Assignment Time!! And other things...

Habari! That is another greeting meaning "how are you?"
So much has happened within the last week! It is hard to believe I left home over a week ago! We are all safe and healthy for the most part; it is cold and flu season here. I caught a cold and have had many sneezes, but it is almost gone now. Orientation has come to a close. I've learned so much about the culture, I am so excited to go out and learn more! Brian and Deb have been wonderful and they have been our "Momma and Poppa".
Last time I wrote you, I was with a smaller group exploring Nairobi and bartering in the city market. I found I am terrible at bartering because I'm afraid I'll be too mean (ha ha). However, I quickly learned that the Kenyans love to take advantage of wazungus (white people) especially if they are tourists. Once I spoke some Swahili to them, they were a little bit more reasonable. That was exhausting. BUT next time we are in the city, those shopkeepers won't know what hit them! My game is on.
One thing I love about Kenya is that the people are very welcomeing. Everyone I have met has greeted me with a thousand "karibu-sana"s (very welcome). I went to a church just outside of Ngong town and they invited us to take chai afterwards. Sure, in the city they see money when they see us, but the pastors and everyone at the Senta (even the Masai pastors) are great. Kenyans are the most relational people I have met or seen. Most of them have cellphones, but they use them to chat and interact with eachother rather than for gadgets and games. I will be getting used to their concept of time - they are more focused on catching up with a friend who is passing them on the road than getting somewhere on time. I am looking forward to that!
I have already mentioned chai. Kenyans drink chai at least 3 times a day. Yum! After a week of it, I am pretty sure I won't get sick of it. The food here is not as bland as I was told ( picky Paula! ;)). There is a lot of cabbage, rice, meat (with lots of fat), and ugali (maze meal...like grits) - I like it all...minus the fat on the meat. Sukumawiki (sp?) is a dish made of kale and other veggies. No one on the team likes it...my mom feeds me kale, so I'm the only one who doesn't complain. Mom, I hope you're happy.
I feel like there is so much more to tell you all! Unfortunately, I will have to move on.
Our 3 week assignments were announced last night! We are going all over Kenya in pairs. My assignment partner is Beatrice, an Elementary Ed student from Montana State. We will be with Pastor Felix, his wife, and their 2 year old daughter, Blessings. They live in Kwale (which is on the coast not far from Mombasa) and have started a school with 10% Christian students with the rest Muslim. Bea and I will be teaching the kids, providing devotions, and sometimes preaching at Pastor's church. The goal is to build relationships with the Muslim families through the kids, build trust, and share the gospel with them. I have already met the Pastor and he's great! We leave tomorrow morning at 5 am.
I feel good about it. I love my parner, and I am excited to see how God will stretch me. Honestly, I was a little disappointed I wasn't going to an extremely rual area where I would take baths from a tub of cold water... Call me strange if you want to. And I was a little disappointed when I didn't get an orphanage, but my fellow UNC friend, Sam, promised me to give all my love to the children she will be working with in the Haruma slum. Lately, my heart has really desired to go back to a slum and love on the children there. Maybe more to be developed..?
BUT, Kwale will be a challenge that I know God wants me to take. I will be working with kids all the time! Yes! This morning, we were commissioned, annointed with a little oil, and prayed for. It hit me that this will be a difficult 3 weeks with out the other teammates and with out my family. Kenya's population is about 80% Christian, 10% Muslim, and 10% Hindi; so whenever I have been asked to "share a word from The Lord" it has been well accepted because most of them go to church. The Muslims obviously won't be very accepting.

Prayer Requests for me and my team:
Homesickness
Physical sickness
Good relationship with Beatrice
Boldness to evangelize with Muslims
Strength to "press on"
A good fit with Pastor Felix and his family
For me to always say "yes"
And for us to integrate with the culture as much as possible (we need to study more Swahili among other things).

Well, I will hopefully write you at the end of those 3 weeks (if not before, depending). Please keep praying! I love and  miss you all!

Bwana Asafiwe!
Missy

Bwana Asafiwe!!

That is one of many greetings they use here in Kenya which means "praise God!"
I am finally in Kenya! After may hours walking the streets of NYC, spending days in airports, sleeping in an Arab country, we made it here safely without much trouble. Some of the team lost valuables, but God has brought them back.
Our team has bonded nicely! I am very excited to be with them for 6 more weeks. Stepping off the plane made it more real that I am in Africa!
This is our 3rd full day at a Watakatifu Wote Senta and I have already had many adventures. The Senta (Kenyan English) is just outside Ngong Town in Niarobi and it is surprisingly cool in the morings and evenings due to elevation. It is green and lush as well which makes all of our asumptions void. Haha. We have been in orientation mode and training for our 3 week assignments (which won't be known for a couple days). In training, we are practicing Swahili and immersing ourselves in the culture. Four Kenyan students have joined us on our adventure and having them with us is wonderful, even thought they laugh at us quite a bit. Two days ago, we were sent in small groups to Ngong town to buy supplies...but our leader only gave us the Swahili names. Needless to say, we had trouble finding things because we pronounced them wrong. One girl accidentally asked for "mucus toilet". Yesterday, we visited the Mathari slum, one of many in Nairobi. I cannot take the time to descibe what was going on in my heart, but I can tell you that God is working in me and around me. We were encouraged by the hope in the eyes of the children there as they enthusiastically waved while repeating "how are you". Being white, we are given a lot of respect and are welcomed (karibu) often even when our Kenyan friends are overlooked.
For now, I will say goodbye, but hopefully I will be able to update again soon!

Please pray for:
Cultural adjustment (we are in honeymoon stage but it will become more difficult)
More team building
That our hearts with be soft
For health (this is a big one...immunizations do not always work and mosquitoes love me)

Much love,
Missy

P.S. Dad and Mom, I love you! I am doing well. :-*

A Few Last Words

I leave tonight (well, 1:00 AM on Friday). My nerves, excitement, and all that jazz are growing! God has provided most of the funds and I am ready to get on that plane to New York with the other three girls from UNC. Thank you all for your prayers and support so far, I would not have been able to do it on my own! This will be my last post before we arrive in Kenya and I am not sure how often I will be able to get news out to you. Just don't assume the worst if you don't hear from me. :)
Here are some more prayer requests for me and my team:
- Team building
- My openness to my team and the culture, flexibility
- Safety, smooth travel (We fly to Kenya on the 4th and after an overnight in Qatar, we arrive on the 6th)
- Being prepared spiritually, mentally, and physically
- For me to fully depend on God as I am stretched and pushed to do things I may not want to do (and a good attitude to go with it!)
- Boldness
- And the spiritual warfare we will face. There is an enemy who would love to thwart our plans.

Words cannot express my emotions, but I am so blessed to have all of you in my life who care about my aspirations and adventures!

All my love,
Missy

I also have an address while in I'm in Kenya! I would love getting letters from you while I am there. Please note the instructions below:

Missy Barnett
c/o Global Project
FOCUS Centre
P.O. Box 781
Ruaraka 00618 KENYA

DO NOT TO SEND PACKAGES, TELEGRAMS, CABLEGRAMS, REGISTERED
MAIL OR PERSONAL CHECKS, except in case of emergency. The Kenyan postal system is not like ours.Tell your friends and parents to send their letters “air mail” and to use metered stamps (regular stamps are sometimes stolen). Letters generally take 2-3 weeks for delivery to and from Kenya.

I Will Waste My Life

I have had a theme song lately "I Will Waste My Life" by Misty Edwards. You are probably wondering what this has to do with me and Kenya. I will explain soon. The word "waste" in the title will have led your mind wandering to visions of people spending too much time with video games and doing frivolous activities for a lifetime. This is where my mind went when I first heard my worship leader suggest it; why would that be a worship song? However, Misty Edwards has a different implication of "waste" in mind when she sings this song.

Here are the lyrics to the verse:

I will waste my life, I'll be tested and tried

With no regrets inside of me, just to find, I'm at your feet

Let me find I'm at your feet

I'll leave my father's house and I'll leave my mother

I'll leave all I have known and I'll have no other

For the past week, I have been preparing for my trip and saying "goodbye" to friends and family as the reality of leaving for 7 weeks has been soaking in. Being a girl and my mother's daughter, my mind has been traveling to worries beyond my control and my imagination has flown a little too high. What if....

Even without the possibility of these "what if" worries coming true, I am sacrificing things to go on this trip. Sunsets with friends, lying on the grass in the park and cloud watching, rolling down grassy hills, hiking, playing frisbee, time with friends (some bound some leaving in the fall), time with family, making money for college, comforts, safety, etc. I also said goodbye to two dear friends who will be leaving the state this summer as they experience more of what life in Christ has to offer. Yes, I will be missing out on things I am not too enthused to miss.

Chorus:

I am in love with you, there is no cost
I am in love with you, there is no loss
I am in love with you, I want to take your name
I am in love with you, I want to cling to You, Jesus
Just let me cling to you, Jesus

However, I will be gaining so much more! The sacrifices I have mentioned are extremely small compared to the sacrifice Jesus made for us all. I have no right to complain. God has put this trip on my heart for a reason; He has things to teach me. There were many moments when I’ve learned more about myself and who God is this past semester, but He is not finished with me yet. His voice says "go", therefore I am. And I want to go! A new country! A new culture! Obeying this calling from Christ! Learning so many things! Boom baby!

Bridge:

I’ll say goodbye to my father, my mother
I’ll turn my back on every other lover and I’ll press on
Yes, I’ll press on

So that is what I am striving for this summer. To “waste” my summer plans, leaving those I dearly love (even for only 7 weeks) and “press on” because I love my Savior and His purpose for me. This is a big deal even for one summer; it will not be easy at times. I will be stretching myself in ways I never thought and I will have to depend on Christ to hold me up. My ears will have to be attentive to His voice as He guides me on this fantastic opportunity and amazing adventure. I will look forward to telling stories of His faithfulness to this team.