I'm hoping to take two trips there next year. I really feel that God is wanting me to increase my time overseas a little, and the furlough days we've been receiving at work should enable me to go more frequently because I'll have some extra days off -- it's turning into a blessing. :)
Right now, I am praying about heading to Kenya with Mission of Mercy in early June to visit the Home of Hope, an orphanage for babies with AIDS. The Home of Hope has something like a 96-percent "cure rate" for AIDS. They do three things: adult woman are there around the clock to hold and nurture the babies, they are given proper nutrition and medicine and they anoint the babies with oil and pray over them for healing every day. I first heard about the Home of Hope in a sermon I watched during the time God was speaking to me about Africa and Mission of Mercy, and they just happen to be offering a mission trip there in June. We will also head into the bush to work with a child-development center that's been established with the Masai tribe -- sooooo awesome! This will be an amazing opportunity to share the love of Christ with a very tribal people! Kenya was also the first country God ever spoke to me about visiting when He called me to Africa at the Brownsville Revival. Growing up, I was always fascinated with Kenya, and I remember even picking a pen-pal to write to from that country as a kid. His name was Boniface Oloo -- I wrote him once and never heard back. How I remember all that I have no idea! lol
Anyway...as for the fall, I am not yet sure which country God will lead me to. I'm not sure I'll be traveling with Mission of Mercy then either. I'm looking into working with e3 Ministries or Overland Missions, but it's too early to tell. e3 is a really great church-planting organization and they do lots of work with unreached people groups. I really want to go to the place of greatest need. Rwanda and Burundi are two countries that have particularly been on my mind lately. I know I am also supposed to go back to Swaziland -- I am just waiting on God to work out the timing.
I'm praying for contacts and open doors in African nations, as well as for a clear direction as to where I'm supposed to head in 2010.
Exciting stuff! God is amazing! :)
