenya, had a good night at the KWO World Headquarters in Kamulu, spent most of the day driving to Kericho (with a couple of stops at Java, of course!) and now we are at the beautiful Kericho Tea Hotel! And "beautiful" is an understatement. We were welcomed into the town of Kericho by a breathtaking blue sky painted with deep oranges and yellows... a beautiful sunset to end a long day was a gift from God, reassuring us that He is sovereign and rules over ALL the earth, not just our little section called America. 

Well, sadly but surely many of our bags did not make it to Kenya. Seven bags were missing and will (supposedly) arrive on tonight's flight in from London, and they will be delivered to us in Kericho by Sunday. Let's hope that happens. If last year taught us anything, it was that you cannot always count on what the luggage support center people on the other end of the phone tell you. Just ask Prissy Chambers who was guaranteed her bag every day until it finally arrived on day 6 of the trip last year.

However, despite the slight stress and frustration these kinds of things cause, we were again reminded of and humbled by the fact that God is sovereign and He is in control. 

I guess because of the stress and craziness that comes with making the 24+ hour trip to another continent, I missed the day we left (May 22) of the devotional book, "Jesus Calling." It would have been a great pre-trip reminder, but reading this after the fact was probably even more impactful:

"When things don't go as you would like, accept the situation immediately. If you indulge in feelings of regret, they can easily spill over the line into resentment. Remember that I am sovereign over your circumstances, and humble yourself under my mighty hand. Rejoice in what I am doing in your life..."

Sometimes the impact of life's circumstances, however big or small, often shift our focus away from Him. We need to be able to view all circumstances from His perspective. So we were reminded that when regret (such as, 'I should have packed XXX in my carryon instead of my checked bag) begins tempting your mind and resentment toward the place God has lead you sneaks in (such as Kenya, with no luggage), humble yourself and realize HE IS IN CONTROL. And who knows, maybe there is some big, underlying reason our bags didn't make it here on time. Or maybe, just maybe, this happened so we could be reminded that no matter how hard we try, we are not in control; this is not our trip, but HIS! 

So that's that. 

Next:

Like  I mentioned earlier, we made it through the busy towns, crazy Kenya traffic, the rolling hills of tea fields, and even all that dust from the unpaved roads that made us feel as though we were back home in West Texas, and we are now at the Kericho Tea Hotel. We had a buffet style dinner here at the hotel and even met the Governor and Deputy Governor of Kericho. It's not every day you meet a Kenyan governor who says He will do whatever he can to help your efforts... although Layne did ask and he isn't able to get our luggage. Bummer.

So that's all for tonight. We covet and appreciate your prayers for continued safety, open and willing hearts among our team and those we will meet, the ability to see from God's perspective, and for The Lord to do big things! 

Love from us all -

May Medical Team