Learning from the Rocks

On Sunday, July 4, 2010 I accompanied my host, Margaret, to her church's
Harambee service. About 12 churches within the Holy Trinity Church of Africa
(HTCA) came together for one worship service and fundraiser. They were
raising money to build an office for the district bishop. The church at
which we were to meet was beyond walking distance so we needed
transportation. To my surprise, a pick-up truck pulled up and we all packed
in - 3 in the cab, 18 (including myself) in the bed. Yes, you read
correctly, there were 21 of us riding in one pick-up truck. When we all
finally packed in the most amazing thing happened. As passenger 18 boarded
and took her seat atop the lap of another woman she began singing and
clapping, bellowing out songs of praise to God. Within seconds everyone was
singing, clapping and dancing as best they could in the confined space. The
truck swayed, less as a result of the bumpy road and moreso because of the
unified sway of a chorus of praisers and worshippers. I was thrilled that I
could join in as Margaret had already taught me one of the songs. Indeed we
drew stares from others on the road, no doubt wondering about the noise, but
no one seemed bothered. By the time we arrived at the church, 45 minutes
later, we had already experienced God for ourselves in our safe,
Spirit-filled journey.

We took our seats inside and Margaret reminded me to be prepared to say a
few words of encouragement when I am introduced. All I could think about,
however, was praising God. That very morning I had prayed that God would
open me up to praise Him in a foreign country with people of a foreign
tongue. (I had found it quite difficult to participate in worship services
because I felt like I missed so much given the language barrier. I yearned
to participate not only in smiles, claps and gestures, but in word as well.)
Within seconds I knew exactly what to say to the congregation. I had to
speak, very briefly, about praise.

Throughout my stay in Kenya, I have been reminded of the power of praising
God. People regularly sing Christian songs and hymns for no apparent reason
other than that there is a song in their hearts. So I shared with the
congregation what I was feeling, that I, too, needed to join the chorus of
praisers and worshipers. As I looked out the window of the church I saw a
rock (there are rocks everywhere) and I was reminded of Luke 19:29-40. In
the passage, Jesus is entering Jerusalem on a colt. As he rode along,
passersby threw their cloaks to the ground and began to "praise God joyfully
with a loud voice." (Luke 19:37 NRSV) Annoyed, some of the Pharisees in the
crowd asked Jesus to order his disciples to stop and Jesus answered, "'I
tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.'" (v. 40) WOW!
Here I am in Kenya, among more rocks and stones than I have ever seen in my
life and what does God bring to my remembrance? That if I do not praise Him,
the stones will! That is quite a mission.

What I have learned from my time here, however, is that the people I have
encountered have been more than up to the task of praising God. Believe me,
rocks will not take their places. I am reminded of the pastoral home visits
in which the pastor and other visitors enter the homes with a song. And then
there are the overnight gatherings before a funeral where members of the
community spend the entire night praising God in the home of the deceased. I
am reminded of the faces of elderly women who achingly take their seats
looking completely worn but who, minutes later, spring up and sing and dance
with power and joy. Their faces light up when they think of God and they
begin to praise Him. I think of Diallo, a shy, young teenage boy who dances
to worship music. I think of the children at Agulu Primary School who sing
songs of Zion at the top of their lungs as they prepare to take their
Umoja-sponsored school lunches. And there is Angela, a young single mother
of a 15-month old, who keeps Christian music videos on loop in the DVD
player. And Kennedy, 20 years old, who begins the evening family prayers
each night with a song of praise inviting all present to join in. Praising
God is not relegated to Sunday morning. No (and to borrow from the song),
praise is who they are. Through the people I encountered, God reminded me
that He is still God and worthy of praise whether one's table is overflowing
with food or one is going hungry. The people I met understand and practice
the verse, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually
be in my mouth." (Psalm 34:1)

As my time in Kenya draws closer to an end, I feel it quite befitting that I
take this opportunity to praise God for my experience. I look back in awe at
how He has taken care of me and provided for me these past six weeks. I was
nervous beyond belief when this journey began but every step of the way
God's hand was upon me. When I did not think I could get used to the food
and accommodations God gave me the strength to endure until I became
comfortable. When I was nervous about traveling alone, He calmed my anxiety
and showed up in the smiles and conversations of strangers. When I felt
sick, He kept me well. When I traveled over oceans, mountains, and plains,
He protected me. When I longed for home, He reminded me of His
ever-presence. When I felt overwhelmed by a story someone shared with me, He
gave me a word of encouragement for them and for myself. He gave me rest
when I needed it and awakened me to the splendor of His handiwork each day.
He reminded me of my blessings and also allowed me to bless others. He kept
my family and friends safe in my absence. He worked through my three
classmates to encourage, support, and minister to me. He answered my calls
each and every time.

Since I am to take the lessons I have learned in Kenya and bring them back
to the United States and share them with others, I may as well start now. I
invite you to take a few minutes and just think about God's goodness in your
own life and praise Him now. Make praising God a practice, make it a habit,
make it as natural as breathing. Come on, you can do it. "O magnify the Lord
with me, and let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:3) Remember, there
are rocks in America, too!