bittersweet days

Ok, so it's not Monday, but I had some things to say that just couldn't wait! I'll start with the good news first...
I got the privilege of spending most of Monday with Senator Sam Brownback and his associates! He called that morning and let me know he was in Kenya only for that day, inviting me to meet them for the afternoon. I sat in on a meeting with International Justice Mission, also meeting a member of the Kenyan parliament. I also accompanied them on a tour of Kibera which included passing by my school and meeting my students! He took genuine interest in asking me about how I'd grown spiritually, what I'd learned about the African church, and what would most help the people of Kibera and Kenya. I saw firsthand what I've heard from many people--that Senator Brownback is a genuine man of God. After the tour of Kibera, we went to the memorial from the bombing of the U.S. Embassy. It was the fastest drive downtown I've ever had, as we had a police car with lights flashing driving before us, clearing way through the congested traffic. We got a private tour of the memorial, even seeing a museum that is not yet open to the public.
It was a great day, and I felt so privileged to be there. Here I am, just some college girl from the slum (feeling a bit dirty and underdressed!) riding around with the Senator and his people. But I met many people and made some great connections with IJM and it's staff in Kenya! I'm excited to see what else God will bring of it as I meet with them later this week.

However, after all of these exciting things, something even bigger happened this weekend that's really aching my heart. I don't know if you remember me emailing about a little baby at the New Life Home named Adrienne. Ever since my first day there (which was also one of her first days) she's been my little girl. I hold her for hours and when I think of going to work there, she's the face I see in my mind that makes me excited to go and sad to leave. If I was able to adopt, there would be no separating me from that little girl! She's been very sick the past week with pneumonia, and being HIV+ it hit her tiny body really hard. She was on ventilators and feeding tubes for days, and I would sit with her just holding her hand and stroking her hair as she slept. She had been getting better the last day I went in, and they thought she'd be off oxygen soon. But when I went in to work yesterday, I found out that she had passed away over the weekend. It's been really hard to deal with, though I am finding comfort in knowing that she gets to go straight to God and spend her eternity with Him, never having to endure the pain that her life would be as an orphan child with AIDS. Her first words will be praising Jesus, and her first steps will be to bow at His thrown. I ache to hold her so badly, and to see the little half-smile that she'd give whenever I came to see her, but I know that she is in better, stronger arms now. But please pray for me as I continue to return to the home, that I'd feel just as much love for the 50 other babies still there! I do love them, but it's just not the same!

So, I hope you are all having a good Wednesday, and thanks for having time to read my second update of the week! God bless you all!!!!!!!! Happy December!!!