His Plan is Always Better Than Mine

Phil and I were scheduled to return to Kenya for another long stay. We planned to head over in May of this year, and then pushed it back to November. Then when Phil started working for a company again we knew our long trip wasn't going to happen. But I could still go.

I was planning on flying over for the first week of November. We had tickets already, just needed to move the dates a bit.

I really really really REALLY wanted to go. I didn't have a full plan of what to do other than spend a couple days on our water projects with Until Then and Freewaters, but I could easily find things to fill my trip.

But it didn't feel right.

A lot of times, well most of the time, I have a personal agenda I'm pushing for wanting to do something. Sure, I already had the plane tickets and a place to stay, but there was no real reason for me to go (other than not wanting to lose the ticket). Because I wasn't working I had the time, but it also meant we were on a tighter budget and going to Kenya for a week would be pushing it financially.

I was praying about it and seeking advice, but I just REALLY wanted to go. I love Kenya, and you probably already knew that about me.

I had it worked out to go by myself and meet up with friends at Mattaw Ministries (sponsor one of their kids for $35/month!). But then I had a dream.

Dreams are how God captures my attention, which must mean I need to listen when I'm awake.

I don't remember the dream now, it was about a month ago, but I recall sharing with Phil that the message was loud and clear not to go to Kenya. And I was bummed. I can't think of a better word for how I felt. Just bummed.

About three weeks later I was offered a job and it was perfect timing as we struggled meeting our tight budget. In the back of my mind, and on my heart, I was still trying to justify going to Kenya. Maybe God would change His mind?

East Africa (roughly)

If you've been following the world news you're familiar with the current famine crisis in East Africa. Global headlines on the situation in Somalia started in August, the UN estimating 29,000 children died in a few weeks time. Slowly we're hearing famine is realistically affecting Ethiopia, South Sudan (which gained independence from Sudan in July) and Kenya, too.

The famine is caused (and increasing) from a number of factors, including political instability, drought, corruption, war and disease.

So you can guess that I was even more pumped up to get back to Africa and do whatever I could. I already kind of had tickets... even though by this time I had cancelled them.

And then this week in the Kenyan news we've heard nothing but targeted terrorist attacks against American/European tourists, generated from a distantly-linked Al-Qaeda group from Somalia. My father in law was scheduled to go to Kenya in mid November and he canceled his trip, and he's gone to Kenya during some of the worst possible conflicts you could imagine.

I would have been in Kenya right now if I had stuck to my plans. In addition to the target I'd be for an attack, can you imagine the financial cost it would have been to change my ticket to leave, have to stay at hotels near the airport and travel back and forth from the embassy?

My point in sharing this with you is that my God didn't want me to be in Kenya right now, and I didn't understand why not until a few days ago. I couldn't imagine why He had called me to serve in Africa and help street kids, but not want me to go to Africa to help street kids. But praise the Lord, He had other plans and they were beyond better than mine.

There have been several prayers this year that God has answered with a "no/not yet" that have come to fruition, but I'll save that for another post.

Praying for those effected by famine and terror,

Dalene