African Church! How do I describe? This
past Sunday was my favorite. I woke up at five thirty and carefully
made my way through the maze of pallets and mosquito nets to get
ready. Put on a skirt, wrapped my hair in a bun, and hoped I was as
presentable as I could be for having gotten ready by headlamp light.
My teammates and I made our way down the dirt road to the bus doing
our best to dodge the puddles and mud. Then we had our first local
African bus ride experience. On a bus that seats 29 there was at
least 55 people. Aisles become prime spots, and your back becomes
someones elbow rest. As the bus started bumping and dipping its way
down the African “roads” everyone on the bus seemed to become
family. Jokes were cracked, men helping each other load bales of
produce onto the top the bus at each stop. Bodies were pressed close
together. I was grateful for the cool breeze coming through the
widows along with the red dirt.
I found myself being overwhelmed with
joy. I felt like I’m living. All things seemed possible in the back
of that African bus. I found the deepest contentment in the goodness
of my Lord. And I felt so grateful that God had brought me to some
small back road in Kenya to go share with others the goodness He is
daily teaching me. Two hours later we reach the town we are to
preach at 25 km away. We are met by a church member and follow him to
the church. The church is three walls made of wood and tin up against
a mud building. We walk in on the service that has already begun and
are ushered up to the front bench by welcoming faces. A quick
introduction and we all take turns sharing what the Lord has put on
our hearts. We have a time of worship. Two women and a man get up to
sing.
One of the truly most beautiful things
I’ve ever seen. With just their voices and the clapping of the
congregation I felt ushered into the throne room of heaven. The joy
with which they sang was breathtaking. Such simple lyrics of “i’m
am happy, so happy because Jesus took away my sins”. In this dirt
floored glorified lean-to they have learned what it is to delight in
Jesus.
