The God of the 2nd Chance

Dereck walked into church two weeks ago to give his life to the Lord.  He is 16 years old and has lived the past several months of his life on the streets of Nairobi.  His arms and legs are covered with painful boils from an unchecked bacterial infection.  His frame is slender and lean from not properly eating.   He ran away from home several months ago.  This was due to some serious complications at school and deep emotional wounds: His mother died several years ago and his father abandoned him at birth.  

An uncle was attempting to help the young man as best as he could.  However, their relationship became strained so Dereck plotted his escape from his  home-town of Kangaria to make his way to the promise of the big city- Nairobi.   There he was sorely disappointed with the harsh reality of survival on the streets and narrowly escaped with his life on several occasions.  While begging for roasted corn from a vendor at an intersection near down-town, he was told about a church where people could help him.  On Sunday morning, my dear friend Benson Sereria (the former Hare Krishna evangelist) lead him in the sinner's prayer as he surrendered his life to Christ.  

Sach, the assistant pastor at this church decided to help him get back in school.  So we all piled into a small car and drove to Kangaria to try and find the uncle.  We expected to find a very angry and bitter man who wanted nothing to do with Dereck since his recent escapade.   Much to our shock, the uncle was elated to have the "prodigal" of their extended family return.  

As we shared who we were and what we were trying to accomplish, a sweet presence of the Lord filled the living room. Repeatedly, the uncle said: "thank God Dereck fell in with you guys and not Mungiki (a tribalistic gang involved in the occult actively recruiting all over Kenya)". 

  By the end of our time there, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. The relationship between uncle and nephew was restored.  The opportunity to learn was re-established.  The shame of a family was removed.  The sins of the past were buried.  And through it all- we all witnessed a living testimony of the God of the second chance.  A God who rescues young men from the streets of Nairobi.  A God who keeps us in spite of foolishness.  A God who uses street corn roasters to draw lost people to Himself.  A God who loves wayward and hurting people! 

The Tide is Rising

  Easter Sunday in Buja.  Church is packed almost to overflowing.  At some point during the worship time, the rain started.  A drizzle at first.  Soon, however, the floodgates open.  The only word in English equivalent to the torrential downpour occuring outside is deluge. 

            The rain is hitting the corrugated roof with such force that I can’t hear the pastor some 30 feet away through a massive sound system.  The soundman increases the gain until the speakers are humming and the sound-system straining.  To no avail- he might as well be a pantomime even though he is shouting at the top of his lungs into the microphone.

            An hour later, I look into parking lot to see at least 6 inches of water on the ground.  The rain continues with such force that it is impossible to see further than 10 feet.  The parking lot quickly rises to a foot.  Pastor decides it would be a good idea to close the service.  Too late. It's rising quickly. The water suddenly begins pouring into the sanctuary.

            Absolute pandemonium erupts! “Save the soundboard” cries one.  “The speakers-lift them off the ground” shouts another.  And it's still rising. “Help my shoes are getting wet” cries the pastor’s wife.  Two hundred people are running all over the place trying to find higher ground.  And it's still rising.  Stacking plastic chairs on top of each other they quickly build little towers to climb up on in order to escape the rising water.

            By 12.30 the water is almost a meter deep in the parking lot and well over a foot in the sacturary.  And still rising.  I can’t resist anymore. I run out into the floodwaters to fetch my camera (see the pics on FB). I almost get swept away by the torrent raging in the street on what has to be the most memorable Easter service I have been part of.

            Last night I read from Isaiah 60:  “the Glory of the Lord rises upon you…see darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rise upon you and His glory appears over you.”  

Without question thick and terrible spiritual darkness covers the naitons of the earth.  The promise here, however,  is that God is going to send a GLORY flood into His people’s lives- His presence, His power, and His provision to reach these nations with the Light (v. 3).  My prayer and cry is: "Oh Lord let it rise in my life and in your church!"