Homestay, Part II

Wow - where does the time go?  I want to finish telling you about some things we saw and did during our homestay in December.  :)

Our new friends' neighbors own a farm about 45 minutes up into the hills from where we stayed.  One day we went to visit the farm - it was beautiful up there!  We were welcomed with open arms by this family.  They have 5 children - the oldest of which is in medical school in Nairobi.  We have learned along the way that Kenyan kids work very, very hard to have the opportunity to get to the universities or professional schools of their choice.  The four years of high school are referred to as Form 1, 2, 3, and 4.  Most kids go to boarding schools for high school (if they can afford the school fees).  They are often IN CLASS by 5 in the morning every day!!!  Tell that to your teenager in the US!  Ted was pretty amazed at that.  Their grades and scores on the exit exams will determine their opportunities.  For instance, if you score well enough to make it into a certain level of the class rankings, you will be accepted to the government medical school, or engineering school, etc that corresponds to that level of ranking.  If you are accepted this way, the government pays the vast majority or all of your tuition.  If you don't score well enough, you can still consider going to a private university for your desired field of study, but the fees are significant.  One of the clinical officers at the hospital (similar to physician assistants in the US) didn't make the government cutoff for medical school, applied and was accepted to a private medical school, but has had to defer due to the cost and isn't sure she can manage it.  The cost is the equivalent of $2000 per term - 3 terms a year for 6 years.....$36,000!!!  As a mom with a son rapidly approaching college, I can tell you that I would love for college and medical school combined to come with that price tag but, in Kenya, that is a dream killer.  But, I digress....

This is the porch leading into their house on the property.

They had a large covered strawberry field.  Strawberries grow year-round here!  That makes up for no blueberries, sort of.

The road was 2 lanes, but the bridge was not!

On another day, we drove over to Lake Naivasha, which is a large fresh water lake with much wildlife.  It has traditionally been a popular watering spot for Maasai herdsmen.  It was also used between 1937 and 1950 as a landing spot for the Imperial Airways' flying boats (seaplanes) in their flights between London and South Africa.  Many of the usual places to view the lake were flooded due to some recent rains, but we enjoyed seeing many new places and people.  Everything is an experience here, so you just keep your eyes open!

Women walking on the road carrying water - that is probably about 15 pounds of water on their heads!

There is YMCA in Kenya - Rotary, too, but that photo was terrible.

This was a very creative lamp post at the entrance to a park by the lake.  The head is the lamp, and the clothes are actually metal - making it look like a Maasai herdsman.

All of the kids.

I love this photo of a boat down by the lake.  It makes me think of God looking down from heaven at Jesus on Peter's boat.

This shows the degree of flooding of the lake.  This building is normally on dry land and can be rented for various functions.

On one of the last nights of our stay, it was a very important holiday called Jamhuri Day.  It is the day that Kenyans celebrate their country becoming a republic in 1964, and it is traditional for them to roast a goat or sheep.  Roasting a goat or sheep is also something they would do for an important guest.  It was a privilege to be included in such an important event for their family, and we were honored to be a part of it.  Let me walk you through the preparations, in case you would like to try it at home.

Here is the goat prior to preparation.  This one was delivered from the butchery, not the backyard.

First, a machete is used to hack the goat in half lengthwise.

Then, the machete is used to make smaller pieces that can fit more easily on the fire.

These smaller pieces are put onto the fire in the fireplace.  Our friends do have an oven, but cooking it over the wood fire produces the right flavor and is also cheaper than running an electric oven for that long.

After the cooking is completed, the meat is sliced from the bone...

and served with carrots and ugali.

Here is everyone at the end of our stay (Rick took this photo, so he is not in it).  They are a delightful family, and we look forward to seeing them again, since we live so close.  We plan to visit the cafe they were building in front of their house, once it is up and running. :)  I will let you know!

Homestay 2012

Lots of love,
Sarah

Mark 1:16-20 
As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.  Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him.