June 2017
This summer I got the chance to go on a mission trip to Kenya. Over the course of this trip we spent our time with the Massai people. One of the many things that we were shown over the course of this trip was their love for each other and their love for us. We were shown what community should be like as well as how to take part in such a community. The love and the kindness from the communities we visited was awesome to see and experience! Over the course of the entire trip we were welcomed with open arms, partly because of the the help we were giving them, but most of the time it was because they wanted to genuinely get to know us.
One of the things that was shown to me was the value of prayer from the people back home. There were plenty of things that could have gone wrong on this trip. There was plenty that did go wrong. Driving down the rift valley with two bolts to hold on your tire, or a tree falling on your tent were just two of the many things. Both these situations could have ended up so much worse without all the prayer cover. There was an article I was shown by a friend this summer that said a lack of prayer will lead to spiritual dumbness, or a lack of spiritual knowledge. I think that our community does a really good job of preventing such things by yearning for a healthy relationship with our heavenly Father, and pursuing that through prayer.
Some experiences like going to church while we were in Kenya really showed me the diversity of God’s kingdom. This is such a beautiful thing that I think that many of us take for granted. The culture is something that could never be defined in and of itself. The beauty of the kingdom of God is something that has always drawn me back to Him. His people are His hands, his feet, as well as the way He loves unbelievers. He guides us all in such a way as to speak into unbelievers. Now all we have to do is heed His guidance.
There was so many personal experiences that God spoke to me through. I was not able to recognize these things till after the trip when I began to try and reflect on those things. Many simple things that happened changed my way of thinking as well as my way of living. I love the group I went with and would love to continue to grow with them. The experiences that we shared are things that will never be forgotten. Trials and hardships of a trip like this are things that Satan uses to tear us apart. God turns that around and uses it to bring us together in such a beautiful way.
I want to thank you all! We could not have done it without your prayers and financial support. You were the backbone of this trip as well as the many other trips many of you have supported. Background ministry is an essential part of ministry. Without background ministry frontline ministry does not exist. Your support and prayer may be background but without the backbone, the body does not function. The rest of the body would just be a puddle on the ground.
~Caleb
