Eve “Wairimu” Smalley

There were so many incidents that affected my understanding of Christianity in Kenya and of my faith in relation to the Kenyan Christians. One specific moment that stands out to me was after church at RVF. One of the street boys came up to me and said, “Forgiven.” I was confused for a second until I realized he was pointing to my foot. He again pointed to my tattoo, which says, “Forgiven.” Then he said, “Forgiven! Yeah, you’re forgiven and I am forgiven.”

I was so incredibly touched and it really made me think about how God’s grace transcends all cultures, all mistakes, and is available to everyone. No matter where we have been or where we come from, His grace can cover us. He is always ready to extend his forgiveness, if we only choose to accept it. Though we live halfway across the world from each other we share the same faith and God is God no matter where we are.

Throughout the trip I was thankful for the nightly discussions our team had. It helped all of us process everything that was going on and I learned so much. I think going into Kenya I already had an appreciation for the culture and the people because of the academic readings and discussions we had to do. It gave us more cultural awareness and helped us to want to learn more from the people.

As I look back on this trip I am so thankful and blessed for what God has shown me.

Comments

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  2. alikaAugust 2, 2023 at 1:56 AM

    Thank you for sharing these reflections, as they offer valuable insights into the universality of faith, the impact of shared experiences, and the importance of open dialogue in fostering understanding and growth. Great job!

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