As I was in a meeting for work last week, I looked down at my dress shoes and noticed that the tops of the souls of my shoes all the way around carried the unmistakeable red dust of the streets of Kahawa Sukari. Part of me thought that I should probably have cleaned up my shoes a little bit before attending the meeting. However, the dust also brought to mind the passage in Mark 6 where Jesus sends out the 12 disciples. Jesus gives them guidelines as to what to bring and where to stay. He instructs the 12: "And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony AGAINST them."
As I looked at the dust on my shoes, I decided that the dust needs to stay on my shoes. I stayed at the house of Pastor Simon Orieda during my time in Kenya. I was welcomed like family, or more accurately, a visiting dignitary. I was fed and clothed, given a place to sleep, and offered protection during the night. Not only was I welcomed, I was given an audience. The Kenyans wanted to hear about my experiences and what God has been doing in Chicago. Not once did I have to show any credentials or proof of a degree. Instead, my proclamation of being born again gave me any clearance needed to gain an audience.
The people of Kahawa Sukari and Kenya welcomed me and they listened to me. Therefore, I will not shake the dust off my shoes. Instead, I will leave the noticeable collection of dust on my shoes as a testimony FOR the believers in Nairobi, Kenya.
-C.Moore
As I looked at the dust on my shoes, I decided that the dust needs to stay on my shoes. I stayed at the house of Pastor Simon Orieda during my time in Kenya. I was welcomed like family, or more accurately, a visiting dignitary. I was fed and clothed, given a place to sleep, and offered protection during the night. Not only was I welcomed, I was given an audience. The Kenyans wanted to hear about my experiences and what God has been doing in Chicago. Not once did I have to show any credentials or proof of a degree. Instead, my proclamation of being born again gave me any clearance needed to gain an audience.
The people of Kahawa Sukari and Kenya welcomed me and they listened to me. Therefore, I will not shake the dust off my shoes. Instead, I will leave the noticeable collection of dust on my shoes as a testimony FOR the believers in Nairobi, Kenya.
-C.Moore
5 comments:
Wow. Great insight.
Perhaps an even bigger feature of Kenyan culture is their ability to welcome. Certainly that reflects a healthy Christianity as well.
I feel so much smaller after experiencing that. We simply do not measure up here in terms of hospitality.
This blog entry blesses me, C. Moore. Thanks. :o)
What a great visual to teach us about a great people!
--Juanita
What a blessing. Thank you Craig. God speaks in the most humble of ways. I love it.
I washed one of my pants that I took with me to kenya and it still has the Kenya dirt.
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