December 3rd, 2017 by georginagreen

Yesterday evening I stopped by the Roberts’ house to drop off Christmas-themed paper plates, napkins, and baking supplies that I had brought from the US for the missionaries for a Christmas party. I’m staying at the guest house, and the Roberts live in the first house on the right, wreath on the door, Christmas lights strewn outside.
Jenny, her husband and their 3 boys have been here for the past 11 years working as missionaries.

GG: So where are you from?
JR: …Pensacola, Florida…
GG: Me, too! What year did you graduate from high school?
JR: 1991 (Note that she’s my age but looks about ten years younger. I blame residency.)
GG: Me, too! Where’d you go to high school?
JR: Woodham
GG: PHS
JR: Were you in I.B.? My friends Matt Garland and Matt Maillian went there
GG: I was actually in a church choir with them at First Baptist Church my senior year of high school.
JR: Me, too!

I am thousands of miles from home, and I used to be in a choir with the girl next door. I told Dr. Caldwell (a visiting surgeon doing wound care) about it, and he said maybe this is a sign that God wants me to be here. Or maybe it’s random chance. Either way, it’s the kind of coincidence that grabs my heart and stops my breath. Annette, the respiratory therapist, is less surprised, says these coincidences seem to happen quite often. Still…

My family went to a small Episcopal church that didn’t have a big youth group or choir, and I’m guessing Matt Garland invited me along to First Baptist. I participated in their Easter service. It was a big choir, and it makes sense that we vaguely recognize each other.

I had the day off yesterday, so hung around OB (as we do when we want to see deliveries, when we just have an affinity for pregnant bellies!) for a bit and scrubbed in on a minor surgery. The intern led a beautiful prayer for the patient just before anesthesia was given. I often pray for my patients and for me to have strength and grace and not screw up. I might pray on my way to work, on my way home, when I’m putting my daughter to bed, when I’m in the hospital. It feels unusual and very comfortable to pray with people in a hospital.

I think it would be less comfortable to be here at the hospital if I weren’t Christian. This country is 85% Christian and 11% Muslim. The very first sound I heard when I woke in Nairobi was a Muslim call to prayer over the loud speakers at a local mosque, which before now I’d only heard on TV. I wonder what percentage of the population is actively practicing a religion.

This place reminds me of the church we went to when we lived in Rota, Spain. I was only five when we left, so my mum may need to correct me, but there was love and acceptance. What I see here is people trying to be good Christians, trying to share God with their friends.

This morning I’m going to the Africa Gospel Church at the hospital, where all the missionaries go, with a potluck afterwards. I was in church with Jenny 26 years ago and will be again this morning.

After church: At first I thought Ben Roberts was a preacher, but it turns out he’s an ophthalmologist. They’re in the process of building an eye and dental center, so will write more on that later. They broke ground four years ago and hope to finish it in the new year.

The service was unlike anything I’ve seen before, like many things here in Kenya. The pastor is Kenyan, and there’s also an American pastor who gave a sermon. Every seat was full and people were standing in the back. We had communion, served by the elder men of the church. There was a special collection for a child who needs chemotherapy. At one point they asked visitors to stand up. Ummm, no, not comfortable standing up in front of a few hundred strangers and introducing myself 🙂 Jenny organized a lesson about Advent and lit the first candle of the Advent wreath. And the potluck afterward was good, too, with a plate that was overflowing.

It’s very hard to be in church without my daughter. Starting Advent away from her makes me realize just how far away I am. And now I have the afternoon to study and also hang around OB and scope out deliveries.