We’re staying at St. Mary’s Missions Hospital Guest house. Both hospital and guest house are within a gated compound on the outskirts of Nairobi (Langata). It’s quite secure with a bustling shopping area of small establishments just beyond the gate. By the way, the U.S. has no monopoly on three hair salons in one block. The local CVS and Rite could best be described as a small chemist shop in one block and Duka la Dawa (drug store) in another. Its not clear who owns these drug emporiums, by the way. Regulations are that only pharmacists or pharmaceutical technologists can operate such businesses,.. but when asked specifically about this, there’s lots of throat clearing and uncertain answers,.. so who knows. Let’s just say, I might be inclined to purchase my Advil somewhere else J. There are “real” pharmacies in Nairobi. Kibera, probably the largest slum on the continent, is within walking distance, and getting there, literally, can be done within 5 minutes (but the hills are steep, and if you’re over 30, you’re body doesn’t lie). The people are as congenial as you would want them to be with greetings of Jambo (hello) or Habari yako (How are you?) exchanged commonly, and it is quite uncommon to find anyone, particularly at the shops, who doesn’t end a conversation with asante (thank you) or karibu (you’re welcome). These are gentle surroundings.
Its educational as well. This past week, the guest house was host to a medical missions team, two physicians and 6 medical students, from Korea. This group was on its way to Tenwik Hospital, another missions hospital in Kenya. Frequently, travelers pass through here for volunteer work, study, or other activity that requires a temporary stay in Kenya. Next week another group is visiting from Korea. Last year, I shared this space with a group from Australia who operates a school in Kibera, and a missions pilot who regularly brings supplies from Russia. The stories the staff could recount, as well as those of us who are blessed with their hospitality, are numerous. There are those who return to St. Mary’s Guest House repeatedly as well as those who live here year round. Its easy to see why.
I have learned and am still learning that there is no greater gift to another human being than giving compassion. Moses and Leah, the staff at St. Mary’s, are hospitable, gracious and kind, providing a quiet, warm and required respite for those who extend compassion to others or who are in need of compassion themselves.
Children are abundant on the grounds of St. Mary’s. This is because the compound is also home to an educational center which contains a school for orphans. Even under these circumstances, children have the most delightful way of affecting our lives. Saturday morning, we were awakened by singing. Yes, literally awakened by singing, unintentional, yet deliberate. You see, the Educational Center is located within 25 feet of the guest house and the children were celebrating mass at 6:30 in the morning. There is no more beautiful sound than children singing in Kiswahili. And to be awakened by that sound on a Saturday morning, in Nairobi Kenya, is a statement from God, that at that moment, in that space, all is right with the world and that there is indeed hope. I remain convinced, that this is one of the many ways God extends compassion to us.
But compassion doesn’t stop there. We are called to multiply that compassion to, and in, others …, and if we are to link that compassion with hope, we must multiply compassion, especially to our children. But the multitude of children at St. Mary’s is only a microcosm of the children in Kenya, or in Africa in general. We can also see children in St. Mary’s Hospital. We see them at Carolina Clinic in Kibera,... and then, of course, there's Good Samaritan orphanage in Mathare Valley, another large slum in Nairobi. These children are heard too, and although surprisingly, these children sing, there are also tears.
A recent quote I’ve read states:
"Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right to life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, let us be bold." —Brad Pitt.
I could be wrong, but I think Jesus would have been outraged. His quote was: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” I think he meant that, and I think that he meant for us to love each other with an everlasting love. Never to allow our neighbors to suffer for want of a clean glass of water,.. or even a hug. In overturning the tables in the Temple, Jesus showed outrage and anger at the prevailing culture. In our time, given our circumstances,..perhaps our call, simply, is to overturn our tables.
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