december 2022.

& just like that, another year has closed! As I’ve spend the past few days reflecting on this year, I feel as though I have really faced a number of challenges, but also can see how God was present and His love steadfast throughout it all. I also have SO many beautiful reasons to praise Him for all that He’s done in my life this past year. What an ever-present God we serve. Despite the enemy’s attempts to bring us down, God reigns above it all. As I enter into this new year, I want to become more aware of the ways in which God is moving & sense His presence more deeply in my life. My prayer for myself, and for all of you reading, is that Ephesians 3:16-21 would become true in a more intimate way this year.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

I kicked off the month with a field trip with my class to a local forest to learn more about God’s creation and how fossils are formed. I love hearing my students’ BIG questions about life and the world. I do not take for granted the privilege it is to answer all of their questions with a Biblical worldview. How wonderful is it that for every big question, we can turn to a BIG God for answers?

This month also included teaching the students about global trading, writing creative stories, rounding big numbers, unpacking the significance of Jesus’ birth, and memorizing Luke 2:1-21. Let me tell you how blown away I was with my little crew of nine year-olds as they ALL memorized this huge portion of Scripture. It was so great to work at this alongside them as a reminder of the importance of being in God’s Word so frequently that it becomes engrained in our minds. I have been challenged in my personal life to make memorizing Scripture a priority. When we return to school, we’re going to be memorizing the passage in John of Jesus’ first miracle, if any of you want to come alongside us, please feel karibu sana (very welcome in Swahili)!

I get so overwhelmed when I think about how much I love teaching my students! My heart feels like it might burst sometimes as I think of God’s faithfulness in aligning my passion with my purpose here in Kenya. Two and a half years ago, I took a very big leap of faith, moving to a faraway, unknown country, and while there have definitely been many challenges along the way, God’s blessings sure have been present too.

Something that comes along with working at international schools is the transient nature of the community. This December, I had to say “see you later” so one of my students who I taught last year (pictured below). I remember moving in the fifth grade and how tricky that was at first with all of the big feelings that come along with it. Yet, I was moving within the same province, this student is moving from Kenya to Saskatchewan, Canada in December!! Talk about a shift! What a small world though, eh? I hope to visit his family this summer!

Last month, I shared with you that I wouldn’t be resigning here. This decision has burdened me greatly these past two months. I have been earnestly seeking the Lord for peace as I cast all my cares (& fears) upon Him. In all honesty, I have not felt peace in the decision to leave Kenya yet. I realized that I have been holding on to a lot of fears with my future that were not for me to carry. As I continue to pray through what is next, I am choosing to trust and believe that God knows and will be with me milele na milele (forever and forever). I sincerely appreciate your prayers, emails, texts, and phone calls to encourage and support me as I prayerfully discern what is next for me.

Thanks to your financial support, I was able to bless a lot of local Kenyan friends this Christmas. Providing my local market friends with a Christmas dinner has become a tradition during my time here. Last year, I had the privilege of having my mom here to help me cook a meal, but this year, I decided to go all out (God’s love is radical, right?) by ordering nyama choma and ugali (grilled chicken and a maize meal), a meal that is typically considered for special occasions because meat is more expensive. I was able to provide meals for 24 people! I gave to Isaac, who makes jewelry, Dorcas, Catherine, Mercy, and others who sell flowers, Rachel who sells clothes, Anne and Edward who sell baskets, William and his crew of men who offer car washes as well as some their family members. I also was able to bless some of the guards who have been working day and night at our school over this holiday season. My friends were so excited for this meal that some even brought their family members to enjoy the feast. Yet, after passing out the food, it worked out to be the perfect amount! How good is God? Thanks to all of you who support me. YOU made this Christmas feast possible. Thank you for empowering me to be a testimony of the love of Jesus by meeting my friends’ practical needs for food this Christmas Eve. Not only did we provide a meal for them, but a special one that they’ve been looking forward to. I am thankful for the opportunity to share with my friends that this love is the love God has for them. May Christ be glorified not only in this season, but forevermore.

Another awesome opportunity that I have been able to invest in is my friendship with my friend, Lawrence. I met Lawrence at church a few years ago (he shared Christmas with my family last year) and I have mentioned him a bit here. His testimony is incredible! I wish you all could hear it! In short, Lawrence grew up in Northern Kenya in a remote tribal village. His childhood and upbringing is truly unfathomable for us westerners… living in a hut without electricity or running water, caring for camels, large families, wild animals to look out for, etc. Three years ago, he received an opportunity to become an apprentice mechanic in Nairobi. Taking this opportunity would mean having to move to an unfamiliar place with busy streets and cars (cars are not a thing in the village), leaving his family at 20, and the biggest adjustment of all, learning a new language – English!

I am so thankful to have Lawrence as my little brother in Christ. I am in awe of his ability to praise God amidst challenges and most of all, his desire to share Christ with the people in his village. This Christmas, I took Lawrence out for breakfast and we reflected on all the ways God has provided for us in this past year and all that we are praying for in this new year. Lawrence has challenged me in how he lives out what it means to rely on God for ALL of your needs. There have been many times in His life where he had to trust that God would provide for his basic needs. Yet, if you ever get the privilege to meet Lawrence, you will see immediately, that the JOY of the Lord is his strength! He continually praises God for His goodness in his life despite difficulties.

At this breakfast, I was able to surprise Lawrence with the bus fare ticket (a ten hour bus trip) to return to his village over Christmas to see his mother and his community. His gratitude was overwhelming, so yet again, I thank you for your support in making ministry like this possible. Lawrence and I are set to meet up when he returns from his visit. I can’t wait to hear all about how he excitedly shared the love of Jesus with his community! Please continue to pray for him and his community, the Rendille people, as they learn about God, who He is and His love for His people.

Lastly, but surely not least, one of my best friends came to visit me this month!!! My friend, Meganne, came all the way from Malaysia to spend her winter break with me! Meganne used to be my roommate in BC, the year before I moved to Kenya. That same year, she moved to teach in Malaysia. Having Meganne here these past couple of weeks has been the absolute best gift! Getting to show her around this beautiful country that I love has been amazing. While I am honoured that she would choose to come and spend her break with me, I know that the Lord knew that I needed her at this time as well. While I know we have created beautiful, lifelong memories to cherish for years to come, I will always cherish that God brought her here in this exact season. Having a friend who understands what it’s like to live overseas, all of the transitions, emotions, and challenges is so special. Getting to process and talk through things with her has been so helpful. Meganne is one of those rare finds of a friend. She is an incredible listener, a “can I stop and pray right now for this?”, a patient, open-minded, encouraging, adventurous, positive, and life-giving friend. I look up to her as a woman of God and I am forever thankful God chose for our paths to cross. I hope everyone has a “Meganne” friend in their life.

As I close this month’s update, I want to express my sincere gratitude for each and every one of you who reads these updates, prays for me, encourages, me, supports me, all of it! I’d love to hear about some of the ways that God has provided for you this past year or things that you are continuing to commit to Him in prayer. Please feel free to send me a message of some of your highs and lows of the year! My email is joc.smart4@gmail.com.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

-j.