Laura Steed, Umoja Project long-term volunteer 

Last month, while the interfaith leaders group from Indiana was in Kenya, they met with congregational leaders from local churches in the area. They planned to have a prayer service together. Local congregations also invited their members to attend. We all met in a Catholic church – and represented three different faiths: Jew, Muslim, and Christian. Many Christian denominations were present, too many to count. Some of these denominations are international… some were founded in Africa and are very traditional to African culture. We gathered and filled the church.

Sacred readings were read from each faith tradition and prayers were shared. The prayers were said in three different languages: Dhuluo (the mother-tongue language), Kiswahili, and English. The theme for the prayer service was MERCY and intercessory prayers were lifted up by selected GIP members from Indiana and Chulaimbo for the Umoja Students, GIP congregations, OVC Guardians, the Umoja-partnered schools, and for peace. In addition, an interfaith prayer was prayed in unison by all who were present:

All things are born of you, O God.
We carry within us your light and your life.
In the mystery of matter
and deep in the cells of our souls
are your longings for oneness.
The oneness of the universe
vast and vibrating with the sound of its beginning.
The oneness of the earth
greening and teeming as a single body.
The oneness of the human soul
a sacred countenance in infinite form
to the home of peace
to the field of love
to the land where forgiveness and righteous relationships meet.
We look O God
with longing for earth’s children
with compassion for the creatures
with hearts breaking for the nation of the people we love.
Open us to visions we have never known
Strengthen us for self givings we have never made
Delight us with oneness we could never have imagined,
that we may truly be born of you,
makers of peace. AMEN

(Adapted from Praying with the Earth: A Prayer Book for Peace, 2011)

Songs and hymns were sung in all three languages too.
I can tell you about events of the service. But, how do I explain what is under the surface or the meaning of the events outline?

The day was powerful. And, the fishes and loaves (or fruits) from this day are still being counted.

First of all, this was the first time in the area that an interfaith prayer service was held…I think, ever. There is a mosque in Maseno and a couple in Kisumu, but none within the Umoja catchment area. The area, by vast majority is Christian. Yet, even the Christians do not mingle together very often. There is an unnamed competition between the different denominations – I am pretty sure this is largely due to missionaries coming in over the years and saying other denominations are “right” or “wrong.” However, that is a discussion for another day.

What’s important to this is that it hasn’t really ever happened. However, the basis of the Umoja Project is UNITY (that is what Umoja means in Swahili). On this prayer day, we become one, lifting up our prayers in voice, although it was in different language. We were lifting up our prayers in one voice, although our beliefs were different. We were unified together in a way that I literally can’t describe in words. I felt like I was on holy ground – present in a holy place…not because we were in church…but because something profound was taking place.

Since this prayer day, we have met as GIP-Chulaimbo: local congregational leaders in Chulaimbo. The pastors and lay leaders decided together that there should be more regular meetings of coming together as ONE for interfaith prayer. The leaders said that they shouldn’t wait for the Indiana visitors to come for more prayer services…but that the leaders in Kenya should meet quarterly and invite the community to participate as well.

All I can say is, this is a pretty big deal! The community coming together to support one another as they support the orphans and vulnerable children is important. They are not only coming together for prayer – but also coming together in service. In this area, it is common to think of your family, your clan/tribe, and/or the members of the church first when giving assistance to someone. Yet, as the congregations come together, this previous belief of helping yourself first is diminishing – and helping others in need outside your family or clan is on the rise. And that kind of shared love? Well, that’s Biblical! Amen.