Party in the USA!

After our action-packed retreat in Nakuru, I spent a couple of hectic days running around Limuru and then left Kenya last Tuesday for about a month in the States to celebrate Christmas and spend time with family and friends at home. I was surprised at how difficult it was to leave Kenya - I hadn't realized how much I'd grown to love life there, especially the people that I am blessed to share it with. It was so encouraging to have all of my fellow CARE for AIDS workers calling me or stopping by the office on Tuesday to say Merry Christmas and give me a hug, and it was so sad to leave Duncan at the airport for a whole month!

During the journey home I had the strange realization that, for the first time in my life, I was coming to America for a vacation...for some reason it felt really different to make an overseas journey to the States and not feel like I was coming BACK from somewhere, but really to feel like I was just LEAVING for a trip. I guess that's hard to explain, but I've come to feel like life in Kenya is the norm and this crazy whirlwind of a month in the US is very out-of-the-ordinary.

I really will be bouncing all over the States over the next few weeks, though, and I would love your prayers during this time of reconnecting with people, relaxing with family, and enjoying things like cheeseburgers and great showers! Please join me in praying that God would work in all of these relationships and that I can learn from all of the people I am around before heading back to Kenya. Pray that I would be prepared for another four month stretch in Africa and that I can get enough home cookin' and McDonald's to take me through! At the same time, please continue to pray for all that is continuing to happen in Kenya. There are some exciting things taking place over the next month, with Cornel moving to Kisumu and several partnerships moving forward, and I would love your prayers for all of our staff to have wisdom and guidance in those situations.

I would also like to take this chance to thank all of you for the encouragement and the prayer that you've provided this fall! It seems like the last four months went by in a flash, but I am so thankful for what God has done both in CFA and in my own life during this time. He really has been unbelievably faithful, and I have so much to praise Him for. I hope that you can share in my joy and thankfulness, especially now as we think about the ultimate display of God's faithfulness at Christmas!

Merry Christmas!