My 1st Impression of Kenya (+Financial Deadline)
It is funny how much I’ve seen myself change in this last week. In all honesty, this has been my favorite week on the Race, thus far. Even now, as I fight a cold, attempt to sleep under a mosquito net¸ and listen to a neighbor’s rooster at nearly midnight, I find myself smiling.
There’s something here in Kenya, and specifically in Kisumu, something intangible that has me giddy about playing with children during recess, preaching to teenagers in public schools, encouraging and sharing meals with college students at our local church, loving and meeting with widows, and praying and planning with the pastors who have claimed my teammates and I as their daughters.
I think that this is God’s joy. I do not remember a previous time in my life where I’ve felt this much God-given love, joy, and excitement for the people around me.
In the simplest acts, be it through making an impromptu game circle with 40 children to preaching to 150 high school students under a tree with goats nearby to laughing all the way home with my new Kenyan brothers to teaching the sneaky-snake high five; I’ve finally found where I belong.
There is something about (literally) having 12 children holding onto my right arm and another six on my left, fighting to hold my hand or give me a high five or touch my hair or simply smile and mimic me as I stroke my chin in thought or squint my eyes in pure joy as I smile into their beautiful faces that make my heart sing and thank God for not just each day with these children, but each smile exchanged, and each opportunity I have to love and ‘be Jesus’ here in Kenya.
Which, with your prayers and support, I can continue to do. I have a financial deadline coming up on the 19th and in order to stay here, I need your help in any way possible. Please pray about it and know that you are making an eternal difference through supporting me.
