See What the Lord Is Doing - The Filter Project

See What the Lord Is Doing

Kenya Mission Trip | October 7–9, 2026

As I reflect on the final three days of our trip to Kenya with our guests from Easthaven Baptist Church and Germantown Baptist Church, one phrase continues to come to mind: See what the Lord is doing.

Wednesday morning began with praise and worship alongside our missionary team at a church in Kipsongo. We sang one of my favorite Kenyan worship songs, See What the Lord Has Done.

As we sang, I couldn’t help but reflect on everything God has accomplished in Kipsongo. This is now a completed project where 909 people have given their lives to Christ!

During my time of encouragement with the team, I shared a thought. While I love singing “See What the Lord Has Done,” those words can almost make it sound like the work is finished. I challenged our missionaries to occasionally change the words to “See What the Lord Is Doing.” Because God isn’t finished. He’s still working, still changing lives, and still opening doors.

And what we witnessed over the next two days was another reminder of exactly that.

Wednesday: Serving, Teaching, and Loving

After worship, we walked into another area of Matisi Ward, where our team is currently conducting household assessments for our next project. Our American guests participated in this important first step, helping gather information that allows us to determine the number of families in need, establish budgets, plan timelines, and begin forming relationships with local churches.

Meanwhile, Dr. Scott Talley, Easthaven’s interim pastor and group leader, was back at our hotel leading a pastors conference. Thirty-five local pastors from areas where we plan to work gathered to learn about discipleship and how to spiritually strengthen their churches.

This is at the heart of what we do. Clean water opens the door, but our ultimate desire is to introduce people to Jesus Christ and connect them with a local church where they can grow in their faith.

That afternoon, we visited Team Heroes, a local orphanage. What a wonderful time we had! Our guests brought art supplies, jump ropes, soccer balls, and Frisbees. We spent the afternoon playing, laughing, and loving on these children.

When we finished our activities, the children surprised us with a program of their own, complete with singing and dancing!

It was such a joyful afternoon. More than anything, I hope those children were reminded that they are seen, loved, and not forgotten. The Easthaven team left behind all the supplies and sports equipment for the children to continue enjoying.

After dinner and some rest, we prepared for what would be a very special Thursday.

Thursday: 10,000 Filters and God’s Faithfulness

Thursday was distribution day, and what a day it was!

We distributed 140 water filters to families in need. Our Easthaven guests helped attach the filters to buckets using filters assembled by Shelbyville Baptist Church in Shelbyville, Tennessee.

Shelbyville Baptist also generously funded 100 of those filters and provided letters of encouragement for our recipients and missionaries. I love seeing churches back home become part of what God is doing halfway around the world.

But Thursday was particularly special because we distributed The Filter Project’s 10,000th water filter!

I still can’t believe it.

When TFP officially began in late 2024, I never imagined that less than two years later I would be leading a ministry with 40 employees and celebrating 10,000 filters distributed.

Standing there celebrating that milestone, I was overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness.

The reality is that The Filter Project isn’t my ministry. It’s God’s ministry. This wasn’t my plan or something I could have ever accomplished on my own. God has opened the doors, provided the resources, brought the people together, and sustained us every step of the way.

And He continues to remind me of that.

A woman named Esther received our 10,000th filter. We celebrated, took pictures, recorded a short video, and sent her on her way.

But about ten minutes later, Esther returned.

She explained that she was a Christian but had never been baptized and wanted to take that step of obedience.

What a beautiful moment! The recipient of our 10,000th filter returned to publicly profess her faith in Christ through believer’s baptism.

Following distribution, we celebrated 35 baptisms, including Esther’s.

One baptism was particularly moving.

On Monday, Scott, his wife Susan, and I had visited a young woman named Sarah during our follow-ups. Sarah suffers from severe sickle cell disease and was experiencing tremendous pain. During our visit, she gave her life to Christ.

On Thursday, despite her pain, Sarah made the approximately 25-minute walk to the baptism location with the help of a friend because she wanted to be baptized.

Scott had the privilege of baptizing her.

Watching Sarah’s obedience to Christ despite her suffering was something I don’t think any of us will soon forget. What an incredible testimony of faith!

Thursday Evening: Celebrating Our Missionaries

That evening, our entire missionary team of approximately 40 joined our American guests for a special dinner and celebration.

We shared stories, enjoyed fellowship, and celebrated 22 graduates of our Mizizi discipleship program.

Mizizi is a ten-week course designed to help new and growing believers better understand their faith and what it means to follow Jesus. All of our missionary team members have now completed this training.

Each graduate stood and recited ten Scripture memory verses they had learned throughout the course. What a wonderful thing to witness!

We ended the evening saying our goodbyes to the team, grateful for the week we had shared together.

Friday: Heading Home With Full Hearts

Friday morning began our approximately 35-hour journey back to the United States.

As I reflect on this trip, I’m incredibly thankful for our guests from Easthaven Baptist Church and Germantown Baptist Church. It’s been wonderful watching their joy throughout the week, getting to know them better, and sharing these experiences together.

We arrived as people going on a mission trip together, but we’re leaving as friends. And I believe each of them will return home as ambassadors for The Filter Project and the work God is doing in Kenya.

But perhaps my biggest personal takeaway from this trip has been my own missionary team.

These men and women have so little compared to what most of us have in America, yet their joy in Christ is overwhelming. Their faith is strong, their love is genuine, and their prayers are constant.

They pray for me. They pray for our donors. They pray for this ministry and for the families we serve.

And if I’m being transparent, it convicts me.

Sometimes I wonder whether my own faith, joy, and excitement for Christ measure up to what I see in them. They remind me that our joy isn’t found in possessions, comfort, or circumstances. Our joy is found in Jesus Christ.

I travel to Kenya hoping to encourage our missionaries, but so often I leave feeling like they have encouraged and challenged me far more than I could ever encourage them.

I’m heading home grateful, humbled, and spiritually refreshed.

To our missionaries, our American guests, the churches that partnered with us, and every donor and prayer supporter who makes this work possible, thank you.

Ten thousand filters. Thousands of lives impacted. Souls coming to Christ. Churches growing. Missionaries being equipped.

We certainly celebrate what the Lord has done.

But I’m even more excited to see what the Lord is doing next.