Traveling through Namibia...

Happy New Year to all my wonderful friends and family! :) My comings and goings of the holiday are officially over today, as I head back to Rehoboth in just a few hours. While I still had a fast internet connection, I wanted to post some pictures of the great places and things I experienced in the past week and a half. Mackenzie's parents came for Christmas and it was a wonderful to have them here...a little piece of home! They were so generous to invite me to travel along with them, and it was a great time of refreshment. I am gearing up for the second half of my time here. Here are some pictures of the past 10 days...

Even after a slight mishap with luggage not showing up, Mac had a wonderful reunion with her parents at the airport!

Our first stop was in Swakopmund, Namibia (a very touristy location on the coast). We visited the absolutely awesome sand dunes (and began a tradition of jumping in front of landscapes of the cool places we visit!)

Not only did we visit the sand dunes...we quad biked (also known as 4-wheeling to Americans) through them. Highlight of the trip for me!

On the beach at sunset in Swakopmund... so of course, it called for a jumping picture.

Christmas day... I got to skype with my family and they, along with some of my wonderful friends, sent sweet gifts with the Longs for me to open. Made the day extra special. I cannot tell you what an amazing gift Skype is. To be able to see my family was such a blessing!

The Longs treated us to an incredible Christmas feast... Mac and I ordered and this is what came out... it was the biggest plate of food I've ever seen.

Our next trip was further north in Namibia, to Etosha National Game Park. We did a 3-day camping safari and got to see some amazing animals. Lions were the most exciting for me...I wanted this to be Aslan.

If they would have let us get out of the vehicle, we would have DEFINITELY jumped in front of this picture.

All in all, I had some pretty incredible experiences. It was a blessing to have some time away and get to see more of Namibia. And now, I am ready to unpack my suitcase and get back into a routine here. I continue to be so grateful for all your prayers and love and support.

How you can be praying:
-The "second half" is upon us as school is about to start in just a week and I get back to my normal routine. Pray for God to give new wisdom, direction, creativity, and even more love for the kids I work with.
-Pray for the high schoolers that we developed relationships with...that God would have really worked on their hearts these last few months and we can continue great conversations about following Christ with them.
-Pray that I would be PRESENT here, to make the most of every single day and seek to honor Christ in all that I do here.

I love you all and hope that your Christmas and New Years were times of joy, laughter, love, and above all else, glorifying Christ.

More from Rehoboth soon!
Kristen

Just a preview...

If you've been keeping up on my comings and goings during holiday as posted below, then you know that I am currently in Windhoek, Namibia, working with my team at a children's home with kids who have nowhere else to go over holiday. We've been putting on a VBS type program for them and having an incredible time teaching and playing with these kids! Here are a few photos of the happenings so far this week. I'll share more in a later post.

This is Lionny making a Christmas cookie right after she had her face painted by one of my awesome teammates!

After seeing our puppets, the kids thought they should put on their own show.

The older kids were fierce competitors in netball (basketball)!

Some of the younger kids during craft time!

This is Francois, a son of one of the domestic workers at the children's home, and one of the most adorable kids I've ever seen.

I am finding so much joy in my time with these precious guys... a huge age range (2 years to 17 years) and all of them are unique and wonderful. Pray for them if you can-- that Christ would make Himself real to them as so many others have failed them or let them down. They need to know the perfect love that He offers.

Love and Prayers for all of you,
Kristen

Blessed to give...

About a year ago, I read a letter written in the front of the Desiring God catalog. (A great ministry you should check out if you’ve never heard of it).

The letter was titled “Blessed to give.” And it was signed, “Eager to give everything good I have away…”

These words have stuck with me ever since I read them for the first time. Maybe they stuck with me because that is such a contrast to our human nature. We want to keep the good things, or at least a piece of them, to ourselves, right? And even if we decide the right thing to do is give them away, are we eager to give them away?

Maybe the words stuck with me because since I have read them, I have continued to be challenged by the heart reflected in those words: “I am eager to give away everything good I have.”

There are countless opportunities to give of physical gifts and material gifts (food, money, etc) here in Namibia because the need is so great. It is a rare day to not be asked for money while walking down the street. Sometimes these gifts are given out of guilt. Sometimes these gifts are given out of pity. Sometimes gifts cannot be given. And sometimes, gifts are given in JOY.

Followers of Christ are called us to be this kind of giver…the kind that gives and is blessed by the joy that comes when we give ourselves (time, love, money) away.

Not only that, but there is an abundance of opportunities (and this is true no matter where you are in the world) to give the most important kind of gift - the gift of sharing Christ, of sharing the love you have to offer because you have been loved by Him first. This gift, if given genuinely, is impossible to be given out of guilt or pity. The nature of the gift demands that it be given in JOY...

If we really believe in the goodness of this gift, if our hearts grasp the awesomeness of what we have through the gift of salvation, the gift of Christ, then we will be eager to give it away. And all other good things that flow from this ONE all-encompassing gift of a relationship with Christ, we will hold less dear. We will have less of a need to hold onto them with all our grasp, and we will be eager to give them away too.

And God has continued to prove this to me in the opportunities He has brought my way to give-- that in giving of the good things I have (and more specifically, the BEST thing I have), I have been so blessed. Joy is doubled when it is shared.

Oh how I long to have a heart that always says "I am eager to give everything good I have away." So God, give me an ever-increasing understanding of this gift that you have given me-- the gift of your Son, of salvation, of hope and joy in relationship with YOU. Let me be bursting with passion to give this news away. The rest of the good things I have PALE in comparison to this gift, and so let me be eager to give them away too.

I am amazed at the way God has given great things to me through all of you: encouragement, joy, friendships, the support to be where I am now. I'm so grateful for these gifts, and working hard to give them away to those I come in contact with here.

Christmas is coming... so my prayer is that we become more eager than ever to give...especially the most important gift of the good news of the gospel.

God, you are the ULTIMATE giver. Thank you for being eager to give to us...for giving us your Son.

what's going on...

It is “holiday” here in Namibia, which means schools are closed and the town is quieting down. This time gives us the opportunity to see a little more of Namibia as we do some traveling. In addition, we will get to be a part of different ministries here that we have not yet had the chance to serve in. One that I am most excited about is a children’s home in the capital. Some of the children who live there have nowhere to go for the holidays, and they remain at the home with nothing to fill their time. Several of us from the Rehoboth team will be spending a week with them, doing a VBS type program and getting to love on them! Then, Mackenzie’s parents are coming to visit over Christmas, and we are excited to see them!

Here is a little schedule of the next few weeks:

December 9-13 Road trip to southern Namibia with 3 other girls from our team to see Fish River Canyon

December 14-20 Our team is in the capital, working at the children’s home

December 22- 30 Mackenzie’s parents are here, and we will be traveling with them to the coast, and then doing a 2-day camping safari at Etosha National Park.

December 31 Return to Rehoboth

January 5-10 In Rehoboth, working with a local church to help renovate a building which will become a community center for the children and youth, as well as visiting other ministries in town, including another children’s home

January 12 Back to Kwakwas AND our high school friends who live at the hostel will return!

I would so appreciate your prayers this holiday—that even though we have a break from our normal routine of life here, that we would still make the most of every opportunity and be able to share the love of Christ.

Praying for you all...that as Christmas approaches, you are keeping your eyes fixed on the beauty of our Savior.

Love,
Kristen

Christ is our hope!

Merry Christmas! Well, actually, to you it's Thanksgiving, but here in Namibia, we celebrated Christmas today at Kwakwas Primary School. Tomorrow is their last day of school before break for holiday (their summer break and Christmas break are on in the same here) and they will not return until the second week of January! (I will write soon about what I have planned during this holiday...God has provided some great opportunities!)

What a blast it has been preparing for this day with the kids. They were so very excited for their part in the program. I also had some incredible opportunities to share about the real meaning of Christmas with them, and why it's a holiday I am so excited about. What a sweet reminder it has been for me as I am teaching them... Christ is our hope, the long-awaited Savior. During our Christmas assembly today, the kids repeated the phrase "Christ is our hope" in Afrikaans...it was a great moment, of knowing that Jesus was being celebrated above all else.

Thanks to your incredible support, I was able to use some of my ministry money here to buy each child at the school (80 in all) a Christmas present! There are also a few organizations who sponsor the children at this school who sent presents as well, so the children had a really special celebration.

Some of the kids opening their presents... airplanes for the boys and hair accessories for the girls!


The grade fours getting ready for their part in the Christmas program. I was SO proud of them...they were the only grade who did their part in English. Quite an accomplishment!

The staff of Kwakwas and Father Christmas (who was really just our cleaner, Elizabeth!) Too funny!

Making all the Christmas preparations...including our very own Christmas tree!

I had the grade four class act out the Christmas story in preparation for our big celebration. These are the angels singing "Glory to God in the Highest!"

The grade four class with me on Christmas Day at Kwakwas! I love these kids so very much.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I pray that you are finding your joy in Christ today as you share time with family and friends. I'm so very thankful for your support and love... God has blessed my life through you all.

Much love and gratitude on Thanksgiving,
Kristen

Some of the sweet gifts that point me to Christ...

This is Magdalena, a sweet fourth grader at Kwakwas. I just love her.

These are two of the girls that Mackenzie and I have gotten to know very well from Rehoboth High School. Fabiola, 15, and Luzelle, 14. They both have such a desire to know more about Christ, it is a JOY to talk to them every week!

Courtney and Jaydon are the daughters of a wonderful couple on our team here in Rehoboth. They are amazing girls, and have been spending one or two afternoons each week with us, as their mom has had to be back home in England for a little while. This picture was taken at our team Thanksgiving celebration (halfway between Canadian Thanksgiving and American Thanksgiving!)

The team of six girls is becoming a team of four this week…we will miss Cathi and Alli so very much. Fun meetings and outings with these girls have been such a blessing!

The grade four kids LOVE puzzles (and they call them "spussles" which makes it extra cute!)…we had an incredible day together beginning preparation for our Christmas program and having enough extra time in the day to do puzzles. (Thanks Mom for sending these!!) :) Their smiles and laughter are precious.

The hard road and the good gifts along the way...

Since the beginning of my time here in Namibia, I have continued to be amazed at the way God delights to give good gifts to His children. There have been many hard days—days of feeling clueless, helpless, inadequate, days of missing home so much it hurts. Sometimes the hardest thing about those days is knowing that Christ has not called us to an easy road, or a comfortable life…He has called us to take up our cross and follow Him (a hard but not joyless road). Knowing that, because I follow Christ, hard is going to continue to define my life for the rest of my life is often difficult to swallow. Deep down inside of me, though, that’s what I want because looking to the JOY, the reward set before us, makes the “hard life” seem like no sacrifice at all. And that’s how it should be.

To live radically, following Christ at any cost to self, and to still be able to say at the end of it, “I never made a sacrifice,” because Christ and His presence is beyond worth it. We trade all that we have for all that is BETTER.

Knowing that hard is good, that God has my best interests at heart and is always working for my good means that any sense of entitlement I might have that things should be better must go out the window. Instead, the accurate response should be an awareness of my sin, and that I have earned NOTHING, I deserve NOTHING from the king of the universe.

And yet, even though that couldn’t be more true, the great king of the universe still delights to give good gifts to His children…to provide for their needs, to satisfy the desires of their hearts. He does all those things by giving us HIMSELF.

It’s an amazing thing to be aware of how much you don’t deserve it, and yet still receive His grace… His love without condition. God has been so, so good to me, and I am often most aware of this on the days that feel the hardest. Because even in the midst of it, God offers His presence to me in ways that I never would have expected.

Whether it be the beauty of the stars in a cloudless Namibian night sky, an encouraging e-mail from home, the smiles of the kids at school, a sweet conversation with one of the high schoolers, a good laugh with a best friend, a long run, a great song, fellowship with my team, or even just waking up with JOY, God has been giving me sweet gifts, even on the hard days. Especially on the hardest days. And I have never been more sure than I am now that the sweetest of all these gifts is the awareness of the PRESENCE of Jesus in all of these things.

When God opens my eyes to His goodness (and believe me, I am dependent on Him to even make me aware of it), there is nothing but gratitude no matter what is going on around me. Whatever He’s doing, I can rest in the truth that He is GOOD and longs to satisfy His children with the gift of Himself.

Thank you, Jesus, for BEING our reward, our hope, our help in times of need, our comforter, and the source of every good and perfect gift. May the good gifts of life, joy, comfort, hope, community, and creation ALWAYS, always point us to the Giver.

And for my faithful prayer supporters, here are some ways you can be praying:

-We are nearing the end of the school year here…pray that my last two weeks with the kids provide opportunities to teach them awesome truths about Christ that they can understand. Pray for the kids—that they would know and experience the love of Christ this Christmas, no matter what their life is like at home.

-The high schoolers that we have been spending time with will soon be going home for Christmas and summer holiday (its one in the same here!), so pray that the these last two weeks with them will be great time of continued relationship building and conversations about how Christ transforms our lives.

-For wisdom and creativity as we brainstorm how to best reach the high schoolers we have been building relationships with next term (we are thinking of starting a club, a discipleship group, etc.)

-Cathi and Alli (from our original U.S. team of six girls) leave for home on Sunday! We can’t believe their time here has already come to an end…pray for them, that God would give them peace to leave and a sense that He has used them here.

Thank you for your encouragement, your faithful prayers…they are one more way that I find myself absolutely blown away by the goodness of our God.

Much love,
Kristen

wanting what HE wants...

Some of you probably know that I just returned back home for my
brother's wedding for a quick 6 day whirlwind visit. What an amazing
time it was—not only to see my wonderful family and precious friends,
but to celebrate the sweet gift from the Lord that Matt and Shea's
marriage is. I could write a whole post about how proud I am of both
of them, how much I love them, and how excited I am for their life
together, but I'll save that for another day. :)
Leaving home (again) to come back to Namibia was much harder than I
could have ever expected. I was hoping that time on the plane and in
airports would bring more motivation and passion to return, and yet I
find myself back in Rehoboth safely but lacking the motivation I need
to be here.
I have found myself wondering exactly why I'm here, and even more why
I don't love the place that God has brought me. I want to love it
here. To be so fulfilled by my day to day life that I'm not
constantly longing for home.

I realize that part of the reason it is, and probably always will be,
so hard to leave home is that I have an unmatchable community there of
people I love and people who encourage me in my walk in the Lord. It
is so unique and so precious, and I am slowly learning never to take
it for granted. But these last few hard days of leaving once again,
and coming back to a place that still feels foreign to me, I have been
brought back to a sweet moment I had with the Lord before I left.
It was a moment that we can all relate to…one in which something you
have known for a very long time in your head suddenly becomes
understood in a new way by your heart—where you FEEL the truth of it,
and it becomes much more real.

The truth that became real in that moment was that following Jesus is
far better than all the world. Including God's sweet gifts of
community, friendship, family. That loving Him more than those things
is not a burden—it is a joy, and I must fight to find that joy at any
cost. And like Paul, I want to count everything as a loss (including
some of the best things in my life) compared to the surpassing
greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, for whose sake I have lost all
things. (Phil 3:8)

I don't feel the truth of that right now…I'm not where I want to be.
In all honesty, right now, I want to be home. And at the same time, I
want to be in that place in my spirit where I feel the truth that
following Jesus is far better than being home would be…to be in a
place where it is my delight and my joy to be here because THIS is
where He has called me, and He has a plan for me here.

One of the most important people in my life wrote these words to me
before I left in September:
"May the gospel go forth, may Jesus be known, may God be glorified,
may your joy be full, and may you count everything a loss compared to
the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord… May Namibia and
your life never be the same."

And still, even months later, these words bring tears to my eyes. Oh
how I long for these words to become reality. And even in spite of
all the sadness I feel in being away from the people I love, the
church that I love, the family that I love—I know that God is enough.
That He is the satisfier. And that my desire for the gospel to go
forth, for Jesus to be known, for God to be glorified, and for my life
never to be the same must outweigh my desire for comfort, for presence
of family and friends, for home. My desire for Christ must be greater
than my desire for His good gifts.

An amazing song by Charlie Hall has been an encouragement to my heart...
"I wish this thing could pass from me, but I'm wanting what you want. So bring me high, or bring me low, just hold me in your love..."

Will you pray for me—that God would remind my heart of the precious
truths that my mind is sure of? That He would allow me the privilege
of being used to advance His kingdom here in Rehoboth and that it
would be my joy because He is who I delight in.

And let's pray these words together—
Jesus-- may the gospel go forth, may You be known, may You be
glorified, may our joy be full, may we count everything as loss
compared to the surpassing worth of knowing YOU, and may our lives
NEVER be the same. No matter where we find ourselves—will you do these
things in us because THAT is what is best for us. THAT is what counts
for eternity.

So grateful for you all and the support that you give—more than you know.
Much love,
Kristen

Here are some pics of the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to...

Me and the beautiful bride...who is now officially my sister. :)

Still having fun...

Just in case you were worried, here are some pictures to show you that I am having FUN here...never a dull moment here in Namibia.

These are some girls from the Rehoboth High hostels one afternoon while we were spending time with them. They are amazingly talented at braiding hair, and they convinced Jaydon and Courtney to sit for them so they could braid theirs! (I have yet to be persuaded)

Some of the girls on our team had quite an African adventure...we rode standing up in the back of a pick-up to some farmland...I felt like I was in the Lion King. It was an absolute blast!

Never have I been so excited for ice cream in my whole life! We made a trip to Windhoek last weekend and had a mid-morning delicious treat!

This is not too uncommon to see... Cars stuck in the river. The river with no water, that is.

The road to Kwakwas is a bumpy one. This was our third flat tire in four weeks.

Miss you all, love you all, and praying that these posts find you living with joy and purpose in Christ,

Kristen

If only I can love while it lasts...

What do I have to offer here?

It’s a question I have asked myself many times over in the last several weeks… there have been many moments of feeling inadequate in the face of the needs that I am surrounded by. There has been fear of failure, as I see the many problems, hurting people, and un-loved children, and wonder if I can succeed even a little bit in being of any lasting help here.

In my mind, coming to Africa with the purpose of serving for eight months on the “mission field” has carried the idea that life should somehow be more intentional here…that I would suddenly be equipped with all these new ideas and even the right words to say as I am faced with so many new situations.

But the conclusion I’ve come to is that just because I have a specific 'ministry assignment' here doesn’t make the purpose of my life any different than it was back home, or anywhere else for that matter. It doesn’t mean that suddenly I know the secret to success in ministry either.

The purpose of my life is the same that it has been from the beginning of time…to glorify God, to worship Him for who He is, and to love Him at all costs so that I might display His beauty to a hungry world. Yes, this purpose remains the same. But something has changed in my heart here in Namibia: my attitude of intentionality in living out this purpose. Being out of my element, in a different culture, with my eyes wide open to the desperate need of this place to know Christ has allowed me to desire to be far more intentional in the way I live.

However, this change in my heart has also brought about a greater fear of failing… What if I try THIS hard, and still, no one comes to know Jesus? What if I try with all my might, and still, none of my students learn to read? What if I try SO hard, and still, none of the high school students I build relationships with care about getting to know Jesus anymore than they did when I began? And so on. These thoughts scare me…I don’t want to fail at this.

But this week, God has reminded me over again that more than anything I can do, I must learn to love in every situation. To love people in a way that points them to Jesus Christ, my hope, my strength, my life, and the source of my love. So even when I wonder if I will have the words to say, the knowledge to teach, the understanding to impart, I know that Christ in me has unending love to give. How I have been reminded in the face of my fear… “LOVE never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)

How sweet to know that each day cannot then be a failure, if only we can love while it lasts. Jim Elliot reminded me this week:

“I learned to recognize no ‘spiritual planes’ but simply to love, purely, in every group…So whether knowledge tends to swell me up, or the despair of the flesh would make me shrivel up, the love of Christ holds me together. Any little occasion then has meaning, if only I can love while it lasts.”

And so how can I love well in practical ways if that’s the one guarantee that I cannot fail? I have discovered that I must continually remind myself of what it means to love people: to point them to what will satisfy them, give them hope and life and joy… to point them to Christ.

So I ask myself the one question that never gets old: “How can I point to Christ here, in this situation, with this person, in this moment?” The answer will be different every time…it will take creativity, imagination, and intentionality.

I must live life this way no matter where I find myself, in every season of life—not just here on the mission field.

May our eyes be opened to the desperate need of people EVERYWHERE who don’t know the Savior. The need is there…we just need to see it, be broken for it, and long to give our lives away so that Jesus may be known.
I’m so encouraged to know that wherever life finds us, we are united in God’s great purpose for our lives. That no place is more ‘special’ than another—that the calling we have should always drive us to live intentionally, loving others by pointing them to Jesus Christ. That’s the only thing we can do in this life that will last.

Please pray this week that God would give us minds of creative imagination that can learn how to love and how to point to Christ in every situation…

Other ways you can be praying:

-For the group of high school girls that I have been getting to know from one of the high school in town. God has provided many opportunities for wonderful conversations…pray that He would work in the hearts of these young women and give them a hunger to know Him in their hearts.

-For the children at Kwakwas- that God would open up their hearts to an understanding of His love for them, and open up their minds with a desire to learn. (Many of them lack this desire in a a major way).

-For my relationships with the other teachers at Kwakwas- that we would be able to work together in the best interests of the children there.

Thanks for your faithful prayers...
Much love,
Kristen

Each one of them has a story...

I wanted to share some pictures of the kids at Kwakwas Primary School. God is growing in me an incredible love for these kids. There are hard and frustrating and seemingly fruitless days. But there are also days of amazing blessing, laughter, and joy. They are great kids. They also have a lot of struggles. I have been reminded this week that each of them has a story... that behind every behavior problem, learning disability, or disrespectful attitude is a child who needs LOVE...love from the only one who can never fail them...Jesus Christ. So even when I don't know how to handle some of the situations that come up, I do know that I can offer them the love that I have received from Christ.

This is me with most of the grade four class. They are absolutely wonderful kids who need so much love and support.

This is Dios working on a collage of the things he likes... Art and pictures help communication between us in incredible ways!

The boys LOVE to play soccer, and were so excited to receive new soccer balls, sent from a church in Idaho! They kept saying, "It's a beautiful ball. A beautiful ball!"

Please join me in praying for these kids...that above any other knowledge they may gain, that they would have an understanding in their hearts of their Savior's love for them.

All Who've Gone Before Me...

(incredibly slow internet has kept me from posting this until today... tried to post it on Saturday! sorry for the delay!)
.....
‘But when I think of all who’ve gone before me and lived the faithful life,
Their courage compels me…’

The lyrics above come from a song by Sara Groves called “When the Saints.” It has become one of my favorite songs, and since I have been here in Namibia, the words have been an incredible inspiration to me to be faithful and mindful of the purpose God has given His followers. The song speaks of feeling a heavy burden for pouring your life out for the gospel and for God’s glory, but feeling like most of the time it is more than you can carry.

The longer I have been here in Rehoboth and seen the need for the solid truth of the Gospel demonstrated in more ways than I could have ever imagined, the more inadequate and unequipped I have felt to accomplish anything lasting. I feel “new” at everything…teaching, the language, the culture, and even the sub-culture of the church-going community here. I feel like I don’t know where to begin, or how to make my contributions to the community somehow transferable so that when I leave, I don’t leave a hole unfilled that I formed myself. It does, at times, feel like a burden more than I can carry.

But the song goes on to remember so many of the faithful saints who have poured our their lives for Christ…who have looked to the reward set before them and endured persecution, trials, seasons of weariness, hardships, times that were seemingly fruitless, and even death because JESUS was worth it to them. It has grown within me an understanding and confident belief that giving your life away for the sake of the Gospel is more beautiful than anything else we could ever do with our lives. As I look to those who have gone before me, I am inspired to work harder than ever to pour my life out for the sake of the Gospel…to pour my life out for others as I attempt to love them with Christ’s love and share hope and truth from the Word of God.

I have been reading the biography of Jim Elliot, Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot. He is no-doubt a saint who has gone before us and lived a FAITHFUL life. I am blown away by this man’s faithfulness to Christ and his desire to live completely and totally sold out to His Savior. The excerpts from his journals and letters communicate such a deep love and dedication to the Lord that has left me wanting to be BETTER. To love Christ with a deeper love. To know and understand His Word more. To pray for many to come to know Christ at any cost to myself.

A quote from one of his journals has challenged me in a huge way this week:
“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another upon facing Christ in me.”
His desire that Christ in him radiated a light so strong that people must make a decision on what they believe about who Jesus is—it inspires me to work harder to know Jesus more and share him with others at every possible opportunity- in every word I speak, how I walk, how I talk, how I act, how I love…HOW I LIVE.

And so I am encouraged that even though there will be trials, times of weariness, and seemingly fruitless times, I recognize it as well worth it, knowing that it is for the glory of God in my life and in the lives of others.
“In this, you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ”.
1 Peter 1:6-7

I know in this post I have not shared an exciting story or a list of happenings…but I pray that in sharing what God has been teaching me, you have been encouraged along with me that giving our lives away for the gospel is the most satisfying way we can live on this earth. My gratitude for your prayers continues to grow. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love through prayer.

Prayer Specifics:
-That God will provide opportunities for conversations and opportunities to share truth clearly and boldly, with confidence and that through it all, love would shown to each person.
-Pray for my creativity and ideas as I work hard to teach the kids at Kwakwas (the farm school), and for opportunities to share truth in ways they can understand in spite of the language barrier. That they would see truth in the way that I love them.
-One of the high schools in town has many students who live at school in a hostel. They have a rigid schedule, which means that they even have the same ‘hang out time’ every evening on the sports field. Mackenzie and I plan on making regular visits during this time to get to know the students there…pray that we would build relationships quickly and share Christ with many.

And let me appropriately close this post like the song ends… :)
“And when the saints go marching in, I want to be one of them.”

God, give us the great privilege of pouring our lives out for your glory. Give us the strength that MUST come from you in order to do so. Thank you for your grace and goodness in the lives of the many who have gone before us and lived a life faithful to you until the end…thank you for their example and inspiration in my life. I want my life…and the lives of these precious friends and family who are reading…to count for your glory, Jesus.
Amen.

Getting to know my team...

Here are a few more pics of the team members... What an encouragement to be here in community!

This is the rest of our AIM Rehoboth team. From back left Paul and Ruth Rowell, Mackenzie, Me, Catherine, Jaydon Rowell

Bottom left: Cathi, Steph, Heidi, and Courtney Rowell

Missing from the picture: Amanda, Molly Bea, and Alli

Here is the small team on our first day in Rehoboth. What an appropriate picture!

The value of a soul...

I’ve been in Rehoboth for a full week now, and on Monday, I began teaching at Kwakwas, a farm school about 30km outside of Rehoboth. The children at this school either travel long distances on foot to get there everyday, or they live at the school in two tin buildings with mattresses on the floor. The school provides them with two meals each day, which for many of them is all they eat.

I began my week at Kwakwas feeling very overwhelmed. Suffice it to say that things are done so differently from anything I have been taught…and everything I am used to. I will mainly be working with the “grade fours” as they refer to them here. Fourth grade is the first year that children begin to be taught primarily in English. Prior to that, all their schooling is done in Afrikaans. The children can barely speak English, let alone read and write it. It’s extremely difficult to help them understand what we would recognize as the most basic of concepts, especially when my Afrikaans is limited. (I mean seriously limited, I know like 3 phrases!...but really, I am working on it!)
I left on Monday feeling totally in over my head…and discouraged because I wasn’t even able to have any meaningful interactions with the students. The language barrier felt strong, and they just didn’t seem to expect anything from me. It seems that they are accustomed to being ignored by adults. Their experience might have shown them that teacher’s job is simply to enforce rules during school hours and tell them what they have to know.

Each day, I began to feel just a little more comfortable. I got to know all the children’s names, and I began spending break time outside with them as they play and laugh with each other. It’s amazing how the littlest of gestures can begin to establish relationships.

On Thursday, the older girls stayed in my classroom to do their home economics for the week. This consisted of sewing and knitting… (and I am laughing as I write that I can’t do either of those things well!) But I got to be in this classroom with about 15 girls with no pressure to teach anything, but simply able to be in their presence. And it was, by far, the highlight of my week. As I sat at the tables with them, laughing and smiling as we tried to communicate, they began to open up with me. One of the girls started singing, and several of the others began to join in, hesitating as if they wondered if they would be told to stop. Of course, I TOTALLY encouraged them to continue, and for over an hour, these girls sang and danced their hearts out. Songs in Nama (most of student’s tribal language), Afrikaans, and English.

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face or the tears out of my eyes. I saw their joy in what they were doing, it was the first time that they didn’t seem like they felt defeated by school. They were amazing. And in His good grace, the Lord opened my eyes and allowed me to see a glimpse of the immeasurable value of each of their souls in His eyes. My heart was jumping out of my chest, LONGING to be able to open each of their eyes to their own value. They were sweet moments of my week…the Lord reminding me once again that EVERYTHING else I do here is secondary to His primary calling on the lives of His followers: to share Jesus- His hope, joy, love, and truth. The each person I come in contact with is an eternal soul…
He has set eternity in the heart of every man (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
And that their soul MATTERS to this gracious God we serve. Oh Jesus, awaken them to the value of their souls…the value that comes from you. Open their eyes to see it, so that they will follow you, finding their lives purpose. That they could be mastered by ONE great thing.

These are some of the girls who were in the class, along with the school cleaner, Elizabeth.

Please keep praying for our team here in Rehoboth:

-For wisdom and God’s direction as we stand for truth amidst deceit here in Rehoboth.

-For the relationships I develop with the students at Kwakwas. That I would find a sweet balance of finding creative ways to help them learn their school subjects, while also having opportunities for real life conversations, and opportunities to share about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

-For Mackenzie and Alli (the nurses on our team) – that the Lord would provide them opportunities to use their skills to His glory and be able to be established in a place where they can passionately serve the Rehoboth community.

Jesus, thank you for the amazing gift you have given me through such faithful prayer supporters. I will never know why you have blessed me so immensely in this way…aside from your unbelievable goodness. I pray that you would give each of them sweet and intimate times with you and open their eyes to the wondrous truths of your Word this week. Bless them with unmatchable satisfaction in YOU.

I love you all!

Some Pictures!

This is a picture of the small team minus me. From the left Alli, Amanda, Cathi, Molly Bea, and Mackenzie. We have a bigger team we are a part of in Rehoboth, but I don't have pictures yet! It includes Heidi and Steph (from Canada), who have both been here a year already, Catherine (from England) who is also teaching and arrived a month before us, and the Rowell family (from England) and arrived 2 weeks before us.

This is Kwakwas, the farm school that I am teaching at everyday. 32 of the 80 children live at the school because it is too far to walk fr them every morning. They feed them two meals during school hours (7am to 12:40pm), and for most of the children, this is all they eat.

Me with my host brother and sister, John Carl and Jemca. They are SO fun and speak wonderful English, so it is helpful to have them around!

Some of the kids from Kwakwas washing up after lunch.

Thanks for the continued prayers and encouragement.

Much love and more details to come,
Kristen

It will take some time to get good at this... (blogging that is)

I want to start by saying WOW. Knowing how many of you have been praying overwhelms me with such gratitude. The prayers have truly been felt and I have been so aware of God's presence. I am so sorry that I am just now updating (and even sorrier that the slow internet connection won't let me post the pictures I wanted to). I feel like I have so much to say but haven't the slightest clue how to begin.. So I'll begin with a quote I came across this week:

"Growth means change, and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown."

We have been participating in our Africa-based Orientation this week in Windhoek, the capital. We have been able to interact with most of the people on our Rehoboth team as well as other AIM short termers who will be working in other parts of Namibia. There has been MUCH learning... and a growing awareness of how much of this growth, change, and risk may hurt.

But the process of allowing God to do with me what He wills is also so exciting to me. Knowing it will be a hard road but so filled with joy.

We have had some opportunities to be a part of ministries here in Windhoek. The field director of Namibia and his family have generously opened their home to us to host the orientation. We have been able to catch the vision of their passion for the people of their city and their country.

Some of the opportunities we have had include:

• Participating in HIV testing and counseling
• Visiting an after-school program at an Evangelical church in the outskirts of the city
• Touring the city and beginning to grasp the affect that Apartheid and racism have had on this culture.
  
• Visiting a baby home for orphaned infants.
• Visiting a preschool and remedial school for orphans and vulnerable children... giving children the opportunity to prepare for school who otherwise wouldn't be able to go.

In addition to these unforgettable experiences, we have had many discussions about our own cultural biases, ministry, the Gospel and how to live it out in relationships with those we come in contact with.

Several months before I left someone said to me with compassionate tears in her eyes, “My heart hurts for what you are going to have to learn during your time there.”

This week, the reality of what she meant began to hit me. For so long, ministry in Africa, working with orphans, telling people in desperate situations about the hope of Christ has been something I have longed to do, but so distant from my everyday life. My heart broke for it, but I didn’t understand it. Now that it is becoming a part of my everyday life, I am beginning to understand the incredible desperation of it all. To see desperation at its greatest and to feel so helpless. However, I have been reminded more than ever that I have the ONE THING that truly matters to offer people...HOPE in the Savior Jesus Christ.

We leave for Rehoboth tomorrow morning. Our team is so looking forward to getting to the town where we will be living life and doing ministry for the next several months. I will be teaching in a farm school called //Qua //Quas. (the // means it is pronounced with a click). The children at this school are some of the poorest around the the town. It will be a challenge...and my first real teaching experience outside of my internships and practicums in college. Mackenzie and I will be living with a pastor and his wife in the town. His wife is actually the principal of the school I will be teaching at. We are so excited to get to know their family!

I miss my sweet family and friends (you all!!) more than I can say, but God has been so near and I am grateful to Him for the sweet intimacy of a personal relationship with Him that is ALL that I need. Thank you for loving me and for praying for me, and for letting me know that you are doing both of those things often. It means more that you could ever know.
You can keep praying:

• For our team as we each get to know our host families and become familiar with our ministries. Pray that our hearts would be focused on the most important thing-- sharing Christ through our words and our lives. (I will make sure to introduce the rest of the Rehoboth team to you in another post) :)
• For our cultural sensitivity
• For the relationships we will build with the people who live there (their people group are called Basters)
  
• For sweet and fruitful personal times in the Word.
  

Thanks for making it through this long first official post. I will really be working on doing a better job of making it concise! Hopefully pictures will come also. :)

So much love to you all.

I'm in Africa?!

An exclamation, and also a question... am I seriously here?

Our team has safely made it to Namibia. We are currently in the capital city, Windhoek, and will be here until the 19th for our Africa-based orientation. Then we are on to our final destination: the town of Rehoboth.
I wouldn't begin to start to sort through what I've been thinking or feeling with the level of exhaustion and jet lag I have right now, so this will be a simple quick update to say we are here.

And even better, your prayers have been felt. Really. God has been so gracious in the journey.

Please keep praying. I can't possibly express my gratitude for the way you have loved us through prayer. Thank you.

-Our orientation this week-- that God would show us what He has for us...in glimpses so that we can be excited and passionate about it.
-Adjustment to...well, EVERYTHING new.
-Rest. It helps.

Much love to you all...and I promise to update more as soon as I can.

Just for fun...

Since I likely exceeded some of your "word-reading limits" in my post below, I thought it would be fun to post some pictures of what's been going on in my life this summer... Enjoy :)

A trip to the Royals game with some great friends from YAMS (the Young Adult Ministry at Covenant Chapel)

This cutie girl turned two and continued to add much joy to my life. :) (Her little 'sisser' is on the way and can't wait to meet her!)

My best friends and I got to celebrate Mac's birthday!


Some fun friends and I road tripped (if you can call it that) to Lawrence to see Jon McLaughlin in concert.

Had an AMAZING mission trip with great students from CovChap Middle School.


Said goodbye to the 8th grade (now 9th grade) girls who are awesome!


Spent some sweet time with much-missed friends from Indiana Wesleyan at the most beautiful wedding of Austin and Elise :)


Loved my four favorite kiddos in the whole world. :)


Spent my weekdays with two of the most fun kids ever, Lauren and Grant!

These guys make the summer feel complete!


And I got to spend great time with my great family.

Thanks for letting me share my wonderful summer with you.
God, be glorified in sweet friendships and the joy ONLY you bring to our lives.

Love,
Kristen