Africa, Unite!!

As many of you know, I spent July 9-19 in Kenya, Africa. And, I must say, it was the greatest week of my life. I probably could have told you it was going to be the greatest week, even before I went-and indeed....it was. It has been tough putting the experience into words. It really was an "indescribable" experience. I learned so much on this trip-I'm still trying to process it all. Isn't is amazing how you go on a trip like this to serve and help others, and you always come back seemingly more blessed yourself!

Where to start?! (See I've got a lot of pressure on me right now, My first Blog, My first Entry...I'm sweating right now, j/k)

The people of Kenya were amazing. We served at an orphanage called Tumaini (Hope in Swahili) where we farmed, built fences, and spent time with the orphans and widows. I realized one day while I was farming at Pastor Phyllis's church that it would be so hard to tell what I had seen in Africa. How would I put this beautiful, magnificent country into words? How would I be able to convince people that God was in Africa and I witnessed, saw, and experienced it for myself?

In America we always hear of Africa being a dark continent, we hear all the stats, we hear all the bad that goes on there. And there is a whole lot of it. The AIDS pandemic, starvation, malnutrition, "street children"-who do anything, ANYTHING, to survive another night. It's more than just the pot-bellied kids you see on TV...it goes beyond that to the 9 year-old who is selling her body for money to support the rest of her family, because she is the head of household. These things are hard to type, read, and hear, but they are reality on that continent.

Among all this "bad" is there any good in Africa? My answer to you is YES, YES there is!!! Our team had the opportunity to experience Kenyans who, in our eyes, would have nothing. Yet, they would praise God. They had such a genuine true faith. One that a Christian should have. They praised God during all times, and thanked Him no matter the situation. How arrogant I have become to think that I could do life on my own. I've let the things God has intended for me to use to glorify Him get in the way of His will and way for my life. He may not be asking you or I to sell all our possessions and move to a third-world country. But He is asking us to glorify Him with what he has so graciously given to us.

How have I missed that? It took seeing a people that had TRUE joy for me to realize this! And TRUE joy they had! I have never danced, sang, and praised God like I did in Kinangop, Kenya. For some reason, He was so present there, so real. Have I become so complacent in my Christianity that I forgot what true worship and fellowship feels like here in America? I guess so!

Seeing children share food, when they may not have eaten in days/ hearing Tall John Strong Hope ask us if we had eaten/ Realizing that the people of Tumaini had been praying for us months before we got there/ Witnessing David Kaiuke, a walking miracle, and a hero-go from living on the streets in Kenya, to becoming a college graduate, social worker, and man of God/ Praising the same God in Kenya, as I serve in the USA/ kicking a soccer ball around and talking about Michael Jordan/ seeing children beginning to understand how AIDS is spread (shout out to Kelly!)/ Hearing Daniel say that he was #1 in his class, and being so proud about it!/ Orphans longing for their education so they can have a way out/ Orphans saying they want to be doctors, presidents, pilots, and preachers----All of these things represent the Good in Africa. It represents the hope that the continent has.

Until this trip I simply did not realize that God was present and doing mighty things in Africa. It took listening to Bishop David Thagana who has planted countless churches in 3 or more countries. It took hearing the testimony of Charles Mulli (Father to the Fatherless). How the Lord lead his life-from being an orphan, to a millionaire, to having nothing, to creating the Mulli Children's Family Orphanage with over 1200 kids. It took seeing the other 71 members of our incredible team leaving the country never to be the same again.

I consider myself one of the lucky ones. One that God has allowed to see what actually goes on in Africa. But he has also given me a big responsibility to share what I saw with the world. To somehow help others to understand this amazing continent. It's impacted my life beyond what I could have imagined, and I love it.

www.heartforafrica.org