Promises

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 

1 Peter 1:3-4

I awoke this morning considering these verses. I live in this reality! I am participating in his divine nature, and I've escaped the corruption in the world. I still am effected by the corruption, just by being here, but I can choose to allow the Holy Spirit to give me God's desires and live in divine glory and goodness. How awesome is that!

When I consider my daily life and habits, my emotions on any given day, my responsibilities that might seem overwhelming at times and the sorrow of others around me, I count on God's promises being true and giving me all I need to live a godly, purposeful, and peace filled life. For instance:

- I feel alone: I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS

-I've messed up, let someone down or forgotten something: EVERYTHING WORKS TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD

-I've been unkind or complacent or rebellious: IF I CONFESS MY SIN, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE AND CLEANSE ME

-I'm worried or keep obsessing about something I've done or didn't do, or need to do, and if I give it all to Jesus and ask him for help, HIS PEACE WILL KEEP CONSTANT GUARD OVER MY HEART AND MIND

-I feel neglected or uncared for: HE CARES FOR ME

-I don't have something I feel I really need or long for: THE LORD BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR, NO GOOD THING WILL HE KEEP FROM ME

-When I wish my circumstances were different or it seems others have more freedom and opportunity than I do: YOUR BOUNDARY LINES HAVE FALLEN FOR ME IN PLEASANT PLACES; I HAVE A DELIGHTFUL INHERITANCE

-When I wonder what the future holds, and I'm past the prime years of life: I HAVE GOOD PLANS FOR YOU, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND HOPE

-I realize how prone I am to failing and stumbling: HE IS ABLE TO KEEP ME FROM FALLING AND TO PRESENT ME FAULTLESS BEFORE HIS THRONE

-I wake up feeling blah and insignificant: MY MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING

-I'm tired and have too much to do: JUST COME, I WILL GIVE YOU REST

-I feel inadequate. MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU.

-from Psalm 23 I find a host of promises: I LACK NOTHING, I HAVE FOOD AND WATER, MY SOUL IS RESTORED, HE GUIDES ME IN THE RIGHT PATHS, I FEAR NO EVIL EVEN IN THE WORST OF LIFE BECAUSE HE NEVER LEAVES ME, HE GIVES ME DISCIPLINE THAT BRINGS COMFORT, MY ENEMIES WON'T KEEP ME FROM FEASTING WITH MY SHEPHERD, I HAVE MORE GOODNESS THAN I CAN CONTAIN, GOODNESS AND MERCY ARE FOLLOWING ME!

I could probably spend all day and not be able to list all the ways God's promises make me aware that I have access to a divine realm where his Glory and Goodness are constant companions. I am living his abundant life, an incredible gift!

Jesus, I love you. Thank you for coming to earth and making all this possible. I am thankful I can live with you always. I celebrate your advent now at Christmas and look forward to when you come again.

Hawaiin Wedding

 Cody, our grandson, and Yahdira, his fiancé, picked the place for their wedding and how could we not go on an exciting adventure to Hawaii to celebrate with them!

I had only dreamed of visiting Hawaii, but now it was becoming reality. The flights were secured at a fairly reasonable rate and within the next month, we had reserved a place to lodge where most of the other family was staying, Resort Lahana Kai on Maui. Next, we chose several excursions to make our trip memorable. Since we had just celebrated our 27th anniversary we decided to buy a catamaran sunset dinner cruise. For a more thrilling adventure we dared to try a bike ride down Haleakala, a 10,000-foot volcano. Our last planned event was a bus tour around the island of Oahu, the second island we would visit in our last few days before flying home.

We arrived in Maui, June 27, found the tram from the airport to the car rental, and lost a chunk of unplanned money in reserving the car. The agent had a foreign accent and paid little attention to the reservation I had previously made online. We waffled on whether we needed additional insurance and decided we did which wouldn't have been necessary, and when we had signed the agreement it was much more than the online reservation had indicated it would be. Our lack of experience was taken advantage of, but hopefully we've learned from the experience. From there we waited in the rental garage about an hour for our names to come to the top of a long list of renters and then, for a car to be returned for our use. The first available car for us was a red Dodge Challenger with a Hemi engine. We agreed to the bright sporty vehicle, feeling the euphoria of driving something we would never own and yet realistically counting the added dollars of gas we'd be using in the non-economy car. Adding some sweetness to our long wait was meeting up with Kira's parents who had landed in Maui about the same time as us and ended up in line with us at the same rental garage. 

Our condo unit was spacious and well equipped with a lanai that gave us a side view through some palm trees of the ocean. We were on the second floor and across the inner courtyard from the  unit where Josh and his family were staying. Sandy and Marvin, the other grandparents, took us to Walmart where we purchased some food for the meals we would eat at "home". (Kira's parents had been to Maui numerous times so they showed us around the town of Kehi, where we were staying.)

The second night after our arrival we sailed on the dinner cruise. I loved the time with the wind and spray of the ocean on my face, drinking a glass of wine and watching the sky cloak itself with the colors of sunset. The buffet displayed excellent food, a bit lukewarm, but tasty. I met a couple from California who had previously lived in West Lafayette, IN. and enjoyed connecting with them. (You'll notice my pronouns are personal rather than collective. Unfortunately, Kevin got seasick and missed out on enjoying the beauty and fun of the ride.) Besides the sunset, we witnessed a beautiful rainbow spanning the sky with each end visibly touching the horizon, and nothing to block the view.

The next two days before the wedding, we had time to do some visiting with the family over meals in town, beach hopping to some beautiful coastlines where we watched kite surfers and visited shops for souvenirs. 

The wedding happened at sunset on a Kehi beach. Each set of parents and at least one set of grandparents from each side, along with siblings attended. Cody and Yadira were beautifully dressed with traditional garb and married by an officiator they had secured online and had never met before. He was an older gentleman and a bit comical in his native Hawaiian outfit, carrying a shophar and bag around his waist. He conducted a lighthearted ceremony making us all laugh as he instructed the couple what to say and how to say it, sometimes with loud lilting voices and fun-filled ways to say the solemn vows. He often invoked prayers in his native language, but we all understood the Numbers 6, Biblical blessing, he spoke over them at the end. There were skads of pictures captured afterwards, and as dark approached we were on our way to a steakhouse about 30 miles away where we all celebrated with a matrimony-worthy meal.

Our best adventure began about four hours later. After trying to get some sleep, we cruised through the dark in our sporty vehicle at 2 am, toward the biking company. Inside we donned wind breaker jackets and pants. After all the other adventure seekers arrived, we received instructions for riding and then boarded a bus for the hour's ride to the 10,000-foot top of Haleakala. We stepped out into 40 degrees weather, huddled along the railing facing the volcano base and watched the sky just beyond for the first rays of sunrise. Worth the early morning wake-up! As the day brightened, we marveled at the view, signed certificates in the gift shop to mark our visit and then hiked a short walk downhill to flat-topped ridges with good backdrops for picture taking. The bus then carried us to our next stop where we straddled the bikes they had unloaded for us and started coasting down the section of road with switchback curves. Thrilling and exhilarating! We had full control of how fast we went. I briefly cast my eyes from the road to the amazing view over the edge of the volcano. Amazing! As the road began to level out, we rode into a small rodeo town where we found a coffee shop and a place to breakfast. It was a short distance from there back to the bike company. Definitely a highlight of our Maui visit!

After seeing the Jesus Revolution movie earlier, I had looked up churches that Greg Laurie pastored. Besides several large campuses in California, I knew he had one in Hawaii. I googled the location which was only 45 minutes away from Kehi. We headed north Sunday morning to take in the service. The drive took us along the west coast of Maui with gorgeous scenery of ocean and mountains. The worship at Harvest Chapel was familiar, and Levi Lusko was the speaker via satellite. After the service we purchases sandwiches and chips at a grocer and found a spot along the drive back home to eat and take in the gorgeous ocean view. 

That afternoon we went with Josh and family to Lahaina, an historic town just north of Kehi. We had dinner and shopped and took pictures by the huge, old banyan tree in the center square. How sad to hear a month after we returned that this town was destroyed by wildfire!

July 4th, Kevin and I flew to Oahu for a two-night stay in Honolulu. We strolled Waikiki beach, found a brewery downtown for supper and the next day took a bus trip to tour around the island. Our guide shared interesting facts about Hawaii, and we enjoyed seeing the tourist sights-Diamond Head, Waimea Falls, Blowhole, a Macadamia Nut Farm, Dole pineapple plant, Chinaman's Hat, Turtle Island and drove by a section of celebrity houses. Our stop for lunch was at a roadside stand that served shrimp dinners. We sat picnic style on benches and observed mongoose coming out from the bush to snatch pieces of fruit thrown down for them. The tour was a great way to experience the island. We flew back to Maui Thursday afternoon and spent the night at an Airbnb close to the airport where our flight home took off Friday morning. (The flight was delayed because of a bee in the airplane!)

I am so thankful for the privilege of seeing the most beautiful place on earth that I've experienced. Mountains and oceans were visible all the time and the climate is perfect. Someday I'd like to go back, but just to have been there once, was truly satisfying.

African Adventure, February 2023

 

Cory Captures This Awesome Moment!

Visiting Kenya was an unexpected blessing! We were invited, by our pastor, to visit, MpM, A Place of Life, a mission that rescue babies, run by Dave and Jen Bell. Traveling there involved a nine-hour flight to Istanbul, three hours layover and then a six-hour flight to Nairobi. Long flights were tolerable as we had movies to watch and books to read. We arrived early morning in the Nairobi airport. Since Kevin and I had our vaccination cards we were waved through while others in our team had to bribe their way in. Dave and John (Dave’s long-time employee) met us in Land Rover vehicles, and we rode 19 miles, but about 90 minutes, south to the mission in Kitengela. The main road had speed bumps and rumble strips every so often, to keep traffic slow. The path from the highway into the mission, was chock-full of potholes and craters the size of kitchen sinks, making for a jarring, choppy ride.  The mile and a half stretch took forty minutes in drive time.

The Compound and Our Team

Jon and Cathy Reese greeted us in the team house and showed us our bedroom with our own bath down the hall. Breakfast was waiting for us. The kitchen and dining area became our main hangout during our stay. We soon learned not to use the water for drinking or brushing teeth, and how to wash dishes with bleach water.

Our teammates on this mission were Jon and Cathy, Scott and Emme, a father daughter duo, and Cory, Amanda, Elijah, Lucas and Abi Witmer. We learned to know each other as we worked and played together. Cory led us in a team meeting every evening. The Bells-Dave, Jen, Ethan, Selah and Shaddi-would join us for the evening meal. They resided across the compound in their own house.

The first two nights we were extremely tired but enjoyed exploring our surroundings. The mission is on seven acres, gated and fenced in. Besides the crops planted, the property includes a tilapia pond, a pool for baby therapy and four houses. Great Dane dogs stand guard but were very friendly to us.

The Bells-Shaddi, Dave, Ethan, Selah and Jen

Our Work

The first project we tackled was harvesting some 500 fish to fillet and freeze. Everyone had a job, either entrapping the fish with a net, scraping off scales, filleting or getting the fillets ready for the freezer. Other than childhood memories of fishing with Grandpa, Kevin and I are like, well–– fish-out-of-water when it comes to handling slippery, flopping, dying creatures so, we contributed to the day’s event by helping Amanda in the kitchen, feeling for, and then cutting out any overlooked bones in the now lifeless, closer-to-edible-like fillets. The fillets were then vacuum-sealed and frozen. Fish is a great source of protein for the babies starting to eat solid foods. Supper the next evening was a delicious cookout of fresh fish, breaded and fried just right by Dave.

Our biggest job was to tear down a deck and move it from one greenhouse to another where it would be reconstructed to service the pool. While the strongest among us did the heavy lifting, the rest of us painted. I think we did some painting almost every day we were there. Besides the deck, Kevin, Lucas and I painted a hanging swing. The paint was oil based, hard to work with, and even harder to clean up, but we finished the job during our stay.

In between working on the deck, baby time was scheduled for a few hours every morning and afternoon. We took turns going to play with and feed bottles to some of the 16 babies that were housed in their own building. It was quite an operation to observe as Jen, and the four Kenyan women the Bells employ, juggle infants at feeding times, give baths, and keep the older babies occupied during play time. What precious little people! What an opportunity to bless them and even pray for them as we held them close.

Bathing the Babies

Our Play

Dave made sure we had play time, too! Three days after we arrived, we packed clothes for two nights and drove five hours south to the Kalaguni Lodge in the Serena resort area with acres of uninhabited countryside and unpaved roads to drive through. Our time there included four excursions in Land Rovers, with roof extensions, so we could see out above the vehicle allowing us to watch for animals.  Awesome to see giraffes, elephants, monkeys, zebra, several kinds of antelope, a variety of birds, ostriches and wildebeest! Creator God provided the show for us. The lodge accommodations were pampering and the dining hall buffets had an abundant array of food. From the balcony of the dining area we enjoyed watching animals come and go to a manmade watering hole.

Watching the Mission in Action

The Bells had planned a fun day for families who had adopted their babies over the years. They gathered in a small amusement park for free rides, a luncheon, photo sessions and workshop opportunities, where social workers taught on issues pertinent to families who adopt. Our team helped fasten wristbands, take pictures, and park cars. The Bells were beaming with pride as they greeted parents who had made a family for their babies, and to see the children thriving in their environment.

The Bells work closely with another orphanage, Seeds in God’s Garden, who take any of their babies that are not adopted by two years old. We enjoyed visiting this ministry and all the resourceful ways they generate income and care for the children.

Dear to Mama Bell's Heart

God's Presence at Work in the World

Another outing involved going to a church in Nairobi where the Bells attend. The service was in English with an international attendance and contemporary worship. The songs were familiar, except for the one we learned in Swahili. Afterwards we ate out in a restaurant serving American food and did some shopping in a grocery store, where we found most of the items similar to what we can buy in the States. The market, however, was a new experience of haggling with the vendors to agree on prices. Here we found typical souvenirs like carved animals, tongs, fabrics and hats. We also bought coffee and nuts in the grocery store to hand out when we got back home.

The time passed quickly, and two weeks later we were headed home. We said our goodbyes to the Bells, realizing how isolated they are and how, especially the kids, would miss Emme and the Witmer kids. The Bell children are home schooled, so they don’t have contact with a lot of other youth.

In Istanbul we had a planned 18-hour layover. Because of the recent earthquake in parts of Turkey and Syria, the feeling of grief hung heavy in the airport and city. We carried prayers in our hearts for those who were suffering. The airline gave a free three-hour walking tour of the city and even included a Turkish meal in a restaurant. During the tour, we had a few minutes in the Old World Bazaar to buy some Turkish Delight and a Turkish towel. After our 80-90 degree weather in Kenya, the 40 degrees in Istanbul was quite an adjustment, especially since we only wore sweatshirts.

Istanbul Mosque

Istanbul Vendor

Old World Bazaaar

Safely Home

It was good to get back home and to savor the memories of all we had experienced and seen. This is only a summary of the highlights. The Bells are serving the least of these, and God has blessed their ministry. We are thankful to have been a small part of MpM on this trip.