We have an elderly Masai guard. He speaks no English and no Swahili. I can't remember if I have written about him before. I can't pronounce his name at all.
A couple of nights ago, I was in the house and it was dark and I wanted to take something to Mama Chico. I opened the door and walked right into him. He likes to look in the windows. I nearly wet my pants.
He's difficult to see because he is very dark.
Tonight, I was sitting at the computer and thought I could feel someone looking at me. Then I heard whistling which could have been a bird. And then I looked up and saw motion - it was his hand waving at me. He was just standing there looking at me and then I waved and he smiled.
Did I mention his eyes are crossed?
He does carry a bow and arrows. So far I have not been in danger. I suppose I should be grateful for his stealth.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
George
In 2008 we made our first journey to Kenya. We helped with a medical camp that year. There were many Kenyan youths ( early to late 20's) who worked in the camp. They were interpreters and many other things. They were the people from whom I learned a great deal about Kenya and what little Swahili I know as well.
George was one of those youths. Each year he came and worked with us and we came to know him better and better. George's mother died when he was small. And he has called me Mama for a long time now.
George works as a picki driver - he drives a small motorbike all around town picking up and delivering people and things. He has been saving his money for many years to purchase his own bike.
Today, George purchased that bike. He saved a large amount and we provided a small micro-finance loan for the purchase. George is already talking about how he can help others with his profits.
George could barely speak ... it was a dream come true for him. Our dream is that this man of God will become a leader in his church. We thank God for him and are happy that he will be able to earn a living and share his wealth.
This is George. I did not actually RIDE the picki.... my health insurance won't cover an accident on one.
George was one of those youths. Each year he came and worked with us and we came to know him better and better. George's mother died when he was small. And he has called me Mama for a long time now.
George works as a picki driver - he drives a small motorbike all around town picking up and delivering people and things. He has been saving his money for many years to purchase his own bike.
Today, George purchased that bike. He saved a large amount and we provided a small micro-finance loan for the purchase. George is already talking about how he can help others with his profits.
George could barely speak ... it was a dream come true for him. Our dream is that this man of God will become a leader in his church. We thank God for him and are happy that he will be able to earn a living and share his wealth.
This is George. I did not actually RIDE the picki.... my health insurance won't cover an accident on one.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day in Kenya
We spent Memorial Day in Kenya at the funeral of a twelve year old. Here's what I remember in a sort free flow of thoughts....
Red ribbons are attached to the antenna of each vehicle in the funeral procession.
At the mortuary at the public hospital, concessions are sold by men walking around - just like at a baseball game.
The sign at the mortuary gave fees for fresh bodies and had a chart that went up in price as the deceased age increased.
This mortuary smelled. Not exactly sure what the smell was, but I don't want to smell it again.
I realized I had never seen a child in a casket the moment I went into the viewing spot and saw his precious face in the small window that is open for viewing.
The casket was so small it was barely longer than a regular sized coffee table. It sat on the coffee table in the middle of nowhere where the burial took place in the middle of a shamba ( farm.)
You have to walk a long way to find a private bush if you need to tinkle and sometimes you have to pass about 5 sheep on the way and hope they don't follow you.
I have never seen a grave being dug, nor had I seen the casket lowered in to the ground and covered before today.
I do not like to see my brother Peter upset. He's a tough guy and this was very tough on him. Couldn't help but think "what if this were one of my nieces or my nephew?"
I love holding children. Noxie sat in my lap the entire way home and slept. He's seven and precious. And after a pretty long day, it was so peaceful to hold him.
There will never be a time that we don't "stick out" anywhere we go. And I hope soon, we will be treated like normal people. People here are so incredibly kind to us and there is no way to say thank you. Some of them we will never see again.
A christian scientist African preacher puts a Baptist preacher to SHAME when it comes to funeral sermons. This one lasted at least 2 hours....
So much for hot dogs and a dip in the pool. Thanking all veterans out there for providing my freedom.
God Bless America.
Red ribbons are attached to the antenna of each vehicle in the funeral procession.
At the mortuary at the public hospital, concessions are sold by men walking around - just like at a baseball game.
The sign at the mortuary gave fees for fresh bodies and had a chart that went up in price as the deceased age increased.
This mortuary smelled. Not exactly sure what the smell was, but I don't want to smell it again.
I realized I had never seen a child in a casket the moment I went into the viewing spot and saw his precious face in the small window that is open for viewing.
The casket was so small it was barely longer than a regular sized coffee table. It sat on the coffee table in the middle of nowhere where the burial took place in the middle of a shamba ( farm.)
You have to walk a long way to find a private bush if you need to tinkle and sometimes you have to pass about 5 sheep on the way and hope they don't follow you.
I have never seen a grave being dug, nor had I seen the casket lowered in to the ground and covered before today.
I do not like to see my brother Peter upset. He's a tough guy and this was very tough on him. Couldn't help but think "what if this were one of my nieces or my nephew?"
I love holding children. Noxie sat in my lap the entire way home and slept. He's seven and precious. And after a pretty long day, it was so peaceful to hold him.
There will never be a time that we don't "stick out" anywhere we go. And I hope soon, we will be treated like normal people. People here are so incredibly kind to us and there is no way to say thank you. Some of them we will never see again.
A christian scientist African preacher puts a Baptist preacher to SHAME when it comes to funeral sermons. This one lasted at least 2 hours....
So much for hot dogs and a dip in the pool. Thanking all veterans out there for providing my freedom.
God Bless America.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Worship
In Kenya, you don't ask someone where they go to church, you ask them where they worship. Hmmmm... stop for one moment as you are all heading out to 11 AM services that will last exactly one hour.
What portion of your service is dedicated to worshipping God? How many songs of praise do you sing or for how long? When it comes time for prayer requests, do you have more to come before the Lord with than a test coming up or a promotion? When you are asked for joys, can you come up with more than a birthday or anniversary.
In Kenya, life is simple. You either have what you need or you don't. And if you don't, I mean you REALLY do not. You rely on the Lord and on your neighbors.
And even in that culture where many church members do not have enough to eat or enough to send their children to school, the first thing on a list of wishes for their church is a place of worship.
This place of worship would be a place that would be used not just on Sunday but every day of the week. I think of how many US UMC churches have been sold or are just sitting idly. These christians would be thrilled to have those places. And yet, they request just a place to worship.
Did you worship today or go to church?
What portion of your service is dedicated to worshipping God? How many songs of praise do you sing or for how long? When it comes time for prayer requests, do you have more to come before the Lord with than a test coming up or a promotion? When you are asked for joys, can you come up with more than a birthday or anniversary.
In Kenya, life is simple. You either have what you need or you don't. And if you don't, I mean you REALLY do not. You rely on the Lord and on your neighbors.
And even in that culture where many church members do not have enough to eat or enough to send their children to school, the first thing on a list of wishes for their church is a place of worship.
This place of worship would be a place that would be used not just on Sunday but every day of the week. I think of how many US UMC churches have been sold or are just sitting idly. These christians would be thrilled to have those places. And yet, they request just a place to worship.
Did you worship today or go to church?
Friday, May 25, 2012
Family
I miss my family. Before we departed, we spent a lot of time together as a family. Both with my immediate family and with my extended, very large family.
Peter's nephew passed away this week. He was only 12 years old. His parents are Christian Scientists and as such do not believe in doctors and hospitals. He was sick for two days and then died. It is terribly sad. The law in Kenya frowns upon this as it does in the US. The family has been going through quite a lot. That said, yesterday all of the family gathered together at Peter's sister's house. It got very late and two of his aunts and one cousin came to our house to have a place to sleep for the night.
What a treat. They spoke little English. We spoke little Swahili or Kikuyu ( their native tongue) But it was like having two of my aunts ( say Aunt Frances and Aunt Rosie) and one of my cousins ( Janet) at our house. Even though they had had a very tough day they were laughing and giggling like small children. And they smiled the entire time they were here. They told stories ( I don't know what they were, but you could tell they were great tales) and they laughed until very late.
Here are my aunts Consolata and Margaret and my cousin Veronica.
A smile and laughter are indeed universal as is the love in a close family.
Peter's nephew passed away this week. He was only 12 years old. His parents are Christian Scientists and as such do not believe in doctors and hospitals. He was sick for two days and then died. It is terribly sad. The law in Kenya frowns upon this as it does in the US. The family has been going through quite a lot. That said, yesterday all of the family gathered together at Peter's sister's house. It got very late and two of his aunts and one cousin came to our house to have a place to sleep for the night.
What a treat. They spoke little English. We spoke little Swahili or Kikuyu ( their native tongue) But it was like having two of my aunts ( say Aunt Frances and Aunt Rosie) and one of my cousins ( Janet) at our house. Even though they had had a very tough day they were laughing and giggling like small children. And they smiled the entire time they were here. They told stories ( I don't know what they were, but you could tell they were great tales) and they laughed until very late.
Here are my aunts Consolata and Margaret and my cousin Veronica.
A smile and laughter are indeed universal as is the love in a close family.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Life and death
In Kenya, there is a fine line between life and death for many. The water filters we are beginning to put into homes are really changing lives. Children are not getting sick from drinking unclean water. Water seems like such a small thing. But take just one day to recognize how much you drink. Don't even count what you use to bathe or for other purposes. Just think about how much you drink. And think about what would happen if that water was perpetually contaminated. When you get sick in the US say from the flu, the doctor will say drink plenty of water. Hydration is so important to us. What if your water came from something that looked like this.
Thousands of people all over the world are drinking water like this and it's making them sick and it's killing them. And yes, I know you have heard this before . I will however, keep saying it over and over and over until every single one of them has clean water.
Today we gave a demonstration to a potential partner for water filter distribution.
We are praying that this leads to many more households with clean water.
Thousands of people all over the world are drinking water like this and it's making them sick and it's killing them. And yes, I know you have heard this before . I will however, keep saying it over and over and over until every single one of them has clean water.
Today we gave a demonstration to a potential partner for water filter distribution.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Accountability
Since we arrived, I have been keeping a spreadsheet of all of our expenses and keeping a very tight accounting of where each dime is going. I want to be able to be sure that I do our budget correctly but more than that, I want to be able to give an accounting to the many supporters of God's work in Kenya through us there are. My prayers each day are mostly for discernment. There are so many needs, so many requests.
Today as we talked with friends, we got a little closer to having them understand that when Len and I come, we come not with our own money, but by the grace of God and through the work of his servants at home.
We come because young children chose to save money in piggy banks. We come because families chose to use some of their "extra" money to send to Kenya. We come because our family has toiled beside us with oyster roasts, barbecues, and making oyster stew. We are here as stewards of that money. And for each project or step that we take, we must first go to the Lord for help and then we ask for your prayers as well.
Pray that we are the best stewards possible for His glory only.
Today as we talked with friends, we got a little closer to having them understand that when Len and I come, we come not with our own money, but by the grace of God and through the work of his servants at home.
We come because young children chose to save money in piggy banks. We come because families chose to use some of their "extra" money to send to Kenya. We come because our family has toiled beside us with oyster roasts, barbecues, and making oyster stew. We are here as stewards of that money. And for each project or step that we take, we must first go to the Lord for help and then we ask for your prayers as well.
Pray that we are the best stewards possible for His glory only.
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