Retreat

 

We spent the last 6 days on the Southern Coast of Kenya for the Serge East Africa regional retreat.  It was a wonderful time of getting away, relaxing, praying, studying, and meeting the people who will be our friends and co-workers in the coming years.  Our Samaritan’s Purse post-residency program will last for two years, so we are beginning the transition to our long-term agency, which – barring some strange event – will be Serge.  Absolutely wonderful, very real, and amazing people.  Spending a week with people in very different situations and circumstances was extremely valuable.  We have had what one person referred to as a “soft landing” in Kijabe.  Not that there haven’t been difficult days and situation, but for the most part things have been wonderful so far.  But seeing that storms will come was important and sobering.

Who knew a 6 foot water-slide could be so much fun?

Morning run by the Indian ocean.  Peaceful and beautiful, through we were never totally settled as I will get to later in the post.

New traditions, the passover Seder.  A long meal with lots of rich symbolism.  I had always wondered how so much happened during the last supper, but with a three hour meal and recitations and activities, I see how the many deep conversations happened.

 

It is a very small world we live in. . .most of the people we met had some sort of connection to us through one of our cities or friendships.  Pat was a friend of the Glen and Susan Rullman, Arianna’s 5th grade teacher and friends from Winston-Salem!

Easter Sunrise

The day after we arrived, we received word that 150 University students had been murdered in a calculated attack at sunrise on a university dormitory in Northeastern Kenya.

I still do not fully know how to process the attack, save that it was horrific and every parent’s worse nightmare.  I play in my mind how I would have responded and acted.  The entire time we were on the coast, I was running through scenarios in my head, where would we hide, how to barricade the door, what would we do?

But my primary reaction is anger that an cowardly, unthinkable action in a remote part of Kenya will once again interrupt life and well-being for the other 50 million people of the nation.  That business on the coast will be decimated, malls in Nairobi will be empty, tourists will cancel trips, and the winners will be the jihadists who seek this exact outcome.  That a fearful knee-jerk reaction will cripple our nation and that our focus will be pulled from the many tasks at hand to the abstract threat of the unknown.

A  place exists for healthy caution. . .situational awareness of environment and surroundings that can prevent harm.  Sometimes, too, you need to leave because of the uncertainty.  Several new friends will be working in Kijabe for the next few months because fighting has come to  the country where they were working. They had to leave everything, charter a plane and go immediately, no goodbyes allowed.  And there is always a remote possibility that something horrible like this could happen in Kijabe. . .but it could also happen in France, Missouri, or anywhere.

I am angry at the thief who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.  Angry that terror would steal these sunrises or this thunderstorm below.  That people or circumstances would try to rob a beautiful place and a beautiful people of joy.  I am angry at fear itself.

As always, we will walk forward with care and wisdom, trying not to place ourselves in danger.  We will listen to the advice of the organizations we work for and follow protocols and suggestions.  But, we will also choose to fix our eyes on the God who gives us life and love,  beauty and healing in a part of the world that so longs for it.

Amazing thunderstorm across the valley on our return home.