Looking Back to Go Forward

In preparing for my upcoming trip to Swaziland, I found myself looking into my past through my journal from Kenya. I cannot help but be excited that I am returning to Africa once again all the more wise and in love with such a wonderful continent filled with such joy—joy that the world ignores by seeing only hopelessness and despair for these wonderful people. I fear that when many see Africa, they see only disease, violence, and poverty. However, two years ago, I saw for myself the richness that can be found when one chooses to look beyond the world’s standards of goodness. Nearing the end of my trip, I scribbled a list of things that I could not possibly capture in any medium other than my own memory, but that I hoped I would never forget and that I could help others to see one day…and I would like to share them with you now (warning...there is no rhyme or reason to this list, it was simply written as things came to my mind, and I typed it exactly as it appeared in my journal):

From July 17, 2005

The smile of the Kenyans
The sound of “how are you??”
The look on the kids’ faces when they say mazungu
The smell of the slum
The passion of Pastor Timothy
The sound of Kenyan singing
The dancing at church services
The taste of Vikki and Michelle’s cooking (yum!)
The beauty of the countryside
The fun of doing to the shower dance!
The feeling of a (bucket) shower after 6 days
Looking in a mirror for the first time in 2 weeks
The way Kenyans say “Teresa”
The excitement of seeing zebras!
The feeling of my teammates hugs
Recounting my crazy dreams!
The joy, hope and simplicity of life
Squatting in the squatty (and the infamous morning lecture!)
The Diguna music
The glow on a person’s face when they’ve just come into the kingdom of God!
The Comba dance!
The Masaai dance…jump!
Seeing Effy, Janet, and Evaline completely healed!
The rainbow God promised!
PB and J everyday
Carrying the cross
Blind Robert and Steve singing to one another
Boys holding hands
Double handed waves
Baraki…bless your neighbor
Dancing in the field!
Prayer walk…and getting lost
Abner and Sam’s faces when we left
Richard and Stephen’s faces period
KUJA!
Talking about in betweens
FIREFLIES!
Going offroading in the Diguna
Taking on the water buffalo
SLUMwear
The dust of Nakuru
Praying with Ashley E. and Allie when we were sick
Open Airs
Singing Swahili with my smile
LOVE WINS…upenda ushinda!
Baptism
4th of July Breakfast
Feast at Pastor Steve’s
Lord I Lift Your Name on High Kenyan Style
Lost boys at the carnival
Kijabe Hospital
The lady speaking tongues
Lindsay being so good with the kids
The women who were healed
The humble healed man at the hospital
The feeling of being loved, accepted and wanted by 24 people
Muslim man being saved
Demon possessed woman
Landing on Kenyan soil
Leaving Kenyan soil
Knowing that one day I’ll return!

All of these may not make complete sense to you (and I did have 105 in my journal, but I chose to spare you from most of them J ), but they hold a plethora of memories for me, and make me excited beyond end to go once again and work along what the Lord is already doing in Swaziland! I know, however, that I must not slip into the trap of comparing this trip and this team to my old team (this is the main reason that I felt the Lord was not leading me back to Kenya even though a leader position was open there and I would have given anything to go back!) Please pray for me about this, and that the Lord will continue my excitement for his work and his people, no matter where I am!!