In the belly of the whale

 

Well it has been almost a whole week since returning “home”

I often got the question when I was visiting Washington, Do you miss Uganda? How do you divide your time? How do you leave your family and everything you know for such a long period of time? How do you know it’s what God has called you to do? Aren’t you ever scared?

It was hard to originally leave my family. Hard to be the first child to move away and in a BIG way. Often times feeling like I was almost …separating the family by moving to Africa. It was even harder this last time, for some reason there was just an extra sense of closeness. Maybe it was all those nights getting to be that cool big sister: laying in bed late at night telling jokes, talking about boys, and how hard that test at school was going to be. Or waking up in the morning after my dad had left and crawling in bed with my mom just to share about life and catch her up on what I was going through. Asking advice. And just sharing our hearts. It was the moments when I was spending time with my older brother playing music and singing for countless hours at night in the garage together. Watching my dad come home after a long day at work and just being able to be there in person. And an occasional disagreement here or there.

How could I leave such a supportive family for the other side of the world? Wasn’t I scared? I was giving up yummy warm mom made meals for rice and potatoes, long uninterrupted conversations for choppy in and out Skype calls, and looooong hot showers for a bucket bath. Sure, there are moments where I would give anything to be with my family. During those school awards or holidays. But what I am more scared of. What I am more afraid of missing out on what God has obviously called me to do, to walk away in disobedience to where the Lord has provided for me.

This week Empower A Child was asked to attend an help lead a children’s conference. The theme of the week was ‘Fishers on Safari’. We were asked to lead the kids in the story of Jonah. We acted it out in a skit. The kids loved it. As we acted out I was hit with this idea that often times we are so much like Jonah and we run from what God has called is. My favorite part of the story of is when Jonah realizes what God was teaching him after being taken into the belly of the whale:

2 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. ² He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
³ You hurled me into the depths,
    into the very heart of the seas,
    and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
    swept over me.
⁴ I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’
⁵ The engulfing waters threatened me,^[b]
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
⁶ To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.

⁷ “When my life was ebbing away,
    I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
    to your holy temple.

⁸ “Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
⁹ But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

¹⁰ And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Verse 8 is my absolute favorite because it doesn’t need to be re said any different way. It is just how we should read it. I can’t cling to earthly relationships, food, or the comforts of being home. God has loved me so passionately. So much so that He sent his son for me. How could I ignore his calling in my life?

My life should not be lived in the belly of the whale but in the streets of Nineveh!  

It’s easy to feel this way when things are going well but the real test is when I am discouraged or feeling overwhelmed by the business of the office and working/ living in ministry. Walking through the village of Zirobwe after a long month away. I was so challenged to start working towards my goal for 2015. God has called us to have deep intentional relationships with other believers and especially in a ministry organization. To take the extra time to see what God is doing in individuals lives. I want to be so intentional with my relationships this year and see how rewarding it is to invest in lives of others. Take the focus off of me and what God is allowing me to have and rejoice in what God is doing in the lives of those closest to me!

How can you pray for me?

·         I would love to go to school and I am praying about what to major in. I am hoping applying for FAFSA so I can do online classes. I would like to start working towards a communications degree and maybe being a high school counselor. I know I want to work with people.

·         Pray for the women empowerment program with the prostitutes and the street ministry. A budget is being drafted and the Lord is already providing.

·         For the youth in Zirobwe that they would see Godly counsel and follow the Lords leading in their lives.

·         For the EAC team and everything that we are implementing in this new year. For all of the volunteers the ones that are here and those who are preparing to come.

·         For my personal study time. That I will always make time for that quiet time with God.

·         For Jackie (16) and Dora (7) my sponsored kiddos to see an example of Christ in me and that I will be able to mentor them with so much of God’s love. <3

 

Thank you for your continued support!

 

If you would like to send me snail mail or a care package with some of my favorite snacks I would be forever grateful and I am sure the Lord will give you extra blessings. Things like peanut butter m&ms, peanut butter crackers, chocolate covered raisins, fruit snacks, hot chocolate with marshmallows, hand written letters, and anything else.  J

Shannen Kennedy

c/o Empower A Child

P.O. Box 33273

Kampala, Uganda