Emwono Ayong…It means “I’m satisfied” in Turkana. Generally, this is the phrase you say when you are finished eating to let people know that you are full. Before leaving for the bush last weekend, I would say I was anything but satisfied. We had come back into town on Thursday, and I spent most of Friday shoveling sand and gravel expecting to have the weekend to relax. I wasn’t exactly thrilled when I heard we would be going back out on Saturday until the following Friday. So I spent most of Friday night griping and frustrated. Why aren’t we getting to rest this weekend? Why won’t the Internet work? This did not fit into MY plan! But God reminded me that it’s not about me! It’s not about my crazy summer in Kenya. It’s not about my blog. It’s not about my class. It’s not about what’s next in my life. It’s about God! And it’s about doing HIS work this summer—for HIS glory, not MINE!
Gene & Melba (my host missionaries) have a picture in their house that I keep thinking about when I get frustrated or anxious over here:
“It’s not about having what you want, it’s about wanting what you have.” I didn’t really understand that sign until reading it before leaving for the bush last weekend. I was frustrated thinking about how things could be so much easier over here. I wished we had a more laid out schedule, a day off, fast internet, cold drinks, air conditioning, etc. And that sign reminded me that I was so concerned with what I didn’t have that I was forgetting about all the blessings I did have. I had forgotten how blessed I was to have great teammates, great host missionaries, a supporting family, food, clean water, and a God who loves me unconditionally. So this past week, when things started to get difficult, I kept trying to think about that sign. I cut up my hands the first day working, and was worried how I was going to be able to grip the slippery drill pieces. That worry was soon forgotten when I didn’t put on sunscreen (dumb, I know!) and got these bumps on the back of my arms. Then, I noticed mid-week the hole in my pack and started worrying about how I would survive if my pack broke. And now my shoulder has been irritating me, and I’ve been a little concerned about it slowing me down working. But I realized through all of my anxiety that there always seems to be some nagging thing preventing me from being happy. If only I didn’t have these cuts on my hands, this hole in my pack, this pain in my shoulder—life would be so much better. But when I look back on my life, I can see that God has always been there to help me through any difficulties. So what if my bodies a little beat up? These Turkana guys work six days a week—no gloves, no ibuprofen, no anti-inflammatories. So what if my pack breaks? These Turkana guys don’t have more than two sets of clothes, if that! I could probably survive out in the bush with just a plastic baggie if it came down to it (still hope my pack holds up though!).
God is so much bigger than me and my problems. And he’s doing great things in the Turkana people’s lives. Many of these people are meeting daily for Bible studies—discussing the Word, praying together, sharing life together. He’s working through missionaries like Gene & Melba & the drilling crew to provide proper nutrition, clean water, and education to so many people over here. And He’s working in my life, and I just want to say thank you so much for supporting me and allowing me to be a part of HIS work in Kenya. I hope that this next week I can go to bed exhausted and dirty, with my “old man” wounds and smile, knowing that I am blessed to be a child of God.
“Emwono Ayong”—may we all sleep peacefully knowing that WE ARE SATISFIED because we serve a loving and merciful God who is actively moving in the world today!
Peace,
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