Christmas Eve

The team headed out with Mary to have breakfast at Café Ubuntu in Maai Mahiu. We’ve visited here before, but they have great food and drinks. We spent a couple hours talking before heading back to Naomi’s Village.

The view from Cafe Ubuntu.

Around 11:00, we went with the older kids to give presents of food supplies to their neighbors. This was a great opportunity to share the love of Christ with these people who are immediately around the NV property. Last summer, when we visited the slums at Lunga Lunga, I saw a kind of poverty for which I had no framework. 

(Quick disclaimer: I recognize that I'm experiencing everything with a particular bias. I am American, so I tend to view the world through an American lens. I apologize for any errors in interpretation or cultural misunderstandings.)

Visiting the surrounding homes was a different kind of poverty, but just as significant. Homes were sided with mud and there were open pit latrines with no sort of outhouse around them. We visited a small stone building that had several “apartments” that were rented to families. These apartments appeared to be one small room each. You entered the complex by stepping through a gap in the six foot security wall. The small courtyard was strung with clothes hung to dry and in the corner a small pot was set over an open fire. The children quickly surrounded us – me, Brittany, Lindsey, and about six NV kids. Eventually a couple of adults met us there. It was clear that these people have very little. It was at this building that we learned that the mother of one of the families had recently passed away, leaving the responsibility of caring for her children with the other families in this building. I have absolutely no way of understanding in the smallest fraction how difficult life must be for these people. It was simultaneously encouraging and sad to see the NV kids hand these bags of food to the families and sing them a short Christmas song. To see these people being ministered to was exciting and encouraging, but to know that this same scene of abject poverty is repeated innumerable times in this area and around the world is disheartening.

Uncle Boniface holding the rain off

Delivering Christmas gifts to neighbors

Delivering gifts with Esther

In light of the Advent season, our only recourse as believers is to put our hope in the fact that Jesus is coming soon, and with his return he will make all things new.

As I write this, it’s Christmas morning in Kenya. This is the time of the year when Christians look back at the Incarnation. We reflect on how the God of Everything wrapped himself in flesh and weakness, making himself like us in every way that he might provide reconciliation to the Father.  

But Jesus’ coming 2000 years ago isn’t the end of the story. He is coming again, but not in weakness. He will come clothed in power and glory making all things new. 

He will destroy the effects of sin and death once and for all.

He is our Great Hope.

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“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

Revelation 21:3 – 4

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20