Moments of Joy

I

 grew up in Nigeria as a missionary kid and developed a passion for mission service. So, while attending Southern Adventist University, I jumped at the opportunity to serve as a student missionary. I worked with three other student missionaries, Logan, Hannah, and Dillon, assisting the ministry of Kendu Adventist Hospital in Kenya and the church and elementary boarding school on its campus.

During the week, one of my main responsibilities was teaching physical education to the school’s 300 students and speaking at its evening worships. On Sabbaths, I helped teach the fifth-grade Sabbath School class. The kids were so enthusiastic. They loved learning new songs and listening to Bible stories.

Music was an important part of my life in Kenya. Dillon and I started a singing group with several nursing students. We performed special music for church service and sang to the patients. Additionally, I started a children’s choir at the elementary school.

I also participated in activities with community members such as taking long hikes, celebrating children’s birthdays, and joining in the wedding celebration for two elementary school teachers.

One of the most meaningful experiences I had in Kenya was helping at a school for physically or mentally disabled children. There were about 60 students.

When I first visited the school, I was shocked to see the condition of the building. There were holes in the ceilings, and most of the windows were broken. The school was also understaffed. There were only two housemothers who barely had time to care for the children, much less clean their dormitories.

The missionaries at Kendu Hospital recognized the school’s need for extra help, so they asked the student missionaries to help the children every afternoon. We did all sorts of jobs from mopping the buildings to bathing the children. If we finished our chores early, we spent time talking and playing with the kids. One time, all the girls decided to do my hair in different styles. The kids loved every minute that we could give them.

We saw so much need there. One day, Hannah and I walked into the girls’ dormitory to find our friend Ashley had fallen out of her wheelchair onto the floor. She was crying and had been in that position for hours without any help. Because she was almost fully paralyzed, she hadn’t been able to do anything. We were heartbroken to see her in that state and quickly helped her back into her chair and cleaned her. Slowly, her tears dried, and she was able to talk and laugh with us again. We saw how important it was to just be present in the lives of those kids, loving them and caring for them.

It was touching for me to see how kind the children were to each other. They helped each other wash clothes, take showers, and get up on their beds to sleep.

It was such a blessing to spend time with these kids. Even when times were hard, like cleaning up an unpleasant mess, I thought of how all that mattered was the way we treated others and how important it was to share God’s love with those around us. To create and share moments of joy.