Meru, other than Nairobi, is one of the larger cities in Kenya. I'm sitting here, at a Cyber Cafe, after having taken a short stroll down the streets of Meru with my teammate Jesse. We paid a visit to this man's small shop, where he sold an assortment of wooden goods that were, despite my disinterest in purchasing them, lovely looking artifacts, all being well crafted. Following the visit to his shop, Jesse and I found ourselves in a public library, where I spent some time reading a book on the perception of color.
It was quite the drive to Meru, from our "home", if you will, in Kijabe. So much did we experience in the seven plus hours we were on the road, from seeing many different towns, many eager Kenyans waving and honking at us as we passed them by, an incredibly diverse amount of vegetation, and, in addition to the winding roadways, many gaping holes in the guard rails our bus so closely drove along.
Kiatha (sp?), wasn't the most encouraging place upon our arrival, for me, at least. The surroundings were vastly different than what we had previously experienced, both in Tangi Tatu, and in Kijabe. Our ministry, though still being door-to-door, was different as well. I felt unsettled, unsure of how I was supposed to feel about this new setting.
After spending some time reading yesterday, both from the Bible, and a book I borrowed from one of my leaders, I found myself more understanding of what I am supposed to be doing here, in Kiatha, particularly, depsite not feeling entirely "in" to what the ministry has involved. I believe I am here to be an encouragement to these people, and to, in the short time, really, within minutes, try to form a meaningful and authentic relationship with them, in whatever way I can.
One of my teammates, Elly, sat next to an older man yesterday, outside his home, and helped him remove beans from their pods. That's what kind of stuff I want to sit down and do with these people, because I could see it in his face, that it meant a lot, and it revealed a different way to minister to others that I had not recognized before.
It was awesome.
