Today was a day off - very much appreciated after arriving and having 3 full days of "class." We got up early and it was sunny! (Too bad I couldn't do some laundry before we left.)
A large group of us hiked up to the top of Mt. Iveti, a local mountain nearby. We climbed from roughly 5000ft to 7000ft in about 2 hours. There are so many photos I would like to share, but here is a sampling....
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| Woman doing laundry in a stream and drying it on a rock. |
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| The view halfway up - seemed more clear at the time... |
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| Many, but not all, people terrace the land - erosion is a huge problem. |
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| Older woman carrying a large jug of water up the hillside. |
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| Fragrant minty flowers growing in an old stump - the most pleasant smell since arriving in Kenya!! |
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| This is a beautiful entranceway for these little hillside houses-obviously, there is a wide variation! |
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| The children that joined our group loved Emily's soft blond hair. |
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| Our room - snapped a picture while waiting for pictures to upload. |
We are starting to feel a little more settled here in Machakos, and are starting to learn the "system." I did some laundry this afternoon by hand, then had to run out to the lines to bring it in when it started to rain! I have been down to "my" veggie lady (Rose) 3 times now - for bananas, avocados, and a pineapple. We are figuring out how to best navigate electronic communication here - maybe I should say learning how to work within the limitations! Tomorrow we go to a Kenyan church - it is 3.4 km and I think we are walking. The service is said to be about 3 hours and starts at 10am - I'll let you know. Hopefully, the Gessners will manage to arrive on time!!
Things I am thankful for: Laughter, hot water, dry/clean clothes, chocolate, coffee, generosity, electricity, warm blankets, family time, sunshine, new friendships, old friendships, communication with home, fragrant flowers, God's provision
Love,
Sarah
Matthew 6:25-34
Sarah, I am enjoying the blog tremendously! Thanks so much for sharing your pictures and your stories. I miss you at WFP and remain humbled by your courage and commitment. God bless The Gessner Family!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, Rich, and Kids,
DeleteIt is great seeing all of your photos, it gives us a little glimpse into your new life. Tell Emily her blonde hair makes her seem like a movie star to the Kenyan children --they dont get to see hair like that very often. We love you guys and look forward to hearing more about your adventures.
Puthenveetil's
so glad you are updating regularly. I'm praying the Lord continues to knit your hearts to the people and culture there. I'm praying that as the new wears off the Father will walk with you to fully embrace all that this beautiful culture offers---God is so good to prepare and hold us in these new experiences. Thanks again for letting us share this with you guys---love to all!
ReplyDelete