Another Week Come and Gone…

I cannot believe it is already the 20th of February!! Where does the time go? Exactly half a year ago I was putting all my belongings in storage and packing a backpack to travel the world with. I spent some time this week reflecting on how blessed I am. I was standing on a white sand beach looking across Lake Tanganyika at the Congolese mountains looming behind a veil of clouds thinking “Holy crap Kevin, this is what really living feels like.” If I died tomorrow I know my life has made a difference and not just been in vain. I owe this all to the Big Man upstairs, the day I decided to follow God wholeheartedly my life has been difficult, frustrating, exciting, passionate, and full of meaning! The struggles I voiced in my last update are still there, but I read a story this week I want to share with you.

 Making Peanut Butter the Original way, by Pounding Peanuts with a Stick.

A women was attending a small Bible study one night of which the leader taught on Hebrews 12. He compared the hardships we face in life to the fire a goldsmith uses to refine and purify the precious medal. The women was so intrigued with the visual representation of how her own difficult times could be used by God to form and strengthen her that the very next day she visited a local goldsmith. As she observed the man build the fire and stoke the flames she asked him why he needed to use such intense heat to purify the  gold. He replied that by heating the fire to a temperature the gold can just handle will burn away all impurities and imperfections in the medal. The man continued to work as the women observed. A short while later she openly commented on his pain as he watched and constantly checked and rechecked the progress of his work. He again responded by saying he must always give his full attention and effort to the one piece he was working on. The women took comfort in visualizing her Heavenly Father caring so much for her in her times of distress. But before she left the shop the man said one last thing that spoke deeply into the women, he said he knows exactly when the gold is finished because when it is and he can see his own reflection in the metal, all the impurities have been removed.

This story is simple but contains many truths; God never allows us to become overwhelmed by life's difficulties,  he will always be there with us through all the troubles, and he knows when the job is done because he can see His own image reflected in our lives. I hope some of you can find encouragement in this story in some way. In the last few days the uplifting emails and prayers from back home have helped me gain perspective on my life and have given me some of the best days in Africa yet . So thanks again to all my support on the home front.

 

Jose Taking Some Great Photos of the Hippos  (Hippos photos to come)

I had the awesome opportunity to make handmade peanut butter on Tuesday and Wednesday which turned out tasting almost better than Kraft! In the mornings of those days we painted another Children's home with bright and uplifting colours. Between that and the regular ministries we are doing the week flew by. I am still getting excited for the last step of the trip which is a trip to Uganda to visit the Smithers Orphanage there. Please pray for safe travels and that all the logistical issues will be solved. I have to put peanut butter on the list because I will never be able to buy a jar of the nutty goodness from Safeway without thinking of the blisters. I hope and pray all of you readers are having a great February and aren’t missing me too much, I’ll be home soon enough!

Like I said, the Nutty Stuff