The Moment
628 Words – Approximate Reading Time 3 Minutes
My time in Kenya is coming to a close. I am thankful for the many moments that have revealed the presence, goodness, faithfulness and power of God. Those moments are hard to communicate to others. Many of them truly are “You had to be there” moments. They are the words that are not spoken between team members yet everyone knows what is being talked about.
I would like to try to explain a moment that took place two days ago. It was powerful and humbling all at the same time. Several on the team felt the proverbial goose bumps, but I knew we were experiencing the power and presence of God in a unique way.
Our training consists of participants who are from several different places. We have students from north, central and east Kenya, as well as students right here in Nairobi. We have a lady from Egypt and from Burkina Faso, a couple from Uganda and a man from South Sudan. Throw into the mix 7 people from 3 states and the recipe for organized chaos is complete.
With that many cultures, ethnic barriers, religious practices and educational differences in one place at one time, the training could either be a powder keg getting ready to explode or a beautiful mosaic. Imagine taking pieces of several different puzzles and trying to put them together to make a picture. Not only will the colors of the individual pieces not match, but also the pieces themselves were not made to fit together. That is the Ancient Promise training in Kenya.
I have left out one ingredient. The most important one: the Holy Spirit. Only the presence of God and His work in us can move and arrange the pieces together without crushing or forcing the edges together. I look for those moments. I embrace them, pray for them and rejoice in them. The melding together of people united in Christ is precious.
The moment it happened in such a powerful way took place when John was teaching a lesson from Discovering God Together. Due to all the people in the room, the limited teaching resources of this environment, and the goal to engage everyone in the lesson’s activity, John went off script and pulled everyone together. He called them out of their seats. He made them stand close together and close to him. He called on different students from different parts of the world to share what they had learned from God’s Word. As the students shared, they discovered they were all-seeing the same truth that is 
revealed in Scripture. In that moment all the barriers disappeared and each person realized God speaks one truth to each of us in spite of our differences.
Those of us not leading the lesson immediately recognized God was showing himself. We stood in awe as God filled the tin building we meet in. John was truly in his element. It was clear God had uniquely created him for the moment we were watching unfold. I don’t know how long it lasted…maybe 30-40 minutes as the activity continued to unfold, but when it was over we all knew something special had just happened.
Unintentionally, when the activity was over and the class broke for tea, the rest of the team bum-rushed John. We were all patting him on the back and expressing our amazement at what God had just done through him. Suddenly, we realized he needed some space. The moment was overwhelming for him. It was as if all of his life experiences, challenges, victories and disappointments had come together to put him in this place for the task at hand. He was humbled by the presence of God as he silently wept and praised God.
It was the moment.
3hats1life.com 
Praise the Lord awesome
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I thank God that you answered the call–like Isaiah said– I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here I am, send me.
I miss you so very much and look forward until I see your smiling face.
I can just imagine you after you finished and everyone was patting you on the back–the tears–you have such a soft heart; I wish I could have seen it.
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Praising God for his wonderful power.prayers for your continued safety.
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Just read this and am in tears. Bless you John! Bless all the team!
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Thanking God for life changing moments.
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God used you in such a wonderful way!
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Well, I guess we forgive you for missing the houseboat trip! Well done, His good and faithful servant! The Durkees
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