Kiaruuh got his account taken care of again, and we began to talk about the plan of salvation, but with mixed results. I fasted and prayed for rain for their people, and still wondered what to do about this thing that had come into my life.
I prayed for rain in Kenya. As I did, I had a little thought that said “When you go to Kenya, it will rain.” I dismissed it again, as thoughts of my own.
Even if it weren’t a crazy idea, I knew it would be absolutely irresponsible to go to Kenya, especially right now, after Brad had been unemployed now for 6 months. Things were beyond “tight” financially, and we just didn’t have it. At that point, I realized that the so-familiar time/money problem was at play. We didn’t have the money in any way, but we had never had more time…. On the other hand, if Brad did have a job, and we had plenty of money, we then wouldn’t have the time. In fact, if Brad had a job, neither we nor I would be able to go, because someone needed to stay home with the family. This opened my eyes up to the rare opportunity of time that I realized we had before us. Never would we again have a chance like this to have plenty of time to take a trip to Kenya. For the first time, I began to consider that maybe Brad’s endless trials and opposition with the job hunt might have been for the reason that he would be openly available for an important errand to Kenya! It was a far off thought, but it was a possibility that I kept in my heart and mind.
A few days later, Kiaruuh called again, to say hello, and also to share with me that he had learned of his official graduation date, March 22. He asked me if I could come, and Brad and our children, pleading that I might find some way for us to be there. In chats,he said that if I could make it, their family would definitely celebrate by “dropping a goat,” and some hens. He said that we could stay with his family there in his home. I kept telling him that it was impossible. But in my heart, I began to think about things, just entertaining the idea, reasoning about the details in it.
I thought again about time. Yes, Brad had time, but I was tied to the schedule of a little toddler that I gave childcare for. His mom is a teacher, working teachers calendar days, and she also didn’t have a lot of other options or places for him to go for a full week or more. This meant that if I were to go to Kenya –which would be crazy of course- I was limited to either going during the summer when school is out, or during Spring Break.
Summer was a bad option, especially since the communications with Kiaruuh were spotty and drawing to a close. Besides, I would certainly hope that Brad would have had a job by June!
So it looked like Spring Break would be the only time that I/we would be able to go. I also knew that if I were to go, it would have to begin with going to Kiaruuh’s graduation. In my heart I knew it.
Since the third message that he ever sent (see "Introduction"), Kiaruuh had invited me time and time again to his special graduation. It would be a priceless token of love and kindness to both him and his family if we were to make such a sacrifice for his graduation, and it is love that builds bridges into people’s hearts. The quote is true: “I don’t care what you know until I know how much you care.” Each miraculous story of Jesus Christ’s ministry began with love and service, followed by gospel learning, and his is the perfect example.
On the Sunday of my contemplation about calendar and graduation, my feelings were confirmed as we listened to a talk by John Bytheway about the story of Ammon. He made a great and timely point that Ammon went to a far off land where he was a stranger, in the name of missionary work. Upon arrival, rather than pushing the gospel on the people and King Lamoni, he only desired to show his love, through service. After being completely humbled by his sacrifice and service, the king and the people were hungry to know more. This was pure truth and an answer to my heart. It needed to be this way. Attending the Graduation was definitely a theme and an important part of all of this. It was the best way for me to show first, how much I care for those people.
But Kiaruuh’s graduation was to be held on March 22, the week after Spring Break. It just wouldn’t work out.
And, again, that’s only if I were to go, which was an insanely crazy idea still.
So I talked with the Lord, mentioning in prayer that if I weren’t crazy by thinking that perhaps he was sending me, it still wasn’t working out, because Graduation wasn't being held at a time that I could go.
Plus, we obviously didn’t have the money.
Those were two unalterable obstacles, so I couldn’t go. And I left it at that.
Since the day that I had begun to consider going to Kenya in my mind, scriptures started opening up to me, always about sharing the word of the Lord with those in far off lands. I would just open up the pages of the Book of Mormon, and the same messages would come in front of my eyes, but in all different places in the book. Every, single, day. Messages that the Lord has not forgotten His covenant with His children, in the far off lands. Every day, I read scriptures about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the lost tribes, and the word being brought to them, as they are gathered in. EVERY day. At first I thought, what a coincidence. But it continued for 4, 6, 7, 10, 12 days, day after day, without a break. Something was happening, I could not deny it. So my mind and heart kept returning to the possibilities. But I still had the same two problems.
The next fast Sunday, I knew what I needed to fast and pray about. I knew that something was happening and needed to be done, but I didn’t know exactly what, or how. I just felt pressure in my heart.
Kiaruuh had been messaging me a little that week, again inviting me to his graduation, which his family was very happy about. He asked if maybe it were possible to send him a small token to represent us instead of our personally being there (which, after going on for so long about addresses and already having one package lost, I knew that it wasn’t going to happen). We began discussing that, and other things about his family.
During sacrament meeting, as I listened to one of the testimonies, I had a random thought about the little message, but instead of focusing on the words about the token, I faintly remembered the date... it seemed different. I pulled out my phone and scrolled to verify in his message:
My graduation will be on 13 march at Garissa teachers training college. I know u cant attend bt u can sent a small token if u wish
March 13.
Not March 22.
When was Spring Break?
My heart started pounding as I opened up my calendar app right there in Sacrament Meeting.
Spring Break: March 9-16.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and my eyes began to well up with tears. Kiaruuh's graduation date was moved right to the middle of Spring Break.
Knowing nothing about the importance of Spring Break, Kiaruuh had unknowingly informed me of a small detail, that his graduation date had been changed to the only time that I had a window to come. In fact, upon evaluating it, I have since assessed, that, because of ticket prices and travel times to that far-off graduation town of Garissa, March 13 was the absolute only day possible that the graduation could have been held on, in order for me to be in attendance, and that was the exact day that it was moved to.
When I saw that, my heart brimmed full and pounded almost out of my chest, and right there in Sacrament meeting, I began to cry, almost weeping. I thought,“I think I’m going to Kenya.”
NEXT PAGE: 7- Preparations
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