Much to Celebrate, Much to Mourn

This past week has been so full.  It has been full of many celebrations and it has been full of grieving.  I have been so immensely blessed in this life.  I have a beautiful and amazing life partner and I have five incredible children (while we haven’t yet met Joshua, we have watched him on ultrasound quite a bit and he is already amazing).  We took a midweek class trip to a local tea farm where we were able to tour the grounds and learn about how tea is picked and processed.  (To see more pictures of that trip click here and look for my post on July 23rd.)

On July 24^th we celebrated the fourth anniversary of Levi joining our family.  He is and has always been our most content child.  He has a sweetness and outgoing nature that I frankly don’t always understand.  While he isn’t afraid of getting rough with his friends and brothers (and parents), he loves cuddling and loving on everyone around him.  One of his favorite things to do is make those around him laugh.  Most of the videos we have of him with Hannah include him being a goof just to make her giggle.  He has told us that he can’t wait to meet baby Joshua so he can make him laugh (he may be disappointed for a few months).  A couple weeks ago he even told me that when he gets to Heaven, he is “gonna be silly so dat I can make Jesus and Hannah waf at me.”  His birthday included a special cake during our class lunch followed by a small time of opening presents.  After class Steph and I took our Hulk loving little guy to the Brackenhurst café for a special birthday snack, which he devoured.

That night I was getting the boys tucked into bed for the evening.  We thanked God for many things…for being here in Kenya, for being used to spread the amazing message of Jesus, for our time with Hannah, for the blessing of Joshua and most importantly for the indescribable love and sacrifice of Jesus allowing us to join Him in our forever home.  When we were done praying, Jacob said, “I believe that!”  I asked him if he had ever talked to God about it and asked Jesus to come into His life, forgive his sins and give him new life.  He said no but that he wanted to.  My heart was almost exploding with happiness as I led him to my room for a more private time of prayer.  He nervously asked me what he was supposed to do.  I had him explain to me who Jesus was, what he did by living and dying on earth and why it was necessary.  He was able to clearly outline his need for salvation and how Jesus has already paid the price on his behalf.  We then bowed our heads and I helped him to pray to receive the gift that only Jesus can give.  Jacob has always been pretty sensitive and seeing him tear up made it difficult for me to maintain my composure.  After going to tell Steph about what he had just done, we got everyone tucked in for the night.  What a special day!

The next day was my birthday (that’s right, Levi almost stole my day!).  I woke up and was treated to coffee and a bagel being delivered to my bed.  Birthday songs were a part of our opening devotion time in class.  First English, then Swahili and then Korean (we currently have a couple studying here who are from Korea) versions of happy birthday were sung.  Fridays are usually somewhat easier days as the afternoons are often for playing games (Swahili Scrabble, Uno using only Swahili terminology, or soccer).  I made a birthday request that we watch Lion King. (I figure that with the dozen or so Swahili words it is educational, right?)  We couldn’t locate the original so we set up to watch Lion King 1 ½.  It was a great way to finish out the week.

Over the weekend we had the pleasure of having some visitors.  One of our fellow missionary families came out on Saturday to spend some time with us.  Steph and I had gone into town for a birthday meal and to do some grocery shopping (these kids are never full anymore which is really starting to hurt financially!).  When we came back, we returned to the craziness that so often defines life at Tenwek.  Seven kids age 8 and under running, jumping, and screaming through the house….awesome!  On Sunday we had a home church service, which included more of our Adventures in Odyssey detective work, listening to the character’s AIO episodes, and watching Superbook.

This past week has been so full of celebrations and reasons to celebrate but there have been many reasons to mourn as well.  (This is not intended to become a political debate, rather just a reminder of how much we need to be praying for one another.)  I have been somewhat isolated from events of the outside world since arriving in Kenya.  With either spotty internet connections or with having to pay for all data usage, it has limited my ability or desire to try to keep up with day to day events like I used to.  Lately, every time I do pull up a news website, my heart just breaks.  Daily back and forth attacks in the Middle East, increased persecution of Christians around the world, and mass tragedies with airline crashes.  There are so many people to pray for.  I was recently reading about one new episode of persecution that has been occurring.  Here is a link to one article giving a small glimpse into what many believers in Jesus face everyday.

Many of you have been following the events going on in West Africa.  In Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, there have been almost 700 deaths due to Ebola in the past several months, which makes this the deadliest outbreak to date.  Our missionary community has been rocked as this outbreak has now become more personal.  One of the Samaritan’s Purse post-residents, Kent Brantly, who has been laboring to treat those plagued with this deadly disease, has himself become a patient.  His wife and two young children have been relocated to the U.S. while he undergoes treatment in an isolation unit in Monrovia.  Ebola can have a mortality rate of 90% (although this outbreak has seen mortality rates closer to 60%).  There is no vaccine and there is no cure.  Medical personnel can only provide supportive and spiritual care and hope to catch patients early in the course of the disease.  It doesn’t seem fair that someone who has sacrificed the safety and security we all crave has now been afflicted with this awful disease.  But life isn’t fair, at least not on this side of Heaven.  And we haven’t been promised an easy road, even if we faithfully follow Christ’s example of reaching out to the least of these.  Those who faithfully follow Jesus do have many promises though.  Promises that He will never leave us or forsake us (Psalm 94:14).  Promises that Jesus himself is preparing our forever homes for us (John 14:2).  Kent and many others have been faithfully laboring in the name of Jesus Christ sharing His love with those who’s lives are being threatened.  Please pray fervently for both them and their patients!

Prayer requests

-Pray for us as we continue our time here at Brackenhurst.  In just a few weeks we will be returning to Tenwek to resume our regular work duties.

-Pray for our teacher situation at Tenwek.  We have not yet found a teacher to assist with our kids.  Many families will be affected by this and our schedule is somewhat dependent on finding someone to fill this role.

-Please be praying for the many lives being affected by violence in the Middle East.  There are no easy answers or solutions.  Pray that bloodshed would cease and that peace would rule the day.

-Pray for Kent Brantly, his family, and all of those affected by this Ebola outbreak.  Each victim is someone’s mother or father, sister or brother, son or daughter.  Each person is created in God’s image and is immensely special.  Pray for healing and for progress to be made in controlling the outbreak.  Most importantly, pray that many will come to know Jesus Christ before it is too late.

-Pray for wisdom and guidance for us.  I have submitted my name to go assist the outbreak in West Africa.  At this point it isn’t clear if my help is needed and where.  Pray that no matter where I am called, that I could remain faithful and obedient.

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Aaron Kelley

Latest posts by Aaron Kelley (see all)

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