I made it out of Africa alive. I have to admit that I was holding my breath on and off during my stay in Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. I was terribly excited to experience life there, but also frightened that I might be in danger. I had read blogs about such danger. I almost expected it.
But I sit here in my bedroom in Nepal without a scratch (besides a burn on my right calf from a motorcycle and a scrape on my right knee from when I fell over some rocks while running). Africa was stunning! It was gorgeous in its own right-a different world than I’ve seen before.
Kenya… was a desert. A literal, camel filled desert. Amidst the Turkana tribe, us seven girls, flourished. We sprouted in the desert: evangelized in huts, spoke in front of hundreds, picked up snotty-nosed kids, and sang whatever song we could think of whenever we were asked. We slept in a small room with one fan and three mosquito nets.
We didn’t have internet access. We had cold pop access. The temperature was so hot that we rarely moved out of the church’s compound between the hours of 12-4pm.
When I arrived I was so nervous to evangelize. I had rarely done it before, and when I asked if I could listen to the peoples’ stories before I shared about Jesus I was sternly, but politely informed that it would be impossible to share with them once they started speaking. I felt trapped. It was as if I was forced to do a job that I was unqualified for. It was going to be torture! Until I remembered what God had told me earlier that morning.
Be yourself.
Oh, right. Myself. What if myself isn’t good enough to convert souls? What if I’m not the right person for the job? And the glaring reality of my inadequacy was once again brought to the table. I’m never the right person for the job except for the fact that God resides in me and he’s always the right person for the job. Always. If he resides in you there is nothing that you cannot be qualified for. Even if it (whatever it is) is not your “cup of tea”, God will use you there if you are willing.
And after all of the sweat and hesitance and persistence, God blessed me with some confidence in evangelism. I realized that I was put in Lodwar, Kenya for a reason and even if I didn’t feel like I was doing the job right, I was divinely appointed there. I respected the church’s methods while maintaining who I was… careful not to lose sight of my part as God’s vessel. However you do whatever you do, do it with all your heart and might to God’s glory!
Turkana tribe women-the beads represent beauty.
Turkana village pronounced NAH-QWAH-MAY-QUEE where we evangelized.
One of my favourites whom I called “Little Green Giant”.
One of our more memorable visitors. 
Splurged on some cheddar and made my self a grilled cheese sandwich in the church’s sandwich press.
Dancing before we settle down to watch The Passion of the Christ, a movie which moved adults and children to tears.
Trying to fit in with the locals.
My team with some of the church members we worked with closely during the month.
