Three things I'm asking of the Lord

When Kyle and Vanessa were gearing up to leave for Kenya, they specifically asked Joey and I not to support them financially. They said it would be more of an encouragement to them if we set aside the amount that we would give toward saving up for our family to come and visit them in Kenya someday. That someday is finally here.

Kyle and Vanessa are not just family to us. They are best friends to us. They were the friends we could call at 6:02 on a Friday night and say, "Hey! You guys want to hang out tonight?" and they would drop everything an come over. Kyle and Joey were accountability partners. Vanessa and I stole every opportunity for a kid-free lunch on the days both our kids were in preschool. We could talk about anything. Our kids adore their kids and vise-versa.

Needless to say, it's been a long and lonely year and a half since they left. But this just makes our upcoming trip an especially exciting one. As I've prepared for this trip, I've continually been praying three things:

1. That we would be an encouragement to Kyle, Vanessa, and the boys. We know they are exactly where the Lord wants them to be right now. We also know that this fact is not always as easy as it is evident. When my parents visited them back in February, my mom showed Hudson (age 6) pictures on her phone of all the cousins here in the States. Hudson has a bigger heart than any 6 year old on the planet. The pictures caused him to cry, saying that he missed his cousins so much, and asking serious questions like "Why did God call us to Kenya and not them?" We want to affirm them in their calling, their ministry, and their life. We want God to use us to encourage and refresh them.

2. That we would be able to have a ministry to the people in Kenya. Joey is bringing a bunch of dental equipment to provide dental services to the people in Kapsowar as well as the people in the Pokot village among whom Kyle has started a ministry. The kids and I are bringing gifts to hand out to the children in the children's ward. A very specific request I am asking of the Lord is that our luggage would not be lost on the way there. We have a very quick (1.5 hour) layover in Istanbul where our luggage must make it off one plane and onto another. I'm praying that all the equipment for our ministry makes it with us to Kenya on time.

3. That our children's worldview would be drastically widened. Right now, Jonah and Hannah live in a little world where most people live, look, and smell like them. I can't wait to see how this trip opens their eyes to see beyond themselves and this bubble of a world they live in. I've often heard our friends from The Traveling Team talk about seeing students "put their yes on the table." I want my kids to someday "put their yes on the table," telling God they are willing to do anything or go anywhere to further His kingdom. I want them to look back on this trip and see it as one of the turning points in their lives leading to this decision.

We covet your prayers for these things as well.

Thank you!
Kelly