Healed...

Family and Friends,
Jambo! I apologize for the delay since my last update. There are numerous things to report about.
Thank you for your prayers when Douglas and I traveled to his home for a visit. It was so nice to see his parents again and also to meet four of his younger siblings. His two sisters and I had a chance to bond as we went for a walk to the family’s “shamba” (garden), ate roasted maize, listened to my MP3 player, and just chatting. Everyone in the family does speak at least some English; which is so helpful to me!!! We informed Douglas’s immediate family and many others of our plans for the wedding. They are planning to take a mini-bus from his village to come on the wedding day, so we are expecting many of them to attend. Overall, everyone is doing well there and very exciting for the upcoming wedding. Douglas’s father already considers me his daughter and the community (as the culture goes) is ready to accept me as well!
These last few weeks have been filled with trips to neighboring towns, the capitol city of Nairobi, meeting with individuals, and getting things ready for April 11th. We have found a pastor to marry us, who is very flexible to work with our program for the wedding. (He is a friend of Douglas’s.) The wedding committee has been meeting weekly for a while now to delegate tasks, give advice, and pray for the wedding. God has really blessed us with a family-like community that is very willing to help in any way that they can. I also found a tailor and the fabric that I like for the wedding party’s clothes. Douglas and I have also sitting down with the base director (a woman from Switzerland) and her Kenyan husband for counseling. It’s great to be challenged to discuss various topics of marriage and ask questions to another experienced couple (especially cross cultural). We only have a few more weeks until the wedding and things are really coming into place. Without question, I know that we have God’s favor in what we are doing.
When we aren’t planning for the wedding, we continue to help out at the base. We have gone for ministry to another girl’s high school, led worship together several times, Douglas preached in a local church, we cook one day a week (all three meals) together for the base, and doing other things to help when we can.
We have also been looking into the possibility of Douglas getting a visa to come to the U.S. We will be looking more into the immigrant visa for Douglas, even though we don’t plan to stay long-term. We really need your prayers in this area. We believe that God can do anything and that He will provide a way for us. Please when you pray, pray for favor with the embassy, clear direction, finances, and wisdom in the whole process for us.
Recently I wrote about my battle against malaria and typhoid. On Thursday we decided to take a trip to Nairobi to visit one of the best hospitals. They did some tests and there is no more malaria nor typhoid in me!!! I am still a bit weak, but I am recovering. Everyday I get stronger and stronger. So praise God! While I was sick, I really felt these verse to be so true for me:
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. (2 Corinthians)
God is with me, He has heard your prayers, answered, and Jesus is being revealed in me! So thank you for standing in victory with me!
Some other prayer points that I would like to share are: for the final plans for the wedding to be done and done well by everyone involved, protection against illnesses, spiritual attacks, guidance and vision for our future in missions.
We love you all so much and appreciate your continued prayers, support, and communication. Feel free to write or e-mail anytime. We may not respond right away, but we will do our best to get back to you. It’s such a blessing to have you part of our lives!
Love,
Becky and Douglas