Seriously, God has been rocking my world since I last updated. I can't even begin to tell you all the huge ways he's moved in my heart!
After I last updated, we were off to Tuscaloosa. There, we got to hang out on a lake all afternoon. It was SO much fun! A lot of kids got to ride tubes and jet skis for the first time which was fun to see. At one point in the day, all the interns got to go out together on the boat. We went tubing which was SO much fun! At one point, I flipped off the tube and rolled five times. It was so fun to just be silly and hang out with the interns for a while. We had two concerts in Tuscaloosa. They were both awesome and God moved in huge ways! At the morning concert, a man decided to sponsor a child. Caitlin hadn't switched the kids on the board like she was supposed to, so he sponsered a child from Kiria, one of the communities that the kids are from. He came back to the night concert to see if he could find out more about his child. He thought the boy was related to Julius because they had the same second name, but second names in Kenya don't work the same way last names do in the US. When he asked Christi, she told him, "there's a good chance he's not related to anyone from Kiria. Some of our kids might know him, though." The first child he saw from Kiria was Faith and when he asked Faith if she knew the boy he sponsored, her face lit up and she said, "That's my brother!" It was SO incredible the way God worked every little detail out for that moment to happen. And Faith got to meet her brother's sponsor and talk to him so when she goes back home, she can tell her brother all about him. Seriously, God is SO huge.
After Tuscaloosa, we went back to PCB for a one night stay to sing at Big Stuf on Tuesday. Linah was supposed to stay with Nelly and Kelly and I were in the hospitality house. Linah's host didn't show up, though, so she and Nelly got to come with us! It was SO much fun to hang out with them. Linah is so wise, too, that I just love soaking up all of her wisdom and seeing the ways she leans on God in every moment.
On our way to PCB, though, our AC on our bus broke. Fortunately, we were close to Common Grounds, an inner city ministry in Montgomery, Alabama that we hung out at before. They were so nice to let us hang out until our bus got fixed.
After Big Stuf Tuesday, we had our longgg drive to Daytona. It ended up being a lot longer, though, because an hour after we left OCB, our alternator went out. We ended up hanging out at a Hardee's in the middle of nowhere and had to rent a bus. We didn't arive in Daytona until 11 that night. It ended up being a great day in all though, and I was so thankful for the way God provided that day.
In Daytona, we got to stay in a hotel with the kids! It was a lottt of fun. We sung for Big Stuf session Wednesday morning and got to hang out on the beach that afternoon.
During the Wednesday morning session. Francis Chan spoke. Literally, he rocked my world. His message about living the way God called us to live was incredible. One of the lines that hit me so hard was "Why would God trust you with the big things when he can't even trust you with the small ones?" Seriously, I can't tell you how many times I've failed God. I've missed quiet times or have been distracted during prayers. I want to do ministry in Kenya, but why would he call me to that if I can't dedicate my whole heart to him in every minute of the day? It was absolutely incredible and hit me so hard. Because of that, I went and bought his book, Crazy Love. I'm only starting it, but I've already been blown away by the truth in it. One of the lines that has stood out to me "you've probably heard the expression, 'i believe in god, just not organized religion.' i don't think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live." how true is that?! we are called to love like crazy and radically strive to live like christ and we need to be faithful in doing that!
Wednesday night, we got to sit in on a Big Stuf session. We got to worship without having to lead and it was awesome to have that time to just be able to praise god. We heard Andy Stanley's message on arguments. He made an awesome point by saying that most of the time when we argue with people, it's because we aren't getting what we want. This has already radically changed the way I look at my disagreements with people and I know it's going to have such an impact on me for the rest of my life.
Yesterday, we came to Winter Park, Florida, which is BEAUTIFUL! Kelly, Linah, and I have been in the hospitality house. Last night, we got to sing for a children's home here, which was awesome. Today, Kelly and I wandered around in Winter Park which was great. We got to catch up on rest and just soak in the word, which was great. I found out this afternoon that my great grandmother's sister, Margaret, actually lives in Winter Park and that both of her daughters were visiting today. She ended up being about 5 minutes from where we were shopping! Kelly and I got to go over there and see them and meet some of my family that I had never met before which was so cool. God makes so many connections...it is crazy to me!
God has been ROCKING my world with Ephesians. I seriously can not get enough of that book. There is so much truth in it...if you haven't ready through Ephesians, I highly recommend it. God speaks awesome truth through that book.
We are close to being to the end of tour and I'm going to be really sad when it's over! These kids, interns, and the kenyan adults have become my family and I am so thankful that god hand picked each one of us to be here this summer.
Here's how you can pray:
-We've had an extremely busy week, so pray for energy and strength in the interns! We are tired, but God is so good about providing the energy for us to get through the day, we just have to completely rely on him.
-Pray that the kids continue to run hard after God and that they can minister to their family and friends when they go back home and really shine the light of Christ
-Pray that none of us misses a single moment on the last leg of tour. Pray that we soak it all in and listen to God's direction in every step we take.
Love y'all :)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
I know I say this is every update, but time is literally FLYING by. I can not believe the kids are flying home in less than a month! They've grown so much and I am excited to see how they continue to grow over the last few weeks of tour.
After we left Atlanta, we went to St. Simons, Georgia. We had an awesome concert there. It was completely packed and there were people standing in the back. It has been so cool to see how God is present at every concert. The interns have talked a lot about the difference in God giving his blessing and actually bringing his presence, and it has been so cool after praying for him to show up and be present every night to see him work in the people through the concert.
After St. Simons, we headed to Quincy, Florida. Kelly and I had our off day there and it was so nice to just have a day of rest and to soak in the word of God. One thing I've really learned through tour is how to make sure quiet time is a part of my every day schedule. It is something we tend to forget, but it is SO important to have that time to talk to God and just soak in and learn from his word each morning. It has started each day off radically different for me.
After Quincy, we headed to Destin, Florida. We had two concerts in Destin; we sung in two services at Village Baptist in the morning and then did a night concert at Grace Lutheran. Again, God totally was present and working through the kids. I got to see the Bennetts, my host from Fort Walton, which was so refreshing! It felt like visiting with my family. It's crazy how close you can get to people you only stay with for a few days. I'm so thankful for the people God has chosen to put in my path.
At Grace, there was a homeless man who was living outside the church. The coolest thing to see was they way that our 23 kids loved him without boundaries. Whereas most people would avoid eye contact or not speak, these kids talked to him and hugged him. He came to the concert and before we left, he joined our prayer time. The way these kids love reminds me so much of Jesus. They love everyone with no restrictions, and it just made me want more than anything to have the pure and innocent heart of a child. Especially these kids, who run after Jesus and worship him without boundaries.
Monday was a host home day and Beth, Nelly, Hannah, and I went out on the boat with our host family! We met up with Betty, Faith, Grace, Emma, and Elizabeth who were staying with Caitlin and Kelly. We went out to Crab Island and got to swim in the clearest water I've ever seen! We all had so much fun and it was a great "sabbath" day to rest and relax.
After Destin, we headed to Blountstown. My host home absolutely blew me out of the water. The way that Robin, my host mom, served and loved at all times was a direct reflection of her faith. I was so encouraged by her and her family. Her marriage also encouraged me; after being together for almost 15 years, her and her husband are still so in love and it is evident that it's because of their relationships with Christ and the fact that they put Him first. I loved getting to talk to them and hear a little bit of their story. Wednesday morning, we did a session at Big Stuf and then had our concert at Rivertown Community Church that night. It was COMPLETELY packed too. All the chairs were filled and people were standing in the back and in the balcony. God was so present and we had an awesome night of worship just being able to praise him and celebrate what he is doing in Kenya.
This afternoon, we just arrived in Rainbow City, Alabama. Our concert will be tomorrow night. I'm chaperoning boys for the second time on tour! I have Edwin, Samuel, and Kelvin. Tonight, we played croquet while was so funny to watch. They are crazy different from the girls, but I absolutely love staying with them.
God has shown me the coolest things! I have been reading through Romans and 1 Corinthians and the things he's pointed out to me have been incredible. Romans is probably my favorite book and it's pushing me to love and offer grace by first accepting it from him. It's also taught me how to constantly be in prayer and trust in him.
The kids are doing great. They are growing up so quick, I can't even imagine how big they will get when they go home for 3 weeks!
Here's how you can pray:
-Pray for the kids. We are in the season where they are comfortable so they start to push their boundaries. Pray that they can run hard after God and that they can learn how important obedience is.
-Pray for the interns. Pray that God gives us wisdom and strength, and that he shows us when to discipline and when to love.
Thanks so much, love you guys!
After we left Atlanta, we went to St. Simons, Georgia. We had an awesome concert there. It was completely packed and there were people standing in the back. It has been so cool to see how God is present at every concert. The interns have talked a lot about the difference in God giving his blessing and actually bringing his presence, and it has been so cool after praying for him to show up and be present every night to see him work in the people through the concert.
After St. Simons, we headed to Quincy, Florida. Kelly and I had our off day there and it was so nice to just have a day of rest and to soak in the word of God. One thing I've really learned through tour is how to make sure quiet time is a part of my every day schedule. It is something we tend to forget, but it is SO important to have that time to talk to God and just soak in and learn from his word each morning. It has started each day off radically different for me.
After Quincy, we headed to Destin, Florida. We had two concerts in Destin; we sung in two services at Village Baptist in the morning and then did a night concert at Grace Lutheran. Again, God totally was present and working through the kids. I got to see the Bennetts, my host from Fort Walton, which was so refreshing! It felt like visiting with my family. It's crazy how close you can get to people you only stay with for a few days. I'm so thankful for the people God has chosen to put in my path.
At Grace, there was a homeless man who was living outside the church. The coolest thing to see was they way that our 23 kids loved him without boundaries. Whereas most people would avoid eye contact or not speak, these kids talked to him and hugged him. He came to the concert and before we left, he joined our prayer time. The way these kids love reminds me so much of Jesus. They love everyone with no restrictions, and it just made me want more than anything to have the pure and innocent heart of a child. Especially these kids, who run after Jesus and worship him without boundaries.
Monday was a host home day and Beth, Nelly, Hannah, and I went out on the boat with our host family! We met up with Betty, Faith, Grace, Emma, and Elizabeth who were staying with Caitlin and Kelly. We went out to Crab Island and got to swim in the clearest water I've ever seen! We all had so much fun and it was a great "sabbath" day to rest and relax.
After Destin, we headed to Blountstown. My host home absolutely blew me out of the water. The way that Robin, my host mom, served and loved at all times was a direct reflection of her faith. I was so encouraged by her and her family. Her marriage also encouraged me; after being together for almost 15 years, her and her husband are still so in love and it is evident that it's because of their relationships with Christ and the fact that they put Him first. I loved getting to talk to them and hear a little bit of their story. Wednesday morning, we did a session at Big Stuf and then had our concert at Rivertown Community Church that night. It was COMPLETELY packed too. All the chairs were filled and people were standing in the back and in the balcony. God was so present and we had an awesome night of worship just being able to praise him and celebrate what he is doing in Kenya.
This afternoon, we just arrived in Rainbow City, Alabama. Our concert will be tomorrow night. I'm chaperoning boys for the second time on tour! I have Edwin, Samuel, and Kelvin. Tonight, we played croquet while was so funny to watch. They are crazy different from the girls, but I absolutely love staying with them.
God has shown me the coolest things! I have been reading through Romans and 1 Corinthians and the things he's pointed out to me have been incredible. Romans is probably my favorite book and it's pushing me to love and offer grace by first accepting it from him. It's also taught me how to constantly be in prayer and trust in him.
The kids are doing great. They are growing up so quick, I can't even imagine how big they will get when they go home for 3 weeks!
Here's how you can pray:
-Pray for the kids. We are in the season where they are comfortable so they start to push their boundaries. Pray that they can run hard after God and that they can learn how important obedience is.
-Pray for the interns. Pray that God gives us wisdom and strength, and that he shows us when to discipline and when to love.
Thanks so much, love you guys!
Monday, July 5, 2010
I can't believe it's already been over a month on tour...time is FLYING by. The kids are growing in so many ways that it's almost hard to believe. Since I've last updated, we've been to Crestview, Pensacola, and Port St. Joe, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia. Now we are in Atlanta, and we'll head to St. Simons, GA after this.
In Crestview, I got to chaperone boys for two nights! I stayed with Nelson, Julius, and Edwin. It is funny how different they are from the girls. They're a lot faster, they get up earlier, and conversation definitely isn't their style! They were so much fun, though. The Friday we were there, we did two sets at Big Stuf, and drove back to do two night concerts. It was a lot, but God showed up in HUGE ways. The worship that night was incredible. It was our first time being at Emmanuel, the church, and they were so gracious and we loved getting to hang out with them. In Pensacola, we worshiped with Ensley Church of the Nazarene. While we were there, we got to hang out with a cool couple with an awesome story. They had seen Daraja at Catalyst last year and God definitely worked through Daraja by changing something in their hearts. They are a military family and because of a torn ACL, the husband had to miss deployment for the first time. They were in Pensacola living in a hotel for 3 months so the Husband can try to get back into the military life, to make a long story short. They saw Daraja on a magazine cover and found out they would be performing at Ensley the next morning and decided to come. God definitely worked in their hearts through the kids that morning and they were excited to hear about the prospect of the Daraja Academy in the future. It is INSANE the way God works through these kids. I can't even believe sometimes that he chose me to be a part of this crazy life changing ministry for the summer...he has truly blessed me beyond belief.
From Pensacola, we went to Port St Joe. We had an awesome night of worship with the church and loved hanging out with them. I had a few days off and it was so nice to relax and be able to refill with the word on my day off.
After Port St. Joe, we headed to Savannah. We hung out with our hosts from Bible Baptist a lot! We had an off day with them, and my group spent the morning sleeping in. We got together with some other Daraja girls and walked River Street, which was so much fun. Sunday morning, we had an awesome time of worship with the church. God has huge things in store for Bible Baptist and our hosts were all filled with love, compassion, and servant hearts. It was definitely a great weekend with them.
While we were in Savannah, I kept Betty and Emma. The first two weeks, Betty and I practically spent all our time together because I was always her chaperone. I haven't gotten to stay with her a lot lately, so it was awesome to catch up. One night, we started talking about her life at home. She is an only child and lives with her mom. Her parents were never married. Her Dad left her mom for another woman and he lives in the same city as them, but Betty never sees him. She told me that sometimes, he says he will call and he doesn't or he doesn't answer when she tries to call. She told me that she misses him sometimes and it can be hard not to have a Dad. She reassured me though by saying that she knew that she had a Dad that loved her no matter what and she couldn't ask for a better Father than Jesus. She also told me that her Mom told her that she should always love her Dad, no matter what. Even though he wasn't around, he still gave her life and he isn't a bad person, so she shouldn't feel bitter towards him. WOAH. A twelve year old teaching me about love and about what it looks like to live our your faith. Betty is incredible. I am so proud of the person she is. At 12 years old, she is one of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life. It also says a lot about her mom. I would love to meet her mom one day, because I can tell by the way she raised Betty and the things she says about Betty's Dad that she is nothing short of incredible. The way she can love Betty's Dad after what he did and teach Betty to do the same is such a quality of Jesus that I think a lot of people, including myself, forget or find hard to live out. We continued our night talking about guarding our hearts and listening to the Lord in every moment of our lives. If you haven't met Betty, I hope you get to one day. She will rock your world in the way she loves Jesus and runs hard after the throne at every second :)
Spending the fourth with Daraja really made me realize something that I hadn't necessarily noticed before. As Americans, we tend to put a lot of pride and identity in our home and our nationality. One thing that the kids have shown me, though, is that our identity should ALWAYS be in Jesus and in our salvation, not the place we live or come from. As Americans, we tend to have this pride that we are an amazing country filled with freedom, but the freedom in these 23 Kenyan kids is way more than most Americans have. They are free from the chains of sin that held them captive before. They are free in their salvation, knowing one day they will get to spend eternity in the most amazing place with their awesome creator. And the joy that they show in every second is a direct reflection of that. If Americans could figure that out, I think our country would look like a completely different place.
Being back in Atlanta has been fun! I am staying with Violet and Naomi. We went to fourth of July fireworks last night which was a lot of fun. Today, they got to go to a waterpark and they really enjoyed that too. We love being back at our "base" and the time we spend here is always awesome :)
Over the past day, I've noticed a lot about Naomi. She is 14 and is our oldest kid in the choir. Though she's the oldest, her English is really basic. She struggles to communicate a lot of times. We have a four year old boy in our host home, though, and I have watched the way she cares for him and communicates with him. You can see her good heart and her compassion and it has been a joy to see her in that setting. She would be an incredible teacher. The way she plays with kids and teaches them even the smallest things is so cool. I know that is one gift that God put in her and I can't wait to see how she uses it.
I will update when I can! Tour life is crazy, so it takes a while for me to find time when I can sit down to update you guys.
Here's how you can pray:
-Pray that the interns can be of one heart and one mind, like it says in Acts. Pray that we can be relational and take time to encourage each other spiritually and challenge each other to go deeper in that. Pray that we can seek out the Kenyan adults and hear their stories and learn from their wisdom. Pray for wisdom in discipline and parenting the kids, so we can do the job that God called us to do in the exact way he wants us to do it.
-Pray for safe travel and for the bus to work! All big buses seem to have a lot of problems, so pray that God can keep it together so we can get from place to place.
-Pray for the kids. Pray that they can continue to grow in Christ and that they can know him and love him in a way that they haven't before. Pray that they rest in his grace and are obedient in the way that God wants them to be. Pray that they can minister to each and every person that they meet and that they can use their tools to do so.
Thanks! Love you guys :)
In Crestview, I got to chaperone boys for two nights! I stayed with Nelson, Julius, and Edwin. It is funny how different they are from the girls. They're a lot faster, they get up earlier, and conversation definitely isn't their style! They were so much fun, though. The Friday we were there, we did two sets at Big Stuf, and drove back to do two night concerts. It was a lot, but God showed up in HUGE ways. The worship that night was incredible. It was our first time being at Emmanuel, the church, and they were so gracious and we loved getting to hang out with them. In Pensacola, we worshiped with Ensley Church of the Nazarene. While we were there, we got to hang out with a cool couple with an awesome story. They had seen Daraja at Catalyst last year and God definitely worked through Daraja by changing something in their hearts. They are a military family and because of a torn ACL, the husband had to miss deployment for the first time. They were in Pensacola living in a hotel for 3 months so the Husband can try to get back into the military life, to make a long story short. They saw Daraja on a magazine cover and found out they would be performing at Ensley the next morning and decided to come. God definitely worked in their hearts through the kids that morning and they were excited to hear about the prospect of the Daraja Academy in the future. It is INSANE the way God works through these kids. I can't even believe sometimes that he chose me to be a part of this crazy life changing ministry for the summer...he has truly blessed me beyond belief.
From Pensacola, we went to Port St Joe. We had an awesome night of worship with the church and loved hanging out with them. I had a few days off and it was so nice to relax and be able to refill with the word on my day off.
After Port St. Joe, we headed to Savannah. We hung out with our hosts from Bible Baptist a lot! We had an off day with them, and my group spent the morning sleeping in. We got together with some other Daraja girls and walked River Street, which was so much fun. Sunday morning, we had an awesome time of worship with the church. God has huge things in store for Bible Baptist and our hosts were all filled with love, compassion, and servant hearts. It was definitely a great weekend with them.
While we were in Savannah, I kept Betty and Emma. The first two weeks, Betty and I practically spent all our time together because I was always her chaperone. I haven't gotten to stay with her a lot lately, so it was awesome to catch up. One night, we started talking about her life at home. She is an only child and lives with her mom. Her parents were never married. Her Dad left her mom for another woman and he lives in the same city as them, but Betty never sees him. She told me that sometimes, he says he will call and he doesn't or he doesn't answer when she tries to call. She told me that she misses him sometimes and it can be hard not to have a Dad. She reassured me though by saying that she knew that she had a Dad that loved her no matter what and she couldn't ask for a better Father than Jesus. She also told me that her Mom told her that she should always love her Dad, no matter what. Even though he wasn't around, he still gave her life and he isn't a bad person, so she shouldn't feel bitter towards him. WOAH. A twelve year old teaching me about love and about what it looks like to live our your faith. Betty is incredible. I am so proud of the person she is. At 12 years old, she is one of the most incredible people I have ever met in my life. It also says a lot about her mom. I would love to meet her mom one day, because I can tell by the way she raised Betty and the things she says about Betty's Dad that she is nothing short of incredible. The way she can love Betty's Dad after what he did and teach Betty to do the same is such a quality of Jesus that I think a lot of people, including myself, forget or find hard to live out. We continued our night talking about guarding our hearts and listening to the Lord in every moment of our lives. If you haven't met Betty, I hope you get to one day. She will rock your world in the way she loves Jesus and runs hard after the throne at every second :)
Spending the fourth with Daraja really made me realize something that I hadn't necessarily noticed before. As Americans, we tend to put a lot of pride and identity in our home and our nationality. One thing that the kids have shown me, though, is that our identity should ALWAYS be in Jesus and in our salvation, not the place we live or come from. As Americans, we tend to have this pride that we are an amazing country filled with freedom, but the freedom in these 23 Kenyan kids is way more than most Americans have. They are free from the chains of sin that held them captive before. They are free in their salvation, knowing one day they will get to spend eternity in the most amazing place with their awesome creator. And the joy that they show in every second is a direct reflection of that. If Americans could figure that out, I think our country would look like a completely different place.
Being back in Atlanta has been fun! I am staying with Violet and Naomi. We went to fourth of July fireworks last night which was a lot of fun. Today, they got to go to a waterpark and they really enjoyed that too. We love being back at our "base" and the time we spend here is always awesome :)
Over the past day, I've noticed a lot about Naomi. She is 14 and is our oldest kid in the choir. Though she's the oldest, her English is really basic. She struggles to communicate a lot of times. We have a four year old boy in our host home, though, and I have watched the way she cares for him and communicates with him. You can see her good heart and her compassion and it has been a joy to see her in that setting. She would be an incredible teacher. The way she plays with kids and teaches them even the smallest things is so cool. I know that is one gift that God put in her and I can't wait to see how she uses it.
I will update when I can! Tour life is crazy, so it takes a while for me to find time when I can sit down to update you guys.
Here's how you can pray:
-Pray that the interns can be of one heart and one mind, like it says in Acts. Pray that we can be relational and take time to encourage each other spiritually and challenge each other to go deeper in that. Pray that we can seek out the Kenyan adults and hear their stories and learn from their wisdom. Pray for wisdom in discipline and parenting the kids, so we can do the job that God called us to do in the exact way he wants us to do it.
-Pray for safe travel and for the bus to work! All big buses seem to have a lot of problems, so pray that God can keep it together so we can get from place to place.
-Pray for the kids. Pray that they can continue to grow in Christ and that they can know him and love him in a way that they haven't before. Pray that they rest in his grace and are obedient in the way that God wants them to be. Pray that they can minister to each and every person that they meet and that they can use their tools to do so.
Thanks! Love you guys :)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Daraja has had an awesome last few days! This past weekend, we hung out in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The second service was completely packed! It was so cool to see God's presence in the heart of the people, and how people were running so hard to catch up with the kids at the Throne of Grace, as Christi always says. Sunday, we hung out with our hosts. We went out on the boat and took Emma and Nelly tubing for the first time which was so much fun! They loved it.
Monday we came to Big Stuf and along with our usual set, we surprised Lanny and the campers by doing Thriller. I was the only intern who got to see it since I was in the back doing sound. It was so cool! They had a lot of fun. That afternoon, we got to hang out on the beach after it stopped raining, but the kids got some oil on them so we had to get out.
This morning, we watched the World Cup game between the US and Algeria at Northstar. It was so funny to see how into the game everyone got, including the kids. Now, the kids are calling home. This can be a great thing, but it can also send the kids into a little bit of depression when they realize how much they miss their families, so I ask that you pray that Satan won't be able to put that in their heads and that they continue to be happy in the fact that they are here to lead people to Christ.
Just continue to pray for Daraja! Pray for unity among the interns and leaders, good hearts and attitudes in the kids, and strength for us all. Pray that God will use the choir in Huge ways and bring so many people to him.
Thanks! Love you guys!
Monday we came to Big Stuf and along with our usual set, we surprised Lanny and the campers by doing Thriller. I was the only intern who got to see it since I was in the back doing sound. It was so cool! They had a lot of fun. That afternoon, we got to hang out on the beach after it stopped raining, but the kids got some oil on them so we had to get out.
This morning, we watched the World Cup game between the US and Algeria at Northstar. It was so funny to see how into the game everyone got, including the kids. Now, the kids are calling home. This can be a great thing, but it can also send the kids into a little bit of depression when they realize how much they miss their families, so I ask that you pray that Satan won't be able to put that in their heads and that they continue to be happy in the fact that they are here to lead people to Christ.
Just continue to pray for Daraja! Pray for unity among the interns and leaders, good hearts and attitudes in the kids, and strength for us all. Pray that God will use the choir in Huge ways and bring so many people to him.
Thanks! Love you guys!
Friday, June 18, 2010
i. love. daraja. I don't even know how to describe how awesome this summer has been. I can't believe it's only been a month. Between knowing the kids and how well the intern team meshes, it's insane to think we've only been together a month. When we left Colombus, we were off to PCB Florida again. Tuesday afternoon was awesome. While the kids were down for a nap, the interns got to hang out while setting up, which was so much fun. We don't get a lot of time to just hang out. Wednesday morning, we sung at Big Stuf. It never ceases to amaze me the way God shows up completely for every Big Stuf session. It's one of those places you go that you can't NOT be moved God's presence and how huge he is. He's doing huge things in the lives of 1500 high schoolers every week and I can't wait to see the way he uses that to transform not only the country of Kenya, but also the hearts of Americans in this generation.
One thing I've noticed so much is how rich the Kenyans are. Materialistically, Americans are the wealthy ones: we've got money in our bank accounts, cars in the driveway, computers in our bookbags, cell phones in our pockets, etc. But the Kenyans are filled with a joy that Americans have lost. They have nowhere near the amount of stuff that we do, but they have so much more joy than we do, which just goes to show that their abundance is placed in a real and moving God. I think it's one of the reasons that people always fall in love with Daraja: they see the joy in the kids and they don't fully understand it, but they are always drawn to it. Everyday, I am learning to find my joy COMPLETELY in the Lord and put aside all the things that I think I need to sustain me.
Wednesday night, we did a concert at Gulf Beach Baptist in PCB. It was a great concert and God definitely showed up. Now, we are in Montgomery, Alabama. The kids spent today hanging out with kids from Common Ground, an Inner City ministry in Montgomery. It is definitely an awesome ministry. The leader's sacrifice for and trust in the Lord is something that I found so inspiring. He is giving his life to change the racial mindset of the people in Montgomery and to show people that they are supposed to find their identity in Christ, not in the color of their skin, something that hasn't necessarily been present in Montgomery before. I know this ministry is going to do huge things and I can not wait to worship with them tonight! Kelly and I have a day off today and we are just relaxing and catching up before we head to the concert to get ready.
This week, I had a moment where God showed me a small glimpse of how immense his love is for us. While three of my girls were showing their picture albums of their homes, I was listening to Betty talk. For those of you who don't know Betty, she is 12 years old and is absolutely going to change the world. She wants to be a judge to fight the corruption in Kenya and there is no doubt in my mind that she will. She was just talking to the host about her normal day and her family situation, how she only lives with her mom and doesn't talk to her Dad that much, but through everything, you could just see this joy radiating through her and everything she said, as always. I just sat there and realized how extremely proud I was of her and the other girls and how insanely much I loved them and would do anything in the world for them. I'm not a real parent, but I have felt the love of a parent for their child, and so many other people in this world have felt that. It is crazy to wrap our heads around the fact that God loves us SO much more than that. It may seem impossible, but It is so true. He CHOSE to save us and loves us more than we can imagine. There's a line in a book that the inters are reading that says "No one could ever love me more or better than Jesus." So true. Worldly love can be so strong, But God's love is way bigger than that. If we were just to acknowledge that everyday, think about how it could radically change our lives and the lives of people around us.
My family is coming to visit next week and I can't wait to see them! Tomorrow, we head back to Florida. I am so excited to see what God has in store for the next few days.
Here's How you can Pray:
-Pray that the kids aren't overcome by the wealth and materialistic attitude in the US, but their hearts and minds stay pure and they continue to sprint to the throne of God.
-Pray for the interns to be able to handle discipline problems with the kids, knowing when to speak out and how to do it in a Christ-like way. Also, pray for continued strength and energy in the interns.
-Pray for the families of the kids. They've been gone for almost a month and I know they miss their kids. Just pray that they have a comfort in knowing that their son or daughter is spreading the word of Christ and fulfilling his calling.
-Pray that our concerts aren't performances, but times of worship, even for the interns who have jobs during the concert. Pray that it is NEVER about Daraja, but always about worship and bringing people to the foot of the throne.
Thanks! Love you guys :)
One thing I've noticed so much is how rich the Kenyans are. Materialistically, Americans are the wealthy ones: we've got money in our bank accounts, cars in the driveway, computers in our bookbags, cell phones in our pockets, etc. But the Kenyans are filled with a joy that Americans have lost. They have nowhere near the amount of stuff that we do, but they have so much more joy than we do, which just goes to show that their abundance is placed in a real and moving God. I think it's one of the reasons that people always fall in love with Daraja: they see the joy in the kids and they don't fully understand it, but they are always drawn to it. Everyday, I am learning to find my joy COMPLETELY in the Lord and put aside all the things that I think I need to sustain me.
Wednesday night, we did a concert at Gulf Beach Baptist in PCB. It was a great concert and God definitely showed up. Now, we are in Montgomery, Alabama. The kids spent today hanging out with kids from Common Ground, an Inner City ministry in Montgomery. It is definitely an awesome ministry. The leader's sacrifice for and trust in the Lord is something that I found so inspiring. He is giving his life to change the racial mindset of the people in Montgomery and to show people that they are supposed to find their identity in Christ, not in the color of their skin, something that hasn't necessarily been present in Montgomery before. I know this ministry is going to do huge things and I can not wait to worship with them tonight! Kelly and I have a day off today and we are just relaxing and catching up before we head to the concert to get ready.
This week, I had a moment where God showed me a small glimpse of how immense his love is for us. While three of my girls were showing their picture albums of their homes, I was listening to Betty talk. For those of you who don't know Betty, she is 12 years old and is absolutely going to change the world. She wants to be a judge to fight the corruption in Kenya and there is no doubt in my mind that she will. She was just talking to the host about her normal day and her family situation, how she only lives with her mom and doesn't talk to her Dad that much, but through everything, you could just see this joy radiating through her and everything she said, as always. I just sat there and realized how extremely proud I was of her and the other girls and how insanely much I loved them and would do anything in the world for them. I'm not a real parent, but I have felt the love of a parent for their child, and so many other people in this world have felt that. It is crazy to wrap our heads around the fact that God loves us SO much more than that. It may seem impossible, but It is so true. He CHOSE to save us and loves us more than we can imagine. There's a line in a book that the inters are reading that says "No one could ever love me more or better than Jesus." So true. Worldly love can be so strong, But God's love is way bigger than that. If we were just to acknowledge that everyday, think about how it could radically change our lives and the lives of people around us.
My family is coming to visit next week and I can't wait to see them! Tomorrow, we head back to Florida. I am so excited to see what God has in store for the next few days.
Here's How you can Pray:
-Pray that the kids aren't overcome by the wealth and materialistic attitude in the US, but their hearts and minds stay pure and they continue to sprint to the throne of God.
-Pray for the interns to be able to handle discipline problems with the kids, knowing when to speak out and how to do it in a Christ-like way. Also, pray for continued strength and energy in the interns.
-Pray for the families of the kids. They've been gone for almost a month and I know they miss their kids. Just pray that they have a comfort in knowing that their son or daughter is spreading the word of Christ and fulfilling his calling.
-Pray that our concerts aren't performances, but times of worship, even for the interns who have jobs during the concert. Pray that it is NEVER about Daraja, but always about worship and bringing people to the foot of the throne.
Thanks! Love you guys :)
Monday, June 14, 2010
Really, this job NEVER stops. I'm sorry it takes me so long to update, but Daraja has been crazy busy! This past Wednesday, we had our first Big Stuf performance. The kids sung for 1500 students. I can't even begin to tell you how cool it was to see high school kids and Kenyan children worshiping the same God-he is so big! That night, we had a concert at North Star as well, which was awesome! The way these kids worship with their whole heart and run after God is incredible. We then went to Phoenix City, Alabama and had an awesome concert there Friday night! The people were so sweet. Yesterday, we had two concerts in Colombus, Georgia. The late service at Rivertown was AWESOME. God totally showed up and the congregation was full of energy! I can't even begin to tell you how many different ways God worked in the service, but it was amazing. Tomorrow, we are headed back to Panama City Beach for Big Stuf on Wednesday!
Violet and Dan flew into the US LAST NIGHT and arrived in Colombus tonight!! How GREAT is our God that he would allow this beautiful little 11 year old orphaned girl come on tour with us. I am so excited that Daraja 2010 is now complete and I can't wait to see what all she brings to the choir and how God uses her story to share him with others.
The kids are learning to swim pretty quickly! For the ones lagging behind, they are starting to catch up and we've seen a lot of improvement! Also, the kids are working so hard in school. Some of them are so far behind, but their love for school and desire to work hard and do better is incredible. It's definitely going to get them so far.
God is doing so much through these kids. He is touching so many lives, and not even just the lives of the families we've stayed with. I believe he's going to do even bigger things this summer and I am so excited and blessed to be a part of life change.
I wish I could communicate all my joy that I've experience in a blog, but the amount of it that the Lord has poured out is almost unfathomable. You HAVE to make sure to see these kids sometime!
I would ask that you pray for three things:
-Pray that God be glorified in everything Daraja does. Let no concert have the focus on the children, but let it be a time of worship of our incredible Father. Everything we say and do should be a reflection of him, and I ask that you pray for God to remind us of that everyday.
-Pray for the kids. Some of them are starting to miss home, and I pray that God can get them through and help them realize how many lives their changing and the huge ways in which they are advancing the kingdom of God.
-Pray for energy and strength in the interns. Parenting and disciplining can be hard and unclear at times, especially when we are tired, but pray that each day, God will give us what we need to do what he has called us to do.
Thanks for all of your support. I love you guys so much :)
-Ragan
Violet and Dan flew into the US LAST NIGHT and arrived in Colombus tonight!! How GREAT is our God that he would allow this beautiful little 11 year old orphaned girl come on tour with us. I am so excited that Daraja 2010 is now complete and I can't wait to see what all she brings to the choir and how God uses her story to share him with others.
The kids are learning to swim pretty quickly! For the ones lagging behind, they are starting to catch up and we've seen a lot of improvement! Also, the kids are working so hard in school. Some of them are so far behind, but their love for school and desire to work hard and do better is incredible. It's definitely going to get them so far.
God is doing so much through these kids. He is touching so many lives, and not even just the lives of the families we've stayed with. I believe he's going to do even bigger things this summer and I am so excited and blessed to be a part of life change.
I wish I could communicate all my joy that I've experience in a blog, but the amount of it that the Lord has poured out is almost unfathomable. You HAVE to make sure to see these kids sometime!
I would ask that you pray for three things:
-Pray that God be glorified in everything Daraja does. Let no concert have the focus on the children, but let it be a time of worship of our incredible Father. Everything we say and do should be a reflection of him, and I ask that you pray for God to remind us of that everyday.
-Pray for the kids. Some of them are starting to miss home, and I pray that God can get them through and help them realize how many lives their changing and the huge ways in which they are advancing the kingdom of God.
-Pray for energy and strength in the interns. Parenting and disciplining can be hard and unclear at times, especially when we are tired, but pray that each day, God will give us what we need to do what he has called us to do.
Thanks for all of your support. I love you guys so much :)
-Ragan
Sunday, June 6, 2010
First Week of Summer Tour!
How do I even BEGIN to describe the past week? God has been working in HUGE ways already. The kids flew in Monday night, which was soo cool. As soon as they came up the escalators, we all started cheering and ran to the kids to give them hugs. Definitely one of the best experience. The next days were spent getting the kids back on their feet from jet lag and adjusted to the US while the interns worked to prepare the bus and inventory and everything else for tour. It was a week of firsts- first night in the US, first plan ride, first shower, first pool experience, first American meal, first host home, and so many more. The kids are adjusting so quickly! They are learning how to swim and getting used to everything. Violet was not able to travel with the choir though because they could not get her passport. Dan stayed behind, and after two years, many prayers, hard work, and God's will, WE GOT HER PASSPORT!!!!! She and Dan will be flying in at the end of this week, and we could NOT be more excited. Such a miracle, and we are so thankful. Thursday, we sung at a rest home in Alpharetta. It was SUCH a way to start off tour-we were serving, and it was one of the most rewarding things. The kids loved interacting with the people and getting to sing for them. Friday, we had a practice concert which went really well! A lot of host homes came, and the interns practiced the sound system and store while the kids sung and danced in costume. Yesterday, we had dentist appointments! Some of the kids were scared, but they got through it and had a lot of fun. In all, between the chaperones and the kids, there were 100 cavities: guess that means a lot more of the dentist is in store! So thankful for the office, though, and that they bring in all their technicians to work on our kids. After that, we headed to Peachtree City! The people here are great and we've had so much fun. This morning, the kids had their first concert at Southside Church. They did two services and sung for the kids, too. They were worshiping with everything they have, and I couldn't have been more proud of them! I have come to realize that for the next two months, i am a parent! It's awesome and I am loving every minute of it :) This afternoon, a few of the chaperones and our host families got together and the kids got to swim. Most of them learned how to swim today! Tomorrow, we leave for Panama City to sing at Big Stuf Wednesday! The kids are so excited :)
God is teaching me so much already. He's teaching me selflessness. This life is NOT about me, even though I've done a great job convincing myself it is for the last 19 years. God is SO good and I am reminded daily to get off of my throne and let him rule my life. I am also learning just HOW huge god's love is for us. I have fallen crazy in love with 23 kenyan children over the past 3 weeks and would do absolutely anything for them, but the truth is that God's love for us is sooo much bigger than that, it's unfathomable. I am also learning to fully lean on God every day. I love this internship so much, but it is exhausting. There is no way any human can do this job. I am learning every day to wake up and ask God to give me the strength and love and compassion to do what he wants me to do, and he NEVER fails. He is incredible.
I have seen so many blessings over the past few weeks it'd be impossible for me to list them all. I think one that I want to highlight is that we are blessed in America, but we should remember that true joy has nothing to do with material possessions. Most of these kids have less than we buy in one day, and they are some of the happiest children I have ever met. Also, they are so thankful, which is something I have learned from them. When they pray, they say "Thank you for letting us see this day, because we know there are people who wanted to see it and didn't get to." and they always ask god to "please provide for those who don't have." It's incredible how much joy and thankfulness God has put in their hearts.
Here's how you can pray this week:
-Pray that the kids continue to adjust well and that in their concerts this week, they never forget that it is all about worshiping God and doing everything for his glory.
-Pray that Violet and Dan have safe travels.
-Pray that God gives the interns and chaperones strength, love, compassion, and wisdom to guide these kids in the way he wants them to go.
I will update more soon! Thank you guys for all you do; you have no idea how much I love y'all!
-Ragan
God is teaching me so much already. He's teaching me selflessness. This life is NOT about me, even though I've done a great job convincing myself it is for the last 19 years. God is SO good and I am reminded daily to get off of my throne and let him rule my life. I am also learning just HOW huge god's love is for us. I have fallen crazy in love with 23 kenyan children over the past 3 weeks and would do absolutely anything for them, but the truth is that God's love for us is sooo much bigger than that, it's unfathomable. I am also learning to fully lean on God every day. I love this internship so much, but it is exhausting. There is no way any human can do this job. I am learning every day to wake up and ask God to give me the strength and love and compassion to do what he wants me to do, and he NEVER fails. He is incredible.
I have seen so many blessings over the past few weeks it'd be impossible for me to list them all. I think one that I want to highlight is that we are blessed in America, but we should remember that true joy has nothing to do with material possessions. Most of these kids have less than we buy in one day, and they are some of the happiest children I have ever met. Also, they are so thankful, which is something I have learned from them. When they pray, they say "Thank you for letting us see this day, because we know there are people who wanted to see it and didn't get to." and they always ask god to "please provide for those who don't have." It's incredible how much joy and thankfulness God has put in their hearts.
Here's how you can pray this week:
-Pray that the kids continue to adjust well and that in their concerts this week, they never forget that it is all about worshiping God and doing everything for his glory.
-Pray that Violet and Dan have safe travels.
-Pray that God gives the interns and chaperones strength, love, compassion, and wisdom to guide these kids in the way he wants them to go.
I will update more soon! Thank you guys for all you do; you have no idea how much I love y'all!
-Ragan
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