Hallelujah Everlasting

One more day and our journey through Kenya comes to an end--but our Mission continues. I've learned so much about nearly everything on which I could have expanded my horizons. From car games to food, from team members to [Kenyan] church members... God has blessed me so much more through the people I had the opportunity to interact with--much more than I feel like I have offered to them. I am also starting to see Trenton's messages to the Kenyan people begin to play out in my own life as I grow stronger in faith and discipline.

There is an abundance that I have that could just spill out all in one page, but I think that much of it will have to be saved so that I can personally tell you. One thing that I must get out now, though, is one of the most important realizations that hit me during this trip.

Preparing for this trip required much pondering, inward reflection, and of course, prayer so that we know exactly why we are going on this trip. In retrospect, my answer to that question of "Why?" was very vague and lacking in true understanding (which I believe God used to teach me things I would have never would have learned as deeply as I had during this trip). I mean, I understood the concept of Missions and that God had called me to do His work outside of my comfort zone. I didn't realize what impact God would have made through us until we visited Pastor Paul's church for Sunday worship. It struck me that we were giving them THE message of THE Gospel; THE message of the sin's destruction and the redemption of the Cross; THE ultimate message of hope that if each one of us were to die tonight, that they would know exactly where they would be (this is so hard to describe in words!). Seeing so many of these people--most of them adolscents and little children--stand at the altar to accept Jesus was a moving sight. But what was even more extraordinary to me was the fact that these people have so little, with almost no hope of living a better life, yet they so readily accept the committment to lead a new life with Jesus. It's amazing to see their willingness to transform their lives in an instant, especially for those who may have not even heard of the Gospel until we arrived. The heart of Kenya is so huge, I'm glad that it's on a continent as large as Africa.

This whole trip has been a blessing to me, and, I pray, a blessing to all whom we have touched in these two weeks. I could not have asked for a better team as they have all taught me the perseverence, the compassion, and the daringness of being a Christian. I can't wait to be back home to share all that is welled up inside of me, but at the same time it breaks my heart to know that our time with the Kenyans is over. I have come to love the people and the culture, and hope to serve here at least one more time, God willing. My heart will forever be in two places at once. I will never forget the love shared these two weeks, and I pray that I will be able to take all that I have learned and apply it to my normal life. It is going to be tough, so I ask God for strength and courage, but I know very clearly that through God, all things are possible.

Well that sure was enough about me. For the people here in Kenya, I ask that you pray and pray and pray some more that they would take what they have heard and experienced from our visit and run with it like they have never run before. Pray that God would use them for great and miraculous things as the witness to their friends and families. And pray that the New Hallelujah will become an eternal praise for all!

Praise God (amen)! Praise God again (amen)!

--Daniel