Rainbows in Africa

She came home from school that day so excited to share with me about her friend’s celebration. It was about 2 years ago and her little friend was turning 3 (I think) and her mom came to share her story with Anna’s class. Anna told me about how her little friend was from Africa and that her mom and dad adopted her.

She had all sorts of questions about adoption and why mommy’s and daddy’s wouldn’t be able to take care of their own children and why kids would end up in an orphanage in Africa. I remember the tone in her voice when she was asking these questions, she had concern that there were children out there that didn’t have a mommy and daddy to love them.

Ever since that day she would talk about how she too would love to go to Africa and visit children in an orphanage to honor her friend. We had sponsored two children, that shared her birthday, through World Vision, since she was one and we had always talked about visiting them someday. As time passed she began to talk about how she would like to have one child of her own when she was married and one that she adopted. I loved her nurturing heart, always taking care of the littlest and day dreaming about being a mama herself someday.

About a month ago Tom and I were starting to talk about getting away from Forest Grove this Fall. We need to spend some time together outside of our regular day to day. I think we both realize that we definitely need time to reconnect on a different level and to work on our marriage. I think we both realize the Fall will be very hard.

I suggested Fiji and started doing some research and was sold on the idea of an island in the middle of nowhere and white sandy beaches.

Tom wasn’t sure about Fiji and posed the question which got us both thinking, “what will be different for us in Fiji?”

What would be different in Fiji?

Nothing.

We would be on an amazing vacation without our family and that would hurt.

We would come back to our life with a vacation under our belt and go right back into our current methods of interacting with one another.

The question was a good one and I’m glad he asked it.

We then began to pray for God’s guidance and his answer came rather quickly: we needed an event to share that wasn’t the current event of our lives. We needed to do God’s work, side by side and out of comfort zone.

We then talked with a dear friend of ours who is also one of the pastors at our church. We told him that we didn’t care where we went we just wanted to do God’s work. He then made some phone calls and within 12 hours Scott called us to set up a meeting. Scott works for Forward Edge Ministries and he had a group of people going to Kenya in September and would love to talk with us about joining this team.

A couple of days later, we met up with Scott for lunch and sat and shared our journey with him. It was very obvious to me that God was working and that this journey to Kenya was in his plan for us. As Scott told us about the trip and what the team would be doing I couldn’t help but smile, it is a perfect fit that which includes running a program for kids with disabilities in a small rural village. Scott had no idea I was an Adapted PE teacher. Like I said, God’s work.

Last night, Tom and I met up with Scott and some of the members of the Kenya team. As we sat around the table sharing what we were excited about and what was challenging us about our trip, my heart was full. It is amazing when you know that you are exactly where God wants you. I’m excited to get to know each member of the team better and to experience Kenya with them. I look forward to seeing how God uses each and every one of us for his glory.

This morning I woke up thinking about how Anna was the day she shared her friend’s story, so caring and compassionate towards her classmate. I also recalled all of the prayers that we have said for our sponsored children in Rwanda and how excited Anna was to visit them someday.

I have no doubt that both of our girls will be with us on this journey. Anna and Abigail will be making rainbows in Africa and their mom and dad/Tom will be spreading Love and Joy.