Until Now

I am not a blogger. I’ve never read a blog, much less written one. I rarely post anything on social media, and mainly just glance at things to see how my friends and family are doing. So, blogging is not for me.
Until Now.
Friends have encouraged me to go on an international mission trip for years. They have said it would be life changing. I was going to go to Kenya in 2020 but it got canceled due to a certain pandemic, but I promised myself I would go on the next chance. I planned to go to be a “good” church member, to serve my church, to see how things go on mission trips, and to get a chance to travel. But, life-changing, no, that was not really in the cards.
Until Now.
We have five senses provided by God and a “sense” of imagination as well. All of these senses are used to perceive pleasurable things, and not so pleasurable things.
I would never have imagined that I would see a toddler scavenging for food in a trash pile. Not only that but scavenging along with goats, pigs, chickens, and dogs.
Until Now.
I would never have thought I would hear the cacophony of water bottle jugs being thrown, people yelling, music blaring, dogs barking, banging, construction noises, all at the same time.
Until Now.
I would never have imagined the smell of raw sewage combined with fresh food being cooked just feet away. This being co-mingled with the smell of rotten food, smoke from diesel fumes, and pollution.
Until Now.
I would never thought I would taste the acrid smoke in my throat from the smells, along with the strong smells hanging in the air so thick that you could also taste it.
Until Now.
And I would never have felt the touch of my feet and shoes sinking in the mud and sewage as we walked through the slums to visit the families.
Until Now.
All of my senses were truly on overload as we visited the Mathare Slums in Nairobi, Kenya. This is the second largest and the oldest slum in Nairobi and home to 800,000 people.
As God has provided us with imagination, I was able to imagine Jesus walking through dirt and mud, and having his feet washed with perfume. Would I be able to do that? I was also able to picture Jesus walking through a similar scene as he approached the blind beggar at the entrance to the temple. Jesus stopped and helped him. Have we? How many people walked past the blind man before someone like Jesus stopped? How many people have seen the slum here and not stopped to help?
Until Now
Sponsoring a child is stopping to help. Yes, we’re in Kenya, but our sponsorships are also in Myanmar and Haiti. Have you not sponsored a child?
Until Now?
I, too until about six months ago, hadn’t stopped to help.
We just finished our visit to the Bondeni School in the heart of the Mathare Slum. Approximately 110 of the sponsored children were there as a result of someone stopping to help. As we participated in Vacation Bible School, we were met with smiling faces, joyful children, and overwhelming cheer. Their faith in Jesus Christ is palpable! Their faith in Jesus Christ triggers all the senses!
Sponsoring these children not only helps them AND their families, it becomes generational. If your sponsored child can graduate, and have a career, they can get out of the slum. Their children can experience a life not in the slum. They will likely sponsor children. That’s generational.
I am still experiencing sensory overload, but after having stopped to help I am able to reflect in a different way.
I would never have imagined that I could see sheer joy in a smile.
Until Now.
I would never have imagined being able to hear pure faith and happiness in a child’s voice through song.
Until Now.
I would never have imagined the smell of fresh air and clean rooms in a completely new way inside the walls of the school.
Until Now.
I would never have imagined being just yards away from the acrid smoke of the slum and not being able to taste the stench.
Until Now.
And I would never have thought simply the touch of holding the hand of our sponsored child would create the sense of pure love which I experienced.
Until Now.
Yes, I came on this mission trip for several good reasons: to meet our sponsored child, to fulfill service to our church, and to follow through on a promise. But life changing. No.
UNTIL NOW!