It's a leap of faith, til we find our place, on the path unwinding . . .

On the 27th anniversary of Archbishop Romero's assasination.

Prayer of Oscar Romero :

"It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the Church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. "

"This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own."

And so I am set. I fly out tomorrow - finally. Following what many would agree was a full week, I am going to attempt to leave things behind for ten days and pray that God continues to lead me to the right places in Kenya. I wish I could share with you all the beautiful notes, calls and emails I received from friends, parents, colleagues. They are the reason I am able to even think about following this call. What a gift. My own kids are doing well, a little hesitant about me traveling across the world, but supportive and understanding all the same. I told someone recently that I can't recall how I got here! I mean I can read back through the blog and see my journey but still find it difficult to believe that I have researched, planned, got shots, resigned my job, got the condo for sale, etc . . . .everything that lead me to this day. It is somewhat dream-like. I am expecting a big dose of reality once I hit Nairobi.

God is near, faithful and my companion on this journey. I can not be more filled with gratitude and joy.

I hope I can update the blog somewhere along the trip, or at least email some folks. We shall see.