Kenya believe we're a week out?

NEXT Wednesday Allison and I will begin our journey to Kenya. We are to meet at the church at 2am to board a bus to take us to LAX. From LAX we fly to Boston, from Boston to Amsterdam, and then from Amsterdam to Nairobi. We spend the night in Nairobi and board a bus next morning to Kitale, where I will spend the following 10 days and Allison will spend the next six months.

I have all my immunizations taken care of and even filled my malaria pill prescription. My suitcase is beginning to look like I'm going somewhere. My shifts are all covered at work, the mail and newspaper stopped, someone will be watering my plants and my bills will all be paid on time.

But that is all the easy part. Preparing myself mentally--more emotionally really--is what I am working on the most. I know what we will basically be doing when we are there. And the biggest part will be caring for these little children. Literally taking care of them...feeding them and giving them a bath and touching them and laughing with them and encouraging them...and loving them as the beautiful children of God that they are.

Tears are running down my face as I type this. I don't know that there is any way to prepare myself for this really. I went to Vienna and Prague for vacation last year. Venice and Paris the year before that. I'm admitting to you that this is WAY out of my comfort zone. I am afraid I will not be strong enough to do this...I am afraid I will cry for two weeks.

But I know I am supposed to be there. For some reason. I am asking for your thoughts, your prayers, your encouraging words. I know the time with Allison will be a GREAT joy...watching her in action will be incredible.
I am praying that I can be used. That I can fulfill a purpose. That I will come back in two weeks and tell you that I made a difference and that someone was blessed because I went to Kitale, Kenya for my vacation this year...instead of Italy.