During the planning stages of the #HillsongKenyaTour I knew it was going to be a busy and productive two weeks. I kept looking at the schedule thinking, isn’t this too much? Then kept reminding myself that it is ‘as unto the Lord’ what was my role? Make sure I play my part in the visits, make sure the team from South Africa enjoy their stay in Kenya, and of course pray for the many hearts that we intended to reach out to with the Gospel of Christ. Little did I know that my heart was in the list. The tour transformed me in a great way; here are my outstanding five lessons:

#1 I can smile Everyday

It is actually true that we are gentler and friendly to the people we don’t know, than the ones we know; ‘know’ means the ones we interact with most of the time. There is no second that I wasn’t smiling at this team from South Africa, everywhere we met, even in the washrooms I smiled and told them something nice. I helped them out without hesitation and it was so easy to go an extra mile in doing whatever will make them comfortable. When one was late or not on the right track, I gently helped out, and my heart was glad, you teach them a Swahili word, and the next day they have forgotten, you do it again with a smile, they forget again, and for the two weeks, you are teaching a grown up to say ‘jina langu’, and yet, you don’t give up on them. You even write it down for them. I might never see the person again, but I worked so hard to be friendly and nice. Now they have left. Let’s come back home, I work with people, many people at hope media, why is it so hard for me to smile and tell them something positive every day: Yes I have decided to set achievable goals, so every day is better than every time I see them. I will get there some day! Why can’t I intentionally be nice, gentle and friendly to the people I work with, the people I interact with every day, why  can’t I go an extra mile to make them  feel l

oved and comfortable? Are you asking yourself this question? You are not alone, and it is possible for us to be a vessel of joy and peace wherever we are, whoever we are with. We should not just wait for visitors.

#2 I’m not a ‘concert person’

My close friends will tell you that I’m not a ‘concert person’. I cringe in huge noisy crowds and when a room is so full I look for my way out. (Even in church I sit where there are lesser people) so during their main concert at CITAM Karen, I knew the best way to survive is to be everywhere helping out and making sure everyone is comfortable. Then I got really tired and decided to sit somewhere in the crowd and just settle before it got stuffy and crowded. When the team got on stage, (I know, someone must be saying. Rawder it’s a pulpit! Not a stage! But you get the point) I was overwhelmed by the presence of God. One of the lead singers said, ‘this is not about Hillsong. It’s about God’ there and then, I made a silent prayer, ‘Lord, speak to me’ I immediately forgot that I was tired, I even forgot that I was supposed to be an usher. The atmosphere changed, my heart settled in such peace, every word of every song made sense to me. I don’t remember asking God for anything. All I did was tell God how beautiful and amazing He is. My heart was transformed. I

’m still not a concert person, I am a worshiper. In a crowded room or alone, I have learnt that what I chose to focus on is what really matters.

 #3 I met Gabriel

On the last day of the #HillsongKenyaTour we visited inmates at Kenyatta National Hospital. Of course I had prayed that God will use me, that they will experience healing. That their health will be okay and they will find freedom in Christ. I was very prepared to give. After being paired up with one of my friends Joy, we began visiting the sick people in the wards, just before we interacted with the inmates. We went straight to a man named Gabriel, he had a tracheostomy tube, s

o our communication wasn’t very clear, and we also did not want to ask so many questions not to strain him. After knowing him a little and assuring him of God’s love, he told us he was saved and wasn’t afraid of death because he is assured of eternal life. He went ahead to tell us that we should serve God while we can, when our health is okay, when we can walk freely, we should use all our energies to serve God. The man ended up encouraging us in the Lord, He told us how short life is on earth and we should not misuse it. In short by the time we were praying, it felt like I was the sick one receiving healing. When reaching out lets always be ready to receive, and no one is too weak to encourage you!

#4 I have a sister

One Saturday morning, #HillsongKenyaTour introduced all women to sisterhood. Let me give you some background here, I have been told that I am beautiful before, that I am special, and I have always known that God loves me. But the reminder from that meeting melted me. Women are South Africa were given cards to handwrite messages to women in Kenya. It was a

s random as it can be, but every woman got to hear what they really needed to hear at that particular time. The sanctuary was filled with tears of joy and reassurance of God’s love. Then I thought wait a minute, if an anonymous woman in SA can make me feel this special, then how many women can I reach out to right here at my doorstep? How many need those words? What can I do? Not every woman is in this meeting, some have not received this card, and some don’t feel loved at all! What can I do? What can we do? I set some personal goals so that I spread some sisterhood love every day around me. I don’t have to know you to tell you how special you are and how much love God has for you.

#5 Magwanya

‘Magwanya; is the Zulu name for ‘Mandazi’. During the #HillsongKenyaTour the team was excited to eat the Kenyan delicacies. They said we make really nice mandazi, with nice shapes and sizes. When they tasted them, they  were wondering what it was, then they all shouted ‘MAGWANYA’ They also said our ugali is not stiff enough. (Try making stiff ugali and they will say you cannot make ugali at your age) The team really enjoyed spending time here, every day they had something sweet to say about Kenya and its people. Can I say something good about Kenya every day? If not, why? Why should foreigners celebrate my nation more than I?  If I honestly pray for Kenya, can’t I celebrate something good about Kenya daily? Then a voice kept whispering so close to my ear, it was easy for them to say something good because they were just here for two weeks, they don’t know Kenya. Immediately God reminded me, that it’s possible for me to be positive, and if I set my mind to be grateful for Kenya every day, then I will. I’m also thinking how easy it would be to say something negative about Kenya every day. So, Kenyans lets cultivate a habit of throwing positive vibes about Kenya as we pray. Let’s use the narrow road.

 

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