see you later then

Yesterday I went to the airport with several friends to say "see you later" to Kelsey (who will be ministering in Zambia for a year) and the team (who will be there for two weeks). Oh man. It was heart-wrenching to see the tears of friends and family as they prepared to see her go and eventually watched her walk toward her departure gate. It was a bittersweet display of the many lives Kelsey has touched who did not want to let go of her for so long but were excited about the journey God has ahead of her. Not only was it hard for me to see her go because she will be away for so long, but it was hard to see her leaving without the assurance that I would be joining her in a few weeks, as it has been for the past two years. My heart aches to join the beautiful harmonies of Zambian worship and to take pictures of the sweet children who love to see themselves making silly faces. It has been too long since I have had the joy of watching my Zambian brothers and sisters in Christ take hold of how to share the Gospel and disciple new believers.

However, though I may not get to be a tangible part of her ministry in Zambia until Spring Break or even Summer, I am so excited that God has called Kelsey to Zambia for this year and that she has been obedient to his call. If you don't know what stepping out on faith looks like, here it is: Kelsey just graduated high school, which means if she was like most people around here, she would be going to college this year. However, she felt that God was calling her to do ministry in Zambia this year, and so that's what she is doing. It doesn't end there though. When you plan to do ministry in Zambia, there are a lot of uncertainties involved. Basically, Kelsey does not know exactly where she will live (or the living conditions involved) or what she will do. She is working with an organization that will take care of her, but still, there are lots of unknowns. Now that is trusting in God! I am so encouraged and challenged by her example.

Her obedience is such a picture of this verse: "Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." Mark 10:29-30. For this year, Kelsey has left her home, family, friends, and pretty much everything else behind to further the Kingdom.

Please pray for Kelsey (and for the team!)...
--safety in travel
--openness to the Gospel among the Zambians
--communication with the Zambians, especially with pastors and church members
--for Kelsey...that God will provide friends for her so she is not lonely, that she will stay healthy and safe, that God will bring people to himself through her and that she will be able to disciple them

Please pray for this team. Spiritual warfare is real, but prayer is powerful! Our God is greater!

Our Kelsey prayer bracelets!

Kelsey's Send-off Party