To Africa and Back Again....

To my best calculations I’ve spent 40 hours in the air on 14 flights, almost 20 hours in several different airports between here and Africa. How long was I gone you ask? Exactly 5 weeks, that’s a lot of transition my friends. All in all it was a great trip, I’m so thankful I could go and feel very blessed to have such an amazing support team. I will try to explain everything as best as I can, I’m sure you all have many questions and I hope I can shed light onto most of them but if I don’t and you have more, PLEASE don’t hesitate to email me and ask. You never know how HE will use something to impact someone else.

NOTE:  For security reasons I will not disclose every name of people or the exact location of every place I’ve been. Thank you for understanding.

Burundi was my first stop. I got to reconnect with the Miller family that I had met about year and ½ ago, it was so good to see them and catch up. The husband and wife are doctors and working at a hospital in the Capital. J showed me around the hospital and we talked about the dental opportunities the hospital would like to see. I stayed with them for couple of days, catching up with them, their 4 kids and how much they’ve grown, and hearing about what all HE has done in the last year.

unique palm tree

Rare Burundi Bird

UGANDA was next on the list. Uganda is in what my company likes to call, Central Region, I met with the leadership for this region and talked about the opportunities for me to work. You know that saying, “if you want to make G*d laugh, tell Him your plans”, well this would be the funny part of my trip for Him. Doors where shut and I started to feel discouraged and was losing hope. Although leadership was supportive and discussed options I hadn’t considered, everything was up in the air. The evil one was working and I was just ready to see a familiar face, someone to hold my hand and pr*y with me. So…

KENYA here I come! I knew I had 5 meetings set up in Kenya and it would be the biggest part of the trip. 2 Region offices are located there plus other departments as well, not to mention the friends I was hoping to see. The Brown Family, who I met the same time as the Millers at ABO last year, picked me up from the airport and agreed to host me for 2 weeks. I had an instant connection with this family….. could be because the wife and I share the same name and are a lot alike. It was so great to debrief my trip so far with such a great friend and then talk about other possibilities as well. As I began to prepare for meetings I found myself “planning” again, I know I know…don’t laugh;  you would think I’d learn,  but I don’t. I had these possibilities in my head of what could happen and of course I left 2 meetings with 2 shut doors. I started wondering if I would see any doors open at all. So I had a long, and much needed, talk with the BIG man. He changed my perspective and I no longer was looking for the perfect opportunity to present itself but I was pr*ying for good relationships to be made and possibilities of anything. “What does HE want me to do? Where does HE want me to wait?” Wait because the right placement for me might not be ready yet, so where could I serve HIM until then. “What other gift/passions has he given me that I could use?”

Local Market Entertainment

Great Friends

 It was time for a meeting with the Northern Region of the company. I wasn’t thinking anything would really come out of the meeting, maybe that sounds bad, but I was just hoping to make contacts and hear another person’s thoughts. Guess what happen?? The Director told me about a place I wasn’t even considering and asked if I would be willing to check it out! For this to happen the people on the ground in this “special” place would have to agree that they wanted me and would like for me to come look at the facilities. This type of thing usually takes weeks to happen, planning, time. Of course I would need to postpone my flight back to the states, book a flight to this place and we would wait to hear back from these people. Meanwhile, the next morning I met with Eastern region and the Medical Rep for the company. They too had an opportunity they wanted to talk to me about. On the East Coast of Kenya there is a small Island, Mombasa, and there is a husband and wife looking to start a team in the future. They asked if I would want to go check this place out before I returned to the states. Time check: this is the Friday before I was to leave for the states on Tuesday.

Friday afternoon I went to look at a dental clinic about an hour outside of the capital. Door Shut, I called and set up a meeting but no one was there. So I stayed with friends close by and waited by the phone to hear if I was changing my flight or not. Saturday morning, only 48 hours…. not weeks -  I get the call that the people on the ground would love to meet with me. What a BIG King I serve!!! From there I just knew everything would fall into place; and it did!  Monday morning I heard back that I did in fact have space on the flight and my flight to the states was changed for a cheaper rate than we thought. I allow enough time to check out this opportunity in North Region as well as Eastern Kenya. Both areas are completely different but I see where He could use me in both. So now I have 2 wonderful possibilities that He wants to use me and I’m just pr*ying and waiting for His direction. 

Now that I’ve been home about a week, I’ve been able to start back with Physical Therapy, had two doctor appointments and tried to catch up on some sleep. I was able to debrief with the home office of my company just yesterday and share about my trip. The member care director informed me that an opportunity in Central Region has opened up and she sent me the information/emails that I need.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matt. 7:7

Those words couldn’t be truer right now. I’m so thankful that HE has answered my pr*yers and given me such a fruitful trip. I know that HE will direct my path and show me which place and what people group He wants me to serve in. Please Join with me in pr*yer as I wait to hear from Him. 

This is the song HE gave me while I was on my trip and it’s still the song that I continue to hear. Just thought I would share.

I’m waiting, waiting on you Lord.

And I am hopeful.

Though it is painful

but patiently I will wait.

I will move ahead bold and confident.

Taking every step in obedience.

While I’m waiting…I will serve you!

While I’m waiting…I will worship,

While I’m waiting…I will not faint,

I’ll be running the race.

Even while I wait.

I’m waiting, waiting on you Lord

and I am peaceful.

I’m waiting on you Lord.

Though it’s not easy but faithful I will wait.

I will move ahead bold and confident. Taking every step in obedience.

While I’m waiting…I will serve you!

While I’m waiting…I will worship,

While I’m waiting…I will not faint,

I’ll be running the race.

Even while I wait.

While I’m Waiting – John Waller