Waking up ten minutes before my alarm clock went of, my heart was pumping and blood rushed through my veins. It was the day this Nairobi boy would be taking a two week trip to the coast to film. It didn’t take long for me to hop around the house gathering my bags, cleaning teeth, and finishing last minute checks before rushing out the door. Pleasantly, I was greeted by fresh cool air as I traveled the one hundred meters or so to the office. Once there, I was greeted by half the crew with equal anticipation and excitement for the upcoming journey. Within seconds my bags were neatly packed...okay, maybe thrust in the back of the car. Who has time to neatly pack things when excitement is high. Before long we sped off on the early morning roads.
Nearly twelve hours later, I realized how hot and humid Malindi is! As I munched on the salty, wet air, mosquitos munched on my elbows and legs. By the time a reach our banda (small hut), I was soaked and tired. As the excitement levels settled, I Reached the shower only to discover the water was salty and cold. Great way to finish a long day. Finally I made it to my bed and slept like a baby.
For the next fourteen days we filmed and filmed. Equipment took beatings, audio devices failed, I would get upset when this happened. Then it started working again and I would be happy until it would die again. Over time, I conceived plans to throw my equipment in the water when it failed; they never materialized. Day by day we trucked through the humidity, heat, and evil mosquitos. One night, I bunked with a man-eating mosquito and he left a mountain range on my arms and legs. Our sun tan lotion dwindled, salty water became exhausting, and we were on the verge of exhaustion. We almost didn’t make it! Okay...so it wasn't really that bad at all. Our production went so well and was filled with great memories. In fact almost all the memories and relationships established were exceedingly beneficial.
I have to share the story when I started setting up a camera in a nearby village. The community out here is bare bones. No electricity, plumbing, AC, nodda! My assignment was to capture second unit video of the village. Simple enough. Not long after I set up my camera, I noticed hushed laughter. Turning around, I saw a plethora of bright eyed children and families laughing and giggling at the crazy mzungu (white person) setting up a strange looking contraption (camera on a tripod) in the neighborhood. At first, I didn’t know what to do, so I did what most people would probably do...I made a funny face. Laughter broke my tension and we all started taking photos and communicating in broken Swahili. They spoke no English. It was a great time.
I developed relationships that led to sharing about Christianity with some actors and crew members. After one particular starry night, I walked to our banda returning from the beach where God revealed to me that the people and relationships are of the highest value in life. I felt an understanding of why we should love one another. Slowly opening the door, I briefly looked up at heaven and said, “Thank you.” Returning home just last night, I’m proud to announce that we are now well over 50% completed with production. I have collected so many photos and videos on the trip, they will soon be up on our website. You can check out what the production at the coast looked like by clicking on the link. The photos may take some time before they get on the website. Please keep praying for the team and me. Pray that the message of Christ and missions will effectively reach many Africans and conform many lives in the future! God bless you all!
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