There is nothing quite like the pleasure of being surprised by God’s goodness. Walking an unfamiliar path where the trail appears barren and dusty, and then to find it paved with beauty and splendor is one of the ultimate experiences when you carry the gospel under your arm and walk with Jesus. David says it perfectly in Psalm 65, “ You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, And the little hills rejoice on every side.”
So much of our Christian faith is walked out in daily steps of self- discipline. The every day intention of seeking the Lord’s face in prayer, modeling virtuous behavior, and serving our local community are hallmarks of loving Jesus. Each of these acts grow character, like sweet fruit when we abide in the vine of Christ.
Then sometimes the Lord surprises us with callings that extend outside the walls of the church and take us places that we hesitate to go. He whispers, “Trust me.”
We begin to see the signs over the course of a short period of time. Our heart quickens at the thought. Is He calling us to the mission field?
This January, our Calvary Chapel Deer Park mission team answered the call with an enthusiastic “Yes Lord, send us!”
Our team spent two bustling weeks being the hands and feet of Jesus in Laikipea County, Kenya.
Heroes of the Nation, which is based in Nyanhururu, not only hosted us for the duration of our trip, but came alongside to strengthen our hands and hearts for service. We were blessed to visit primary and high schools, feed school children, wrap many kids in homemade blankets, and celebrate new school buildings. We attended adult women’s literacy classes, taught the community women to make soap, and washed the feet of discipleship students. Fences were erected and gardens were planted with love and expectation of God’s favor.
God also blessed us with new relationships. We celebrated friendship and fellowship with dancing and shouting! We basked in God’s goodness and His sunshine which was appreciated by our PNW January hearts. Kenya is a place we only get to travel to once a year if the Lord tarries and allows us, yet it is a foreshadowing of the unity we will experience in eternity with our Savior.
We want the harvest to be full, but greater still should be our anticipation to spend forever with the very Creator who fashioned our beings. We lift our eyes to heaven and stand on the hope of celebrating our Creator and Savior when we see Him face to face. I often think of C.S Lewis’s reminder,“Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth 'thrown in': aim at Earth and you will get
neither.” Our mission trip to Kenya reminds me that day to day life with Christ is persistent and sweet, yet sweeter still will be the end of time when we will worship Christ forever.
Romans 8:22-23 “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.”
I envision worshiping our King among the brothers and sisters from around the world, and I will see the many tribes of Kenya celebrating too. We will bob our chins joyfully in the Samburu fashion, and we will jump victoriously like Maasai warriors.
Romans 8:24-25 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Thank you Lord for the blessing of mission trips, it further fuels the excitement of seeing You soon!