Spring 1985
African Safari
Elizabeth Sterenberg

As part of the opportunities for experience in practical ministry at Pinecrest, students are encouraged to participate in one of the several trips which are taken each year to the foreign mission field. These are unforgettable, life changing experiences which help to prepare the students to be able ministers of the Gospel. The following account is by a first year student who participated in the trip to Kenya, East Africa during the third quarter of this school year.
Editor

Psalm 61:1-5
Hear my cry Oh God
Listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to You.
I call as my heart grows faint,
Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I
For You have been my refuge,
A strong tower against the foe,
I long to dwell in Your tent forever
And take refuge in the shelter of Your wings
For You have heard my vows, O God
You have given me the heritage of those
Who fear Your name.

These verses have meant a lot to me. While I was in Africa we did a lot of sharing amongst the different tribes. The Lord laid this on my hart, reminding me where I came from. As I shared this text I wept in tears. I praise Jesus for taking me from a place where I was in much bondage to being more liberated in the Spirit. I used to cry out to the Lord for a greater reality. He truly heard my cry and led me to the Rock that is higher than I. The Lord has put me in contact with a people at Pinecrest who have a real walk with the Lord. The Africans were really blessed as I shared my testimony. Many of them had come from heathen customs and were also in bondage. They were touched by this testimony. Praise the Lord! He never lets go of a hungry heart.

Brother Arthur Leis, a beautiful brother in the Lord, was our missionary director on the trip to Africa. Our team consisted of eleven people, all of them having hungry hearts for the Lord. We were truly united as a team and the Lord blessed each one of us greatly. We stayed in Kenya for about six weeks and traveled to many different fellowships that had been established by Arthur Leis and Brother Simion, who is the director in Kenya.

At first I did not think I had anything to offer to the Africans because I am young in the Lord; I do not play a musical instrument, and I do not know how I could possibly be of help to them. The Lord blessed me with a ministry to the youth.

Kids . . . you cannot help liking them! Do you know that Jesus liked them too? He talked about them often. “He sat down and called them around Himself and said, Anyone wanting to be the greatest must be the least--the servant of all.”

“Then He placed a little child among them, and taking the child in His arms He said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in My name is welcoming Me, and anyone who welcomes Me is welcoming My Father who sent Me!” (Mark 9:35-37)

“Let the children come to Me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as them! Do not send them away . . . I tell you as seriously as I know how that anyone who refuses to come to God as a little child will never be allowed into His Kingdom! Then He took the children into His arms and placed His hands on their heads and He blessed them.” (Mark 10:14-16)

In the tribes that I went to there were children who wanted attention. I would sing with them, and walk and talk with them. Some of the children looked very poor and dirty, some had runny noses and pot bellies, others needed discipline, and some were very shy. I loved them in all conditions. They wanted attention, love and affection, so my heart went out to them. I learned much from the simplicity of these children.

I saw things in me that I did not think I had. The Lord truly opened my eyes to a deeper reality of His working in my life among the African people.

There is much false religion in Kenya, therefore much teaching of the truth is needed. I pray that the Lord will send willing souls to teach in truth to these natives.

The Africans in Kenya are very open to the Gospel. If you preach in the market places there will be crowds of people listening to you. They are hungry for the reality of Jesus Christ. Once the African makes a commitment to the Lord it is a solid commitment because he truly commits his life to the Lord. He realizes that the commitment is for real and he knows that persecution may follow from the heathen tribes.

I appreciate the child-like faith among the Christians. Watching women dedicate their babies to the Lord; helping with Sunday School; witnessing some wonderful baptisms; seeing the natives bend down in repentance towards the Lord, asking for prayers and healing and seeing their openness towards the Lord truly encouraged me.

Not only were they overjoyed because of our presence with them, but we ourselves were much impressed. Their preparation and their giving from the little they had blessed me a great deal.

I thank the Lord for taking me on a mission trip such as this. Much has been imparted to my spirit by the Lord. I would encourage anyone to go. Give with what you have and I guarantee that you will receive so much more.

Kenya is a beautiful country. Driving through the open country and seeing all the wild animals freely roaming the land impressed me. We saw animals such as giraffes, zebras, monkeys, hyena, astrajis and gazelles. It is truly awesome. The country is gorgeous; the high mountains and valleys, the different kinds of trees. Wow! What my eyes have seen. All that the Lord has shown me teaches me to trust my Creator for all I did not see.

Crossing through swamps; dry fields and tall grasses by foot; 130 degree weather, mosquitoes; lizards on the walls; sleeping in mud huts, driving long hours, and many more adventurous experiences was worth it all. The Lord gave us the strength and His grace that we needed. I had an attitude of overlooking the rough areas and seeing what the Lord was teaching me. Many times I was surprised and I truly enjoyed every bit of the trip. The Lord’s hand was on me and He protected and blessed me the entire time.

Oh, I praise my God for showing me the reality of Himself in a different land with the people there. The Africans love it when you come and share the Lord with them. Not only are they blessed, but you too are blessed. If the Lord places a desire in your heart to go--go for it. The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, or touched, but are felt in the heart.

I thank my Lord that even though I am only one person and I cannot do everything, I can do something. What I should do and can do, by the grace of God, I will do!