kenya.

During the last week of our time overseas in August, I typed up these words,

“We’re learning what fuels our joy, and how to do more of that. Big, bustling cities don’t fuel us. Sightseeing and travel blogging from country to country doesn’t do it. The mountains and the ocean come close. But people, that’s our sweet spot. Meeting new people in new cultures and entering into their story, that’s the good stuff. They’re the reason we can feel like home in a brand new place and comfortable when we’re completely out of our element. We’re learning how switch from project-mode and all the things we can accomplish to people-mode and who we can invest in well.”

And after I wrote that, I closed my computer. I never finished what I set out to write, because my mind shifted to all of the incredible people around me that I wanted to savor the time with before we journeyed home. It’s the ever present challenge of being a writer and an extrovert. Because if I have the choice between introspectively articulating my thoughts on paper or sitting across the table from someone hashing through this beautiful mess that is life, I will almost always choose the second option. But here it is, December, and there are still so many stories and people and moments I want to freeze-frame in time.

2019 is just around the corner. Sure to be brimming with new people, places and adventures to unfold. But before jumping ahead to all that’s to come, I want to intentionally take some time to slow down and look back – starting with one of my favorite places in the whole wide world.

kenya.

Arriving in Kenya felt in so many ways like coming home. It was the first place we’d been in five months that wasn’t brand new. We were met at the airport by our dear friend Elijah (who was kind enough to pick us at 2am, and then wait until 3am while our drone got confiscated). Together we traveled the long, bumpy ride back to the Bible College guest house in Narok, and settled into the same room we had lived in the summer before. Some places have a special way of settling worn and weary hearts. This is one of them.

Our month in Kenya went by in a flash. Even though our stay was more than twice as long as last summer, our family would have gladly stayed weeks and months more. We immediately jumped into a long list of preparations as everyone got ready the biggest and best event of the year – Camp Hope Venture.

The classroom that Scott helped construct in 2017 got a new and improved look, as he worked with a team of Kenyans to add a metal roof, recycled vinyl walls, and a concrete floor to the open-air structure (all before the rest of the US team arrived and camp began). Undertaking construction projects in a country that’s not your own always comes with its own set of challenges – requiring a lot of flexibility in what materials can be used and when those materials are available. I am constantly so impressed with the way Scott is able to roll with the punches and improvise amidst ever changing circumstances, as well train and equip those he works alongside.

+ + the full story of last year’s camp and classroom project here + +

My time leading up to Camp Hope Venture was divided between two main roles – mural preparation and student interviews. This year, instead of having one large service project that all of the high school students participated in (like building a classroom), the outreach portion of camp was divided into four areas – art, construction, sports and children’s ministry. Every student took part in using their skills and interests to give back to their community by building desks for a local elementary school, teaching a soccer camp, leading a vacation Bible school or painting a mural. & I got the privilege to help co-lead the art project for the week.

I don’t know about you, but I had never undertaken the responsibility of designing, preparing and crafting a 40ft mural before – and oh man, there is a lot that goes into it! Thankfully, I got to come alongside my sweet friend Ellen and talented artist Prince, who had already done the hard work of drawing a beautiful story of creation. Then together, we got approved to paint a building at a nearby school, buy the paints, prep the wall, draw all the designs and have it ready for the students to bring the artwork to life. These photos tell the story of the mural way better than I can, but it was truly an honor for me to be a small part of this amazing project, and my absolute favorite part was seeing the pride in each students’ eyes after they had created something so awesome for the whole community to enjoy. (The school already has ideas for more walls they want us to transform this upcoming year.)

preparations before the students arrived for Camp Hope Venture – – –

the mural with all of the students pitching in their artistic talents – – –

The other project I took part in was holding student interviews. This was something The Hope Venture had not been able to do much of in years past, simply due to lack of time. The team from the States had a limited amount of days in Kenya, with their primary focus to follow up on existing projects and invest in sponsored students at the camp, gathering as much needed information and media footage as possible. So sitting down to meet with every new, unsponsored student and their family to record a personal story and capture a quality photograph was not something they have ever had the capacity to do. Until this year.

It was Saturday morning, and I had just hopped out of the shower and finished breakfast when Raphael came in to tell me there was a student waiting to meet with me. This student was not currently in school, because she didn’t have the fees needed to take her freshman exams. Her dad had passed away when she was young, and her mom looked for daily jobs cleaning houses and washing clothes to try and provide for her children, only to make $2-3 a day. She told me that without a sponsor, there would be no way she could ever finish high school. And without an education, there was no hope for her of getting a good job or taking care of her family.

Throughout the next four days, I met with 65 different students echoing stories just like this one. Stories of deep pain and loss and hardships, but also of dreams to become doctors and teachers and lawyers and change the face of their country. I know each of these students. I’ve hugged them and held their hands and cried with them as they shared some of the deepest parts of their story with me. Students who walked for four hours just for a chance at sponsorship – the hope of an education – only to meet with me for 20 minutes, then journey the four hours home by foot.

The advantage of waiting so many months to write about our time in Kenya is that I have an update to all of these stories. Because of the hard work and long hours invested by so many, and the generous hearts of many more, all 65 of these students I met with in June now have sponsors! They have all been given the opportunity to finish their education, and a chance to dream big dreams. They have a new hope for their future that wasn’t there before, and for me, having played one tiny part in their journey is a gift I don’t have words to express.

One thing I love most about traveling all together as a family is seeing how God shows up with little gifts for each of us in special, unique ways. & hands down, the best thing Jonah and Teagan received in Kenya was the gift of friendship – especially with two beautiful little girls named Bellas and JoJo. These four quickly because their very best friends, and spent every waking minute they could together, running across the path from house to house. Because their new friends were fully Kenyan yet also American (their dad our trusted local partner; their mother a Kentucky native), they helped bridge the gap for my two to feel at home in a new country where they couldn’t blend in. These sweet friends were the reason Jonah and Teagan instantly felt at home, and also the motivation behind why they intend to spend the entire summer back in Narok next year.

Kenya was different from our other family travels in a number of ways. We weren’t on our own in the same way, which meant much of our schedule was planned for us, but also that each day held a tremendous amount of intention and purpose. There were specific projects and deadlines set out to be accomplished, but they were woven together with deep relationships and meaningful heart to heart conversations. We learned how to make chapati and mandazi and that Kenyans love s’mores. Here are a few more special moments worth hanging onto – – –

+ spending the night at our sponsored student Gideon’s house and laughing with his mom and brothers over delicious jiko-roasted corn and bottomless chai

+ sharing about our recent journey of hard and loss through james 1

+ baby shark sing-alongs with Brian’s family and around the campfire

+ team green winning the tug-of-war Olympics and all squeezing onto the victory couch together after all of our heartfelt small group discussions

+ late night dance parties & uno tournaments

+ hiking off the beaten path to find hidden waterfalls, hot springs and walk with giraffes

+ teaching j&t how to praise Him “the African way”

Our time in Kenya reminds me that there is always a much bigger story to be told. That God is up to something way bigger than just what’s in front of me, and even though I’m not at the center of it all, I’m invited to play a part in some of the really big things He’s up to. The fact that our story got woven together with some teenagers from Narok who now have the means to go to school and impact their community is mind blowing to me. It’s humbling and also freeing to remember the story is not all about me. I don’t need to have it all figured out, and I don’t need to know how all the pieces fit together. He’s got that.

As I currently wrestle with what’s ahead for our family, the next new moves and all that’s in store for this upcoming year, I’m reminded that I don’t need to take all of the steps. Just the next one. And God can use our little family and these small steps of faith to be part of something bigger than anything we can cultivate on our own.

+ + click here to watch an incredible video filmed during this year’s Camp Hope Venture and a glimpse into why student sponsorship means so much to us + +