Today I walked where Jesus walked… that song keeps going through my head. I know that the lyrics to that particular old hymn talks about Bethlehem, Jerusalem and other places Jesus walked. But today I say I walked where He walked because we were in an IDP camp. In this camp, families are living in tents that are smaller than most “family sized” tents you can purchase in the US. In fact, I would say these tents are half that size. It is a shelter only…. The place you crawl into to sleep. Only the smallest of children are able to stand in these tents. And what you can't see is how far we had to drive to even get to this camp. It is literally in the middle of nothing.... NOTHING.

The facts:

Nearly 5000 people live in this camp

There are 841 households

A few months ago, many of these people were living on land upon which they grew up

Some of them are working on a sisal farm next to the camp

We were met by some of the most endearing, warm Kenyan people I have ever met

In all the years I have been coming to Kenya, I have seen people living in a tent or two. I have never however, seen thousands of people living in tents. When we first came to Kenya we came post election violence. I spent days in clinics treating people with stomach aches from chronic stress  and serious medical issues. I barely even knew what was beyond the walls of the clinic.

And now here we are 5 years later. Some of the people in this camp we visited today have been moved from camp to camp for the last three years. Others are recently displaced by the government. They have tents to live in. Water is brought and put in giant tanks where the women and children line up with their cans to get water for their family. It appears that the water is clean. Clean , however, is relative. The water appears to be clear. But we know that that is only part of the story. 

I asked some of the men who were showing us the camp if the people were sick. His answer was yes… bronchitis ( the dust is everywhere) malaria and dysentery.

And then the next conversation was about how they were worried about the rainy season coming.  Then all this dust turns to mud. The bronchitis , malaria and dysentery will only get worse.

This is such a rambling … we saw so much today. I touched so many hands. So many hands touched me.

We had the usual children who wanted to touch the “mzungu” ( white person.) Through a translator, we were able to say – yes , our skin feels the same. I have two eyes, so do you . I have a nose , so do you. My skin is merely a different color. Jesus made us all. There were even adults in this camp that I am pretty sure have seen very few white people. I am always humbled… knocked right on my bottom when this happens . All these people want to do is touch us. They are loving and kind and just want to touch you. As we started to walk back to the van, we each had the usual four or five children holding each hand  as we walked back.

 

 I was talking to one of the young men who was escorting us through the camp. He was overjoyed that we had stayed so long, interacted with the people and were happy to allow the children and adults to touch us. He said that other mzungu had come and would wave the children off as if they might catch something. In fact, they were not particularly ready to shake hands. I told Natalie when I see these children, I don’t see nasty dirty children, I see children with dirt on them. They are just curious. I hope they continue their curiosity … I hope they continue to ask why we come… and I will tell them with great joy that it is Jesus with whom I walk in those camps and that they too can walk down the same path.

I won’t forget these faces. I won’t forget their hope. I won’t forget their hospitality. And I will not forget that there is a mosque within walking distance, but that the nearest church is much further away.

I stood in the middle of that camp looking at all that was around me. There were hundreds of tents in addition to some of the most beautiful landscapes seen in Kenya. And I was once again overcome by the sense that I am indeed exactly where God wants me to be. Keep my eyes open , Lord. Remind me to be present when we visit these camps. When the people who live here see me, let them see Jesus in me.

I was born into a wonderfully loving and blessed family… and then there are these people. Why me to be so blessed and not them? Some things I just can’t comprehend…. I guess I am just particularly grateful today… but broken as well. What if I traded places with just one of them… would I survive as well as they are?

 

Lord help me to understand what I can do... what is my part?