World Impact Ministries / Peter Youngren

A trip of a different caliber…

In the past weeks we have been traveling much and have experienced many tribes, cultures and places. All together we have been in more than four different provinces through-out Kenya, all displaying a myriad of rich colorful history and multiple ethnicity; from Kisii to Kikuyu, Masai and Luo tribes.
At one place, a man greeted us with this sentence: “Welcome home” This greeting has continuously been resounding in my spirit - because, it really does feel as if I have come home!
The Gospel has taken us to remote areas where no white man has gone before…we have ventured along paths and trekked places situated in the interior highlands, – 3500 meters above sea level (catch your breath!), - places only passable by foot.

The preaching exposure has been great and varied – for me; a discovery of what it means to be a teacher and an evangelist: preaching to several hundreds of people in the small village squares; - stepping out of my comfort zone, only to find myself thriving on traveling and reaching the deeply remote areas of Africa; preaching the Gospel of peace to those that have not heard….

As I travel, I discover that Kenya is indeed a country of stalk contrasts: Only to be described as an oasis in some parts; lush and green, with an extreme abundance of rain causing the red earth to become a pool of slippery mud. In yet other areas; it is as dry as the brutality of a bleak desert, lacking water for months, even years on end….
In these last few weeks I have walked in mud to my knees, had trucks splash me down while passing me on the roads…I have been soaked to the bone, been covered in mud to my thighs, have walked for hours in the rain – finally to be picked up by a small minibus, only to find it filled to the brim, whereas I am shoved in the completely over-packed vehicle, standing crunched over – bent down by the roof of the van, with my ‘rear end’ in some other passengers face (!) and me, holding on for dear life, in what feels like a ‘run away’ bus!

Visiting a fishing village on Mfangano Island, I find myself baptizing a group of 19 people on the shores of Lake Victoria! How privileged I am to be a part of this outward statement of how Jesus changed their lives! The way people here use the lake, also depicts a great picture of how water symbolizes life – the new life we have in Christ, the abundant life and rivers of living water….;  Here, the lake is a place of life and community: people come to the beach to take baths, wash their clothes and do their dishes, to draw drinking water and get the catch of the day….So, surrounded by children, women cleaning nets and cattle drinking on the shore, - I get to baptize adults, children and teenagers as they commit their lives to Jesus. What an amazing experience!

Another incident, I can add to my experiences, is being stung by a scorpion! It happened on an island situated in Lake Victoria – close to the border of Uganda. Too far removed from the main land, any medical clinic or hospital ~ only faith and proclaiming scripture verses like Luke 10:19 get’s you through a situation like that! Although, I must admit, that I momentarily came close to panic mode as I looked at the reality of the situation…. But against all reason and logic; I was well, whole and full of peace as I focused on Him!
Wow – many things can be said about being a missionary….. but it certainly isn’t boring!

I send you many greetings from wonderful Kenya!