Happy Birthday... Where Are My Presents?

I've noticed that Nairobi is quickly becoming very Westernized in the way that Christmas is being celebrated. And I have the unique opportunity to be part of slowing that down a little. I don't want 'Christmas' to be lost forever here. None of this 'happy holidays' and don't talk about Christ nonsense.

Don't get me wrong, I am all about family traditions and gifts (in moderation) and even Rudolph... cause, he's pretty awesome. But I think that Christians should not only incorporate the true meaning of Christmas into their celebrations but, *gasp* centralize their celebrations on it.

And so, this year, I am working very hard to celebrate Advent intentionally and share that with my church; Nairobi Chapel. 

Most people look at me blankly when I say the word Advent. Understandably. I didn't really know what it was entirely either, and it's something that we've 'done' at my home church for over ten years. It's not just about lighting a candle and reading some passages from the Bible. It's not about opening up little doors on your advent calendar and either eating chocolate or hanging an angel on some nativity landscape.

CONFESSION: I would usually find myself eating all 24 advent chocolates within the first couple of days of advent... ok, the first day.

So this year I am hoping and praying that as a production team at Nairobi Chapel, we can properly convey what Advent is. To have people join in on the celebration of what God has accomplished in fulfilling His promise. To join in on expectantly waiting for Christ's return. To join in on approaching Christmas with a completely different focus. No more, "Happy Birthday Jesus... where are my presents?"

And in preparation for the first Sunday of advent, we are creating a video. We may have been yelled at by bus drivers and almost run down by a couple of speeding vehicles, but it will be worth it if even one family is really excited about Advent this year.

Do you celebrate advent? What do you do to make it special?

Kicked Out

I found out some very interesting news yesterday: My resident visa application cannot be processed yet.
The reason? apparently a letter from my college stating that I am a graduate, complete with school seal, is not good enough proof for the Kenyan Immigration Authority that I am educated.
I guess I'll need to send someone on a hunt for my diploma, which I'm sure is very buried and very dusty in storage.

Would have been nice to have known this before I paid for the letter from school and WAY before it was time for my tourist visa to expire.

I have to leave Kenya.
Not just Kenya actually, the region... something about an East African Visa makes it unacceptable to just cross over into Tanzania or Uganda and hop back in. And heading north seems like a bad idea at the moment; Somalia and Sudan both having their issues. Ethiopia could be an option, but I'm not really sure yet where I'll go.

It's not like I'm not up for an adventure, but this necessary trip was unexpected and therefor not budgeted for.
Not knowing a lot of people in surrounding countries makes it even more expensive because hotels have to be factored in and unless I want to sit on a bus or a train for days, airfare also has to be considered.

I know that God already has an idea for me, He just hasn't told me yet.
I will have to leave by November 30, and will also need to look into acquiring a visa for wherever I'm headed, so please join me in praying for travel details and expenses to be provided for very quickly.

Any suggestions for cheap travel on this continent?

Goodbye... For Now

About to head to bed for my last night in Canada for a while.

It's been a tough day and I know the morning will be difficult as well.
Just finishing up those goodbyes takes a toll.

I know that as soon as I'm able to sit on the plane and get to take off my eyes will shift forward and I'll be able to focus on arriving instead of departing.
But I do miss this home already, and all the people in it.

I already miss lunch with friends and dinner with family. Video games and renting movies. Pool parties, small group and 24/7 internet access. Spontaneous meals at restaurants and ordering in. Church on Sunday morning and that other church on Sunday night. Playing with kids and crafting with big kids. Building things, fixing things, playing games and laughing.

I know that I will be able to do all of this in my new home...
the difference is that I can't bring the people that I love doing these things with.
I miss you all already. Don't forget that.
Just cause I'm gone, I will still think and pray for you all the time.

And now, as I make my way to bed with 17 hours left on my flight countdown clock... I thank God that I am able to say goodbye. That I've made it this far. That I have a reason to leave and a reason to stay in touch.
The only reason leaving is this hard is because I love and I am loved.
And that is something to be really thankful for.

Like a Ton of Bricks

This title seems to blanket my last week in Canada so far.

-Saying goodbye to my grandparents was like a ton of bricks to the gut.

-I sprained my ankle when I slipped down the stairs and hit the floor like a ton of bricks.

-5 days didn't seem so dismal till I looked at the calendar and the nearness of my departure hit me like a ton of bricks.

Seriously... 5 days? Yikes!

I still have a lot more goodbyes to say but I have to take them one day at a time. If I think about them all at once it gets really overwhelming. 

Leaving is hard. 

I've never liked that part. 

I'm a bit of a crier too, and I'm not great at the pretty cry. And don't even try to get me to talk while I'm crying... it's messy and sounds ridiculous. So, the only way I can avoid being a mess every day is to take one day at a time. And think of the arriving more than the leaving.

It's not that I'm trying to brush aside the people I care about. But it's that I'm trying to remember, and keep in the foreground the reason for why I'm leaving. The work that God is preparing for me to do is so much bigger than my relationships. More important than my accessibility to family and friends.

He will always provide that support group I need too! In my North American home and in my African home.

So I try to see big picture, and soak in every remaining moment and remain very very thankful for technology's ability to shrink this world.

And now, with this sprained ankle I don't have much time to sit and let it heal before I have to travel for 2 days. So please pray for quick healing and that this wouldn't hinder any of the tasks I need to accomplish in order to find and get settled into my new diggs in Nairobi.

Plane Ticket? Check!

I always get scared when booking my own flights online.

Not like I haven't done it a bunch of times before but it's one of those things where if you mess up the data, you could end up paying BIG TIME.

But my confirmation was emailed, I am on the passenger list and my departure date is.... drum roll please....

May 30, 2011 at 5:30pm

I am flying from Toronto with KLM through Amsterdam cause they are cheapest and I have a points card and who doesn't love collecting points?

I have a 4 hour stopover and then I will arrive in Nairobi on May 31 at 8:15pm (EAT)

I put a countdown timer on the left... cause I can.

And that's about it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to add 4 more pages to my to do list.

Something tells me this is going to be a short 2 weeks!

We Did It!

Just a short update to tell you that FINALLY, my monthly support goal has been met.

I've written before about part of the reason that it took so long 

(you can read about that here "You're Not Going Anywhere With That Attitude")

but it's an amazing feeling to know that,

1. God really does have a job for me in Kenya because He's arranged my way

2. I don't have to look like a wandering fool anymore, just a regular fool

3. My patience, the little that I had, is being rewarded with so many answers to long prayed prayers.

My departure date is SOON... very soon.

The date is in my head and I think I will purchase my plane ticket tomorrow.

When I have that ticket, then I will tell you the date.

Thank you a billion times, those that have been praying, giving, encouraging and all that good stuff.

And for those that weren't so sure I was right in the head... it's alright, I forgive you cause,

I'M GOING TO NAIROBI

3 Weeks To Move Out

The house I've been staying in is being rented out the end of May. Which gives me 3 weeks to the day to move out.

The good thing: I'm pretty much already packed. I have been for months.

The bad thing: I'm in no position to pay for rent in this country and imposing on friends or family is really low on my list of hobbies.

Obviously the best option - that I can see - is to move to Nairobi and begin my work there. But the only thing that is stopping me from that is $80 a month.

I am praying for and waiting for the last couple of people who are able to join my team through monthly support so that I can say peace out to homelessness and head over to help the homeless in Kenya. (and orphans and widows and anyone else I can assist.)

I know I've said this before but if you have been thinking about it, or are even thinking about it now and are able to join me in this work... no gift is too small. If you can afford $10 or $15 a month, that could be what gets me to the end of this road. Check out how you can sign up for monthly support here. (see #2)

I have three weeks, and though I know that God often works in the "11th hour," I'm really hoping that I will be able to get on a plane before the new renters show up to the door with all their furniture.

Sooooo Close!

What can you buy with $80?

a 4gb mp3 player,
groceries for the week,
new pair of jeans (2 pair if you don't shop at the Gap),
2 or 3 DVDs,
a camera,
dinner for two at a fancy restaurant,
new pair of runners,
a couple video games,
a full tank of gas (with some left over...hopefully)

what would $80 a month do for me?

I'm so white, I'm grey!

yes... Americans... that's how we spell it.

Seriously though... winter has been so long, that at this point of whiteness, I could get burnt by standing near the window too long. And I'm about to head to an equatorial country and live in a city where 3/4 of the year is sunny and is 5200 feet closer to the sun than I am here.

So what do I do about that? well I'll tell you but you have to come close....

Closer!! I don't want anyone else to hear.

"You're Not Going Anywhere With That Attitude!"

"Fine then, I'll just sit here and mope for a year about life and about how you won't let me go."

I don't think it's a coincidence that now that my heart is back in one piece that my financial goals are almost met when they were sitting stagnant for so long.

And this is where I leave my dirty laundry all over the floor for you to have a look at.

85% and Death by Taxation

I'll let the title speak for itself.
haha.. yeah right.

I started re-looking into flights again.

I like to stay on top of things, know how things work, have my ducks in a row... problem with ducks is that there tend to be stragglers. But I do enjoy feeling knowledgeable occasionally. So I'm entering some tentative dates into the flight search and picking different options to get a handle on price ranges and just as I expected, flights have gone up.

It wasn't a surprise, I'm not worried about that, but when they show you a subtotal that looks decent, expect to have a mini stroke after looking at the total after taxes.

70%

I'm so thankful.

I was sitting in my room the other day, silently, just thinking. 

You know those times when everything is still but your mind? 

And I was having this one sided conversation with God about how I don't know how my bills will be paid and how being home is so expensive and how I don't feel productive and before I would let Him get a word in I just went about organizing my room and busying myself. And then my phone rang. It hadn't been 2 whole minutes since my belly-aching to God when I found myself having a conversation with someone who was calling about joining my support team.

It's as if God was like, "you know... you can't ignore me. Everything is under control."

I am currently at 70% of my financial goal before I'm able to fly over to Nairobi.

Just over a month ago I was at 39%. He is so faithful.

There are also 3 vlogs that I've edited and posted

here Shenanigans On Christmas Eve

here Shot In The Neck!

and here Packing Tips

One Name at a Time

80% of the world's population live on less than $10 a day.



You can be part of change!
To join this growing team click here for information on how to give a gift that will change someone's life.

There's a reason I like being behind the camera...

but unfortunately, life calls for you to be in front of it sometimes...
And sometimes you have to speak in front of large groups of people.
Like this Sunday.
So I'm fighting my anxieties with prayer and preparing for the weekend with scripture so that I can share not only an update about how things are looking for my particular ministry but also about the reason that I do this work in the first place.
So if you aren't busy on Sunday morning and would like to be brought into the loop on said topics, please join me at Hope Community Church (in Terry Fox Public School, 30 Kerrison Drive West, Ajax) @ 10:00am.

It will be a Happy New Year

Yes, it's been a while.
No, I don't have a good excuse.

I have excuses but they aren't amazing and they aren't really important anyways.
What IS important is what this post is about.

I'm delaying my departure 3 months.
Here's why.

My primary prayer for a long time has been about timing.
When will I return to Kenya? How long will I be at home?
What do I have time to accomplish while I am here?

It's been a year since I returned to Canada and a lot has happened that I was not prepared for.
Hard things, challenging things, turn me upside down things.
And I know without a doubt that during this time I was meant to be home, surrounded by friends and family who know me, and who supported me through the worst of it.

It's also been a time to focus on my identity. I know who I am but I think there was a brief period of questioning that. And one of the most important things in life is to know who you are and be confident in your identity. To know your strengths and your weaknesses well. In my case, that meant truly focusing on Christ's role in my life and how His presence is/should be in the forefront of everything I do.

That's just the past year. It didn't really answer my, "When am I going back?" question.

My initial goal was October.
I was planning to get back in time to apartment hunt with my former room mate who was also going to be settling in Nairobi in October.
Not long ago we talked and that plan has changed. We won't be living together and so apartment hunting together won't be necessary.

I then thought November would be a good return.
Simply because a fundraiser that I am having in November is hopefully going to raise the money I need for a plane ticket.

Well, those were my plans. And simply because I wanted to put a goal on paper when I started to seek out supporters. But last week My prayer of timing was answered.

I've been offered a job from early November to December 24.
Since being laid off this summer, I have had a few contract jobs that have kept me afloat but nothing full time.
Applications returned nothing and while I still sought out employment, the flexibility of time around my contract work really gave me the ability to accomplish things that would have been very difficult had I been in a 9-5 job. I wouldn't choose losing my job again, but I'm thankful for the time that has been made available.

The job I've been offered will only delay my return to Kenya by 3 months, and though I would love to be back in Nairobi even today, I know that there is a reason I'm not there right now. Maybe even a few reasons.
So January is my new departure. With this job, I will be able to put a lot more money into my ministry there and it will also allow me to spend one more Christmas with family before I head out for at least another 3 years.

This really is an answer to prayer.
Not an answer I could have ever called, but a great and comforting answer, none-the-less.