Hey all,
I made it safely to Amsterdam. The transfer in Minneapolis was a little rough. My body is exhausted physically which seems to make me emotional. (I cried at a Sandra Bullock movie on the plane!)
I’m going to grab a bite to eat here in Amsterdam then board the plane to Nairobi. I’m so looking forward to being in Kenya! Should have internet at the hostel tonight and will update you from there.
Blessings from a completely different time zone…
Who thought blogging would be a challenge? Blog posts have been few and far between as there has not been much worth sharing. Perhaps the most notable development has more to do with my clumsiness than anything else. I rolled my ankle going down the stairs at Red Rocks in mid-July and tore two ligaments. I have been sporting a boot/brace from the ankle surgeon ever since (minus the two weeks I spent walking and climbing on an injured ankle) and am hopeful that I will be released from the boot prior to my departure in two weeks.
As September 30th approaches, the reality of what I am about to do sets in. The excitement and anticipation are building. What will the people be like? How will God use me? Will I adjust quickly to the different surroundings and way of life? I’ve been alone in unfamiliar places, but never have I been somewhere this unfamiliar. I expect a certain amount of loneliness in the coming weeks, but take comfort in knowing that I have angels to dance around my shoulders. God’s never abandoned me before; I don’t suspect he’ll start now.
Some have recently challenged that my trip to Kenya cannot be appropriately described as a “mission trip” as it lacks evangelical purpose. I counter with this: we are clearly called to defend the cause of the weak and maintain the rights of the oppressed (Psalm 82:3), to defend the rights of the needy (Proverbs 31:8), and to generously service the needs of those that lack the ability to do so themselves (Deut. 15:7). Perhaps my favorite verse on the topic offers this piece of encouragement: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Maybe the work I am doing in Kenya is worthy of the term “mission trip,” maybe it’s not. Call it what you want. To me, loving others and caring for those in need rests at the very core of what it means to be a Christian.
I started training my replacement at the bank. It’s strange to walk away from what I’ve worked so hard at for the last two and half years. However, I have not had any second thoughts about my decision to leave the bank and work in the mission field.
The next two weeks will be filled with excitement as I pack and move everything into storage at a friend’s house. I hope to finish shopping for everything needed in Africa this weekend. Fundraising update: I am $1,200 short to date and expect that number to increase slightly.
I am continually encouraged by the support of my community, friends, and family. The outpouring of love and support has been remarkable. The journey has been pretty easy thus far, perhaps that will change. If it does, I’ll be evermore appreciative of your encouragement. For those that want to write while I’m away:
Kate Whitney
c/o Reverend Reuben Lubanga
P.O. Box 459
Bungoma, Kenya
50200
East Africa
Letters take anywhere from 5-14 days to arrive in Kenya from the United States. Packages take 2-3 weeks. Please note that the postal service is somewhat corrupt so if you choose to send a package my way, mark “no commercial value” on the package and use plain, unattractive packaging.
God is unbelievably good and I cannot wait to see how he uses me to serve others in the coming months. Thankfully, I don’t have to wait much longer.
“So I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all.” – The Stand, Hillsong United
Friends and family,
First, thank you for the continued support and encouragement! I am incredibly blessed to have such an amazing network of support!
I’m excited to announce that I have purchased my plane tickets! I will start the trip (flying from DIA) the morning of September 30th. I plan to meet up with three healthcare volunteers in Amsterdam before continuing on to Nairobi, then Kabula. I’m thankful to have found some travel partners and look forward to the company.
I’m well on my way to having all the required vaccines and don’t have anything too noteworthy to report on that front.
One more exciting development: Catressa Hamilton and friends will be hosting a spaghetti dinner to raise support for my upcoming mission. The dinner (and silent auction) will be held at Crossroads Community Church (10451 Huron Street) in Northglenn on Tuesday, August 11th at 6:30 P.M. $7 suggested donation at the door. Gather your friends and please join us to enjoy a great dinner! Hope to see you there! (Feel free to comment below if you can make it!)
Blessings,
Kate
I am delighted to introduce this blog! Kate.MissionsPlace.com will be the information base for my upcoming mission trip to Kenya. Think of this MissonsPlace blog as my mission’s home page.
Many have mentioned they would like to follow me through this journey and I believe MissionsPlace will prove to be a great way of doing this!
