You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful!

In the movie Toy Story 2, Woody is kidnapped by an evil chicken mascot who wants to ship him off to Japan with the other Woody series action figures. As they see Woody being taken to the airport, Buzz and the gang run to Woody's rescue and chase them down in an idle Pizza Planet truck. Since the toys aren't big enough to reach the pedals, Buzz directs while Rex pushes down the pedals, leading to some reckless driving. After a sharp right turn, the 3 aliens attached like fuzzy dice to the rearview mirror start flying out the window, but Mr. Potato Head valiently grabs the string and reels them back to safety. The aliens are overjoyed to see their savior and say in unison, "You have saved our lives, we are eternally grateful!" They never let him forget how grateful they are and repeat that phrase whenever they see him.

How does Toy Story 2 relate to my mission experience you may ask? Well, for one it was one of the movies available on the flight to Nairobi, but more significantly, I see those similar characteristics in the local leaders here. The thing that most stuck out to me at the Kayaba Free Baptist Church was when we were feeding the kids and the line stretched out the door. It reminded me of feeding the homeless in Seattle when the line seemed to go on forever. Pastor Paul's wife, as she was passing me more empty bowls to fill, said "This is life in the slums, but I still thank God."

That really struck a chord in me, since so much of this mission trip for me has been looking at these different slums and seeing how little they had. I was focused on how poor they were, how sick they looked, and how filthy their living conditions were. However, she looked at the exact same situation and saw the glass as more than half full. She saw how much they were blessed by God and how God was keeping them safe and alive, and as a result, she, Pastor Paul, and the other leaders of the church poured their hearts out during worship. They threw their whole bodies into it, sung at the top of their lungs, and this was all for the One who saved their lives, and for that they too were eternally grateful.

We were able to hear a miraculous testimony from a woman who risked everything to be a Christian. She was a Muslim and was so oppressed by her husband and life that she had decided to kill herself. She loved Muhammad, but that still didn't make life worth living for her, so she decided to poison herself to end the misery. Right after she poured the poison into a glass and was about ready to drink it, she saw a vision of a man in the clouds with long hair. She asked who it was, and written on His chest it said Jesus. Since she was a Muslim, she asked "who is this Jesus?", but the vision ended, her cup was knocked over, and she knew that whoever this man was, He had saved her life for a reason. She continued searching until she found out that He was the son of God, and she decided to commit her life to following Him and serving Him.

She was from Somalia, where being a Christian is unacceptable. People who convert there are beaten, sometimes killed, and their husbands can even slice open their stomachs to kill the unborn baby. There are terrorist groups looking for Christian refugees, and her life is constantly in danger. She has to wear a disguise and cannot talk to other Somalis on the street. She has had the grim reaper standing outside on her doorstep many times, but every time God is there protecting her. She is now working to help other Somali refugees find a safe place to grow in their faith.

Before this trip, I knew in my head that there were places where being a Christian was dangerous, although just like with the slums, it's very different seeing a miracle standing ten feet in front of you, looking you in the eye, and telling you their life story. It blows me away how looking back on her life, how I can see God's ultimate plan for her life unfold, even when she didn't know it. He saved her life so that she could be a light that brings others to Christ, and even though she didn't know it right away, she was able to sense that too, and being eternally grateful, she dedicated her life to serving Him. Living life apart from Jesus to her wasn't worth living, so even though being a Christian was life threatening, even though she was beaten many times for her faith, and even though she lost her identity and her home in Somalia, she realized that living for God was worth all the perils, and I really admire her passionate, full-hearted commitment to being that living sacrifice for God. I have trouble choosing to read the Bible over watching TV, and it's very convicting to see someone give up so much for something that I take for granted so easily.

Tonight, we heard Dr. Mike Hyodo's personal testimony, which moved me the most out of all of the testimonies that I have ever heard. He was a successful dentist, looking to expand his practice and become more successful. However, God had different plans for his life, and began showing up in supernatural miracles. Through all of these experiences, he felt like he was about to die and that there was this dark, evil power that was ripping apart his soul and was about to kill him. These intense visions nearly drove him insane, and God took the face of worldly success and reduced him to a spiritually lost, emotionally depleted, and physically naked man. Through some devoted men and women, God was able to reach His hand out to Mike, cast out his demons, and completely transform his life through the power of Jesus Christ. God was able to use Him to cast out demons, bring family members to Christ, and reach out and touch thousands of lives in Jamaica and Kenya.

Through all of these stories, I can clearly see how God has miraculously turned these lives around and as a result, He has gained passionate, fully committed servants to further His kingdom. From the brink of death, they gained new life in Christ. I can see that their joy in serving, their heart for others, and the faithfulness they have to devote their whole lives to God comes from their realization that they have been so blessed by Him, they are undeserving of His grace, and they want others to experience the same miraculous salvation. I am blown away by their amazing qualities and can truly see the love of Jesus through them.