This month I was faced with a sobering reality. Just one week before we planned to arrive in Nairobi, there was a terrorist attack. Al Shabaab sent 20 gunmen into the biggest/most western mall in the area. My teammate Jeff had just been researching the area, planning to go there when we got to Nairobi, when it popped up on the news. The same pictures that he had just seen that enticed him to go there began filling the screen.
If the attack would have been planned for one weekend later, we would have been there. It would have been us. The gunmen reportedly were asking people to recite a muslim creed. My guess is that a lot of the Christians around here know it, since it’s played over loud speaker in many places. What if I knew it? What would I do? It’s a question we all hope to never have to answer.
Deny God and Live?
Or Stand Up and Die for your King?
It’s a scary thought. In my calm state of mind from this comfortable hotel room, I’d like to say I would stand proudly for Christ and take whatever punishment they offered. But until you’re faced with that choice, I guess you can’t really know for sure.
My heart breaks for the families of those involved in the attack. I pray for peace and healing for all involved. I am thankful for God’s divine protection over my squad. God is teaching me about peace and trust these days. I suppose he will continue putting me on planes and close to scary situations until I get it.
I head to Nepal next and will be working in Human Trafficking Prevention. This is my heart, I cannot wait to see what this ministry actually looks like.
Please pray for my squad as we fly from Nairobi to Nepal into month 10.
