Our Future is in Kenya

A bit of wisdom that has been stressed over and over in our training is that there are no such things as coincidences. Our God is a God of surprises. We as missioners need to be flexible and open to opportunities in whatever form they take. John and I have learned first hand that that is true even before we have left the United States!

Our placement has changed. We are going not going to East Timor as originally thought, but instead will be going to Kenya in January. It's a long story. If you want to know the details read on, if not you may skip down to the last paragraph. Either way please continue to keep us in your prayers.

In early August we received an email from Maryknoll Lay Missioners telling us that for several years they (MKLM) have been in process of prioritizing regions where they serve. Now due to the economic crisis, dwindling interest from the endowment,as well as smaller and fewer donations, it has become necessary to restructure and close some regions much sooner than anticipated. If we happened to be assigned to one of the regions that would be closed we would be notified and dialogue would begin about a new placement. Factors considered in these decisions included U.N. data about poverty and need, region characteristics and current MKLM personnel.

About three weeks ago we were informed that East Timor was one of the regions that was going to be closed within the next year. Not because there wasn't a need, but due to practical extraneous circumstances such as isolation, physical distance from other missions, cost of airfare, lack of adequate medical services, etc.

At that point we were told to discern (research, discuss, pray) about where we would like to serve. After two difficult weeks of soul searching as well as talking with Katrina and Andrea we decided to request Kenya. It is the right decision for several reasons. Perhaps most importantly it would be easiest for our nuclear family to spend time together. Although we will be on the same continent, we will still be several thousand miles away from Katrina. However, it will be much closer and cheaper to meet in Africa than on an island in the Pacific Ocean. Chances are when Andrea is able to visit we might be able to gather in one place for a few days. Then there is our previous experience in Kenya. We have been there twice before. Both times we were in Olitokitok volunteering with Homeless Children International. That means that we know a little bit about the language and culture of Kenya.

Our two possible placements when we get there will be either Kitale or Mombasa. Each one is very different from the other and neither one is even close to Olitokitok. Kitale is located in the west central part of Kenya near Lake Victoria and the Ugandan border while Mombasa is a port city on the Indian Ocean on the south east side near Tanzania. We won't know where we will be placed until we finish language school this spring.

If only I hadn't recycled my notes from the Swahali lessons we took several years ago!