Since I've been here, I've heard quite a bit about a shopping place called Diamond Plaza, fondly abbreviated DP. It's an Indian shopping center where there are authentic items such as clothing, shoes, food, fireworks, and hindi movies. In addition, it's where all the men go to the barber for their haircuts. So, yesterday Ruthie, her Dad, and I got up early to make our way to DP. As he got his hair cut, we searched through the shops for good deals. There wasn't as much bartering here, but it didn't hurt to try.
We continued on to Westgate after this stop. Now, Westgate is the newest and nicest shopping center in Nairobi. I'm not sure most of the malls in America could compare. It reminded me a little of the Mall of America only not quite as large. It was definitely Western though, had about 4 stories with escalators, and had tight security. As soon as we drove into the parking garage, it felt like we were in a different country - all the nice cars parked in there. We stopped here just to get Ruthie's camera fixed at an electronics store. She had dropped it at Aunt Loretta's house on Christmas Day and the lens was non-functioning.
Then after our visit to Westgate, we headed over to a children's medical clinic where Ruthie was going for a basic physical. It was quite nice - somewhere I would be comfortable receiving treatment. It didn't seem much different from what we have back at home.
After we were back home, I experienced another Nairobi first - the electricity went off. From what I understand, this is a common occurrence here, but I had as yet seen it happen. Well, as we were fixing lunch, the power all of sudden just shut off. We were in the middle of melting cheese on our sandwiches in the toaster oven, so it was a little disappointing. But it didn't last long...probably only about 10 minutes.
In the afternoon, Ruthie, her mom, and I went over to the Windsor to lay out by the pool and read. I have really been enjoying the sunshine here - it's been good all around. We also went to work out after we were thoroughly baked. Pretty sure I was slightly burned by the end of the day, but not terribly.
Last night Ruthie's mom treated us all by making African curry. I had eaten African curry one other time at Ruthie's birthday this past year, but it was a little different. It was more spicy and we had tropical fruit as well (papaya, mango, apple, bananas). So the meal consisted of the fruit, fried peanuts, rice, and curry sauce with green peppers and chicken. Yummy! It's one of Ruthie's favorites so I'm glad we could have it.
Oh, one fun moment of the day was on the way back from the Windsor. Ruthie had asked on the way over if her mom would let her drive and she said no. So on the way back, we were with her dad and he said yes. Now, you must understand that it's kind of difficult to drive here. First you have the left side of the road deal, then you have the crazy matatus you constantly have to pass, there are no speed limits, no stop signs, and a huge land cruiser with stick shift.
So, we stopped on a back road, her dad and she switched places, and off we went. It wasn't too bad and I wasn't fearful of my life or anything, but if it had been me, I would have been concerned. We made it back to the compound using back roads, but then on the way into the compound, she let off the clutch too fast and the car died. It was a little embarrassing for her because of all the people around and the guard waiting to close the gate. But she ended up making it in, just for it to die again on a hill. At this point, her neighbors were watching and another car was coming at her and waiting. We made it to the house eventually. All I have to say is that it takes practice and you have to start somewhere, right? I know her dad had said I could try to drive too, but I might just wait until I'm back in the States :)
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Day 14: Kiambethu Tea Farm and Village
Today we visited the Kiambethu Tea Farm out near Brackenhurst. Nine of us ladies from the A/G missions went together for a fun day of tea. Once we arrived, we were shown around the gardens and then congregated with many other visitors to hear the history of the tea farm and fun facts about how the tea is grown, processed, and purchased. I learned so much about tea today - I must confess I didn't know even the basics so there was plenty of room for improvement in my knowledge on the subject.
After the presentation about the tea plant, we were shown on a forest walk. The land around the British home contained many medicinal plants, which our guide pointed out and discussed with us. We saw a grand total of about 6 slugs on the walk too :) Most were bright green but one was purple. The owners also had a small farm surrounding their house - geese, cows, chickens. We were also taken out to the tea fields where all the bushes grew. They were planted closely together, and in order to walk among the plants, we had to push our way through them.
When we returned to the house, we were served a delicious lunch on the lawn. There were tables set up with umbrellas for shade - quite cute. I honestly felt like I was back in the 1940s Britain. I also had a Stoney for the first time. It's a must for anyone visiting Kenya. The drink is similar to ginger ale only with a much stronger ginger flavor.
Once we were finished with lunch, we headed out to shop at the gift store at Brackenhurst. It was a small place, but it was kind of nice because the prices were set. It's not always an advantage to not be able to barter, but in the case, it was nice not to have to have that additional stress. When you're trying to convert dollars to shillings to know the cost of something and then to have to haggle with someone, it can be exhausting. You're constantly trying to know if it's a good deal or not, but in order to do so, you have to convert back to dollars. Aagh! So all that say, it was quite wonderful to have a set price on the items. And now I know what is average so that I can barter at the market when we go on Friday.
Ruthie was meeting some Rosslyn friends at Village at 4 pm, so we headed back to Nairobi fairly quickly after we went to Brackenhurst. Village is their equivalent of our mall back in the States. However, I've noticed both here and in India that the malls have at least one grocery store inside. While Ruthie's mom shopped in the grocery store, Julia and I headed to Dorman's for coffee.
Now, before I came, I was told that Dorman's is the best coffee in the world. Since I'm not a huge coffee fan, nor a huge consumer of said substance, I really couldn't tell you if this statement is true or not, but it was good. I tried a new flavor since I'm here and may never have the opportunity to have it again - Marsala Mocha. Marsala seems to be an extremely popular flavor here (you can find it with tea as well), but I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. It's kind of spicy like chai only not as sweet.
So, that's been the day so far. It's been wonderful being here with the Lowenbergs. They have been so thoughtful and accepted me as if I were their third daughter. It's funny, actually, because many of the people I meet at first think I'm Ruthie - her friends, her parents' friends. In fact, her mom has mistook me several times for Ruthie. So, basically I feel like part of the family. Mama and Papa Lowenberg have given up so much of their time to chauffeur us around Nairobi and the surrounding area. I am truly thankful for their sacrifice to make my visit as enjoyable as possible. It's great to see how welcoming they have been (as well as other missionary families who are hosting guests), so that one day I can follow their example with my own guests.
After the presentation about the tea plant, we were shown on a forest walk. The land around the British home contained many medicinal plants, which our guide pointed out and discussed with us. We saw a grand total of about 6 slugs on the walk too :) Most were bright green but one was purple. The owners also had a small farm surrounding their house - geese, cows, chickens. We were also taken out to the tea fields where all the bushes grew. They were planted closely together, and in order to walk among the plants, we had to push our way through them.
When we returned to the house, we were served a delicious lunch on the lawn. There were tables set up with umbrellas for shade - quite cute. I honestly felt like I was back in the 1940s Britain. I also had a Stoney for the first time. It's a must for anyone visiting Kenya. The drink is similar to ginger ale only with a much stronger ginger flavor.
Once we were finished with lunch, we headed out to shop at the gift store at Brackenhurst. It was a small place, but it was kind of nice because the prices were set. It's not always an advantage to not be able to barter, but in the case, it was nice not to have to have that additional stress. When you're trying to convert dollars to shillings to know the cost of something and then to have to haggle with someone, it can be exhausting. You're constantly trying to know if it's a good deal or not, but in order to do so, you have to convert back to dollars. Aagh! So all that say, it was quite wonderful to have a set price on the items. And now I know what is average so that I can barter at the market when we go on Friday.
Ruthie was meeting some Rosslyn friends at Village at 4 pm, so we headed back to Nairobi fairly quickly after we went to Brackenhurst. Village is their equivalent of our mall back in the States. However, I've noticed both here and in India that the malls have at least one grocery store inside. While Ruthie's mom shopped in the grocery store, Julia and I headed to Dorman's for coffee.
Now, before I came, I was told that Dorman's is the best coffee in the world. Since I'm not a huge coffee fan, nor a huge consumer of said substance, I really couldn't tell you if this statement is true or not, but it was good. I tried a new flavor since I'm here and may never have the opportunity to have it again - Marsala Mocha. Marsala seems to be an extremely popular flavor here (you can find it with tea as well), but I'm not sure exactly how to describe it. It's kind of spicy like chai only not as sweet.
So, that's been the day so far. It's been wonderful being here with the Lowenbergs. They have been so thoughtful and accepted me as if I were their third daughter. It's funny, actually, because many of the people I meet at first think I'm Ruthie - her friends, her parents' friends. In fact, her mom has mistook me several times for Ruthie. So, basically I feel like part of the family. Mama and Papa Lowenberg have given up so much of their time to chauffeur us around Nairobi and the surrounding area. I am truly thankful for their sacrifice to make my visit as enjoyable as possible. It's great to see how welcoming they have been (as well as other missionary families who are hosting guests), so that one day I can follow their example with my own guests.
Day 13: Christmas Continued
Yesterday was an extremely chill day. We didn't have a huge plan other than not having a plan :)
Ruthie and Julia both had appointments to meet with other people in the morning so I got to sleep in. Then when they wrapped up their engagements, we had lunch as a family. The afternoon consisted of making Christmas cookies. Haha!!! Even though we are a little behind, better late than never, huh? It was just so busy during the holiday here that we hadn't gotten to them. But all of us agreed that we still needed to bake them. So yesterday, we rolled out the dough, found the cookie cutters, and seriously decorated about 6 dozen cookies. What we're going to do with them all I don't know - certainly not eat them all by ourselves!
After such a sweet endeavor, we decided we needed to get some fresh air, so we headed over to the Windsor to walk and work out. It's always so refreshing to be outside when exercising. I know I'm going to miss that aspect when we're back home. It's a little more miserable going out in sub-freezing temperatures than it is in the mild tropics :)
We ended the day with a delicious dinner and a movie. And then some reading for me and Ruthie. It's nice to have a little time to read for fun. Definitely a nice change after a semester of intense, intellectual study when the only things I read were my textbooks.
Ruthie and Julia both had appointments to meet with other people in the morning so I got to sleep in. Then when they wrapped up their engagements, we had lunch as a family. The afternoon consisted of making Christmas cookies. Haha!!! Even though we are a little behind, better late than never, huh? It was just so busy during the holiday here that we hadn't gotten to them. But all of us agreed that we still needed to bake them. So yesterday, we rolled out the dough, found the cookie cutters, and seriously decorated about 6 dozen cookies. What we're going to do with them all I don't know - certainly not eat them all by ourselves!
After such a sweet endeavor, we decided we needed to get some fresh air, so we headed over to the Windsor to walk and work out. It's always so refreshing to be outside when exercising. I know I'm going to miss that aspect when we're back home. It's a little more miserable going out in sub-freezing temperatures than it is in the mild tropics :)
We ended the day with a delicious dinner and a movie. And then some reading for me and Ruthie. It's nice to have a little time to read for fun. Definitely a nice change after a semester of intense, intellectual study when the only things I read were my textbooks.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Day 12: Giraffe Kisses and Toi Market
Monday morning we awoke early to get a good start on the day. This week is pretty much going to be our "tourist-y" week. All of places we want to go and things we want to do are going to be packed into this week since the last week we're here we will be working with Brackenhurst and watching the kids for a missionary gathering.
We met up with Aunt Trina and Pris then headed over to the giraffe center. Although it can sometimes take 2 hours just to get across town, traffic was light because people were still traveling back to Nairobi after "the Christmas" so we made excellent time.
The giraffe center was pretty cool. There were also warthogs. After we got up to the platform, we grabbed some food and let the giraffes eat from our hands. We had to make sure our hands were flat or else they would bite your fingers (kind of like horses). All of us took turns feeding the giraffes, then Ruthie insisted that I feed one with my mouth. I had heard that she and Julia had done that, but I needed a demonstration before attending this feat :) So, she grabbed a pellet, stuck it between her lips, then moved in. The giraffe swiped the food right out of her mouth with its super long tongue. After Ruthie had done it about 3 times (we had to get good pictures after all), it was my turn. So, I followed suit. The giraffe's tongue was rough like a cat's and it pretty much licked the entire left side of my face. Although it was slightly gross with all the saliva, it was still fun. And I also had to do it about 3 times before all the picture-taking was done. Then Julia and Priscilla did the same.
One of the guides gave us a short talk about giraffes (the types, what they ate, their weights, lifespans, etc), and let us hold a giraffe's jaw. He told us to "be free to make a picture," so we did. Haha! Check f/b to see the results...
After the giraffe center, we stopped by a place that made Kazuri beads. The women workers were not there making the pottery because of holiday break, but we got to tour the places were they typically work. Then we browsed the store. I wasn't too interested in buying any of the merchandise though because the jewelry was kind of big and heavy and I didn't want to chance any of the other products (like mugs, etc.) in my carry-on. It might just end up in pieces.
We continued on to Toi market after stopping at the Kazuri bead store. I had been told that Toi was like a big, used clothing place where Westerners buy most of their clothes while living here. But I didn't know it was all outside. We headed in to the mazes of booths set up in line after line. They were covered with roofs, so you felt like you were in a building except for the dirt/mud floors. The smells were almost overpowering...At one point, Aunt Trina said that the shows that display the sights and sounds of other countries should also try to capture the smells! It would be quite overpowering. Lots of body odor, constantly surrounding everywhere. I'm not even sure most of the people were wearing deodorant.
We spent some time at the front of the entrance, then headed deep back into the buried shops. There were mostly clothes just in huge piles that you had to pick through. Then there were shoes set up that you had to guess if your size was there. The owners were constantly trying to pull you into their shop, and shoving possible articles of clothing in front of you as options. And that's all before the bartering even began. I was told that you never take the first offered, but at least offer half of that price. Then the friendly (or not so friendly) back-and-forth negotiations occur. Usually a middle ground is reached. However, yesterday, many of the owners did not want to barter much. We only ended up with a couple of shirts and some scarves.
Then on our way out, we hit the gold mine of pirated dvds. There is also another place here in Nairobi known for producing quality pirated movies (haha! It's so common here, it's not even really looked upon as wrong), so we were kind of holding out for that place, but this vendor only was charging about $0.65 for his movies and seasons. So, Ruthie and I spent some time there - trying to not to go too extreme and buy everything :)
All in all, the day was quite a new experience. I loved being part of the typical Kenyan culture. There were many new "firsts" included bartering. Although I didn't think I would like it, it was so bad. It's expected here so you don't feel like you're manipulating in the slightest like I would in the States. We were only called "wazungu" (white person) about 10,000 times, but then when we started bartering, they quickly knew we (or rather Ruthie) weren't ignorant and couldn't be overcharged.
The rest of the evening was spent at home as a family just relaxing. We had a lovely dinner, then watched "Taken" together. Ruthie's dad had gotten the movie for Christmas, so we all enjoyed seeing it.
Last night it rained. The past two nights it has rained actually. Both times the first thing I thought was "God bless the rains down in Africa." Then I have that song stuck in my head the rest of the night :) It is still beautiful weather outside though. The rains just cool everything down a little and keep the grass/trees/plants green.
There are still so many things I want to relate to you all about Africa: the British influence, the basis 101 of good missions teams, the little -isms of Kenyans. But they will have to wait for another time. Hopefully, you all are having a wonderful holiday season. The New Year is only a few days away!!!
We met up with Aunt Trina and Pris then headed over to the giraffe center. Although it can sometimes take 2 hours just to get across town, traffic was light because people were still traveling back to Nairobi after "the Christmas" so we made excellent time.
The giraffe center was pretty cool. There were also warthogs. After we got up to the platform, we grabbed some food and let the giraffes eat from our hands. We had to make sure our hands were flat or else they would bite your fingers (kind of like horses). All of us took turns feeding the giraffes, then Ruthie insisted that I feed one with my mouth. I had heard that she and Julia had done that, but I needed a demonstration before attending this feat :) So, she grabbed a pellet, stuck it between her lips, then moved in. The giraffe swiped the food right out of her mouth with its super long tongue. After Ruthie had done it about 3 times (we had to get good pictures after all), it was my turn. So, I followed suit. The giraffe's tongue was rough like a cat's and it pretty much licked the entire left side of my face. Although it was slightly gross with all the saliva, it was still fun. And I also had to do it about 3 times before all the picture-taking was done. Then Julia and Priscilla did the same.
One of the guides gave us a short talk about giraffes (the types, what they ate, their weights, lifespans, etc), and let us hold a giraffe's jaw. He told us to "be free to make a picture," so we did. Haha! Check f/b to see the results...
After the giraffe center, we stopped by a place that made Kazuri beads. The women workers were not there making the pottery because of holiday break, but we got to tour the places were they typically work. Then we browsed the store. I wasn't too interested in buying any of the merchandise though because the jewelry was kind of big and heavy and I didn't want to chance any of the other products (like mugs, etc.) in my carry-on. It might just end up in pieces.
We continued on to Toi market after stopping at the Kazuri bead store. I had been told that Toi was like a big, used clothing place where Westerners buy most of their clothes while living here. But I didn't know it was all outside. We headed in to the mazes of booths set up in line after line. They were covered with roofs, so you felt like you were in a building except for the dirt/mud floors. The smells were almost overpowering...At one point, Aunt Trina said that the shows that display the sights and sounds of other countries should also try to capture the smells! It would be quite overpowering. Lots of body odor, constantly surrounding everywhere. I'm not even sure most of the people were wearing deodorant.
We spent some time at the front of the entrance, then headed deep back into the buried shops. There were mostly clothes just in huge piles that you had to pick through. Then there were shoes set up that you had to guess if your size was there. The owners were constantly trying to pull you into their shop, and shoving possible articles of clothing in front of you as options. And that's all before the bartering even began. I was told that you never take the first offered, but at least offer half of that price. Then the friendly (or not so friendly) back-and-forth negotiations occur. Usually a middle ground is reached. However, yesterday, many of the owners did not want to barter much. We only ended up with a couple of shirts and some scarves.
Then on our way out, we hit the gold mine of pirated dvds. There is also another place here in Nairobi known for producing quality pirated movies (haha! It's so common here, it's not even really looked upon as wrong), so we were kind of holding out for that place, but this vendor only was charging about $0.65 for his movies and seasons. So, Ruthie and I spent some time there - trying to not to go too extreme and buy everything :)
All in all, the day was quite a new experience. I loved being part of the typical Kenyan culture. There were many new "firsts" included bartering. Although I didn't think I would like it, it was so bad. It's expected here so you don't feel like you're manipulating in the slightest like I would in the States. We were only called "wazungu" (white person) about 10,000 times, but then when we started bartering, they quickly knew we (or rather Ruthie) weren't ignorant and couldn't be overcharged.
The rest of the evening was spent at home as a family just relaxing. We had a lovely dinner, then watched "Taken" together. Ruthie's dad had gotten the movie for Christmas, so we all enjoyed seeing it.
Last night it rained. The past two nights it has rained actually. Both times the first thing I thought was "God bless the rains down in Africa." Then I have that song stuck in my head the rest of the night :) It is still beautiful weather outside though. The rains just cool everything down a little and keep the grass/trees/plants green.
There are still so many things I want to relate to you all about Africa: the British influence, the basis 101 of good missions teams, the little -isms of Kenyans. But they will have to wait for another time. Hopefully, you all are having a wonderful holiday season. The New Year is only a few days away!!!
Day 11: Sunday
So, this Sunday was the first "normal" one since we've been here. Normal referring to the fact that we were able to attend Ruthie's home church - Bahati Christian Center. It was the first real African service I had been to, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Because of the holiday season, they only had one service instead of the normal two (usually the first one is primarily in English, the second in Swahili). However, because there was only one service, it was a mixture of both. We did the entire worship set in Swahili, so I didn't have a clue what we were singing - just had the opportunity to witness how other cultures praise Jesus. It was fascinating to think that this was a taste of heaven. Jesus can be glorified in any language and culture, is being praised, and will be worshiped by every people in the world at the end of time!
Then the message was preached in English and translated into Swahili. It seems to be more easily done that way. But with both languages being preached the service was quite long. I think it was 2-2.5 hours long. But here in Africa, nobody minds long anything - services, visits, jobs, etc.
Another unique aspect of the service was that the special music was a rap done in Swahili. It was so amusing. There were two men up there just busting out a Kenyan rap with actions. The general superintendent of the Kenyan A/G (K.A.G.) was up on the platform just dancing away with the rest of the congregation. We also ended the entire service with another rap. They have a form of language here called Sweng (which is a mixture of Swahili and English), and they were using this in the songs. We also played a game as a congregation called, "Bible, Bible, Bible." We had to jump up and down while saying that phrase. Then the leader would yell out names, and if they were books of the Bible we jumped; if not, we didn't jump. It was quite fun - kind of like children's church all over again only with adults :)
In addition to the services being wonderfully African, I was able to experience the welcoming hospitality of the Kenyan Christians. They were such a family. Everyone here in this country (and probably the continent) is relational so you never feel alone here. Everything revolved around your family and your relation to others. I was greeted by more people than I can count. Oh, and their greeting is unique too. They shake right hands and then pull you in to one side of their face (more like over one shoulder), then back away and pull you to the other side. Definitely something I could get used to!
After the church service, we headed over to one of the best Ethiopian restaurants ever (according to the Lowenbergs who actually lived in Ethiopia). We met up with another family, and ended up at a table outside in a cute little nook of the garden. There were also huts we could have eaten in, but we wanted a breeze. The food was amazing - I'm not even sure I could tell you what we ate, but we had injera (a sour, spongy type of bread), shiro (chick peas), doro (chicken), tibs (meat), and vegetables. It was delicious! We ate with our hands and by the end we were extremely messy but happy.
The rest of the afternoon was spent resting before Ruthie and I headed over to her high school (Rosslyn) for an alumni and senior class reunion. I was a little hesitant that I might feel out of place because all the students had history with each other, but I didn't need to give it a second thought. Everyone was so welcoming and easy-going. I'm pretty sure as international students that you have to learn to be friends with people quickly or else you won't have any friends at all. They have the same thing in common with everyone else: they understand moving into a town and then moving on.
We spent the evening chatting with other students, watching the football (soccer) game, hanging around the pool, listening to belated Christmas music, and having dinner. It was wonderful to finally meet some of Ruthie's friends that she talks about. They were all people worth meeting :)
After all of the amazing things we did, the evening ended with yet another great - watching White Christmas. We had a great day filled with wonderful memories.
Because of the holiday season, they only had one service instead of the normal two (usually the first one is primarily in English, the second in Swahili). However, because there was only one service, it was a mixture of both. We did the entire worship set in Swahili, so I didn't have a clue what we were singing - just had the opportunity to witness how other cultures praise Jesus. It was fascinating to think that this was a taste of heaven. Jesus can be glorified in any language and culture, is being praised, and will be worshiped by every people in the world at the end of time!
Then the message was preached in English and translated into Swahili. It seems to be more easily done that way. But with both languages being preached the service was quite long. I think it was 2-2.5 hours long. But here in Africa, nobody minds long anything - services, visits, jobs, etc.
Another unique aspect of the service was that the special music was a rap done in Swahili. It was so amusing. There were two men up there just busting out a Kenyan rap with actions. The general superintendent of the Kenyan A/G (K.A.G.) was up on the platform just dancing away with the rest of the congregation. We also ended the entire service with another rap. They have a form of language here called Sweng (which is a mixture of Swahili and English), and they were using this in the songs. We also played a game as a congregation called, "Bible, Bible, Bible." We had to jump up and down while saying that phrase. Then the leader would yell out names, and if they were books of the Bible we jumped; if not, we didn't jump. It was quite fun - kind of like children's church all over again only with adults :)
In addition to the services being wonderfully African, I was able to experience the welcoming hospitality of the Kenyan Christians. They were such a family. Everyone here in this country (and probably the continent) is relational so you never feel alone here. Everything revolved around your family and your relation to others. I was greeted by more people than I can count. Oh, and their greeting is unique too. They shake right hands and then pull you in to one side of their face (more like over one shoulder), then back away and pull you to the other side. Definitely something I could get used to!
After the church service, we headed over to one of the best Ethiopian restaurants ever (according to the Lowenbergs who actually lived in Ethiopia). We met up with another family, and ended up at a table outside in a cute little nook of the garden. There were also huts we could have eaten in, but we wanted a breeze. The food was amazing - I'm not even sure I could tell you what we ate, but we had injera (a sour, spongy type of bread), shiro (chick peas), doro (chicken), tibs (meat), and vegetables. It was delicious! We ate with our hands and by the end we were extremely messy but happy.
The rest of the afternoon was spent resting before Ruthie and I headed over to her high school (Rosslyn) for an alumni and senior class reunion. I was a little hesitant that I might feel out of place because all the students had history with each other, but I didn't need to give it a second thought. Everyone was so welcoming and easy-going. I'm pretty sure as international students that you have to learn to be friends with people quickly or else you won't have any friends at all. They have the same thing in common with everyone else: they understand moving into a town and then moving on.
We spent the evening chatting with other students, watching the football (soccer) game, hanging around the pool, listening to belated Christmas music, and having dinner. It was wonderful to finally meet some of Ruthie's friends that she talks about. They were all people worth meeting :)
After all of the amazing things we did, the evening ended with yet another great - watching White Christmas. We had a great day filled with wonderful memories.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Day 10: Christmas Down in Africa
Today was Christmas day! It came 9 hours sooner here than back in the States, so I felt like I was celebrating somewhat early. Haha :) Since we had celebrated as a family on Christmas Eve, we didn't do much at the Lowenberg house today. Instead we celebrated with a group of M's at Aunt Loretta's house.
After breakfast and some awesome laughter at one of the most dramatic Christmas songs we have ever heard, we decided to head over to the Windsor to walk. Although not expressly stated, I believe part of the goal was that if we exercised early in the day, we would feel less guilty for eating so much later on :) Julia, her mom, and I walked the 5K and Ruthie hit the gym. It was incredible seeing all of the monkeys again too. There were definitely more out than before, and we had some epic stare-downs with a couple of them.
Once back and cleaned up, we ventured over to the other AG complex to visit Aunt Loretta along with several other families who gathered to be together. The Penningtons, Beggs, Kuerts, and Loretta, Nancy, Beverly, and our family all were there. Aunt Loretta's house was beautifully decorated with a classy, Christmas-y feel plus a slight African twist of palm tree leaves and outdoor table settings. We ate out under the patio, and the food was served under canopied tents in the yard.
The rest of the day consisted of talking, playing games, meeting new friends, watching some Monk, and ending the evening with a grand display of fireworks. Rather, the grandness was in seeing Micah (13 years old) and his excitement in lighting them. Half the show was his eagerness to have fun. I'm constantly amazed at guys' fascination with fire, and tonight was no different. We had a wonderful time out under the stars, everyone's families gathered together with the sole purpose of making merry and celebrating the season together.
I have found a new family here. It's amazing how with some people you almost instantly feel welcomed - as if you were never a stranger or outsider. I'm fairly confident that most M's have this ability to reach out to others naturally and make them feel at ease. They have experienced so many things and met so many people that it's not difficult for them to conserve with anyone. I have loved how they have accepted me this break, and I know they will hold a place in my heart for the rest of my life. There is such a strong presence of love for one another that it just makes you comfortable to be with them in the center of it all.
I hope you all are having just as merry of a Christmas wherever you may be this year. Whether you're having a white Christmas or not, celebrating the birth of our Savior crosses all lines. It doesn't matter what culture or location you are in, we can be united by this reason. Jesus has made all the difference in my life - how I view the world and my place and reason to be in it. I wouldn't be the same person without him - I'm no longer just a sinner, but a sinner saved by grace. As we celebrate Christmas this year, I pray that you also rejoice in the blessing of knowing Jesus and growing in an ever-increasing love for him.
After breakfast and some awesome laughter at one of the most dramatic Christmas songs we have ever heard, we decided to head over to the Windsor to walk. Although not expressly stated, I believe part of the goal was that if we exercised early in the day, we would feel less guilty for eating so much later on :) Julia, her mom, and I walked the 5K and Ruthie hit the gym. It was incredible seeing all of the monkeys again too. There were definitely more out than before, and we had some epic stare-downs with a couple of them.
Once back and cleaned up, we ventured over to the other AG complex to visit Aunt Loretta along with several other families who gathered to be together. The Penningtons, Beggs, Kuerts, and Loretta, Nancy, Beverly, and our family all were there. Aunt Loretta's house was beautifully decorated with a classy, Christmas-y feel plus a slight African twist of palm tree leaves and outdoor table settings. We ate out under the patio, and the food was served under canopied tents in the yard.
The rest of the day consisted of talking, playing games, meeting new friends, watching some Monk, and ending the evening with a grand display of fireworks. Rather, the grandness was in seeing Micah (13 years old) and his excitement in lighting them. Half the show was his eagerness to have fun. I'm constantly amazed at guys' fascination with fire, and tonight was no different. We had a wonderful time out under the stars, everyone's families gathered together with the sole purpose of making merry and celebrating the season together.
I have found a new family here. It's amazing how with some people you almost instantly feel welcomed - as if you were never a stranger or outsider. I'm fairly confident that most M's have this ability to reach out to others naturally and make them feel at ease. They have experienced so many things and met so many people that it's not difficult for them to conserve with anyone. I have loved how they have accepted me this break, and I know they will hold a place in my heart for the rest of my life. There is such a strong presence of love for one another that it just makes you comfortable to be with them in the center of it all.
I hope you all are having just as merry of a Christmas wherever you may be this year. Whether you're having a white Christmas or not, celebrating the birth of our Savior crosses all lines. It doesn't matter what culture or location you are in, we can be united by this reason. Jesus has made all the difference in my life - how I view the world and my place and reason to be in it. I wouldn't be the same person without him - I'm no longer just a sinner, but a sinner saved by grace. As we celebrate Christmas this year, I pray that you also rejoice in the blessing of knowing Jesus and growing in an ever-increasing love for him.
Day 9: Christmas Eve
This holiday season is the first for me to spend away from my family, but although I'm away from them, I've been accepted into the Lowenberg's family while here :) It's difficult for it to even feel like Christmas here. For example, I almost can't dissociate the idea of the holiday from cold weather. Looking outside and seeing palm trees, beautiful sunshine, and having the windows open almosts seems hypocritical to the season. Yet everyone here still has their trees up in the living room, the Christmas baking going, and tunes blaring from their stereos wherever you go.
So, yesterday was Christmas Eve. We got up at a fairly decent time and got ready for the day. I experienced another first at breakfast - passion juice freshly squeezed from the fruit. Yum! After breakfast, I sat outside in the sun for a while and read. I must confess that I've never tried to work on my tan on a Christmas Eve before this year :)
The Lowenbergs celebrate Christmas Eve with a large lunch and presents in the evening, so that's what we did. Mama Lowenberg prepared a feast for a later lunch, and then the family proceeded to finish wrapping presents. It was so fun because her dad with in his room, her mom in the office, and Julia and Ruthie in a bedroom wrapping away. I was in with the sisters sitting on the bed hanging out while they wrapped gifts on the floor on either side so they couldn't see each other. Apparently it's tradition. Haha!
Everyone just finished wrapping the gifts, took them downstairs, and we started the evening. Papa Lowenberg lead in Christmas carols on the guitar and then he read the Christmas story according to Matthew. We then discussed what we found interesting in the story and had a mini-hermeneutical discussion - only with a doctor in theology :)
The gift unwrapping was splendid. I hadn't expected any gifts and hadn't brought any myself for anyone else. But I was included in the evening with several. It was one of the most unique Christmases I have ever experienced because it was so international. There were gifts given from Sudan, the US, London, and Kenya. Some were even imported from Israel (made in China though). All of the gifts were so meaningful and it was a blessing they had all made it through customs.
We finished off the evening as a family by having tea and homemade strawberry pie, which is a big deal here because strawberries are difficult to find. Ruthie, Julia, and I stayed up to watch one of the movies given to Ruthie for Christmas. The funny story with the movies is that they were all pirated which in the US would be somewhat questionable to some, but here is completely normal - it's pretty much the only thing you can get.
All in all, the day was wonderful. It definitely was different from anything I've ever done before. Although I have enjoyed myself here, it is also a little hard not being at home; doing some of the traditional things my family does. But I'm loving the new experiences and getting to share in another family's way of celebrating halfway across the world.
So, yesterday was Christmas Eve. We got up at a fairly decent time and got ready for the day. I experienced another first at breakfast - passion juice freshly squeezed from the fruit. Yum! After breakfast, I sat outside in the sun for a while and read. I must confess that I've never tried to work on my tan on a Christmas Eve before this year :)
The Lowenbergs celebrate Christmas Eve with a large lunch and presents in the evening, so that's what we did. Mama Lowenberg prepared a feast for a later lunch, and then the family proceeded to finish wrapping presents. It was so fun because her dad with in his room, her mom in the office, and Julia and Ruthie in a bedroom wrapping away. I was in with the sisters sitting on the bed hanging out while they wrapped gifts on the floor on either side so they couldn't see each other. Apparently it's tradition. Haha!
Everyone just finished wrapping the gifts, took them downstairs, and we started the evening. Papa Lowenberg lead in Christmas carols on the guitar and then he read the Christmas story according to Matthew. We then discussed what we found interesting in the story and had a mini-hermeneutical discussion - only with a doctor in theology :)
The gift unwrapping was splendid. I hadn't expected any gifts and hadn't brought any myself for anyone else. But I was included in the evening with several. It was one of the most unique Christmases I have ever experienced because it was so international. There were gifts given from Sudan, the US, London, and Kenya. Some were even imported from Israel (made in China though). All of the gifts were so meaningful and it was a blessing they had all made it through customs.
We finished off the evening as a family by having tea and homemade strawberry pie, which is a big deal here because strawberries are difficult to find. Ruthie, Julia, and I stayed up to watch one of the movies given to Ruthie for Christmas. The funny story with the movies is that they were all pirated which in the US would be somewhat questionable to some, but here is completely normal - it's pretty much the only thing you can get.
All in all, the day was wonderful. It definitely was different from anything I've ever done before. Although I have enjoyed myself here, it is also a little hard not being at home; doing some of the traditional things my family does. But I'm loving the new experiences and getting to share in another family's way of celebrating halfway across the world.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Day 8: Naivasha Medical Clinic
This is the final posting in the set of 3 to get you all caught up. I know it's a little long, but I know you'll enjoy it if you keep reading :) There are so many things I have failed to relate - it's so difficult to describe every part of the experience - but this will give you a taste of what's been happening.
Day 8: Naivasha Medical Clinic
This morning, Ruthie and I got up early to get ready for a medical clinic. The Bass family (Uncle Danny and Aunt Chrissy) were kind enough to allow us to join a team headed out to Naivasha, Kenya, just outside of Nairobi. Today was the grand opening of the clinic, so it was a pretty big deal. The team we were joining wasn't actually a medical team, but the Bass family was hosting them as a favor to a friend. And the team had just flown in a 3 a.m. this morning.
We packed up the vans and headed out around 6:30 a.m. Once we were at the clinic, Taylor, Ruthie and I were assigned to organizing the pharmacy and counting out children's multi-vitamins. Taylor is at university in North Carolina (although she's an MK and her family lives here) and is studying pre-pharm. It was fun to have another student along for the trip. One of the best comments this morning occurred when Ruthie and I were walking over to the Bass's house. We were in scrubs and she says, "I feel like a fake." Haha! She was referring to the fact that she hadn't done anything medical, not even studying it, but she was wearing the uniform.
After setting up the pharmacy and rooms, registration began. Then the 2 doctors began seeing the patients. I was allowed to observe in one room with Doctor James. It was interesting to watch the interaction between the Kenyans. Although most of the conversations were not in English, I could generally follow what the chief complaint and the gist of the conversations were. I felt like Doctor James gave me more credit for knowing how to do things than I actually did because he constantly asked me to perform tasks I had no confidence in doing. For example, he asked me to check their ears without a second thought. Then he pulled out the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope for another patient and asked me to confirm the blood pressure. These were things I hadn't known how to do before the medical clinic in India and which I hadn't done since then. Aaagh!
With one patient, I got to test his blood sugar using a glucometer (which I had never done before), and a baby came in with a gash on his head which I got to clean and bandage. However, there was one patient he wanted me to do a breast exam on which I told him I wouldn't know what I was looking for so he had ought to do it. Slightly awkward....but after that I mostly just listened to lung and heart sounds.
One funny moment occurred when Doctor James was examining a patient. Towards the end of the exam, but definitely during the exam, he turns to me and asks if I have finished taking my chai. Now, in order to understand the importance of this question, let me back up. Because Kenya is heavily influenced by British culture, they stick to strict tea times. The morning's work cannot begin until the chai is taken (usually around 10 a.m.). We had arrived, set up the clinic, and were ready to begin when we had to stop to take chai. Sometimes it's extremely inconvenient, but to refuse or rush through this process would be highly offensive. So we had taken chai once, then when I was in with Doctor James, the lady had brought us more chai. At this point, I was about to float away from drinking so much, but to be respectful, I just kept sipping it.
To return to the story now...Doctor James asks me in the middle of the exam if I had finished taking my chai. I thought this was somewhat odd since he was talking to the patient one moment then the next asking this question, but I told him I had taken some chai but was not finished. He asked if I might not like to finish taking my chai, and I asked him if he wished for me to finish. He said yes, so I got up, reached behind the patient for my mug, then quickly swallowed about half the cup in 4 seconds. I didn't want him to have to ask me again, so I didn't leave him the opportunity. Funny, funny.
Lunch was one of the most authentic Kenyan meals I have had since being here. We ate rice with carrot slivers, cabbage, chapati (a kind of bread similar to na'an), and a stew-like mixture of meat (cow, goat? who knows?) and peas with green pepper. Definitely an interesting flavor, although it wasn't bad at all. We also had warm sodas in glass bottles, which is nearly the only ways it's served here. Fanta is common (orange, pineapple) as well as a ginger soda (similar to, but much stronger than, ginger ale).
The clinic saw many people today. I'm not sure what the official number was, but I'm estimating around 80. The second half of the day went much more quickly than the first, but even so, we were nearly an hour later getting ready to leave than we had planned. As we packed and loaded, it was fun to play with the kids hanging around out back. They loved being chased and having their "photo" taken. It's amazing how kids in every culture are similar - it seems like they all like to have their hands in the air as if to say, "Look at me, I'm here." I'll be posting the pics soon on facebook, so keep your eyes open for those.
On our way back, we stopped at a restaurant called Java House. It's known as one of the upper-end restaurants that caters to Americans - supposedly it serves the most authentic burgers and other American food in Nairobi. They also had normal toilets, which is truly something worth mentioning. If you have never traveled outside of the States, you have really been missing out on something we lovingly refer to as the "squatty potty." All it really amounts to is a hole in the ground - no water, no toilet paper, and no soap or sanitizer. You quickly learn 2 things when it comes to relieving yourself in a foreign country: 1) Always use the bathroom when there is one whether you have to go or not; you never know when you're next opportunity may be and 2) always carry tissue in your pockets, because otherwise, you're going to regret not doing so.
After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the AG Gardens 3 where Ruthie's house is located. We had a wonderful day with Uncle Danny, Aunt Chrissy, and Joseph and Anna, plus the whole team. It once again confirmed that I wouldn't mind doing medical clinics in foreign countries for the rest of my life. There are always difficulties such as language barriers, but the end result is worth facing all logistical problems. My heart really reaches out to those who are sick and hurting - I want to be able to diagnose and treat their issues; to use my knowledge of medicine to make someone else's life better. And to do so in a Christian framework. The motto of the clinic today was "We treat, but God heals." I want that message to be the motto of my own career for the rest of my life. We really can't do anything on our own. And it's good to be aware that we are completely reliant on God's power.
Day 8: Naivasha Medical Clinic
This morning, Ruthie and I got up early to get ready for a medical clinic. The Bass family (Uncle Danny and Aunt Chrissy) were kind enough to allow us to join a team headed out to Naivasha, Kenya, just outside of Nairobi. Today was the grand opening of the clinic, so it was a pretty big deal. The team we were joining wasn't actually a medical team, but the Bass family was hosting them as a favor to a friend. And the team had just flown in a 3 a.m. this morning.
We packed up the vans and headed out around 6:30 a.m. Once we were at the clinic, Taylor, Ruthie and I were assigned to organizing the pharmacy and counting out children's multi-vitamins. Taylor is at university in North Carolina (although she's an MK and her family lives here) and is studying pre-pharm. It was fun to have another student along for the trip. One of the best comments this morning occurred when Ruthie and I were walking over to the Bass's house. We were in scrubs and she says, "I feel like a fake." Haha! She was referring to the fact that she hadn't done anything medical, not even studying it, but she was wearing the uniform.
After setting up the pharmacy and rooms, registration began. Then the 2 doctors began seeing the patients. I was allowed to observe in one room with Doctor James. It was interesting to watch the interaction between the Kenyans. Although most of the conversations were not in English, I could generally follow what the chief complaint and the gist of the conversations were. I felt like Doctor James gave me more credit for knowing how to do things than I actually did because he constantly asked me to perform tasks I had no confidence in doing. For example, he asked me to check their ears without a second thought. Then he pulled out the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope for another patient and asked me to confirm the blood pressure. These were things I hadn't known how to do before the medical clinic in India and which I hadn't done since then. Aaagh!
With one patient, I got to test his blood sugar using a glucometer (which I had never done before), and a baby came in with a gash on his head which I got to clean and bandage. However, there was one patient he wanted me to do a breast exam on which I told him I wouldn't know what I was looking for so he had ought to do it. Slightly awkward....but after that I mostly just listened to lung and heart sounds.
One funny moment occurred when Doctor James was examining a patient. Towards the end of the exam, but definitely during the exam, he turns to me and asks if I have finished taking my chai. Now, in order to understand the importance of this question, let me back up. Because Kenya is heavily influenced by British culture, they stick to strict tea times. The morning's work cannot begin until the chai is taken (usually around 10 a.m.). We had arrived, set up the clinic, and were ready to begin when we had to stop to take chai. Sometimes it's extremely inconvenient, but to refuse or rush through this process would be highly offensive. So we had taken chai once, then when I was in with Doctor James, the lady had brought us more chai. At this point, I was about to float away from drinking so much, but to be respectful, I just kept sipping it.
To return to the story now...Doctor James asks me in the middle of the exam if I had finished taking my chai. I thought this was somewhat odd since he was talking to the patient one moment then the next asking this question, but I told him I had taken some chai but was not finished. He asked if I might not like to finish taking my chai, and I asked him if he wished for me to finish. He said yes, so I got up, reached behind the patient for my mug, then quickly swallowed about half the cup in 4 seconds. I didn't want him to have to ask me again, so I didn't leave him the opportunity. Funny, funny.
Lunch was one of the most authentic Kenyan meals I have had since being here. We ate rice with carrot slivers, cabbage, chapati (a kind of bread similar to na'an), and a stew-like mixture of meat (cow, goat? who knows?) and peas with green pepper. Definitely an interesting flavor, although it wasn't bad at all. We also had warm sodas in glass bottles, which is nearly the only ways it's served here. Fanta is common (orange, pineapple) as well as a ginger soda (similar to, but much stronger than, ginger ale).
The clinic saw many people today. I'm not sure what the official number was, but I'm estimating around 80. The second half of the day went much more quickly than the first, but even so, we were nearly an hour later getting ready to leave than we had planned. As we packed and loaded, it was fun to play with the kids hanging around out back. They loved being chased and having their "photo" taken. It's amazing how kids in every culture are similar - it seems like they all like to have their hands in the air as if to say, "Look at me, I'm here." I'll be posting the pics soon on facebook, so keep your eyes open for those.
On our way back, we stopped at a restaurant called Java House. It's known as one of the upper-end restaurants that caters to Americans - supposedly it serves the most authentic burgers and other American food in Nairobi. They also had normal toilets, which is truly something worth mentioning. If you have never traveled outside of the States, you have really been missing out on something we lovingly refer to as the "squatty potty." All it really amounts to is a hole in the ground - no water, no toilet paper, and no soap or sanitizer. You quickly learn 2 things when it comes to relieving yourself in a foreign country: 1) Always use the bathroom when there is one whether you have to go or not; you never know when you're next opportunity may be and 2) always carry tissue in your pockets, because otherwise, you're going to regret not doing so.
After our delicious dinner, we headed back to the AG Gardens 3 where Ruthie's house is located. We had a wonderful day with Uncle Danny, Aunt Chrissy, and Joseph and Anna, plus the whole team. It once again confirmed that I wouldn't mind doing medical clinics in foreign countries for the rest of my life. There are always difficulties such as language barriers, but the end result is worth facing all logistical problems. My heart really reaches out to those who are sick and hurting - I want to be able to diagnose and treat their issues; to use my knowledge of medicine to make someone else's life better. And to do so in a Christian framework. The motto of the clinic today was "We treat, but God heals." I want that message to be the motto of my own career for the rest of my life. We really can't do anything on our own. And it's good to be aware that we are completely reliant on God's power.
Day 7 (part 2): MK Progressive Christmas Dinner
After we arrived back at the Lowenberg's house from visiting Pastor Vincent's church, we had about an hour of down time before getting ready to go to the MK progressive Christmas dinner. In so many ways, I feel like I've been an honorary MK this last week. Julia, Ruthie, and I wrapped our Christmas gifts for the gift exchange, then hurried over to the Burr's house. The Burrs are the directors of the East African Convoy of Hope and have 3 kids: Reed, Riley, and Raelyn. I find it awesome that we once again arrived nearly 20 minutes late, but because it's Africa, it's ok :) You're pretty much on time.
So, the Burrs had appetizers, then we headed to the Nelson's house for egg nog/ hot chocolate and the Christmas stories. The Nelson's have 4 kids (but only 2 here now): Jonathan, Joelle, Jenny, and Josh. House number 3 was the Bass's, and we had the main course there. There were about 20 MKs making these rotations and they ranged in age from about 5 to 25. All of the houses were full and overflowing with laughter and energy. The Bass family has 2 kids: Joseph and Anna. After the meal, we did the gift exchange, drawing numbers for our turn and only being allowed to steal a gift once.
The final house was the Pennington's house. They have 3 kids: Josiah, Priscilla, and Micah. Dessert was served here, and all of the parents joined the party here. After singing some Christmas songs, Santa arrived with gifts for everyone! Including me, the honorary MK :) As the party came to an end, there was still one more tradition: Capture the Flag. And I definitely played, although all of the other girls were somewhat lame and claimed they were too tired to run around ;)
So it was just me, Anna, Taylor, and about 8 other guys. I love playing Capture the Flag, and it was even better playing it with a group that thrived on the tradition. We played 2 games, I got in jail both times, and my team lost both times, and it still was one of the funnest games I have ever played in my life! The MKs here are absolutely amazing and I have enjoyed spending time getting to know them. Most of the kids I played with last night were about 11-16 years old and it was so wonderful to be with young people. After our crushing loss, we returned to the Pennington's house for a game of Cranium and then late-night goodbyes. Aunt Trina commented to me that I was officially one of them after the night (especially since I had joined in on Capture the Flag), and it was one of the nicest things she could have said to me.
In a lot of ways, missionary families are like homeschool families. You have a special interest that uniquely bonds you to other people just like you. Sometimes others people can't understand your way of living, but you love being together and having fun. Age is not a factor and everyone just gets along - whether it's your friend or your friend's siblings. There's a feeling of community and shared love. The parents all like to hang out together and are at ease with one another. Conversations can last for hours. I love being part of this group and felt privileged to be allowed to share in this evening with them.
Last night was also a record since I've been here. I was still awake past 10 p.m. and didn't get to sleep until about an hour later. However, it was probably one of the worst nights to have stayed up so late, because this morning we had to be ready to leave by 6:30 a.m. to head out for the medical clinic. Oh well! I wouldn't have traded the evening for anything.
So, the Burrs had appetizers, then we headed to the Nelson's house for egg nog/ hot chocolate and the Christmas stories. The Nelson's have 4 kids (but only 2 here now): Jonathan, Joelle, Jenny, and Josh. House number 3 was the Bass's, and we had the main course there. There were about 20 MKs making these rotations and they ranged in age from about 5 to 25. All of the houses were full and overflowing with laughter and energy. The Bass family has 2 kids: Joseph and Anna. After the meal, we did the gift exchange, drawing numbers for our turn and only being allowed to steal a gift once.
The final house was the Pennington's house. They have 3 kids: Josiah, Priscilla, and Micah. Dessert was served here, and all of the parents joined the party here. After singing some Christmas songs, Santa arrived with gifts for everyone! Including me, the honorary MK :) As the party came to an end, there was still one more tradition: Capture the Flag. And I definitely played, although all of the other girls were somewhat lame and claimed they were too tired to run around ;)
So it was just me, Anna, Taylor, and about 8 other guys. I love playing Capture the Flag, and it was even better playing it with a group that thrived on the tradition. We played 2 games, I got in jail both times, and my team lost both times, and it still was one of the funnest games I have ever played in my life! The MKs here are absolutely amazing and I have enjoyed spending time getting to know them. Most of the kids I played with last night were about 11-16 years old and it was so wonderful to be with young people. After our crushing loss, we returned to the Pennington's house for a game of Cranium and then late-night goodbyes. Aunt Trina commented to me that I was officially one of them after the night (especially since I had joined in on Capture the Flag), and it was one of the nicest things she could have said to me.
In a lot of ways, missionary families are like homeschool families. You have a special interest that uniquely bonds you to other people just like you. Sometimes others people can't understand your way of living, but you love being together and having fun. Age is not a factor and everyone just gets along - whether it's your friend or your friend's siblings. There's a feeling of community and shared love. The parents all like to hang out together and are at ease with one another. Conversations can last for hours. I love being part of this group and felt privileged to be allowed to share in this evening with them.
Last night was also a record since I've been here. I was still awake past 10 p.m. and didn't get to sleep until about an hour later. However, it was probably one of the worst nights to have stayed up so late, because this morning we had to be ready to leave by 6:30 a.m. to head out for the medical clinic. Oh well! I wouldn't have traded the evening for anything.
Day 7 (part 1): Mathare
I feel like 10,000 things have happened between yesterday morning and this evening. There have been so many experiences and emotions within the past 36 hours...it can be a little overwhelming. I will split the 3 main events up in order to make for easier writing on my part and reading on your part :) The events are 1) Mathare, 2) MK Progressive Christmas Dinner, and 3) Naivasha Medical Clinic.
Day 7: Mathare, a Lesson in Compassion
Yesterday we had the great honor of visiting Pastor Vincent at his church located near Eastleigh and Mathare (one of the largest slums in Kenya). As we drove towards the church, I was once again reminded of Calcutta, India in regard to the level of poverty. There were many street vendors and manual laborers, the sewage ran open, and trash littered the roads. I felt safe enough with Ruthie's dad with us, but otherwise I would never have been in this area alone.
As we made our way across the street (dodging traffic and trying not to be run over by the matatus, or taxi vans), we met one of the volunteers at the church/school named Douglas. He was to accompany us later in the day and was a valuable person to have along for understanding the culture and language. Once we were inside, we were greeted by a thundering chant of "Welcome, welcome," yelled over and over by the 40 children inside the building. It almost made us feel like celebrities. The greeting continued for so long that I was nearly embarrassed :)
We met with Pastor Vincent who showed us around the building and the kitchen where the food for the lunch was being prepared. Their church has a feeding program once a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the kids, and the meal consists of rice, beans, and small amounts of tomatoes/carrots/onions. For many of these children, this is the only food they will eat in the week. While the food was being prepared, we decided to take a walk into Eastleigh. This area is predominantly Muslim and one the church is trying to reach. There were many shops and Muslim schools.
As we walked, it was fun to hear all the kids greeting us. Sometimes the only English they know is "How are you?" And they all know that phrase....I think I heard it about 10 bajillion times over the course of the day. How are you? I am fine. How are you? How are you? I am fine, how are you? Haha! Also, as we walked, the kids would run up and grab our hands or follow behind us like a parade or game of follow the leader. It was quite adorable.
We toured some of the properties the church was looking at, considering buying to expand their ministry. After these viewings, we headed back to check on the food preparations. They weren't quite ready, but we got to play with the kids while we were waiting. They knew much English so it was easy to communicate with them. They also loved singing old-school church songs such as "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" and "Here I am to Worship." I love how all kids in any culture love to be hugged and held. And, of course, every kids knows the power of communicating through smiles. The thing I got the most enjoyment out of though was their fascination with my hair; they wouldn't stop touching/pulling it. We definitely were a unique sight in Eastleigh and the church - I'm thinking not many white people had gone through that area.
After this brief visit with the kids, we headed back out into Mathare. I have been in poor areas in India, but nothing could prepare me for what I witnessed in Mathare. This was one of the worst examples of what a slum could be. As we walked, the awful odor of human waste, open sewage, butchered meat, and trash was pervasive. It took nearly everything in me not to gag. Fortunately Pastor Vincent and Douglas were with us or else we never would have ventured in. They knew some of the people there - parents of kids who attended their school.
The first lady we visited was named Mama Joseph. (Here all the women go by Mama and the name of their eldest child. I find it quite interesting since in other cultures, children are identified by their parents, not the other way around.) So we followed Mama Joseph down this tiny narrow alley strung with drying laundry and with open sewage running down the middle to her "home." Her home consisted of a tiny little room with barely room for a small bench, table, and bed. It was dark and crowded, especially with the 8 of us in there. She told us her story...and my heart broke. She had 4 children and her husband had died 4 years ago of HIV/AIDS. When she went back to his hometown (which they do to bury the dead), she was disowned and left with nothing but what she was wearing. She sought work in Nairobi, but no work was to be found. (This turned out to be the theme of the slums.) And then she tested positive for HIV/AIDS as well. Her rent only is 1000 shillings a month (about $12.50), but she can't afford it. The most common type of work women do is to wait at a street corner for the chance to wash laundry all day (12 hours) and be paid 100 shillings (just over $1.00). It's a truly unjust and heart-wrenching situation. We listened and prayed with Mama Joseph before continuing on. She has the joy of the Lord, but the life of a HIV/AIDS positive person in Africa is lonely and isolating due to uneducation, misunderstanding, and human cruelty. And, most of the time, it seems like a hopeless problem without a solution.
We made our way ever deeper into the slum, being called white person all the way by drunks and men who were high, stumbling into our path and harassing us. The Pastor asked me at one point if I was frightened yet, and I told him I wasn't because he and Ruthie's dad showed no fear. We saw the brewery where they made illegal alcohol, and then we stopped in to visit with Mama Hillary.
Mama Hillary had just as sad of a story as Mama Joseph. She had 3 children of her own and was also caring for 5 of her sister's children (since her sister had died). Her husband had died in a vehicle accident and his family had disowned her due to issues with the dowry - claiming they weren't married since the dowry hadn't completely been paid. She was left with nothing, rent she couldn't afford, and 8 kids to care for in the slum. It was so disheartening. I nearly cried several times seeing the pain and desperate plight these people were in. But although they had a hard life, they knew no differently - they had no hope of anything else, but they had hope in Jesus.
After the visit to the slum, we went back to the church and observed the feeding program. It was amazing to see how the kids had waited patiently all morning when they were probably starving. I was asked to say the prayer for the food, and after the "amen," they all started clapping like I'd given a speech. These tiny little bodies ate a huge portion and then went back for seconds. We weren't planning on eating their food, but as Kenyans do, they honored us far above what we felt we deserved and served us as well.
It was difficult to say goodbye, but other obligations awaited us, so we departed. I will forever look up to Pastor Vincent and the man he is. I know he can only do what he does by the grace and power of God - how else could one deal with so much suffering and injustice? It may seem hopeless, but we know that Jesus is the only one who can offer lasting and real hope for the world.
Although it will take some time to process, I know this visit was part of what I needed to see while here in Kenya. In order to meet people's needs, you must go where the hurting dwell. It's easy to say we love the poor and take care of the needy, but do we understand the extent of what we're called to do as Christians - followers of the one who created the men and women of the slums as well as those who sit in executive offices in developed countries? I know this experience has made a huge impact on my heart and challenged me in a deeper way than I could have even been without this encounter.
Day 7: Mathare, a Lesson in Compassion
Yesterday we had the great honor of visiting Pastor Vincent at his church located near Eastleigh and Mathare (one of the largest slums in Kenya). As we drove towards the church, I was once again reminded of Calcutta, India in regard to the level of poverty. There were many street vendors and manual laborers, the sewage ran open, and trash littered the roads. I felt safe enough with Ruthie's dad with us, but otherwise I would never have been in this area alone.
As we made our way across the street (dodging traffic and trying not to be run over by the matatus, or taxi vans), we met one of the volunteers at the church/school named Douglas. He was to accompany us later in the day and was a valuable person to have along for understanding the culture and language. Once we were inside, we were greeted by a thundering chant of "Welcome, welcome," yelled over and over by the 40 children inside the building. It almost made us feel like celebrities. The greeting continued for so long that I was nearly embarrassed :)
We met with Pastor Vincent who showed us around the building and the kitchen where the food for the lunch was being prepared. Their church has a feeding program once a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the kids, and the meal consists of rice, beans, and small amounts of tomatoes/carrots/onions. For many of these children, this is the only food they will eat in the week. While the food was being prepared, we decided to take a walk into Eastleigh. This area is predominantly Muslim and one the church is trying to reach. There were many shops and Muslim schools.
As we walked, it was fun to hear all the kids greeting us. Sometimes the only English they know is "How are you?" And they all know that phrase....I think I heard it about 10 bajillion times over the course of the day. How are you? I am fine. How are you? How are you? I am fine, how are you? Haha! Also, as we walked, the kids would run up and grab our hands or follow behind us like a parade or game of follow the leader. It was quite adorable.
We toured some of the properties the church was looking at, considering buying to expand their ministry. After these viewings, we headed back to check on the food preparations. They weren't quite ready, but we got to play with the kids while we were waiting. They knew much English so it was easy to communicate with them. They also loved singing old-school church songs such as "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" and "Here I am to Worship." I love how all kids in any culture love to be hugged and held. And, of course, every kids knows the power of communicating through smiles. The thing I got the most enjoyment out of though was their fascination with my hair; they wouldn't stop touching/pulling it. We definitely were a unique sight in Eastleigh and the church - I'm thinking not many white people had gone through that area.
After this brief visit with the kids, we headed back out into Mathare. I have been in poor areas in India, but nothing could prepare me for what I witnessed in Mathare. This was one of the worst examples of what a slum could be. As we walked, the awful odor of human waste, open sewage, butchered meat, and trash was pervasive. It took nearly everything in me not to gag. Fortunately Pastor Vincent and Douglas were with us or else we never would have ventured in. They knew some of the people there - parents of kids who attended their school.
The first lady we visited was named Mama Joseph. (Here all the women go by Mama and the name of their eldest child. I find it quite interesting since in other cultures, children are identified by their parents, not the other way around.) So we followed Mama Joseph down this tiny narrow alley strung with drying laundry and with open sewage running down the middle to her "home." Her home consisted of a tiny little room with barely room for a small bench, table, and bed. It was dark and crowded, especially with the 8 of us in there. She told us her story...and my heart broke. She had 4 children and her husband had died 4 years ago of HIV/AIDS. When she went back to his hometown (which they do to bury the dead), she was disowned and left with nothing but what she was wearing. She sought work in Nairobi, but no work was to be found. (This turned out to be the theme of the slums.) And then she tested positive for HIV/AIDS as well. Her rent only is 1000 shillings a month (about $12.50), but she can't afford it. The most common type of work women do is to wait at a street corner for the chance to wash laundry all day (12 hours) and be paid 100 shillings (just over $1.00). It's a truly unjust and heart-wrenching situation. We listened and prayed with Mama Joseph before continuing on. She has the joy of the Lord, but the life of a HIV/AIDS positive person in Africa is lonely and isolating due to uneducation, misunderstanding, and human cruelty. And, most of the time, it seems like a hopeless problem without a solution.
We made our way ever deeper into the slum, being called white person all the way by drunks and men who were high, stumbling into our path and harassing us. The Pastor asked me at one point if I was frightened yet, and I told him I wasn't because he and Ruthie's dad showed no fear. We saw the brewery where they made illegal alcohol, and then we stopped in to visit with Mama Hillary.
Mama Hillary had just as sad of a story as Mama Joseph. She had 3 children of her own and was also caring for 5 of her sister's children (since her sister had died). Her husband had died in a vehicle accident and his family had disowned her due to issues with the dowry - claiming they weren't married since the dowry hadn't completely been paid. She was left with nothing, rent she couldn't afford, and 8 kids to care for in the slum. It was so disheartening. I nearly cried several times seeing the pain and desperate plight these people were in. But although they had a hard life, they knew no differently - they had no hope of anything else, but they had hope in Jesus.
After the visit to the slum, we went back to the church and observed the feeding program. It was amazing to see how the kids had waited patiently all morning when they were probably starving. I was asked to say the prayer for the food, and after the "amen," they all started clapping like I'd given a speech. These tiny little bodies ate a huge portion and then went back for seconds. We weren't planning on eating their food, but as Kenyans do, they honored us far above what we felt we deserved and served us as well.
It was difficult to say goodbye, but other obligations awaited us, so we departed. I will forever look up to Pastor Vincent and the man he is. I know he can only do what he does by the grace and power of God - how else could one deal with so much suffering and injustice? It may seem hopeless, but we know that Jesus is the only one who can offer lasting and real hope for the world.
Although it will take some time to process, I know this visit was part of what I needed to see while here in Kenya. In order to meet people's needs, you must go where the hurting dwell. It's easy to say we love the poor and take care of the needy, but do we understand the extent of what we're called to do as Christians - followers of the one who created the men and women of the slums as well as those who sit in executive offices in developed countries? I know this experience has made a huge impact on my heart and challenged me in a deeper way than I could have even been without this encounter.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Day 6: Sun and Pedicures
Tuesday morning we woke up bright and early. Or more like just early...it wasn't bright yet. It's amazing what jet lag/going to bed at 9 p.m. can do for you. Hello 5:30 a.m. wake-up time :) Ruthie headed out with her dad to pick Julia up from the airport since she was flying in from Sudan. I stayed back with her mom. When they returned, there was a huge celebration. It's interesting seeing a family reunited after being separated for an entire year - not by choice, just by geographical situation. It was wonderful having Julia back and having her perspective of Kenya - she nearly cried when she saw the green grass and heard Christmas music playing in the airport. And she was cold. Haha!!! Coming from Sudan is definitely a shock.
We had a delicious breakfast, then Julia napped while Ruthie and I read. Around 1 p.m., we headed over to the Windsor for lunch. Can you guess what we ate? Haha! Once again, we had pizza. I'm beginning to feel like we're in Italy with all the pizza and spaghetti. But definitely not complaining...I love Italian food :) We sat out by the pool and soaked in the sun for a while. We all are pasty white and trying not to burn ourselves, so we were definitely lathered up in sunscreen and had umbrellas just in case. Once we started sweating a ton, we decided to use them. At 2 p.m., the rounds of pedicures and manicures began. This was my first time to have a pedicure and it was wonderful. It was also interesting that the salon was playing American television shows....including soaps. Except everything here is broadcast/referred to by 24 hour-time. So the shows were listed by 18:30 African Central Time.
Along with the time, everything else here is referenced by using the metric system. Litres, kilometres, grams....aagh! It's so frustrating that America is the only country that's not with the program. I was telling the lady working on my nails that I am loving the warmth and sun here and that back home it's snowing. She asked how cold it was there, and I only knew that at 0 Celsius it freezes, so it had to be at least that cold. She was so shocked. They can't comprehend snow here unless they've climbed the mountains because they've only seen it on t.v. But once again, it was frustrating not understanding their units of measurement...in this case, Celsius.
After a leisurely afternoon spent relaxing by the pool and being pampered, we went back to the house for dinner and then we started a Christmas movie - Home Alone. It was only 8:30 p.m., but we all crashed and fell asleep. It's somewhat pathetic after all the long nights back at school. Ruthie and I were discussing how we're turning into her parents - going to bed by 9 p.m. when at school we would barely have even started homework or would be planning to meet up with friends in 2 hours.
Today we're going to meet with a pastor and observe a feeding distribution at a school. It will be a wonderful experience to see the nutritional status of the kids in a developing country. And later on we will be participating in a MK progressive dinner!
We had a delicious breakfast, then Julia napped while Ruthie and I read. Around 1 p.m., we headed over to the Windsor for lunch. Can you guess what we ate? Haha! Once again, we had pizza. I'm beginning to feel like we're in Italy with all the pizza and spaghetti. But definitely not complaining...I love Italian food :) We sat out by the pool and soaked in the sun for a while. We all are pasty white and trying not to burn ourselves, so we were definitely lathered up in sunscreen and had umbrellas just in case. Once we started sweating a ton, we decided to use them. At 2 p.m., the rounds of pedicures and manicures began. This was my first time to have a pedicure and it was wonderful. It was also interesting that the salon was playing American television shows....including soaps. Except everything here is broadcast/referred to by 24 hour-time. So the shows were listed by 18:30 African Central Time.
Along with the time, everything else here is referenced by using the metric system. Litres, kilometres, grams....aagh! It's so frustrating that America is the only country that's not with the program. I was telling the lady working on my nails that I am loving the warmth and sun here and that back home it's snowing. She asked how cold it was there, and I only knew that at 0 Celsius it freezes, so it had to be at least that cold. She was so shocked. They can't comprehend snow here unless they've climbed the mountains because they've only seen it on t.v. But once again, it was frustrating not understanding their units of measurement...in this case, Celsius.
After a leisurely afternoon spent relaxing by the pool and being pampered, we went back to the house for dinner and then we started a Christmas movie - Home Alone. It was only 8:30 p.m., but we all crashed and fell asleep. It's somewhat pathetic after all the long nights back at school. Ruthie and I were discussing how we're turning into her parents - going to bed by 9 p.m. when at school we would barely have even started homework or would be planning to meet up with friends in 2 hours.
Today we're going to meet with a pastor and observe a feeding distribution at a school. It will be a wonderful experience to see the nutritional status of the kids in a developing country. And later on we will be participating in a MK progressive dinner!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Day 5: Continued...
Day 5: Continued...
Because we didn't have a clock in our room, we kind of guestimated the time of the day. It went kind of like this: if it was dark out, go back to sleep; if the sun had risen, it was at least 6 a.m. - make decision accordingly. So, once the sun rose and I had woken up for the 4th time that morning, I decided it was time to get up. Haha! When I got downstairs and saw the time, it was only 6 a.m.
After breakfast and packing, we headed out on our way back to Nairobi. We had driven past the Great Rift Valley lookout points on the way down, and on our way back, we stopped to take some pictures. It was a little hazy, but absolutely spectacular. It is interesting as well how people here will flock to you trying to sell you items. They constantly are pushing merchandise in your face, telling you they have a good Christmas. It's so funny how they take the holiday out of context. We managed to not buy anything and still take our pictures, but how? I'm not sure :)
Another interesting thing I noticed about the trip was the number of animals along the side of the road. As we drove, we passed herds of goats and sheep, mules grazing, chickens and geese wandering about, cows and horses, and zebras. The animals were literally next to the highway just eating away, not tied down or anything. It really was quite a remarkable sight.
Once back at the house, I crashed. I figure this late in to being in Kenya, it would be ok to take a nap and still not be screwed up for sleeping later in the evening. Plus, I had taken 2 Dramamine for the road since it is bumpy and jostling in the Land Cruiser on Kenyan roads and I don't do too well with rear-wheel drive. So I was definitely fighting the drowsiness from the medicine and slept for some time when we came back.
Around 3:30 we headed over to the Windsor as a family to exercise. Ruthie and her dad used the gym, and I went with her mom to walk the 5K trail today. It really was gorgeous and I wish I had brought my camera with me because as we walked we came across a ton of monkeys. They would just be sitting by the path eating...something...maybe nuts? The closest thing I can compare them to in the States are squirrels - just sitting there watching you, crossing the path lazily, not skiddish at all. After the walk, we stopped by the spa at the Windsor and made appointments for pedicures/manicures tomorrow. It's gonna be great!
Tonight we are just chilling. It's been wonderful not having a schedule. Tomorrow Julia flies in from Sudan. It's certainly an exciting thing for the Lowenberg family! It will be the first time they've all been together again since last year at Christmas.
That's it for now. I'm going to try to post pictures soon so be looking for those. Until next time...
Because we didn't have a clock in our room, we kind of guestimated the time of the day. It went kind of like this: if it was dark out, go back to sleep; if the sun had risen, it was at least 6 a.m. - make decision accordingly. So, once the sun rose and I had woken up for the 4th time that morning, I decided it was time to get up. Haha! When I got downstairs and saw the time, it was only 6 a.m.
After breakfast and packing, we headed out on our way back to Nairobi. We had driven past the Great Rift Valley lookout points on the way down, and on our way back, we stopped to take some pictures. It was a little hazy, but absolutely spectacular. It is interesting as well how people here will flock to you trying to sell you items. They constantly are pushing merchandise in your face, telling you they have a good Christmas. It's so funny how they take the holiday out of context. We managed to not buy anything and still take our pictures, but how? I'm not sure :)
Another interesting thing I noticed about the trip was the number of animals along the side of the road. As we drove, we passed herds of goats and sheep, mules grazing, chickens and geese wandering about, cows and horses, and zebras. The animals were literally next to the highway just eating away, not tied down or anything. It really was quite a remarkable sight.
Once back at the house, I crashed. I figure this late in to being in Kenya, it would be ok to take a nap and still not be screwed up for sleeping later in the evening. Plus, I had taken 2 Dramamine for the road since it is bumpy and jostling in the Land Cruiser on Kenyan roads and I don't do too well with rear-wheel drive. So I was definitely fighting the drowsiness from the medicine and slept for some time when we came back.
Around 3:30 we headed over to the Windsor as a family to exercise. Ruthie and her dad used the gym, and I went with her mom to walk the 5K trail today. It really was gorgeous and I wish I had brought my camera with me because as we walked we came across a ton of monkeys. They would just be sitting by the path eating...something...maybe nuts? The closest thing I can compare them to in the States are squirrels - just sitting there watching you, crossing the path lazily, not skiddish at all. After the walk, we stopped by the spa at the Windsor and made appointments for pedicures/manicures tomorrow. It's gonna be great!
Tonight we are just chilling. It's been wonderful not having a schedule. Tomorrow Julia flies in from Sudan. It's certainly an exciting thing for the Lowenberg family! It will be the first time they've all been together again since last year at Christmas.
That's it for now. I'm going to try to post pictures soon so be looking for those. Until next time...
Days 3-5: Tree House
So, just a quick recap on Friday night before relating what we did this weekend.
After we got settled in, Ruthie, her mom, and I headed over to a place called Windsor which is a local Country Club the Lowenbergs have a membership with. It's a cool place with a pool, nature trails, a restaurant, workout room, and beauty salon. We sat by the pool for a while and soaked in the equatorial sun, then we went for a 1K walk (just over a mile). It was certainly refreshing. Along the trail we saw monkeys in the treetops!!! I definitely felt like I was in Africa after that experience.
That evening, Ruthie and I joined several other girls at the Nelson's house to have a girl night with making pizzas and watching Sense and Sensibility. We were officially on Kenyan time and arrived in style 30 minutes late. I loved hanging out with the missionary families and enjoying their crazy personalities. We made the pizzas, which were delicious, then we watched the movie. However, jet lag had finally caught up, and about 20 minutes in, both Ruthie and I were asleep. We didn't feel bad though because we had made it to 8 p.m. When we woke up around 9 p.m. we headed back to their house and slept soundly for the next 12 hours :)
Day 3 - Weekend Get-Away
Saturday morning we headed out to Malu along with the Pennington family for a weekend of relaxing. On our way out, we stopped on the side of the road for one of Ruthie's favorite treats: grilled corn. It was an ear of corn roasted so that it was not quite crunchy, but also not quite popped. It also had a slight chewy texture, but overall it was extremely tasty. We stopped off at a missionary friend's house on the way to our destination to see their gorgeous home. We honestly were in the middle of no-where, on the bumpy back roads covered in dust and cacti. Their house was amazing though. Half of it was a huge porch, open to the outside, which is totally ok here because the temperature is mild year-round. Their porch overlooked a river, which according to them was the home to several hippos. Just the other day, the man of the family had almost died by being charged by a buffalo. The head was still on their property to prove the story true.
After visiting the Smith family, we continued on to Malu and the Tree House.
(For pictures and information, check out the following link:
http://www.malu-kenya.com/accommodation/tree_house/index.php) Once we arrived, we toured our home away from home, unpacked, and just chilled. The whole weekend was wonderful because we had no schedule, no tv/internet/phone/etc. and just each other for company. The Pennington family consists of: Uncle Steve, Aunt Trina, Josiah (19), Priscilla (17), and Micah (13). We played card games, worked on puzzles, read, and sat out in the sun. Jet lag was still an issue and we fought it until about 9 p.m. when we all headed to bed.
Day 4: The Killer Walk and Barbeque
I awoke to a suicidal bird ramming itself into our upstairs window. It was freezing outside of the covers, but since the sun was up and I had slept 10 hours, I decided it was best to start the day. We slept with mosquito nets, which was a first for me, but definitely appreciated. Although we were in the middle of no-where, we still had hot water (warmed by burning wood) and electricity at night (run by the generator), so it could hardly be considered "roughing it." After everyone else was up and about, we had breakfast, then we drove up to the guest center to retrieve a guide for a "forrest walk." Apparently, there are wild animals and we should never walk alone - I'm all about being safe and not lost, so it was wonderful to have a native show the way.
We started out on the 2-hour trek and continued to climb up, up, up. For an out-of-shape, never-lived-in-high-altitude, been-sick-for-the-last-week type of girl, it was a little difficult. At one point, I really did think I was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, but we rested as we climbed, and we made it to the top. Fortunately, it wasn't just me. Josiah and Ruthie were also struggling with the altitude. Once at the top, the view was spectacular. We could see the mountains and all kinds of awesome plants. As we walked, I kept seeing cacti and dessert-like plants - kept bringing back memories of botany and C4 carbon cycles we studied in chemistry. I had Ruthie take several pictures to show Lauren back home because I know she'll appreciate them as much as I did :) At the top of the cliff, there was an electric fence which we followed for some time. That was a little unnerving just because the path was so narrow and if you slipped at all you could fall into the fence. Yikes!!! But we were all ok. As we continued on, we reached a plunge pool where we took a few minutes to soak our feet and relax in the shade. Then we had a short hike back to the guest center before the trail was complete. It honestly was so much fun once the dizziness had left.
That afternoon we did more of the same - some napped, others read or played games. Then we drove back to the Smith's awesome house for a barbeque. It was wonderful and the food was delicious. It's kind of interesting to see the different types of food eaten in Africa. For instance, their juices are all made with concentrate and are tropical: mango, passion, papaya. Diet Coke is called Coke Light. They have Blue Band margarine and Doorman's coffee which are supposedly the best in the world :) The cheese is never purchased sliced. They have currant soda instead of a grape soda. They also have different terms for certain items such as napkins - if you say napkins here, you're referring to feminine hygiene products; instead they're called serviettes. Definitely something I am trying to keep in mind.
But back to the barbeque. While we were there, there was a huge splash. The Smiths knew right away it was a hippo and they tried to grab a flashlight so we could see for ourselves, but we missed it. It would have been so cool to have seen! Once again, we fought jet lag until about 8 p.m. then crashed. By 9 p.m. we had made it back to our tree house and in bed.
(Blog will be continued later this evening for Day 5. Now it's time to eat Mama Ruthie's famous pizza!)
After we got settled in, Ruthie, her mom, and I headed over to a place called Windsor which is a local Country Club the Lowenbergs have a membership with. It's a cool place with a pool, nature trails, a restaurant, workout room, and beauty salon. We sat by the pool for a while and soaked in the equatorial sun, then we went for a 1K walk (just over a mile). It was certainly refreshing. Along the trail we saw monkeys in the treetops!!! I definitely felt like I was in Africa after that experience.
That evening, Ruthie and I joined several other girls at the Nelson's house to have a girl night with making pizzas and watching Sense and Sensibility. We were officially on Kenyan time and arrived in style 30 minutes late. I loved hanging out with the missionary families and enjoying their crazy personalities. We made the pizzas, which were delicious, then we watched the movie. However, jet lag had finally caught up, and about 20 minutes in, both Ruthie and I were asleep. We didn't feel bad though because we had made it to 8 p.m. When we woke up around 9 p.m. we headed back to their house and slept soundly for the next 12 hours :)
Day 3 - Weekend Get-Away
Saturday morning we headed out to Malu along with the Pennington family for a weekend of relaxing. On our way out, we stopped on the side of the road for one of Ruthie's favorite treats: grilled corn. It was an ear of corn roasted so that it was not quite crunchy, but also not quite popped. It also had a slight chewy texture, but overall it was extremely tasty. We stopped off at a missionary friend's house on the way to our destination to see their gorgeous home. We honestly were in the middle of no-where, on the bumpy back roads covered in dust and cacti. Their house was amazing though. Half of it was a huge porch, open to the outside, which is totally ok here because the temperature is mild year-round. Their porch overlooked a river, which according to them was the home to several hippos. Just the other day, the man of the family had almost died by being charged by a buffalo. The head was still on their property to prove the story true.
After visiting the Smith family, we continued on to Malu and the Tree House.
(For pictures and information, check out the following link:
http://www.malu-kenya.com/accommodation/tree_house/index.php) Once we arrived, we toured our home away from home, unpacked, and just chilled. The whole weekend was wonderful because we had no schedule, no tv/internet/phone/etc. and just each other for company. The Pennington family consists of: Uncle Steve, Aunt Trina, Josiah (19), Priscilla (17), and Micah (13). We played card games, worked on puzzles, read, and sat out in the sun. Jet lag was still an issue and we fought it until about 9 p.m. when we all headed to bed.
Day 4: The Killer Walk and Barbeque
I awoke to a suicidal bird ramming itself into our upstairs window. It was freezing outside of the covers, but since the sun was up and I had slept 10 hours, I decided it was best to start the day. We slept with mosquito nets, which was a first for me, but definitely appreciated. Although we were in the middle of no-where, we still had hot water (warmed by burning wood) and electricity at night (run by the generator), so it could hardly be considered "roughing it." After everyone else was up and about, we had breakfast, then we drove up to the guest center to retrieve a guide for a "forrest walk." Apparently, there are wild animals and we should never walk alone - I'm all about being safe and not lost, so it was wonderful to have a native show the way.
We started out on the 2-hour trek and continued to climb up, up, up. For an out-of-shape, never-lived-in-high-altitude, been-sick-for-the-last-week type of girl, it was a little difficult. At one point, I really did think I was going to pass out from lack of oxygen, but we rested as we climbed, and we made it to the top. Fortunately, it wasn't just me. Josiah and Ruthie were also struggling with the altitude. Once at the top, the view was spectacular. We could see the mountains and all kinds of awesome plants. As we walked, I kept seeing cacti and dessert-like plants - kept bringing back memories of botany and C4 carbon cycles we studied in chemistry. I had Ruthie take several pictures to show Lauren back home because I know she'll appreciate them as much as I did :) At the top of the cliff, there was an electric fence which we followed for some time. That was a little unnerving just because the path was so narrow and if you slipped at all you could fall into the fence. Yikes!!! But we were all ok. As we continued on, we reached a plunge pool where we took a few minutes to soak our feet and relax in the shade. Then we had a short hike back to the guest center before the trail was complete. It honestly was so much fun once the dizziness had left.
That afternoon we did more of the same - some napped, others read or played games. Then we drove back to the Smith's awesome house for a barbeque. It was wonderful and the food was delicious. It's kind of interesting to see the different types of food eaten in Africa. For instance, their juices are all made with concentrate and are tropical: mango, passion, papaya. Diet Coke is called Coke Light. They have Blue Band margarine and Doorman's coffee which are supposedly the best in the world :) The cheese is never purchased sliced. They have currant soda instead of a grape soda. They also have different terms for certain items such as napkins - if you say napkins here, you're referring to feminine hygiene products; instead they're called serviettes. Definitely something I am trying to keep in mind.
But back to the barbeque. While we were there, there was a huge splash. The Smiths knew right away it was a hippo and they tried to grab a flashlight so we could see for ourselves, but we missed it. It would have been so cool to have seen! Once again, we fought jet lag until about 8 p.m. then crashed. By 9 p.m. we had made it back to our tree house and in bed.
(Blog will be continued later this evening for Day 5. Now it's time to eat Mama Ruthie's famous pizza!)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Day 2 - Arrival!!!!
We landed in Nairobi, Kenya this morning at 5:56 a.m. As the sun rose, the plane decended. Everything went smoothly as we applied for visas, grabbed our luggage, and slipped through customs without drawing attention to ourselves. Ruthie's dad was waiting for us with a huge grin, friendly wave, and embracing hug. As we walked out of the airport, I was overwhelmed with familiarity - although never having been in Kenya, it was like India in so many ways. Everything from the toilets to the open-air atmosphere of the buildings, the palm trees to the crazy traffic was reminiscent of my other foreign country visit.
We hopped into the vehicle and headed out. One thing that takes getting used to is that traffic is reversed from America. Everyone drives on the left. And they are crazy drivers. After having the craziness of Indian traffic, I was prepared for Kenyan traffic. In fact, in many ways, Kenyan drivers are much safer. However, there really are no rules that are followed. You make your own speed, your own lanes, your own mergings. The difficult thing about driving in Kenya are the incessant jams; pile-ups at the round-abouts where literally no one moves for 10 minutes or more. And as you sit idling, hawkers approach your car offering goods - including pirated dvds, signs, newspapers, cowboy hats, and peanuts.
The compound where Ruthie's family lives is like a family of neighbors. I have met so many "aunts" and "uncles" already. After a year away, it was like a huge family reunion for Ruthie. Students at Evangel who I knew were MKs from Kenya literally live next-door.
Once at her house, we had a late breakfast (10 a.m.; haha!) of delicious muffins, fruit, and coffee. I received the tour of the house, and we both took much-needed and anticipated showers. After traveling for two days straight, it was certainly wonderful to be clean again :)
Our plans today are not settled, but I think we're headed to a place where the Lowenbergs like to go walking. The goal is to stay awake all day so that we can have our internal clocks regulate to Kenyan time as fast as possible. It's going to be difficult after having had so little sleep the last two days, but we're going to try. Tomorrow we head out to an awesome resort with the Pennington's. Getting excited!!!
Oh, and one last funny/not-so-funny moment of today. When I pulled my suitcase off the conveyor at the airport, I noticed some liquid soap on the outside corner. However, I really didn't think much about it. But when we got to Ruthie's house and opened it, we found a lovely soapy pink mess awaiting us. Ruthie had put some things in my suitcase because her's was over the weight limit in the States. Apparently, they had inspected my suitcase and didn't seal her shampoo back in the bag and the lid exploded. So, nearly everything in my suitcase needs washed. Haha! Fortunately, there's a washing machine here :) Life never is boring!
We hopped into the vehicle and headed out. One thing that takes getting used to is that traffic is reversed from America. Everyone drives on the left. And they are crazy drivers. After having the craziness of Indian traffic, I was prepared for Kenyan traffic. In fact, in many ways, Kenyan drivers are much safer. However, there really are no rules that are followed. You make your own speed, your own lanes, your own mergings. The difficult thing about driving in Kenya are the incessant jams; pile-ups at the round-abouts where literally no one moves for 10 minutes or more. And as you sit idling, hawkers approach your car offering goods - including pirated dvds, signs, newspapers, cowboy hats, and peanuts.
The compound where Ruthie's family lives is like a family of neighbors. I have met so many "aunts" and "uncles" already. After a year away, it was like a huge family reunion for Ruthie. Students at Evangel who I knew were MKs from Kenya literally live next-door.
Once at her house, we had a late breakfast (10 a.m.; haha!) of delicious muffins, fruit, and coffee. I received the tour of the house, and we both took much-needed and anticipated showers. After traveling for two days straight, it was certainly wonderful to be clean again :)
Our plans today are not settled, but I think we're headed to a place where the Lowenbergs like to go walking. The goal is to stay awake all day so that we can have our internal clocks regulate to Kenyan time as fast as possible. It's going to be difficult after having had so little sleep the last two days, but we're going to try. Tomorrow we head out to an awesome resort with the Pennington's. Getting excited!!!
Oh, and one last funny/not-so-funny moment of today. When I pulled my suitcase off the conveyor at the airport, I noticed some liquid soap on the outside corner. However, I really didn't think much about it. But when we got to Ruthie's house and opened it, we found a lovely soapy pink mess awaiting us. Ruthie had put some things in my suitcase because her's was over the weight limit in the States. Apparently, they had inspected my suitcase and didn't seal her shampoo back in the bag and the lid exploded. So, nearly everything in my suitcase needs washed. Haha! Fortunately, there's a washing machine here :) Life never is boring!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
The Three Weeks of Christmas - Day 1 and Delays
With the encouragement of my friends and family, I have decided to keep an online blog of my travels this Christmas break. The story of how I am now heading to Nairobi, Kenya began nearly a year ago when one of my best friends, Ruthie Lowenberg, who is an MK to Kenya, mentioned how awesome it would be if we could come home with her for Christmas break. And the wheels in my head started turning. After my missions trip to India, I have additional funds that could be applied to an A/G-sponsored trip. So with those funds and the help of Lifeworks, I purchased my plane ticket in July. Now, nearly 7 months later, I am on my way for 3 weeks of greatly anticipated, unexperienced adventures :) Want to hear about them? Continue reading....
Day 1
Our flight from Springfield left Wednesday afternoon, December 15. Now, after a connection through Dallas, Ruthie and I are hanging out in the London airport. Why? That would be due to the fact that we missed our connection to Nairobi. The luggage crew in Dallas loaded some containers wrong (or something to that extent) and we waited on the tarmack for an hour and half before take-off while they re-packed our luggage. Well, because of this unintended event, we landed in London late.
As we waited on board the plane after touching down in London, Ruthie and I started to become anxious about making our next flight. The minutes slipped by and, with it, our hopes of making our connection. We pulled up to the airport at 10:06 a.m. and our next flight left at 10:10 a.m. And that was even before we could get off of the plane. So, we accepted the reality that we would have to wait for a flight, took our time and retrieved our carry-ons, then got in an enormously long line to have our schedule corrected. Fortunately, we were able to get on an evening flight with a different airline. Now we will arrive in Kenya around 6:30 a.m. Friday (17th) morning instead of 9:00 p.m. Thursday (16th) night.
Traveling is such an amazing experience. It greatly expands your view of the world, the people of it, the different customs and lifestyle of cultures, and the similarities of humanity that cross all other barriers. For example, I love standing in line and observing other people - all of us with different colors of skin, heights, and languages, yet we can communicate with the simplest gesture or the glimpse of a smile. Traveling also brings out people's true character. I've seen frustrated, exhausted travelers, and I've also seen parents with great patience and joy. I've seen travelers give up their seat so a family can sit together, and I've also seen travelers run other people over on the walkways in their hurry to get somewhere.
Some of the more interesting things I've seen in London that are not common to the States follow: 1) Driving on the left side of the road; this one still gets me, even after being in India. 2) Calling sandwiches, "toasties"; funny story, I asked the waitress what a toastie was and she couldn't really explain it. So I offered a suggestion: perhaps it was like toast, a piece of bread, etc. She agreed, but upon further clarification, we determined it was sandwich. Haha! Gotta love being separated by a common language. 3) Everything is in pounds. Aaagh! This wouldn't be nearly as frustrating as it is at the moment if we knew the conversion rate. Alas, we don't. So, pretty much we don't know if we are spending a lot or a little, how much tax might be, if there's tax at all, how much to tip, etc. Never thought it could be so complicated. 4) The pronunciation of certain words and usage of other words for common things. For example, elevators here are called "lifts." Also, tomato soup and basil are pronounced toe-mah-toe and bah-sill. If I didn't know what they were saying in context, I might not be able to understand their lingo at all!!! :)
Well, that's it for now. There are about 12 hours more between me and Nairobi!!! Until then, I'm going to hunt up a Starbucks for some much needed caffeine. I'm on guard now while Ruthie sleeps - otherwise, our stuff might be stolen or we could both oversleep our flight. Now wouldn't that be just peachy if we missed our 2nd try connecting to Kenya!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Growing Closer
As I was reflecting on the necessity of change in my life, I was reminded of a situation I encountered this summer. I flew out to the East coast to visit a friend, and on one of our many day trips we came upon a perfect example of a plant’s dependency on light. Because both of us are biology majors, this observation fascinated us, and we took a picture to share with our botany professor back at college.
However, I diverge. So, as I was thinking about the influence of culture, friends, church, and teachers on our thinking and attitudes, I was reminded of this plant. It’s a perfect example of how a person or thing grows closer to that which nourishes it. Or in my personal case, how I grow closer to that with which I choose to nourish myself. If I let worldly ideas permeate my thinking, the first thing on my mind when I wake up might not be the goodness of my Savior, but the self-seeking motives found in pop media. Or I might not choose to go out of my way to speak a kind word to a stranger because I consider it potentially awkward, but instead disregard the feelings of others by not doing anything at all. Perhaps, I might be too focused on my homework to spare time to listen to a floormate's struggles with homesickness. Maybe I’ll miss God speaking because I’m too busy socializing with my peers catching up on the latest pieces of “informational nothing.”
With these thoughts running through my mind, I am inspired to make a change. I’ve chosen to conduct a cleansing: spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical. By simplifying my life and prioritizing my time and energy into the most important things, I know I will be in the center of God’s plan for my life. And that’s exactly where I want to be.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Welcome to my official first post. I had the revelation of starting a blog several days ago when I was out walking, thinking ambitious thoughts for my life. Hopefully, this blog will serve as an outlet not only to share what I’m learning in life with you, but for you to relate to my stories and experiences; that these posts will challenge you to seek a deeper understanding of life. It is not my goal to amuse you with a journal-like account of my days. Rather, I wish to share some snapshots from my life that have caused me to stop and think more deeply.
For example, today I was considering the concept of maturity. What does it mean to be mature? How does this characteristic demonstrate itself through our actions, words, thoughts, and decisions? Originally, I was only considering financial and physical aspects. Since I’m living on my own now, I am more aware of the reality of adulthood. But this level of independence didn’t come all at once.
As a child, maturity developed in a series of gradual steps. For me, it was present in landmarks such as being old enough to spend the night at a friend’s house, or making cookies on my own. Then it progressed to staying home alone, getting my driver’s permit and license, flying solo across country, and going to college.
Now, it manifests itself in traveling internationally, renting an apartment, paying bills, and shopping for groceries. It’s only natural to grow up. In fact, lack of maturity, as might be displayed by people with mental or emotional disabilities, is considered unnatural. Therefore, the value of maturity is implicitly acknowledged.
So, we can see how maturity shows itself in these ways and we can agree that it is an important act in life to become mature. What about in spiritual matters though? How is maturity demonstrated in this area of life?
I think many Christians, myself included, lose sight of how important it is to develop ourselves in our faith. As Paul states in one of his letters,
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”
And in a another place,
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
As we progress in our faith, we should be able to grasp the deeper things of the Spirit, we should display more evidently the fruit of the Spirit, and we should be more sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I would love to experience more fully the joy of the Lord, or to develop gentleness like that of Jesus while on this earth. I want to strive to be found worthy of handling the Scriptures and of discipling others in their walk of faith. But in order to reach this point, I need to invest in myself first; I need to prioritize my relationship with my Savior.
One practical way of growing more spiritually mature came to my attention today. Boundless magazine, associated with Focus on the Family, is hosting a summer one-month challenge. This challenge stretches the participant physically, mentally, and spiritually. I have decided to join many others in this event, and through doing so, I will have a form of accountability to grow spiritually this summer. I definitely don’t want to be the same when I go back to school as I was when I left it.
Those are my thoughts for now. Feel free to comment, discuss, or leave questions. I would love for this blog to act as a forum And if any of you want to join the challenge, check out my most recent f/b note or visit this website: http://www.boundlessline.org/summer-challenge/
Until next time, enjoy this everyday expression.
For example, today I was considering the concept of maturity. What does it mean to be mature? How does this characteristic demonstrate itself through our actions, words, thoughts, and decisions? Originally, I was only considering financial and physical aspects. Since I’m living on my own now, I am more aware of the reality of adulthood. But this level of independence didn’t come all at once.
As a child, maturity developed in a series of gradual steps. For me, it was present in landmarks such as being old enough to spend the night at a friend’s house, or making cookies on my own. Then it progressed to staying home alone, getting my driver’s permit and license, flying solo across country, and going to college.
Now, it manifests itself in traveling internationally, renting an apartment, paying bills, and shopping for groceries. It’s only natural to grow up. In fact, lack of maturity, as might be displayed by people with mental or emotional disabilities, is considered unnatural. Therefore, the value of maturity is implicitly acknowledged.
So, we can see how maturity shows itself in these ways and we can agree that it is an important act in life to become mature. What about in spiritual matters though? How is maturity demonstrated in this area of life?
I think many Christians, myself included, lose sight of how important it is to develop ourselves in our faith. As Paul states in one of his letters,
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”
And in a another place,
“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
As we progress in our faith, we should be able to grasp the deeper things of the Spirit, we should display more evidently the fruit of the Spirit, and we should be more sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I would love to experience more fully the joy of the Lord, or to develop gentleness like that of Jesus while on this earth. I want to strive to be found worthy of handling the Scriptures and of discipling others in their walk of faith. But in order to reach this point, I need to invest in myself first; I need to prioritize my relationship with my Savior.
One practical way of growing more spiritually mature came to my attention today. Boundless magazine, associated with Focus on the Family, is hosting a summer one-month challenge. This challenge stretches the participant physically, mentally, and spiritually. I have decided to join many others in this event, and through doing so, I will have a form of accountability to grow spiritually this summer. I definitely don’t want to be the same when I go back to school as I was when I left it.
Those are my thoughts for now. Feel free to comment, discuss, or leave questions. I would love for this blog to act as a forum And if any of you want to join the challenge, check out my most recent f/b note or visit this website: http://www.boundlessline.org/summer-challenge/
Until next time, enjoy this everyday expression.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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