GOING!

I'M GOING!!!! yay!!!

Departure: November 19

Return: April 24


Details...
In late July, I applied to SIM (Serving in Mission), an organization that ministers to human need while sharing the love of Christ. I will be working at an orphanage called "Tumaini," which means "hope" in Swahili. Tumaini is in Kinangop, Kenya, north of Nairobi. My official title is "orphanage worker," so whatever you think an orphanage worker might do, that's what I'll be doing. =) I do know that I will be taking care of and loving on God's precious kiddos who have been left without someone to care for them. I am joining another SIMpacter (people that go through SIM short-term are called SIMpacters) from North Carolina named Lindsey, who has been there since July. She said that her & some other SIMpacters started teaching the older kids how to facilitate bible studies, so that they could lead for the younger kids! (woo hoo, discipleship!) She also informed me that I'll be doing a lot of laundry...but when I think about it, these kids don't have parents to do the regular stuff parents do, such as laundry. I'm so excited. I'm gonna delight in doing laundry like I never have before. Literally. I usually prefer the dishes at home. =)

Tumaini has only been open for 6 years. GOA (Glory Outreach Assembly) actually founded it. This past January, GOA opened a school for Tumaini. I'm hoping to get some time the classrooms, even though I'm not going as a "teacher." I figure out of 86 kids, somebody must need a little extra help, right?

Most of the kids at Tumaini have come from the streets or homes where they were left without someone to care for them. Can you imagine? I didn't have to be on my own until I went to college, and even then, I didn't have to find or grow my own food, The Main did it and Albertson's was next door.

Why Kenya?
One neat thing about SIM is that I could choose (in approximation) when to leave & where to go, sort of... I told them I want to leave around October (pretty close!) and that I want to be with orphans, it didn't matter where. Tumaini in Kenya had availability! Plus, the LORD saw me there already. I smiled big when I read that Tumaini's mission is "to provide hope for the hopeless, orphans and destitute children." I know the LORD has purposed me to give hope to the hopeless, so talk about exciting! Tumaini's founders' vision is "To build a Godly heritage of orphans and to develop them to take responsibilities in the global village." Awesome. Raisin' up leaders who love the LORD!

Didn't she have a job teaching?
Yes, I did. But I longed to be overseas. I tried to get excited about teaching, and I probably will teach someday, but I just didn't want to yet. About 4 years ago, I felt compelled to go overseas and do something among the unreached; my passion for the hopeless and hurting has been developed from different experiences & further understanding about what the LORD has planned for His Kingdom globally. So, I didn't get a job & then decide I wanted to move to Africa. I got a job because everyone else got a job, I needed income, and I had a good offer. I was really uneasy about it & praying for something, I don't know what, just for God's hand I guess, when my apartment deal in Fort Worth fell through. I used that as an opportunity to re-route my steps. I got on http://www.rightnow.org/ which is a giant network of mission organizations, sending agencies, etc. (ps: i can't count how many times i had to re-type "agencies" - isn't that weird.). That's how I found SIM. I called my Special Ed. director and told her "um, I have a possible opportunity to work in Africa," and she practically gave me her blessing!!! Whoa! Praise the LORD! So, I was able to cancel my contract over the summer, before I even began. I told my mom & dad about it before I made any moves like officially cancelling my contract with Castleberry ISD or actually sending in my SIM application. I think they're embracing it pretty well. They let me move home. =p

To my amazing supporters -
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! SIM got a brand new really cool accounting system for finances at the beginning of October, so if you donated online, they have it, it just hasn't been electronically transferred to the bank yet. That's why you may have had some difficulty with the online giving system. And, that's why you haven't heard back from me...I haven't received an October report. I apologize, they are working super hard to get it all running. =)

Okay this post is getting kinda long, my udpates will be more frequent before I go, & after that, I'm not sure. There's a cable modem at the orphanage, but I don't know how often I'll be able to get online.


kt