Faith, Hope, and Love

It is absolutely awesome to be in Kenya once again!  This is my second time visiting and although the initial cultural shock from last year has worn off, my excitement to be here has grown.  Monday it was so precious to see the kids at Injili again and have them remember us from last year.  We had the opportunity to spend time with each classroom teaching Bibles stories, leading songs, and making balloon animals.  After helping feed lunch to the younger kids, we had the opportunity to sit down and have lunch with the high school students and tour the high school that we attended the dedication for last year.  God has done awesome things on that campus in a year!  Later that night as we were headed to dinner, our medical team members were called over to help a man that had suffered a gash to his leg.  As it turned out, the man they were assisting was the same man that designed our black, red, and green Swahili bracelets that we had gotten in time for last year’s trip.  We didn’t realize this until tonight at dinner when he stopped to chat and noticed we were wearing the "special" bracelets!  If you haven’t seen the bracelet, let me describe it briefly.  It has the following words printed in white letters on the corresponding background color:

Black – TUMAINI (Hope) – We are to be voices of the hope we have through Jesus Christ
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to His great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  - 1 Peter 1:3
In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect  -1 Peter 3:15 

Red – UPENDO (Love) – We are to live in love for others with the same kind of love Christ has demonstrated toward us
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  -Ephesians 5:1,2

Green – IMANI (Faith) – We are to grow in our faith
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love. - 1 Corinthians 16:13,14

Tuesday the ladies in our group headed over to Lisa Moore’s home to attend her weekly Bible Study where we studied Esther with some other missionary ladies and women leaders at a local church.  It was so cool to see everyone from different backgrounds and nationalities coming together (in Kenya!) under the unity of Christ.  While we were enjoying a ladies day, the men headed over to Mbewau Academy to provide some dental health checks and training for the kids and staff and then play sports with the kids.  (The kids won the soccer game.  Surprise, surprise!)  We joined back up later in the afternoon to head over to Haller Park, an animal reserve with all kinds of animals you can see up close and feed.  I can now officially say I have palm-fed a giraffe and monkeys!

As we head into the second week of our trip, I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of what He is doing in Kenya.  Please pray that our team would continue to love the people we interact with as He loves them and give of ourselves unconditionally.  

1 Peter 3:8 – Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

-Karen Sandifer