It’s been one year! One year since we uprooted our family from the familiar and answered God’s call to begin a new life here in Kenya. One year since we sold everything and left the comfort of our hometown to a completely new continent and adventure across the globe. What a year it has been!
Before we arrived, we knew God was leading us to a sabbatical: to lean into rest, to deepen our faith, heal, and grow. It had been a challenging few years and knew we couldn’t move forward without this necessary time to recuperate, and we are so grateful.
It’s been a year of miracles, a year of challenges, and a year of surprises. So much stretching of our faith and letting go of control to trust in God’s purposes for us; but each month we have been able to see God draw us nearer to him. There have been many times where we were uncertain or in need and God sent a miracle, a sweet kiss from the Father. Each and every challenge was an opportunity to press into God and see him show himself real to us.
From a stolen watch that provided a puppy, to an empty fridge filled from a neighbor knocking at our door with 30lbs of meat and 3 weeks of groceries. From literally zero in our bank account to raising over $4,000 in 24 hrs to fly home to say goodbye to my mother. We have truly seen the intentional care of our heavenly Father carrying us.
It’s taken just about this full year to get settled (we still have a few things that we want for the house and need a car). I finally finished building loft beds with a desk for all the boys and we now have them set up with online schooling. God is so good. Our prayer is that we raise enough to send them to an actual school in the next year, especially Nehemiah, who will be a Junior this upcoming year! Time flies for sure!
We live in Kiambu, which is about 30 minutes from Nairobi. At first, I was concerned about the distance, but it was all God’s plan. The neighborhood we live in is one of the safest around and our kids are free to play outside all day without us worrying about their wellbeing. Our neighbors have also been a huge blessing to us with resources, connections, and best of all, community.
When we moved to Kenya, little did we know that God was going to lead us to so many amazing church communities. From our Global Harvest family in Lavington, our small group from Ridgeways Baptist Church, and to where we serve at PEFA Runda, we have found so many churches that not only align with our heart for His kingdom, but are tangibly impacting so many lives. It has been an honor be a part of them.
Through connection and answers to prayer, God unfolded our roles as pastors at PEFA Runda in a most unexpected way. Before we came to Kenya, we knew God was calling us to pastoral ministry and little did we know that His plan for this would be one that would bless us as much as it has. Melody will share this story in the next post, as there is much to tell.
Now that our one year sabbatical is over, God is continuing to reveal to us how He wants to move. We got to start this June off in a big way as Melody is taking her position of pastoring the worship team and I am the head of the Men’s Ministry. We’re excited because through our unique life experiences and (more so) the Holy Spirit, these are areas that we are well suited for and He is downloading strategies and plans to heal and grow those in our care.
I’m excited to be a catalyst for men to grow in their relationship with Christ and to reach our community. I’m currently working on launching an “Each One Reach One” campaign for the men (they don’t know it yet since this is the first time I’m telling anyone). Please join us in praying for a mighty move of God in all of these ministries.
Stepping into Year Two
As this sabbatical season has closed and we step into full-time ministry, we still have many needs. Our greatest need is prayer. Prayers for guidance and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and to walk out in the full purpose that God has for us here in Kenya. We also ask for prayers for this nation and beautiful community. The needs here are great and we are thankful that we were sent. We are meeting more and more people who have felt God’s leading to come from around the world to serve and we are grateful to be in good company.
Next Steps:
Getting the boys into school. Nehemiah will be a Junior this year, and our prayer is to get all three boys into an actual school for the first time since we arrived. In our area, there are about three schools with a American curriculum. All of them are costly. The total cost with a missionary discount to send the boys to school $43,000. Our hope is to send Nehemiah in the fall and the other two soon after. If you feel led to give toward the boys education, any donation, special gift or recurring monthly gift toward their tuition helps in such a big way get them through those doors.
A family vehicle. Kenyan roads are no joke, and after a year of relying on Uber for rides, we’re praying for a vehicle large enough for our family of five that can handle the terrain here. We’re trusting God for $20,000 toward this.
Monthly Partners. As we step more deeply into this new season of ministry, we are asking friends and family to prayerfully consider becoming monthly partners with us to see God’s mission unfold here in Kenya. A fully funded mission means more lives impacted for the kingdom. It also helps cover our day-to-day living so that we can fully focus on the ministry God has placed in front of us: events for the men’s ministry, worship team and needed outreach in our community. Whether it’s $5, $50 or $500 a month, your partnership directly fuels what God is doing here in Kenya.
Any gift given is tax-deductible through our giving page with Modern Day Missions. If you feel led, and would like your gift designated toward the school fund or vehicle fund specifically, just leave a note when you get to the review page, otherwise all gifts go toward our overall support.
Our Prayer Requests:
I am confident that our prayers move mountains! Your prayers mean so much to us and we have felt them throughout this journey. Thank you. We are seeking continued prayer support in these areas:
- That God will speak through and strengthen us as we kick off this first year of full time ministry.
- Funding for all three boys to go to school ($43,000)
- A vehicle large enough for our family and suitable for all Kenyan roads ($20,000)
- Complete healing in Melody’s body from diabetes
- Strength and energy to thrive in this mission and the grace to shift from sabbatical mode to full time.
- For the amazing people of this nation that we are called to serve.
Thank you for walking this road with us. We couldn’t do any of this without you. We pray that God’s blessing will continually surround you and that He will unfold an invitation to your greatest adventure with Him as He has for us.
We love you!
-The McConicos
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