Fall is a real season and leaves really do change color.

Jesus answered my prayer for refreshment this past weekend.

My dear friend Alyssa and I took our fall break to visit our lovely friends in Fayetteville, Arkansas. These are the girls that we went to Kenya with this past summer. (see other blog entries)

These girls are just some of the best. 

One of them used to struggle with drugs, alcohol, and broken relationships, and has now seen the redeeming power of Jesus and walks in complete freedom with some of the most contagious joy I've ever encountered. One of them has chosen to live amongst friends that haven't necessarily tasted and seen of Jesus as she has, and chooses every day to love them well and show them His heart. Another found and accepted Jesus close to a year ago, and seeing Him through her eyes and heart is beyond refreshing. 

I love how following Jesus looks so different for all five of us. He uses my time with them for lots of things, but one of them being to remind me that the values of the Kingdom (prayer, discipleship, evangelism, and more) truly are reproducible anywhere. I've believed that, but it's a whole other thing entirely to leave your community and see it.

Seeing these girls felt like we'd never left Kenya. I'm so thankful to get to do life with such sweet and FUN friends. #woopigsooie #WPS

L to R: me, Erika, Carly, Alyssa, Cambry

Kenya: One week in!

Jambo!

We're officially one week in and things are really moving!

We're still meeting for sessions at 7am each morning! We go over some stuff from our intern packet, and then comes the interesting part. Kenyans learn well from stories, so we've been learning how to tell Bible stories in a way that is easy to understand. We have to use specific wording because there are so many unreached people groups in Kenya, and as some are beginning to be reached, they are using certain lingo, so we are learning how to tell the stories in ways that will translate to all of Kenya. It's really interesting, and pretty hard considering I don't remember anything that isn't right in front of me, hah. Then we go over part of Romans with Tom.

My times with Jesus in the morning have been incredible! I've felt such a peace. Looking up from my Bible to the Kenyan sunrise is unreal. Jesus is so in all the details!

My prayers from Day 2 got answered! We did our first outreach today! We took a smaller bus (matatu) to Kenyatta University. It's a BEAUTIFUL campus. And super big. My group split up and I ended up alone, which was actually really good. I went into one cafe to buy a soda, and heard one of the sweet worker girls say she was stressed. I went over and started talking to her, and she said "hold on," and turned to another customer. I thought she wanted me to wait for her so I just stood there, but then she motioned for me to leave. I thought I was getting her in trouble so I left and just kinda stood outside and prayed about what to do next. Next thing I see, she is crawling under the counter to leave work and come outside to talk with me more! I died. Turns out, her mom was admitted to the hospital this morning, and they don't know if she'll make it through the night. She said meeting me that day was a miracle from God! I got to pray with her for her mom, and talked about her relationship with Jesus! She was such a sweetheart. We exchanged email addresses so hopefully I'll hear about her and her mom soon! Everyone else had some great things happen at the outreach also! God is moving here! We are on fire.

The buses in Kenya are party buses that each have a theme. We took the hip hop bus (yes.) and danced the whole way home with the other Kenyans on the bus.

I'll get some pictures of our compound and different things on here soon.

Anyways. Cannot thank yall enough for the prayers and encouragement! Love all of you dearly. (:

Kwa jeri!

Kenya: Day 2!

I wrote this on our second day and never got to post it, haha. Here goes!

Jambo! 

It's the end of day 2 and I'm already in love! It's their winter here, so it's been in the 60s-70s the whole time. We live with 7ish other Kenyan interns, and they are hilarious. It's the first time that I've been in a culture-clash situation where both sides actually understand and appreciate each other's senses of humor and it's not just small talk. I room with Alyssa and our adorable chef, Helen! She asked if Dolly Parton was alive today. She's the best. I can't really giggle about that though considering I've already asked "So like when is yalls Christmas here?" They were like uh.. December 25th? 

The girls are incredible! We were insta friends from the first day that we all were here! They love Jesus so well, and one of my favorite things about the program in general is that we all look really different in how we follow Him!

On Sunday we went to a church that was for American missionaries serving in Kenya! It was so powerful! The presence was thick. These people are laying their lives down 24/7 and it sorta seemed like this was their hour to be refreshed and relax with the Lord and other people that can relate well. It was so cool to be worshipping with so many people that were giving all they had in the presence of God! 

We were supposed to do outreach at the University of Nairobi today but apparently the students were doing finals. I'm really really looking forward to getting to the outreach! I just wanna share with people! These people are God's children and my heart is burning for more of them to walk in that identity! Heyoooo let's go let's go

We've learned so much already. The people here carry so much wisdom! We have lessons or "sessions" every morning where we all sit in our compound and just get into the word together and talk about what it means until we don't have anything left. Or at least that's what we've done so far. It's super challenging. The Kenyans eat the whole Bible for breakfast and just throw it up on us. (gross? sorry.) 

Keep praying! There are so many unreached people groups here. 

I love all of you! Thank you to everyone for your prayers and encouraging messages!! 

Kwa jeri! (Goodbye!) 

Turn of events!

Right now, Alyssa is on hour 7/20 on the flight to Kenya, and I am still in Coppell.

We woke up to Charles' whining, got dressed, had our last meal at Chick-Fil-haaaaaay and set off for the airport. Everything was going well until I handed the check-in lady my passport. She typed a bunch of stuff into the computer, called a few people, frowned several times, and then finally told us what was wrong: Nairobi has a brand new law, stating that if your passport is within 6 months of expiration, you cannot get into the country.

My passport has 5 months and 2 weeks until expiration. I missed it by two weeks.

There was a long period of attempted negotiations by me, then my parents, then Alyssa's dad, then back to me, and so on. Eventually we came to the conclusion that I could pay to send my baggage with Alyssa, and then fly to London, but there was no guarantee that I would be able to continue on to Nairobi. The lady said they might let me through, but they also might not. My parents were not about to be anywhere near down for that. (Reasonably so.)

I know I can be really dramatic, but I'm serious when I say that I think one of the hardest things I've ever had to do is hug Alyssa at security, tears about to flood, not knowing whether or not I was going to be joining her. I knew we could get another flight, but I didn't know if we could afford the change fee, I didn't want her to be flying/dealing with the Nairobi airport alone, etc. I also had just seen what I thought was a completely solid plan fly right out from under my feet.

I spent a good portion of the ride home wondering if I was even supposed to go anymore. Half of me was certain that the Lord was saying to stay, and the other half of me was equally certain that Satan was trying to interfere with a trip that would further the Kingdom.

Then, after a whirlwind of phone conversations, tears, and prayers, we got the change fee down from $6,500 to $600! Literally, in a few hours, the price was all of a sudden $5,900 cheaper. Praise the Lamb!!!! I'm scheduled to leave Friday, June 1st!

I've already seen so much purpose and blessing from being home. I feel an incredible peace about the whole situation. My prayers went from "Lord, please put me on this plane" to "Thy will be done." I think today was the first time that I actually had a deeper revelation of what it means to feel small. I waltzed into that airport thinking that absolutely nothing was going to deter from how I'd imagined it. It feels so good to open my fists and let God become bigger! I also realized that I'd been putting more value on this trip than on God's sovereignty. I feel like the second I surrendered to the possibility of not going, the Lord swooped in and everything has been so different than how I thought, but so much better. His way truly is perfect. Fear means that I'm not trusting that Jesus has me. I was so worried for Alyssa's safety when really, the safest place she could be is on that plane because that's where Jesus wants her. (And I don't really know what I thought my presence would do for her safety, haha. If anything, I would probably get us in trouble before I would be a safety feature.)

This is all maybe 1/10th of what's actually been going on in my heart in the past 12 hours. Today has truly been a day of refinement, but Jesus has been so sweet! Little prayers and worries that I had have been answered in full. Even when He's correcting me, He is loving beyond what I can comprehend.

So that's it! I'm not going to say that I'm officially going to Kenya until I step onto Nairobi soil, haha. We shall see. Jesus is the best father who gives the best gifts. Where I am on the globe does not determine whether or not I receive them. He's so good to me.

Jambo for now!

And so it begins!

It is currently 6:38am. I am full of coffee (and the Word. haha.) And I'm almost ready!

My flight to Branson is in a few hours, and I'll stay with family and get to see my grandparents!

And then it's off to Kanakuk Staff Training week! I am shaking with excitement/coffee/the Word.

I don't think Charles realizes that I'm leaving. We're both going to have to learn some coping skills for the next month-ish. If you live in Coppell, come over and play with him while I'm gone. Nobody in the Walker family gives him the attention he deserves.

Tempted to shove him in the duffle. 

That's all for now! I'll post between Kamp and Kenya, in the 24 hours that I have at home. (with Alyssa Shoemaker. The legend. My best frond. It's a revelation I have to re-process every day. Haha.)

Be praying! Please. I'm gonna need it! I have been labeled a security threat the last few big flights that I've been on. Baha. I want to grow this week! I'm going in with zero expectations except that Jesus will provide in every way that I need and in some ways that I want. I'm so excited!

Thanks and sic 'em!

I'm late I'm late for some very important dates!

Whew. Take a look at this calendar. All in one month, we have finals, Mother's Day, good ole Pop's birthday, and my home church is sending me off to Kenya with prayer (super honored and thankful). THEN I fly to Branson, Missouri (Heaven)(if you don't agree you haven't been) for Kanakuk K-West staff training! Dream come true. Here's the fun part: I leave staff training early for a flight to DFW the morning of the 28th, pick up Alyssa from the DFW airport to stay at my house, have one night to pack, then we leave for London the next morning at 10:25am! We end up at the Nairobi airport at 9pm our time. 

I have goosebumps writing this. I cannot believe this is all happening in one summer. 

I feel overwhelmed when I think of how blessed I've been this year. After this summer, I will have visited all of my three favorite places in the whole world in one year! (Kenya, Kamp, and Disney World) How does that even happen?? God is good. He's just so good. He blesses me beyond what I can put together. 

Please pray that this all works out. This would make a super organized person nervous. Imagine forgetful, slightly disorganized me running around the country(ies) and just let that fuel your prayer. (: Thank goodness God is above schedules and time!! 

t-minus 46 days

I've felt a call on my life to go to Africa since before I really understood what having a call on your life meant. I remember hearing about missions trips and just feeling my heart burn. It was always quickly crushed by a deep frustration, because I didn't think I'd ever be able to go on a mission trip. I thought mission trips were for "missionaries." I had no idea that God calls us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19) 

I had no idea that we are called to be missionaries the day we say yes to Jesus! Praise God that Jesus told me who I was later on down the road and gave me a mission that extended to far beyond what I ever thought I was "allowed" to do! I feel called to show children the love of God and if that means going to the ends of the earth, then I'm doin it! (My parents would want me to add that if that means staying in America, then I will do that too! Haha.)

I remember my junior year of high school, I was at a girls group one night and the leader barely mentioned that she might organize a trip to Africa later that year. I'm so embarrassing, I tried to talk to her about it afterwards and then quickly realized how much more it meant to me than I thought, and couldn't even really talk to her about it because I just started crying. Everything within me groaned to go. I didn't have any organizations in mind, any cause, any anything. I just knew I was supposed to be there and was so frustrated that it seemed so distant and difficult to attain. 

But. Jesus knows the desires of our hearts. A year later, Tom announced that he was going back to Kenya to stay, and he would take some of the upperclassmen with him for a mission trip. Honestly, I did not really honor my parents at this point. I acted like I was pretty entitled to go, and fought any opposition for me going. I have since repented and we've talked about it, and they're incredible. Anyways. 19 seniors and juniors played packing tetris and got everything we'd need for 2.5 weeks into one suitcase (each. hah.) and left on the biggest plane I'd ever seen. It's hilarious that I thought I had a clue what the trip would be like. Jesus blows expectations out of the water every time.

 This might be one of my favorite pictures in the world. Lord, let it be one day! 

They loooveee the crazy faces. 

 Pardon me while I get attacked by a sheep. (far right)

 The view out of one of the windows of the classroom we taught in. 

 These girls are incredible.

Pray for: 

Tom and his family

ACO staff

everyone's travel plans

these words of mine

Hey hi hello! My name is Mary Beth and I live in Waco.

I've been going back and forth about starting a blog for a long time. I feel like people usually blog with purpose. My friends that blog typically post their increddd (new fave abrevv) spiritual revelations, their awesome photography, Bingley, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I totally have spiritual revelations and Charles is super gifted. I just never really felt drawn to blogging. I'd rather read other people's and I didn't really feel like I personally had a reason.

But. Welcome to my reason.

I'm officially going to Nairobi and (I think) Nakuru in Kenya for all of June 2012! I'll be working for/with an organization called African Christian Outreach. The Executive Director, Tom Stickney, was my youth pastor at my home church until he felt a call on his life to move to Kenya and continue what his dad started! I can't do ACO justice by trying to explain it. Please check out the website. I made the mistake/good choice of just doing so and now I'm too excited to sleep just yet. I cannot wait. The staff are laying their lives down for other Kenyan college students to know Jesus and I'm so incredibly excited to learn from them. Tom Stickney is a fisher of men and an unconventional, incredible leader. The best part is I don't even know the half of what God's doing/will do there. This is just what I know from years past and looking at the website. Cue hand gesture where I palm my face and squeal.

God is MOVING in my life! I fall massively drastically short of the glory of God. I NEED more and more of Jesus. Also, I'm not always able to write super eloquently, but I mean.. Moses had a speech impediment. It's a club I'll gladly join.

In short, I'm going back to Kenya. With Alyssa Shoemaker. And we're SO EXCITED. Jesus is too. This blog will be kinda my journey of where I've been, where I am, and then where I'll be. This is a passage that I felt like the Lord put on my heart for this trip, a passage that I will probs get even more excited about and talk about in more depth later.

"And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day's need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.* And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time."
1 Kings 8:59-61

Today you could help by praying for:
the other interns
hungry hearts and open minds for the Holy Spirit to encounter
fundraising 

*"there is no other" = "wala hakuna mwingine" in Swahili. Hence the blog title.