The Front Porch
The Front Yard Playground
Sarah in the Kitchen
Friday, January 30, 2015
It is always different!
Good Morning from Kenya! January 30, 2015
I just had my morning tea on the little patio
in front of our apartment. It is a
treat to enjoy the morning sunshine and listen to the chorus of birds singing
their morning praises. The weather is
gorgeous with a high of about 75 and a low of 50! Unfortunately, it has also been a very dry
month and there are many prayers being raised for rain. Since this mission depends on hydro-electric
power for electricity and the river is low we have had some power outages in
the evening.
It is so true that each trip is
different. We had a very smooth trip
from Dulles through Brussels to Rwanda and finally to Nairobi. We arrived well
after midnight after many of the other late night flights from Europe, which
was terrific as the airport was practically empty and we sailed through customs and immigration. They have added a health check as a result of
the Ebola scare but that was no problem.
Our driver was waiting for us and took us to Amani Gardens , previously known as the Mennonite House, where a good nights rest
awaited us. We love staying there as you
always meet people from every walk of life.
We had breakfast with a family from Minnesota who are living and
traveling in Africa on business for a few months. Interestingly, there last name was Dykstra!
:) We also met a young father from
Uganda who was there because his three year son who is deaf had just received a
cochlear implant at the Aga Khan Hospital. He expressed joy that his son had heard his
first sounds that week! He or his wife
will have to spend two weeks out of every month for the next year in Nairobi so
that his son can receive speech therapy. Quite a sacrifice, but well worth it!
Our driver picked us up around 9
and off we were to the phone store, the grocery store, the vegetable market,
and the meat market. We accomplished
this in record time! Like most Africans
we now have a phone which is great o be
able to call home but also as security here.
We left Nairobi about eleven for our four hour trip to Tenwek, giving us
plenty of time to arrive before dark.
However, as I said each trip is different. About two hours into the trip we noticed that
the car was overheating and so we pulled off the side of the road. Within seconds, we were surrounded by
“mechanics” who came to our assistance.
About an hour later we had flushed the system and added coolant and were
on our way. We went about a mile and hit
a huge pot hole causing a blowout! Fortunately
we could get to the side of the road and immediately had lots of help to change
the flat. Off course that meant emptying
all of our luggage, groceries, etc., to get at the spare! Who designs these things anyway! Soon
our four hour trip was six but these were minor incidents and we were thankful
that they were fixable.
We arrived at our apartment and
had lots of help emptying our fifty pound suitcases. Again
this year is different as we are staying in an apartment rather than the guest
house. It is the apartment of the long term
missionary who is on home assignment this year.
We have two bedrooms, kitchen, living room and bath instead of the one
room at the guest house. This means we
can get away from each other if we want! It is located amidst the other missionary
houses and so we are surrounded by the sound of young children. This is a paradise for the very, young kids who play outside from morning
until night. The older children are being
home schooled. This year there are 25
children in the school program which gives you an idea of how many young
families are serving here.
For the first few days we are
here we eat at the guest house so I have not had to cook yet! Right now there are not that many students
here. Hopefully more will arrive soon. There is one medical student from Germany and physicians from Colorado,
Kentucky, Dubai, Minnesota, Indiana, to name some. Always fun to meet new friends and some we
had met here before. I understand that a
cardiac team from VanderBilt is invading us next week and that they pretty much
take over the place! Patients have been
screened and selected to receive high tech heart surgery in this remote place. It is quite a miracle that we in the states
take for granted.
Although it is not my usual style,
I do have househelp when I am here. Sarah
has been my friend and helper for several of the years I have been here. It is very helpful to have someone filter the
water, wash and bleach the vegetables, do the wash, and bake bread among other things. It is also a way to support the Kenyan
economy and to have daily contact with a Kenyan friend. She is going shopping with me this morning at
the local “duca” to pick up some staples.
Marv is on call for the first
time tonight. Fortunately the service is quite quiet right now to give him time
to get over his nasty cold. Hopefully
tonight will stay quiet; but one never knows.
Till next time. Thanks for
listening to our story. We love hearing
from any and all of you.
Hugs,
Marv & Mickp.s. Will try and send pictures with next blog
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Safely in Nairobi
We missed 'Juno' and made it to Nairobi without difficulty...all our bags as well. We will go to Tenwek in a couple of hours. Thanks for your prayers and support.
Marv & Micki
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Pilgrimage
Lake Nakuru National Park, Rift Valley, Kenya
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Psalm 84: 5-7 (NIV)
“A pilgrimage is a journey undertaken in the light of a story. A great event has happened; the pilgrim hears the reports and goes in search of the evidence, aspiring to be an eyewitness. The pilgrim seeks not only to confirm the experience of others firsthand but to be changed by the experience... The way to knowledge, and self-knowledge, is through pilgrimage.”
- Paul Elie
Returning to Africa, always confronts us with many of the same questions for those who journey to sacred places. For us, Tenwek is that place where the big story of healing is lived with others; some known, others who are new partners.
What this blog will attempt is to share our journey. Our prayer is to bring comfort and good news. We look for “new evidence” of God’s work in the world.
Thanks for your prayers and support.
Micki & Marv
References
Elie, P. (2004). The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage (First Edition ed.). Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Hage, M. L. (2012). “Standing Firm” and Pilgrimages. Retrieved from http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2012/03/standing-firm-and-pilgrimages.html
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