First Day of JOY

Teachers and board members with our team!

It was smooth sailing from JFK to London, London to Nairobi. Thank the LORD! Easy peasy flowing through immigration, customs, and  baggage retrieval. No lost luggage was a miracle. Ten bags arrived safely - all our donations in tact. Thank the LORD! A quick scenic ride in the dark to Grace House proved to be a sweet traveling relief to these weary travelers. We woke up ready to greet Pastor Geoffrey & Jane,  the Lunga Lunga slums and see the children. However, it was impossible to actually prepare our hearts for the encounter we had with these sweet children! All we had to offer was a tender smile, a friendly embrace, and the presence of being. Conversely, they sang beautifully for us. They danced rhythmically for us. They befriended us. SO INTENSELY HUMBLING to meet them.

Josh: hand in hand

As Melanie served the morning porridge, we found our concept of joyful contentment challenged. We saw deep contentment in the Wells of Joy students as they energetically engaged and reached out for our hands, our hair, and our attention. Ultimately, they grabbed our hearts. Such an emotional experience is difficult to describe adequately using words. Since a picture is worth a thousand words....we will let them tell a small part of our story.

Matt was nearly overcome with emotions as children welcomed him. On the ride over he carefully and thoughtfully considered how he would interact with the little ones. Amazingly, he lived in the moment instead, drinking in all their  sweet Swahili chatter and enthusiasm. Language was no barrier to their hearts connecting. 

Look  a bit closer at  this photo. See how she holds Matt's hand and the cultural miles between them disappears while friendship is born!

Can you see the happiness on their faces? If you didn't know they were in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya would you be able to spy out their contentment? Impactful day of JOY!

Phillippians 4:11-12

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

Hearts full of HOPE, Wells full of JOY....Going (back) to Africa

Does this foreign landscape look familiar to you? Does its god-given beauty stir your heart? Does the background of snowy Mt. Kenya's peak and the iconic acacia tree in the foreground beckon you? My heart joyfully answers each question with a resounding, "Yes! Yes! And yes!" Today we return to Africa.

For many months Josh and I have prepared for this day. In January, we initially presenting the idea of taking a team to Kenya on a mission trip to our New England pastor and his wife, Landon and Cristy Reesor of Encounter Church in Darien, CT. Not quite sure of how they would respond to our inquiry - after all, our family was brand new to this congregation; strangers from Texas - Josh and I held our breath for a few seconds in anticipation like a hopeful suitor awaiting an answer to his proposal of marriage. THEY SAID 'YES'! And from there this trip began. It was birthed in hope, pursued in love, and supported with great joy. Three new souls responded to the call to Kenya and today Fiona, Melania, and Matt join Josh and I as we leave New England bound for Nairobi. Since January, these three have gathered regularly with our family to bond as a team, preparing our hearts spiritually for this journey. Our three musketeers have submitted to many vaccinations, written support letters, and gathered donations of school supplies, clothing, vitamins, diapers, etc. over recent months. Excitedly, we have packed 10 checked bags loaded down with all those donations. All of us have promoted the "Concert for Kenya" fundraiser (graciously provided by the band Counted) and sold countless Wells of Joy t-shirts. For each of them and the families they leave behind, this will be their first mission trip to Africa. Likewise, leaving our three sons behind for the first time feels hard and heavy this morning even though Josh and I have prepared for this day.

With mixed emotions our team of 5 will hug and kiss our loved ones, those who have supported us, and those who have prayed for and over us. With mixed emotions our team of 5 will board a plane and travel 14 hours, touching three continents. With mixed emotions our team of 5 will share the gospel of Christ with the poor, the orphan, and the hurting of Kenya. With hearts full of HOPE and wells full of JOY, we are going (back) to Africa!