Easter Sunday

"Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me

so I send you."

John 20:21

On Easter I woke up early in the morning and went to a nearby café to enjoy two mandazi and a cup of chai tea. Having given up mandazi for Lent they were especially enjoyable and they seemed the perfect way to celebrate the day of our risen Lord.

After breakfast my fellow volunteers and I attended St. John the Baptist Church in Watamu for 9:00AM Mass. Mombasa and the surrounding area being predominantly Muslim it can normally be difficult to find a Catholic church, but thanks to the large number of Italian ex-pats the nearby St. John the Baptist church had Masses in both Italian and Swahili.

The small church was full for Easter mass and for many only standing room was available. Inside it was hot and sweaty as the people packed closely together. The Mass was in Swahili and I didn’t understand everything that was said, but there was one thought that came to me on that day. “I’m in Kenya in an area of the country that is most densely populated by Muslims and here I am sweating uncontrollably with all of these people packed into this tiny Catholic church celebrating mass on Easter Sunday. All I can think is God Bless!”