Blair Alderson, a sophomore at Trevecca, recently returned from the Discover Missions conference in Nairobi, Kenya, where she and a few fellow classmates immersed themselves in Kenyan culture with hands-on mission experience.
Alderson and her peers participated in various mission-related workshops and practical activities, including hands-on work in local villages and downtown Nairobi, such as construction and painting. For Alderson, the highlight was the deep cultural immersion as well as connecting with people from diverse backgrounds.
“It was really cool experiencing other cultures while at the same time experiencing Kenyan culture,” Alderson said. “It’s motivated me to want to be involved in more cross-cultural happenings and to be better friends with people of different ethnicities and languages. This trip pushed me to be a learner.”
The impact of cultural diversity was something she felt in the moment during the conference as well.
“A verse from Revelation 7 kept coming to mind, where a great multitude from all tribes and peoples and languages stand before the throne. That’s what was happening at the conference. We were singing and dancing all in our different languages, knowing that the Lord understood all of us and he came to save the whole world.”
The daily schedule of the conference featured a structure of breakfast, devotions, worship services and a variety of workshops covering topics like cultural sensitivity, mental health awareness, and creative access ministry. Lunch breaks were a chance to recharge, accompanied by Alderson’s personal favorite, Kenyan tea.
The transformative experience marked Alderson’s first visit to a third world country, and it prompted a newfound awareness of American privilege since her return to the United States. She has been intentional about spending resources wisely and avoiding taking comforts for granted.
“It’s like any country’s culture shock, but even just the economical shock of coming back home and being hyper aware of the things I do without even thinking about it,’ she said. “I am very aware that I’m not taking things for granted since I’ve been back home. Financially I’ve tried to spend money more wisely on things that I really need versus things that are not adding anything to my life.”
Alderson sees a path towards becoming a youth pastor or children’s pastor in her future, but perhaps more than that, she has felt a calling for this very moment on Trevecca’s campus. “I know more than ever that I’m supposed to be at Trevecca right now. It’s like God’s saying, ‘This stuff right here is right in front of you. I've already given you this.’”
Organized by Global Missions, the Church of the Nazarene’s Missionary Department, the Discover Missions conference originated in the Dominican Republic and expanded to Nairobi this year. With participation more than doubling from last year, the conference hosted 101 participants from 43 countries, meeting at Africa Nazarene University.