Hey everyone!  In honor of my 24^th birthday (Don't worry! It's not too late to wish me a Happy Birthday onFacebook!), I thought that I would give you 24 facts about Kenya.  Now I know it may seem backwards that I am giving you a gift on my birthday, but don't worry, your gift-giving chance is coming.  So without further adieu, I present to you 24 Possibly Official Facts about Kenya. 

1. 1.      It is located in East Africa and borders the Indian Ocean to the southeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, South Sudan to the northwest, Ethiopia to the north and Somalia to the northeast.
2. 2.      The capital is Nairobi. 
3. 3.      The official languages are English and Swahili.
4. 4.      It declared independence from the UK on December 12, 1963.
5. 5.      Its estimated population in 2011 was 41,070,934.
6. 6.      Just like the Brits, they drive on the left. 
7. 7.      Its currency is called the Kenyan shilling.  One US dollar equals about 81 Kenyan shillings.
8. 8.      It shares Lake Victoria, the world's second largest freshwater lake, with Tanzania and Uganda.
9. 9.      It is the world's 47^th largest country with an area of 224,081 square miles.
10. 10.  It contains Mount Kenya, the second highest point in Africa.
11. 11.  It is home to one of the natural wonders of the world:  the great wildebeest migration.
12. 12.  Its hottest period is February to March, and
13. 13.  Its coldest period is July to August.
14. 14.  Its current prime minister is Ralia Odinga.
15. 15.  Tourism is the main economic contributor.
16. 16.  The largest number of tourists is from Germany and the United Kingdom.
17. 17.  Agriculture is the second largest economic contributor.
18. 18.  The principal cash crops are tea and coffee.
19. 19.  It is the most industrially developed country in East Africa.
20. 20.  The country is divided into 47 semi-autonomous counties.
21. 21.  73% of Kenya's population is below the age of 30.
22. 22.  The capital, Nairobi, is home to Kibera, one of the world's largest slums.
23. 23.  Christianity is the main religion in Kenya.
24. 24.  It was Africa's most successful nation in the 2008 Summer Olympics with five gold, five silver, and five bronze medals.

There!  Now you are properly educated on Kenya!  Now that I have given you a gift, I am going to ask for a gift in return.  First, please continue to be praying for the team, my co-leader, and me.  Pray that God will be preparing my co-leader's and my hearts for the team and that God will already be giving us wisdom and knowledge in how to best lead this team.  Pray that God will give us the strength that we need to do His work for the entire trip.  Pray for the whole team that God will be preparing their hearts as they get ready to go.  

Second, as always, I still need your financial support.  But in honor of my 24^th birthday, I thought I'd do things a little different this time.  24 for 24. Yep, I'm asking everyone to give $24 for my 24^th birthday. Creative, I know.  I am still in need of about $1000 to be fully funded for my trip.  If you want to donate towards this cause, you can click the "Mind on my money, money on my mind" link to donate online.  Or you can be old-school and write a check.  To donate in this way, make out a check to Adventures in Missions and put "For Robby Smith - Passport" in the memo line.  You can then mail it to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Gainesville, GA 30353-4470.  I also still have student loans and other personal expenses.  If you would like to donate towards this cause, you can make out a check to Robby Smith and mail it to Robby Smith 306 Saltlick Trace Peachtree City, GA 30269. 

For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1

            In Luke 5, Jesus heals a paralytic.  After He heals him, Jesus tells him to "Rise and walk."  This statement seems pretty obvious.  I mean, the dude could not walk; Jesus healed him so that he could now walk.  Who would not automatically get up and walk in that situation?  The answer, sadly, is many Christians today.  You see, sin has the tendency to paralyze us.  It captures us and inhibits us from being the people that God has called us to be.  However, Jesus has already come and healed us from all of that.  We are no longer paralyzed, and Jesus is telling us to get up and walk. 

            I recently started reading Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship by Jack Frost.  I've only read the first chapter so far but I would already highly recommend it to anybody who struggles with knowing and truly understanding the love of the Father.  Anyways, Frost talks about how many of us are paralyzed by fear.  We Christians let fear entrap us when, in reality, we can be free and rest in the love of God whenever we choose.  In one part of the book, Frost talks about his friend David.  David had struggled with alcohol addiction for many years, causing great damage to his relationship with his wife and kids.  Even after becoming free from his addiction to alcohol. David still struggled with the guilt from the hurt he had caused his family for so many years.  Long story short, David one day has a revelation of the Fatherly love of God.  Several weeks later, Frost asks his friend if the revelation was still with him. 

"'I don't feel any different,' he answered, 'but people tell me I'm different.  Everybody asks me, 'What has happened to you?' Even my wife and children are saying, 'You're not the same person you were' I don't feel any different, but they say that life is flowing out of me now." (21-2)

            When I read that, God spoke to me about my desire for feelings.  I often get caught up in thinking that I have to feel different in order to be different.  But as I read that passage, I realized that thought wasn't true.  Even if I don't always feel God's Father love, or even fully understand it, I know and trust that it is true.  And in that trust, I can rise up and walk and live in the love of God.

            So what paralyzes you?  What are you letting stop you from being everything that God wants you to be?  Whatever it is, Jesus is saying, "You're healed.  In fact, you've been healed for awhile so rise and walk."  So do it.  No seriously, that's really all you have to do. 

P.S.  My trip to Kenya is just a couple weeks away. Please continue to be praying for the team, my co-leader, and me.  Pray that God will be preparing my co-leader's and my hearts for the team and that God will already be giving us wisdom and knowledge in how to best lead this team.  Pray that God will give us the strength that we need to do His work for the entire trip.  Pray for the whole team that God will be preparing their hearts as they get ready to go.  

And, of course, I could still use your financial support.  I still need about $1000 to cover the cost of the trip.  If you want to donate towards this cause, you can click  the  "Mind on my money, money on my mind" link  to donate online.  Or you can be old-school and write a check.  To donate in this way, make out a check to Adventures in Missions and put "For Robby Smith - Passport" in the memo line.  You can then mail it to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Gainesville, GA 30353-4470.  I also still have student loans and other personal expenses.  If you would like to donate towards this cause, you can make out a check to Robby Smith and mail it to Robby Smith 306 Saltlick Trace Peachtree City, GA 30269. 

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." 

Matthew 18:3-4

Before a certain age, children will believe just about anything.  They just have a simpleness about them that an adult lacks.  While an adult has too much "common sense" to believe certain things, a child lacks that hindrance.  In the spirit of the holidays, I'll give a Christmas-themed example:  Santa Claus.  Pretty much every kid believes in Santa Claus.  Now, as a child becomes older, this belief just sounds ludicrous.  An old, fat, bearded man fits down a chimney?  He travels all around the world in one night?  His transportation is a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer?  The toys are made by little miniature people called elves?  To any logical-minded adult, these characteristics obviously prove that Santa is not real.  But to a child, these characteristics are just the way they are. 

            Apply this mindset to Christianity, and it's easy to see why Jesus says to let the children come to Him and that we should become like children.  In the same way that an adult becomes too intelligent to believe in Santa Claus, many adult Christians become too "theologically sound" to believe in the simple Gospel. 

•  "Oh sure, God can heal, but maybe He won't this time because sometimes He wants to teach a lesson through the sickness."
•  "Oh sure, Jesus loves me, but there are certain parts of my past that are just really bad."
• "Oh sure, God is my provider, but the economy is just really bad."

  About a month ago, I listened to the testimony of a lady named Jennifer Toledo.  She's a missionary who has spent time in Africa and spends a lot of time working with children.  She believes that God has called her to teach a simple Gospel to children.  Why? Because children will believe it.  She tells children that God can heal people, and they go out and pray for people to be healed.  (And guess what?  The people they pray for are healed.)  She tells them that God will provide for their needs, and they fully trust that He will.  She tells them that God is their daddy who loves them, and they spend time with Him and fully trust in His love.  Children don't filter beliefs through logic, common sense, theology, circumstances, any of that.  They just simply believe. 

            I want to be like a child.  No, I'm not going to start believing in Santa Claus again, but I am going to believe in the love and power of God. 

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope you're having a great time with your family during the holidays.  I just thought I'd give another update about my upcoming trip to Kenya.  We're going to be in a town called Kijabe, which is near the Great Rift Valley.  Our main ministry will be working with the youth and doing evangelism.  We'll be travelling to the bush of Africa visiting and living with different tribes, one of which will be the Masai tribe.   

Of course, as a leader, my main ministry will be towards the students on my team.  As far as that goes, there will be 15 students, 12 girls and 3 guys.  (Yep.  That's right.  Us guys will be highly outnumbered.  Be praying for us. Haha)  I'm very excited about getting to know and pouring into and loving these 15 students.  And just like last time, I'll have a co-leader.  Her name is Hailey Crump.  She just recently got off the World Race.  I'm super pumped to be working with her.  

Please continue to be praying for the team, my co-leader, and me.  Pray that God will be preparing my co-leader's and my hearts for the team and that God will already be giving us wisdom and knowledge in how to best lead this team.  Pray that God will give us the strength that we need to do His work for the entire trip.  Pray for the whole team that God will be preparing their hearts as they get ready to go.  

And, of course, I could still use your financial support.  I still need about $1000 to cover the cost of the trip.  If you want to donate towards this cause, you can click  the  "Mind on my money, money on my mind" link  to donate online.  Or you can be old-school and write a check.  To donate in this way, make out a check to Adventures in Missions and put "For Robby Smith - Passport" in the memo line.  You can then mail it to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Gainesville, GA 30353-4470.  I also still have student loans and other personal expenses.  If you would like to donate towards this cause, you can make out a check to Robby Smith and mail it to Robby Smith 306 Saltlick Trace Peachtree City, GA 30269. 

Of course, even if are not able to financially support this cause, please continue to pray for this cause as well as our ministry here in Uganda.  

If you had to name the most important aspect of Jesus' three years of ministry on earth (besides His death and resurrection, of course), what would you say?  There's a lot to choose from:  He raised the dead, healed the sick, preached some amazing sermons, walked on water, fed 5000 people with just a little bread and fish, fed 4000 people with just a little bread and fish, cast out many demons out of several people, turned water into wine (some of you will secretly choose this one.  Haha), and loved and spent time with the unlovable sinners.  I believe there is actually one other part of Jesus' ministry that trumps all of these and had more impact than all of them combined.  What is it?  His focus on His 11 disciples (Yes, I realize there were actually 12, but one of them didn't really graduate from discipleship school.).  Jesus spent three years of His life raising up and leading 11 men.  They heard His teachings, saw Him minister, experienced His love, joined Him in prayer, and simply lived life with Him.  In those three years, Jesus would raise up 11 men who would change the world.  Even though Jesus left, all of those teachings and experiences were still with Peter and the others, and because of those experiences, they were fully prepared to spread His truth and love to people in Israel, Rome, and throughout Asia Minor.  I mean, think about it.  If you're a Christian, you can trace your spiritual lineage (I heard about Jesus through Joe, who heard about him through Sarah, who heard about him through Dan, etc.) back to one of those 11 men.  Now that's an impact!  Perhaps Jesus knew what He was doing when He decided to devote three years of His life to a ragtag group of tax collectors, fishermen, and ignorant sinners. 

            And I truly believe that we should be doing the same.  In fact, the Bible thinks so, too.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."  Call me crazy, but I think this command was one of the most important that Jesus gave.  He gave a lot of them.  Pray, read the word, take care of the poor.  And we should be following all of those commands, too.  But I still think that making disciples is one of the greatest tasks we can be accomplishing.  Think about it.  This command was one of the last that Jesus gave before He ascended into heaven.  You have one last opportunity to speak to the people who you've been teaching and molding for three years.  Aren't you going to say what's really important to you?  And in that moment, Jesus said, "Go make disciples."  We're supposed to make disciples who are going to make other disciples who are going to make other disciples until the whole world has heard about Jesus and is sharing His truth and His love through words and deeds. 

            What's amazing is that for the last three months, God has blessed me with an opportunity to fulfill that command.  Over the last three months here in Uganda, I've been able to disciple a group of six college-aged people.  Being a leader on a team is interesting, and it takes some time to get used to the fact that your focus and ministry is the people on the team, not the native people of the country.  Not that I don't minister to the Ugandans.  I've still held and played with plenty of children, prayed for plenty of sick and injured hospital patients, and encouraged plenty of people living in poverty.  But my main focus is the six people on my team.  And as I pour into them, they are then able to pour into the people of Uganda.   And even more importantly, they are then able to go home and continue to have an impact as they disciple others who will disciple others who will disciple others. 

            Of course, I don't have to wait until after the trip to see the impact.  I've been able to see the change in these people throughout these three months.  Obviously, since I'm a man, my main focus as a leader is the three men on this team:  Craig, Zach, and Zane.  And in the 2 ½ months so far, I've seen God change these men in incredible ways.  There's Craig, whose confidence has soared since he first discovered that he could hear from God.  As God has spoken His truth and love over Craig, his demeanor has changed, and his boldness has been astounding.  I've seen him make conversation with anybody and everybody and boldly preach the gospel to strangers on the streets.  There's Zach, who has been willing to give up everything for God on this trip.  He has experienced God's love in new ways, realizing what it means to be a child of God, and as this realization has occurred, his passion for God and desire for truth has increased, and he has pursued this desire wholeheartedly.  Finally, there's Zane, who spoke in tongues for the first time on this trip.  Enough said.  Haha.  But seriously, Zane has learned even more about walking in the Spirit and walking in the authority that comes with that.  It has been a joy to watch him step up and speak truth as God has lead.  And if this blog wasn't already getting too long, I would tell you about my absolutely amazing co-leader, Kayla, and the other three women on this team: Jalin, Jessica, and Kiersten, who all have similarly amazing stories of growth.  (Seriously, go read their blogs and see how awesome God has been.) 

            What's even more amazing is that God has blessed me with another opportunity to experience this life in January.  That's right.  I'm leaving again (and I'm not even back in America yet.  Dang.)  After about a month of being home, I will be leaving again in early January to lead another Passport trip (formerly known as Real Life).  Just like last time, I don't know yet which country I will be going to, but I do know that I will be able to again lead an amazing group of college-aged people, who will go and make disciples who will make disciples who will make disciples.  Why is God choosing me again?  I have no idea.  I certainly never thought that I would be doing this task.  But I'm so excited for a second opportunity. 

            Of course, here it comes.  I will need your support again.  You, of course, can be continuing to pray for me.  Mainly for wisdom and knowledge and strength.  Humility is good, too.  And, of course, that God will continue to provide all of my needs, which I know He will.  Speaking of needs, that's the second way you can support me.  I know, I know, Black Friday is in a few days, there's still a recession, the family car just broke down.  I truly do understand all of that.  But I would ask you to listen to God and see if He is calling you to support me in this way.  If He is, there are again two ways that you can financially support me.

 First, I again need $1500 for my expenses for the trip.  .  If you feel God leading you to support me financially in this way, you can once again click the "Mind on my money, money on my mind" link on the left side of this page to donate online through credit/debit card or bank draft.  Or you can be old-school and write a check.  To donate in this way, make out a check to Adventures in Missions and put "For Robby Smith - Passport" in the memo line.  You can then mail it to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Gainesville, GA 30353-4470. 

Second, I still have those pesky student loans.  In fact, the first deduction for them is being made from my bank account in the next few days and will continue to be made every month for, well, a lot of months.  Of course, that's assuming that the money is there to be deducted, which I would love your help with because I'm not completely sure what happens if I miss a payment, but I'm currently picturing a Jack Bauer torture situation.  Seriously though, if you feel God calling you to financially support me in this way, you can make out a check to Robby Smith and mail it to Robby Smith 306 Saltlick Trace Peachtree City, GA 30269. 

Dang, another really long blog.  Sorry about that.  Anyways, thank you again for all of the support that you give me.  Keep reading this blog for continued updates.  

So if you've ever been to a third-world country, particularly Africa, you know that transportation can be an issue.  We have found that to be true during our time here in Lira, Uganda.  The ministry that we're staying with provides a van (and a driver, which is good.  I don't trust myself to drive in Africa.  Haha) to take us to our different ministry locations.  And in the 2 or so months that we've been here, we have been on the side of the road or pushed the van approximately 4 or 5 times.  And that's not including the week or so that the van was being repaired, and we had to pile 8 or 9 people into 5 passenger vehicles to get to places.  With that being said, the ministry could use a new van.  Obviously, we're only here for another few weeks so it wouldn't affect us that greatly, but it would be a great blessing to the ministry and to the future missionaries that come and work with Victory Outreach.  We do not want anything to stop people from doing the work that God has called them to do. 

So here's where you come in.  Every trip, Adventures in Missions allows the team to pick one cause to raise money for.  And for our trip, we have chosen the van.  We want to raise money so that Victory Outreach can buy a new van in order to provide transportation to current and future missionaries here in Lira.  Please prayerfully consider joining us in blessing this ministry in this way. 

The cost of the van is approximately $10,000, and we have until December 8^th to raise this money.  If you feel God calling you to donate to this cause, there are two options.  You can donate online by clicking here.  Or you can donate by sending a check in the mail.  You can make checks payable to Adventures in Missions with the accounting code 11RL0902UGMP in the memo line. Make sure NOT to put a person's name in with the check because if you do then the check will most likely be applied to the wrong project. Checks should be mailed to Adventures in Missions, PO Box 534470, Gainesville, GA 30353-4470. 

Of course, even if are not able to financially support this cause, please continue to pray for this cause as well as our ministry here in Uganda.  

"for our God is a consuming fire."

Hebrews 12:

 Lately, God has been telling me to be consumed by who He is.  He's been telling me that as I keep my eyes on Him and let His great attributes consume me, everything else will fall away, and I will naturally move towards Him and His heart.  A few days ago, I listened to a sermon by Jennifer Toledo.  In the sermon, she talked about a vision that she had.  She was standing on the shore of a body of water.  As she looked out, she saw Jesus, and He was beckoning her to come out to Him, to walk on the water.  At first, she started freaking out:  "I can't walk on water!"  But then Jesus told her to stop focusing on the water and to start focusing on Him.  "You're holy!  You're beautiful!"  She began to shout out His attributes.  As she continued to describe Jesus, she suddenly realized that she was standing out in the middle of the water.  Without even knowing what she was doing, she had walked on water.  The point of the vision was that as she became consumed by who Jesus is, her problems fell away, and she naturally moved towards Him. 

            As I heard this vision, God began to speak to me about how I needed to apply this lesson to my own life.  At the time, I had been going through some spiritual struggles, battling lies, my attitude, apathy, etc.  And I, over those couple of days, had been focused on my problems.  But as I heard that sermon, I realized that I needed to take the focus off of myself.  And so I did.  I focused on who God was, and slowly but surely, I've been able to walk towards Him and let Him take care of my problems. 

            Here are all of the attributes of God that I wrote down in my journal on that day. 

            Who is God?  He is Savior, Father, almighty, provider, warrior, lover, just, holy, beautiful, awesome, creator, healer, name above all names, King, Lord, peace, love, alpha and omega, refuge, protector, unchanging, everlasting, compassionate, merciful, gracious, gentle, powerful, wisdom, sovereign, redeemer, perfect timing, in control, a good, good father with a good, good heart, truth, life, the answer, where I can find my identity, Lion and Lamb, the Great High Priest, friend, worthy of praise, strength, chain-breaker, freedom-giver, victorious, faithful, patient, slow to anger, forgiveness. 

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."