In 2022 I traveled to Kenya on a mission trip with my church, serving at Maua Methodist Hospital and helping build a home for a child who had lost both parents. I came home with photos and souvenirs, but mostly with perspective.
Some trips become part of who you are. For me, Kenya in 2022 was one of those trips.
I traveled with my church, Lighthouse Fellowship in Fort Worth, Texas, on a mission trip that took us from Nairobi to Maua, then briefly to Masai Mara before returning home. We flew into Nairobi, stayed overnight, and then began the hours-long van ride toward Maua, where our team served at Maua Methodist Hospital.
While there, we helped with various projects around the hospital. Each day looked a little different, and each task reminded me that service does not always have to be grand to matter. Sometimes it is simply showing up, doing what needs to be done, and supporting the people already serving their community so faithfully.
Part of our team also spent each day helping build an AIDS house for a child whose parents had both passed away from AIDS. These homes are very basic: a simple structure with windows, no electricity, and no running water. But what they provide is anything but small. They offer safety, stability, dignity, and a place to belong.
We also visited a boys home and helped facilitate a health clinic at a local school. That included handing out deworming medication to every child and helping adults with basic health needs, including vision screenings. It was humbling to see how meaningful simple care can be when access is limited.
What stood out to me most was how genuinely happy people were. I do not say that to romanticize hardship, because many of the people we met faced daily challenges most of us rarely have to think about. But there was a joy and contentment that stayed with me.
There was no keeping up with the Joneses. Without the constant influence of television and social media, there seemed to be more room to appreciate what was right in front of them: life, family, faith, and community.
Their worship also made a lasting impression on me. The church services were much longer than what many of us are used to, but they were not services you simply attended. They were services you lived. People were singing, dancing, praising the Lord, and celebrating with their whole hearts. Worship felt less like a scheduled hour and more like an overflow of gratitude.
And the women were dressed so beautifully. Many were hand washing their clothes in buckets outside and line drying them, yet they arrived in their Sunday best with such pride and reverence. Their dresses were stunning, and the care they brought to worship was visible before a single song even began.
After our time in Maua, we wrapped up the mission trip with a very quick visit to Fig Tree Camp in Masai Mara. We were only there for about 24 hours, staying in their luxury tents, but it was unforgettable.
It was also where I learned a practical travel lesson. I was traveling with my FUL luggage, and while making my way to the tent at Fig Tree Camp, the wheel frame broke. After flights, long van rides, uneven paths, and rugged terrain, my suitcase had clearly had enough. I sure wish I had Portar luggage back then. With the durability Portar provides, I have no doubt it would have held up to the rugged terrain and all the transitions that came with that trip.
The safari itself was breathtaking. There is something about seeing animals in the wild that makes the world feel both enormous and deeply personal. The landscape stretched in every direction, and animals of all kinds moved through it in a rhythm that felt ancient and alive. It felt like seeing the world as God intended us to experience it: beautiful, untamed, and full of wonder.
Kenya will forever be one of the best memories of my life. I brought home photos, stories, and souvenirs, but more than anything, I brought home perspective. The trip reminded me that joy does not come from having everything. Faith can be lived with fullness, community matters deeply, and service changes the person serving as much as the people being served.
I cannot wait to find my way back again one day. Next time, I will be packing with luggage that is ready for the whole journey.
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