Homestay, Part I

As part of our orientation with AIM, we were required to spend some amount of time staying with a Kenyan family.  Often, this part of the orientation is done soon after ABO (our three weeks in Machakos), but we finished ABO not long before the kids began at Rift Valley Academy and we didn't have time.  So, it was planned for the beginning of the kids' first break from school - the first half of December. 

The family that we stayed with was perhaps different than you would imagine us being placed with - probably at least upper middle class in terms of economics and quite well educated.  While they may not represent the "typical" Kenyan family historically, they may better represent the way Kenya is heading....more on that later.  They live just outside of a town about an hour from Kijabe, and they run a sort of hotel/guest house out of their home.  He is a school administrator and she is a decorator.  They have two teenage daughters who were home from boarding school in the Nairobi area.  They are building some small shops (dukas) on the front of their property which abuts the highway, so they were quite busy with that during our time there - we learned that this couple has a history of being quite entrepreneurial.

This is their family room/kitchen area where we took our meals with them.  We ate around this coffee table - 9 to 12 people.  They usually take their meals here or in front of the television in the evenings.

They cooked many Kenyan dishes for us, which we were delighted to try.  In the States, we probably ate more vegetarian dishes than the average American, so we really enjoyed trying many of the bean dishes and mostly vegetable stews.  Each of us discovered new foods that we enjoyed.  Probably the quintessential Kenyan dish is ugali and sukuma wiki, and we had it several times.  Ugali is maize meal and water, heated and stirred until is becomes a dryish mass - jokingly introduced to us as "white cake," but it is more true than not.  It is sliced into wedges and served like cake.  Sikuma wiki is actually shredded kale - it sometimes has added onions or carrots or spinach, and is cooked in "cooking fat."  To say that there is a lot of cooking fat used in Kenya is somewhat of an understatement. 

Ugali and sukuma wiki

Ok - to be honest - Emily did look at me like she was in front of a firing squad every time we were served ugali, but that girl ate it!  So proud of her. :)


So, I mentioned that they run a type of guest house - mainly for nationals traveling in-country.  Our space consisted of two rooms, a bathroom, and a main room - it was their biggest area, as the other areas were one bedroom each. 

The girls shared the twin bed; we had a double bed; Ted slept on a mattress in the "main room."

Bathroom - the sink and shower were to the left.  Space was roughly 4x5 feet.  They even had an instant hot water maker on the shower!

Door to bedroom - I never asked about the holes in the door.  The bathroom door had similar holes that were patched.  Kenyans are very good about recycling, and I suspect that this wood had been reclaimed from another project.

Door to left leads to bathroom; straight ahead is "main room."  Note the depression in the floor...we assumed for catching water that could overflow from shower (shower drain was a two inch hole in the floor).

This family employed a house worker, which is the norm for middle class and above families.  This woman worked for several hours sweeping, mopping (with a cloth), and weeding with a machete - and this was her posture throughout!  I don't know how their backs can survive the stress!

The first day we helped to sand new bed frames for the rooms.

The first couple of days the hot water/electricity did not work, so we washed hair and bodies in a basin - probably a lot more typical of most Kenyan situations.

 

 

We taught them how to play (or at least throw) American football.  If you refer to "football," that means soccer to most of the world.

The day before we left for homestay, we received a package from dear friends in the States that contained a game called Spot It.  We took it along with us, and it was a wonderful ice-breaker as well as a great way to pass the down-time while we were there.

We took some walks while we were there to the surrounding dukas (shops).  This one was called Adam's Supermarket and was one of the largest dukas that I have seen.  Usually, dukas are small spaces with LOTS of things for sale - this one was quite spacious with relatively few things for sale.  Notice the sparsely stocked shelves.  The power was frequently out, but it was sunny enough to see inside.

Diapers for sale

There were diapers, even Pampers brand, for sale.  The fact the many of the packages were opened - presumably because they sell them one at a time - was a metaphor for the way so many Kenyans live.  They live on what they earn that day, and they spend only what they need right away.  At home, I frequently buy in bulk (think Sam's, Costco, Walmart, etc.), thereby saving through the bulk discount and not having to shop for a while....but Kenyans buy just the gas they need for that trip, just the food they need for that meal, or just the diaper they need for that, well, need. 

There is much to share about our homestay experience, but I will share more next time.

Lots of love to you this New Year's,
Sarah

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”” John 16:33

World AIDS Day 2012

December 1st was World AIDS Day.  As you would imagine, we have taken care of children and babies with HIV/AIDS here in Kijabe, although less than you would probably expect.  There is a very good HIV and Tb clinic at the hospital, as well as outlying clinics in the vicinity, and they handle so much in the outpatient setting.  HIV tests are offered to all patients, and very few families decline the test.  We have found that it is the one test that is done rapidly (at the bedside) and reported immediately.  Most mothers are tested during pregnancy, so we are usually aware if the children are positive/at risk as newborns - treating the mothers during pregnancy and the babies after birth is the most effective way to decrease transmission to children.

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We have had one very sad story of a mother who knew her child was positive at the age of 1 or 2, but had never followed up on treatment - for herself or the girl.  As a 4 year old, we admitted her with recurrent episodes of decreased consciousness - basically, she repeatedly fell asleep in the middle of things (talking, eating, etc.).  After ruling out any treatable intracranial process (abscess/infection, mass, etc), we got her enrolled in the clinic and they took it from there.  The HIV/AIDS problem cannot be combatted without formal programs of treatment, counseling, and followup, but these families need much support, love, and prayer.  There is a great deal of stigma surrounding AIDS here, which may surprise the Westerners, and family members often desert those infected.


On a lighter note, we received some goodies from our Sunday school class, which was such a blessing and encouragement to us!  As part of it, we also received a group of letters and photo of a 3rd grade class in our hometown.  Here are our kids with the photo:

This really touched our family, and we have been reading one letter each day at dinner.  :)  Many of the "goodies" were Christmas ornaments, and we were able to decorate our (borrowed) tree after opening the package.  What fun to have a tree decorated with love from people back home - thank you!

As you can tell, I am behind on blogging, but be on the lookout for a post about our stay with a Kenyan family and Christmas activities here in Kijabe - it will certainly be different than any other Christmas!

With love,
Sarah

“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11 NASB

"A bit" busy

Since I last entered a blog post, we have experienced quite "a bit."  "A bit" is a phrase that I have learned usually means more than we understand it to mean in America.  For instance, you might hear that "the road is a bit dusty"

or that "the road is a bit muddy"

or it is "a bit cold" or the child was having "a bit of respiratory distress."  My personal favorite, while we were shopping for vehicles, was "the only problem with the car is that the engine smokes A BIT."  No thanks.  I wondered where that use of the word came from, so I looked it up in the authority of Apple Dictionary.  A portion of the entry reads:

bit  |bit|
noun
1. a small piece, part, or quantity of something : give the duck a bit of bread | he read bits of his work to me.
• ( a bit) a fair amount : there's a bit to talk about there. (emphasis mine)
• ( a bit) a short time or distance : I fell asleep for a bit.

So, actually "a bit" legitimately can mean "a fair amount"... i.e., "a lot."  It is very interesting to see how one language translates into another, and how literal translations do not always convey the popular meaning of a phrase.

Anyway, that was a huge aside!  After our brief getaway that I mentioned in the last post, we attended AIM's annual Eastern Region Conference where we were able to reconnect with friends we met at ABO and meet new friends that are a part of AIM serving in much more difficult areas of Kenya.  These families in several different northern areas had traveled 2-3 days to the conference (which was between Kijabe and Nairobi).    We learned that many of these folks do not have access to any medical care to speak of, and they do not always have good radio connection or internet with which to call with questions or concerns.  They described that, although they have no medical training, the local peoples come to them with their medical needs because they see them as having education and resources.  And their medical needs are not as straightforward and tidy as warts or strep throat!  Each of these families described times when someone had come to them, only to have the person die in their yard or their home or their car as they tried to drive the several hours to get some kind of help.  When you hear about barriers to healthcare being distance to a medical facility or transportation, it is very real.

An exciting aspect of this situation is that the hearts of these local peoples, who are often quite resistant to anyone outside of their tribe (Kenyan or foreigner), are becoming open to the love of Jesus by watching these missionaries struggle with them to get care.  The missionaries are doing all they can and totally depending on God for direction and provision when they reach the end of their human abilities.  By living transparently alongside these peoples, they are winning their trust and listening to their message of God's love for them. 

Another issue for these tribes in the more remote areas is that they don't have Bibles in their languages, so they cannot read and learn once they become Christians.  I can't go into the whole story of how these devices came to be available to these particular missionaries, which was totally God-directed, but World Mission developed a little device called The Treasure to alleviate the problem.

Front:  Very simple controls, speaker, and sturdy casing.

Back: Solar panel which feeds rechargeable batteries.  It all fits into the palm of your hand!

World Mission (or the missionary in some cases) records the Bible and often other audio resources in the appropriate language, World Mission loads the recordings onto the devices and ships them to the missionaries, and they subsequently distribute them as they see the need.  They are being shared among the tribe members and are becoming tools for the local peoples to spread the Good News among their own members!  Very exciting! 
(You can read more about it at http://www.worldmission.cc/index.php/the-treasure/#givegift)

On a frivolous note, here is a photo of our shower at the conference.  Why?  Because it is the best shower I have had in Kenya....the water was hot, the water pressure was good, and water came out of the entire shower head!  So what if I had to wear flipflops!!

Here are Rick and Anna practicing their skit for the "Talent Show" that Rick also emceed.  I would've posted the hilarious skit, but it is too much memory.

To share another "I can't believe I just said that moment".... as I walked by this car in the parking lot at the conference, I said to Rick "Wow, that's nice!  Two spares."  Really?!  But I was serious.  I don't know how you shop for cars or what you admire about them, but I have never been impressed by two spare tires before coming to Kenya!

Wow - two spares!

Lots more to share about the last two weeks, but I will have to split it up.  Thanks for being a part of our journey!

 Much love this Christmas,
Sarah

Isaiah 55:6-13
⁶ Seek the Lord while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the Lord,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰ “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
¹¹ So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
¹² “For you will go out with joy
And be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
¹³ “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,
And it will be a memorial to the Lord,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”

"Vac" Begins

As any school has, RVA has its own lingo.  The time between terms is not called break or vacation, but "vac" (which rhymes with break).  So, to mark the beginning of this Vac, and to get away as a family before our homestay, we went to a little cottage about an hour from Kijabe that is owned by a family with children at RVA.  It was in a beautiful setting - a mature acacia forest with abundant wildlife.  Thankfully, the directions that were given to us were pretty clear, because this is a screenshot of google maps on my iphone as we drove along the dirt road that did not, in fact, end:

View of cottage/yard from behind.

The cottage was simple but more than adequate - a bedroom and bath downstairs, open room with kitchen, eating area, and sofa, plus a loft upstairs with 3 twins for the kids.  Rick described the steps to the loft as "navy steps," and I made Emily come down backwards to hold on better!  The hot water was provided by a wood fire system that actually worked great and provided hot water as long as the embers were burning.  Ingenious, actually - we would really like one in Kijabe!

Wood is added where you see the glow of embers, and the hot water is collected in the tank on the wall.

The first morning was nothing short of magical - a symphony of bird songs that I had never heard before.  I wished I could have recorded them to remember later.  I haven't looked up the birds yet, but here are a couple of my favorite shots....

This is a colobus monkey - they make a horrifying racket at night!

We drove into Naivasha both days to explore - the view from the roof of the car was as much fun as anything.  We saw lots of cows, goats, and sheep - and even camels, but my favorite was the children waving and yelling greetings to us. :)

View from the roof rack - Emily's favorite seat!

 One day, we explored Hell's Gate National Park - an area that reminded us of the region of Colorado around Mesa Verde.  We were thankful to have a guide, John, to show us around and get us out of their safely.  John is a young Masai man who lives about a 20 minute walk from the gorge.  He told us that he has been giving 3-5 tours 7 days a week for the last 8 years - I couldn't help but notice that he was wearing well-worn dress shoes.  I was embarrassed by our comparatively nice shoes, still far from new, and the knowledge that we each had several pairs at home.

This entrance to the gorge wouldn't pass any kind of regulations in the US.  We entered the gorge through this "Emergency Exit."  John told us that the water quickly rises 30 meters during heavy rainstorms.  We were thankful for a sunny day!

Magnificent!  God's handiwork is stunning!

This dead-end made us feel really small!

Having lunch at a little Indian restaurant behind a gas station that was recommended to us. :)  Eating out is a rarity that I really appreciate now.

Anna learned how to make Peppermint Patties!  Yum, yum!

Love,
Sarah

Psalm 8

Lord of all creation
of water earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high

Chorus:
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are Holy, Holy
The universe declares your Majesty
And you are holy holy

Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth

(God of Wonders by Third Day)

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving - a distinctly American holiday.  There are many "harvest festivals" in various countries that have been celebrated over the years, and Canada actually has a similar Thanksgiving celebration in October, but the origins of the first American Thanksgiving are unique.  The first Thanksgiving was a feast in 1621 with the Pilgrims and the Native Americans - a time to celebrate and thank God for the provision of food for the Pilgrims through the help of the Native Americans.  They would not have survived that first year, if the Native Americans had not stepped in and taught them how to farm and fish in their new surroundings. 

As I paused at the beginning of ward rounds yesterday and explained to the Kenyan residents about our American Thanksgiving (I didn't talk about football, because I didn't think it would make sense - but you and I understand!), I realized two things.  Shared backgrounds really are a bond between people because, although they listened politely, they just don't have the same frame of reference. The second thing I realized is that in this new land that we have come to, we have also needed a lot of help and instruction from the people already here (both Kenyans and missionaries) in order to adjust and thrive.  Going to a new culture and land is difficult, and you have to be ready to ask for and accept help and advice - we are thankful for all the new friendships and help as we have acclimated to Kenya and Kijabe!  We are also so very thankful for our friends and family back home who sustain us with encouragement and prayers.  :)

So, did we celebrate Thanksgiving here?  Yes!  It was a school day for the kids and I worked, but we had a huge potluck dinner with the pediatric department/peds surg/neurosurg/ortho in the evening.  Everyone brought their favorite foods, and it was delightful to have the traditional American foods, but many with a twist that we hadn't had before.   We brought an apple pie, homemade rolls, and broccoli casserole.   Our kids wanted the broccoli casserole, which was so amusing - they didn't love it in the US, but they insisted on having it here!  Do you know that the recipe specifies that you must use frozen, not fresh broccoli?  Well, I just finely chopped it and boiled it and - voila! - "frozen" broccoli.  ha!  

Broccoli casserole

Ted's partially filled plate

Our Thanksgiving celebration! :)

I heard on the radio a few years ago that the average American eats 7000 calories on Thanksgiving Day - wow!  That is a lot of food!  Here are some more animal photos, all depicting them eating...

Ostrich

Zebra

Rhino

Elephants

Thomson gazelle

Bird outside of our window - I haven't identified yet

Lion eating wildebeest

Vultures "cleaning up" a lion kill

What many of you did after eating yesterday!

We play football or walk on Thanksgiving, so we don't look like this. :)

Sunrise at the Mara

With a thankful heart,
Sarah

I Chronicles 16:34
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.