Sharing Jesus in Kenya

We were in a van going through Nairobi, Kenya when I found out that I would be telling my testimony that night. There was to be an "open air crusade" at Athi River. One of the men on our team would be preaching and another would be singing. It was an evangelistic meeting for a new church in the town so my conversion testimony was appropriate. 

In my mind I pictured a small gathering under a tent like covering. I suppose open air to me meant there would be no sides to the covering. . . but there was no covering. It was truly an "open air" meeting. As I look back, it was exactly what it would be in Kenya and our covering was certainly the Holy Spirit. There was a kind of intersection of roads in the town of Athi River. Tall buildings lined one street where people stood on their balconies and roofs but shorter buildings were more numerous. Mothers stood close to their homes with their babies wrapped snugly next to them, and many children played in the street. Occasionally, a car would pass through.

Agape' Church had brought in a stage, a keyboard, and a sound system big enough to be used in a coliseum. Even people inside their homes could hear the praise music clearly and many began moving toward the music. 

The time came for me to share my testimony and I made my way to the stage. I told the story of a little girl whose heart was captured by a Savior who loved her enough to die for her. I had never told my testimony in third person and tears tugged at my heart as I confessed that I was that little girl. I had an interpreter who translated my words to Swahili but I was strangely unaware of his presence. While he spoke, God was giving me words. For me, It was an intimate encounter with God. As I left the stage, I left with peace, still feeling the manifest presence of my sweet Savior. I was keenly aware that He had empowered me to speak and that He would use my story because, in fact, it was His story.

I was reading today about how God uses us. He is all sufficient God and He does not need us, but when we make ourselves available to Him, He lets us be a part of what He is doing. That, my friend, is completely awesome!

...do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. 
(Matthew 10:19-20 NAS)

Lakini mtakapokamatwa, msihangaike mkifiki ria mtakalosema; kwa maana mtaambiwa la kusema wakati huo. Kwa sababu si ninyi mtakaokuwa mkizungumza bali ni Roho wa Baba yenu atakayekuwa akisema kupitia kwenu.

(Matayo 10:19-20 Swahili New Testament)