Greater Things are Yet to Come

10/11/09

"You’re the God of this city
You’re the King of these people
You’re the Lord of this nation
You are

You’re the light in this darkness
You’re the hope to the hopeless
You’re the peace to the restless
You are

For there is no-one like our God
There is no-one like our God

Greater things have yet to come Greater things are still to be done In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things have still to be done here" - Chris Tomlin

This song has been stuck in my head since hearing it on Friday, and it's completely fitting here.

We went to church in Methare Valley - a huge slum in Nairobi. As we drove up, I noticed kids playing futbol on a large field, triangular shaped tin houses, and mounds of trash lining the roads. When we got out of the car, the first thing I noticed was the noise - it was loud. There were hymns and preacher's voices bellowing out over loud speakers throughout the slums, sounds of animals, children laughing and playing and crying, and radios and other white noise. But it was loud.

Cassie and I went to the roof of the school that CMF (Christian Missionary Fellowship - the missions organization of the couple we're staying with) and Mission of Hope have started right next to their little church. We stood on the roof for a few minutes taking pictures and taking in all of the sights and sounds. It was overwhelming, and I was full of awe.

Pictures of the Classrooms..

We headed down to church, prepared for a 3 hour service or so - true to African custom. The inside of the church was small - probably the size of the northex of my home church. The walls were stone, and the front wall had large red blankets hung as decoration, along with some pink and yellow streamers that were probably brought by some Americans years ago and put to use more than they'd ever imagine. We walked in during worship, sang a few songs, listened to the greetings, and then enjoyed a sermon preached by a visiting American pastor about the importance of the entire church body using their gifts and talents for the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom.

Before the sermon, a woman who was a first time visitor went to the front of the church and decided to give her life to Christ. She was a mother of two sons, lived without a fixed income and therefore had a rough home life, causing her sons to run away multiple times. She talked about asking a friend for help and that the lady recommended she try this church - "They will help you." She shared her desire for wanting to make things right, put together a life that is good for her boys, and be a part of the church.

The church is started by Mission of Hope and CMA and has been a light in a place of darkness. During my first few days here, it was clear that God is moving in this country, and while people know of Him, they live without a hope to carry them through their poverty and dark lives. But hope has come to Mathare Valley. The love and hope of Christ Jesus, the Savior of the World, has come to the darkness and is making its way through the lives of some of the poorest and hopeless people in the world. Our God is moving, and He is moving mightily. His workers are glorifying Him and spreading His Gospel in places where Jesus is but a name as opposed to reason for great hope. He's the God of this City, and there are greater things still to come.