Because He Lives

Church in Kijabe:
We woke up this morning to fight the cold wind (in August, in AFRICA!) as we walked down to the African Inland Church, one of the local churches here in Kijabe that RVA attends once a month. After our chilling 5 minute walk, we walked into the door of a good-sized church and found a little wooden pew to sit on. There are two services - an English and a Swahili. Since we were at the English one, probably 2/3 of the attendants were RVA staff and children. After introductions and singing "Happy Birthday" to two of the local Kenyan children, we sang some songs in English and some in Swahili. It was beautiful. The sermon followed, a teaching on "Slaying the Giant of Fear." During the sermon, the Sunday School children were right outside a nearby door and were singing. It was honestly one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard, and I wanted nothing more than to just go sit in the midst of them and watch God's Joy in beautiful action.

A few years back, a friend told me about the African Children's Choir, a choir composed of children from some of Africa's neediest nations who are trained and given the opportunity to tour for a couple of years, and then are given the means for an education in hopes that they will become productive citizens who seek to better their communities. It's a great program, check it out. Anyways, after purchasing the CD, I was in awe of the faith that it takes for these children to sing praises to God in the midst of the poverty and violence and everything else they've seen. During my senior year at Texas A&M, the ACC came to visit, and I was blessed to be able to go. I don't know that I've ever been so captivated as my heart absolutely exploded from excitement at being so close to children that I had indirectly prayed for for years. One of the songs they sang was "Because He Lives." If you haven't heard it, go look up the lyrics, and as you read them, think about what those children have gone through, and I pray you'll see the incredible beauty in the words they're singing.

The last song we sang in church was "Because He Lives." I couldn't believe it. There I was, standing in the middle of a dream. I was in Africa, surrounded by a faithful congregation who was genuinely seeking after and worshiping the Lord, and I was singing a song that, no matter what we're feeling, holds true. We CAN face tomorrow, because we know that our Hope is not in situations surrounding us, but in our High God who is Mighty and Beautiful and Worthy of Praise! How comforting it is to have a faith in a God who is bigger than all of the evil, even on this dark continent, and to be surrounded by others who remind us of where we place our Hope. Praise the Lord, because He lives!