Today I got the chance to attend a ladies conference in the Maasia land (they are one of the oldest pastoral people in southern Kenya). It was very neat to attend this conference and be around other women who have hearts after God. The topics they discussed are things we as women in the US deal with daily too. Marriage, children, money and our relationship with God. I took a lot of notes as they spoke in English and Swahili so I could understand and I spoke to them for a couple of minutes on how God created us all differently (especially me and my white skin) but ultimately God created us all for the same reason, to serve Him and to spread His gospel. They were all very nice to me and treated me as their own. We ate lunch with them (traditional Kenyan meal) and then attended the afternoon session which a lady from North Carolina spoke at (she is originally from Kenya though so I was the only white person there again) then we left there to go to the crusade in Ndenderu. But because the conference was so far out in the countryside, it took us about an hour and half drive to get back to Ndenderu so we missed the first night of the crusade but we did get to see the large crowd that came out which they said was one of the largest for the first night of a crusade and it was a Friday night! So Praise God that was awesome! And we were told 10 people gave their lives to the Lord and later gave their testimonies to the crowd! So God is at work here in East Africa moving among His people and preparing them for the End Times.
Tomorrow, we are going to the childrens orphange and then we have the second night of the crusade starting around 4pm. The weather is very nice, just like fall in America as the days are in the 60's and the nights are cooler in the 50's.
There are A LOT of differences in our cultures and some of them I am struggeling with. I feel very isolated at times as I don't understand the language and 99% of the time, it's in their mother language which I def don't understand. The next mission trip God calls me on I will def bring a friend with me so I am not the only one getting all the stares and feeling so alone. But this has def been a great experience and I am expecting to see God work in a mighty way the next couple of days! I can't wait to share the stories and testimonies of the lives that are changed!
Hope you have a blessed day!
Leslie / Shiro
I can't imagine being the only white person and the only English speaking person (other than a handful of people with you)...I know that must be a struggle. I'm glad the womens conference was in English so that you could understand it. What a privilege to worship God with women of another culture and country, I think that would be pretty interesting to see how they do things differently and how they are similar in some ways.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed you're trip to the orphanage, I can imagine that will be pretty heart-wrenching. And I pray God will bless you all at the second night of the crusade.
Love you sister
LeAnn
To me your Journey started Wednesday August 10, and today Saturday August 20 is 12 days that I know must have been the most blessed and rewarding days of your life so far.I know I can speak for all of us waiting for your return soon and we can't wait to hear your stories and see the pictures.I know you still have lots to do, but for me the countdown has started...
ReplyDelete4 DAYS
Love You
Daddy
Les, don't feel discourage....I'm sure you feel isolated/alone, but hang in there and know that God is using you through this experience. He is making you a stronger person too. I'm so proud of you...just a few more days!!!!!!!! :)
ReplyDeleteRach