First, breakfast was at 7am, and the electricity was out from the time we woke up until after we left. Read: bad hair day! Our group left about 9:15, to walk the 3.4km uphill (but not both ways!) by 10am. We could have taken a matatu (sort of like a Kenyan minibus), but I don't think any of us are that courageous yet! They are all over the place and are, obviously, a very common form of transportation. They seem to defy the principle of physics that 2 objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time! They cram so many people into them that I don't know how they fit or breathe, and they drive like each of them is the only thing on the road. Yikes! Anyway, we opted to walk and arrived on time to a warm greeting. :)
The front of the church, on our way home |
The choir singing after the service - I didn't want to take photos during. |
The service was sparsely populated at first, but the large building was filled with about 300 people within the first hour. The first 2 and a half hours were singing, prayers, and 2 (or 3 - it was a little confusing) offerings. At that time, the children were dismissed - after 2 and a half hours!! Oh, and we were asked to come up and introduce ourselves and sing. We sang Amazing Grace, and I don't think they were very impressed. ha! And they shouldn't have been - their music was amazing! Fun and vibrant - we all loved it, even though we couldn't understand any of it. Ours was stale in comparison. Also, when the pastor led a prayer, many in the church joined in with their individual prayers - each one quiet and controlled, but the effect was a beautiful murmuring.
The congregation largely did not understand English. I was surprised and am starting to see that maybe we really will need Kiswahili in the hospital in Kijabe. The pastor taught in both Kiswahili and Kikamba, and threw in just enough English in for us to follow somewhat. He taught from Jonah and emphasized that, as Jonah sinned by running from God's instruction, so we can sin and be disobedient. He went on to explain that we can have sinful thought patterns, sinful/unloving words, and allow sinful exposures into our lives. The last point was interesting to me, as he really teased out that we should be discerning about the tv shows and music that we watch and listen to. I am certainly not trying to be arrogant about being from a developed nation, but I was surprised that this was one of his main points since I had spent the morning with no electricity and walked over 2 miles to get to church!! Just saying. Things are not always as they seem here.
After 3 hours and 45 minutes, the service ended. It did seem long, but not that long. The kids were amazing through it - we were proud of them. :) We were invited to visit with the pastors after the service, and they fed us a lunch of white rice and vegetable stew. I tried to focus on their hospitality and not think about whether the spoons had been washed. Ok - I am a germ freak and am trying to come to terms with that!
Sorry this blog entry is so long - I wanted y'all to share our experience. :) Don't forget we walked 2 miles home - arrived about 3:20. We were thankful for the avocados and pineapple we had gotten from Rose, the vegetable lady, and the peanut butter sandwiches Rick made with the breakfast bread.
Thanks for reading this far!
Lots of love,
Sarah
Romans 6:12-14 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
The kids love seeing their pictures on Ted's itouch! :) |
Please, don't apologize for the length of your blog! I could read on & on! I've been following but not commenting, but I was reminded this AM to encourage y'all... Jillian & Joshua were commissioned at Providence this AM, so I was talking to her about you & how I love following your adventure through the blog. So it reminded me that I needed to let you know that, too.
ReplyDeleteNext time our kids complain about how long our services are, i will remind them that they could be 4 hours instead :) Thanks so much for the ongoing updates - its great to get a sense of your experience. Also - looking for a picture with you and Rose, the fruit lady.
ReplyDeleteReji
There is no greater way to worship the Lord than to sing praises to God in a Kenyan church! Always a joy to me! Your blog made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteBlessings to all and hugs to Emily! Mimi Brummitt
Sorry I missed the family song... Amazing Grace. We sang that song at Bay Leaf today!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing to hear about your first experience in church away from home. Sounds like an amazing time of worship. I think about all you shared and I sit her in amazement trying to take it all in. Americans - we have it so easy and yet make so many excuses as to why we can't do something. I admire that the people ther not only walk to and from church, but spend most of the day there and take up 2 - 3 offerings. Wow....Praise the Lord!
ReplyDeleteToday at our church our Belarus Mission Team gave testimony about the people they shared Christ with who accepted Him as their personal Saviour.
Love love reading your updates...
ReplyDeleteThe more detail the better ... loved reading this
ReplyDeleteRick and Sarah! Thank you for posting this Sunday experience. Made me laugh and pray along with you all. Keep these notes coming. You're witnessing not just to them. You're witnessing to us, too!
ReplyDeleteRick & Sarah, what fun to read about your experiences! Please continue to bless us with all the details and ways you see God working in you and your kids' lives. We will continue to pray for you all.
ReplyDeleteShelly & Jim Fain
Hello Gessner Family,
ReplyDeleteI just took a detour from my attempt to make my 6th grade daughter a dr. appt. I stumbled across your blog while on the Ral. Children website searching for the ph. number. I forgot about that vaccine kids are supposed to get before entering 6th grade--and we have started school since we attend a year round school. Oops. What a welcome detour it was!! Thank you so much for sharing these details of your daily life. I just read the blog from start to finish and can't wait to read more. And thanks for the germ freak comment--I laughed out loud. Selfishly, I am sad that Dr. Rick Gessner, is not available to take patients at the moment (ha), but so impressed by your family. wow. Thank you so much for sharing your journey.
All the best,
Catherine Pate (Beth Shaw Satterfield's sister)
Sarah and Rick:
ReplyDeleteInteresting to hear about your adventure. I am sure it is an adjustment especially for the children. Food is not plentiful but I am sure you are always happy to have fresh fruit and peanut butter....ha. I will try to send chocolate when care packages can be mailed. I miss you guys and the kids. I am sure they are going to grow up faster before our eyes. It definitely makes you appreciate what you have in this country but also highlights how much we as a society are wasteful.
We are always thinking of you and praying for your adventure to be fun, fulfilling, and successful. I had a conversation this weekend with an intervential cardiologist that maybe willing to spend a week over there if needed. He wants to come to Kenya to see the country with his family.....maybe he can combine the two.
Love you and miss you....give the children a big hug from their uncle. :)
Rick
We are thinking about y'all at RCAM
ReplyDeleteTodd