Evidence of What's to Come (an update from jamin)

Being a rookie on this trip, I’m well aware culture shock is undoubtedly in the cards. I don’t want to diminish its effect by aimlessly speculating on what that might look like. I’d rather share its effects once it does and let God do his thing. However today as we’re a little more than a week away I am tying off the final ends and had a little realization. Of course among the tasks are packing, preparing, shopping for the tiny bottles the TSA will let you pack, and looking into currency exchange.

 

It was at the currency exchange that God pricked my heart. The fifty US dollars I was thinking of exchanging will at this writing exchange for 3,985 Kenyan Shillings. While this might seem like an obvious and trivial sum it hit me how long I have been sheltered in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

 

I remember it being big news on Christmas day in 2002 when due to U.S. national debt the dollar broke even with the Euro. Commentators were ecstatic. What would we do if our currency continued to fall? Currently the U.S. Dollar is worth 87 cents on the Euro, and I still have an apartment and clothing. I haven’t missed a meal, though my Big Mac cost me about 20 cents more than it used to.

 

In twelve days I’ll be in a country where their currency is worth 1.2 cents of my dollar. It’s a place where they don’t worry about the extra cost that would add to a Big Mac, because most will never be rich enough to buy one. While we worry about things like cost of living, they worry about living at all, and I wonder if perhaps they have a better grasp of life for it.

 

I’m excited what God will do in our hearts in the coming days. I speak for the whole team when I say we beg your prayers!

 

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Jamin

 

Preparing for the Trip (an update from Jamin)

Well we’re less than 20 days away from leaving for Kenya! I (Jamin) have been finding luggage, taking inventory of my clothing, and soon I’ll be getting poked with all manner of vaccines to keep me safe overseas. It has been an exciting time preparing my heart for this missions trip. Personally I’ve never been on a missions trip longer than one day, I’ve never seen third world poverty, and I’ve never dealt with a language and literacy barrier. For all of these unknowns perhaps the most notable part of missions trip preparations has been peace. Though there might be much unknown, our God is known, and I am confident he will be enough. That said It is time for a quick update on what we’ll be doing!

 

 We’ll arrive Monday June 7^th after too many hours to think about in the air. On this day we’ll be serving at New Life Home orphanage. This orphanage serves discarded children, many of them diagnosed with HIV. The aids epidemic has ravaged Kenya, and many of these children are born with the virus, having done nothing to contract it themselves. This orphanage nurses them to health many of them, by God’s grace, to a complete life free of HIV. It is literally a New Life Home.

 

Day 2 we’ll travel to the costal village of Malindi. This is where we’ll spend of bulk of our journey. The following days in and around Malindi we’ll be doing construction work on Mercy Centers, that in partnership with Mission of Mercy, provide food, clothing, education, and a chance to hear the Gospel to the children of this area. We’ll be mudding, plumbing, roofing, and doing anything we can to help them. At the same time we’ll host vacation bibleschools for the children at these centers, telling them about Christ through stories, games, and songs.

 

Finally we’ll join these people in worship on Sunday, and spend one last day sharing life with these people. Tuesday June 15^th we’ll travel to Mombasa, on the coast to the South East, begin the long journey home.

 

Some have asked me: Jamin, what do you expect? The answer is honestly that I don’t know. I do know there are people I have yet to meet who need to know that they can have peace with God. Someone told me, and I want to tell them. I don’t know how to do it yet, but God is sufficient. Thank you for your prayers in the days ahead!

 

Blessings,

 

Jamin

 

Team Prepares

Not long from now(June 6-15), over 40 individuals will journey on a calling to be the hands and feet of our Lord Jesus in Nairobi and Malindi Kenya.  June 6-15 .  Bringing necessary water(installing piping/pumps) to a number of Mission of Mercy “Projects”(where hundreds of children go for medical care, meals, and Christian education), installing windows and doors, hosting vacation bible schools, and being touched deeply by a love that is only explicable to those that have visited the third world.

 

Please follow this page, bookmark it, make it a favorite…and most importantly-Please pray for the team!

 

Mitch – Team leader