Kenya 2008 (Part 2)

You settle in quicker when you've walked the land on foreign soil and so it was for me. Ours was to have been an early Thursday morning flight out of Changi on Qatar Airways, ETD 3.20am. A send-off party of some 20-odd family and friends (including my parents and in-laws) made for merry company before we checked in our luggage at the counter.

Anyone in a vocation that's got to do with transport in the military will know what FPT is (i.e. First Parade Task). It's when you inspect your vehicle (visual inspection of external body of vehicle, including hands-on checks of oil levels, tyre pressure and all lights and lighting panel) before driving off. We operated in similar fashion, commiting the trip and each day and event in prayer right from before we departed. We knew we weren't going to be effective in the mission field if we didn't do a thorough check of ourselves, our teaching material and what else we packed. In relation to the trip, I'd prefer to see FPT as the acronym for Faith, Pray, Trust. And we had numerous occasions for these. Let me share them with you.

We didn't have to wait very long for our first FPT moment.

FPT#1 - While doing a group check-in of our luggage, our bags were found to have exceeded the permissible limit we'd be given by some 40kgs despite being carefully conservative when we packed. Thank God for giving us wisdom to list what items had gone into each bag which had been numbered. This allowed us to leave behind two bags that contained less important contents.

FPT#2 - Upon checking in, we were told our flight would be delayed by an hour. One hour turned into two hours. Not till more than three hours later did we board our plane, but we surrendered to God's purposes for the delay without getting flustered. We were however concerned about having to miss our connecting flight from Doha to Nairobi, which had initially been just about an hour apart upon arrival in Qatar had we departed on schedule. We prayed.

FPT#3 - We arrive in Qatar and were promptly whisked through the terminal and out to a waiting Emirates plane bound for Dubai. This detour was to be the next quickest passage to our final destination - Nairobi. After arriving in Dubai and about a couple of hours later, we were on a plane bound for the East African nation. Thank God for securing us seats on our final leg! It truly felt like I was competing in The Amazing Race! But with God on your team, you can't lose.

FPT#4 -Upon arrival in Nairobi, it is common practice for the team to head straight for a Nakumatt supermarket branch near the airport to buy bottles of drinking water, fruits and vegetables and other bites for the team's consumption and treats for the villagers. But seeing how we'd been set back by about 6 hours and arriving at nightfall instead of early afternoon, there'd be no way to get the items. Praise God He led Pastor Richard and auntie Jenny to buy the items during their time of waiting. No time was wasted.

FPT#5 - I'd been tasked to bring some vehicular parts (about 5kg) to a Singaporean lady who overseas the running of an ophanage in Nairobi. She attends my church. I'd initially declined to be their courier for fear of being stopped at the customs and questioned. I was also fearful of stalling the Galilee team with whom I was travelling with. Plus the parts cost more than S$2000 and what if they had wanted to tax me. But in preparation of the Bible lessons I'd be teaching on the trip, God's Word reminded me from the life of Abraham about the importance of faith. I was ashamed of my lack of it and how I wasn't living mine out. I repented and entrusted the metal components to the Lord for a safe passage across and through the customs officers. It worked!The parts in my checked-in luggage were never called into questioned! God heard my prayer and those of hundreds who prayed for these pieces to be carefully delivered to the lady who needed it urgently to get her car running again. There was a likelihood that the parts would never be received by her had they been delivered by the regular postal service.