Week Three

-

Hello From Across the Pond!


I hope everyone reading this is well and will give yourself a big hug from me! My previous missions to Niger have been just two weeks long so I’m normally back in the states with chicken nuggets in my belly by now. Luckily, Pinterest still works in Africa so I’ve got a copy-cat Chick-fil-A recipe on the horizon and the Lord is still teaching me a lot!


This third week has been a great week of firsts! First time to stay in Niger for longer than 12 days, first time to teach English as a third language, first time in a (mini) dust storm and the first time to touch a hippo and live to tell about it!


Yes, you read that right! I touched a hippo! He had whiskers the size of my fingers and teeth as long as my forearm. I was pretty amazed! A slimy hippo muzzle isn’t the only cool thing I’ve felt this week — as I am growing more dependent on the Lord, He has shown me His kindness in ways like never before. I’m learning more and more that the Lord is not interested in our performance, but our surrender to His will. Also, that when plans change or something doesn’t go as you thought it would, it’s because He has something better for you in store. Even if the “better” thing isn’t revealed to you right away or even in your time on earth, know that His ways are higher than ours. I am constantly reminding myself of that.


In my fourth week, I’m looking forward to more Bible stories with the kids, continuing English lessons with two of the girls, continuing to learn French and visiting old friends at an orphanage. 


Please pray for me this week as I continue to sweat my butt off and trust in the Lord’s timing. Pray for continued unity in the family and provision for the girl’s home. 


Thank you all! Love and miss you all tons!


“He knows us far better than we know ourselves, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” Romans 8:27-28 MSG 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Changing Seasons and Shady Trees

-
Soon, I'm anticipating a shift in seasons. I wish I was talking about temperatures dropping and leaves changing colors, but that kind of season change is almost non-existent in Niger. In two weeks kindergarten will be over. Teaching for the last two years was a completely unexpected and halfway unplanned season. It has been a tough at times, but when I look back on these days I'll remember the good (because I romanticize life like that).  When I think about kindergarten at Sahel Academy, I'll think about the drawings and little love letters that would be pulled from take-home folders and handed to me on a random Tuesday morning. I'll think about sitting face-to-face with students discussing stories from Creation to Christ, and the daily growth that I could see in (most of) their sweet faces and hungry hearts.  The season I'm anticipating is somewhat uncharted water. In ways, the work will be familiar: scheduling, purchasing, helping. It ...
Read more

falling or flying?

-
I'm writing this on the morning of my 29th birthday and reflecting on how good God is to have kept me under the shadow of His wings -- the safest place for me to be.  This time last year, I had abruptly left a ministry position that also served as my housing and 80% of my community in a new place only 5,659 miles away from my family and all I had known for 28 years. (No big deal, right?!) On my 28th birthday I woke up surrounded by moving boxes in a new place, spent the day with the first class of kindergarteners that I had ever taught, and had dinner and dessert, and played games with a few fun and very generous friends. Sure, social media made everything look secure, but I spent most of my 28th birthday napping (coping) and wondering what had happened.  I felt like I had been pushed off a cliff and I remember praying that God would catch me. You know how when you're almost asleep and you feel like you're falling down a flight of stairs and your whole body jumps? That was ...
Read more

Desert Places

-
When I was in America this summer, it was fun but pretty chaotic. I was constantly on the go - which again was fun and I was thankful for the opportunity to do lots of things and see lots of people, but it got crazy at times. I was recovering from the first 9 months in a fourth-world country of which the last 3 were pretty grief stricken. Needless to say, my brain was all over the place and so was I, physically.  The week before I left to come back to Niger, I went out to eat with one of my mentors and someone I deeply respect and value the opinion of. She looked me right in the eye and said, "KK, I don't have any doubt that God has called you to Niger for this season and He is using you. But I think that He also has put you in the desolate desert and hard places to be alone with Him to sort out some things in your life." I 100% believe she was right.  So I've been back for a little over two months at this point and "order" is a word that has constantly been...
Read more