He is Enough. My Sweet Jesus is More than Enough.

I'm sitting here in my room tyring to figure out what I would like to share with you all. There is so much I would like to write but I find my time to be limited. So bare with me.

 This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to Pokot, Kenya with a missions team from VA. All 17 kids from our Children's Home got to go with us as well, so that was pretty neat! We spent 4 days and 3 nights there in a church called Pefa. It was a very fun/different/interesting experience. We got to "rough it" (more than usual). We had no running water, no bathrooms, no beds, no anything. Just a four walls and a ceiling, which was a blessing in itself. The weather in Pokot was very hot and humid (I felt like I was back home in Miami). The view was breathe-taking and beautiful. The mountains were amazing. The people there were very welcoming and loving. The kids at first would run away from us but they opened up and would hang out with us all day. I got to take a bath one day in the river! That was such an awesome experience. I felt like a native Kenyan. One night it rained alot and I got to wash my hair and body in the rain. I was happy to be somewhat clean.

 God did some great and mighty things in Pokot. We got to do door-to-door evangelism, VBS for the kids, church service for Pefa Church, we got to do some praise and worship and some members of the team shared their testimonies and the Gospel was proclaimed in the middle of a street in town. More than 50 people came to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Countless got to hear the Good News. Many were prayed for.

 The first morning in Pokot, I got to hike up a mountain with a pastor named Augry (and his two kids: Brian and Sipora), a member of the team named Becky, and two of our kids from GOGCP (Victor and Hilary). 

The first home we went to: A man named Marykesh and his two wives. Marykesh has 9 children and one of his wives is pregnant. Marykesh is nearly blind and very skinny. His teeth are all messed up and he is not very strong. Their family seemed pretty well off (for being Kenyan at least). I am greeted and offered chai. One of the kids brings out a little stool from their mudhouse for me to sit down. I pull my stool near Marykesh and begin to engage in a conversation with him (I spoke in english which was then translated by Augry into pokot). I ask him questions like: how many children he had, if he was a native Pokot, how old he was..etc. I then let him ask me questions. I told him alittle bit about myself...I told him how I live in Kaptagat near Eldoret, I work at a Children's Home and I teach math at a local primary school...but the reason most important/main reason I moved here to Kenya was to share about Jesus and all that He has done. I soon asked Marykesh if he had ever heard of Jesus. He then told me that he had visited a church up the mountain once and that a man had given him some sugar. I asked Marykesh if he would like for me to tell him about Jesus. He seem genuinely interested...so I opened up my Bible and the Spirit lead me to read Matthew 20:29-34. The passage was "Jesus Heals Two Blind Men". I thought to myself: well...Marykesh is pretty much blind...this might be relevent to him. I began to tell him about how Jesus healing the two blind men was only one of the many miracles that Jesus did here on earth. I began to talk about sin and how we are not perfect...how much we are in need of a Savior. He then opened up and began talking about his struggles and addictions. He picked some tabacco that was held behind is ears and began to chew it (and I'm sure he was an alcoholic...I could smell it in his breath). My heart began to hurt....my mind began to pray...I began to share the Gospel with Marykesh. Although I don't know if he ever came to repent and believe, I know a seed was planted. I encouraged him to go to a Christian Church (Pefa) and learn more about Jesus. I told him, "no more alcohol, no more tabacco. Okay? I want you to be strong and healthy. I want you to be strong to be a better husband, a better father, to be a better man and provide for your family." I told him that I would like to come back to Pokot and see him again..and when I do I want him to be strong/healthy and to be a follow of Christ." Marykesh reached the tabacco that was behind his left ear and threw it away...he looked at me and smiled. My eyes started to get a little watery. I got up and started praying out loud for him and his family. That the Lord would save him and his household...that He would draw them to Himself. I prayed for Marykesh's sight and health. I prayed that the Lord would bless them and provide for their needs.We then gave him a little gift of tea and sugar.

 After praying we left and began to go to other houses and sharing about Jesus with more people and encouraging those who were already followers of Christ. On Saturday night at the town outreach I had the chance to lead a girl named Ruth in prayer...she came up to me and said that she wanted to become a Christian after hearing the Gospel and testimonies of the team members. I also had a little girl come up to me and ask me if I could pray that the Lord would provide food for her and her family. By this time my heart was already going a million mph. I live in a county that is filled with poverty...I live amongst families that are starving...I know that I live in Kenya...but it never really actually hit me as hard as it did when this little girl asked me to pray for food. I began to pray for provision and her life...I wish I could have had my backpack on me so I could give her some food but I didn't...but I trust the the Lord would answer prayers.

 I later found out that one of our own kids from the Children's Home got saved!!! Isn't that awesome?! Hilary (the oldest of our kids) got saved on Saturday night and got baptized in the river there in Pokot Sunday morning! The Lord is soooo good!

What the Lord has been teaching me: This weekend was a very challenging one for me...and I'll share why. Everywhere I go...I always end up with 6-7 sweet/beautiful kids that get a hold of me and my heart. In Pokot those kids' names were: Chech (x2..there were two Chechs), Chella, Cynthia, Masi, Aaron, Brian, Kabet, Obama....and countless more precious kids. I find kids fight with eachother about who gets to hold my hand and who gets to hug me and who gets to play (more like pull) with my hair. So there I was...standing in the middle of the street with what seemed to me a million kids around me, while the team led praise and worship for the town outreach. "I'm not enough" was the thought that came to my mind. I am not enough. There is not enough of me to share with these kids. There is not enough of me to love on these people. I can't just cut myself into little pieces and be handed out to each individual child. I'm tired and I'm dirty/sweaty. I'm overwhelmed and my hair is being touched by filthy but beautiful little hands. I felt like I was "being poured out"...like there was nothing of me left. But then I was reminded...its not me...its all about Jesus! My sweet Jesus is enough. He is enough for me. He is enough for everyone. Our Lord is more than enough. I began to think about all the children that He has..we are all His children...He has adopted us as His own through Jesus. His love is enough. His love is sufficient. The team began to sing Forever Reign by Hillsong and my eyes began to tear. The riches of His love will always be enough. Nothing compares to His embrace. God reminded me of the verse in Nehemiah that says,"...rejoice for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (8:10). The joy and hope that I have in Jesus Christ is my strength to keep going. To finish this race. Yahweh is my hope! He is my strength. It doesn't matter if I feel like I'm having love and strength being sucked out of me by these kid...I have the ultimate source of Love and Strength. So there I was....standing in the middle of the street...being hugged by two girls (one of each side of my body), my hands being held my two kids on each one, my hair being pulled on, tears falling down on my face...sweaty and dirty...singing praised at the top of my lungs to my sweet Jesus. I feel Him pouring Himself on me....comforting me and reminding me of His goodness...I am refreshed. I am satisfied. Piper once wrote, "He is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him," and I couldn't agree more. "Yote kwa Yesu. Yote kwako, Ee Mwokozi. Natoa sasa"

 "You are good You are good
 When there’s nothing good in me
 You are love You are love
 On display for all to see

 You are light You are light
 When the darkness closes in
 You are hope You are hope
 You have covered all my sin

 You are peace You are peace
 When my fear is crippling
 You are true You are true
 Even in my wandering

 You are joy You are joy
 You’re the reason that I sing
 You are life You are life
 In You death has lost it’s sting

 Oh I’m running to Your arms
 I’m running to Your arms
 The riches of Your love 
 Will always be enough 
 Nothing compares to Your embrace 
 Light of the world forever reign

 You are more You are more
 Than my words will ever say
 You are Lord You are Lord
 All creation will proclaim

 You are here You are here
 In Your presence I’m made whole
 You are God You are God
 Of all else I’m letting go

 My heart will sing
 No other Name
 Jesus
 Jesus"

 Please pray: For Marykesh and Ruth and the rest of the people that heard the Gospel in Pokot. For Pefa Church there in Pokot. For all the people that came to know the Lord. For the Church here in Kenya. For the kids. For the all the 17 kids that are in GOGCP. For Hilary and his walk with Christ.