Adventure, Friends, and Love

Life tends to hold a few surprises for us. Some are good, others are….well not so much. It takes us on a grand adventure that over time pieces together a story. These adventures are not always random. Sometimes we choose them. This is how I found myself in a strange country with a strange language amongst strangers (who turned out to be very nice friends). It was quite a leap of faith but well worth every bit. My story starts out actually many years ago when I was four or five, I decided I wanted to do missionary work in Africa. Later it developed to include medical missions, which is what led me to nursing school. This was the first trip I had ever been on, and the Foundation for Peace directors, Ken and Wendy were so helpful and kind in answering every little question and giving me all the needed details, so I did not feel quite as lost. Once we all arrived, the team began to get to know each other and get settled for a busy week and a half ahead.

It is impossible to share all the amazing stories and daily encounters that happened along the way. However, there were a few highlights. Learning Swahili was one of them; I even began to converse in it just a little. The people were so friendly. I met Pastor Oliver from Living Word Church. He gave us a tour of the place and the work they had done so far. Johnstone and his amazing wife, Esther, came later and showed us the Tumaini school that amazingly enough gave students such a good education they were getting some of the highest scores in the nation. This Tumaini school, just to be clear, is located in the second largest slum in Nairobi. Thousands of people live here, and conditions are hard. The financial situation is dire, and many struggle just to keep food on the table let alone have the money to send students to school. The church aids in funding those in need as well as donations from other organizations.

My favorite part of the trip was probably the medical clinic. Although now that I think about it, it is so hard to choose a favorite. During the three-day medical clinic, we treated roughly one thousand patients. Partnering with Medical Missions Africa (MEMA), the team was ready and able to communicate with the locals and treat all manner of issues. Some of the workers from MEMA are still my friends, and I stay in contact with them. Specific people stand out to you in situations like these. For me, it was a woman. Her name is Margaret. Margaret bore a sad tale, but she did not hang her shoulders. No, she stood tall and did not give up hope. You see, Margaret had HIV, which in Africa I learned is very stigmatized. She not only kept up with her treatment but helped to care for several others suffering from the same. It was not too long ago that tragedy struck again. A sore began to develop on her leg, making it difficult to work. A fire completely burned down their one-room living space, taking with it many important documents and school supplies for her children. Now both children struggle to find work and attend school. We were able to come visit her before the medical clinic and see where she lived and hear her story. Margaret had the courage to come to the clinic for her leg where we treated it more than once and gave her medication to go home with. Her demeanor touched my heart. She was quiet and thoughtful but not broken. Despite everything, she kept going. The world would be a different place if we had more like her.

Another person who is impossible to forget is Beril. This girl worked in the construction bucket line with us day after day. She barely said anything. However, over the time we connected and started cracking jokes. She opened up a little and started following me everywhere. She even brought her mom and sister to see what the church was doing and join in.

There were so many incredible people. I loved getting to know them and hear their stories. One day near the end of the trip, I stepped into the building near the church where the cooks work. They invited me to come and learn how to make “chapati,” a local delicacy. The first thing that I thought was just how much effort it took for them each day to make lunch for us and tea. It takes several hours of their time to prepare the meal and often they do not even eat with the group because they are still working. This is a perfect example of demonstrating the type of servant attitude that the Lord asked of us. Many do not even realize how much work goes into their efforts. Few see them. Yet without them, the trip would be a very different experience.

The last day there was Sunday. Our team went to the Living Word Church service. They asked some of us to speak. When I went up, I talked about love. Not just any love, but agape love. It means unconditional love where you do not expect anything back. I told the church that this is what I saw displayed throughout the church congregation and over the trip. Despite the long distance, the hard circumstances, and the communication barriers, we worked mkono kwa mkono (hand in hand) and showed agape through our actions because that is how love is shown, actions not speech. What an adventure this time was! I would not trade it.