Greetings Everyone
This was an exciting day – our first Sunday church service with our Kenyan family! We so enjoyed the worship (it is loud and active and full of praise to the Lord Jehovah). One of the sweetest things we appreciate about the way Pastor Samuel leads, is that he encourages participation from all the people the Lord has put in his care. From the little ones, to the teens, to young adults, to the not so young adults, he always encourages the people to share in the labor and worship of the Lord. I (Rebecca) was particularly moved by the way they do offerings. We talk a lot about shepherding, but Samuel and the church body lives this out. The young adults in Kenya have really struggled these past few years. The lack of employment opportunities are vast and greatly discouraging. As the church has collectively decided to endeavor to build a permanent structure (currently they are meeting in a corrugated steel structure), they committed to each week adding a special offering. Last week was the ladies opportunity to give. This week was the “youth” (young adults in our minds in the US). Most of these young people are in there twenties and are either in school or struggling to find work. But they gave with open hands – some 200 shillings, some 500 – but all out of what little they had. As they came, I will admit that I struggled watching them give what I knew was to me a little thing, but to them perhaps the only money they had for food and for fare to their respective universities for the week. But here is where the Lord met me: As these young men and women gave, the church body began to stir. Those who were older came alongside those who were younger and gave to the youth who wanted to give but didn’t have it. They saw them longing to offer something to the Lord, and they empowered them to do so. They shepherded their hearts. I wish you could have seen the joy in the faces that they were able to participate. And then, to show them further support, the ladies ministry asked to hold a special meeting and added to the youth’s fund. It was so special and such a convicting moment as parent as to how we can walk alongside and encourage our young men and women to take ownership in the church body, of their faith, and to show them that we stand behind them as come into adulthood.
Pastor Samuel asked our family to share a greeting, testimony, or message with the congregation. Each of the children greeted the congregation, but Israel had prepared a something that Tom and I had not known. He shared openly some of the struggles he has had in the past and even today. He had prepared Bible verses to encourage the people. In III John 1:4 it says, “I have no greater joy than to see that my children walk in truth.” I stood there listening to my son speak freely about hard things – private things – but he spoke with love and compassion and shared about all that the Lord has done in his heart.
Tom did a wonderful job giving a message from Ps 145, and again I felt so much gratitude for all that the Lord has done in our heart – all the growing and stretching and all the times He has carried us. He is a Good Father, a Faithful Shepherd, and Mighty King.
I love Sundays in Kenya. I love worshiping with these saints, who stretch their arms out to the Lord and worship Him in abandon.
