“In all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Colossians 3:22-24
In the past month I have been to Kenya and the U.K. Most of you have know that I would be traveling to Kenya, but majority of you and even unbeknownst to me, up until a week before I left would have known I would be traveling to the U.K…
Kenya:
My journey first started in Kijabe, Kenya where I returned to the hospital that I visited in January. I was part of a team of 24 volunteers, staff and interns who worked on master planning, a new pediatrics wing, landscape, water, waste-water, storm-water, geotechnical data, and electrical planning.
The team of 24 was broken up into smaller parts. I was part of the pediatrics team. Our team was to provide the hospital with a design for a new pediatrics building, which is called Bethany Kids at Kijabe Hospital. Bethany Kids at Kijabe Hospital is an extension of the main AIC Kijabe Hospital and will share a few of the existing facilities such as x-ray, ultrasound, pathology, and surgery departments. However, the new design we presented the hospital with provided 86 bed spaces, including ICU, Maternal Child Healthcare, special treatment facilities, and an outpatients department which were all designed specifically for the pediatrics building only.
The new design for the Bethany Kids building allowed the master planners to reorganize the main hospital which was not only a desire for the hospital but also a crucial need. The hospital was very pleased with our work and will begin construction of the new building in the near future.
Below are some of the perspective drawings we put together for our design.
“There is one body and one spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all”
Ephesians 4:4-6
U.K.
After my time in Kenya, two of the other eMi interns and I were asked to spend a week in London at eMi’s U.K. office so that we could continue to work on a few follow up details for Kijabe Hospital. It felt like this was an extra unexpected blessing from the Lord to be able to spend time in London.
On Sunday the three of us were looking for a place to go to for a worship service. “Hillsong” Church was recommended to us. So we headed to “Queens Theatre” where their services are held. We spent an hour + just worshiping in song. I remember looking all around me and just being in awe. It was while I stood there in the middle of this theatre that I felt the Lord allowed me to grasp just a piece of how big he is. I had traveled to Colorado, Kenya, and now London and he was there – everywhere, in all of these places. It didn’t matter where I was on this Earth, the Lord is there also.
Another thing that stuck me was seeing the Body of Christ in all these places. In London while at Hillsong, the worship leader asked us to “turn and greet your neighbors” I went to say hello to the woman next to me and she just smiled looked me right in the eyes and gave me one of the biggest hugs I have ever received. I have never seen this woman in my life, and I probably never will again here on this earth. But at that moment it seemed normal to hug, she wasn’t a stranger, but my sister in Christ and was there to praise the Lord together.
I can’t believe there are only a few remaining weeks left of my eMi internship. I believe the Lord has been with me every step of the way during this experience and I can’t praise him enough for allowing me to be part of all this. While I only have a short amount of time left with eMi (my internship ends in early August) I ask that you might lift me up in prayer for the following things:
I am approximately $800.00 short of what I was asked to raise. Please pray that I will not be anxious or fearful about this, but I will put all my trust in the Lord to provide.
Please pray that in the remaining time I have with eMi that I will be able to keep my heart, eyes and ears open to any ways the Lord would like to use me while in Colorado. And that I will keep growing in my faith during my final weeks here.
Please pray about my transition back home taking place in August. I am not sure exactly where the Lord will lead me next. But I ask you to pray that he will clearly guide me in my decisions on the next steps to take in my life.
Laslty, that I will not forget all that the Lord has taught me while on this journey with eMi. Whether He spoke to me through blessings, struggles, challenges, or grace, I hope to use all the experiences I gained to help both myself and others in whatever it is that he leads me into next.
Thank you for your prayers and support. I look forward to sharing with you more stories and experiences upon my return to Boston in early August.
Many Blessings,
Alicia
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