KENYA

If you know anything about me at all, you know that I love to travel. I crave standing in awe at the varying beautiful landscapes that God so creatively spoke into existence. I adore seeing and meeting people of cultures so different from my own, making me feel like I’m on a new planet. I think it can be summed up as me loving to experience new things. I think it tests me, it humbles me, and it teaches me.

But, as hard as this is to admit, I realized that up until this point all of my motives for travel have been relatively selfish. I forked over the money for flights and hotels and food because I wanted that experience for myself. I wasn’t really giving too much thought about ways that I could be impacting people or giving to others at all. It was all about me.

Don’t take this the wrong way. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong about traveling for personal experience. In fact I think that there is much to be gained from it, and it can make you a better person for those around you (and I am sure I will have more trips in the future that fall into the “personal experience” category). But for me, I know that if I’m not giving to others, that’s when I start to feel empty. I don’t like the feeling of my actions being in vain.

All of that to say, I knew I wanted to go on a trip that was more for others than for myself. I stumbled upon a group planning to take a mission trip to Eldoret, Kenya to serve children that are affected by extreme poverty, and I decided to tag along.

I knew that it would be unlike any experience I’ve had before, but I don’t think there was any way for me to be prepared for the ways that it would change me. See, it’s ironic because I wanted to go on this trip and make a big impact on the lives of these people, I wanted to make a change for them. But I am certain that it is me walking away changed.

I was really emotional when it came time for me to leave this place. I was writing in my journal to make sure that I would be able to remember it as vividly as possible. Here’s something that I wrote. I know that the names won’t mean anything to you, but they’re important to me. They are real people with real lives and feelings and I was blessed enough to be a brief moment in their grand story.

Never forget how all of the people wave on the side of the road and how that simple interaction filled you with so much joy. Never forget Patrick and his home for the special needs kids and how much that moved your heart to want to help. Never forget Judy and how her tears caused your tears. Never forget baby Samuel and how for the first time he made you really want to be a mother some day. Never forget Sophie and how she so desperately wanted a Bible. Never forget the kids at One Heart and the desperation on their faces as they reached for a brief human touch. Never forget Alvine and how he slowly opened up to you. All of these cumulative experiences changed you. Never forget them. Stay changed.

I think I could write about this trip forever, but I’ll keep it short and leave you with one final thought.

Love people.

Go out of your way to love others. It may seem hard at first because that means you have to press pause on your own personal agenda, but I promise you that you’ll get so much more out of it than you could imagine. We are created to love and to be loved. So spread it any way you can possible.

xx

Cierra Jade

P.S. click here to watch a video of this trip