Where have you come from, where are you going?

 

We get to pack up 18 luggage/ totes to bring back with us to Kenya.
Jason and I are using these totes as a stand for our laptop to watch movies on.

These 5 totes are filled to 50 pounds with lots of homeschooling books as well as clothing and other things we have collected during these 5 months.

After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden the Lord God came and called out to them. He asked "Where are you?" In Genesis 3:9. He didn't ask because He didn't know where they were. He is Omnipotent (all powerful) Omnipresent (present in all places at all times), and Omniscient (all knowing). He asked to invite them into a conversation with Him. He wanted an upfront honest relationship with them just as He wants that with us. He continued to ask them questions and then gave consequences for their actions. 

Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain got angry with his brother and the Lord warned him saying "sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it". Genesis 4:7 Cain did not resist temptation and ended up plotting and killing Abel. Then the Lord asks Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"Genesis 4:9. Again God didn't ask this question because he didn't know the answer but is desiring to enter into a conversation seeking after a relationship. God made a high moral standard and when we fail to live up to this standard (we all fall short) He provides a way of restoration. This is through our repentance and because of Jesus's death which pays the wages for our sin. 

In Genesis 16: 7-8 "The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And He said,

"Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"

Hagar explains she ran away from Sarai her employer. Sarai was super jealous that Hagar was pregnant while she herself remained barren and took out her frustrations on Hagar. God revealed that He has a specific plan for Hagar's son as He has Heard her cries. She was so grateful and as a result she is the only person in the Bible to give God a name- El Roi- the God who sees.

If I were to answer the question "Where am I?" And "Where have I come from and Where am I going?" My response would be that our family has had a break from ministering overseas during these last 5 months. Looking back at right before we left Kenya I can see that we were close to burn out. We have truly gotten to step away from the day to day trials that take place in such a poverty stricken place with a hostile environment. We have had our hearts full by spending time with family and friends. The body of Christ has come alongside us to take interest in what God is doing in Kenya and praying for the harvest. These next few days we are packing up all our stuff and seeing if we have room to carry more. We are going to fly out of the USA on Monday, August 14th at 7:30pm and have a layover in London. Then we will take a 9 hour flight to Nairobi and meet up with Paul and Ashley. We will take Charis to the orthodontist and drive home a few days later. We are confident that God hears our requests to go with us and before us. We also know He sees us with all our emotions and desires us to talk to Him about it all. We are going to see how the new believers (the 4 farm workers who have decided to be followers of Jesus) are growing and maturing. We are encouraged that Bible study has continued on in our absence. We are going to join back into what God's work in Gtown and be Attentive to what He asks us to do. We also asks you- "Where are you coming from, and where are you going?

Jason numbers each tote and writes down what's in each one for an easier way to access what we might look for.

Jason has fixed up a way to weigh each tote.

These girls have to get their bags ready with clothes and things they will need for Kenya.