The first week back to school...

One week down of the first term of 2009 at Kwakwas Primary School. Another farm school just a few miles away from Kwakwas recently closed, so we have gained quite a few new students... There are now 102 students up from 80 last year! Here are a few pictures of the first week back. It was great to see the kids again and get acquainted with the new faces.

The first two days of the week were for teachers to do planning. While working in the classroom that I share with the principal, two of the boys (Rico and Dorian) who live on the farm kept me company. Such a treat...and so cute that they spent quite a bit of time looking at books (sometimes upside down).

The new students arrived to move into the hostel and unloaded all of their stuff from the back of a truck (12 students and their pillows, blankets, and small bags all fit in one pick up truck).

Jemca, one of the daughters of our host family, started 1st grade this week. It was quite an excitement!

Here, the first day of school doesn't necessarily mean that school actually starts. Here the Grade 1 Class waited outside in the shade while the classroom was repainted.

Parents and students gathered into the office to register for living in the hostel for the term.

The Grade Six and Grade Four Class had a blast playing sight word Bingo...(I'm not going to lie, I also had a great time!) :)

You can be praying for the kids and the school. That their needs will be met, especially their great need to understand the good news of Jesus!

Much love and so thankful for your prayers!
Kristen

Loving my team...

The past couple weeks has provided many opportunities to have fun and do ministry alongside some of my amazing team mates. God has given us such a sweet team here in Rehoboth and they have been such a source of encouragement and laughter. In addition to our week together in Windhoek working at the children's home, we have gotten to work and play together now that we are all back in Rehoboth.

Heidi and Amanda built an amazing campfire and we made smores...

We spent a morning making as many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as we could manage (just around 200) and took them to the poorest part of town to give out to the kids and families.

Catherine, talking with some of the precious kids we met.

Every time we turned around, there were more children hoping to get a sandwich or an apple.

The current team of seven took an afternoon trip to the Oanob Dam (just about 10k outside of Rehoboth)... We had a blast having a braai (barbecue) and swimming!

The remaining US team :) (And in just four weeks, our other two faithful team mates will be departing, leaving just Mac and I!) Thankfully, we will have 3 new team members joining us before they leave.

Thanks to all of you incredible supporters who make amazing opportunities like our PB&J day possible.

Love,
Kristen

He will surely do it...

The second half of my time here has begun, and has caused me to step back and reflect on what God has been doing so far, how I can change and grow and do better, and the reasons behind why things have happened the way they have…

Through this reflecting, God has brought to my attention more than once, the words of John 15:4-5, 7-8:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Really? Ask whatever you wish and it will be done…? I have struggled with this passage because it just doesn’t always seem true. Not everything we ask for is given to us by the Father. And there are many people who misuse this verse thinking they can manipulate God into making them healthy and wealthy and prosperous. Scripture is clear about one thing: God will NOT be manipulated. He is God, which by definition makes whatever He does the RIGHT thing. So He does whatever He pleases, and it is for His glory and our good. And even though what He does is hard to swallow and painful at times, I LOVE the God of the Bible, the God in complete control of all of creation, and who doesn’t always answer prayers the way I expect, but who does everything according to His good purposes .

But this passage seems to tell us that we SHOULD ask for whatever we wish…with one important prerequisite that cannot be overlooked. That we abide in Christ and that He abides in us. If we are abiding in Christ, then the fruit of the Spirit, (which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control Gal. 5:22-23), will be evident in us, and absolutely eliminate the possibility of us asking for things that are self-serving in any form.

So, when this verse is read and interpreted in context, it’s not something to shy way from. I have neglected this verse in the past because I have feared its misuse…but God is revealing to me that I should ask Him for the deepest, most foundational cries of my heart, abiding in His word, and TRUST Him to do it. As I have begun to really grasp this, I have been more encouraged than ever that no matter how fruitful or unfruitful that I feel my efforts have been, I can trust that God will accomplish His purposes. It is such a comfort to know that “it will be done.” That “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

So what are right things to pray for that I can be sure are in tune with Scripture?

Here are a few that I will absolutely be praying for in the coming months:

-For the gospel to go forth and succeed in bringing people to Christ. (Isaiah 55:11)

-For God to be seen, exalted, glorified for who He is.(Revelation 4:11)

-For those I know that are seeking truth to FIND him. (Jeremiah 29:13)

-For God to accomplish His purposes in and through me. (Isaiah 46:10)

And even though those aren’t incredibly specific, I am so satisfied in knowing that those prayers WILL be answered according to the perfect plan and will of God. It is easy to feel like a failure when ministry and life here hasn’t gone according to my expectations or as I hoped. But these truths from Scripture have been more encouraging and satisfying to me than any “good work” I could pat myself on the back for. Without Christ’s work, my righteous deeds are like filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6)…so I jump at the chance to make it less about what I do and more about what HE is doing.

The point is NOT what I can do…the point is what God is already doing, and has been planning on doing from the beginning (WITH OR WITHOUT me.) I’m more thankful for that than ever. And my prayer is just to get on board with what He is doing. Not to try to reinvent the wheel here… :)

Yet another thing that has been humbling is that more than achieving His purposes through me, God is working IN me to refine me, grow me, and change me more into His likeness. Jim Elliot says it better than I:

“How well I see now that He is wanting to do something in me! So many missionaries, intent on doing something, forget that His main work is to make something of them, not just to do a work by their stiff and bungling fingers. Teach me, Lord Jesus, to live simply and love purely, like a child, and to know that You are unchanged in Your attitudes and actions toward me.”

I have been convinced of that more and more by the day as God has stretched me and challenged me in the past four months more than ever before in my life. The verse I referred to above in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, one of my favorite verses in the Word, says that He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it. Do what? We find our answer in Verse 23: Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely… Isn’t it interesting that God who calls us is faithful to do a work IN us more than THROUGH us? It is humbling and at the same time absolutely incredible, that God is choosing to use this time to sanctify me.

All of that to say, God is truly working on me, teaching me things, and revealing over and over again my utter dependence on Him to use my life here for His glory. I long for Him that, and can trust that if I continue to ask for that in prayer, He will do it. Thanks for taking the time to read these reflections and thanks for your faithful prayers. Your partnership through prayer is incredibly meaningful and fruitful… God is working.

Prayer request updates:

Mackenzie and I have begun planning a 5-week follow-up Bible study/discipleship group for some of the girls who live at the high school’s hostel that we will start at the end of the month. We are really excited about what God has begun doing in some of these girls lives. Please pray for continued wisdom in this!

We are also welcoming three new AIM team members to Rehoboth on January 17^th… I am so excited to get to know them and have more co-laborers for the gospel: Brittany, LuLu, and Stephen. You can be praying for them and their transition here.

I love you all!

Kristen

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