April came but now it's May. Oh my goodness it is May?!?!?! Is that even possible.

My teammate Alison and I have been laughing and making jokes just thinking about the times in Busia, Uganda when we would walk down the road talking about if we truly thought we could make it the entire 8 months. We joked a lot but we are happy to say it appears that we may actually make it.

 So April came in with a bang...On April 1st (Fools Day) we awoke and began the day with what we hoped would have been an April fools joke only to find out the jokes and funny haha's of that day had escaped us. Our wonderful leaders in Gainesville, GA (Kelly and Jimmy) had call to inform us that one of our beloved brothers, and the only one on this team of 12 the truly understands my love for burnt toast was going to be departing from us the next evening. John leaving was a surprise for that very morning but we trust in our leader's decisioin making and the will of God that the call for him to leave was the right choice. But do not worry he did not leave because of any bad issues at home like death or sickness, it was purely just the will of God and being back in Texas (woo-hoo Texas) is exactly where the Lord had intended him to be at this moment the entire time. John I love and miss you so much brother. Not just because you make killer burnt toast, or for the simple fact I haven't heard (GET OUTTA GEORGIA) in a month. But simply because I love you and after spending 7 months of up and down's, in and outs, malaria and typhoid you just grow to love them and miss their presence from your life. But I am hoping, wishing and praying on the fact that I may be able to see you in 10 days in Houston.

 So the month continues; shortly after John's departure we got yet another call from Kelly and Jimmy (the worlds best leader's pretty much) telling us that as our host Paul would be leaving S.E.E.K so would we.Yes I said it, this group of 11 would yet again would be packing up for the 4th time and leaving to return to Uganda for our last few weeks in Africa.

         You see without going into great, grand detail things with Paul and S.E.E.K did not see eye to eye on somethings and there was just a heavy spirit of disunity. So Paul would be moving off the S.E.E.K base and we just didn't feel it right or the right thing for the 11 of us to stay there without Paul. So we were able to talk with True Vine ministry's, a ministry in Tororo, Uganda that we have visited before and we know about this place because Reece (one of my teammates) her church partner's and has been partnering with this ministry for 10 years. Her dad is the pastor of her church in California and he gave us all the contact information that we needed for this place. So in January we visited for a week and we all knew that this is the place we needed to come back to. This has truly felt like my home in Africa. The week we spent here in January won my heart for this place and I thank God that it was in his plans for us to make it back here before we left. This has been a long process for our team going and living then leaving. It has taken more of a tole on myself then I would have ever seen coming. But I think I have found out something surprising about myself in all of our travels and moving on this trip. I more like the abrupt leaving that you never really saw coming or planned on than the goodbye and leaving process you wait for and you know is coming. I am not sure what this speaks about me or my character but for myself and being on this trip where I have met some pretty amazing people (people that I as a joke on my team have decided I want to put in cages in my house so I can keep these people around me), some people that it honestly just sucks to say goodbye to and realize that both of our lives will go on without each other in them, but we will both be okay and I am happy that it was God's will for our paths to cross. Even if it was for a brief moment in time that would abruptly end with a quick hug and goodbye on a rainy night in Kisumu as our impatient bus driver honked the horn to warn us that he was about to depart with or without us.

 To Paul, Erin, Jared, Hezron, Juliet, Michael, JP, Jesse, Joy, Priska, John & Joshua, the girls at Mbita Primary, Omari,Sammie (worlds greatest Piki Piki driver), even the Land Rover (still is the Land Rover my friend or arch-nemesis?), baby David.

 These people are amazing, they filled my time in Kenya with wonderful memories and laughable moments that I hope I can go home and relay to my friends and family but I know it just won't quite be the same....things like.....

    SLAY IT!!!

    Quap

    Suclolo

    BWAH

    Paul's quaping dance

fruit salad

chatting with Erin

fighting with Hezron (in all good fun, kinda)

WOW!!!!

Yiker's

....................

The list could go on but for now I will let it rest in my heart, Goodbye to these wonderful people, I hope and pray to see you again one day but rest on the certainty that I WILL see you again one day in heaven.

   God Bless these people for blessing me, may there hands be used in your kingdom to advance your kingdom. Your will be done and your blessing me many. God protect, God provide, God stay close to your children, loving them and growing them. Thank you that for a brief 3 months in Mbita, Kenya our lives and God's will was lived out together. We love you daddy......

                                                                             AMEN!!