Be the Blessing

Proverbs 11:25 Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. 

Before the trip to Kenya, my mom told me "Rachel, I am praying that you meet someone in Kenya that you make a connection with." I didn't really understand what she meant, except that she wanted the trip to be worthwhile and that I would make at least one friend. I don't think she knew that I would be leaving behind people that I now call my Kenyan family. That when I see them online my heart smiles and becomes so full that tears freely flow because I love them.

Everyone says there is something special about mission trips. Whether it's building an orphanage or just talking with the people. For me, the best part of going to Nairobi, was going house to house in Huruma to meet members of the community. Some people just wanted the honor of having mzungus (white people) in their homes, other's genuinely wanted us to visit with them for us to pray with them.

"Watch your head, Rachel!"

Pastor Davies told us that we were going to the home of one of his members. At first, I was anxious because I was a stranger in a strange country. I also don't fit through the doors in Kenya very well. I can't tell you the times that someone would turn to me and say "Rachel! Watch your head!" Being nearly 6 ft tall in Kenya is just about the only thing that didn't agree with me!

So we entered a building, I started not to enter, then my friend Francis said "Rachel, I want a picture of you walking through a door." So I walked through a door, and I heard voices of thankful people that mzungas had come to their home. I walked up the stairs, nervous because I was arriving late to the party. We entered into George and Catherine's home. Catherine was making Samosas (and no, I don't mean the girl scout cookies). I stepped into the house, Catherine was rolling out the pastry used to make samosas and George was sitting in the corner of the room with a huge smile on his face! They both told us that they were honored we came to visit them. However, I was honored that they welcomed me into their home. Not as a stranger though I was, but rather as a beloved friend. 

Upon learning that George was limited in his work due to an infection in his leg, and that his son Davis was ill, I knew immediately that I needed to do whatever I could to help this family. What I didn't tell a lot of people is that my friend Jessica's son Edwin told me to bring him something home from Kenya. However, as many know Edwin passed away in May and I couldn't think of any thing Jessica would want sitting in her house from Africa. Instead I took the money I was going to use for a gift for Edwin and gave it to George and Catherine. When Carly and Grace found out what I was going to do, they donated shillings as well. 

Speaking to George and Catherine

On Sunday, Pastor Davies called me to the front of the church to address George and Catherine. I recounted to the church how they had invited us into their home. How Catherine had taught the team to make Samosas and how she and George told us that they were honored we came to visit. I also told them "On behalf of the team, I want to tell you, that when we came to Kenya, I wasn't sure what God had in store. We came as visitors and we are here today among you all in the church as family. I reminded Catherine of her words stating she was honored that we visited her, but also told her that while it honored you, for us [the team] it was a greater honor, because we were welcomed with open arms." I handed the mic back to Pastor Davies and walked over to George and Catherine and handed them some shillings. It wasn't much, but I know that the money would be put to better use than if I had held on to it.

There are lessons all over the trip to Kenya--and stories galore and I can't wait to share them all! When I say "Mimi ni rafiki yako milele." I mean it from the bottom of my heart--it was the last thing I told my friends when they dropped me off at the airport...but it really should have been Utakuwa baraka yangu milele (You will be my blessing forever) because the people of Nairobi have blessed me more than they can ever know. 

Kenya Part 2

There is something about Kenya that gets deep in your heart, in your soul even. I had a man tell me recently that Kenya gets in your blood. It doesn't matter if you are a mzungu (white person) or black. There is just something that gets deep inside you while you are there.

I have been lucky to have travelled to many different places. But there have only been two places that I have been to, where I feel completely at home. Like if I had to stay there, I would be okay as long as I could have gainful employment. The first is my beloved Ireland. If anyone knows me, they know that I have had a fasciation with Ireland and the United Kingdom since I was really young.

The other is Kenya. On Friday, of my mission trip, I woke up not feeling well at all. Thursday had been stressful due to some issues of my own making and not being able to get chargers to work and you name it, it went wrong, not to mention I had been sick since before we left the US. So I took Friday off while I was in Kenya. For most of the morning, I sat in a chair in the hotel, writing, reflecting on how terrible I had made some members of the team feel after I couldn't get the chargers to work. To be honest, I was ready to pack up and go spend the rest of my trip in London.

The infamous prayer chair

Then the strangest thing started happening. As I was sitting in the chair, random guests at the guesthouse started walking over to me. They greeted me, but the one person that stood out the most was a man named Paul. Paul is a regular at the guesthouse. So regular that he knows every staff member by name and greets them with a hearty "JAMBO! HABARI YAKO?" Paul started walking towards my seat and I was nervous, but not so nervous that I wouldn't speak. He said "You are Kenyan." It was a statement not a question. I looked around to see who he was talking too. Surely not me, I am a mzungu, definitely not Kenyan. So I ask "Are you talking to me?" He softly laughs and said "Yes, you are a Kenyan, what part of Kenya do you come from?" I said "Sir, I am not Kenyan, I am American." He laughed a bit heartier and said "No, you are Kenyan!" I smiled, thinking this dear man was confused, maybe a little mental, but definitely confused and I repeated myself "No, sir, I am American. I come from North Carolina, USA." He sat down on the sofa near my chair and said "No, you are Kenyan, if not now, someday!"

We proceeded to talk for a bit, and as the lady that cleaned our room walked past, he said "JAMBO CHRISTINE! HABARI YAKO?" Then turned to me and said softly "Jambo means hello and Habari Yako means How are you?" I looked at him and said "ndio (yes)". He smiled and said "I knew you were Kenyan." We proceeded to talk for a bit longer about the state of the United Methodist Church. When it was time for Paul to check out for the weekend, he got ready to leave, he shook my hand and said "It was very nice to meet you, Rachel, the Kenyan from America!" I said "Paul, is there anything I can pray for you?" He said "Rachel, if I told you all my troubles the world would rest on your shoulders." I stood up and said "Well then can I just pray with you in general for your safe travels home?" He took my hand and said "Yes, yes, you can pray!" So I stood there in the hotel in Nairobi with a complete stranger praying. Then he hugged me. Let me just tell you, you don't know what a HUG is until you get a hug from someone you prayed with!

Later that day I was in the cafe at the hotel eating dinner. While I was there, I had the urge to ask a young waitress if I could pray for her. She said "Yes, please pray for my family!" I asked if I could pray with her before I left and she said "Yes, yes, please!" So I stood there on the side of a hill overlooking Nairobi, praying for this young sister in faith.

I don't tell this story to brag on what I did. I want to share with you all that the simplest act can change someone's day. I could have easily sat in the chair in the Guest House and not said one thing to any of these people. I could have ignored them, or spoke to them, but not listened. Instead, I allowed them to come to me, to tell their stories.

You see when I went to Kenya, I went to change people. I went to give people hope. I remember that Grace, aggravated at me said "Maybe your heart isn't in the right place to be here." And I have to admit that my heart wasn't in the right place...I wanted to do ministry, I wanted to teach; but Kenya doesn't need is another teacher. They don't need another mzungu to come in and try to change their lives. What they need is someone to come in and love them where they are; and to receive the love they have to give. And that is what I got, after Friday, my heart was set in the right place to be able to receive the lessons that came with a short term mission trip to Kenya.

Happiness is...

God's word tells us that we can cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. However, what does that mean? What about when we do attempt to cast our cares and He seemingly doesn't answer? Are we asking for the wrong thing?

I don't think it's any big secret that I have been praying for a friend since 2014 when our friendship ended. I've been praying that they come back into my life. When that didn't happen, I attempted to force it to happen, with legal consequences. So I changed my prayer; I prayed that I could share the gospel with this person and that hasn't happened either. Matter of fact, when I came home from Kenya, they had moved away. Yet my heart is still prayerful for this person and her family.

Why? Because they need prayer. Yet, I realize that I also deserve to be happy. Psalm 37:4 says 'Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart!" The desire of my heart is for two things: 1) Happiness and 2) for my friend to open her heart to Jesus Christ. Then maybe someday I'll get that hug I have been waiting for!