New Blog Site

And just like that, I created a new blog site. 

If you are here checking for new updates and happenings in my life you might want to visit my other site. All you have to do is tap/click the link below and... TADA!

hannahbaugh.wordpress.com

Thank you for your interest in my experiences and adventure on this crazy journey called life. You are truly a blessing to me!

Hugs!

Abundant Life

We had finished nightly devotions, and they dashed off to brush their teeth. Then she climbs in bed saying, "Auntie pray with me!" I knelt down by her bed, and she held my hand tightly. As she prayed specifically for each person that came to her little mind, my mind raced back to the day I heard her story.

The line in her chart for the reason of admittance bluntly read,

"Failure to thrive."

Abandoned by a mother whose hands were tied by severe poverty, she felt the best thing to do was endure the heartache of leaving behind her precious baby girl. Hoping against hope that somewhere, someone with a tender heart would find her treasure, yet she walked away not knowing what would become of her little blessing.

Perhaps in the pain of the moment, it slipped the mind of this desperate mother that there is One who takes particular notice of those who have grief and trouble. Maybe she didn't realize that there is a good Father who lays a charge on Himself to protect each one of his lambs, seeing each of their distresses and caring deeply for those that are wounded.

But while the Shephard was on His way to rescue his precious lamb, the harsh natural elements, lack of food and proper shelter gradually stripped the life away from this wee one. Tired of searching for what seemed unavailable, wearily she laid down. Just before the last few breaths slipped from her frail body, Someone walked up, knelt down, and lifted her into His arms.

In the proceeding days, this lamb proved to have fighting powers that exceed human explanation. Prayers for her full recovery stormed the throne room of heaven as hands and hearts were wide open waiting to love and give this beloved one a warm home. After a few delayed homecomings, the day finally arrived, and hope began as one more precious child came home to belong forever.

Jolt! Her sweet voice brought me back to the present.

Now here she lay in front of me full of life and all things pink. She has learned how to walk, how to talk, how to live. She has learned to hug and love and trust.  She is learning about the Good Shephard who rescues lives that are lost and deeply wounded. She is learning that there is one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but that there is One who is oh so powerful and mighty, and He gives life and gives it to the fullest. And as the scars of those fateful days slowly heal, because love is like a smooth salve over deep wounds, she is learning to pray for others whose lives are in need of being rescued by the Shephard.

She is not only learning, but she is also teaching.

She is teaching us that no person is too far gone -no life is beyond hope. She is teaching us that no matter how much the thief steals and destroys he can never take more life than Jesus gives back. And she is teaching us that when Jesus gives life back, He gives it so abundantly that we can spend our days running, laughing, and loving others in the fullest way possible.

New Soles

It was a typical Thursday at Ngungi Primary School. All 532 students were present because it was exam week meaning only a few more days and the school would be out for term break. However, the day quickly turned into an unusual one when some visitors showed up. It was lunch time, and everyone had their bowl of beans and maize. Some suddenly appeared to forget about their food as the expressions on their faces seemed to say, "Look! The visitors have a muzungu with them!"

After chatting a few moment with one of the teachers and learning what life is like for a rural Kenyan school, she gave us a tour of the classrooms and boarding facility. As we walked from classroom to classroom, many of the students whose uniforms held marks of significant wear and tear and whose feet were shoeless eyed me questioningly and with standoffish glances.

"Who is this girl?" "What is she doing here?" "Can we trust her?"

Spotting a group of students standing by the edge of the school building, I drew closer. They inched back. I knelt down and held out my fist for a bump in an attempt to let them know it was safe to come close if they wanted too. A few brave, shoeless souls held out their fist... Bump! our worlds collided for the first time. It didn't take long until I was surrounded by hundreds of fists and high fives -I had happily begun to win their trust.

After several photos, many more high fives, and hundreds of shouts of farewell we loaded up and drove off leaving these precious children in our dust. Not knowing if I would see them again didn't stop me from leaving pieces of my heart with them. However, it was soon to become evident that four short days would find us back with these dear ones. But this time, we would have a car loaded to capacity with something that they hadn't asked for but needed...

SHOES!

Because many of you have generously given your five loaves and two fishes to God by supporting His name being proclaimed among the nations, Saturday found our team of four purchasing shoes for the multitude of children that attend Ngungi Primary School. We could not wait for Monday to come so that we could make all 532 kids proud owner of perhaps their first pair of shoes. Oh, what a joy it is to be a channel!

Words cannot accurately explain the celebration that awaited our arrival on Monday afternoon, nor can photos capture the glee and delight of everyone present as feet were washed and shoes fitted. My eyes brimmed with tears of joy as the children danced and sang out their heart which brimmed with gratitude. When you see, experience people celebrating over receiving something you've always taken for granted it changes the way you view life.

As I think back over the past several days, I can't help but see Jesus. I see Him coming to us upon no request visit that we've made to Him. I see him kneeling down and invited us to draw closer, holding out His hand as a token to come as we are -worn, torn, and shoeless. He sees the greatness of our needs and chooses to meet them all on His terms with no cost to us. Jesus invites us to sit down and let Him wash our feet, our heart, our soul. And after He is done cleaning us thoroughly, scrubbing away even the darkness of sin stains, He reaches over and grabs a pair of shoes that are made to last for an eternity. As He slips them on our feet, he looks us in the eye with great tenderness and lovingly whispers, "No good thing do I withhold from those who walk uprightly. Walk now in my paths and experience the joy that being made new brings."

   

From Arkansas to Kenya -Part 2

Passport? Check!
Clothes? Check!
Shoes? Check!
Personal Items? Check!

The list went on. It was January 11, 2016, and the time had come to make sure everything I would need for the next two months was packed. In just a couple of hours, I would be on my way back to Kenya to serve at Naomi's Village for eight weeks.

I was brimming with excitement, yet there was a weird lump in my throat as we took to the air. What all would the next two months hold? In what ways did God want to grow me?

Honesty isn't always easy, but it's a freeing and beautiful way that God has designed for us to be emptied of the lies that we believe and hold tightly to so that we can be filled with the Truth that sets us free. These next few paragraphs are going to be some of my raw feelings and emotions as I spent sixty-two incredible days in Kenya.

 The first several weeks back in Kenya and at Naomi's Village were filled with getting to know the fantastic team of people who dedicate their lives to raising children who will grow up to lead their beautiful country. Each day proved to be a blessing as I worked alongside this amazing community of house moms, cooks, teachers, and directors but I had a mindset that needed reshaping -a mindset that can be toxic to short and/or long-term missions experiences.


As the days passed, I began to realize that I had a defective mentality that seems to permeate the American mind. It is the mentality that serving among the nations is a lifestyle where most days are filled with miraculous moments of redemption and heaven-come-to-earth occurrences.  It's the idea that the command "Go ye and make disciples of all nations." is more relevant and important if you obey by serving thousands of miles from your motherland. While the first of these views may hold a bit of truth, here are a couple of things that eight weeks serving at Namoi's taught me.

1.) It is simply a privilege to serve others in the name of Jesus.
If we want to think miraculous, it's the fact that the Creator of the universe would invite me, you, to share and live out His story of redemption. It's not the work that makes it miraculous. It's the fact that such a Master would call workers who are a work in progress themselves.

2.) God does not measure our obedience by the things that we do but by our heart posture towards what He has asked of us. In God's eye obedience is obedience. There really is no such thing  as "big" obedience and "small" obedience before God. Our Father looks at my heart attitude towards what He has asked of me -will I be faithful with what He has summoned me to do!? God is not so much concerned about our geographical location as He is about at our heart posture and faithfulness in the task He has given us to do.

As I began to learn these truths in a greater way, the weeks turned into a month, and I had the privilege to revisit Wells of Joy Ministries. It is always amazing how God so often works and clarifies His invitation to us -the invitation to step deeper into the glorious plan He designed for each of His children before the creation of the world.

The weeks leading up to going to Kenya and even the weeks that followed after I was there, I was kind of nonchalant about revisiting Wells of Joy. But that all began to change the morning we were to spend the day at the ministry. The indifference that I had felt over the past few months started to be replaced with happy anticipation for what the day held. After driving through thick traffic for a couple of hours, we arrived at the entrance of the slums and waited for the ministry director, Pastor Geoffrey Mutunga, to escort us in. As we walked along the narrow road scattered with bits of trash, dodging mud puddles, it was like God was flipping back on every emotion that seemed to have been shut down. The emotion that I was feeling the strongest was the same one that was most predominant the first time...

Doing nothing about what I was seeing, touching, walking among was NOT an option.

But what was I suppose to do? What was my response going to be? How might I get more involved with being a voice for the voiceless who call such a dark and hopeless place home?

You might have a good idea of the answer to those questions, but I'll share a bit of the arduous heart journey that leads to some of those questions being answered in other post. Stay tuned for part 3.

Broken Pieces

Overwhelmed. Helpless. Drained. These were some of the emotions that seemed to fill my mind as last week drew to a close. It was a week filled with more home visits and student documentation.

As I sat in several students homes, visiting with their mothers, I felt like the same story was on repeat.

"We are struggling to make ends meet."

"This or that family member is sick."

"My husband hustles for work but often doesn't find any."

"I'm trying to support my family by selling vegetables, but business is slow."

These stories and struggles were like broken pieces of bricks, bricks that began to accumulate making for a heavy load to carry. As the pile increased so did the idea that I needed to make something out of all these broken pieces, that I needed to find a way to fix all the hurt. The mental weight of this notion threatened to crush me. But just before I was completely overcome, I felt Someone tap me on the shoulder, whispering softly in my ear.

"I haven't ask you to change things. I haven't told you to repair the broken or bind up the hurt. I didn't even suggest that you try to find the answer to every question. I actually just invited you to be. To be present and love, to be present and witness how I take your broken pieces of glass and their broken pieces of glass, and remake the window so that I can shine through. Remember, you cannot change the world, only Jesus can do that."

And just like a sunrise that chases away the night, the truths that I had let fade into the dark burst through bringing life back into my vertical airway. As I began to breathe the fresh air of His grace, new energy to be faithful in the moment surged through my heart. As my mind cleared, the truth that

I am not authorized to repair broken windows; I'm only commissioned to tell about the Glazier

freed the self-imposed weight from my hands. I was then able to place the broken pieces where they belong -at the feet of Jesus.

It was after I emptied my hands of this load that I could raise them to sing,

There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No not one! No not one!
None else could heal all our soul's diseases,
No not one! No not one!

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide until the day is done;
There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No not one! No not one!

"They have no wine."

I imagine the scene to look something like this.

They had gone to a wedding in Cana, Jesus, his mother, and his disciples. Everything was going as planned. The ceremony started without a hitch. The preacher didn't stumble over his words, the singer sang beautifully, it was almost too perfect of a day. At the reception, the tables were heaped with mouthwatering food. All the guest had a glass of tasty wine in hand, and they all stood in groups of three or more catching up and having a happy time. Right when the mother of the bride breathed a sigh of relief that this wedding would go down as defectless, the wedding coordinator hurries up to frantically informs her that there is no more wine. Mary, Jesus' mother, is standing very nearby and watches as the bride's mom, and wedding coordinator wring their hands as to how this embarrassing situation should be solved.  

Because Mary is a woman who ponders things in her heart, she quietly excuses herself from the group and walks to where her son is standing. Considering that she had watched her son's actions since birth, she wasn't sure what he would do, but Mary was rather sure that Jesus would have the answer to the "no wine" problem. Without any ado, she calmly, certainly, and candidly stated the fact, leaving the solution to him. She said, 

"They have no wine."

Today, I found myself stating the same words, but the scene was much different.

We, two Kenyan friends and I, were seated in a 10x10 room that is home to a family of five dear souls. This single room serves as kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom, and whatever other room is needed for daily life. The mother was the only one home at the time, and she wasn't even in the house as we walked up. She was sitting just around the corner tending her vegetable stand hoping to make a few honest shilling so her family can eat, and her children can attend school. With the oldest child married, it makes things a bit easier but she still needs to provide for her other three children who are still in school -the youngest one attending Brilliant Sharping Community School. 

After we greeted each other and were seated on a couple of chairs, we explained the reason for our visit, and she related a glimpse of the hard that meets her when she awakes in the morning, troubles her all day through, and causes tears as she lies down at night. Although I couldn't understand first hand as she communicated pieces of her heart's grief, with the help of friends, I began to grasp what she was saying, and my heart broke for this loving mother. 

With injustice as commonplace, silence as the forced choice of communication, and poverty as the result of these both, all my heart could do was run to Jesus and calmly, certainly, and candidly state the fact,

They have no wine.

Those four words don't miraculously change the distressing situation this mother and so many other families in the Lunga Lunga slums finds themselves in, but those words allow entrance for Jesus to be Jesus. Honesty unlocks heaven. Because when we find our jars empty, our resources spent, our funds drained, our family crumbling, our problems beyond what we can solve, our only hope is Jesus. But Jesus can only be Savior, Redeemer, Provider, Sustainer, Friend when I, when we admit that we need him to be this for us. Jesus doesn't just know the answer or have the solution,

Jesus IS the answer and solution!

From Arkansas to Kenya -Part 1

Maybe you’ve known me from when all I could do was smile or cry to communicate what I was feeling. Maybe we’ve meet in more recent years when I could adequately express my feelings. Or I guess perhaps I may have not yet had the privilege of meeting you. Whatever the case, maybe you've wondered how I went from peeking over the grill ledge (those of you who saw me doing this know what I'm talking about.), to cooking steaks and selling lawn mower parts, to going to Kenya. 

Well, I will try my best to answer that question, but it’s hard to answer a question I sometimes ask myself.

“And just how did I get here again?!?” 

Although I will relate a bit of the chain of events from the past year and a half, I can boil it all down to one simple yet significant word…

GOD!

My journey to Kenya all started one autumn evening in 2014 when my mom showed me an article about a children’s home in Maai Mahui, Kenya. She knew that I wanted to sponsor a child, so she suggested I check out this organization. With a heart that loves Africa, it didn’t take me and google long to find Naomi’s Village Children’s Home located right outside the town of Maai Mahui, Kenya. At the time it was home to 57 desperate orphans. My heart broke as I look at the innocent faces that had endured unimaginable horror in their brief lifetime. The sweet, bright face of a little girl especially caught my attention, but since I was already planning to sponsor through another organization, I finished looking at the photos and reading their stories, then I closed my computer. God didn’t close His computer, though.

Several weeks passed, and we had celebrated the New Year. 2015 held adventures that were soon to unfold at a crazy pace. The months to come would begin to teach me that

God is weaving everything in life so that when we relate the happenings we can't leave Him out.

However, I just couldn't seem to lose the thought that the adorable face and winsome smile that had caught my heart was to be "my" little girl. Because I hadn't started sponsoring another child yet, I decided to make T "mine." To spare you the interchanging details of everything, T was no longer in need of a sponsor. I was a bit saddened but decided to pray and see what God would do. After checking back several different time and having no success, I chose to sponsor a little fellow that promptly stole my heart. Little did I know that six months later I would be giving these babies hugs and oh so much love -not to mention parts of my heart. (And I'll add that about a month after beginning to sponsor R, T became available, and so I just did the natural thing -sponsored her too.)

After much prayer and God being the God he is, July 11th, 2015 I boarded a flight that would take a team of 17 passionate, kind hearts to serve at a place few of us had been to before -Naomi's Village Children Home in Maai Mahui, Kenya. I honestly couldn't imagine all that this trip would do for me, but I knew it was what God wanted, so I stepped out. Naomi's Village will always hold a special place in my heart because it's the place that helped me lose my heart to Kenya.

During our ten day, eye-opening, often heartbreaking journey, we were able to visit a few different ministries in the Maai Mahui/Nairobi area. Although each outreach we were privileged to visit changed my world view a bit more, one flipped my world upside-down -or should I say right side up!? The day our team visited Wells of Joy Ministries in the Lunga Lunga slums in Nairobi is a day I still have a hard time finding words to describe. One thing I knew for sure that day, and I feel stronger ever day, is that doing nothing about what I had/have seen, touched, walked among, is NOT an option.

I don't think I will even try to detail out all the emotions that one is subject to go through after walking among immense poverty and suffering, and then being immersed in a culture of excess and comfort. Sufficient to say, prayer, process, and patience categorized the weeks following my return home. But even in the hard, I knew God was working beyond what I could see. And as the weeks turned into months, God steadfastly made it clear that going back to Kenya is what the beginning of 2016 would hold. Before I knew it, I was planning to serve on an internship at Naomi's Village. But even as I prepared for this next adventure, Wells of Joy was not far from mind and heart.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."