Contrary to
belief, God is in the unexpected
When I
first arrived in Kenya, Africa many thoughts came to mind as I exited the
plane. I thought, “Wow God, I wonder what adventures you have waiting this
month”, “I wonder what interesting people I’ll meet; what miracles I will see
happen before my eyes?” and ” Man this cool air feels so good after spending
three months in the extreme heat of Asia”. For those who didn’t know, it’s winter here in Africa. Yes
they have a winter, I know shocking!
I was
expected to spend the first half of ministry this month with a team 14 hours
away on the coast of Kenya. On the day I was set to leave, a squad mate of mine,
Jesse, started to come down with a terrible cold. So my co-squad leader, Liz,
and I stayed back at the hostel to take care of her as she was showing signs of
Malaria. We ended up staying back for almost 2 weeks until she was healthy
enough to return to her team. I planned to join her, but this time, on the day
we were to leave, I woke up sick and ended up staying behind. A crazy turn of
events would have me staying at this hostel in Kenya all month, leaving me
asking “God what kind of ministry is this”.
I asked,
He answered. He began showing me all of the amazing conversations Liz, Jesse,
and I had with the staff here, and other backpackers from around the world. We
would get to encourage Patricia, the owner of the hostel, to write the story of
how God worked in her life and the story of how this hostel came to be. It has
hosted numerous mission teams when it was prophesied over years before that it
would be just that, a place for missionaries to stay while in Kenya. We got to
be here for a 23-year-old staff member named Ruth, who’s Mom was diagnosed with
a tumor in her stomach. We would get to encourage Mari, a 24 year old staff
girl, in her dreams to pursue teaching Swahili in Japan. Not to mention the
countless conversations about God with the backpackers from around the world
seeking the meaning of life.
I also
got to see God work through Jesse even during her sickness when she would be in
the living room journaling and reading the bible. She would seize every
opportunity to talk to people about God, what He’s done in her life, and why
she’s on this mission trip. She told me normally the “old” Jesse from back home
wouldn’t do stuff like that. I love watching God grow people in their faith
right before my eyes. I got to see God speak through my co-squad leader, Liz,
to encourage and lift the spirits of the staff here at Milimani Backpackers
Hostel. God would use Jesse, Liz and myself over and over in ways we never
imagined. In fact, in our eyes we felt useless because we weren’t out on the
field preaching, feeding orphans, etc; but in fact without even realizing it,
God was indeed giving us a ministry right under our noses. It’s just our eyes
weren’t open enough yet to see it.
God’s big message to me: Being a missionary isn’t something
you do, being missional is a lifestyle. It’s what He calls us to be as Christ
followers. Every day your ministry can look different. God isn’t just in the
good deeds; He’s in the seemingly small conversations, the simple acts of
faith. Wherever you go, He goes before you… every day is opportunity for
ministry, whether in the comforts of the United States, the red light district
of Asia, or a hostel in Africa. The major question is, are your eye’s open
enough to see it, and are we asking the All Mighty, Loving, Heavenly Father to
open our eyes to see it all? Truth be told, you have never locked eyes with
someone God doesn’t deeply love. If you know His love, have you told that other
person about it lately?
Take the leap of faith, swallow the pride, trust God, and
tell everyone around you of His great love and what His Son did on the cross
for you and for them.
