Eyes Opened

I’ve learned so many things and been so encouraged by the wonderful people here in Kenya.  I’ve realized that there are some things I just can’t fully explain in words.  I’ve also found that pictures can never show you what it is really like.  You just have to see some things in person to understand.  For example, pictures don’t fully show just how beautiful the children are here and they never show you just how serious poverty is.

If you have ever heard someone who has been here and worked with children, you will have heard this already, but the children are so beautiful and so happy!  Their smiles are so contagious.  It would be extremely hard to be upset when they smile at you, grab your hand, or sing their songs to you.  It was amazing to see just how happy they are with what they have and where they are.  They aren’t constantly complaining about their circumstances or whining because they don’t have everything that they think they should have.  They are so much fun and I wish that I didn’t have to leave them, but I know that the Gospel is being preached to them and I’m so glad that I will be able to see many of them in Heaven.

Yesterday and today we did a Bible school at Kamuwango New Life Baptist Church.  This VBS was a little more frustrating for me at times because we had to use translators.  Most of the children do not speak English, or even Kiswahili, they speak their tribal language, instead.  I realized today that this was especially frustrating because I have a tendency to want to do everything by myself.  God had to humble me a lot this morning so that I could allow others to help.  I needed to come to the realization that I can’t do it all by myself.  God gave us other people to come alongside us and help out.  When I tried to do the whole lesson by myself, I realized that I wasn’t able to completely convey the message that I was trying to get across.  When I stepped back and let my partner and the translator speak, we were able to feed off of each other’s ideas much better.  I praise God for allowing me to see this.  It made the Bible study much more effective and enjoyable!  I feel confident that the children heard the Gospel, at least once, and I pray that God would be working in these children’s lives even more after we are gone.  It’s also helpful knowing that God is in control and will take what we have shared with the children and use it for His glory.  I’m so thankful for all that God has done!

Yesu ni bwana (Jesus is Lord)!

Leah