NOTE (1/12/18): We’re all learning and growing.  Some of the stuff I’ve written in these old posts may no longer be exactly what I believe or think, or at least may not be articulated the way I’d do it nowadays.  I preserve them in an attempt it to be transparent about my journey, and in the hopes that readers may still glean some insight from the core ideas found here.  Thanks for journeying with me!

With the realities of North America quickly sinking in, I’d like to share what I saw and learned on my 6 week trip to Africa while it’s still fresh in my memory.  Part one was two weeks spent in Kenya, and as you may have deduced from the title, that’s where I’ll begin.

I traveled to the city of Nakuru with 6 people from Living Truth Fellowship in Christiana, Pennsylvania.  Our goal was mainly to assist our hosts Pastor Patrick Thuo and his wife Lucy with a women’s conference and a youth conference at their church, The Lord’s Sanctuary.

Mennonite Guest House

Our first night in Kenya was actually spent at the Mennonite Guest House in Nairobi.  This was quite an enjoyable time for me, especially knowing that my mother had passed through this same place on her Africa travels years ago.  But there were a few more fun things thrown into the mix.  At breakfast, I ended up sitting with a family who were not only from Alberta, Canada (right next to my home province), but were connected to Bethel Church (where I went to school the year before) and worked at Eagle’s Nest Ranch, which is where one of my friends had just applied for a job.  Later, the man at the front desk took a look at my last name and said, “I know someone with that last name.”  I thought, “No you don’t.  There’s only 4 people in the world with that last name.”  He said, “Her name is Kate?”  …Ah, that would be my sister.  Apparently this guy went to Canadian Mennonite University with her.  Small world, or Mennonite world, or God was having fun…probably a bit of all.

In Nakuru

While in Nakuru, we lodged at the Jumuia Guest House, another Christian-run hotel of sorts.  Having Christian businesses and organizations is actually pretty normal in Kenya.  As you drive down the street you can see many signs that include Christian elements – “Blessed Butchery”, “Redeemed Salon”, “Kingdom Chemist”.  That last one is a pharmacy, if you were wondering.  But this is not to say Kenya is problem-free.  I’m told it’s better off than many other African countries, but there is much to be done there yet.  Poverty, unemployment, neglect and abuse – all were things we came against during the conferences.

I must note that Kenyan hospitality is top-notch.  Everyone was so kind to us strange white people.  In the Nakuru streets, little kids would run to me, grinning and yelling “mzungu!” (white person) and shake my hand.  Our hosts made us special meals, different than everyone else’s during the conference.  In fact, they installed a toilet at the church just before we got there so us Americans wouldn’t have to use squatty potties!  Most importantly (for me, anyways), the Jumuia Guest House daily let me use the receptionist’s computer so that I could update on our status via facebook.

Not to mention my friend Carl, who came to my rescue during part of the women’s conference when I was starting to feel intimidated by the minuscule amount of male specimens present.  He volunteers full-time at a program called Youths Organization for International Volunteers, and helps lead the  youth at the Lord’s Sanctuary.

The Conferences

The conferences were four days each, with 2 – 4 sessions a day and ending Sunday morning with church.  People came from all over; we were told that forty of the youths walked 6 miles to get to their conference.  They were hungry to see God!

And, as Jesus said, “anyone who seeks will find”.  After the conferences, we heard people say things like “I will never be the same”, “I feel so happy”, “I have renewed joy”, etc.  Members of our team, along with local leaders, taught from a variety of themes, but I think the ones that hit home the most revolved around hope and love.  I mean, some of the ladies were coming from homes where their husbands didn’t believe in Jesus, kids were going wild, and alcoholism was a big issue.  One woman – a pastor, actually – had had 4 deaths in her family recently, and her daughter had had 3 kids out of wedlock, which is a big deal in Kenya.  She got rocked when someone prayed for her, as did plenty of other women.

The sick were also healed.  Everybody with pain in their lower back had their legs grown out to relieve the pressure, and they testified they were instantly healed.  Two people got healed of wrist pain, another got healed of deafness, and I remember seeing some demons manifest but didn’t hear the final outcome of those stories.  This was exciting stuff, but I think their main need was for discipleship on having faith and hope, which I believe they got.

A Few Testimonies

The youth conference was very dear to me.  Being the youngest one on my team by 20 years, I was able to fit in more readily with them.  I got my first opportunity to preach, so I hit on our identity in Christ, what we’re supposed to do with it, and then a bit on what faith looks like.  This one I had planned pretty well out.  But when I was asked the next day to speak again, I didn’t map it out as well.  I just had the verse, “Delight yourself in God, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

It was going good; preaching without notes can be so helpful if you have a passion for what you’re talking about.  But about halfway through, I remembered a dream I had had the night before.  I closed my eyes and began describing the sense I had from the dream – an anchor, falling forever, and a ship lost at sea.  I began talking about how God the Father sees us and longs to draw us into his embrace.  The feelings of the Father’s love for the youths overwhelmed me, and I started crying.  Man, I can feel that even now as I write this.  God LOVES you guys…believe it!

I had to sit down, I was really bawling.  Someone began to play piano, and God basically just took over.  I don’t know how many people He touched then, but I know it was more than just me.  The next day a 13-year-old girl shared with some of my teammates a bit of her story.  She got good grades in school, but her father would carelessly toss aside her report card.  She had a performance mentality when it came to receiving love, but it wasn’t working.  But while God was moving the day before, she said she saw a vision of what she described as “a man in white holding out his arms to me”.  Sound familiar?  My teammates explained to her who this Man was, and they got to embrace her as from God Himself.  Yay God!

Lots of other amazing things happened.  Pastor Mary called up the youngest youth at the conference at one point to illustrate how God can use young people.  A 10-year-old girl came forward, and Mary loved on her, and called her beautiful and lovely.  We later found out that that girl had been recently beaten by her family because she had refused to do a tribal ceremony because of her faith in Jesus, so it was pretty rockin’ that she got called up.  The last night of the youth conference turned into one of those “let the bodies hit the floor” kind of meetings – everyone who got prayed for was touched with the power of God.  Another time, one of our teammates got to go preach at a prison and 30 people got saved.   Yes, lots of good stories to recount…

A quick note though before I finish up.  I always wondered if it was easier in Africa than it is in America to spread the Kingdom.  After this trip, though I can’t make a final judgment, I feel strongly that it doesn’t matter where you are.  Revival will happen anywhere people are willing to do what Jesus called us to do.

http://youtu.be/kOdR3WM5SEw
Yes, Kenya.  It was a hopping time (literally.  Check out the video).  We even got to see lions on our safari, right off the bat, which is apparently rare.  But there is much work still to be done in the lovely country of Kenya, and many possibilities await in the future there.  Next up I will recount South Africa, and from there we move on.  Mungu awabariki!  Live it real.

Check out more photos from my trip here.