Status: Servant
Story: Patrick is an unsung hero. He served our three WR teams in Kapsoya with enthusiasm and cheer. He was always the first one up to cook breakfast, and was usually the last one to sleep after shopping and cleaning. I can hardly remember a time in which he wasn’t smiling. He volunteered to lead worship, translate, shop, cook, clean, escort, protect, and do absolutely everything he could to make sure we were comfortable. His favorite phrases were, “Be happy,” “Smile,” and “Praise the Lord!” One time he gave me a bag full of his clothes while I was at an internet café. He told me to keep an eye on them while he ran an errand for us. Somehow I managed to lose them and felt terrible, but he continually reassured me that everything was okay with a big smile and a bigger heart. He truly gave everything without expecting anything in return and sacrificed of himself to become a servant to others.
Interesting Facts: Patrick is Maasai and full of stories about lions, leopards, and war. He knows the Bible inside and out and can quote scripture all day long. He was a sharp shooter in the army. He can carry burning hot metal pots straight from the fire with his bare hands. He caught a pickpocket in the act and prevented a theft while we were completely oblivious. He left his family (wife and newborn baby) to serve us for three weeks without any expected pay.
Occupation: Sudanese refugee
Story: I was alone on a hill on the outskirts of Eldoret (See The African Church (PG) for more about the intimacy of this place). As I was reading James, I noticed another guy in the distance. I waved at him and he walked over and sat down on the rock next to me. I recognized his gentle heart and thirst for God almost immediately. James 5:16 stuck out to me as we studied together. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” We confessed our sins to each other, and he opened up to me with an extraordinary level of trust and sincerity. We spent the afternoon together, and I prayed for him and led him through his own heartfelt prayer to God. My biggest desire was to inspire him to continue seeking God on his own.
Update: Two weeks later, on my next Sabbath, I went back to the hill. As I was reading Revelation, I noticed another guy in the distance. Garbino! What a moment that was! We hugged and strengthened each other in the Lord. My heart leapt with joy as he pulled out from his pocket his worn copy of the New Testament in Sudanese. “I carry it with me everywhere I go now.”
Update #2: He must have kept the little slip of paper on which I scribbled my e-mail for five months, because five months later I received an e-mail that I hope to never forget. He encouraged me greatly and asked for prayer. I told him that I would relay his prayer requests to my friends and family. Without sharing too many details, he had to leave his family and friends in Sudan and go alone to Kenya, where he is trying to obtain an education. No one from his clan has ever received an education before, and he is trying to be the first to increase his family’s standard of living. They are struggling to survive and he aspires to return one day and provide for them. He told me he prays before he sleeps every night and often remembers our encounter. He needs sponsors to help him finish school so he can find work and provide for his family. He is maybe 18 years old.
