An Eye Opening Experience

Alyssa Amsden 2/19/12

This is the first missions trip I have ever been on and already it has been worth every second of flying nearly twenty hours to reach Nairobi.  Yesterday the Anajali team had the opportunity to meet many of the children at the school.  Meeting these children in person has blown away almost all my expectations and thoughts that I had of the school before I came.  It is something I could not have imagined without physically being surrounded by all these little faces.  I believe their beautiful smiles and thankful hearts could open up even the hardest of hearts to the reality of what is going on in Nairobi Kenya.  Even these first few days have shown me how blessed I am to live in America.  These children and their families radiate the love of God, despite their circumstances.  They have almost nothing and still they choose to have good attitudes in where God has placed them.  I think we, as Americans can learn much from people who are happy with less but have the Savior in their hearts.  Right now as I write this entry a little boy is doing all he can to distract me and turn my attention to him.  He is one of God's children along with every face in the slum, but unfortunately thats not always what the world sees.  This has truly been an eye opening experience for me.  Visiting Africa has been a dream of mine for quite some time, but now that I am here it feels surreal, as if I am in a dream.  My wish is that everyone will be able to experience something at least close to what I have here in Africa.  I am so thankful that God sent me here to work with these people.  Nothing can be compared to how blessed I am to be here among God's people.