Greetings from the children in Kenya!
The last few kilometers of the ride to the location of the services are bumpy. The children in the yard notice us and run to greet us. The older children can speak English well. An interpreter helps us visit with the rest – everyone is able to greet and say their name without an interpreter.
We are on a mission trip in Kenya, Africa. We hold the first services in the Sidwaka home in Bumala.
Emmanuel Ametsife keeps the first sermon. He came on this mission trip from another African country, Togo. At the services the children sit on bamboo mats on the floor. Although the circumstances are different, God’s word and the gospel are exactly the same as in Finland and everywhere else in the world.
After the services Miika Kopperoinen relates greetings from Finland. The children are amazed at the photos of winter snow and freezing weather. The difference in temperature between Finland and Kenya is nearly 50 degrees.
In the yard after the services we try playing the Finnish national sport called pesäpallo. During the game the ball made from a bag of leaves gets stuck in a tree. Luckily we are able to get it down before we leave.
At the end of the mission trip we hold services in Nairobi. We hold a Sunday school lesson during the first sermon—the topic is Daniel in a den of lions.
School in Kenya:
In Kenya children go to preschool
already at 3–4 years of age. They start elementary school at the age of 6.
The children are taught in English and Swahili.
The school year has three semesters.
The children wear school uniforms. There is no free lunch.
The children independently read the opening and closing prayers and actively answer the questions. They raise their hand to get a turn to speak and stand up while they are speaking—just like Finnish children used to do in school.
As we leave to return home we promise to convey the Kenyan children’s greetings to Sunday school children and all children of their age in Finland.
Rael ran to the services
Rael Atieno Owino is an 8-year-old girl. She lives on the shore of Lake Kanyaboli in Kenya, Africa. She attends services and Sunday school. She thinks Bible stories and Sunday school pictures are the best part of Sunday school.
Rael has come home from school for lunch. The school is 3–4 kilometers away. When we wondered how she was able to come home for lunch and then return to school during the lunchbreak, Rael and her siblings showed us how fast they run home from school. ❏
Text: Jouni Hintikka
Published in the Lasten Polku paper 4/2019.
Translation: K.K.
Jeesus sanoo: ”Minä olen portti. Se, joka tulee sisään minun kauttani, pelastuu. Hän voi vapaasti tulla ja mennä, ja hän löytää laitumen.” Joh. 10:9
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