Another look back to a previous trip to Kenya...
2012
As our canoe glided through the water and approached the shore, a myriad of children came running towards us from seemingly every direction shouting, "Wzungu! Wzungu!" (wah-zoon-goo - I hate it when I don't know how to pronounce something!) The picture that had been painted for us while we were preparing for this mission trip to Kenya was now manifesting itself before our very eyes.
2012
As our canoe glided through the water and approached the shore, a myriad of children came running towards us from seemingly every direction shouting, "Wzungu! Wzungu!" (wah-zoon-goo - I hate it when I don't know how to pronounce something!) The picture that had been painted for us while we were preparing for this mission trip to Kenya was now manifesting itself before our very eyes.
We had been told before embarking on this journey that wzungu meant, "white people" and we certainly did hear it a lot on this once-in-a-lifetime (or so I thought) trip.
On our third trip to Kenya (God is just full of surprises, isn't He? As you read this we're just winding down our 6th trip!) it was just my husband and I working with a Kenyan pastor. One day we were traveling in a vehicle with 5 or 6 other local people in it, and for 2 1/2 hours Bob and I listened to friendly banter in Kiswahili, which I must say is a bit disconcerting when your vocabulary consists of a dozen words, give or take.
Of course, my ears perked up whenever I heard a word I recognized. When someone said, "mzungu" (mah-zoon-goo - the singular form of wzungu) and then everyone started laughing, to say I felt uncomfortable would have been a gross understatement.
I asked the pastor what was so funny about us, and he explained that they weren't talking about us at all. While a white person is referred to as a mzungu, the word actually refers to someone obsessed with time. So all white people are considered wzungu, but not all wzungu are white.
I'd say they hit the nail on the head with that one! Who is more obsessed with time then we are? We even try to change it by moving our clocks backwards and forwards!
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a
thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to
repentance. ~ 2 Peter 3:8-9
My mind can't even fathom living outside the constraints of time, yet time is of no consequence to God.
How often do you get impatient with God because He isn't moving fast enough?
How often do you put your own agenda ahead of God's?
How often do you pass up on a God-ordained opportunity because you're too obsessed with your self-imposed schedule?
For me the answer to all of the above is, "Far too often," but thankfully I get it right on occasion. Should I really consider myself to be behind if I set aside my agenda so that I can follow God's?
Lord, how I long to be like you, to be unfettered by this thing we call time. I long to sit at your feet and walk in your path, not feeling guilty about what I "should" be doing. Give me eyes to see as you see; make your priorities my priorities and allow me to accomplish all that YOU would have me do.
Lisa
On that third trip to Kenya, the pastor shared his vision for a school for those children who cannot afford to attend public school. Much to our surprise, my husband and I are now heading up OpeN Christian Center, a non-profit ministry that feeds and educates impoverished children in rural Kenya. You can learn more about it here.
