Blessing

I briefly mentioned while in Kenya a little 2 year old named Blessing. We were there to be part of rescuing her from a very bad situation in the slums and bringing her to a new beginning with the Mattaw family. There is a LOT to her story, but I wanted to just share what has been stuck in my head.

A couple of hours before going to get her, she was in her doorway, no clothes on, asleep and covered in her own poop. It was not a pretty situation.  When we walked intoj this tiny mud hut there was a social worker holding Blessing. She was listening to worship music while sitting  on the bed with Esnas, Blessing's mom, who was barely living at the time. When Kim asked her how it was going she said this, "We are just worshiping the Lord."

It was simple and true. You could tell she meant it. You could see that is what she was doing...worshiping the Lord. Yes it was a bad situation. HIV, sex for food, generations dying from trying to survive, yet she was worshiping the Lord.

A lot of things go through your mind in bad situations. On Tuesday, I went from having a fun run, hanging out with my family, Skyping my parents, to packing what you can think of very quickly as you saw the fire coming down the mountain, fighting the smoke and ash to head east away from danger along with 32,000 other evacuations, to hearing the news reports of 346 houses burned from the fire and wondering what I should have grabbed and how hundreds of lives will be very different tomorrow.

Thinking everything you own could be burned in flames really lets you know where your heart is. Though at first I wished I would've brought Cap's first footprints, or hospital bracelets, or even his first painting, my heart then went to freedom. Everything we have would fit in one car. We were free to roam. Though no matter what lies in our household, we are free, it just became different. My treasure lies in heaven where dust and moth can't destroy it.

I guess what rested in my mind was 'worship the Lord'. Yes the situation isn't good, but I will worship the Lord for He is most worthy of praise!

Last night our house made the ' you may return to your house' list by one street. Since it was late, we spent one more night at the hotel and came this morning. It felt surreal coming back, looking at the mountain and houses and smoke still arising in some areas. The smell of smoke triggered many pictures in my head of that evening getting out of our place.

We are so thankful to return to a house and bed and lots of rocks for Cap to play with. Our hearts are sad for the 346 families who lost their homes one of those families going to our church with us and others working with my in-laws. We are so sorry for your lost.

Thank you for your prayers. May we worship the Lord through the good and the ugly!

Village Inn

I am in shock. We are sitting in a hotel watching the news as houses and neighborhoods are burning to the ground. We haven't even been home for a week and here we are again, moving.  The fire which began Saturday seemed to be far from us, but with the weather and wind it quickly moved directions towards us. 

Bryce went for an afternoon run and right before he got home I looked outside to see the smoke had gotten significantly worse. He got home and said we need to pack our things and leave, but first come outside and look. It was surreal. There it was. Fire, and not very far from us, making its way down the mountain. It was raining ash. Smoke was thick. Hard to breath.

We are safe and with my in-laws who thankfully were quick to make hotel reservations for the night for us. The news has been giving updates on where the fires are and where they are moving. They just named the main intersection by our house which is about a 3 minute walk from our door. Just hard to believe. 

We packed quickly while sticking Cap in his highchair and giving him his first pop sickle. (which I didn't even get a picture of it!!!!)  Packed a little more than I was thinking but still forgot things like birth certificates and passports and our cash bag! Locked doors and windows and took off east. 

Leaving our house the traffic was bumper to bumper. Raining ash and smoke was thick. Fire trucks flying by, ambulances doing the same, Cap screaming in the back of the car not knowing what is going on, but knowing it was dinner time. Phones not working 95% of the time for the first 40 minutes driving. Millions of thoughts going through my head. Some might say I was freaking out a little bit. Hind sight, I was. 

We are going to try to get rest now. I am sure you can find photos online. Go to Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs. Again, we are all good and will update tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers. Praying for everyone evacuating their homes. 

Home?

While in Kenya, everyone wants to know where you are from. They would ask, we would answer Colorado. Colorado? We moved there 9 days before heading to Kenya. Moved into our basement apartment just days before leaving. Could this be home? When we first got to Kenya, Bryce was answering the where are you from question, but he said,"Well, Colorado, but we have more friends in Kitale, Kenya than back home."

So now here we are sitting in our apartment we have been up what feels like forever. Thank you jet lag.  But we are here. Here in a new time zone, new state, refreshed hearts and minds, a new family. Honestly it has been a very different month than we expected. Still pondering and chewing on what God is showing me. Excited to share and start getting my hands dirty here. It will probably take several weeks to share our trip with everyone. Eager to do so.

Here are a few pictures to start out with. Enjoy.

this was the whole, "what are those." question with 

my answer of "oh, fat rolls"

 good thing they had dirt and sand in kenya!

Cap helping me wash clothes

 and of course he has found a brush/broom

 he fell in love with this bath tub even though he got

may be 4 or 5 baths the entire time we were there!

 this is Violet who helps the Huffman family with their kids

and household chores. she is super and we enjoyed getting to know her

while being there. Cap loved her too!

this picture sums up our trip back to the states. Cap became

the social butterfly and was eating all the attention up.

mr. George, Cap and Lucy playing out at Mattaw

Lucy was loving Bryce this day.

More to come later!