When Riding in an Ambulance

This week was insane. Work is really ramping up, and so are my requirements outside of work. I somehow managed to completely book events for myself Monday-Sunday, with no. breaks. Who does that?! Crazy people, that's who. I can't even think my thoughts or feel my feelings, because everyone else's are all up on me.

Monday, my plans drastically changed form attending Perspectives to taking my mom to the ER. I know. Totally nuts. She really hurt her back and was immobile. My dad and I could not comfortably get her in the car to drive her ourselves, so we had to call 911 for an ambulance. It was stressful, because it wasn't a really immediate emergency... but we really needed that gurney! Within a few minutes, the ambulance, fire truck, EMT's and Firemen were all in my parent's living room. I ring checked every last one of those men, but I was too stressed to attempt to get one of them to notice me. Whoops.

My dad and I rode separately from mom, in my car. Little did I know, she was chatting those EMT's up for me, telling them all that I was single. Oh Lordy.

But here's where the humor turns into God's glorious grace and majesty- the EMT student, whose name is Lawson, was speaking with a slight accent. My mom asked him where he was from, and he nonchalantly replies, "I'm from Kenya." My mom gasped and told him, "My daughter is about to move there! What part of Kenya are you from?!"

It turns out that Lawson is from Nairobi, and has heard about Naomi's Village. He tells my mom to relay this message to me: "Tell her that she is doing a great thing for Kenya."

What. Is. Happening? In the same moments that I'm cracking jokes and remaining calm on the outside- only to be a complete mess inwardly, thinking about my parents and their health and how I won't be here to help if they need me- God shows His confirmation of my going to Kenya to my mom as she is on an ambulance driving to the Emergency Room. How amazing is our God?

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

you have established strength because of your foes,

to still the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[b]

and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under his feet,

all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8

Moving!

Some of you may have seen this coming, but I really wasn't certain until after I returned home and prayed more and got confirmation from others... here it goes:

I am moving to Kenya!

I knew when I went to Naomi's Village in 2013 that my interaction with the organization and their vision was far from a one time thing. I just didn't know what the extent of it would come to be.

This is the true measure of all I've learned about truly making Jesus ultimate and living with an open hand. This feels like the biggest thing I have ever done to be obedient.

I don't know all of the details yet, but here are the things I do know:

• When are you going?

I will be going in August of 2015, Lord willing!

• What will you do?

I will be an Assistant Headmaster at Cornerstone. I will be working in the details of teacher training, teacher evaluation, interventions for students, either remediation or extensions as needed, as well as helping to build the portion of students from the community who will be able to enroll at Cornerstone.

• Is this a paid position?

This is considered a missionary appointment. I will raise funds to pay for my living expenses.

• Where will you live?

Most likely, I will start out at the guesthouse at Naomi's Village. Cornerstone still has classes on the Naomi's Village campus, so it would be very easy for me to get to and from work each day. When the school building opens on its own land, I may move to another location.

• How long will you be there?

I have agreed to start out at a two year commitment.

• What about your house, car, and stuff?

I'm selling my house, car, and most of my stuff. 

• What about Hazel?

I don't know yet. I have had a few people offer to keep her for me, but the details of that have not been talked about or agreed upon. This is the hardest part of the whole move for me. I love my doggie- but not more than Jesus (I think)! (Sorry mom and dad- but we have FaceTime!)

• So, how can I help?

Well, first and foremost- pray for me. I am going through a lot of emotions right now and letting go of dreams and learning about the dreams God has for me. I am in the Sending Program and working full time (It seems I am ALWAYS learning/taking classes. Good Lord!)

Secondly, I will need to raise funds once the time comes. In the meantime, help build Cornerstone so we can add more kids from the Maai Mahiu community to each grade level. The vision for Cornerstone is so much bigger than simply educating the kids at Naomi's Village- but we need the building to make that happen. Run/walk in the It Takes a Village 5K on October 4, 2014. If you aren't local or you already have plans that morning, you can race from bed. Or you can just make a donation to the school's building fund on the Naomi's Village website.

I'm so excited to share this journey with all of you as it unfolds!