From here to there
This journey started with 3 different journeys. And then, one day back in February…they collided.
The first story started back in the late 90′s with a couple named John and Avril Thomas. John and Avril are Capetonians. John is the senior pastor of a local church there called The Fish Hoek Baptist Church, more commonly known as King of Kings. The short of the long is that they saw and immense need in their area and felt the Lord leading them to do something about that. So they started Living Hope Ministries which provides health care for the surrounding townships or slums in their community. If you want the longer version check out their website. That was back in 1999 and ever since the Lord has moved in some incredible ways to grow their ministry there in Cape Town. They now are not only a Health Clinic but also have a homeless shelter called Living Grace and an entrupernuial ministry called Living Way. Their story collides with Chris Dorsey next when he went on a study abroad trip to Cape Town with Belmont University.
While Chris was there he was really hearing the Lord speak to him about starting some form of music school there for the kids of the slums. Chris immediately began drawing up plans and writing down ideas for what this could look like. What he didn’t know was how in the world he could do this but he was willing. What Chris didn’t know was that the Lord had been putting this same burden on Avril’s heart. The students were in a meeting with Avril and when posed with the question, “what do you need?” she said that she had really felt the Lord telling her that a music school needed to start. Chris approached Avril after the meeting and the next summer Chris came back to Cape Town and started the Mobile Music Academy. And this is where I come in!
But first, some back story.
I went to Belmont in the Fall of 2004 thinking I was going to get my degree in Music Education and then go on the get my Master’s and my PhD in more music and then be a composer and conductor. What I came to learn very early on in my college career was that when you make plans without God while seeking Him your plans can get turned upside down. There were many events, or divine moments as I like to call them, that God used to completely transform my heart. Towards the end of my 1st semester I knew the Lord was leading me to a life of servant sacrafice and into a life of missions specifically in Africa. And that’s all I knew. There was no direction besides that. But I knew that if I stepped in faith He would provide each step in His perfect timing.
For the rest of my 3 1/2 years at Belmont the Lord provided me with numerous oppurtunity to deepen my faith and grow my leadership skills and my musicianship. My last semester of college was spent waiting for the Lord to provide some kind of direction for where I needed to step next. I never in a hundred thousand years thought that He would ask me to move back to Knoxville. But He did. And He gave me a peace about it like I have never expereinced. So I moved home and waited. And waited. AND WAITED. And it was 10 months later that God showed me the next step He wanted me to take.
This is where all the stories collide. Are you keeping up?
This past February I sat down with Chris in a local coffee shop in Nashville and we shared our stories and how we got where we were today. I was in Nashville to go to a partner’s conference with Living Hope to hear about their ministry and see where I could fit in. By the end of the 2 day conference I knew this was the step that God had been preparing me for. Now was the time to step.
So now I am off to Africa to work with the music academy and share Christ’s love to these kids who have been through some tragic situations and I could not be more excited! This last year in Knoxville has been what I like to call my waiting year. It has been one of the hardest years of my life and yet I wouldn’t have traded it for anything else because it is EXACTLY where I was suppose to be! When I left Nashville to move back to Knoxville, a friend of mine gave me a picture that said, “Don’t uproot in doubt what you have planted in faith.” I know this next chapter will not be an easy one but what I do know is that I step into it in faith.
Won’t you join me on this crazy journey?
Jean Keil said,
August 11, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
Hi Kendra,
The words “…He paid the ransom for me,” in the song that you sang at West Park last Sunday really touched me. I have your card in my prayer journal, and I’ll pray for you daily. How else can I help your ministry. Contribute directly to you? or to the Umkulo project? or some other way?
God bless you as you travel and continue to fulfill His plan for your life.
Jean