"Missent to Kenya"

It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to be involved in a mission trip.  In high school the opportunity presented itself to the youth of my church and we were ready.  The task was simple, go to the Lutheran camp in Colorado and be their servants for a week.  We could do that, more importantly I could do that.  physical labor for a high school kid was good work.  Our excitement for the task was whisked away by a  regular summer occurrence in the forest, a fire.  The camp sustained a lot of damage and the trip was off.

Fast forward 10-plus years, the dream still alive, the opportunity to take a mission trip arose again.  You might even call it the trip of a lifetime.  God placed on my lap, in His time, a chance to join a team, led by a good friend of mine and even was made up of good friends.  This trip, go to Kenya and be God's hands of mercy.  A far cry from the corn fields of Iowa that my wife, my kids, and I call home.  A far cry from the attempted mission trip that was to happen in Colorado.  If I had to define the phrase "out of my comfort zone" this would be it.  I have never been out of the country except quick family trips over the border to Canada.  I have never spent more than 6 hours on an airplane.  And here I am staring down the barrel of two 8 hour plane flights (one way) to a new country, to be among people with whom I can't communicate without someone standing next to me to translate.

A stamp on an envelope with aid and support from my district sums it up, "Missent to Kenya".  The piece of mail this envelope contained had shifted at some point and my address was partially covered up.  The machines, through which the mail is processed, only caught the memo line "Kisumu, Kenya Mission Trip".  That stamp says it all.  I was born and raised Lutheran and even have a decent amount of German in me.  I am not one for change and exiting my comfort zone.  As the process rolls along I wonder if I have been missent to Kenya.  I wonder if I am really the right one to go and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those hungering for the Word of God.  Surely there are more qualified Pastors do to the job.  I have doubted and questioned just about every step of the way but one thing has been clear, God is in control.  God has been in the lead of the planning and the carrying out of this plan to this point.  I stressed about funding.  God, for lack of a better phrase, placed it in my lap.  I stressed about filling out paper work properly.  God gave me a great, supportive wife who checks and double checks for me and plenty of experienced travelers to guide me.  I even wondered if I would get along with Rev.Dennis Meeker, the man who runs the school we will be spending our time at.  Wouldn't you know it, God send Pastor Meeker to the Chase house for a visit and gave us plenty of time to get to know each other and realize there was nothing to worry about.

God doesn't missend anyone.  He purposely calls and equips those whom He wishes to carry His divine love to all nations.  What a blessing it is to be His chosen servant.  What a blessing it is to know that He is watching over me and each one of my teammates for this trip.  To know that He is in control.  To know that He has given me a supportive wife and children, supportive churches who have prayed and provided for me every step of the way.

Today, we are 47 days from takeoff, and as I told my churches this weekend, it's coming like a freight train.  I have a request from anyone who reads this post.  Pray.  Pray for myself and the rest of the team that we would have safe travels and that we would be able to accomplish all that we set out of do.  But also pray for the Rev. Dennis and Lorna Meeker, the kids of Point of Grace school, and all those we come in contact with that they would be open to hearing of the love which God has for each one of us and how He has shown that love through His Son, Jesus Christ.