NASHEPAE to the World!

     Last week my team visited a Maasai tribe in the small village of Bissil on the border of Kenya and Tanzania.  We were hosted by a local pastor named Ezekiel and his wife Eunice.  We pitched our tents at his neighbour’s compound and ate our meals with his family.  We partnered with Pastor Ezekiel’s church for a week of open air crusades in the town square and evening revival services in the church.  They were incredibly long and exhausting days, but I truly feel like this week was one of the highlights of the last eight months.

Our team with Pastor Ezekiel, Eunice and a few of the other pastors he works with…Thomas (in the grey suit) told us stories over dinner about how he killed 4 lions when he was younger!

     Kenya is gorgeous. I honestly don’t know what it is, but the colours landscape just seem more vivid here.  The sky is bluer, the trees look greener and they both contrast the deep, red earth.

     Despite advancements in the world around them, the Maasai have managed to hold onto their customs and traditions.  I swear they could have jumped right out of the pages of National Geographic.  To this day, if a young man desires to be married he must take his spear and kill a lion.  Both men and women have gaping holes in their ears that stretch their lobes down to their shoulders.  They wrap themselves in brightly coloured skirts and shawls and cover their wrists and necks with layers and layers of multicoloured beads.

Tiffany with some new friends!

     I found it hard not to stare…not so much out of curiosity, but more out of admiration.  If I had to choose one word to describe the Maasai, it would be beautiful. They are soft spoken and carry themselves with this incredible and unspoken dignity and grace.  Their smiles are even brighter than their beads. 

     Now if you know me at all, you know I am not a ‘crusading-microphone-holding’ kind of girl.  I prefer being the ‘work horse’ and leaving the role of ‘show pony’ to someone else. But every afternoon in the town square and every evening at the church service I found myself on stage clutching a microphone giving an introduction and “sharing a few encouraging words”.  The first few times my mind went blank and I tried to get my words out as quickly as possible.  But, it’s hard to be nervous when your audience is a group of Maasai who hang onto every word that comes out of your mouth and whose eyes light up as they shout “Amen” in agreement. 

 Afternoon open air crusades in the town square!

     Every morning before lunch we walked around the community sharing the gospel. I will be the first to admit that I am not well practiced at witnessing my faith.  I’m pretty sure my heart started beating faster as soon as I heard we would be doing door-to-door evangelism.

     I was never really taught how to do it, and I have never really been encouraged to do it at home…but I've learned that blaming my upbringing gets me nowhere.  Jesus called each and every one of us to go out to the nations and make disciples.  How are you supposed to do that if you aren’t willing to open your mouth and talk about Him?

     I don’t think I led anyone to Christ that week, and I know that my words came out less coherently than I would have liked…but the overall experience was less intimidating than I thought it would be.  It’s actually pretty simple…you just talk about what you know, not what you think you are supposed to know.

     The majority of the people we met were born again believers, and so we had the opportunity to pray and offer encouragement.  Brant and I met a widow named Grace as she was weeding her maize crop.  When we asked if anyone helped her in her garden, she told us that she refuses handouts from her church because God didn’t give her two strong hands for nothing.  She said people often ask her for money or food and even though she has barely enough money to feed her own family she will never turn anyone away.  Grace stated very simply that God will always provide.
I was speechless.  It is tempting to walk into situations like this feeling a bit high and mighty.  It’s easy to meet a person living in a mud hut and get excited that you can share your wisdom with them.  Grace taught me more in that moment than I could have ever taught her.  God has constantly been shaming my prideful self on this trip, and I am so thankful for that.

      On our last afternoon an elderly Maasai woman named Regina came up to me and presented me with a traditional necklace.  Through a translator she explained that she felt blessed to have a sister in Canada. She told me that my smile brought her joy and she wanted to give me the name Nashepae which means “joy” in Maasai.  I was honoured, but I know that Regina and her tribe taught me more about joy than I could ever radiate with my smile.

     Pastor Ezekiel’s tin house was smaller than my old bedroom back home.  His family has next to no earthy possessions, but the joy they radiate is incredible.  I have never experienced generosity quite like what they showed me.  They would have given me the very shirt off their backs.  They showed me the most beautiful glimpses of my Savior – The Servant King.

The last morning!…Standing in front of Ezekiel's tiny home.

     It is sometimes too easy for me to sit back and admire the absolute humility of Christ and forget that I should be making it my daily goal to imitate Him.

     My week in Maasai land taught me that the secret to finding joy is to simply put Jesus first, others second and yourself last.   Being the hands and feet of Jesus is not a glamorous or exciting job.  It often means doing things that no one else really wants to do…but when you are so in love with Jesus, serving Him and loving others isn’t a chore, it is a joy.

     I have learned that joy is the secret to remaining steadfast in your faith. Happiness is fleeting, and it will be ripped away from you in a second…but joy won’t. If your hope is in the joy of the Lord, it will ALWAYS be your strength.

     So as I come to the end of this month in Kenya, it is my prayer that you will know peace like a river and nashepae like a fountain…and that He will always be your strength.

Love is all,
Laura.