The journey begins~

Dear family and friends:

Hi! We are happy to connect with all of you, as this is our first formal letter as a married couple. As most of you know, we were married September 6, 2009 and are thankful to say we are doing wonderfully. Marriage has been amazing. Together we have encountered many challenging, life changing and radical events over the past year and continue to deepen our relationship as the Lord works through us and builds us stronger together; uniting us as a team on fire for the Lord: to love and live radically.  We had plans of traveling this past year but all was changed, as this was not the Lords plan for us.  We both have a rich desire to serve communities through missions and as we pressed in to God’s will for us, it became apparent exactly where he wanted us to serve.  Though these plans were not our own, he made it clear to both of us independently, where this journey would lead.

We want this next leap of faith to dramatically impact our marriage, as we reach out and seek the kingdom of God and everything he has in store for us.

Through a series of prayer, conversation, and events, God has lead us to the other side of the world: Kisumu Kenya. Their locations are Nehemiah International, Miwani Center in Kisumu, Kenya and Bainbridge Island, WA.  Nehemiah International is a Non Profit Organization and exists to bring glory to God by creating opportunities for young leaders to grow in their cultural context in order to develop healthy and sustainable communities.  They integrate biblical principles to prepare young leaders to help reconcile men and women to God, their neighbors and the environment.  They aim to teach and give us opportunity to deepen our relationship with God and discover new ways to reach out with Christ’s compassion to those who are oppressed, poor and disabled in rural communities and to know God and make God known. During this outreach Derick will be working with a team of dentists and health care providers and setting up clinics in local communities to provide practical oral hygiene.  Kels will be working on the Dairy farm and working with women and children at the local orphanage.  We will be training people in poor rural communities in sustainable agriculture including ways to develop and improve their land in practical ways. We plan on leaving from SeaTac airport on February 24, 2011 and will be staying on the farm for ten weeks, though we can't be certain nor limit the stay, as God might have plans to further his work through us and we are prepared to stay longer if it is God’s desire.
As we step out in faith, we ask for your support through prayers. “ We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”  Romans 7:26.   As we primarily ask for your support through prayers we also ask for support financially.  We know that God will lead the way and provide for us. Please prayerfully consider supporting us in any way God provides.  Heaps and mounds of blessings and love to all of you.   To all of our loved ones, we are eager to stay in touch with all of you and would love to know how God is working in your lives.  We have created a blog to keep all of you updated on this adventure.  Please email us if you would like to stay connected!

  Blessings,
Derick and Kelsey!

theduckworths75@yahoo.com
http://theduckworths2.blogspot.com

7223 Winfred road
Suquamish Wa 98382


1 Corinthians 2:9-10
"No eye has seen,
No ear has heard,
No mind has conceived
What God has prepared for those who love him."
but God has revealed it to us by his spirit. The spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.