Handmade Tour Update

Hello again! I just wanted to give you guys a quick update on how things are going here. We have settled into life in Malibu pretty well. I’m sure you can imagine that transitioning from Kenya to Malibu is not easy, and while we definitely still miss Kenya, Malibu isn’t a bad place to be either. So far we’ve met with two churches. We spent our first Sunday with the University Church of Christ here in Malibu and it was such a blessing to all of us. Their hospitality will not soon be forgotten. I am very grateful for the ability to share stories, memories, and love with a congregation that cares so deeply for the work being done at Made in the Streets. Having the chance to sit down with the members and to hear them tell us stories about students that they know or sponsor was really fun. Just yesterday we had the chance to go and share with the Hollywood Church of Christ, the church home of the one and only Weird Al Yankovic (you can imagine my disappointment when we found out that he was out of town). However, despite the absence of one of my personal heroes, our time in Hollywood was nothing short of fantastic. This was a very special congregation. We all left service feeling as though we had just spent the morning with our home congregations. There are not many times in my life that I have felt more welcomed in a place than I did yesterday. Then, to top it all off, everyone in attendance was really interested and eager to learn more about Made in the Streets and their mission. I continue to be amazed by the hospitality of the church. Praise God for that.
 
What a blessing it is to know that no matter where in the world we may go, there are good people that will meet us there with open arms. I know I’ve already written an entire blog post about it, but I just can’t get over the beauty that it the family of God. I have felt it in Kenya and now I feel it in California. I am a stranger who has been welcomed in and called family. How special is that? There is nothing else that is powerful enough to bring a group of strangers from all across the world together and unite them with a bond that can’t be broken. The only thing possible to do all of that is the love of Christ. It is my prayer today that we may never forget such a powerful fact. It is amazing and deserves to be treated as such. I am so excited to see how God will continue to show himself to us through His church on the rest of the tour. To those we have already met, thank you so much! To those who are in our future, we can’t wait to get to know you! To those we are with now, may we take advantage of every second that we share with one another. To the One who has made all of this possible, thank you for your Son, your church, and your global mission. May we bring glory to you in all that we do.