I remember years ago hearing a sermon using the words New Normal. You know, how you get used to certain things and they become normal to you and that becomes your new normal, or something like that. Well, in August, we will have lived here for 2 years so some things really have become normal to us. Daily life: taking Ryan to school, buying groceries, teaching Sallie and Robert, going to church, eating out with friends, going shopping( for some people that's normal....) going to work, attempting to build buildings and so on.
And then SATURDAY happens! Our small group planned a luncheon not just for ourselves but to invite new friends to. People we have met at work or thru school or homeschooling, or where we live. We called it a mixer. And we had our friend Andrew cook. Andrew is a chef from Kenya who we met at church. He came to AD as a chef at the Emirates Palace. When he got here they cancelled that position and hired him as a security guard. He lives in a labor camp. He loves Jesus. His smile lights up the room and his heart, well, forgive me, but it's bigger than Dallas. :) You see, Andrew sends his money back to Kenya to support his family and they need a cow. If they had a cow his wife could move to some land they have in the country with the children and support themselves. Then they wouldn't have to be in the city. So we asked Andrew to cook for our luncheon. For 6 hours he and his Sous chef..Ryan Hildebrand...chopped and grilled and stirred and blessed us with some amazing food. It was a banquet(no surprise there..Andrew has cooked for the vice president of Kenya, yeesh). We took up donations and Andrew is able to buy his cow with some left over to buy some tea trees to plant as well.
So as we were leaving the Kenneys that evening after cleaning up, Andrew, who had just called his wife in Kenya, came over to all of us. With that beautiful grin stretching from ear to ear he said, " God He is moving here today. I see God in all of you. He is moving. I'm so happy. " and more...with tears almost spilling over. From his eyes and ours.
I love that kind of normal. Have a great day.
