Community Worship

We started our morning like all the rest; with a delicious meal made fresh by the hospitality team at our lodging. We then left for church, and on the bus ride there we saw many locals walking to church in their Sunday best. Many of them waved up at us as they walked. As we were arriving, we pulled through a very tight street in the slums, and were dropped off a short walk away from the building. We were immediately welcomed and showed to our seats. I was quickly approached by a woman named Faith, who expressed her gratitude for our visit. We then began the worship portion where the Hope Outreach worship team sang two beautiful songs. It was the best worship experience of my life. These people’s love for Jesus was so apparent and inspiring. It was finally our turn to share, and our Youth Praise Band sang our favorite song, Praise. Standing up on the stage singing out to the congregation was truly one of the best feelings. Seeing how happy and passionate everyone was incredibly moving. One of our student pastors, Bella, then gave a beautiful sermon about hope and peace. I so badly wish you all had been able to hear it. As we wrapped up, we were asked to go hold the hand of someone we did not know, and we had a final prayer. We then went out to the children’s Sunday school and visited with them and took photos. It was so special to see all their smiling little faces. The rest of our afternoon was spent in the city as we experienced their different malls and markets. It was a strange feeling being in such nice places after our morning in the slums. This entire experience has been incredibly eye-opening and humbling. It’s given me a whole new perspective on how fortunate I am and how much we all take for granted at home. I’m so grateful for this experience and am so excited for how the rest of our time here will unfold. – Caroline Williams