A long Sunday

Another full Sunday – I left at 7:30 this morning and got home at 8 this evening… Kenyan hospitality is so gracious… but always involves a lot of time! I met with the East region of the Nairobi church today and was so grateful for their warmth and many kindnesses. They meet (700+ adults and 300+ children) in an old YMCA. It was raining today and the roof was leaking in quite a number of places – it made for an interesting arrangement of the chairs (to avoid the all the drips). While the Central region (Steve & Carol) sings a mix of English and Kiswahili songs, today’s singing was almost all in Kiswahili or Kikuyu... both the language & the intricate clapping patterns escaped me! At least Anne was beside me and translated the songs. I got to visit all the children’s classes – so many bright faces! While they have a number of rooms, the children are still quite crowded. Their biggest challenge? – the site has no useable bathrooms. They have a new building now under construction and needless to say, they are so thrilled for the opportunity to worship in a place of their own – with bathrooms!, hopefully by the end of the year. A humbling fact – in this church of 700+ adults, there are only a handful of cars… most people walk (miles) or take matatu’s to get here.

I got to meet two very special groups of people today. There are probably 50 people from the church who live in Dandora! I got to meet two groups of women and found out they actually meet in the HOPE office (downstairs) for their midweek studies… I think I will stay late at work on Wednesday to meet with them and then go to the East midweek service a little late. That means I will be in Dandora after dark – I am not sure how comfortable I’ll be with that, but I think it will be worth it. I felt a special connection with these women because of my time in Dandora… I am sure each of them is a real light in that dark place.

The other special group I got to meet today was the KenyaKids children we have sponsored for several years. The children and their parents all found me on Sunday… I was so glad that I recognized each of the children from the photos I had and remembered each of their names! The family lives in Mukuru (a slum considered worse than Dandora - if you don’t count the dump issue), but the children are all in school, get food supplements each month and looked bright and healthy. I was so glad to put voices (and give hugs) to the pictures I had had for so long!

I spent the afternoon with George and Anne - a wonderful meal of rice, cabbage, stew, chicken and oranges… and was again reminded of the luxury of my own life. Water is being rationed in their neighborhood, so they have had little or no water in their home over the last month…. and somehow connected, they also have regular power outages. Such basics that I take for granted.

So, time for an update on my village below:
· Yesterday, amid the shacks and cars and pool table and little market, I saw a Maasai man walking – very straight, very tall, very dark and wearing only the typical red and blue checked blanket of the Maasai. Such a dignified presence in the little village.
· Yesterday, also saw a soldier walk thru the village – in full camouflage and carrying a rifle over his shoulder. I am sure the gun was real – just hope it wasn’t loaded, although something tells me it likely was…
· Sweeping dirt. I see so many of the women sweeping the areas around their homes – but they are just sweeping dirt areas. How do you know when your job is complete when you are sweeping dirt off dirt?
· I recently realized that the scenery on the roof top of the little market keeps changing – and with more careful watching, I have learned it is like an “open air attic”. On top of the roof (but within reach of someone on the ground) are pieces of wood, a hubcap, various baskets and plastic storage cartons, and other things too small for me to identify. Things move up to the attic and down, as they are needed. On rainy days, all the solid plastic pails come down to collect water!

Tonight for dinner I had a papaya, an avocado and a banana (all thanks to Mary M) – so wonderful!