Much to be thankful for.

Tuesday morning finally came...After a long day of going through customs and sitting in airplanes and airports for over 24 hours, Michael Aguilar, my travel buddy, and I were happily greeted with smiling faces at the Nairobi Airport by Stephen, Jason, Andrew, Kim and Dave!! (Yes, I had a grand total 4 bags. A little embarrassing... but hey, I'll be here for 15 months :) haha) I have so much to be thankful for. I'm so thankful for safe travel, and to finally be in Kenya again! I'm overwhelmed at the way God has provided for me to be back in this place, and by the community of people he has placed around me in order for this to happen. I'm overfilled with joy at the way my friends and family have been so encouraging and supportive as I move here. Most of all, I'm SO thankful that I get to serve a God who loves me unconditionally, who knows me by name yet created the whole world, and who is full of abundant grace and mercy.

This week we have been going through staff training, getting to know one another, and having a lots of fun in between! We have already gone rock climbing at Lukenya and enjoyed God's beautiful creation while camping out, gazing up into the starry night, and spotting zebra, gazelle, giraffe and baboons! Campers arrive on Sunday morning to kick off the first session of Camp Blue Sky 2011! I will be a counselor for middle school girls this week at camp, and am so excited for the opportunity to share Jesus with them!

The summer theme for camp this year is "Rescue." Please pray that the Holy Spirit would be working in the hearts of campers as they arrive in the next couple of days. Pray that they would be able to see and understand clearly that God our Father has rescued us and loves us more deeply than we could ever imagine.

We have much to be thankful for.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. -Colossians 1:13-14

"We put the walls up, but Jesus keeps 'em standing. He doesn't need us, but he lets us put our hands in so we can see His love is bigger than you and me." -Caedmon's Call

This weekend was simply wonderful! I went to Abilene to spend time with friends before I head to the other side of the pond :) I'm so thankful for this opportunity to go back to Kenya, but I know that I will miss good friends and my family like crazy! This weekend was a sweet reminder of how God uses the Body of Christ for encouragement, prayer, and that we cannot do anything alone. This weekend was a blast to laugh and be silly with friends, to tell stories, hang out, pray together, and just enjoy each other's company. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" (Proverbs 27: 17)

I'm blessed beyond measure at the community the Lord placed me in at ACU, at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, through Young Life, and so many others. I'm praying for a strong community to lean on while I'm in Kenya, and trusting in the Lord's provision.