Asante Sana

I don't know how to start this blog post, so I am just going to jump into it. This is another journal entry while I was in Africa. This is probably my favorite journal entry while I was in Kenya. I remember that whole day, I couldn't wait to get back and write about it. I wrote this the Thursday night I was there, and I talk about some cool people I met and how the Africans pray!

Thursday Night

Asante Sana! Asante Sana! This means "Thank you very much" in Swahili. I am so thankful right now for my day in Kenya. We just spent all day in Kisumu with members of LIA and local pastors.

First, we met at the LIA Kisumu office and learned about what they were doing in the Kisumu area. They noticed a big need for the kids. I guess HIV/AIDS has tragically effected the Kisumu area, so a lot of people have died because of this nasty disease. Unfortunately, most of the people who died left behind children, and these kids end up on the streets with no one to take care of them. So LIA decided to do something about it. They wanted to empower churches in the area to serve their community in a wholistic manner. This entails spiritual, physical and emotional nourishment. They also started a program for street children to get reconnected with families or teach them a skill so they can support themselves. LIA is doing great things.

After meeting with the LIA team, we went to a church to meet with 5 local pastors and their staff (more like serious volunteers). At first it was really awkward , but then we split up (1 Pastor and staff with 3 of us) and we ate lunch and got to know the pastor and his team. We were with Crispin (pastor), Ellie, Francis, Anne, Wilson, and Mary (LIA team member). We made small talk during lunch, and then finished eating. Then we went with the Crispin and his team to go to visit his house.

As we left the church I noticed we started walking into the slums. The houses, I don't even know if you can call them houses, were small. Some were made with cement and others with mud and tin. I started to think that the pastor decided to switch our plans and now we were going to make house calls to people in the congregation instead of going to his house. It didn't hit me until we walked into an 8x8 house and Crispin said, "welcome." I leaned over to Anne, and I asked here whose house we were in. She quickly said, "the Pastor's home." I was blasted away. I don't know why I thought it was weird for the pastor to live among the people he was leading, but it took me by surprise. When we all entered Crispin's house, they asked one of us to pray for the pastor's home. After a long awkward silence, I volunteered to pray. I was a little nervous.



Now I need to take a break and talk about the Kenyans and prayer. Their prayers are indescribable. The Kenyans pray with so much power, so much zeal and authority. Before we left Nairobi, a man named Paul prayed for our trip. We grabbed shoulders, and I happened to be standing next to Paul. As he began to pray, he was quiet and he paused often to gather his thoughts. Then as he began to pick up speed, his voice grew louder and louder. He was squeezing my shoulder as he prayed with intensity. It was awesome! Tonight during our debrief time one of the LIA team members summed up the relationship between the Kenyans and prayer. Efontez said, "Prayer means a lot to the people here, because it is the only thing we have." Now do you understand why I was a little nervous to pray for my brother Crispin?

Our time with Crispin and his family was a blessing. I learned that he is married and has 4 kids all under the age of eleven. Crispin does live in the slums, so he doesn't make much money. Most of the people in his church, Pentecostal Deliverance Church, make under $1 a day. I've heard that statistic, but I had never seen it...until now. We talked for a while longer, and then it was time to leave. But before we left, we asked Crispin about any prayer requests he might have. He explained about different hardships (injuries, money, family), but the first thing he asked for was peace. I was blown away! He didn't ask for healing or money but peace! Christians in Kenya have a different perspective on life. They don't see life as a way to advance themselves, but they want to advance God's kingdom.



We finished up with our time in Crispin's home and walked to Wilson's home. He is a single guy, probably about 28 years old. He also lived in the slums. His house was smaller than Crispinn's, but he was ashamed at all. I could tell you all about or time with Wilson, but I would be up until Midnight writing. We left his home encouraged, and then we took a taxi (a three-wheeled small motor car) to Francis' house. Still in the slums, we went inside his house and talked about the chruch and his family. When it came time for us to pray for Francis he asked for one prayer request, and it was simple. He wanted us to intercede for him and to ask God to make him help the needy. I had to do a double take. I wanted to say, "You are the needy, Francis! We should be helping you." It is very humbling to see the attitude and perspective of the Christians in Kenya. I'm loving this trip. I just hope I'll be able to share it with everyone back home. Tomorrow we are going to play with the street children! I'm so excited!




I am so thankful for the opportunity God gave me to meet new people in Africa. I'll never forget the relationships that were forged in Kenya. One of the last times I saw Francis (he is the one in the yellow tie in the picture above), he told me never to forget about him. Francis, I'll never forget about you. I'll never forget about Africa. Asante Sana.