Sowing the Seeds of Love...

What a journey! Tonight I had the awesome pleasure of meeting some incredible kids, the Daraja Children's Choir from Kenya. But first things first. There's the kids performing and there is Linda and I, BIG smiles! Some of you know Linda but for those of you who don't let me tell you just how much of a night of celebration this was. Linda became involved with the Youth at our church almost two years ago. While joining the kids on an annual retreat, "Big Stuf", Linda found out about Bright Point, an organization that sponsors children in some of the poorest of countries to provide water, education, and the gospel message. She also found out that some of them were in this choir. Linda came back from that trip absolutely passionate about Africa and these children. For quite awhile she was a one woman show, sharing her vision and talking about these kids. She sought to sponsor four, provide a well in Kenya, and eventually take a trip there. Linda was on fire! She did not take no for an answer. She persevered and she worked tirelessly. Linda had a vision and a passion and she turned to God again and again when things did not look like they were going to work. She trusted God and she reached out to those around her. Tonight was the culmination of all of that.



Marten and I fought tears off and on throughout the performance as did many others. My kids will never be the same after hearing some of their stories, seeing video of the village and the children's home where many of them live. Most are orphaned. So many lives were touched by these kids. But more than that, one woman truly made this happen! Thank you Linda for showing us all just how special these kids are. You are pretty special yourself!

Here we are Sunday night with our small group making preparations for the meal we shared tonight. Thanks Katlin, Samantha, Ansley, and Amanda! You guys are awesome! We missed you Lillie! While we chopped and cooked Linda shared our lesson from Matthew, the parable of the sower. We talked about the seed that is the Word of God, the soil which is our hearts, and the sower, our Father working through the Holy Spirit. I thought about how all of Linda's efforts and the uniting of so many to make this happen, and the kids, and their future. I thought about how all of us were God's instruments, sowing the seeds of love. For all of you that grew up in the 80's with me, yes I thought about the Tears for Fears song...It was a night I will never forget! Thank you sista Linda!

Matthew 13

23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."