Lindsey, an AIM AIR pilot, shares what she learned about everyday faithfulness while in northern Kenya drinking chai with a young Rendille woman.
Recently, I was on an upcountry flight to northern Kenya. We overnighted in Korr, a small desert community which is home to mostly nomadic people. We accepted an invitation to visit a village where we found ourselves greeted by the local people standing next to their family huts.
A young Rendille woman invited us into her hut where we gathered, men on one side and women on the other. A small fire lit the inside as we drank our hot chai. Our new friend shared about the construction of her home, telling how she had built it herself, and showed us her hand-beaded necklace reserved for special occasions. Most importantly, she shared about her faith journey, reading aloud her favorite passage from the Bible by the light of a cell phone. She described how her work teaching in the local literacy program allowed opportunities to share her faith with other women.
I was struck by many things that day, like the intersection of traditional culture and modern society. Her home was lit by the fire, yet she read from the light of a modern cell phone. In these situations, it’s easy for us to want to offer the latest technology or think we need to construct running water and electricity. But despite knowing of modern conveniences, she was satisfied with her everyday life. Even more, she expressed a holy contentment that she was being used by God exactly where she was, faithful in the ordinary.
It seems in my own life I’m drawn to stories in the Bible calling for bold initiatives. Who hasn’t been inspired by sermons calling us to be like Peter and demonstrate enough faith to step out of the boat. But what about the ordinary? What about the bulk of life lived between those rare, extraordinary moments?
In his book, The Expectation Gap, Steve Cuss reminds us that 92% of the disciples stayed in the boat (article). What about the other eleven who didn’t step onto the sea? This overlooked bunch doesn’t receive any acknowledgement, yet they were there. They watched as Peter stepped out, walked on the water, and began to sink. They watched as Jesus rescued Peter. And Scripture tells us that they, just like Peter, all reached the same conclusion: they worshipped Jesus. Without demonstrating any special level of boldness or risk, they were spiritually moved and began to see and understand that Jesus was the Messiah. They responded to the Lord from where life had them. Perhaps the holy contentment I saw in the hut of a nomadic woman in northern Kenya is less about walking on water and more about how we respond to staying in the boat: seizing the everyday opportunities to be faithful in the ordinary.
Pray
For faithfulness in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. For Lindsey, the author of this article, who recently celebrated her 10th year with AIM AIR this summer, and is pursuing her PhD focusing on missions aviation. Lindsey also has an upcoming home assignment, which means an opportunity to connect with family and friends -- and lots of traveling. For the young Rendille woman in Korr, as she shares her faith with those in her literacy class and that she would continue to be light and salt in her community.