Where did the time go?

Crap! Leaving for Africa in 6 days and not ready yet. Last time we went to Kenya, I had weeks to prepare and ready my mind, organize my projects, and plan a worthy agenda. Not this time. Too much going on with family events (Melanie's graduation from HS), work events (getting a deal closed), more work events (trying to help a friend start a company), and even more work events (helping another friend start another company). 

I want to bag it all, take two weeks off to meditate, and then figure things out, but I don't have that luxury. It isn't about me anyway...that is what I have to keep telling myself. The busyness of life is Satan's way of keeping my mind off of what is true religion...helping orphans and widows in their distress.  Too often I justify the busyness of my life by calling all this interest "God's blessings". I am not sure that is the truth. I AM sure of what is the truth...the work we do with Christian Relief Fund with AIDS/HIV orphans in Kenya, Tanzania and other places in Sub-Sahara Africa. 

I have 6 days to focus my heart and mind on that. It is tough...everyone seems to want a piece of me lately. 

A group of 6 of us leave Wednesday the 1st of July for Kenya...a group of 13 from Amarillo, TX will join us in Amsterdam along the way. Our mission is to help several groups of AIDS orphans and the men and women ministering to them. Francis Bii in Eldoret is a saint. In two short years (since our last visit), he has fed, educated, cared for, and ministered to hundreds of orphans in the name of God. He is not only taking care of the orphans, but entire villages affected by disease, drought, political strife, or just plain hunger. I am amazed at how much he does with so little we give him. So, when we land in Eldoret, the 19 of us are going to do a few things: 1) build desks for the school he has started; 2) maybe buy the school for him; 3) fund another microfinance project or two; 4) just show him some love to let him know he is not doing things in vain, and that we notice.

The rest of the time we will be back at our favorite place, Kisumu, and the Nyalenda Slum. Jared Odhiambo has turned part of that large slum into a refuge of education, healthcare, spiritual warfare, and normalcy for hundreds of AIDS orphans. The people there need us to help them figure out what is next for their little community...how do we expand what they already do well? How do we commercialize things to make them sustainable? Again, we will turn to Microfinance to see what can be done for the people. We will also do some housekeeping and paint classrooms, repair things, and re-stock supplies as necessary.

I am excited to go. I am unprepared, which is unlike me. I hope a wave of panic hits me soon and drives me to get ready! For now, I need to clear my mind of the clutter that has filled it lately, and focus on what is real.

Chow!