Words and pictures cannot describe the experience i had today. The team visited Kibera, the biggest slum in Africa - the slum is fourteen square kilometers and contains over a million people. Imagine the worst living condition you can imagine - the smell, the sites, the trash - and make it about 1000 times worse. We walked through the maze of rusted tin shacks to Mogosa an orphanage/ school for over 170 kids ranging from 1 year to high school age. The two story school, hidden in the center of the slum, takes up approximately the size of a small Starbucks. The children along with the directors of the school put on a performance of worship songs, poetry, and authentic Kenyan dances. The faces and the voices of the children were incredible. The songs and the dances were contagious (yes we were dancing and singing with over a hundred kids... even our professors were dancing). The joy, the hope, and the faith of these children put me in tears. 
To pray and worship with these beautiful people was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. There is no way i can do this experience justice... it will be weeks until i can fathom all that i was blessed to be a part of today. I wish and pray that my faith and joy could just be a fraction of what theirs is. I don't think i should write more because I am still reeling from the day. Much love.Humbly yours, Nathan
4 comments:
of your socks! Much love. I am praying for you and I just wish I could be there to experience it with you!
Nate...hey I totally know about that "reeling" feeling. Thats what's happened to me in China and Jordan. But more surprisingly it hit even harder when I came back to the States. Drink in all you can; the sun, the foreign air, the people, the smiles, the eyes, the pain, the laughter....don't worry if you can't process it all there, just keep writing. Write down everything you see, everything you feel, all your thoughts...that might be all the time/energy you have over there, but it helps the processing when you come back home. Be prepared for your mind to work overtime for the next few years, for questions about justice and God and love and evil to flow forth....don't be down when you start feeling small, just remember that you have always been this small and it makes God all the more big. I have a feeling you'll come back home and sing with even more passion...I learned how to praise God through the suffering I saw, I also learned how to wrestle with Him cuz I sill have so many unanswered questions like the ones above. No one else can answer them, so I've grabbed a hold of Him and I have yet to let go....
Thanks for adding such emotion to your writing. I am glad that there are others my age who are seeeing the raw side of life and being a part of a solution. It also helps those of us who are Stateside-bound to live the adventure with you. I am a captive reader now, so keep the images coming.
That's amazing, can't wait to see more pictures.
Nate Im glad you're in Africa instead of me. I havent cried in 15 years. I would hate to break that streak. Although i dont think i could if i tried. Aside from the wise cracks man, i wish to say, have fun and be safe.
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