I live in a country where it is okay to be a Christian if you’re a foreigner. Locals who know me and care for me have suggested I become a Muslim; I know it’s because they truly love me and want what they think is best for me. When I hear this, I am both appreciative that they care for my soul and longing for them to know the real Truth. It is fine for me to be a Christian and having conversations about faith and beliefs are quite common. However, this is a place where the seeds are still being sown and we are praying for even just one to come to JC.
This dynamic can make fellowship difficult. However, there is a Protestant Church in the city and it has been one of the most transformative things for me. There is a Sunday night service in French, which I don’t attend because my French comprehension is not up to that level - yet! There is also a Friday service in English and that is where I am almost every Friday morning. The congregation consists of about 30 people during the school year and about 10 during the summer. It is a single room full of people from Kenya, Korea, America, Senegal, India, Turkey, and even one Djiboutian. We all have different faith backgrounds, denominations, and habits. Yet, when we gather, it is good. We sing off key songs and each week a different person in the congregation preaches. It is not what I am used to and honestly, some days I don’t want to go. However, everytime I do, I leave with a smile on my face. It makes me realize a bit more of what the Lord intended when He established the Church. The fact that this many people can come and gather in a foreign country and put aside all their differences to sit at the feet of God and praise Him together, that is good in the purest sense of the word.
My prayer is that as I continue to go to church and gather with His people, I learn more and more about the Church. I want to be a part of the body of believers that truly uplifts and encourages, putting aside our own interests and ways we think it should be, in order to truly praise Him. I long for the day we have more than one Djiboutian at church. But until that day, I will keep singing some off key songs and enjoy our multicultural fellowship.