An Adventure with The God of Hope

If we are Facebook friends, then you know I rarely post.  If I sacrifice my sleep to surf the internet, I would rather look at YOUR pictures and read the things going on in YOUR life.  So, four days back in the United States, my schedule is returning to busy and I do not anticipate having much time to blog.  But before I go, I wanted to pen some of my final thoughts.

I love the Lord. 
He amazes me.  

For an entire year, the Lord quickened me to notice and meditate on the word, "HOPE."  Everywhere I went my eyes were drawn like a magnet to the word "HOPE".  Walking past someone on the street, I would read the word "HOPE" on their t-shirt.  Meandering through a store, I would pick up a greeting card with the word "HOPE."  For Christmas my sister, Chelsea, bought me the decorative wall hanging word "family." But, unfortunately, by the time I got it home, I noticed a sizeable scratch in the black paint.  Wanting to display the word "family," with some pictures, I took it to Hobby Lobby for an exchange.  But, you guessed it...  Hobby Lobby was out of the word "family" but they had the word, "HOPE". 

It is embarrassing to admit that God had to start a year in advance preparing my heart with the theme of "HOPE".  When God sent us to Africa, the needs I saw were so great I said, "Lord, we are just the Finch family from Weatherford.  What can I do that is going to make any difference?"  The Lord answered me with His word.  He said, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13
God is THE God of Hope! 
In closing, I believe as a family we ushered in the God of HOPE.  After going into the orphanages and praying for the children who were HIV positive, we received an email which read,"When you prayed for the children with HIV, they were filled with hope."  On more than one occasion, we were told, "Many missionaries come to Africa.  But, you are the first to bring your family."  Just our presence as a family seemed to bring HOPE.

Before I sign out, I will share with you the scripture I camped on during the trip and continue to do so now that we are home.  While Paul seems to thrive in the African environment, I loved the people but found the conditions to be quite challenging.  So daily I prayed for endurance and encouragement.  Romans 15:5 says,

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

The second part of that scripture I continue to pray for Paul and I, "give us a spirit of unity among ourselves as we follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth we may glorify God." 

Thank you for following us on this adventure and I pray that the God of Hope will fill you with joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Goodnight and sweet dreams, Danielle

"Welcome Home!"

"May the Lord repay you for what you have done.  May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.  Ruth 2:12 

"May the Lord reward  you well for the way you treated me today."
1Samuel 24:19

The entire time I was in Africa I really struggled.  Like a scratched vinyl record, the daily soundtrack running through my head was, "Danielle, Danielle you are so spoiled." 
So, I get back home and take a look at what I came home to. 

My lifelong friend and classmate, Casie Carter, drove all the way to Weatherford to tie balloons on our front porch chair.

Kenneth and Lisha Copeland came over with home grown mouth watering peaches and cantalope.

Jenn Montgomery filled the chair with scrumptious loaves of banana bread and sugar cookies. 

Micah's friend, Baylor White, and my nephews, Simon, Jared and Titus came over to welcome the boys home.

Crossing the threshold of our front door, I  discovered that my mom and sister  (Ms. Spic and Ms. Span) had come to my house, dusted, vacuumed, mopped AND stocked the pantry and refrigerator.

Yes, the scratched vinyl record was right, I am spoiled, extravagantly loved and  lavishly blessed.

As much as I could try, I will never be able to repay you for praying for us, providing for us, encouraging us, and taking care of our belongings.  So, to take a scripture on fasting out of context, I pray that

your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 

Matt 6:18

"May the Lord reward you well for the way you have treated me today."

1Samuel 24:19

 

First stop was for mexican food at Pappasitos.

We went through customs in Detroit, Michigan and I really appreciated the man saying, "Welcome Home."

While we were gone, my mom and dad visited Fredericksburg and they bought us one of every animal we posted on the blog.  So, the next time I go to Africa, I plan to visit the diamond mines of Rwanda and I will be posting pictures of some BIG karats.  

(I make myself laugh.)

     Did I tell you it is winter here in Kenya?  The temperature has fluctuated between 82 and 85 degrees and the Africans are freezing.  Mommas have their babies wearing winter caps with ear coverings. Gas station attendants, fueling our car with petrol, are wearing three layers of shirts, a down coat and a winter hat.  And when stranded in traffic, men come up to the car selling sunglasses, maps AND winter gloves.  Now, I know what a native Colorado resident thinks when he sees a Texan spring skiing in a ski bib.  "What?  You think this is cold?  This is t-shirt weather!" exclaims the snowboarders.  I feel the same here in Africa.  I suppose it is all boils down to what you are used to.

     On Wednesday morning before the African sun peaked on the horizon, we packed the "boot" or trunk and headed for the East Coast of Africa.  By 2:00 in the afternoon we arrived safely at Nyali Beach off the coast of Mombasa.  Micah and Kaden needed a place to run and play and Paul and I neeeded an emotional break.  Let me explain.

     Because our skin is white, most people wrongfully assume that we are wealthy Americans with deep pockets and a bank account reflecting many digits.  So people of all ages, with all types of personal and organizational needs do not hesitate to ask us for financial help.  On a daily basis, for four weeks straight, we have been asked to give money to those in need.   So, to a limited extent, I can now relate to the pressure wealthy people experience when they are continually asked and expected to donate to every charitable cause.

     Let me be real transparent.  I have been in need and I have asked for assistance.  I understand desperation, especially when it involves my children and I do not judge the people asking us for help.  Paul and I have been abundantly blessed by our family, friends and TCA and we want to give.  So, when we are asked, we help as much as we are able and we always encourage the people to seek God as their source.  We tell them, "I will help you but my ability to help is limited.  While this is all I can do, I will pray with you.  I will ask God for His provision and blessings on your life."

    I tell you the truth, Paul and I are walking out the encouragement we are giving.  On January 8th, Paul was laid off from Merck Pharmaceuticals and he has been relentlessly sending resumes, applying for jobs and interviewing but nothing has opened up.  So our coming to Africa and giving of what we don't have has been a journey of faith; trusting our Heavenly Father to provide for us everything we need for life both now and when we return.  The Lord has been so faithful.  If you helped make this trip possible, it was the Lord that encouraged you to do so AND I believe your obedience will be rewarded.  May God bless you with His extravagant love!

     Ok, if you are still with me you must be wondering, "How in the world did Danielle start with winter in Kenya, travel to Mombasa and then end up here?"  I admit that was a wild rabbit.  So, as I was saying, Paul and I needed an emotional break and Micah and Kaden room to run.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s5lfklxbbt_iMRVsCnpUUw?feat=directlink

The idea of having "room to run" I took from Micah.  Our second afternoon in Mombasa Micah said, "Mom, can we please stay one more day?  We can run here."  At our apartment in Nairobi, the boys do not have room to run or grass to wrestle in.  Thank you Jenn Montgomery for taking care of our house, dogs and lawn.  When Micah and Kaden return, they will be ready to play.  So come one come all!  If you have boys who like to ride bikes, wrestle on the trampoline, run barefoot through the grass, play baseball and soccer, ride wave boards or any other heart pumping activity you are welcome at our house.

     Nyali Beach in Mombasa was a lot of fun.  The boys enjoyed it so much we ended up staying three days.  Micah and Kaden were very fortunate to have a lot of first time experiences.  Together they sailed on a catamaran, rode on a camel, drank coconut juice and Micah, because he is 10 yrs old, was able to take an introductory bubble maker scuba diving lesson.  Paul had the opportunity to take a shallow water dive in the Mombasa Marine Park and I took lots of pictures and slept like a baby. 

<

Wart Hog

Something is so wrong with this picture. 
The Wart Hogs took over the playground so Micah and Kaden headed for the Pistachio trees.

     When we were at the Masai Mara, we came upon some wart hogs and our safari driver said, "Wart Hogs are the stupidist animal ever.  They will be in danger, run 20 feet and stop because they forget why they are running." 
     So, tell me the truth.  Do you ever go into the pantry or garage to get something and then stand there because you have forgotten what you intended to get?   

WART HOG!   

"Wart Hog" has now become our family joke.  Anytime Paul and I forget what we were after we say, "Wart Hog."

Warning: Pictures in this post could cause insomnia.

Arachnids and Reptiles

Oh, the adventures my boys get me into.

 When I hear laughter and the words, "Oh, come on mom." I know I am in trouble.

All I have to say is, "NO WAY.  Don't even think about bringing these souvenirs home."

Kaden finally finds a considerable option. 

Lake Bagoria and Lake Baringo

     At Convergence Church we sing a song and the lyrics go something like this, "It's going to be great.  It's going to be wild.  It's going to be so full of HIM!"  For the Finch Family's trip to Africa 2010, that is our theme song.  It's been great.  It's been wild and it's been full of Him!

     As Paul and I laid down to sleep, we were overwhelmed with thankfulness and awe as we reflected upon all the open doors of opportunity the Lord has provided for us here in Kenya.  From the slums of Maganga to the governmental office of the Assistant Minister of Justice we have brought the HOPE of Jesus.  If there is one thing I can say for certain, it is that God himself planned this trip!  Without fail, everywhere we have been Paul has been asked, "When can you come back to Kenya?  Can we have your email address?  Can you come to my local area and teach?  Can we have more time with you on your next visit?"  The African people hunger for truth and we have been told over and over, "When you come back, you will see the lives you have changed.  These people will take this truth and they will not forget it.  They will apply it to their lives and their lives will forever be impacted." 
     Now, I can see why Paul loves Africa so much.  The mission field is the land of his annointing and the place he makes a difference.
     On our way out of town, arrangements had been made for us to meet the Mayor of Nairobi.  So, we got up earlier, headed downtown to City Hall, and then we waited.  Twice the Mayor was called into meetings and our time to meet him was pushed back.  Wanting to get on with our trip to Lake Bogoria, Paul and I were both ready to move onward but the lobbyist, who had prearranged our meeting, encouraged us to wait.  Finally, almost three hours past our scheduled appointment time, we found ourselves sitting in the Mayor of Nairobi's office.  Our meeting with him was brief but powerful.  We met him, prayed for him, God's presence came and we (Benjamin, Habakuk, Paul and I ) all felt the atmosphere in the office shift.  Once we were out of City Hall, we stood by our car and went, "Wow, did you feel that?"  The atmosphere in the office and the countenance of the Mayor was different after we prayed.  It was tangibly incredible and I wish we could have opportunities like that in the United States.
     From there we were driven by Samwell, one of  Minister Cheptumo's personal drivers, to Lake Bogoria.  Our drive was comical.  Minister Cheptumo is so respected and loved by the people in his constituency, that they see his car coming and they wave and yell to him.   Unfortunately for the people, Mr. Cheptumo was not riding in his normal car with us but in the car behind us, with his body guard.  "So, why does Mr. Cheptumo need a body guard?" I wondered.  My question was answered when Mr. Cheptumo's driver passed us on the road and we saw a man run along side of his car, grab hold of the luggage rack, jump up on the sideboard and try to talk to him while the car was in fast motion.  I could hardly believe what I was seeing.  Micah and I were in shock as we watched Mr. Cheptumo,'s body guard, from the back seat, trying to knock the man off the car.

     Lake Bogoria sits at the base of Eastern Wall of the Great Rift Valley.  It has a closed drainage system so the water is alkaline and grows microscopic algae, a favorite food source of the Lesser Flamingo. All along the lakeshore are thousands upon thousands of pink flamingos.  And thanks to Kaden's generous heart, I will be coming home with my very own PINK flamingo souvenier.  And to make it even better, Kaden found a gold and diamond hoop earring which he put around the flamingo's neck.  Pink and bling, my two favorites.  What a young man!      

  

In addition to Pink Flamingos, Lake Bogoria has several natural hot geysers which spew hot water high into the air. If you take your shirt off, you can enjoy a steamy open air sauna.  (If you remember the song from Sesame Street, sing along with me, "One of the kids is not like the other...")

The water was so hot, Paul tied a bag of eggs onto a tree branch and we enjoyed boiled eggs. 

Mid day we left Lake Bagoria National Reserve and travelled to Lake Baringo.  Lake Baringo is the home to my favorite consumable fish, the Tilapia.  Unfortunately, the Talipia were spawnings so we did not get to fish.  But... we did take a boat ride and here is what we saw.The crocodile was not bothered by us in the least.  He just swam in front of our boat and went about his businness.  On the other hand, a momma hippo did not appreciate us getting between her and her calf.  She saw us, went underwater, and the reeds starting moving towards us.  Nothing was going to stand in between her and her baby. Us included. 

 

We were outta there.  Good bye Lake Baringo!

The Masai Mara

"Oh, she'll be comin' round the mountain..." 
Three days ago we headed down the mountain, traveled southwest across the Great Rift Valley, and within five hours we entered the famous Masai Mara.  There we witnessed some of God's creation at its best.  The air was fresh and clean (Unless of course, you were downwind watching a flock of vultures finish off a wildebeast carcass left from a pride of lions.)  The mountains were majestic.  The yellow grassland swayed in the wind like rippling waves.   The animals... you can tell me what you think.

Can you tell we had a magnificent and memorable time? 
     Before we left for Africa, I went to the Weatherford Public Library and checked out all the African books and videos I could find.  Every night before bed, and sometimes during dinner, I would read to Micah and Kaden from the African books.  Before we left, Micah and Kaden had learned some basic Swahili words and how to count.  They learned about currency conversion, and of course the Great Migration. 
     The Great Migration:  South of Kenya is Tanzania, home of the Serengeti.  When you cross the border from Tanzania into Kenya, the Serengeti system becomes the Masai Mara.  Every year, 3 million  wildebeast and the zebra make their annual migration.   While they are eating the plains of the Serengeti, the Masai Mara is in the rainy season (lasting from late April - May).  The rains are typically over by June, the grass begins to grow and the annual migration begins in late July and early August.  Well, this year, the rains came early, the grass grew and the migration had begun.  We were so blessed!  We got to see the wildebeast and zebra herds stampeeding across the plains of Africa.  They ran so fast you could hear their hooves trampling the ground and the grasslands swishing across the sides of their body.  The shear numbers of them were amazing!  We had just finished watching a pride of nine lions and were driving off when Kaden turned to look behind him.  Instantly he said, "Mom! Dad! Look!" and from over the ridge the wildebeast and zebras came barreling down the hillside stampeeding past us, almost single file.  And as far as we could see from the east to the west, thousands of them passed us by.
     The second great Discovery Channel experience was watching a Cheetah stalk, attack and kill a Thompson Gazelle, and then drag it by the throat twenty five feet from our safari van.  Micah and Kaden were beside themselves with excitement.  Kaden, was yelling, "Mom, and Dad last night I prayed and asked God if I could see this."  Now, I question whether or not Kaden prayed that specifically but...  he and Micah both are wild, adventurous boys.  Of course, they inherited it from their dad. 
     I better to get to sleep.  We decided to take the Assistant Minister of Justice up on his offer to spent the weekend with he and his family at Lake Bogoria.  His treat!  On Sunday, Mr. Cheptumo has arranged for the pastors, in his constituency, to meet and Paul has been given the opportunity to teach and encourage them for a couple of hours.  Then we will return and be home by dark.