Happy 4th!

They opened church today by reading the date, July 4th, before quickly moving on to other announcements. Little attention was given to it by either the person conducting or those attending. I, on the other hand, immediately began to think of fireworks and backyard BBQs, completely missing the announcements.

I have been thinking about Independence Day ever since (the event, not the movie). I thought about it as I sat in church meetings that are both conducted and attended entirely by Kenyans, myself excluded, and yet are all held in English. I thought about it as I watched a policeman stopping and interrogating drivers on my way home, wondering if the policeman had a legitimate reason for stopping them. I thought about it as I passed children playing games in bare feet.

I will never know what it's like to have my country's official language be a second language to the majority of its population. With some exceptions, we are fortunate to live in a country where we don't have to distrust and fear law enforcement (except perhaps when I'm speeding). And despite current economic calamities, we still have a great amount of abundance in America. I'm not suggesting there is no poverty in America. Sadly, it has a place in every country. But there are millions of people in countries around the world who are living in slums. They lived there long before any recession and they will continue to live there long after the rest of the world recovers.

Today I feel especially grateful for my home. I'm grateful for the inspired men who fought for independence and created a unique government designed to protect the rights of its citizens. At the same time, I am grateful to be spending this Independence Day in Kenya. My life has been immeasurably blessed by examples of humility, charity and gratitude from the last two months. They are certainly examples I hope to never forget when I go back home to a very blessed life.