Amazed

I was blessed to get a phone call from my parents yesterday. Sunday afternoons are usually our time to chat till the phone card runs out....and I'm normally in the middle of saying "Ok....I lov *click*(e and miss you) as the call gets cut off. Thirty minutes flies by but I'll take any amount of time to get to hear what is going on at home and share with them what the Lord is doing here. My parents were asking how my week has been going and I quickly filled them in on it..."Oh great, I had language classes but this time I had to ride all the way into Nairobi which took quite some time and I was a little nervous about getting lost........" As we chatted about the transportation and such my mom paused to tell me that a friend of mine from my home church had been waking up in the middle of the night with me on their mind. Not sure why I was on their mind they immediately would go to the Lord and pray for me knowing that if I were on their mind then maybe I needed prayer at that moment! Well middle of the night back in America tends to be afternoon here in Kenya. We started putting some pieces of the puzzle together and I sat amazed. Like I said, this week I had to take a different route of transportation through Nairobi. One of the days I was in a hurry and apparently boarded the wrong bus or the right bus...still not sure. Anyhow, mid journey the bus decided to take an abrupt left...one that I had not anticipated. This was one of my worst fears....getting on the wrong bus and being brought to the middle of no where. I quickly slapped on my war paint and ran to the front of the bus reapeating to the driver "Mimosa stage, Mimosa stage? Apparently he saw the panic in my eyes but rather than helping me out he whistled to the driver to stop, handed me back part of my fair and rather politely kicked me off the bus. I was still miles away from my end destination. GREAT! I had thirty mins to find another bus, get down the road, get off, walk another 20 mins and make it to language on time. Like I said...panic mode! I think had I been with others I would have felt fine, but I was alone. This whole "alone" thing is new for me. I've always had an independent streak but that was voluntary....this,however, kinda goes with the whole "single misionary" package...one package I'm learning how to deal with. I tightened my back pack and said my new "game ON" prayer... "Ok, God...just you and me...strength and courage!" I found another bus station not far from where I got kicked off. I now had ten shillins left. I stood at the bus station trying to look disinterested in the matatus hoping that a big bus would drive by. I didn't see one coming so I started negotiating prices with one of the matatu conductors. "20 bob." I only had ten. "20 bob!" "No thanks!" I said. He grabbed onto my backpack hoping that I wouldn't be able to find another matatu driver. Only thinking of where I needed to go, I hopped onto that matatu. Lesson #253 of that day: Don't get on a matatu of a conductor who grabs your back pack. After bumping my head on the ceiling bad enough to cause a headache I sat down thankful that I was no longer on the street. The matatu snailed down the road as the traffic got more congested. I kept glancing at my watch and watching the people walk by quicker than our wheels turned. I finally had a chance to look out the window to get my barrings. I knew where I was. I finally tapped the conductor to let me out so that I could walk. "I need to walk because I am late!" I forgot that I was talking to an African about time...time and Africa...those two concepts don't always mesh! I have a feelign the conductor didn't understand what I was saying because he just laughed and didn't budge to let me out. For ten more minutes I sat in the slow-moving, speaker-breaking, not-letting-me-out matatu. Finally I saw my stop and yelled "Mimosa!" so that there was NO confusion over the loud music. If he didn't understand me, the driver sure did! I got out and crossed traffic faster than I ever have here and BOOKED it to my lesson. It was great to see my friend's faces after that crazy ride! "Still a little early!" they said. I just laughed and said "after my transportation this morning I'm glad I even made it! I guess I walked faster than normal...must be my tenis shoes!"

All these things were a little unnerving I must admit. This was one of those moments where I felt like a little lost girl in the middle of a big store not being able to see over the clothes racks. Although I was praying its amazing to know that someone else had me on their heart to pray too! (You know who you are and I am so thankful for those prayers! ;) ) I realize it wasn't a horrific story (Thank the Lord for that) but I just felt so AMAZED when my mom told me that someone was praying for me when that was going on. How awesome is that? God didn't have to allow that detail to get back to me but He did! It encouraged me so much and reminded me of the support that I have back at home.

I may be a single missionary here, however, I am anything but alone. You all are as much apart of this mission and adventure as I am! Thanks for joining me! ;)