Dad's visit

I'm catching up--I want to share a little more about my dad's visit at Christmastime. It was nice to share my life here with him, have him meet my friends and co-workers, see my home and have him around for the holiday. 

Isn't this beautiful? This was on our drive back from Naroosura, where we spent Christmas. We weren't anywhere in particular, this was just on the side of the road during our drive back to my house in Narok. Wildebeests, zebra, and if you squint you might be able to see the ostrich behind the wildebeests. Just down the road were giraffe. 

Here are Tima & my dad--We spent Christmas with Tima's family (her dad is my boss). We all wanted to hold her but she didn't let many--holding her was quite an accomplishment for my dad!

My dad is wearing his Christmas present--this type of shirt is typical of what a Kenyan guy might wear--I think you would call it Swahili style.

So, my dad being a man who likes to keep busy, decided to do a building project during the two free days of his visit. He got to know Kenyan culture in a personal way--He learned about the untreated timber (how it warps and you can't cut it straight), manual labor and lack of power tools =) He was a little frustrated with his manual saw after working for just 2 days... Kenyans work in these conditions day in and day out.

My back porch was basically a bunch of concrete with a place to hang my drying laundry. The sun is really intense, so things dried quickly but faded pretty badly, too. During the day I'm at work or the sun is so intense I don't feel like sitting in it, and at night there are mosquitos, so I didn't spend much time on my back porch enjoying outside...until...

Now I have a screened in porch! It's like an extra room on my house to host guests or just have a place to sit outside during the day or in the evening--sun and mosquito free. I can even hang my clothes out and they don't get so faded and if it rains while I'm at work I don't have to run home to take the clothes off the line! I hosted the other single missionaries for dinner on the back porch a few weeks ago to test it out. We had a delightful evening. Thanks Dad.

I mentioned manual labor--my apartment complex is continuing to grow--new apartments are going up everyday. Workers sit outside pounding rocks all day in the intense sun basically making rocks smaller (notice the piles behind me). Tough work. (this is a posed picture--I'm holding an imaginary hammer--in case you were wondering). My dad wanted to take this picture--just another example of the type of manual labor Kenyan guys do all the time. You might see things in Kenya and wonder why they aren't developed more, but it's not because of lack of hard work.

Welcome to Narok!

If you could come visit me, I'd love to show you around my little town called Narok! Since most of you won't have that opportunity, let me show you around through pictures--

This is my view of town from the hill by my house and the Africa Hope Centre. This was a pretty clear day--there is just a constant cloud of dust that surrounds the town. Notice the Chambai Hotel on the left (orange and white) and the mosque on the right (white tower with green top).

This is the town "tire shop." There's not a building, just a bunch of guys repairing tires along the street. They do a good job--I just had a tire repaired the other day. 

Machete anyone?? This guy is walking around town selling knives.

There are two main markets in Narok--this is the lower market and also a "matatu" stage. Matatus are public buses--the little mini-vans you see.

Matatu close-up. They can carry so many things on the tops of the cars. I'm amazed. Sometimes  we even see animals tied on top =)

Speaking of animals, this is the main road of Narok and we have a small herd of cows that just hang out in the middle of town. They usually don't get in the way of cars...I said usually. 

All the buses travel full--they don't so much take off at particular times but rather take off when they are filled with passengers. This is larger public bus. 

A guy selling snacks.

Driving in town is interesting--you have to watch out for wheel barrows, donkey carts, cows, motorcycles and other drivers...and keep left!

Kenol--a gas station where all the tourists heading to the Maasai Mara (to view all the wild animals) stop before proceeding the rest of the way to the Mara. It's another 1.5 hour drive from town.

Outside of town--turn here to get to AfricaHope!

The peaceful place known as AH. This is our ministry base plus conference facility.

Thanks for taking my tour! 

Nchaishi

I went to a village church yesterday in Nchaishi. When you go to a rural church it is an all day commitment--the long drive, the long service, tea or lunch before and/or after then the long drive home. Usually I go more because I know I should to connect with the communities we are ministering in (because I live and work in town, out of our ministry area--it is easier to go to a nearby church in town), but I actually really enjoyed our time out yesterday. We visited 2 communities where I stayed during my language/culture learning time, so it was fun to see familiar faces and catch up after a few months apart. Also I had the opportunity to pull out some of my Swahili because there were people around who didn't know English. I'm still pretty limited in what I can speak but it's fun to try to communicate until I run out of things to say...

Steve is on staff with AH--he preaches for this church that meets in the elementary school in Nchaishi (I studied Swahili with the 2nd graders in this same classroom last August!)

Changing a flat tire after church--I just watched! and tried to use my Swahili with those waiting around.

I stayed in this little mud house in August during my language and culture time. Margaret and Philip and their 4 kids insisted I sleep in the one bedroom while they shared a twin bed in the kitchen and the dirt floor.

 

Some of the kids at church--two are from the family I stayed with (the ones on the ends).

This entire area is struggling with drought right now. There is no rain and hasn't been for some time. Right now there is no water for the people or animals--so they are struggling. AfricaHope is working with the government to repair the spring in Nchaishi and finish some other water projects in the area so that the times of drought aren't devastating. While there is no water in the area--Margaret insisted on giving us tea. They carried the water from a spring 7km away.

Join us in praying for rain. 

Hope

I just finished leading devotions this morning about the Christian life and suffering. (It went well, but I can't take any credit because I used sermon notes from a great pastor,Tim Keller, whose sermons I am constantly listening to).

The message was from Paul in 2 Corinthians. The hope of the Gospel is that out of suffering comes greater life; out of death comes resurrection. The power of the Gospel is that even though in this life we face trials, tragedies, suffering, difficulties--in light of these, not in spite of them--those around us and we ourselves experience life more fully. The hope of the Gospel is that since Jesus was raised from the dead, because the resurrection of Jesus happened, it is the very meaning of history that redemption comes out of injustice, pain, and misery--It is the very meaning of history that life comes out of death; that out of devastation comes redemption.

I have to find my hope in these promises or I wouldn't be able to get out of bed in the morning.  I am surrounded by people who travel miles everyday just to fetch water; people praying for rain because their livelihoods are depending on it; parents and students struggling to find money for school fees as their new school year is beginning. 

I have been feeling the suffering lately, too. It's hard to live away from my family and close friends, to be away from the conveniences that I'm used to in the US. I miss the community of my church and the safety and familiarity of my life in the US. I miss smooth roads and easy travel. I miss soft, green grass and having clean feet after a long walk. I miss free nights and weekends on my cell phone and talking consistently to my family or anyone I am thinking of. I miss the feeling of freedom to walk around after dark outside.

But through my tears I'm holding on to the hope that out of this suffering comes life for both me and those around me. "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us..."*

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal."**

I hope that wherever you are, God is blessing you to know suffering in a way that brings you life. May your trials bring a new depth to the hope you find in Christ and the Gospel, in a real and beautiful way.

*Romans 5:2b-5a, **2 Cor. 4:16-18

Naroosura for Christmas

Here is our Christmas 2008 photo! This is Tim's family (5 beautiful daughters) and the single NMSI missionaries plus my dad. We had a relaxing time in Naroosura for Christmas. 

Dad was excited to observe the preparation of our Christmas feast--mmmm...Goat!

December

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

 

from AfricaHope Kenya

It was a strange December. For one, it's summer; for another, things slowed down here rather than sped up like I'm used to around the American Christmas season. 

This month: AfricaHope received 2 new 6 month apprentices in the beginning of the month; one of our teammates, Carol moved back to the US after 2 years in Kenya; I was in a car accident coming back from Nairobi (don't worry, everyone was fine); and my dad visited for a few weeks around Christmas! 

Dad came bearing gifts! Christmas gifts aren't normal here, but I was so blessed to get a suitcase full (maybe a little more than a suitcase full!) of goodies from the US. I got everything from sheets to a scrapbook to almond m&m's! I was so happy I was crying...that might sound a little materialistic, but I think it was a mix of knowing people (my sister was the main shopper--thanks Kate!) care about me enough to go to all that trouble, my dad being around, and really just missing things from the US. (I'll have to write another time about my dreams--yes, real dreams, I think there have been 4--of shopping at Target!) 

I have to admit that I was a little let down by the Kenyan celebration of Christmas. I think in the States we take it to an extreme--so many gifts, so much hype and busyness, but I missed the Christmas decorations, the Christmas programs, the family gatherings and the other Christmas parties. We celebrated here--just not to the magnitude I'm used to. When I asked my Kenyan friends what they thought about Christmas, they said it was really just another day. You might cook a lot and go to church, but that's about the extent of it. They said it was a bigger deal for kids.  

Our office opens again on January 5th, so I'm enjoying a little rest and getting organized to jump back into AH ministry Monday morning!

I hope you had a really beautiful Christmas season.