Missions Newsletter May 2022

I remember when my sister and her family first left for Africa 8 years ago. They had 2 children, and we had 3. At that time I decided to start saving and praying that we would one day be able to visit them there. After several different times planning to travel to see them and for different reasons having to cancel those plans, we were so grateful when we did get to visit them in March this year.

Traveling with our 5 children to Chogoria, Kenya and getting to experience day to day life with the Webber family, one of Redeemer's longterm global partners, was an adventure for sure, and one we are so grateful the Lord gave us the opportunity to do. One of my favorite things was watching our kids play with their cousins and experience what life is like for them growing up in a different culture. They went with them to parts of their homeschooling, played with other missionary and Kenyan friends, slept with mosquito nets, climbed trees to pick loquats, visited neighbors accepting and eating food they weren’t accustomed to, walked trails to waterfalls, hunted for chameleons (and unicorns) and just spent time with their cousins in their daily environment.

I personally loved getting to spend time with Lauren and Derek and experience what life is like for them daily. Filtering water or being without power and not being able to open the refrigerator are things I have heard her talk about, but actually experiencing those gives me a more clear understanding of what that is really like for them. However, more than anything, I loved seeing Lauren and Derek shepherding their children as they grow up in another culture, meet with neighbors who have needs, show hospitality to visitors in the community and those visiting from outside the community, lead and train hospital staff and team members and wrestle with how to do that in a culturally sensitive and effective way.

I think our time there is one that we are still processing and that the Lord will continue to use in the life of our family in ways we don’t even know yet. We are grateful he allowed us to visit them and for Redeemer’s support in doing that.

~ Jenn deVilleneuve