Grocery Store, Kenya

The strangest thing happened to me Saturday, the day before Easter. Well, I guess I shouldn’t think of it as strange as much as an opportunity to share my faith – even when I was trying to avoid it.

I came home from West Africa Saturday morning. I had absolutely no groceries, so I went to the store. Once there, I grab the cart, smile at the workers and start rolling down the aisle. I’m in a hurry because I’m so exhausted from an all night flight across the width of the African continent. I plan to get the basics and then head home to bed.

I’m heading to get bread when I hear two men in another aisle talking about “this strange Easter holiday.” I make a mental note to avoid that aisle because I’m too tired to even think about having a “spiritual” discussion.

I skillfully avoid the two men as I head to find some milk. Their voices seem to follow me. I roll the cart down another aisle – one that was much farther away from the men trying to understand Easter. Again, their voices follow me – only this time, they sound even closer. “Oh no,” I think to myself. “Please God, don't make me - I’m too tired.”

Sitting on Coke crates at the end of that aisle are two Kenyan men in their 20s. As I was about to pass, one looks up at me and says, “You know about Easter and about this Jesus who was crucified. Will you sit here and explain it to us? I really need to know about this great sacrifice today!”

Having gone about 30 hours without sleep, I wanted to keep rolling past them. I was too tired and didn’t have time. BUT, obviously, God had other plans on how I needed to spend my Saturday morning – so, I plop down on an empty coke crate next to them and start telling them the story of Jesus and Easter.

Celebrate with me in having two new brothers enter the Kingdom this Easter season.

Sometimes I’m totally amazed at how God can use me – bad, selfish attitude and all – to reach the nations with His Word. The good thing to know is that God uses ordinary people just like you and me.