Easter Sunday Celebration

Easter Sunday Celebration

April 24

Easter here in Kenya is nothing like it is at home. No where did I see an Easter Basket, chocolate bunnies, PEEPS, or anything that we American’s associate with Easter. What I did see was unlike anything I’ve witnessed in the U.S.  On Good Friday there was a procession of folks walking along the road and the lead guy was holding a huge cross. I’ve never seen that in the U.S., maybe some have but I have not. Good Friday service began at 9am at AIC Naisambu Church. The service lasted a good 2+ hours and it was focused on the death of Christ and what it means to us as Christians. Now the sermon was in Swahili so I didn’t understand much, but that’s what I got out of it. Bishop Silas Yego was preaching and I do believe he is one of the nicest members of the male sex I’ve ever encountered. 

Saturday was the Choir Extravaganza at AIC Naisambu Church. Now that basically was all about celebrating weekend with a number of choirs singing and dancing. Here in Kenya choirs don’t stand on risers and sing. OH NO.  Choirs here sing, dance, and tell a story all in the song they are singing. In this regard, I believe, we American’s are truly missing out. Some of these choirs are really very good. It was a fun thing to watch and witness. Now this lasted all day. It started at 10am and went until dark at about 6:30pm or so. AIC Naisambu was Rockin’ on Saturday!!

Now on Sunday at the Swahili service, it was a different story from what I am used to.  Aside from not eating any chocolate, the Service was different. The preacher was Rev John Mark Ndaluka from Tanzania. He referenced Isaiah 53:1-5 for his sermon. What was interesting was that he spoke about what the cross means to us as Christians, and do we really see and understand what it means. I know what he talked about because Pastor Kibet and I went over the English paragraph that Pastor John gave to us to put int he bulletin. In the English service, I read this paragraph and I expanded on the concept of what does the cross mean to us. Anyway, what was so different in the service was there wasn’t much mentioned about how Christ arose from the grave. The hymn wasn’t “He Arose” or anything about the resurrection of Christ. I actually missed singing songs with that theme. The preaching focused on the meaning of the death of Christ and the cross.

Now the service was combined with a Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of AIC Naisambu Choir. So instead of being 2 hours long, it was 5+ hours long. I was basically at church from 8:30am until 4:45pm. I told Pastor Kibet that I had enough church to last me for the next month. LOL 

Easter is celebrated here in Kenya, but it’s nothing like what we do in America. I enjoyed the day, but after 4 hours I was really tired. Will I be here again for Easter? HUM, probably not. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I really miss being with my family on days like this. I’m certainly glad I was able to experience Easter in another culture. Life as a Christian is different here in Kenya.