From one "home" to another

I'm writing this during my layover in the Amsterdam airport, which, though it leaves me in the surreal dream-world that comes along with long flights and giant time changes, provides as good a time as any to reflect a bit on the last month and look forward to the next few months. I am so thankful for the past few weeks that I was able to spend in the US. Having time to relax and catch up with the family and friends that I love so much was both an incredible refresher and a great encouragement to continue the work I am doing in Kenya with all of my heart. I got to enjoy more than my fair share of all the food that makes America great - barbecue, sweet tea, Bojangles fried chicken, McDonald's cheeseburgers, and some of the best home-cooked Christmas meals the world has ever seen - which leaves me feeling a little bit bigger than when I arrive and holding on to a new appreciation for the overwhelming amount of varieties and choices we have in America when it comes to food. I also managed to attend a college football game (Go Heels!), an NBA game (Go Cavs!), and a college basketball game (Go Dores!), which will hopefully hold me over on live sports for the next few months. Over the course of the last four weeks I spent time in 5 different states and reconnected with friends - from high school, college, and otherwise - and family, both immediate and distant. It was a very strange feeling to be in the US for "vacation," but all of these experiences gave me an understanding of America in a whole new light.

One of the biggest things that struck me about America, coming off of four months in Kenya, is the organization and order that comes along with just about everything. From roads and airports, to grocery stores and restaurants, to education and goverment, it seems like everything is accompanied by a plan and a schedule - not so in Kenya! In most instances this organization is great, and it makes things run smoothly and efficiently, but it can also have a mind-numbing effect on people. It seems that in America it is possible to live life almost without thinking sometimes, and I actually started to miss the unpredictability of Kenya at times. I was also struck (as many people are) with the "big-ness" of the US. Yes, the people and the cars are big, but it also amazed me how big the number of choices for food, clothes, or entertainment are. It struck me how big the expectations are for young people, how big the demands on each person's time are, and how big both the number and size of transactions and purchases are for a normal person. All of this big-ness results in a daily life that is much more complex, in many ways, and I found myself missing the simplicity of the Kenyan life when this became overwhelming.

I never thought I would say this, but in looking forward to returning to Kenya I feel that I am returning to a sense of normalcy. There is a regularity to my daily life in Limuru that I am excited to return to, and the purpose that comes along with the work I get to do every day with CARE for AIDS is calling strongly to my heart. As hard as it is right now to leave behind the people that mean so much to me in the States, I have a lot of joy in the expectancy of what God is going to do through me and through CFA in the coming months. I would love all of you to really join me in prayer for the next four months, until I return to the US again. In that time we are hoping to open several new CFA centers, as well as to really get our new region up and running in Kisumu. We will host several Vision Trips for Americans to experience and understand CFA's work in Kenya, and we will continue seeking out new partnerships with hospitals, clinics, government organizations, and other NGO's. In some ways it feels that my work over the past few months has been an effort to lay a strong foundation upon which to grow and expand, and I am so excited to see and experience that growth as it happens throughout this year!

Thank you for your continued prayers for both me and for CARE for AIDS! It was so encouraging to hear from people over the holidays who are reading this blog and praying for me, and I always appreciate hearing from all of you anything that is on your mind. I'm coming into the New Year with a renewed commitment to blogging more often, so stay tuned!