One incredible way we've seen God work is by providing a house for us here in Kwale, Kenya where we've come to work among the unreached Digo people. Tyler and I have been nomads moving around a total of 30 times in 2021. We finally arrived in Kwale in December 2021 after being on the field for 6 months already. Needless to say, it was absolutely crazy, and most days we just craved a home and a place to stay for more than 2 weeks.
We had no idea where we were going to live in Kwale; we were just trusting in God! When we arrived, we started walking around the villages looking for open houses. We tried many places, and none of them worked for various reasons. Then we found one house that looked really nice but just a bit smaller than what we were hoping for. We talked to the landlord who lives across the street and owns the property. He was so excited about the possibility of having us move into that place. How amazing!
We asked if we could do construction to add another bedroom and bathroom which would add a little more space. He was so accommodating and willing to work with us! So, we negotiated, settled on prices, got him the money, and the construction was off. Now, as I am writing this, we are hoping to move into our beautiful new home in the next week. What a miracle!
God was preparing a place for us here with the Digo long before we even knew, and we are so excited to see how He uses our home to be a blessing to so many people here!
Please pray for us as we continue to learn the Swahili and Chidigo languages, learn the culture and community, and try to become a part of it!
Please pray for the Digo people, that their hearts would be softened to the Lord, and they would be able to see God working all around them and know His love for them deeply.
"We never are at home in any fallen culture because our citizenship is in heaven. Yet, we are always at home because our Father owns the world. As missionaries, we leave as aliens and arrive as aliens." - John Piper
What I have learned from being on the field for 7 months is that missions is all about choosing to pursue others in love every day. Which can be done anywhere - in the States, in Kenya, in China, wherever! But the key is walking in step with the Holy Spirit listening to where your next steps should be. I've heard so many incredible stories from missionaries where God gave them "huge flashing lights that said, 'GO!'" and they knew it was from God, which is amazing! But for Ty and I, we didn't have that. For us it was day by day walking in step with the Spirit. As we knew the heart of the Father more, He led us here. I believe that is just as much a calling on your life as the person who had a clear sign.
God's heart is for His people, and we do not need big flashing lights to love those who are lost in darkness. But it does take faith, not just belief, but real faith! The good thing is we are never a finished product. We will never "make it." Living in God's grace, we will always be growing in our faith in Him. He carries us and sustains us through everything.
So, I guess what I'm saying is, don't wait! Don't wait till you're perfectly qualified, don't wait until you have it all together, don't wait for some big flashing lights, because if you do, you might just be waiting your whole life. My hope for you is that you'll let go of your worries and doubts that are holding you back from letting God use you to bring others into His Kingdom.
And he said to them, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Luke 10:2
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About the Writer: Rachel and Tyler serve in Kwale, Kenya, among the unreached Digo people. Their hope is to build relationships with people to share the gospel and then disciple them to be transformed lives for Christ. A long- term goal is to teach the Digo how to study the Bible in their homes and invite others to do the same. As a nurse, Rachel also hopes to use her medical skills for His Kingdom in some way.