A slightly unexpected calling...

I have often heard it said, “God put people in America and blessed them with everything they have for a reason and He placed other people in poverty stricken, corrupt nations for a reason also.  It is all for a purpose, if God calls you to live in America then it is for His purpose”.  That never sat right with me though.  I always cringed a little bit in my stomach hearing those words.  To me, those words sounded like a glorified excuse for the comfortable life people love in America.  It seemed as though those words satisfied their conscious for not trading in their worldly possessions and giving up a life of luxury to follow Christ even to the outer most parts of the world where poverty and corruption overpower a call to love thy neighbor.  I always wondered why God would call someone to a place like America when they had the ability and resources to bring life to countries that are starving, physically and spiritually.  How could God use them in America where people hear the gospel and turn away.  They confess with their lips but live like hell.  They use their wealth to fatten themselves for the day of the slaughter (James 5:5) and turn away from the suffering going on around the world because it’s too painful to think about.  Additionally, there are people starving for the truth of Christ.  I once heard about a woman who walked for a month to find a white man out in the bush in Papa New Guinea who was giving “the message”.  You tell me that woman was not led by the Holy Spirit.  I doubt someone would walk a month to hear a “message” which they knew nothing about just out of curiosity.  No, that is the Holy Spirit leading someone to the truth at its finest ladies and gentlemen.  How could we ignore those people crying out for Jesus?  Doesn’t the bible say that Jesus will not return and end this war until every nation has had a chance to hear the gospel?  Doesn’t it also say that we are to be the messengers that bring the gospel to those nations, how else will they hear it?  For a while I entertained the idea of being a full time missionary.  Sell all of my possessions, leave my home, friends and family included, Arizona, America, life as I knew it.  I know that this life isn’t about any of those things, this life is about accomplishing Christ’s purpose and making Him famous.

 

A month in Africa has changed my viewpoints in a lot of ways.  I still whole heartedly believe in that calling to leave a life of ease if or when God snaps His fingers and I am prepared to do that.  However, I also better understand what people mean when they say God has certain people in America for a reason.  It has been surprisingly hard for me to relate to people in Kenya.  I have attributed that to cultural differences, which I am sure account for most of the disconnect.  I was born in America and raised in that culture, which I see now as such an opportunity to reach people that I can truly relate to.  My eyes have been opened to the America that is much more than a life of luxury and ease, (funny that I had to come to Africa to do that, but God works in mysterious ways).  Don’t get me wrong, a lot of Americans turn their life into a continual quest for material things, but the people who confess with their tongues and live like hell are the ones who need help.  God gave me an amazing gift to be able to communicate and relate to Americans (obviously, because I am one) and I feel like God wants me to use it for those people who are so confused about what is true in this life.  Chris made the comment about how, “No one can reach Kenyans like a Kenyan can.  There are lifetimes of differences between us and them that separate us enough to make some things extremely difficult to communicate.  We have to walk along side some of the people who truly understand what it means to live like Christ and then motivate them to correct and shepherd others within their community”.  This spoke to me immensely.  It reminded me that I won’t be able to shepherd these people to the extent that they need in a few months time.  If God called me full time to Kenya it would be a different story.  I am not discounting the work that I am doing here, rather humbling myself that there are some things I just can’t do. 

 

Still, I have the opportunity to be that shepherd for people in America.  I can build life long relationships in which I can devote my effort to watching them grow and relating to the bumps they go through along the way like I never could with people here.  I am not saying that God isn’t calling me to missions, I just think His definition of “missions” has been adjusted for me currently.  Yes, I want to go out and be a part of something bigger than America has to offer.  I want to help feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, take clean water to the thirsty and spiritual enlightenment to those who are dying for it outside the walls of my own backyard, but I don’t want to neglect the needy who are my neighbors in America either.  The bible says to “help the needy in your land” (Deuteronomy 15:11) and my land is America.  As much as I fought that reality, it is something I am growing to love.  That was another question I got a lot before I came to Africa, “why do you have to go across the world to help people when there are people starving here?”  Well, my heart about that has not changed.  The need in Africa is drastically magnified in comparison to America.  Plus, it is easier for people to serve in the comfort of home and a lot more people would not even think about coming to serve in Africa.  God has wired some people’s hearts for over seas missions and those people need to take advantage of that.  At the same time, I am overjoyed at the thought of coming home to do missions there in between over seas trips.  What I once thought was a calling to full time over seas missions has turned into full time missions no matter where I am.  I feel stupid for not acknowledging that like I should have before I came here, yet grateful that God has given me peace about all of this.

 

For those of you who don’t know, I am coming home September 14^th now.  It was something I prayed about a lot and never guessed God would have laid on my heart, but after confirmation in multiple ways I have decided to be joyfully obedient to Him.  I hope this news is as exciting for everyone at home as it is for me!  Don’t get me wrong though, it’s going to be extremely hard for me to leave Kenya.  God has taught me so much and carved a special place in my heart for everyone I have met here.  I know that this will not be my last trip to Africa, there’s no way I could leave this place and never return after all of the suffering I have seen.  For the time that I will not physically be here, I will be raising awareness and support from home (so get ready for that too haha).  Well, as usual this post is super long so I apologize for my boring ramblings but I hope you enjoy the update!  All my love :)

P.S. Kibera pictures are coming soon but the internet won't let me upload them yet!