Valuable and Breakable

Yesterday was a wonderful day. :) 

We went to the English service at the local African Inland Church (AIC) at 8:30.  AIC actually owns and runs the mission station here in Kijabe (Kijabe Hospital, Moffat Bible College, the nursing school, and a printing press).  You may have seen my references to AIC affilitated churches in both Machakos and Nairobi.  RVA has services on campus on three Sundays of the month, and the fourth Sunday is open for all the staff and students to attend the AIC service, so it was a packed service.

 The sermon was on Ephesians 4: 1-3...

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, ³ being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
  
The pastor pointed out that the Greek word for walk means our daily walk=the mundane going-about-our-day sort of walking.  He further pointed out that a "call" in ancient Greek was terminology that was used in the legal system.  So, God calls or summons us all in some way to follow Him...in following Him, we are to walk in a worthy manner while we work, grocery shop, help kids with homework, answer the door or the phone, etc.  It doesn't have to be some big, flashy event - it is just the act of living.  So, how do we live?  Paul specifies that we should live "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love."  The pastor asked why do we need to live in this way?  Because those around us (all of us) are valuable and breakable.  I just love that description!  We are all valuable AND breakable.  That seemed a very potent description to spur me on to treat others with the humility/patience/loving tolerance that I am called (legally summoned) to treat them with as I walk through my day.  May it encourage you as well.

The bell outside the door to AIC Kijabe.

After the service, we returned to our house and had brunch of whole wheat pancakes (we finally found wheat in the stores and I bought 5 kg!), fruit, and sausage that we got from the German Butcher (who delivers orders of various sausages and meats to RVA).  It is one of our special meals at home, and we made maple syrup - which tastes amazingly like the maple syrup that we used to get from Vermont. :)

Maple syrup made from maple extract - ignore the ugly jar, because it is yummy! :)

 Then, I tried to make Wheat Thins, which Emily LOVES and which we cannot get here.  The cracker/snack food situation here is very different than what we are used to.  They were okay for a first trial run....this sea-level girl is still trying to figure how to bake at 7500ft!!

Homemade Wheat Thins

Then, we found that they sell strawberries in the market here in Kijabe on some days, and we made strawberry jam (Anna's favorite!).  I only brought 2 packets of pectin, so I may have to figure out how to make it the "old-fashioned way," at some point in the future.

Here is a commercial for Sure Jell. :)

 We have found that trying new things and having new experiences is wonderful, but sometimes you just want what you are used to, and these are some of the comforts that we miss. 

The picture below is called a Scratch Card.  It is used to "top up" (not top off) your phone for airtime or data (which are handled separately) OR your data on your computer.  I have already scratched off the activation number here.  There are no phone plans like in the States, with Verizon or AT&T - you just pay as you go.  There is some discount for getting bigger bundles at a time, but you can load as little as 50 Kenyan shillings on at a time ($1 is roughly 82 Kenyan shillings or 82/=).  It is confusing at first, but it is nice because you aren't tied to one company for 2 years.

Airtime card or Scratch card.

I pass by this tree in the hospital compound several times a day - very unique!  It reminds me of an artificial Christmas tree, and I can't wait to see if they put lights on it at Christmas. :)

With love to my valuable and breakable friends,
Sarah
Ephesians 4:1-3