Our time speaking with the staff was full of encouragement, insight, and guidance. They not only want to know if we are a good fit for them and their work, but also if they align with the vision that God has placed on our hearts. One of the questions that sticks out to me from the interview has to do with where we want to work. As Kenzi and I expressed our passion for the people of Kenya and how we are feel called to that country, I heard a question I have never been asked before. I was asked if my desire to go to Kenya (where I grew up as a young child), was truly a felt calling from the Lord or nostalgic in my memories of a home there. I know there were no intentions of questioning our calling, but simply making sure that I was seeking God in all our decisions.
Also, as Kenzi and I are initially focusing on Kenya as our first point of contact with finding a need, we have been open to finding a community fitting our vision in other parts of Africa. We expressed our openness to where the Lord may be leading us and they questioned why we might be needed there. After our interview, we at first found ourselves feeling the need to prove that the location we felt a passion for was of a greatest need for us. I kept trying to find a community perfectly fitting our desire to work with clean water and orphan care. We know they did not mean for us to feel this way, but this did lead to some deeper and great discussion on our part. After long walks and prayer, we feel that we don't need to prove anything and that it is perfectly fine to follow our passions from the Lord, as He can use us for His glory everywhere. We know there is great need in places all over the planet, some more than others, and all I can say is that we want to be His hands and feet today and forever. We plainly seek to go out with a servants heart in His name and are willing to follow the Holy Spirit as doors open and close at any time in the future.
All that being said, this past month has been a time of discernment and growth in coming before the Lord as we want to follow Him. The agency sent us the online applications that we each need to submit and we have begun that process. The applications are pretty detailed and cover topics such as our marriage, financial situation, talents and abilities, and most important of all, our faith. We are aiming to finish and submit them this week.
We have also been talking with some different cross-cultural witnesses that are overseas and have some more conversations set up for this and next week. They do a variety of work such as water treatment, discipleship, education, orphan care, etc. We are learning about their discernment process, current work, and seeking any advice they may provide. It's always really inspiring and cool to go talk with such people and learn about how God is working through them. It fuels our desire to get to work as soon as we can.
Thank you so much for your prayers as we went through the interviews, we greatly appreciate it. We ask that you continue to pray over us and all the decisions that we are making. As we have conversations with more people this week and as we finish up our applications, please pray that it will all be Christ centered and for Him. We are already learning so much about how God wants to use us and look forward to each and every day with Him leading our way.
In Christ,
Mark
