Today was our first day of door to door ministry, or more accurately titled, hut to hut ministry. As I walked the dusty roads of Mpeketoni I wasn’t sure what to expect. The sticky weather was starting to get to me and the smell of burning trash wasn’t helping the matter. On I went though, awaiting what God, who just loves to put me in uncomfortable situations, was planning. Seeing a group of huts ahead, my team and I veered toward them. As I looked up, my eyes met with one of the most intimidating men I have ever seen. It wasn’t his appearance that gave me this impression. His cream colored dress shirt and brown slacks fit the outward appearance of almost every Kenyan man I had seen. The intimidating part was the 4 inch pocket knife he was holding in his left hand which he used to carve a measuring scoop out of a plastic container.
As our interpreter began his casual introduction of who we were, all I could think about was that rusty blade. Scenes from crazy and over exaggerated ninja movies flashed before my eyes. I felt like my team and I were about to receive a Kung-fu slice across our navels (I do realize how ridiculous this thought was…I’m in Kenya not China…but hey, there could totally be Kenyan ninjas). As doom seemed imminent, my interpreter voiced that we were welcomed and that it was okay to talk.
To my surprise this outwardly intimidating man was extremely kind, warm hearted, and a man of God nonetheless! He was called Emmanuel and we all had a long laugh at the fact that not only was God with him, but that he was also with us. As the conversation continued my heart leaped as Emmanuel shared his passion for children. He told us that he hopes to someday start a ministry for children and that he wants to tell the children he sees walking the streets everyday about the Jesus that he loves so deeply. The problem? He doesn’t have the resources to get the children to come to him. He said he needs something to draw them in, something that children enjoy doing and will keep their attention. As I continued to prod into what he needed for his ministry and what he hoped to accomplish through it, I felt God tugging my heart. Our passions for children were purely identical and I knew that God brought me to Emmanuel for a reason!
So I stand before you today, family, friends, and brothers and sister’s in Christ, excited about what is to come! I have learned quickly in Kenya, that if anything brings in children, it is a ball. I have purchased 5 balls that I plan to give to Emmanuel today in hopes that God will use these simple balls to make his ministry explode. So let’s flood Emmanuel with prayers of wisdom, strength, guidance, and provision. I do not know what is to come in the future of his ministry but I do know this, God is about to do something GREAT!
