One Week Left

Well, I will be leaving Nairobi in seven days, ten hours, and eight minutes. * 
*by the time you read this, that count will no longer be accurate. Sorry.

These last few days will be bittersweet, to be sure. I have learned some of the most important lessons of my life while living here, and I've also been challenged in ways I could have never imagined before. I have had some of strange, funny experiences this summer. I have struggled, but I have succeeded.

Though I'm not usually one to reference Scripture in my everyday life, the passage from the second chapter of James about faith and works is incredibly relevant to my life this summer, and I'd like to share it here.

"(14) What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? (15) Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, (16) and you say, 'Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well' - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? (17) So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
(18) Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith; others have good deeds.' But I say, 'How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.'"

I have loved this verse ever since my youth minister Doug taught me about it in Sunday School nine years ago, when I was 14 years old. Throughout my teenage and young adult life, my relationship with the Christian Church has ebbed and flowed. But this lesson stays with me and guides me. No matter how lapsed my church attendance becomes, I remember that, at least for me, it's not about memorizing verses or sitting through sermons. It's about living my beliefs and committing my life to making this world a little better. Sometimes I don't even know exactly what I believe in, but I always have faith in Goodness. And, like the verse says, I will show you my faith (not by going to services or reading Scripture every day or posting cryptic Christian messages on Facebook, but) by my good deeds.

Now, I'm not trying to toot my own horn here. If you'd like to hear about all the ways that I have messed up and been bad and failed to do good, just block off a few days in your schedule and give me a call. But my time here in Nairobi has been a huge step toward showing my faith in exactly the way that I want to.

I came here to empower other people of faith to work for peace. The project I support at Catholic Relief Services is making enormous strides toward peace in communities all over Africa. These small communities have been given the tools to spread a message of indiscriminate love to parts of the world that experience violence and hate every day. I have been part of that amazing work, and I have been honored by that opportunity.

This is how I want to show my faith. I don't want to go to church every Sunday, because sometimes I'd rather go for a run. I don't want to evangelize to my friends who've chosen secular morality. I don't want to carry a Bible everywhere in case I need to make an important decision - I will make that decision myself. But I do want to work with other people who believe in Goodness. I want to show the scary, sad parts of the world that peace is possible. I want to empower others, even if it makes me uncomfortable or scared or anxious. I want to always show my faith through these good deeds, just like I have this summer.

As I prepare to say goodbye to Kenya, I know that this lesson about faith and works is more salient to me now than it's ever been. If nothing else, this experience has helped me understand who I am, what I want, and how I will serve. And for that I will always be truly grateful.

Thank You Notes Revisited

I wrote a few thank you notes several weeks ago, and it feels like it’s time to write a few more. I only have twenty days left here in Nairobi, and I want to fill those days with as much gratitude as I can, so here are today’s thank-you’s:

Thank you, CRS security staff, for greeting me warmly every morning when you open the security gate for me. And thank you for always saying, “see you tomorrow!” when I leave the office in the afternoon. You make me feel safe, as is your job, but you also make me feel welcome, which goes above and beyond your job requirements. I appreciate you all.

Thank you, Mark Medlin, for putting your worried dad hat aside while I’ve been on this adventure. You have supported me, listened to me babble, and remained engaged in my journey all summer. I can’t wait to hug your neck in a few weeks!

A warm thank you to Nairobi Java House and its out-of-this-world carrot cake. The reasons for my appreciation should be obvious.

Thank you, Stuff You Missed In History Class podcast, for teaching me about Charles IX and the history of harmonicas this week. I have learned so much from your podcast over the years, but I am especially grateful for your delightful lessons while I’m here.

Thank you, Brian Dooley, for your patience and support. You’re such a great guy and I can’t wait to see you again.

Thank you to the Aberdares water company for supplying the CRS office with clean water that does not make me sick. I have learned the hard way that my tummy does not trust many foods or drinks here, but your water never fails to provide pain-free refreshment and hydration.

Last but not least, thank you, Naked Pizza, for your amazing customer service and excellent product. I never expected to be able to order fresh, yummy pizza online and have it delivered to me while in Kenya, and your establishment has quickly become one of my very favorites. I will be blaming you for any extra pounds that come back to America with me, but I hope you’ll take it as a compliment.

That’s all for now! I hope my thank you notes have inspired you to show a little more gratitude today. This world can use all the thank-you’s we can give it, don’t you think?