The Scheenstra Family

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.
3 John 1:5-8 

In a previous post, I mentioned talking with my friend Sarah about Africa Inland Mission (AIM). Sarah has first-hand experience with this missions organization because her family partners with AIM to serve as missionaries to Kenya. I met Sarah when we were both freshmen in college. Since then, we have continued to grow in our friendship. I rejoice in the ways God has used each of us to encourage one another and testify to His love on campus.

Sarah has shared with me a bit about how God has called her family into ministry. I hope to hear more from her parents directly while I'm in Kenya. Upon my acceptance to AIM, it was confirmed that I would be staying with Sarah's family for the summer. Her parents have been serving with AIM in Kenya for almost 25 years now. Sarah and her three younger siblings (Joshua, Rachel, and Samuel) were all born and raised in Kenya.

I am excited to be hosted by the Scheenstra family because I know they have so much wisdom that I will be able to glean from. Even in my e-mail correspondence with Sarah's parents Roger and Sue, I realized how different life is for them. They know that life is full of the unexpected and joke about making plans and scheduling things so that they have something to deviate from. This is such a change from busy Stanford schedules which are usually over or double booked for 16 hours of the day. By the end of the summer I hope I will have a better understanding of how long-term missionary families practically follow God in all areas of life.

Sue is a nurse in the village clinic. She and another Kenyan nurse run the morning clinic on a day to day basis. In the afternoons and outside formal clinic hours, she makes house visits to meet whatever needs are present. By meeting some of the physical needs of the people, Sue then has the opportunity to minister to the spiritual needs as well. Roger can probably be considered a "Jack of all trades." He gets involved in community projects through which he interacts with the people and demonstrates God's love. Much of the time, he works on water projects to provide the people with needed well water. Oh how he must understand the concept of Jesus as the Living Water!

While I would love to share more about the Scheenstra family, I am purposely being vague for their protection and safety. Please keep the entire family in your prayers. They are currently in different places around the world. Sarah is studying abroad in the UK this quarter. Josh is in college in the US. Rachel and Sam are at boarding school near Nairobi while Roger and Sue are at home in the field. I know the family is looking forward to having Sarah home for a few days so Praise God for that. When they are apart, I hope they maintain close communication and take comfort in knowing that God is watching over each of them. Roger and Sue ask for prayer that the spiritual forces of evil will be prevented from working and causing bondage and deceiving the people they are ministering to. I have also been praying that God provide strong physical health and safety, as well as fruitful relationships with the people. I thank God for the Scheenstra family and their heart to serve Him (and host me!).