Africa or Bust!

Someone in Kenya must need dental work.

Or a toothbrush.

Or at the very least, a fresh pale-skinned face filled with the love of Jesus, willing to listen, speak, pray, or smile with them.

Why? you ask.  Because God saw fit to open the door for our family to go to Kenya this summer.  It has been a roller coaster ride these past few months, for sure.  Joey and I prayed and prayed that God would give us a clear open or closed door.  Some days we felt like the door was beginning to open.  Other days we were sure the door was slamming shut.  Then a glimmer of hope again.  Then no hope.  It was exhausting at times.

Not long ago, I prepared myself to accept from God a closed door.  We had some very legitimate concerns that didn't seem to have any easy resolutions.  But the thought of not being able to go made me quite sad.  One day, in my sadness and desperation for a clear answer from God, I decided to do one of those quiet times where I just flop open the Bible and promise God that I will start reading where ever it lands.  I asked for Him to work through whatever page my Bible landed on.  So I looked up, flopped open my Bible, threw my finger on a page and sighed a deep sigh when I looked down and saw where it landed:

Ezekiel 37: The Valley of the Dry Bones

Thanks God.  Good one, I thought.  Very funny.

It seemed this was going to be the nail in the coffin of our dreams to go to Africa. I set out to read the chapter as I had promised God, fully confident that this would be the "door slammed shut" answer that I dreaded.

But as I read, I quickly realized that "Ezekiel 37: The Valley of the Dry Bones" is not at all about God saying "no" or leaving people without hope.  It's not about dry bones and lost dreams.  Quite the opposite, in fact.  God speaks of doing something spectacular.  He speaks of the miraculous.  Even more interestingly though, is the fact that God clearly states his reasoning behind doing the miraculous - "Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord." (v.14)

I finished that quiet time and prayed with hope that God would continue to lead us.  A door seemed to be opening in my heart.  All my planning, budgeting, calling, and hand wringing would be for not.  If God wanted to throw out my very legitimate concerns in one fell swoop for the sake of letting me and others know that He has spoken, so be it.  I was game for the spectacular.

So that's what He did -- something spectacular.  He opened doors we thought were closed.  He provided for needs we thought couldn't be met.  He calmed our fears and sent our concerns out the window.  And because He did it, we know He has spoken.

We're going to Kenya.

Someone in Kenya must need dental work.
(Joey will be there to provide it at Kapsowar Hospital and the Pokot village.)

Or a toothbrush.
(Jonah, Hannah and I would love to provide some.)

Or at the very least, a fresh pale-skinned face filled with the love of Jesus, willing to listen, speak, pray, or smile with them.
(We can't wait to see what opportunities the Lord places in our path.)

We are raising a little bit of support to pay for the cost of dental supplies, toothbrushes and other in-country expenses.  The Lord graciously provided us with the ability to pay for our plane tickets, so the majority of the trip is paid! (Praise Him!)  If you would like to contribute to the few extra expenses, you can send a tax deductible donation to Tulsa Bible Church with separate note explaining you wish the money to go toward our Kenya trip.  Thank you and God be praised!