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Trips outside the country challenge our thoughts and beliefs. Trips outside the country inspire us and give us a bigger appreciation of the world we live in. But do we allow them to change who we are on a day-to-day basis? Or do we forget the lessons learned?
Personal Fact:
I’ve seen lions, cheetahs, and elephants a few feet away from a safari jeep, but the people of Kenya were far more exciting to me.
Fun Fact:
Did you know that around 100,000 people of Indian decent live in Kenya? Kenya has been suffered from unrest but has served as a place for refugees from other African countries and even the Asian Diaspora. (source)
Big Trip Small Changes:
Trips outside the country challenge our thoughts and beliefs. Trips outside the country inspire us and give us a bigger appreciation of the world we live in. But do we allow them to change who we are on a day-to-day basis? Or do we forget the lessons learned?
I’ve had the pleasure of going out of the country several times. Every trip was different, and I learned new things each trip. But lest you think I’m a super rich world traveler, let me stop you! Out of the 9 times I’ve been out of the country, none of them have been to a 1st world country.
My trips have been mission trips. Today I want to share about my trip to Kenya. The trip to Kenya fell in the middle of my trips overseas. I had been to Haiti three times and made my first trip to Colombia. But Kenya was going to be totally different. You see, the focus of the Kenya trip was not going to be building during the day and ministering in the evening, like my previous trips.
You see I had gotten comfortable with mission trips because I knew my roll. Frankly, I though I had learned the lessons and made changes to my life. I made some big changes in my heart after going on mission trips. Going into this trip, was like going for the first time. It was a challenge, and it really opened my eyes. I was going to learn that this big trip would lead to small changes that would change me.
It was a LONG trip over and we encountered some travel issues along the way. But once we got there, we jumped right in.
We had a three-prong focus, a dental clinic, working with schools and Christian leadership training. We were mostly doing it in Kibera, it is part of Nairobi and is the largest urban slum in Africa. The estimates of people living there greatly vary, but it is a huge area with a lot of people.
I had seen poverty, seen the dust and filth, I had smelled it and worked in it. But Kibera was different. It was overwhelming. I was not there to build some sort of oasis. I was not there to build a church or a school. What could I do? This trip was more about people than projects and that was scary to me.
We spent several days there and I worked with schools. My eyes were opened and I was so grateful. You see, school is a privilege, not a right there. So several churches and Christian organizations in Kenya had partnered with folks from the U.S. to provide education and meals.
I spent time in classrooms teaching kids about Moses. But they taught and tested me about my knowledge of the United States. Here were elementary age kids who knew more about the U.S. than high school age kids in the U.S. They also knew a lot about the Bible and that caused us to dig into it more deeply, to be able to be ready for them.
The kids were so appreciative of our time with them. They loved talking with us. They loved playing soccer with us. They loved marveling at how different we looked from them. They were grateful for the time together. I’m not an extraverted people person. I’m better with small groups. But these kids were teaching me to be more open to people. It is a lesson I’m still learning.
I also saw how they made the most of everything. They LOVED soccer and made their own balls out trash, straps and rubber bands. We brought them real soccer balls and they were ecstatic and treated them as precious possessions. The school supplies we brought were snapped up and well used. But these kids did not just think of themselves. The schools provide one meal a day for the students. But they never ate all of it, even though it was their only meal for the day. They took some home to their families.
What I Learned:
So what did I learn? I learned a lot of things! I was reminded that contentment is not in things. I was reminded that education and the opportunity to learn should never be turned down, but every moment should be seized. But most of all, I was reminded that love is spelled T-I-M-E. Even though I was not building something and I was not the best teacher, my time with those kids is what made a difference. No, it does not take a trip out of the country to teach that lesson. But sometimes, when we travel way outside our comfort zone, we learn the simple lessons that shape our daily lives. So take it from me, take the big trip and be ready to learn to make the small changes that will rock your world.
I’m Geoff Gentry and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday!
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