The 14 days here in Kenya have quickly passed. Full and rich...ministry, laughs, new friends and experiencing Kenya in a real way. Now as we begin the journey home, we will take time to reflect and thank God for everything He has done here for and with us. The prayers of sooo many were felt in a deep way. Thank you for being a vital part of us with your love, prayers and encouragement. Thank you for following along on this blog. I pray you were able to catch a small glimpse of what we experienced. We are all truly blessed in America. My heart is forever changed in new ways ~ I pray He keeps it close to my heart everyday and I continue to grow in ways never imagined. Thank you..dear Sabina for your love and amazing care to us while we stayed with you. You are a true servant for Him. I pray..for great blessings, deep love and high favor over you my dada. To my precious team mates, Julie and Luz....you are incredible friends ! I love you so much ~
As we shared, laughed over and over, cried, cooked and ministered together....I will always cherish these days. God handpicked us to serve one another and to reach out to serve those who needed love and Him. (I never saw women who would fight over serving each other...ha ! )
Glory to Your Name, O God ! "
I will praise you, my God and King....I will praise you forever. Great is the Lord ! He is most worthy of praise ! His greatness is beyond discovery ! Let each generation tell it`s children of your mighty acts. I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles....The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to to get angry, full of unfailing love....The Lord helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads. All eyes look to you for help ; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing....The Lord is close to all.......to all who call on Him sincerely. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love Him. I will praise the Lord, and everyone on earth will bless His holy name forever and forever.
Psalm 145: 1-5, 14-16, 19-21
This is not the end, just the beginning !
debi
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Day 14...last day
Tuesday...our last day in Kenya. Many emotions as we start the day knowing we are leaving our precious friends but anxious to return to our loving families who have greatly missed us. Bittersweet for sure.
As a special treat to celebrate our time together, what do girls like to do ?? Go for some pampering..indeed ! We headed to downtown Nairobi for some mani-pedi treatments. Sabina knew exactly where to take us. The shop was called "Tops Top." A side for the med to get hair cut, shaved or trimmed along with a shave. The girl`s side was buzzing with ladies. It was fun to see them braid, add extensions and do African hair. It would have been a hoot to see them style our hair...but we were not that brave !!! All 4 of us had a special lady or two attending to our nails. The girl I had was sweet and happy to serve me. She began work at 6 and labored all day until 7 p.m. Then had to ride a long 3 hours home ! Think about that daily schedule, only to begin all over the next early morning. We complain about our commutes but do we have 3 long hour ones ?
I soaked my feet in a basin of water. Cold water was first and they added hot steaming water from a tall thermos to mix. Yes...it was plenty hot ! In fact, my team mate, Luz looked over at me at one point and mentioned all that was needed was the seasonings as our feet were "cooking." When my feet were worked on for each step, one foot at a time was laid upon her lap. Amazing massage was given ! I selected a fun color and she painted each nail carefully. When finished, she took my sandals and went to clean them also. This incredible service cost me a mere $5.00 !!!! The girls that got both a manicure and pedicure only paid $10.00. When we told them what we pay in America they quickly converted the cost to shillings and could not believe the cost ! Facials, full body massages were very inexpensive also. I am sure those treatments would be incredible too. We assured the girls there we would surely return on the next trip back !
Lunch was next and we had worked up an appetite. We returned for the last time to one of our places that became a favorite for sure... Artcaffe. A special time of fellowship with a young friend and her dear baby made our time complete while eating a delicious lunch. A grilled chicken sandwich with rocket leaves, roasted peppers and fresh parmesan cheese. Sooooo good ! Of course, coffee had to finish off the meal for me. Artcaffe roasts their own coffee beans so a bag HAD to go home with me.
While in the "organized chaos" traffic as I chose to call it everyday, vendors would walk 3 lanes of traffic selling their wares. On this last day I was determined to try and buy this way. Hmmm...don`t need bananas, maps or sunglasses. Puppies were enticing to Julie but I told her to "be strong."...Ha ! The little white one was fluffy and would have been easy to take right in our car window to take home to Sabina. However, her dog, Tommy might not have enjoyed a new playmate. Okay...keep looking ~ The white and red roses definitely called my name. Beautiful in every way ! For a mere $3.00 I bought a bouquet of 16 red lovely roses to give my dear Dada (sister) Sabina as a treat on this our last day. As my confidence grew in buying from the car window, I was on a roll ! Next came the skirts. What a pretty one to take home with me. How much ?? $4.00 ?!?! Sold ! Wow..no need to stop at the store on the way home as you can get what you need right in traffic...ha ! This is a fun memory for me.
Sabina has a gift shop where we also shopped plenty. Found all sorts of jewelry, purses, scarves and even a cross for my "cross wall" at home. Happy to be able to support her business and bring back home treasures full of special memories.
Got back to Sabina`s house in order to pack our suitcases and have a quick bite to eat before leaving for the airport. We each had an extra suitcase to fill with items, due to taking over ministry gifts for the many places we visited. It did not take long to refill those with our gifts we had gotten. The 3 of us had so much luggage it did not all fit in Sabina`s car to head to the airport. When we had arrived it was only Julie and I. Luz had left before us with a stop in Uganda to visit family before joining us in Nairobi. Now as we tried to squeeze it all in..not working ! We needed to tie down the trunk but no rope. Sabina grabbed an outlet extension with a long cord and cut it with a knife. Hooray ! One of the gate guards tied it securely. We had to also place one of the smaller suitcases in the back seat with us. Sabina`s son, Kennedy drove so we had 5 of us in the small car and loads of luggage. We were stopped at the airport by security to take a quick search of the car. Kennedy got back in the car laughing as the guard told him we were plenty overloaded. I would imagine he was wondering just how many people were leaving with ALL that was in that car ! Dropping us off at the curb had to be quick. It was emotional to say good-bye but such a rich feeling of love between all of us shared, knowing we would return again to our friends. Now...on to the very long flights ahead of us but our loving families waiting for us on the other end !
"I will give thanks to your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness, because your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. " Psalm 138:2
Happy,
debi
As a special treat to celebrate our time together, what do girls like to do ?? Go for some pampering..indeed ! We headed to downtown Nairobi for some mani-pedi treatments. Sabina knew exactly where to take us. The shop was called "Tops Top." A side for the med to get hair cut, shaved or trimmed along with a shave. The girl`s side was buzzing with ladies. It was fun to see them braid, add extensions and do African hair. It would have been a hoot to see them style our hair...but we were not that brave !!! All 4 of us had a special lady or two attending to our nails. The girl I had was sweet and happy to serve me. She began work at 6 and labored all day until 7 p.m. Then had to ride a long 3 hours home ! Think about that daily schedule, only to begin all over the next early morning. We complain about our commutes but do we have 3 long hour ones ?
I soaked my feet in a basin of water. Cold water was first and they added hot steaming water from a tall thermos to mix. Yes...it was plenty hot ! In fact, my team mate, Luz looked over at me at one point and mentioned all that was needed was the seasonings as our feet were "cooking." When my feet were worked on for each step, one foot at a time was laid upon her lap. Amazing massage was given ! I selected a fun color and she painted each nail carefully. When finished, she took my sandals and went to clean them also. This incredible service cost me a mere $5.00 !!!! The girls that got both a manicure and pedicure only paid $10.00. When we told them what we pay in America they quickly converted the cost to shillings and could not believe the cost ! Facials, full body massages were very inexpensive also. I am sure those treatments would be incredible too. We assured the girls there we would surely return on the next trip back !
Lunch was next and we had worked up an appetite. We returned for the last time to one of our places that became a favorite for sure... Artcaffe. A special time of fellowship with a young friend and her dear baby made our time complete while eating a delicious lunch. A grilled chicken sandwich with rocket leaves, roasted peppers and fresh parmesan cheese. Sooooo good ! Of course, coffee had to finish off the meal for me. Artcaffe roasts their own coffee beans so a bag HAD to go home with me.
While in the "organized chaos" traffic as I chose to call it everyday, vendors would walk 3 lanes of traffic selling their wares. On this last day I was determined to try and buy this way. Hmmm...don`t need bananas, maps or sunglasses. Puppies were enticing to Julie but I told her to "be strong."...Ha ! The little white one was fluffy and would have been easy to take right in our car window to take home to Sabina. However, her dog, Tommy might not have enjoyed a new playmate. Okay...keep looking ~ The white and red roses definitely called my name. Beautiful in every way ! For a mere $3.00 I bought a bouquet of 16 red lovely roses to give my dear Dada (sister) Sabina as a treat on this our last day. As my confidence grew in buying from the car window, I was on a roll ! Next came the skirts. What a pretty one to take home with me. How much ?? $4.00 ?!?! Sold ! Wow..no need to stop at the store on the way home as you can get what you need right in traffic...ha ! This is a fun memory for me.
Sabina has a gift shop where we also shopped plenty. Found all sorts of jewelry, purses, scarves and even a cross for my "cross wall" at home. Happy to be able to support her business and bring back home treasures full of special memories.
Got back to Sabina`s house in order to pack our suitcases and have a quick bite to eat before leaving for the airport. We each had an extra suitcase to fill with items, due to taking over ministry gifts for the many places we visited. It did not take long to refill those with our gifts we had gotten. The 3 of us had so much luggage it did not all fit in Sabina`s car to head to the airport. When we had arrived it was only Julie and I. Luz had left before us with a stop in Uganda to visit family before joining us in Nairobi. Now as we tried to squeeze it all in..not working ! We needed to tie down the trunk but no rope. Sabina grabbed an outlet extension with a long cord and cut it with a knife. Hooray ! One of the gate guards tied it securely. We had to also place one of the smaller suitcases in the back seat with us. Sabina`s son, Kennedy drove so we had 5 of us in the small car and loads of luggage. We were stopped at the airport by security to take a quick search of the car. Kennedy got back in the car laughing as the guard told him we were plenty overloaded. I would imagine he was wondering just how many people were leaving with ALL that was in that car ! Dropping us off at the curb had to be quick. It was emotional to say good-bye but such a rich feeling of love between all of us shared, knowing we would return again to our friends. Now...on to the very long flights ahead of us but our loving families waiting for us on the other end !
"I will give thanks to your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness, because your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. " Psalm 138:2
Happy,
debi
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day 13....
Monday morning showed up early. Especially after a short night of rest. Luz is always happy to sit up with me while I write on the blog. I have made her my personal assistant for this task. It is usually late when I am writing and I was sooooo very close to the end when .....swoooooosh....the entire blog entry disappeared !! The late night then turned into lots of sharing and before we knew it, the time was after 2 a.m. All your amazing prayers have kept me fully energized.
We were looking forward to a time of fellowship with 2 precious friends we met and ministered with while here. Lunch at the Java House...and you know what that means...coffee !! Wahhhhhhooooo! What a yummy meal and a time of sharing with 5 others who dearly love God and are all about serving. We joined hands together while in the warm sun, thanking God for the awesome things He is doing in each of our lives. It is exciting to see what God has in store !
The rest of the afternoon we shopped for some last items to take home with us. So many laughs and a few tears as we know our time is soon to end for this trip. A good day .....thankful ~ Off for my last sleep night here. Tomorrow night we begin the very long journey back home to our families who are awaiting our return with great anticipation. My heart is full ~
Good night from Kenya,
debi
We were looking forward to a time of fellowship with 2 precious friends we met and ministered with while here. Lunch at the Java House...and you know what that means...coffee !! Wahhhhhhooooo! What a yummy meal and a time of sharing with 5 others who dearly love God and are all about serving. We joined hands together while in the warm sun, thanking God for the awesome things He is doing in each of our lives. It is exciting to see what God has in store !
The rest of the afternoon we shopped for some last items to take home with us. So many laughs and a few tears as we know our time is soon to end for this trip. A good day .....thankful ~ Off for my last sleep night here. Tomorrow night we begin the very long journey back home to our families who are awaiting our return with great anticipation. My heart is full ~
Good night from Kenya,
debi
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Sunday...day 12
Hard to believe we are at day 12 and will be heading back home soon. This morning we attended a different church than we did last Sunday. This church is called Jubilee. Several thousand attend. Praise and worship had already begun when we walked in. The mass sound of singing was amazing ! I do believe we were the only white faces in this sea of black people. We looked like beaming flashlights ! The worship pastor and team led the body into His presence as we sang and worshiped. Clapping and dancing with great joy was evident and powerful. The praise team was dressed in bright green shirts with black pants for the men and a skirt or slacks for the women. The Bishop`s wife spoke on unity. She spoke with a mighty anointing. She also had a great sense of humor I enjoyed. Special music was a lady from the Congo. At the close of the service, an altar call was given and 5 people came forward. We ended by joining hands and praying for one another for some time. The sound was deafening as the people called out loudly to Him. No fear in opening their mouths and calling out His name ! After the service, tea was served in the huge lobby. Imagine the vast amount of preparation for several thousand people. Popcorn was served to the kids. What a rich morning ~
Lunch was downtown at the ArtCaffe. Very trendy and seems American. We had a delicious lunch and a vanilla latte topped off the meal. Returned back for some rest and relaxation.....ahhhhh ~
Praying your Sunday was blessed ~
debi
Lunch was downtown at the ArtCaffe. Very trendy and seems American. We had a delicious lunch and a vanilla latte topped off the meal. Returned back for some rest and relaxation.....ahhhhh ~
Praying your Sunday was blessed ~
debi
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Day 11....
Saturday ~
This morning we left the hotel and began our travel back to the city. It was a 4 hour drive but we had a ladies meeting scheduled at a small church in a village called Kabaa. The country side was simply beautiful. Fields of tea and coffee ! I had a small taste of heaven for sure ~ I just loved the sight of these lush green fields with women working with large woven baskets on their backs. Steep mountain slopes all green with growing plants.
White people just don`t come through this place. We actually were the first white missionaries ever to come to this town ! It was an honor to come and serve. The pastor told us they would be talking about this for a year.
The meeting was to begin at 11....but African time is much different and due to us arriving late...we started a few minutes past 1. As we began to get out of the van, the sound of women singing filled the air. What a joyful sound! The pastor greeted us outside and was so full of the HS. He was a refreshing spirit. Since we had such a long drive, we had to use the washroom. Welllllll...here we are on the side of a steep slope with the outhouse waiting for us ! We were brave ~ When it was my turn and I went in the door..let`s just say I swallowed hard..hehehehe. There was a small hole in the floor and the rest is history. The view from the door was wonderful..that is the positive ~
We had an incredible time of praise and worship. The ladies sang loudly to the music of 2 drums covered in animal skin. I didn`t want it to end. Julie spoke a short encouraging message and when we had prayer at the end, I believe everyone came up front. The HS showed up in a mighty way ! The people were not afraid to loudly call out to God. What a refreshing time together ~ As we prayed for these precious people God`s spirit swept through. This time went on for awhile as we all knelt down and continued calling out to Him. They are in no rush and desire all they can get from God. The floor was covered with saw dust on top of the dirt and felt soft. More singing....joy..joy..joy ~ The pastor shared with us they are saving in order to buy this plot of land they are renting. The cost is $5,000.00 American dollars. They have 1,000. thus far. The goal is by December 11. 2011. It touched us in a big way and we desire to help partner with them in any way we can. We were served soda and "white bread" which was actually a cookie but not sweet.
The church building was made up of metal. Wooden benches and plastic chairs for us. Up front was a small platform with a generator running for the sound system. Lovely blue printed material hung as decoration on the sides of the platform on the walls. No ceiling...just rafters and we could feel the heat from the metal roof. Windows had white sheer coverings that blew in the breeze.Dirt floor covered in saw dust due to the mud that is easily brought in from being on the side of a slope.
Sabina translated whenever we spoke up front. We gave our African names and they loved that !
The pastor`s one daughter has the same nickname that comes from my name...chico.
Here are a few things I noticed during our travel time today ....
....men fishing in the river with spears
....the words "to rent"...in Kenya it is "to let "
....cars passing each other and coming straight for YOU
....stopped along the road to buy produce at a local market. People literally ran to our van and held up their bunches of bananas, tomatoes, avocados, etc. All at the same time. A bit overwhelming. Our produce cost only 1.00 for each. Big bags and excellent quality.
....Del Monte pineapple fields...miles and miles
....Women gathered together at a local water hole washing clothes and laying them out on the dirt to dry
.....A shop with the sign "Late Night Chemist"
Arrived back to Sabina`s ready to crash for the evening. Dinner was tuna sandwiches and fruit. The sound of rain falling is making us sleepy so I will close until tomorrow. Excited to attend a different church from last Sunday. Looking forward to the Holy Spirit falling again. Enjoy your Sunday too ~
Love,
Wanjiku (debi)
This morning we left the hotel and began our travel back to the city. It was a 4 hour drive but we had a ladies meeting scheduled at a small church in a village called Kabaa. The country side was simply beautiful. Fields of tea and coffee ! I had a small taste of heaven for sure ~ I just loved the sight of these lush green fields with women working with large woven baskets on their backs. Steep mountain slopes all green with growing plants.
White people just don`t come through this place. We actually were the first white missionaries ever to come to this town ! It was an honor to come and serve. The pastor told us they would be talking about this for a year.
The meeting was to begin at 11....but African time is much different and due to us arriving late...we started a few minutes past 1. As we began to get out of the van, the sound of women singing filled the air. What a joyful sound! The pastor greeted us outside and was so full of the HS. He was a refreshing spirit. Since we had such a long drive, we had to use the washroom. Welllllll...here we are on the side of a steep slope with the outhouse waiting for us ! We were brave ~ When it was my turn and I went in the door..let`s just say I swallowed hard..hehehehe. There was a small hole in the floor and the rest is history. The view from the door was wonderful..that is the positive ~
We had an incredible time of praise and worship. The ladies sang loudly to the music of 2 drums covered in animal skin. I didn`t want it to end. Julie spoke a short encouraging message and when we had prayer at the end, I believe everyone came up front. The HS showed up in a mighty way ! The people were not afraid to loudly call out to God. What a refreshing time together ~ As we prayed for these precious people God`s spirit swept through. This time went on for awhile as we all knelt down and continued calling out to Him. They are in no rush and desire all they can get from God. The floor was covered with saw dust on top of the dirt and felt soft. More singing....joy..joy..joy ~ The pastor shared with us they are saving in order to buy this plot of land they are renting. The cost is $5,000.00 American dollars. They have 1,000. thus far. The goal is by December 11. 2011. It touched us in a big way and we desire to help partner with them in any way we can. We were served soda and "white bread" which was actually a cookie but not sweet.
The church building was made up of metal. Wooden benches and plastic chairs for us. Up front was a small platform with a generator running for the sound system. Lovely blue printed material hung as decoration on the sides of the platform on the walls. No ceiling...just rafters and we could feel the heat from the metal roof. Windows had white sheer coverings that blew in the breeze.Dirt floor covered in saw dust due to the mud that is easily brought in from being on the side of a slope.
Sabina translated whenever we spoke up front. We gave our African names and they loved that !
The pastor`s one daughter has the same nickname that comes from my name...chico.
Here are a few things I noticed during our travel time today ....
....men fishing in the river with spears
....the words "to rent"...in Kenya it is "to let "
....cars passing each other and coming straight for YOU
....stopped along the road to buy produce at a local market. People literally ran to our van and held up their bunches of bananas, tomatoes, avocados, etc. All at the same time. A bit overwhelming. Our produce cost only 1.00 for each. Big bags and excellent quality.
....Del Monte pineapple fields...miles and miles
....Women gathered together at a local water hole washing clothes and laying them out on the dirt to dry
.....A shop with the sign "Late Night Chemist"
Arrived back to Sabina`s ready to crash for the evening. Dinner was tuna sandwiches and fruit. The sound of rain falling is making us sleepy so I will close until tomorrow. Excited to attend a different church from last Sunday. Looking forward to the Holy Spirit falling again. Enjoy your Sunday too ~
Love,
Wanjiku (debi)
Friday, September 30, 2011
Friday...Day 10
It is 11 p.m. in Africa. As I write this message I am cozy inside my mosquito net. This is our last night in the hotel as our driver will be taking us back to Nairobi tomorrow. I am thankful for a bed but have to share a few humorous things regarding the hotel that I think you might enjoy. You will be thankful for all that you have. No
bathroom light. They have lights but the one in our room doesn`t work. Hmmmm....taking a shower has a whole new meaning at night.
No toilet seat...which is common. The faucet can do a 360 degree swivel but it still gives us water ! We have a small tv but no remote. You have to stand on the chair in order to reach it as it is up high. No hot water the first night but good news tonight...HOT water ! No shower enclosure. Just the shower head, 1 faucet...not a hot and cold. Amazing how well one can function with what is provided. We are all spoiled for sure !
This morning we headed out early for our safari. I was very excited ! As we entered the wilderness area the air was chilly. We are in the foothills of the mts. and can see the snow on top of Mt. Kenya. Our entire day was spent in the open top truck in order to view the animals at any given time. There was lots of African trees and brush for the animals to hide in and to rest in the shade. The grasslands were wide open and flat. You could see as far as the eye could see. The wart hogs greeted us first. Of course, we all thought of the movie with the famous wart hog..They are funny to watch. We enjoyed the mothers with the small babies. They run like lightning ! Plenty of impala and gazelles....so pretty. A guide took us down to the river to find the hippos. We walked on a narrow path through the bush. quite the adventure as we stepped over the elephant dung. At one point the guide tells us..."this one was just left this morning ! " Fun to know we are on the same path those big creatures decided to take earlier. Sabina asked the guide if he had a gun ?? He replies..." why do I need that ? "
My favorite animals were the family of elephants that crossed the road in front of the truck. They were sooo close. At one point the driver had to back up the vehicle. It is amazing how powerful they are when eating and pulling the grass and plants up from the ground. The baby was cute as it tagged along with the others. The other favorite was the giraffe. He could be spotted from a far distance and was happy munching away on the tops of trees.
Zebras, rhinos, baboons were just a few of the others we enjoyed. The lion was hiding from us as we hoped to see one. They were spotted in an area and we drove to that part later but could not see any. Our day was full of beauty for sure. We thanked God for allowing us to see so many animals in a short time.
The Equator crosses over in this wilderness so I got to stand on the equator today ! How crazy is that ?
Always lots of sights to behold along our travel. Saw a white dead goat thrown over the back of a bike while 2 men chatted. Children walking home from school and always stare at our white faces. One little boy was in a group and as they all were looking, I waved to them. He threw me a kiss and I responded right back with one for him. I was walking away from him, I would turn back around and he would repeat the kiss. I would do the same. It was such a warm feeling ,like he was my own child that I was sending off. Little moments like this have stirred my heart in a great way ~
I am thankful for how God has hand picked this team of 4. Different personalities, coming together united, being used in mighty ways for Him. I have never been with women who fight over serving one another !! Nooooo..let me....noooooo..I will do it !!!! What pure joy He has given us for this mission. I love my sisters and appreciate each gift and talent they bring. Truly it is a meshing of "threads of mercy. "
Be blessed,
debi
bathroom light. They have lights but the one in our room doesn`t work. Hmmmm....taking a shower has a whole new meaning at night.
No toilet seat...which is common. The faucet can do a 360 degree swivel but it still gives us water ! We have a small tv but no remote. You have to stand on the chair in order to reach it as it is up high. No hot water the first night but good news tonight...HOT water ! No shower enclosure. Just the shower head, 1 faucet...not a hot and cold. Amazing how well one can function with what is provided. We are all spoiled for sure !
This morning we headed out early for our safari. I was very excited ! As we entered the wilderness area the air was chilly. We are in the foothills of the mts. and can see the snow on top of Mt. Kenya. Our entire day was spent in the open top truck in order to view the animals at any given time. There was lots of African trees and brush for the animals to hide in and to rest in the shade. The grasslands were wide open and flat. You could see as far as the eye could see. The wart hogs greeted us first. Of course, we all thought of the movie with the famous wart hog..They are funny to watch. We enjoyed the mothers with the small babies. They run like lightning ! Plenty of impala and gazelles....so pretty. A guide took us down to the river to find the hippos. We walked on a narrow path through the bush. quite the adventure as we stepped over the elephant dung. At one point the guide tells us..."this one was just left this morning ! " Fun to know we are on the same path those big creatures decided to take earlier. Sabina asked the guide if he had a gun ?? He replies..." why do I need that ? "
My favorite animals were the family of elephants that crossed the road in front of the truck. They were sooo close. At one point the driver had to back up the vehicle. It is amazing how powerful they are when eating and pulling the grass and plants up from the ground. The baby was cute as it tagged along with the others. The other favorite was the giraffe. He could be spotted from a far distance and was happy munching away on the tops of trees.
Zebras, rhinos, baboons were just a few of the others we enjoyed. The lion was hiding from us as we hoped to see one. They were spotted in an area and we drove to that part later but could not see any. Our day was full of beauty for sure. We thanked God for allowing us to see so many animals in a short time.
The Equator crosses over in this wilderness so I got to stand on the equator today ! How crazy is that ?
Always lots of sights to behold along our travel. Saw a white dead goat thrown over the back of a bike while 2 men chatted. Children walking home from school and always stare at our white faces. One little boy was in a group and as they all were looking, I waved to them. He threw me a kiss and I responded right back with one for him. I was walking away from him, I would turn back around and he would repeat the kiss. I would do the same. It was such a warm feeling ,like he was my own child that I was sending off. Little moments like this have stirred my heart in a great way ~
I am thankful for how God has hand picked this team of 4. Different personalities, coming together united, being used in mighty ways for Him. I have never been with women who fight over serving one another !! Nooooo..let me....noooooo..I will do it !!!! What pure joy He has given us for this mission. I love my sisters and appreciate each gift and talent they bring. Truly it is a meshing of "threads of mercy. "
Be blessed,
debi
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Day 8 and 9.....
Hooray !!! I am back online !! We lost our internet last evening. Soooo..I am covering Thursday and Friday together.
Thursday began cloudy but the sun decided to come out in full force by mid morning. I am enjoying the weather.
I believe I mentioned earlier that one of the neighbors had a death in the family. The mourning continues and I am awake early hearing the sound of wailing.
We packed up coloring books, candy and cosmetics (for the teachers) to deliver to the girl`s school we had been at previous. When we had stopped earlier we did not have the presents and we promised to return. The girls were in class so we waited until lunch at 1:00. They remembered us and had fun handing out the gifts.
We wanted to go to another slum area. You can not just decide to go to one and walk around ! Especially if you are as white as us !! Sabina has a contact in the slum Huruma so we were able to go. Kennedy (Sabina`s wonderful son) drove us and we met a sweet sister in the Lord at the large church inside the slum. It was a beautiful church ! One that the people had built ever so slowly. How slow ?? 10 cents at a time was donated by many people in the slum. As we went inside, someone was playing the keyboard. It was a huge place and I would have loved to have been in a service there ! Esther is a believer who has a group of women who she looks after. They make some of the jewelry that we sell in our ministry. Esther hopped into the car with us and Kennedy drove as far as the road would allow. The road we were on was dirt and full of huge pot holes and ruts. The slum is an entire city inside. Children everywhere.Mountains of trash. All sorts of shops...hair salons, butcher, vegetable and fruit, etc. We parked the car and began to walk to one of the houses. We had to go through an iron type entrance and down a narrow path. The door to this space was material. The house space was 8 by 6. As we began to enter, the ladies who all are believers and love God...were crammed inside. One held an infant. Several were working with beads. I was surprised to see a small tv ! They all had to share their money in order to go and buy a tv. The room held a wooden couch which was used to sit on and also used as a bed at night. Actually, it was decorated with pink and pretty colors. I sensed the presence of the HS as soon as we walked in ~ The momma to the baby handed her little one to me so I had the honor of holding her for awhile. Luz had taken a fancy dress and shoes that used to be her little girl`s to share with someone. Once she laid eyes on this baby, she knew this was where her gift was going. The mother was thrilled ! She quickly put the clothes on the baby right over her old ones. It was a beautiful sight and we all ahhhhhhhed. We watched as we were showed how the paper magazine beads are rolled and folded for the jewelry. I loved being in that room with everyone. Guess how many of us were in that 8 by 6 space ??? 17 ladies all joined in love, joy and Him ~
As we left, we handed candy out to the many children following after us. Rows and rows as far as the eye could see....metal roofs, plywood and trash. This was home for thousands. I was never afraid and felt a warm peace as we ministered in this place. My heart is heavy for the people of Huruma ~
The evening was coming close to an end when our special names were given to us by Sabina. I was looking forward to this moment. My African kikuyo name is Wanjiku...meaning cool and hardworking. I love it !!
We giggled like school girls after the announcement of each name...what fun ~
Thursday...day 9
Today begins our "holiday" for 2 days as a time of resting and refreshment. Whew ~ So much to process. It takes a big emotional toll after many days. Yes...the same wailing this morning started my day. We are leaving for the high country, a 4 hour drive in order to go to safari. Our driver, Kim arrived and we loaded our suitcases for our time away. It was a pretty drive leaving the city. We passed large pineapple fields full of fruit and some workers. Pineapples were being sold along the road as we went. I saw several mud houses with thatched roofs along with a chestnut farm. I had to laugh when I saw the sign for "Hotel Starbucks." Mango and banana trees were plentiful also. Then it happened...we crossed the Equator ! A large sign announced that we just crossed over.
We arrived at the Kirimara Springs Hotel where we will stay for 2 nights. We have a lovely view of Mt.Kenya. Tomorrow we will drive through the Mt.Kenya National Reserve to see all the animals. It will be a fun day for sure ! I will be sleeping under my mosquito net tonight..dreaming of zebras, lions, giraffes.....
Sweet dream everyone,
debi
I
Thursday began cloudy but the sun decided to come out in full force by mid morning. I am enjoying the weather.
I believe I mentioned earlier that one of the neighbors had a death in the family. The mourning continues and I am awake early hearing the sound of wailing.
We packed up coloring books, candy and cosmetics (for the teachers) to deliver to the girl`s school we had been at previous. When we had stopped earlier we did not have the presents and we promised to return. The girls were in class so we waited until lunch at 1:00. They remembered us and had fun handing out the gifts.
We wanted to go to another slum area. You can not just decide to go to one and walk around ! Especially if you are as white as us !! Sabina has a contact in the slum Huruma so we were able to go. Kennedy (Sabina`s wonderful son) drove us and we met a sweet sister in the Lord at the large church inside the slum. It was a beautiful church ! One that the people had built ever so slowly. How slow ?? 10 cents at a time was donated by many people in the slum. As we went inside, someone was playing the keyboard. It was a huge place and I would have loved to have been in a service there ! Esther is a believer who has a group of women who she looks after. They make some of the jewelry that we sell in our ministry. Esther hopped into the car with us and Kennedy drove as far as the road would allow. The road we were on was dirt and full of huge pot holes and ruts. The slum is an entire city inside. Children everywhere.Mountains of trash. All sorts of shops...hair salons, butcher, vegetable and fruit, etc. We parked the car and began to walk to one of the houses. We had to go through an iron type entrance and down a narrow path. The door to this space was material. The house space was 8 by 6. As we began to enter, the ladies who all are believers and love God...were crammed inside. One held an infant. Several were working with beads. I was surprised to see a small tv ! They all had to share their money in order to go and buy a tv. The room held a wooden couch which was used to sit on and also used as a bed at night. Actually, it was decorated with pink and pretty colors. I sensed the presence of the HS as soon as we walked in ~ The momma to the baby handed her little one to me so I had the honor of holding her for awhile. Luz had taken a fancy dress and shoes that used to be her little girl`s to share with someone. Once she laid eyes on this baby, she knew this was where her gift was going. The mother was thrilled ! She quickly put the clothes on the baby right over her old ones. It was a beautiful sight and we all ahhhhhhhed. We watched as we were showed how the paper magazine beads are rolled and folded for the jewelry. I loved being in that room with everyone. Guess how many of us were in that 8 by 6 space ??? 17 ladies all joined in love, joy and Him ~
As we left, we handed candy out to the many children following after us. Rows and rows as far as the eye could see....metal roofs, plywood and trash. This was home for thousands. I was never afraid and felt a warm peace as we ministered in this place. My heart is heavy for the people of Huruma ~
The evening was coming close to an end when our special names were given to us by Sabina. I was looking forward to this moment. My African kikuyo name is Wanjiku...meaning cool and hardworking. I love it !!
We giggled like school girls after the announcement of each name...what fun ~
Thursday...day 9
Today begins our "holiday" for 2 days as a time of resting and refreshment. Whew ~ So much to process. It takes a big emotional toll after many days. Yes...the same wailing this morning started my day. We are leaving for the high country, a 4 hour drive in order to go to safari. Our driver, Kim arrived and we loaded our suitcases for our time away. It was a pretty drive leaving the city. We passed large pineapple fields full of fruit and some workers. Pineapples were being sold along the road as we went. I saw several mud houses with thatched roofs along with a chestnut farm. I had to laugh when I saw the sign for "Hotel Starbucks." Mango and banana trees were plentiful also. Then it happened...we crossed the Equator ! A large sign announced that we just crossed over.
We arrived at the Kirimara Springs Hotel where we will stay for 2 nights. We have a lovely view of Mt.Kenya. Tomorrow we will drive through the Mt.Kenya National Reserve to see all the animals. It will be a fun day for sure ! I will be sleeping under my mosquito net tonight..dreaming of zebras, lions, giraffes.....
Sweet dream everyone,
debi
I
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