updates from our interns

How do you even begin to tell about a life changing summer in a few paragraphs?  Words alone cannot do this summer justice, but I am going to try.

My journey actually began five years ago when God asked me to give up my summer for Him, and I chose not to.  I justified my “no” for many years, but last September, God showed me very clearly that I was Jonah.  I was running from the one thing He was asking me to do: surrender my summer.  I was doing lots of good things, but I wasn’t doing God’s thing.  I was so worried about me that I forgot to rely on God.  And so…my journey to surrender began.  After lots of prayerful support raising and many answered prayers, God sent me to Narok, Kenya with three strangers who soon became my very close friends.

I had no idea what to expect going into this experience, I only knew that I had to do it.  Unlike the others on my team, I didn’t really WANT to go.  I love the African culture and I love children, but I have never wanted to serve God overseas.  I could not figure out why God wanted me to go half way across the world when I knew I could make a difference at home.  But, I could not say no again.  So there I was.  A mzungu in the middle of Kenya with no choice but to rely on God.

I saw God in a very real way this summer as I built relationships with so many people.  As I learned to live in true community with three other girls for the first time, I saw God’s grace exemplified.  As I watched Mary work, teach, sing, clean, and so much more; I learned what it looks like to live a life full of joy.  As I watched Isaac pour his heart into the students he served, I learned what it means to truly love others for who they are.  As I watched Elijah do anything that needed to be done in order to help others, I saw servant leadership at its finest.  As I watched Kenyans serve and worship the Lord, I saw a glimpse of what Heaven will be like someday.  I am sure the Lord called me to Kenya to teach me that my life is not about me.

In our small Christian bubbles, it is easy to stuff God in the bubble with us.  It is easy to become so absorbed in our own little worlds that we don’t touch anyone else’s.  This summer, my bubble was popped many times and in many ways, and although it was uncomfortable, it was necessary.  God calls us to love, and that doesn’t just mean the people in our bubble.  It means those outside it, too.  I am so thankful for all of the people God put in my life this summer. Mungu Akabariki!

I’m not really sure how to sum up my summer in a way that fully describes the experiences I had. Half a world away and immersed in a culture so different from my own, I saw God’s love. I’ve seen God’s love many times before, but this summer I saw it through the eyes of a different culture. As cliché as it is, I stopped seeing the differences in our cultures and was overwhelmed by the similarities.

While working with the youth and youth workers, it quickly became apparent that the challenges they faced were the same as what American youth face. I was so moved by the passion the youth workers have for God and their youth. Though a lot of the youth ministries were small, the youth workers put in so much time and effort into working alongside us to cast a vision and start making a plan for their youth programs.

There is such a desire for God in Kenya, in all ages. Along with that desire, there is such an apparent joy in those who have Christ. Particularly, my friend Mary had an overwhelming amount of joy. The more time we spent with her, the more contagious it became. It wasn’t a joy resulting from anything materialistic or tangible. It was clear to anyone around her that it was truly the joy of the Lord. Even on days when she was sick, she simply had joy and she put that joy into all she did.

There were so many others that made my experience one that I will never forget. The Kenyan culture is amazingly hospitable and relational. By the time we were set to leave, I found myself genuinely not wanting to leave. Of course, I was ready to see my family and friends back in the States, but my Kenyan friends (and the other ladies of course) had become my family away from family, and Kenya had become my home away from home. Looking back, I’m still in awe of how I felt so at home on the other side of the world.

At the beginning of our trip to Kenya, our lovely team leader had us write a list of expectations for the coming summer. I’m not sure any of us knew what to write exactly so we came up with things like: I expect to eat a lot of rice (check) and I expect to get sick (check) and I expect to get better (check)… You know things that could happen anywhere in the world. The thing is, looking back at my time in Narok town all of those expectations were fulfilled and at the same time none of them were. Instead, they were exceeded and without the knowledge of what I was truly getting into. Nothing really could have prepared me for the impact that one culture and a few people could have on my life.

Now that I’m home, people keep asking me what my favorite part was. My answer is always: the people. Hands down. In a matter of weeks, I entered a new culture a complete stranger and left with a new family. There is nothing like the people of Kenya—they have so much joy and love to be shared that you are just comforted by knowing them. Because of my friends in Kenya, I continuously had the realization that we are ALL God’s children. We are all called to be followers of Christ no matter our cultural background, the color of our skin, or the language we speak.  We are all called the beloved and therefore share a common heart: Christ Jesus. I also realized that heaven’s going to have some pretty sweet dance moves.

I was probably asked about a hundred times what kinds of issues youth face in America. Locals were always shocked to realize that kids in the US struggle with a lot of the same things as they do in Kenya. They just look a little different thanks to our cultural backgrounds. They all share a common need and struggle in a lot of the same ways.  A part of me expected it to be drastically different, but the Lord clearly showed me otherwise.  He told me, people are people no matter the time or the place and our relationships with each other are what make the adventure come to life. The majesty of God’s creation is found in the nature of the world but even more it is in his people. They are a testament to his magnitude and creativity.

All this to say, the impact of these experiences in Kenya have only just begun unraveling.  Every time that I think of one of my best little Kenyan friends telling me that he loves me, I am forced me to dig a little deeper and run a little closer to God. That relationship in and of itself is a testimony to the love of Christ.  It’s a remarkable thing to say that you’ve been to another country and served along side local believers. It’s another thing to bring that joy and relational community back to a place, which is seemingly deprived of it. God is everywhere. And this summer I have realized that you must seek him in order to find him. It took me traveling half way across the world to learn what God’s love truly is and to recognize that he is able.

It’s crazy to think that my time in Kenya has come to a close and I’m now back at home ready and willing for whatever God throws my way. I know for a fact that a couple of months ago I wouldn’t have been ready to relinquish control and surrender my all to God. I’ve got to say it feels pretty good to be in that place now.  I owe it all to the grace and the supernatural love shown to me in Kenya.

Don’t worry we are still alive! We have been so busy these past two weeks that we haven’t had a chance to sit down and write. So, here is our two week-long update…

We spent all last week in the bush at Ewaso Ngiro. We taught for three days at Christian Academy and Esawo Ngiro Primary School (the government school there.) We taught composition, health, and math lessons. We also had the privilege of playing many games, especially with the students at Christian Academy. Michelle and Jessica had the opportunity to visit the CMF clinic in the village and observe babies receiving their first vaccinations. Friday, the team was asked to speak at a youth training seminar. We spoke about the importance of having a vision and an action plan for ministry, then worked with local leaders to develop a specific plan for their ministries. While driving attendees home after the seminar, it was humbling to realize that many of them had walked for hours in order to attend the seminar. We felt so blessed to be a part of it. On that Saturday, we had a fellowship day with the children of Ewaso Ngiro that are involved with Compassion International. We played many games, enjoyed meals with them, and assisted wherever we were asked. Sunday we went to the church there, where we taught Sunday school and held a question and answer session for the “youth.” We also went to a local youth fellowship in Narok called Potter’s, where we met many young adults, listened to a great sermon, worshiped together, and learned a little salsa dancing.

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