This past week I was able to attend the AAMC Spiritual Retreat at Turtle Bay in Malindi with Gene and Melba. It was an awesome experience to learn through the speakers and through talking to other missionaries from different countries in Africa. Besides all the kayaking, snorkeling, water polo, disco, windsurfing, and the all you can eat steak and fries 24/7, God really brought the summer together this week. Here is how:
All summer between Mike, Todd, and I had been debating and discussing almost every aspect of ministry (practical and theological), the Bible, and God’s character. We have also experienced spiritual warfare. There have been talks about whether or not becoming a missionary in another country is where we are called. BUT, what is great about God is…is that He is God. And He blew me away this week with what He taught me, and some things that He let me experience/learn.
Lesson 1: Rules of the Road/ Put away the camera
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| Traffic in Nairobi |
Driving around Nairobi was a whole new experience. I thought that driving with basically no rules in Lodwar couldn’t get any worse, but it got worse. Just imagine some of the worst traffic you’ve been in when usually it takes 15 minutes to get somewhere and it takes an hour and a half instead. Welcome to Nairobi traffic, except lets throw something else in there too, no road rules, lines, or stop signs/lights. It is the aggressive drivers dream, yes, your dream Dad. In this traffic and driving around Nairobi, Todd and I were able to experience a whole new side of Gene. One of the best stories is when we are trying to literally race this car around a round a bout just to we could make a left turn. Well Gene beats the guy and starts laughing because the guy is now trying to get back over in front of him. Let me say this first, we are in the Land Cruiser, built for the desert fully equipped with ram bars almost everywhere on this thing. The guy is in a luxurious Mercedes SUV. As Gene is laughing he says and I quote, “this guy is trying to Ace Me.” Yeah, it was funny to hear Gene say that, but it was funnier to hear a shout back from the guy, “go ahead,” wanting no piece of us. He had heard Gene! I have video footage of this, priceless.
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| Kayaking by Turtle Rock |
That leads into my next story. When we were driving around Nairobi, I always had my video camera out taking pictures and videos. Well, Gene decides to take us by the US Embassy. As we are driving by, Gene says you need to put your camera away because you aren’t allowed to take pictures. I’m thinking ok I won’t take pictures. SO I turn off my camera just as we are driving by the first guard. He sees my camera, and radios further up the line. We continue to drive down this road and as we reach the end there is a Kenyan dressed in camo with an AK-47 standing right in the middle of the road signaling for us to pull over. Oh boy, I think I’m in trouble. He comes up to my side and says can I see your camera because you took a picture of the Embassy. I say no sir I did not. He says well we will have to wait and see when my supervisor shows up. About 30 seconds later TWO car fulls of guards and soldiers show up. I think its because of how legit the car we are in looks and how incognito we were trying to be with large CMF letters on it. The supervisor comes up and asks for my passport. I show him it. He says let me see the your camera. I show him that in fact there are no pictures of videos with the US Embassy on it. I am innocent of any crime. BUT, he then proceeds to escort me out of the car. They begin to take pictures of my passport, the car, the license plate, my camera, and then myself inside and outside of the car. By this time I am annoyed because I have no picture and this is wasting our time. The military guys are circling our car with AK-47s trying to intimidate not 1 US citizen, but FOUR. It probably doesn’t help that I have a huge smile on my face and laughing as all of this is happening because this is way over exaggerated. Ok, the finish all of this and let me get back into the car, literally 20 min has gone by. Now, I couldn’t contain it any longer, the smart-butt wouldn’t be held back any longer.
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| Turtle Bay Pool |
I ask, “DO you mind if I take a picture of you guys inspecting everything, just so I have proof that I was detained for being innocent.” Smart move Kyle, right, the supervisor walks over to the window and says sir if you drive back by here with your camera out you will be thrown in jail in the Embassy. Yup, I just got threaten by my own Embassy. He then asks Gene for identification. Gene says no way we didn’t do anything wrong! We are leaving. So he starts the car and begins to drive as 4 soldiers step out of our way. Needless to say after our next stop we had to drive by the Embassy again and of course, I waived. J But the kicker is when we arrived at the house we were staying at someone else took a picture of the Embassy too and deleted it ;)…
Lesson 2: Our testimony has heavenly implications/Glory
At the Spiritual Retreat this week we had the leadership team from Heritage Christian Church come and speak. They were awesome! I learned so much between listening to them speak and talking to other missionaries from around Africa. I wont be able to talk about everything that Doug Fultz talked about, but I will share some of the information and questions that he shared with us. His theme that he was supposed to talk about was Staying Power. Each and every session he built on what he had said before to re-energize and fill up missionaries who get run down. He spoke on how the heart matters, why we are even here, being restored to glory, never giving up and constantly praying, how Satan uses anger for our destruction, and coming to God with Holy Hands.
Some of his thoughts
We exist to praise God...
and to be praised by God.
Why do we
exist for that?
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| Jason & Kaitlyn Leading Worship |
If Lucifer was able to get 1/3 of the angels to outwardly rebel, how many did he get to inwardly wonder?
The ultimate question of the universe is:
Who is worthy of being worshipped?
A tyrant god who rules from the top or a servant god who rules from the bottom?
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:10
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Rev 12:11
The Theodicy Problem
If God is all powerful and if God is all knowing and if God is good,
how can he allow such bad things to occur?
Reformed Judaism
it wasn’t that God wouldn’t save them,
it’s that God couldn’t save them.
The GREAT thing is… We aren’t reformed Jews!!
In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
Hebrews 2:10
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| Another Windsurfing |
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ . . . . if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:17-18
Prayer
There are things God wants to do,
but He will not do until a human being is involved in it.
We must ask God to do what He has already promised to do.
Have you given up on praying for anyone? Why?
Lesson 3: Being A Missionary isn’t just all Work
Turtle Bay Resort gets its name from the large rock in the bay that looks like a giant turtle.
One of the fun things we did was kayaking. About once a day we would kayak out to Turtle Rock and try to catch a wave or two. It was exhausting but rewarding each and every time we paddled back to shore. We even raced the girls and of course we won.
Every day at three o’clock everyone in the pool would clear out to watch the adults play water polo. It was fun to learn and play. The games were always intense and hard fought. Water polo is a full contact sport. After you get dunked 5, 6, or 7 times for having the ball you tend to run out of breath.
Every other night there was disco at 10. Lets just say dancing to songs in Swahili, put a whole new appreciation on American music. The most recent stuff they had was NOW 1992. It was true disco.
The events were fun, but really what made Turtle Bay was the people. Meeting all the different missionaries and their kids was one of the best experiences of my life. I liked learning about growing up in another country something I couldn’t even imagine. When I hear that they miss food from Kenya it kinda blows my mind. I don’t know how you miss Ugali and beans n’ corn for every meal.
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| Water Polo |
It was great to see Gene and Melba having fun too. To learn that their life isn’t just all about work, but also play. A few nights they stayed up late and played cards with us. One night Gene even pulled Melba out on the dance floor for a few songs proving they still got it.
On the last day we went snorkeling out in the bay. I normally don’t like snorkeling, but when there is a chance that sharks will be in the water I couldn’t pass it up. We saw tons of fish and coral, but no sharks. It was fun to go out on a boat and spend time relaxing after a long week. It was the first chance we got to jump into water all week and we made the most of it!
The Coast was pretty awesome! Thanks to Gene and Melba for taking us and for the Heritage Christian Church staff for spreading time with us.
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| Some Fish From Snokeling |
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