It has been four months since the last post, and, although they have come as slow as a drip from a faucet, pure blessings have indeed come, sincere prayers have been answered, and led us to this time that we -both the Kenyan people and I- have been long awaiting...we are going back to Kenya!
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ALRIGHT.
To catch you up...last Spring, using facebook across the world, the people and I began to discuss our hopes for another moment in time together. They communicated repeatedly the joy that they felt, and the excitement that was spreading throughout the branches in their church. They asked that next time, could I please come with the accompaniment of Elders from our church, so that our Elders and their Elders could all talk and learn of things of God, discussing what spiritual knowledge He has shared with us, and with them....because to know and do His will is their greatest desire. They know in faith that God has prepared the way for this event, and during our stay they will take time for powerful and sincere prayer, to ask what God would like them to know and do, and obey fully the answer that He will most certainly supply.
Two things I know in my heart of hearts:
Together, this brings some really beautiful possibilities.
1. The church is true
2. These people are true- and sincere.
Together, this brings some really beautiful possibilities.
But what to do about it? I knew that missionaries had never been out east of Nairobi (only south-east, near Mombasa), nor are they allowed there, because of their duty to the "areas of strength" where they are assigned. I still had no successful way of contacting them. I began to consider talking to others who would be willing to go, but I knew, by the way that I felt, that the timing wasn't right, things were not right. August was the first time that the people said that they could get off of work and school for a combined meeting with us. The next would be December. I knew by what the Spirit was telling me that I shouldn't be making any plans yet. So I told them no, not yet, God says not now. They were confused as to why, but trusted in my heeding the Spirit, wanting the will of God, and were kind and patient about it. They later said, Maybe we can pray for December, then.
I continued to pray, and to wait for and ask for support and counsel from leaders in any way that I could, as I did not feel that it would be right or safe to go without the blessing of a leader over the work in Kenya, and certainly not without the blessing of the Lord.
As we awaited word, and hearing the steady pleas from the people to please return again and bring word about God's messages. We began to talk about what we could do for the people, but the nagging feeling that we needed at least a nod from someone of authority, was relentless.
At that time, I talked with a friend who had located an email address that could reach the Kenya Mission President directly. With that information, and a new hope, I spent 3 days composing an informative and soul-bearing letter to him. The email address was a success, and only 12 hours later, Kenya Mission President Hicken replied!
In his response, President Hicken kindly provided me information about what limitations of resources that they had for new investigators who live outside of the "areas of strength," stating that in Kenya there are many small groups of people who wish for a branch, but the physical ability for them to join the church and attend with all of the blessings of sacrament, priesthood leadership, and everything else necessary for church membership, has not physically come to their areas yet, and thus they cannot yet be baptized.
I agree that baptisms and babies alike, should not be had unless you can nurture them.
Did that mean, though, that these people who are genuinely asking, should continue to live in darkness from the truth and joy that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored?
President Hicken continued by saying that we were welcome, as any church members are, to go anywhere in the world and share our testimonies and faith and love with them as brothers and sisters and as friends. He could provide copies of the Book of Mormon, and, to a limited degree, visits from missionaries to them every couple of months, until the day that the church is able to support them as converts, if that is their wish.
We were so glad to have contact and support from President Hicken! He even called my Stake President, and together they discussed the matter for a long while. All obstacles were now removed for the next step, albeit not for baptism, but I never did feel that masses of immediate, spontaneous baptisms was imminent, because of the sheer numbers of those involved. The greater the numbers, the more patient one must be for change, in order for all to be converted in heart, as they are truly a people.
So I prayed about what to do next, who could go, and more specifically who should go, and certain priesthood men whom I know came to mind. Without sharing the personal nature of the things that they had been experiencing, it became evident when I asked them to come, that the Lord had already been preparing them for this. With prayer and a lot of faith (especially from their trusting wives!), they agreed to go to meet with the people in Kenya.
I knew then that I needed that confirmation from the Lord that it is right to plan another trip to Kenya. I used direct text messages to ask for prayers and faith from my friends in Kenya, during the time that I was prayerfully seeking an answer. I knew that they would fast with their prayers, from both food and water.
I still remember that I was at the movies with my husband, when a text came in... (yes, my phone should have been off ;) )......from the father Mwangangi who hosted us. He has broken English, so normally uses his son to communicate to me, but this time he wanted to text me himself.
He said:
"Aleluya, amen. Yesterday we are in prayer, up to morning. We meet in other church place. Greet others. Amen."
I realized that he sent me that text at 1:30 a.m. Kenya time. It meant that he and the Elders had met in a special church area to pray, and they had just finished their 36th hour of fasting and prayer together for us.
And I was at the movies.
I cried -sobbed- there in my movie seat, when I got the text. (It didn't help that I was watching a preview of a movie about 3 Africans who came to the US out of hardship). My tears were out of humble awe for the faith of these beautiful people. How grateful I am to know them.
That night, I knelt to pray and to ask. I experienced then for the second time in my life, a physical and spiritual sensation of peace that completely overcame me. It made me smile in my heart as I enjoyed the answer, and I knew that I could now, in confidence, go and tell them that we will come.
The other men and their wives had their own way of receiving the answers in the way that they personally needed, and since then, we have been meeting and planning, preparing, and sharing the joyful word to the people that yes, we will come, in December! It was immediately shared with all of the branches in their church, and they are making some kind of lovely preparations which we will only discover when we arrive. They are saying that they are making the time very efficient for discussing together spiritual matters of the Kingdom of God. They also wonder what we like to eat. :)
I wrote again to President Hicken asking about how he and I can best stay in touch as the plans to visit Kenya are being made, and a few days later I received this:
subject: Hello from Kenya
Sister Christin Shumway,
This is Elder Pehrson (America) and Elder Maduna (South Africa) from the Kenya Nairobi mission, and we would love to keep in touch and assist you.
We will be able to help you with your request to visit your new friends in the Mwingi area. I understand you were planning to come in December, can you tell us more about that? Will you please send us any contact information like names, phone numbers, etc. for the people in Mwingi so that we may be able to make some initial contact? Or do you think it is better that we just wait and go with you in December?
Let me know what you think, and we will organize so that we can assist you.
Thank you for your interest in God's children here in Kenya.
-Elder Maduna
The missionaries can come! Wonderful news! EVERY thing is a go! God is so great!
So we are planning, preparing, joyful, and praying that something like Ebola (not yet in Kenya) will not stop this from happening, but that the beautiful possibilities will roll out, and bless the lives of these beautiful people with the joy that is found in the true and restored gospel of Jesus Christ. All we can do is what we individually and together feel that the Lord wishes us to do, and feel so grateful and so humble for the opportunity.
Please, if you wish to help us to go and bless those in Kenya, consider donating to this cause.
I'll definitely keep you posted! ;)
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- Ways to help:
- We want to bring the following things when we visit them. We also welcome donations of old laptops, tablets, and cell phones, helping them bridge the gap between poverty and financial security which can only be reached with the help of technology and communication. Email me for any other ideas or questions you may have.
SEE PRODUCT INFO HERE: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006FW3JM8/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
- Humanitarian: clean water straw filters (as many as possible): $20 each
PRODUCT INFO: http://www.amazon.com/LifeStraw-LSPHF017-Personal-Water-Filter/dp/B006QF3TW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412920740&sr=8-1&keywords=clean+water+straws
Thank you for reading, and for considering helping us to bring light and blessings to some of the most sincere and faithful people, offering their trust and faith and countless prayers to God, who I know loves his dear children in the bush of Kenya.
Christin & Brad Shumway
1911 Enchanted Park Drive
Spring, Texas 77386
832.620.4680
kenyaseeds@gmail.com
*I'm also on facebook! ;)
kenyaseeds@gmail.com
*I'm also on facebook! ;)
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