After my trip to Kenya in 2011, I began getting many prophecies
about being a mum to Africa, and to the broken, being involved in work like
Heidi Baker, really working with the broken and the needy and so on. There were
many that came up along the way that really made me know that Africa was where
my heart is, and to work with the poor but also because God put it there.
Reading about mission work and working with the poor stirred me, grew my
passion and made me eager to build God's Kingdom, and to see many great things
happen, for lives to be transformed, I wanted that, even if it meant going to
great lengths to achieve that!
The Spirit of the
Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news
to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom
for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." Isaiah 61:1
For the next 10 months God grew my passion and heart for
Kenya so much through the work we were doing with the charity for the boys in
Mombasa, and also within my course. As part of my university course (Tourism
Management) I have a placement year where I am required to go and work in the
industry for a year, I always wanted to do my placement year abroad, Australia
was always my goal but after coming back from Kenya that all changed! I came
back determined to do my placement year in Africa, or Kenya especially, I
searched so hard to find one, emailing and sending letters to many companies in
Kenya, but I heard nothing. I then had an interview with a placement in
Mozambique but that also fell through, as well as a placement in Ecuador. My
friends by this time though I was way out of my league and were telling me I need
to accept that I wont be going and apply for “normal” placements in the UK like
all the other people in my course, time was running out people were getting
placements on my course so I begun to apply for UK placements, but I never got
nothing back, not even an interview, I then knew it wasn’t right and the door
was being closed, I had faith and just knew I had to find a placement in Kenya!
I just had to go back I was so determined! I then happened to go for a weekend
away with the CU and got talking to a friend and she told me she had a cousin
in Kenya who worked for a tourism company and told me to get in contact with
him, of which I did but never really got a reply. After a couple of months I
was put in touch with his wife, she emailed being interested; we had Skype
interviews etc and then the waiting begun which just killed me! I was told that
I would get an answer the following day, but 2 weeks had passed and I heard
nothing, I then was so frustrated I just called out to God saying I want to
have an answer and know by tomorrow. The next morning I checked my emails
nothing…again! I was like, I knew it! Then like an hour later I checked again,
and there it was an offer to come and work their company for 6 weeks, God
answered my pray, it was really happening I was going to Kenya!! Everyone was
so surprised and couldn’t believe it, after being so discouraged I knew to keep
having faith and it really happened. I then faced problems at university of it
being approved, people worried I wasn’t going to a good job with a good salary
like everyone else, it was dangerous etc all the rest of it as well as it being
Christian! But I trusted in God that he provided this placement, and that it
would all work out. And it did. I was off to Kenya!
I was to be that I was only meant to be with the company for
6 months, and I would have to find another placement elsewhere but within a
couple of weeks my company were so happy with me that they made me the offer of
working with them for a year which I was more than happy to accept! God really had
it all in hand, and provided me with what was the most incredible year of
growing in God, his heart and my heart and passion for the needy. Really learning
how to develop the right principles of helping people, and the Kenyan community
in particular which has really been achieved with seeing the theory and
knowledge put into practice with the number of projects we work with, and the
problems that occur along the way. Really understanding development and how to
empower the community to a larger effect. It can’t be put into words of how
much I have learnt and gained for what is being built in me for the future.
During my time in the first 6 months I really felt my love
for children grow and became so deep within my heart, people telling me how
amazing I was with the children it was a shocking statement to hear, from
having hated children all my life until God changed that in 2010 when I came to
Kenya and spent time with the boys at the children home. God gave me such a
love for them was where it begun, growing to really love children and wanting
to fight for the rights of children giving them what they were entitled to, my
heart was breaking for children especially those in less unfortunate
circumstances.
When I went back home in December (2011, after 6 months in
Kenya) I felt something being stirred in me about starting a home but I thought
it was a long shot and such a big idea that was impossible and it wouldn’t be
until way in the future if it was to be. When I came back I felt really stirred
and having such compassion for street children. I was also reading the book
“Compelled by Love” at the time and it really stirred me wanting to have that
passion and faith with God, being about the poor I knew it was my passion to
work with the poor and yearned to see the power of God break out amongst the
poor in Kenya. I then kept getting ‘break my heart for what breaks yours’ it
was like God was really breaking my heart for street children. It was then that
I knew God was putting it on my heart to start a home for street children, but
how it was just impossible so I just pushed it down, but I just found myself
having this yearning inside of me and just thinking about it all the time. One
lunch time I was talking to Maureen who I work with and she said you have all
this in your hands, so what are you waiting for! It then begun! Going for
endless meetings, gathering information, making plans and so that is how it all
begun!
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| At the home in August 2011. The boys have truly impacted me more than words can say, through these boys Jesus has taught me what an everlasting and unconditional love really is. These boys will always hold such a special place in my life. |
