Kenya 2008 where it all started
In 2007 the associate pastor at my church approached me and asked me whether I would be interested in going on a mission trip to Africa next year, and without any considered I said YES.
Since that moment I knew without a doubt I would going to Africa in the near future, which was crazy, because I have never even thought about going to another country and now it was all I could think
We begun the planning process and it was good all up until a week before we were to fly out Jan 2008. The elections had just happened and resulted in civil unrest, Kenya declared to dangerous to travel to.
So 4 days before we about to leave we cancel/postpone our trip to an undetermined date. Hmmm talk about throwing a spanner in the works!!
It worked out though, after a lot of Yes, No, Yes, No and Doubt, confusion and learning to be patient. 6 of us left for Kenya on 19th of March 2008. We arrived in Kenya and traveled to MCF - Mully Childrens Family Home - a home for orphans, street children and children's suffering from HIV Aids
We stayed at MCF for 2 weeks and in that time we experienced God in such a way that cant be described with words. His presences was so real that I didn't have to pray I just felt him read my thoughts, and I saw him in every childs face I looked into. I felt home and at peace here more than I had in my whole life in the Heart of Africa, in the Heart of God
Before I had left Australia I heard a song by hillsong united - Hosana and the lyrics of the bridge I feel in love with
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love the way you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
These words became so real to me in Kenya -
Heal my heart and make it clean - I had pain in my heart from just coming out of a long term relationship and I realised that I had become someone else and in Kenya God begun to heal my heart, helped me to let go and he got rid of all the lies and I was free to be me again without shame be the light he created me to be
Open up my eyes to the things unseen - I learned what it was like to look at people and see that they were made in God's image and to he that they reflected a part of his beauty and I experienced God, saw God not using my physical eyes
Show me how to love you have loved me - I had so many beautiful and precious moments with the children and just got to share love with them whether that was listening to their story, singing with them or dancing with them or holding them in my arms as they feel asleep
Break my heart for what breaks yous - This was the biggest thing for me, I said before I had just experienced a broken heart from a relationship but I desperately wanted to experience the heart of God and be on fire for him and wanted to be moved by the things that broke his heart. And one day he answered that prayer, I sat there just reflecting and watching the children run around and play and to see how much joy that had after experiencing the pasts that they had. And I sensed God say Bec these children break my heart, to know they were left abandoned on the streets with no one to care for and love them but I love them SO much. These children you see, that joy - thats my power I rescued these children and know they are free to experience my joy and be all I have created them to be. But there are so many other children that the world has forgotten that I created and they are going through unimaginable things because of this broken world and THAT that breaks my heart!! And from that moment my heart breaks for any child who is forgotten about or unloved and especially children in Africa God has set in my heart a God given desire and passion for these children so much so that even 4 years later whenever I tell this part of my story I always choke up and my heart physically aches!
Everything for your kingdoms cause, As I walk from earth into eternity - this experience gave me a whole new world view. Life isn't about us its about God and what he is doing and getting to be a part of that. I realized the everyday life is all about living every living second as much as we can try for God. There is a bigger picture than our little lives
So after having this life changing experienced I asked what now, God has given me a purpose, passion and a heart for doing his work and for Africa, but now I'm flying back to Australia. What to do?? Then God gave me a thought that - I'd come home finish my child care course, work for a couple of Years then get ready to go back and so the waiting game begins......
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