Sunday
Amanda's End of Day 7 Journal - 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
2011 A-Dollar-A-Day-Challenge
Oh, this morning was a wild one. I woke up to Lacey whispering in the dark, “Is that you?” As I heard the Nakumatt bag crinkling on the floor beside my bed. “Nope”, I responded as the reality that she wasn’t making the noise either made me alert and a bit scared. We listened for another minute or so just to make sure we were not hearing things, especially our constantly growling stomachs. It was for real. By this time I had curled up on the far end of my bed and was convinced that whatever had made that noise was now in my bed. I couldn’t decide what was worse, the fear of not knowing what it was or the fear of knowing what it was and it being in the bed with me. Then to make matters worse there was now a noise coming from the other side of the room. It sounded like a scary cat purring, but then we decided it was the rooster snoring in the mud kitchen next door. That was somewhat comfort. After a super heroic move from me to reach outside the net to find the matches, we eventually lit the lamp and I followed Lacey to the bathroom. We came back to the room, checked the floor for creatures and then went back to sleep until it was time for church. Sunday school with the kids was really refreshing and it was so nice to get my hands on a Bible. I never thought that owning a Bible would be something I took for granted but it totally was. The kids were singing so loud this morning and it reminded me of my 1st Sunday ever at Tumaini. Hesbon preached on God as our Shepherd and how God is our protector. Amen to that. After the message it was time for the offering. I can’t even find words to express the feeling inside me as I walked forward with my 62 shillings in hand. In my western mind it still seemed so little, but my third-world mind knew the significance of this offering. It was the first-fruit of my labor, set aside at the beginning of the week. It was not to be spent no matter the hardship… and there was plenty. This money belonged to God. And I knew with all my heart that He would take it and multiply it for His glory. My God is just that BIG. As I walked back to my seat I again flashed back to my 1st worship service at Tumaini where I watched a small child place 2 coins on the altar that morning. It was all he had but he trusted God with it. It was the widows offering playing out in front of my very eyes. Well today, I was the widow, trusting God with my first 56 shillings and my last 6. I left that service without a cent to face tomorrow, but in faith I chose to trust God for the provision of the next day. I’ve never felt so rich!!! After the service we returned to our room to debrief a bit about the week until it was time for lunch. The ugali still tasteless in my mouth would have to do for another day. It’s like manna from Heaven really, it just wouldn’t be right to complain. After lunch it was time to rest on this beautiful sunny Sabbath. To God Be the Glory!!!!
As the sun became far less brutal this afternoon we received wonderful news from our neighbors next door. They had invited us to dinner for tonight. What a blessing. Tonight instead of tea and fruit, we would be eating a feast fit for a king. I’ve never been so thankful for hospitality in my life. Our wonderful neighbors could never fully understand my gratitude. At around dark we went over to their house (the Guest House) and helped them cook dinner. I rolled out chapatti while Lacey peeled potatoes and other vegetables. We laughed and talked about our week. It was nice to be sharing in community with others. We even talked about how many hands make light work and how women are never really considered guests… they just pitch right in and go to work. After an hour or so in the kitchen, it was time to set the table. It was so nice to smell all the flavors wafting together and know that tonight we would get a taste. Rose prayed for us and as the honored guest we got the first choice of chicken, potatoes, and chapatti. My stomach was rumbling and more than ready for a bite but I couldn’t help from pausing to give God thanks once more for providing this food for us. When His word says you will never hunger or thirst again, it means never. The food was great but I know now more than ever before… HE IS ALL I NEED!!!!
Lacey's End of Day 7 Journal - 2011
February
20, 2011 TMSC,
Kenya - Day 7 – Sunday
I can’t
believe that the last day of our ‘A Dollar A Day Challenge’ is already here. In
some ways it feels like this week has flown by but in others is feels like it
has been the longest week of my life.
I woke up
pretty early this morning (before the sun) to a crinkling sound on the floor.
It sounded like someone was crinkling a Nakumatt bag. Thinking Amanda was
stirring around, I said, ‘Amanda is that you?’…When she sleepily responded,
‘No…it’s not you?’ we knew we had a problem! There was something in our room
and we had NO WAY of knowing what it was! Our lanterns were on the floor and we
had NO idea where the matches were! Luckily, we were in our mosquito nets. Then
we heard what sounded like purring from the other side of the room. We came to
the conclusion that the purring was our snoring rooster on the other side of
the mud wall. But still we have no idea who our mystery visitor in the Nakumatt
bag was :/ I’m not sure that I really want to find out!
Rewind-
It was hard for us to fall asleep last night so we decided to sing! We’ve been
without music all week and we both miss it a lot. We started out just goofing
around and then it turned into us sitting up in our beds praising God. We had a
full on worship service under our mosquito nets! Bwana Asifiwe! I have such a
sweet friend in Amanda and I will forever be thankful for her!
Fast
Forward- Natasha woke us up at about 9 o’clock this morning. We did our video
blog just in time to have some tea and head to Sunday school. The kids sang
loud and so beautifully this morning that it made my heart smile. They are such
a blessing to me and I love each of them dearly. This morning’s message was
about how God is our Shepherd and our Protector. Praise God for that! Amanda
and I had a special offering this morning. Our tithe for this week was 56ksh.
That’s 10% of our daily income. We also gave an extra 6ks each as our love
offering. Our regular tithe belongs to God…we kept it all week but knew that it
wasn’t ours to spend. That extra 6ksh was a love offering to God. It could have
bought us another mango, but we chose to give it back to Him. It was amazing to
give every last cent that we had. Thank you Father for being our Provider!
Since
today is the Sabbath, we chose to rest today. We wanted to rest and enjoy all
of God’s creation today. We journaled some and just enjoyed each other’s
company. We were invited to a surprise dinner at Rose’s house (the guest
house)! In Kenyan culture it’s considered rude to turn down an offer like this,
so we graciously accepted! We weren’t going to have our first meal until
tomorrow (Monday) morning, but that has changed! This afternoon we helped
prepare the meal. As I peeled vegetables and Amanda rolled out chapati, my
hunger overwhelmed me. I was so hungry at this point that I would eat anything
that was put in front of me! About an hour later the meal was served. Rose
prayed for us and it melted my heart. As she prayed, she thanked God for us and
for what we are doing – she gets it. I’m so thankful that what we’re doing is
translating – even here. God you are SO GOOD! As we feasted on our meal of
chapati, chicken, and potatoes, the fellowship was awesome. It was so good to
be surrounded by these people again. We laughed and smiled for a long time –
then it was back to poverty…one more night. I can’t believe that this Challenge
is over…but I guess it’s not really
over. I am taking so much back with me into my ‘real life’ that I could have
never imagined. This week has challenged me. Poverty has changed me. I am
forever changed. Praise be to God!!
Day 7 Complete
Prayers By Candlelight
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for the blessings of this day. I praise you for all that you provide for us and I praise you when you allow us to go without. What a blessings it’s been to rely fully on you this week Lord. I’ve never been more challenged and I’ve never been more thankful than now. There were times during this past week where I wanted to give up but I’m thankful for the will to persevere. Lord I am amazed at how rich I am compared to most of the world and I confess that most of my life I’ve taken that for granted. Forgive me for not being a good steward in the past and teach me to be more mindful in the future. Lord, I’ll never be entirely sure why there’s such a huge difference between the way the rich and the poor view life, other than the fact that you’ve always taught the greatest lessons using the ‘least of these’ as the greatest in the kingdom. I’ll never fully understand the necessity of the pain and suffering that accompanies poverty other than the idea that in their weakness is where they find your strength. I know nothing about this is fair, but I know you are just. It breaks my heart that tomorrow I will be allowed at the table with plenty to eat while others in this community continue to go without. Lord teach me to be a blessings to them, since you have chosen to bless me abundantly. Lord I lift up to you all those who did not get invited to dinner tonight, all those who will go to bed hungry. Lord sustain their hearts, souls, minds, and bellies. Help them to set their minds on things above instead of earthly things and provide for their every need. I lift up this prayer to you Lord and I thank you for the new meaning it has in my heart.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy
will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom,
The power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.
Amen.
Lord Jesus, I am forever changed, and to you I give ALL the glory.
In the precious wonderful name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
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Precious Father,
As I sit her on the last evening of this Challenge, I praise you for your faithfulness. Lord, thank you for carrying me through this week - I know that I couldn't have done it alone. I have never felt you closer and I thank you for hearing my cries. Thank you for teaching me this week that I don't need 'things; to be rich...I only need you. You are all that I need and all that I want. Rich or poor, you are God. Rich or poor, you're mercy endures. Rich or poor, you love me the same. You are ALL that I need. Father, I think you for giving me this glimpse into poverty. I thank you for my greater understanding of life in another's place. You are the God of all and no matter my situation I WILL praise you! I pray that you will use this week to bring Glory to your name!
Thank you for your mercy and grace.
It's in the precious name of Jesus that I pray,
Amen.
Amen.
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