Do you wonder how this all started? Well, here is the story.
In the summer of 2009, at 17 years of age, I was at my church’s youth group camp, CIY (Christ In Youth). One night during this camp, we selected sealed cards that had written on them a challenge. These challenges were all written as interactive ways to expand personal faith and bring Truth to others. On my card, “Go on an international short term missions trip” was written. Before this, I had thought about serving overseas at some point, but I had yet to put action to those thoughts. Upon returning home, I continued to pray about the words written on that card and a deep desire to serve internationally began. A month or two after this camp, my church held a missions fair. This is where leaders of service teams set up booths to inform people about upcoming trips, both nationally and internationally. Of course, I went to this missions fair. Here, I was greeted by a couple of ladies from my church. They were hoping to put together an all-women’s team in order to provide a seminar for 6th-8th grade girls in Nairobi, Kenya, who were from the Mathare Valley slum and attended a Missions of Hope International school. This seminar was to include topics on purity, being a treasured woman of God, and finding your identity in Christ. I had participated in seminars like this before, so I asked the ladies if they would be open to having a 17-year-old on their team. They considered it and contacted me to ask if I would like to be on this team heading to Nairobi in February of 2010. I accepted, and my life was forever changed. I boarded the plane in February of 2010 as a young girl sheltered from the depravity of the world. I came back a changed woman that now knew the hurt in the world, but realized that hope for this hurt is only found in Jesus.
I knew when I came back in 2010 that I’d return to Kenya. Any minuscule doubt was annihilated when, at my last camp of CIY, I chose another sealed challenged. This challenge read: “Learn a foreign language and spend two months in a country that speaks it.” Okay, God, okay. I have yet to learn the entirety of that foreign language, but I knew where my two months would be spent, and I began to search for opportunities to return to Kenya. After talking to the short term missions coordinator at my church, my attention was drawn to the Hope Partnership between Christian Missionary Fellowship International (CMFI) and Missions of Hope International (MOHI). CMFI sends college-aged interns to MOHI, and various other countries, to work in areas that are geared towards their fields of study for two months. I applied, was accepted, and left for a two month term of service in Nairobi, Kenya. While an intern, I worked in the social work department, the spiritual development department, and the child sponsorship department. During this time, I realized what every day life looked like for the Kenyans in Mathare. I was called to a home one day to offer encouragement and prayer to a sweet mama who had lost her husband. Rose was now a single mother to four children: Timothy, Tyson, Anne, and Amos. Amos happens to be deaf, which, in a slum, adds a whole new component of difficulty. I saw the devastation and fear in Rose’s eyes, I realized the emptiness and grief in the childrens’ eyes. I knew that this family would be forever etched in my soul. There was so much joy during these two months, but there was also a lot of heartache. I was sure of my love for this land, but I was unsure of how God would use that. At this time, I had no idea if Kenya was a place that God had sent me to in order to gain perspective and push my heart to grow, or if He would use Kenya to pull me into His eternal plan for my life.
In 2013, I sought opportunities to go back. I missed this land and its beautiful people. Honestly, I was nervous to return. The hard times I experienced as an intern often fought for precedence over the joyful times. But, even though I was nervous, I knew God was calling me to return. So, I signed up to go on another short term team and was schedule to go in August of 2013. However, God had other plans. As my team arrived at the Wichita airport, we were told that we wouldn’t be traveling to Kenya. The airport in Kenya had caught fire and flights were at a standstill. The trip was unable to happen, and we were postponed to the next year. I didn’t know this at the time, but God had this all planned out. What I didn’t know was that my mom would leave this earth and enter into her eternal home in November of 2013. God gave me the opportunity to spend two more weeks with my sweet mama this side of Heaven. I am beyond grateful that God allowed me to have those two extra weeks. He cares for me always. Since November 2013, my life has changed in nearly every way imaginable. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is my love for the land and people of Kenya. In fact, God has only strengthened this love and passion to serve through Missions of Hope.
This past summer, in 2014, the postponed team was able to return to Kenya. I earnestly prayed for God to restore my joy, give me peace, and make His plans for me and Kenya abundantly clear. I am grateful to say that He did that. When I got to Kenya, I immediately made arrangements with the Missions of Hope staff to go back and visit Rose and her family. Since I last saw them, my story has become more like theirs. Now that my mom is no longer alive, I understand what these children are going through. I understand the piercing pain of losing a parent. I understand that they are scared. But, I also know there is hope in Jesus. I know that Jesus wept. I know that, if they continuously seek Him, he will bring hope, healing, and He will restore their joy.
Kenya, to me, is home. He has given me joy and peace in a land that, in most ways, doesn’t resemble my native land. The overarching theme of this journey is that God provides, often times through surprises. For whatever reason, he has chosen me to serve in Kenya. And, for now, that means serving as a missionary there for at least a year. His predestined plans for our lives are truly life-giving. It is a joy to step into the plan that God has for me.
With love and thanks,
Abby
To partner with me as God sends me to serve, visit: cmfi.org/awilbur