“Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you” (Isaiah 55:5).

I moved to Kenya two months ago, and from day one I just knew this is where I’m supposed to be. In fact, my desire for Kenya woke me up most mornings I was living in Uganda. It was a crazy experience to be so plugged into life and ministry, forging new friendships, and having the time of my life while carrying around a burning desire for somewhere else.

There’s not enough time to tell you all the ways Father spoke to me about this new direction. In the span of six months, I’ve received so many prophetic words and signs of God’s faithfulness and just an overdose of the peace, love, and happiness that is found in being right where Father’s called you. And what’s even more incredible is that I know this is only the beginning!

The excitement in my heart for this new season and all of the wonderful ministry opportunities unfolding before me can only be described as “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

Heaven invades earth when you and I walk in our divine destinies. Eternal life and all of the incredible benefits of salvation are for today, right now, and not just for the life to come.

I was recently informed by another missionary that “this is not deepest, darkest Africa anymore.” It was meant to be a warning to me in regards to not seeing people as backwards and needing a white person to be their savior. I looked at this man with such a confused expression on my face. I didn’t come to Africa to be anyone’s savior. Last time I checked, that’s Jesus’ job description.

However, there is still room for the kingdom of God to grow in Kenya. There is still a need for sound, biblical teaching accompanied by the power of God seen in signs, miracles, and wonders.

Kenya is a developing nation, but it’s the fastest growing nation in East Africa. I’m writing you on an iPad from a home with running water (including hot water) and electricity. My hosts own a television. Everyone owns cell phones, and many people have smartphones. And yet, witch doctors are still a major influence on communities. There are areas of Kenya where I was told to never, ever eat or drink anything because there’s a possibility someone will try to poison me. Each day I see poverty and impoverishment that shatters my heart. A widow who barely speaks English called me on the phone asking for money because there was no food and she was hungry. Most orphans are poverty orphans. Mob justice is still prevalent. Tribalism influences every level of society.

So while I must agree this is not deepest, darkest Africa, there is work to be done. And I know that I have a part to play in the expansion of the kingdom in Kenya.

My friends, Pastors Benjamin and Kara Diaz, invited me to serve with their ministry, New Promise Homes, which is a children’s home for orphans. Currently, we have sixteen children in our care, with plans to build at least two more houses in the next year. My role is to help the Kenyan directors, Pastors David and Selina Walukhu, oversee the ministry and its expansion.

These boys and girls have come from hopeless situations, yet their hearts are so innocent and hopeful. The way these kids respond to God’s love for them, how thankful they are for the opportunity to live in a nice home, to receive an education, to have food and clothes blows my mind. The capacity of a child to adapt and overcome, to thrive, is truly why Father God calls us to have a childlike faith. It’s the ability to see beyond the current circumstance and trust that God’s future for you is better and brighter than your wildest dreams. This is why New Promise Homes exist.

On top of working with New Promise Homes, I also have the opportunity to help with church planting with Nehemiah Ministries, a local church network. Right now, I’m on the church planting team for Kipkaren, Kenya. Our small fellowship meets on Wednesdays, and we will be meeting in a building by the end of the year. The team is planning evangelism outreaches, and we are actively raising funds to buy chairs, sound equipment, and to pay rent for a building.

In the days and weeks to come, I will be sharing more about the ministries where I’m serving. This post, however, is to officially announce that I will be staying in Kenya as a full-time missionary. I know Kenya is where I need to be serving. Maybe this isn’t a surprise to you, but I wanted to wait and see before I went public. In other times of my life, I’ve come forward too soon and found myself getting ahead of God. If everything goes according to plan, you probably won’t be seeing me stateside until some time next year.

To those who’ve supported my trip so far, thank you so much! I’m here because you believed in me and the calling God gave me. Your financial support and prayers mean so much to me, and I am more thankful than can be adequately expressed in this post.

In light of my decision to stay long term, I am asking for your continual support of my ministry. My monthly expenses are about $850. This amount will cover my stateside expenses as well as my in-country living expenses. Whether you choose to give monthly, quarterly, or simply as you feel led through the year, I want to thank you in advance.

My giving information is:

PayPal: @agkenn
Venmo: @agkenn

Checks can be mailed to:

1711 Greenbriar Drive
Fultondale, AL 35068

If you have any questions, feel free to private message me on Facebook or Instagram. Or you can leave a reply below this post. You can also email me at: audragkennedy@gmail.com

Much Love,
Audra Kennedy