About a month ago, my housemate Brenda and I had the
pleasure of attending a church service about an hour away from where we live
in a village called Njoro. We took a small car there along the bumpy, uneven
and unpaved road to be a part of the celebration and meeting of Nakuru district
churches. This particular church sat on the top of a hillside humbly made from
old wooden slats and lined on the inside with used cardboard which once were
boxes that held products such as Blue Band Butter. As we drove up to the church
we could hear singing and drumbeats filling the air between us and our
destination. We were greeted warmly upon
entering and given the only 2 chairs in the front row. The rest of the small
gathering of people sat on the wooden benches. Singing, dancing, drum pounding
ensued and Brenda and I joined alongside. After some intense worship and
praising of the Lord numerous groups of children, youth, and adults came to the
front of the church to perform dances, songs, and skits.
A good friend of mine once told me that, “Kenyans are wired
for worship.” I would agree. What we saw and experienced that day was evidence.
One moment in particular that sticks in my mind from this
day was meeting a lady who is over 110 years old. She is affectionately referred to as the “grandmother
of this church” since she along with another man founded and started the church
in the small village on the hillside. She came to the front of the church and
greeted everyone and sang and danced along with everyone else! Throughout the
day I watched this lady as she spoke with others, laughed with children, and
genuinely enjoyed life and her church family. She showed me that joy is not dependent on your circumstances, age, race, financial status, or anything
except Jesus Christ. Joy is free! It comes from Jesus Christ who loved and gave
himself for each of us!
"Joy is the realest reality,
the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I
give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy." - Ann Voskamp
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