Reflections (by Marilynn Sanders)

Bwana asifiwe (Praise the Lord). Not only was the 2009 Kenya mission trip life-changing for many of the people we witnessed to but it has also changed my life. I personally saw God’s hand in everyone we met, in everything we did, and in everything we saw. Worshipping with the loving and spirit-filled congregation at Baptist Chapel was inspiring. These people love God, are sincere in their worship, and reach out to others. They truly ‘walk the talk’ and aren’t merely going through the motions. During the Crusades I looked into the eyes and beautiful faces of so many people, especially children, all living in extreme poverty. Surprisingly, I saw joy and hopefulness in most but there were some with very sad and empty faces. For the first time in my life I wanted to reach out and give them the reassurance of God’s love and protection. Visiting the Christian orphanage and holding the beautiful children that had been abandoned and rescued was another demonstration of God’s love and protection, yet I couldn’t help but wonder about the many left uncared for and unattended, and I continue to pray for them. The beautiful sunsets, sunrises, and magnificent animals that we saw during our safari rides were additional testimonies of God’s wonderful and glorious creations. Whether it be the poor people living in the slums, the precious orphans, the vast savannah lands, or the majestic animals, how can we not believe in a Creator? Traveling and worshipping with my Christian brothers and sisters was a tremendous inspiration for me. They don’t know how much they influenced my spiritual life during these past few days. I learned so much from each of them and I am so grateful. During this trip God revealed to me that I haven’t been totally honest with myself. I don’t always ‘walk the talk’, my priorities are sorely misaligned, and my spiritual life is very weak. I have made a decision to rededicate my life to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.