Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa

June 23, 2010

Wow! That pretty much sums up this past weekend for me. I’m still riding the wave of excitement. For those of you who were not able to attend Beachside this past Sunday we had 20+ kids from Kenya, Africa lead us in worship. The singing, dancing, costumes, and drums were awesome, but it was the smiles that did me in. The joy that was oozing out of these kids was unbelievable. I can truly say that I worshiped our Lord, and I think I was among hundreds of others who were able to do the same. Our God is really amazing. He transcends oceans, languages, and cultures, and I love the way He uses children in such a powerful way.

I think it was actually the first time I’ve been on the receiving end of a mission trip. Well, I always receive more than I give when I go, but you know what I mean. The Sunday service was amazing, but I think the best part was spending time with Betty, Grace, and Hannah (and Collett, their leader), who stayed in our home for the weekend. My girls and I learned so much from them. I don’t think we ever imagined hosting them would be so special. We had so much fun going swimming, tubing, watching them dance and sing, and just having great conversations with them (did I mention they’ve only been in the US for about 3 weeks!), but I really enjoyed looking at their pictures of home. It was humbling to see what an incredibly simple life they live: Dirt floors, no electricity, cars, or running water. Yet they are genuinely excited about life. I think the simplicity helps them see life for what it really is.

I have actually been trying to work out a trip to Kenya for about a year. Now, I’m more determined than ever to go see what God is doing over there. We’ve always said we didn’t start a new church so church people would have another option on Sunday. We have a mission and a purpose, and when we work TOGETHER we can help others connect to a God that loves them, both here, in Kenya, and who knows where else. Thanks Daraja Choir for raising the bar for us. I hope we can do for others what you have done for us!