Christian Union Choir Ndalani

My trip ends as it began in the chapel some 8 weeks ago.  Like the first Sunday hee I was invited to preach and I focused on the stories that out of the marginalized comes those who want to build a better just society across the globe.  The discarded stones become the lead (corner) stones.

About half of the worship time is devoted to dance andd sing or anthems.  the choir offered this anthem which is sung in Swahili.  It is a hymn of praise and adoration to God for all our blessings.  This recording is about 3 minutes long.  The ages of the members range from 12 to 22.  Bear in mind they have learned this four part harmony by rote, perfect pitch, natural rhythm and no printed music.

After lunch, left to my own devices I reflected over the last couple of months.  I like numbers sometimes and here is my reflection by the numbers:

Mully Model Leadership Workshop:  

Total number of teachings days in two sites: 33, with 65 classroom hours.  A total of 293 students completed.

Number of Sunday Sermons preached: 5 (2 Yatta, 2 Ndalani, and 1 Riara Ridge)

Number of devotional reflections given 19.

I walked about the campus and with Paster Mercy just before supper and then afterwards off to devotions and the "Sing and Shine" evening with the drama club.  It is a loud energetic orderly chaotic gathering of about 500 students cramped in together in the chapel.  In addition to closing the devotions with a blessing, I was asked to close with a lala salama (sleep well) prayer. 

The depth of mutual affection amongst this group of kind, gentle, mischievous, happy children who came broken and still remain penniless materially can only be achieved by a wealth of a more spiritual kind.  I will miss them terribly, and I know how much they will miss me.  And yet I have been imprinted by this unique extraordinary positive life experience that has changed something within.  MCF is very much my family, and I am so grateful and surprised to have experienced personal self-actualization here.