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.
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