A little photographical update on College Life

My roommate and I have been trying to keep things alive in our room this year. It is turning out to be quite the challenge. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to water/feed something but turns out it is. In the beginning of the year we carefully (or not so carefully) nurtured a mint plant named Franklin but to our dismay, he bit the dust and we reverently spread his remains around a tree.

Then we attempted raising Triops. They are a sea monkey-ish aquatic creature that start from eggs, hatch, grow, and then lay their own eggs. They were a lot of fun and it was extremely exciting to watch them hatch and grow. They are now all deceased but they actually lived longer than their proposed life span. 

Here is their lovely home

If you look very closely you can see a mini Triop. It's the little white speck thingy. 

And here are grown up Triops. Their names are Jimmy and Josie <3

Now we are growing grass. It has grown very swiftly and lusciously. Hopefully he will continue to grow  as well as he has so far. Oh, and his name is Gilbert. 

 

 Here he is with his long scraggly hair. Stephanie and I decided that he needed a trim. 

This is after we gave him a lovely flat top.

And then we gave Gilbert a bow! 

How cute is he!!!

Kenya Fund Raising

Support letters were sent out for my Kenya trip in the beginning of March and since then I have been getting updates on the funds that have come in. I have been so amazed and blessed be people's generosity. I cannot believe how much support letters can do when you put your faith in them! I still need about $1,000 by May 7th but I know that I will have that money in time. I am not even worried about getting it because I have seen God's faithfulness through the last couple thousand dollars. 

I have to be honest with you all, I am tremendously looking forward to this summer because of all the things that are in store for me. And these are just the things that I already know about; I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises along the way as well. For now, I am just trying to keep my focus on school and my amazing life here. The pace of my classes is going to be picking up soon but all I have to say to that is "bring it on!" 

Insight from a Soldier

This is an excerpt from a conversation between my brother, who is currently in Afghanistan, and my mother. These words are simply too wise to not share and there is a lot we can all take from them. Please remember that these men are fighting so that you can have your freedom and read it with an open heart:

"You know i have to tell you i'm safe, that's my job to keep you from worrying, but just know that when i get to do my job, my real job, I love it. This is what i signed up for and would rather be doing nothing other than leading some of americas finest men of this generation.

"Without these men, america would surely crumble and i simply ask that you remind everyone at home who sleeps warm in the beds at night, with family down the hall, or those who enjoy a relatively safe drive or walk to work without having to worry about getting blown up, or having to put on 50 pounds of gear everyday, the sacrifices these young men make. They work constantly, guarding their brothers and americans at home, knowing that if the worst happens, its worth it, even almost expected because that is often what it takes to build nations and protect its freedoms.

"That isn't meant to worry you at all, because in all honesty, things are not bad right now. But i wanted you to know how i feel about the service of so many of america's boys that were not too long ago in high school or delivering someones newspaper. I just wish all of america appreciated them in the same way."

So, next time you go somewhere without having to seriously worry about your safety, remember what our soldiers are going through to make that possible. I'm no soldier but I think all they want from us is to remember what they're going through and be grateful for their sacrifice.

It's simple but incredibly important.

-Kenz

A Journey to the Slums

Hello Everybody!

I would like to officially announce to you all that I will be traveling to the Mathare Valley in Kenya, Africa this summer. Mountain Christian Church is sending 80+ people from the congregation to bring the hope of Jesus to a poverty stricken place. We are divided into several smaller teams, and I am on the sewing and knitting team. We will be teaching women of the valley how to make certain marketable sewn and knitted projects that they can sell to help provide for their families. I am very excited to teach them such a valuable skill but I am even more excited for the relationships that are going to be built while there. I already know that God will be working in ways that I can not even imagine.

A picture of the Mathare Slums which hundreds of thousands of people call home.

I know that this trip is going to significantly expand my comfort zone, but I am glad for that. There will not be change in the world if we all stay within our comfort zones. I am preparing myself for the challenge and growth that will occur during this trip. Please join me in praying for the people of the Mathare Valley, and for our team that will be going there in June.

I am praying to you

because I know you will answer, O God.

Bend down and listen as I pray.

-Psalm 17:6

Currently, I am working on my support letters that I will be sending to many of my family and friends. In these letters I will be giving information about my trip (much of which will be able to be found here), and asking for two things:

1. I am asking for you to commit to praying for my trip to Kenya. Prayers that our team and the people who we will be interacting with will be able to attentively listen to the perfect calling of God. This is my most important request because without God, this trip will not be possible.
2. I am asking for monetary donations toward my trip. I hate having to ask for money but it is an essential part of the process of going on a short-term mission trip and very important. If you would like to give you can give online at http://mountainchristian.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=104852, or wait patiently until you receive a support letter.

I would greatly appreciate it if you are able to do one, or both of these things, but above all, I am requesting your prayers. Thank you in advance for joining me in an endeavor to follow God into areas that desperately need his unfailing love.

Romans 8:35-39:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ,

Mackenzie