We were all put in pairs for the first week. I was with my mom. The church we were assigned to go to that Sunday was the church we spent the whole first week with. But our first full day in Kenya, that Sunday, deserves a post of its own.
Jericho Baptist Church
This is one of the nicer churches we saw in the 2 weeks we were in Kenya. A concrete floor and a tin roof are rare luxuries. This is not even the permanent facility for Jericho. They are renting this building until they have enough money to build their own church. Pastor Alfred and his wife Faith
As we arrived to church the first Sunday, we could barely make it out of the car before children (as young as 7) were running up to greet us and insist on taking our backpacks. These are the most serving people I have ever met in my life! They will not even let you carry your own things. The children who weren't running over to help us carry our things were running from hut to hut in the village to carry chairs and benches over to the church. In every church we visited, there were no permanent chairs or benches. They are so hard to come by, that they are shared throughout the villages and churches. Can you imagine if you had to carry your own chair half a mile to church every Sunday? And do it without complaining? With joy actually?
These are fancy chairs compared to most of what we saw in the villages. A tree stump is more common for these people.
During the service, I shared my testimony and my mom spoke from John chapter 15. All of the churches there are so excited to have us and we are all expected to have a major part in their service. Church in the middle of the bush of Africa is an experience I could never describe fully. They are all so hungry and eager to hear the sermon. Most people don't own a Bible because they can't afford one, so Sundays might be the only time they have access to the Word. Their worship is so genuine. There are no fancy instruments, no lights, no overhead projector screen. Just their voices along with a stick from the bush and a plastic bucket which make up their drum set. They all have such a natural harmony together and they sing loud, with no shame. I could listen to them sing forever.
When the offering plate went around, I was reminded of how these people truly give sacrificially. I can pretty much guarantee that most of the church members gave up a meal just so they could tithe. Some gave 10 shillings, which would buy NOTHING in America and some gave only an ear of corn, but I can assure you it was because that is all they had. That was convicting for me. I have spent the last year frustrated at having 2 mortgages and considering us to be "broke". I have compared myself to those that have more than me, but rarely compared myself to those that have so much less than I do. In the moment when the offering plate passed by me, all I could think about was the Scripture from Philippians..."everything I once held dear, I count it all as loss". All of the possessions I have and all of the things I desire to have seem so much less important now. I am not saying I will never have nice things, but I will tell you that a flat screen TV was the last thing on my mind that day in church. I pray that will stay fresh on my mind as I am back in a culture that screams "more is better".
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