Constant

I never want to glorify "busy".  I think there is such a tendency to do that, especially for me.  I like having responsibilities and tasks. I enjoy organization and hurriedness.  But in this, I can see where "I am so busy" can easily lead to pridefulness etc.  That being said, WOW we have been busy lately.  Most of our days start very early, even before the sun makes it way up, and we are off to work. We have accepted many new responsbilities. There have been vision trips to South Sudan, fires at our boarding school, Mary has been hospitalized, we have hosted visitors, welcomed the interns, prepared for ALL the teams that will join us this summer.  Tim has taken on the role of farmer in addition to the other things he was doing.  I continue to coordinate the sponsorship program on this end and will also help facilitate the teams and visitors that come to serve here (with a ton of help from so many others).  It's a lot.  And it is never ending. And we love it.  Most of the time.

Some days we have have given everything we have and we fall into bed overly tired. You know, that tired where your brain is numb (dead, in many cases), your body aches with exhaustion.  We have spent the day(s) switching from role to role, culture to culture, language to language, etc.  We wonder how we will be able to do it again the next day.  Somedays we really dont think we can. But then:

He renews our strength.
His mercies are new every single morning.
He gives us all we need.
He shows us how to depend upon him.
He is our all in all.
He pours into us so we may pour it out. Then He refills. Again. And again.
He gives us sweet words from friends to encourage.
He provides.
His grace is sufficient.
He is love, grace, patience when we have none left.
He knows us.
He puts the kids right outside the gate to hug us and laugh with us as we leave MOHi for the day.
He is in the Sunday phones calls with our families.
He gives us video chats with our nephews and our niece.
He prompts friends, families, churches to send a message to encourage.
He gives us (ok, me) quiet mornings on the porch with Him and some coffee.
He gives Tim time on the couch watching sport to relax.
He remains our constant.

In all the time we have been here, I really think we have had the beautiful chance to see Jesus as the one we can depend upon.  Always.  He is just our constant.  Honestly, there are days where I just do not have it in me. Whatever it is, and yet He gives what I need to make it through the end of the day. He gives this incredible rest to us at night and allows us  to be refreshed each morning.  With all my heart, I KNOW, we just could not do it without Him providing for each and every need.

Why we get to do this, I do not know. We love it here.  Even on the hardest days.  In just some few short months, we have seen so much more of Jesus then ever before.  He is truth.  Love. Hope.  Friend.  Redeemer.  Restorer.  Everything.

Please continue to pray for Mary in the hospital. In addition to everything else, we have also seen God as healer. Everyday she gets stronger.  The glow in her face has returned.  She is at peace.  Pray for Missions of Hope.  As God continues to grow this ministry, as the hope of Christ is shown we remain aware of the need to attack and destroy that.  We feel that so much even now.  We know things that are  not bearing fruit have no need to be destroyed, so in the challenges, we thank God for the big things he has done, is doing, and is going to do.  Please join us in praying for these things.

Oh and He also gives us this. This blesses my soul.

Right outside the gate are these sweet, sweet kids.  

The Great Rift Valley is one of the most beautiful places and it is about 90 minutes drives from our house. Stunning!

Seriously, how could you not love being surround by these children!