Oh what a glorious day. We woke up early and ate breakfast all together, and then headed back to the same church for Sunday service. We arrived during Bible Study (which I believe is the same as Sunday School, but held in the same building as the main service so it very closely resembles the main service. As we filed in, people got up and moved to the back of the church so that we could sit in the front as guests of honor. The pastor and his translator continued preaching for about fifteen more minutes, and then the pastors wife got up to lead worship and transition into the main service. The children came in from their separate Sunday school class and sang several songs, some in Swahili and some in English. It was absolutely touching. There is something about a roomful of Kenyan children singing "He's got the whole world in His hands" that is real and raw and beautiful. There are more children in the church, and we were told later that there are many children who come to church without their parents because the activities seem so fun and inviting. These activities are primarily singing and Bible verse memorization; there isn't any space for more than that. No division of age groups, either. The kids really just love being together and singing and dancing. The kids recited some bible verses in English and Swahili, and then there were several "solo performances" by individual children. One girl sang what I swear was a slightly modernized version of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus", and I felt my asthma coming on just hearing the melody.
Speaking of melody....a few years ago when Care for AIDS was just starting at this church they were doing a big donation campaign for a sound system (total cost approx $300 USD). Care for AIDS tries very hard not to make the church too dependent on them, so instead of just cutting a check to meet their need they donated to the cause but did not carry the full financial burden. This sound system has not only been purchased, but is still being used in full force. As in volume on max capacity all the time. They have also taken full advantage of the pre-programmed beats on the keyboard. Refer to the numerous videos I've taken of different worship songs for a better idea of the application. And when a song needed to be sped up or slowed down, it was easily adjusted on said keyboard.
We were introduced to the church at the beginning of the service, and after each of our team members said our name the entire congregation repeated it. It sounds simple but it was the most welcoming of gestures. Justin, the Executive Director of CFA, spoke for the main sermon, and the paster's wife, Beatrice, lead worship before and after. Afterwards we had a meal together at the church with the church members that were on the CFA committee, as well as a few graduates from previous CFA sessions. Lunch consisted of a beef stew, rice, and chipati, all cooked over an open flame right outside the church. There were huge pots that contained enough to feed at least 30 people, and the women who prepared the meal didn't flinch at the idea of having to cook for so many. I sat next to the pastor of the church, Pastor Joe, and we talked about CFA and his church in general. They had just moved locations because the landlord at the previous location had decided to sell the land. They are looking to expand to an area behind the church, but are still raising funds to do so. It was interesting to compare notes about rituals and routines; the church identifies as Baptist, but I believe it is a very different type of Baptist than in America. They do celebrate christmas-time with a christmas "concert" that I believe includes some type of nativity play. When I told Pastor Joe that it is very cold during our Christmas season, he could not believe weather so cold could exist. Truly amazing how different worlds can be.
After lunch we headed back to the CFA house to prepare for dinner. Ryan, the only American CFA worker that lives in Kenya, arranged for his yoga instructor to come give a class to several of us on the upper deck of the CFA house. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the instructor was great. His English was easy to understand, and he often laughed at hour inflexible we were. He is a part of an organization that teaches Africans how to be yoga instructors as a means to make money and care for themselves. The class was fabulous and the experience was truly once in a lifetime.
After yoga, we went to dinner at a retreat center on the edge of town and ate with many of the Kenyan staff and their (ever-growing) families. There were babies everywhere! We ate more traditional Kenyan food, including Ungali, which is a cold grits type of dish. Not a crown favorite, but I certainly didn't mind it. After dinner, we headed down to a bonfire and had coffee and listened to the original founders of CFA (Justin, Duncan, and Cornell) tell the story of how the organization was founded. Its been almost eight years since the first center was opened and it was amazing to hear all that they've learned and tried and experienced in that time. My favorite part, however, was listening to what they think the future might look like. Its very exciting to hear their dreams and think about what those dreams could mean to the communities in Kenya and the surrounding countries.
After bonfire time, we loaded up in the vans and drove back home. Tomorrow is client home visits, and I'm feeling both nervous and excited about that portion of the trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment