Climb BlueSky opened its doors for the first time on Saturday. They had 42 people who came to climb. Our team was so encouraged to finally be open after months and months of hard work. It is such an incredible place where we can rub shoulders with people of all different ethnicities, religions, races, and ages- building relationships with the intent of sharing the Gospel. We also kicked off the weekend with a Middle School Lock-In on Friday night. It was wild and crazy! About 25 Middle School students filled the gym for the all night party of pizza, movies, caffeine, video games, girls playing telephone, rock climbing, group games, and of course...NO sleep! haha
Below I've posted some pictures of other stuff I've been up to lately...
cute baby topi.
our Maasai friend, Wilson
safari ants
"lion around" ;)
at the Tanzania/Kenya border
golden rays
leopard!
Me and Alison!
My friend Alison came to visit me a couple of weeks ago! Alison and I went to Churchill High School together in San Antonio. It was absolutely amazing having someone from Texas come to visit! It was an incredible gift to share Kenya, a place I've fallen in love with and something that means so much to me, with someone from home. We went non stop for the week or so that she was here! We climbed Mt. Longonot, went and loved on some kids in an orphanage, went with the Conways to see and be a part of their ministry called "Made in the Streets," were excited to see lots of animals on a safari, saw God's beauty in creation in every place we went, and got to catch up and have lots of great conversations and laughter together! (:
dung beetle... crazy!
Right after Alison left, I went to Bahrain with my friends Michelle and Amanda. We visited Michelle's friend, Andrew, who works for the US Navy. We had a layover in Dubai where we got to enjoy some American food, and then in flew into Bahrain that afternoon. I loved getting to travel, meet new people, see a new culture and country. When the trip was over, I was so thankful to be back in Kenya where God has placed me!
Amanda, me and Michelle in front of the Burj Kalifa- the tallest building in the world
view from the airplane coming into Manama, Bahrain
Bahrain is also primarily a Muslim country. One morning we visited/toured a mosque. Yes, the girls had to wear burkas. haha It was a very interesting experience. I learned a ton about the Islamic religion as we got to ask our tour guide lots of questions. We were thankful to have a safe place to ask questions, and learn, while also having an open door to share with him what we believe. I feel like this experience really opened my eyes to see new ways of how I can share, and be Christ, with my Muslim friends in Kenya. Many of the students who go to Premier, where I coach basketball, are Muslim- and now that I know more about what they believe, I'm looking forward to being more equipped to share with them the beautiful story of Jesus. If you have questions, I'd love to share more with you about this experience! (:
cutie.
Bahrain license plate.... Everything was written in Arabic!
Michelle's friend lives in a place called "The Floating City"- you look out his window and this is what you see! He lives right next to the water in a canal from the Persian Gulf. He said he sometimes swims over to his neighbor's house (:
The Kingdom of Bahrain has a camel farm for the King's 600 camels. We got to visit one morning and feed the camels in the desert. Fun!
Michelle and Andrew in the market haha
View looking out over Manama, the capital city of Bahrain
As Thanksgiving is next week, I just want to say I have so much to be thankful for! God's provision, his protection, the beauty I've gotten to see the past couple of weeks, and all the ways he is moving here are among a few! I want to be like the cherubim in Ezekiel who have "eyes all over their body, including their hands, their backs and their wings" (Ezekiel 10:12) to be able to see the goodness and grandness of God. As we enter into the Thanksgiving season and into the Holidays, I hope and pray that the Lord gives me clear vision to SEE. To see beauty instead of ashes. To find things to be thankful for in the midst of ruble. To see Him. To see the Invisible One. To see grace and the cross.
Jesus, open the eyes of my heart, of my mouth, my hands, my feet, and my whole body that I can live fully with eyes wide open. Help me to see your heart, what you are passionate about, and to follow after you with reckless abandon, loving people all the way.
