The Beauty of Contagious Passion

Sometimes I forget... That I am a 24 hour flight away from home. The sea of brown faces, dusty, bumpy roads, crazy traffic and strange looking markets is becoming an all too familiar sight. My compound house feels like home although my bedroom is far less messy then my normal one. I have become used to people dropping round to ask me things, say hi, or check that I am alright living in this house by myself. I am learning that nothing here happens on time and now expect most people to turn up about half an hour later than expected. It seems normal to have to squish more people than seats into a vehicle, to protect your belongings while on public transport to take pills to stop myself getting sick and to filter water before I drink it and soak vegetables before they are eaten. Things which initially surprised me but now are just part of my life. I spent Christmas and Boxing day with an African family and all their extended relatives. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they weren...

The last time I went to Africa I brought a book called Africa’s children, Africa’s treasure. It was full of pictures of stunning children and the essays they had written about their lives in this challenging but beautiful place. I read of places like Mathare and Kibera and thought about how much I would love to work with these children in some capacity but I thought it was only a crazy dream that would probably never happen. I had just spent three weeks building houses with the Ethiopians and shaking the hands of many beautiful children and people as we walked down the streets experiencing the culture and all it had to offer. Would I ever make it back to this amazing place? Maybe one day… But not for a long time. As I write this I am sitting on a chair in Nairobi, Kenya having just spent four days teaching at a vacation bible school (VBS) at Joy Springs School in Kibera slum: A place I thought I would never actually set foot in let alone teach in! To say the least this place wa...

Over the past few days I have been so blessed to be part of the KSCF- Kenyan Students Christian Fellowship youth camp. At this camp some of the most incredibly passionate praise and worship that I have ever seen. And I have seen a lot. They fill the stage and the floor with people dancing and singing their hearts out. There is no shame what so ever. They are performing to an audience of one and that is Jesus. So they let loose the joy that God has given them. It’s awesome and so beautiful to watch! Kenyans are such passionate people! I don’t think there was one person in that room that stood still. While I was at this camp I was asked to sing a worship song as an item. Now, I love performing and many times I have played my saxophone or clarinet in front of an audience and loved it but for some reason singing in front of about 500 Africans who bubble with natural talent was a little daunting. But I did it and I learnt a song from the keys player and sung it- blocking out the audience- ...

Swahili for very much welcome and something you hear around here a lot. Today I had my first experience of an African church. We arrived just in time to hear the end of the English service and the entire Kiswahili service. I only know kidogo (a little) Swahili so to say this was a different experience would be an understatement! The service ran for just over four hours- but it was anything but boring. We got to introduce ourselves to the congregation and then were clapped as a welcome and did praise and worship like I’ve never heard before! African voices are something I’ve always had a soft spot for but this was seriously incredible but loud and not for the faint hearted! People danced and sung in a gospel like style and the music was cut by the high pitch trilling which only an African can truly pull off. Pastor’s shout when they pray here- passion or excitement? And despite sitting through a long service where I barely understood a word but just about worked out when you were suppos...

This is my first week in Kenya. So far I have cringed at a very different scheme of traffic, picked my way through mud puddles and consequently had really dirty feet =), had my first experience of a Kenyan supermarket, walked through an amazing market and I might add seen some incredible bartering take place and met so many really beautiful people so willing to serve others and help me out. However all the fun and games of a new culture aside, I am continually shocked by how much I feel God’s presence on this trip. I am blessed to have so many people here in Kenya who are willing to support me and welcome me into their lives and homes. From being welcomed on outings, out for meals or simply to sit and enjoy an evening with the new friends I have made. I am constantly stunned by how beautiful it is to be able to sit and listen to such wise and learned people who have a huge passion for Jesus and the ministry they serve. My blog- as you know- is called the beauty of contagious passion....

Music... Recently I’ve been listening to a song called by a band called Anthem lights which goes something like this... "Just today,  I heard a story of a pastor far away, Who watched his church walls fall with the rain, With tears in his eyes, Here is what he had to say, Let's reach the ones that will rebuild this place... I wanna know you like that, To live, to love, With everything I am, To give it all, I wanna know you like that, To become, A man after your heart, And not look back, I wanna know you like that..." There’s something about this song, someone who has seen something so obviously heart breaking but can see past it to the good that God can bring out of it. It talks of a new level of relationship. I’ve often looked at other Christian’s who seemed to have so much more depth in their relationship with God than I did.  I’ve been desperately searching for this depth that I’ve seen in these people and for years I’ve been running round in circles- Trust, vuln...

When I caught up with an old friend today, I was unaware that we'd make a new rather unique friend that afternoon. We could hear him singing loudly as he stumbled up the path and we looked up as he came closer. He stopped and told us he was very sad and continued with a story about his lost son he had just discovered but hadn't been able to see yet.  He began to quiz my mate (who works as a youth worker) about what he did. The way my friend talked to this guy, made him feel like he mattered, made him feel like he was worth something and from the time we spent with him, it was clear he didn't get treated this way very often... The encounter was beautiful and priceless! We are called to love others... Not just the the ones who are easy to love. I see so many people excluded. Whether they look different, smell different, talk differently or act in an unusual manner and what's our reason? They're different to us, they take us out of our comfort zon...