The Church Lifestyle in Small-Town Kenya
One of the phrases from my extremely small rolodex of Swahili vocabulary that perfectly describes the small town of Kehancha, Kenya. Life is slow, time is judged by the sun, no one is in a rush, and even the church services last at least four hours. In Kiswahili, the Swahili phrase for this lifestyle is "pole pole." Literally, "slowly, slowly."
Although church service in Kehancha is extremely pole pole, it is by far more vibrant than any church service that I have ever encountered. Your sense of sight becomes overwhelmed by bright patterns swaying in sync—an entire family becoming a sea of blue as they dance to a hymn—and your sense of hearing becomes enchanted by the welcoming of upbeat songs that are incomprehensible, at least to me, yet still manage to convey their loving messages.
"When you live in a place where things like roads make a difference, it's very hard to not believe in something."
As I sat in the small church with over 200 of my new friends in the heat for hours, I realized that I could not take my eyes off of everyone's feet. Moving, jumping, shifting, losing-shoes-due-to-acrobatic-stunts... feet. All I could wonder, with a hint of jealousy, was why church had never been this energetic throughout my childhood. Pastor Peter Marwa of Kehancha believes that it's these dances and songs that entertain the people and help them reach God. "It is part of preaching through singing and dancing where people will pay more attention because they like the entertainment. So, through that, they are able to get the message that is in the song."
With such a long church service I found myself struggling to stay awake in the heat, as did the entire section of young girls matched in white dresses who fell asleep across from me after hour two. Well, at least, that was until someone started singing or dancing again. Then, we perked up. Looking around, everyone in the church showed their love of life during the moments of song and dance, while the moments of preaching brought about the extreme openness of their deep devotion to God.
Image credit: Walking Lightly Travel
AUP student, Shuri Chungag, an American raised with Cameroonian roots, believes that the geographic location and economic aspects of life in small African towns have an impact on why their church services are so vibrant. "When you live in a place where things like roads make a difference, it's very hard to not believe in something," she tells me.
This small church in Kehancha is the center of life for the people of Kehancha. It is more than a church for them. It is a place to take care of, a place to love and find love in, a place to play soccer, and even a shelter when need be. It is a place to get closer to God the best way they know how: through beautiful song and dance.
