JAMBO (Hello)! Sasa (How are you)? This past month has been a whirlwind! Sorry for not keeping the blog as up-to-date as I had hoped. You never know when or if you’ll have internet. I have almost been in Kenya for a month and I’m really beginning to build awesome relationships with the locals and missionaries here! Here’s what has been going on:
EMBRACING the beauty of God’s creation. Currently I am in Machakos which is about an hour and a half away from Nairobi! Machakos is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. The place I am staying (while here in Machakos) has a porch that has an amazing view! I love waking up early in the morning before anyone else and going out to sit and be with the Lord in the presence of His beauty! Currently I am going through the life of Christ and enjoying every moment of it, and learning so much. Also, I am studying, rather deeply, the story of Ruth. I am so intrigued by Ruth’s story and when you catch me reading my bible, this is often where I’ll be!
EMBRACING the beauty of God’s creation. Currently I am in Machakos which is about an hour and a half away from Nairobi! Machakos is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. The place I am staying (while here in Machakos) has a porch that has an amazing view! I love waking up early in the morning before anyone else and going out to sit and be with the Lord in the presence of His beauty! Currently I am going through the life of Christ and enjoying every moment of it, and learning so much. Also, I am studying, rather deeply, the story of Ruth. I am so intrigued by Ruth’s story and when you catch me reading my bible, this is often where I’ll be!
PRAYING constantly. Prayer has become an even bigger part of my life since I’ve moved to Kenya. I constantly find myself talking to the Lord always! He delivers me satisfaction in times of need and helps me through some of the difficult changes I’ve had to make.
GRATEFUL. I do not know where to begin with this one besides putting it out there just as I did. The first day I was here I took a cold shower (which I would later be thankful for…) but did not have a towel. The next day I woke up to “Girls there is hot water in the shower for you.” You do not even know how fast I jumped out of bed and ran to the shower only to find a small bucket of hot water. Yes my friends, a bucket bath, which has become all too common to me over the past few weeks, but is now my preference. I never realized how truly grateful I was for common things like a towel, electricity and hot running water from a shower…oh, and internet!
LOVING the people God is bringing into our lives. I’ve gained 100 best friends since I’ve gotten here (or at least it seems). I love the one-on-one time I get with the kids! Especially the group of Maasi girls I’ve been hanging out with a lot! God is working in miraculous ways here in Kenya! Also, Page and I teach bible studies on Friday nights for the kids! This Friday I spoke from the book of Ruth (go figure). This is probably one of my favorite times with the kids and they always have a ton of questions.
GRATEFUL. I do not know where to begin with this one besides putting it out there just as I did. The first day I was here I took a cold shower (which I would later be thankful for…) but did not have a towel. The next day I woke up to “Girls there is hot water in the shower for you.” You do not even know how fast I jumped out of bed and ran to the shower only to find a small bucket of hot water. Yes my friends, a bucket bath, which has become all too common to me over the past few weeks, but is now my preference. I never realized how truly grateful I was for common things like a towel, electricity and hot running water from a shower…oh, and internet!
LOVING the people God is bringing into our lives. I’ve gained 100 best friends since I’ve gotten here (or at least it seems). I love the one-on-one time I get with the kids! Especially the group of Maasi girls I’ve been hanging out with a lot! God is working in miraculous ways here in Kenya! Also, Page and I teach bible studies on Friday nights for the kids! This Friday I spoke from the book of Ruth (go figure). This is probably one of my favorite times with the kids and they always have a ton of questions.
READING lots and lots of books! In my spare time around the house I usually will plop down on the couch and pick up a book! Also on the car rides to and from school I will read, this however causes lots of headaches. It is so difficult to read on a bumpy road and you don’t know what a bumpy road is until you get to Africa….trust me. I just finished the book Twelve Ordinary Men and enjoyed every page of it. I find myself to be a lot like the disciple Andrew.
MISSING the first primary school I went to in Kitale! I made so many friends there and miss each and every one of them! Especially a little girl named Jill. She is in class 3 (3rd grade) and is the class leader (this is for when children sing songs, get organized and go to pick up lunch to bring back to the classroom), top of the class and truly one of the sweetest girls I have ever met! I love her so much! They also taught us a new Zacchaeus song, which if I must say so, is so much more fun to sing then the one the kids in the US sing because it has awesome hand motions.
MISSING the first primary school I went to in Kitale! I made so many friends there and miss each and every one of them! Especially a little girl named Jill. She is in class 3 (3rd grade) and is the class leader (this is for when children sing songs, get organized and go to pick up lunch to bring back to the classroom), top of the class and truly one of the sweetest girls I have ever met! I love her so much! They also taught us a new Zacchaeus song, which if I must say so, is so much more fun to sing then the one the kids in the US sing because it has awesome hand motions.
FULFILLING DREAMS….hahahah. When I was little I wanted to be a cafeteria lady for a period of time. Don’t ask me why but I always looked up to them. Maybe it was because they cooked food and I liked cooking when I was little (Mom & Dad—remember that special rice? J ). Well I am fulfilling dreams. Page & I are the cafeteria ladies at I Can Fly (and I say this proudly). All the kids line up for lunch at 12:45 with their plates and we give them a scoop full of beans and maze (corn). I thoroughly enjoy this job, and Page and I will often make jokes to the kids while serving them…they love it. Also, the beans and maze might not sound too good but let me tell you what, they have AWESOME cooks at ICF and thanks to them the food smells delicious! If I could I would eat this for lunch every day.
MISSING Monday night volleyball. However, I play volleyball every night at 4:10 with the kids of I Can Fly (Except Fridays when we have bible study)! It’s so much fun seeing them all play and interact. I love it!
MISSING Monday night volleyball. However, I play volleyball every night at 4:10 with the kids of I Can Fly (Except Fridays when we have bible study)! It’s so much fun seeing them all play and interact. I love it!
LEARNING so much Swahili! Hakuna Shida (No Problem). I’m hoping to be pretty fluent in conversations soon! The kids love teaching me different words and phrases and love hearing me repeat it because of my accent. Also, when people are having conversations around me I can easily pick up different words and figure out what the conversations about. Sometimes I’ll respond or tell them what they just said and they will freak out. It’s pretty entertaining.
HAIR HEADACHES because my hair is currently in corn rows. It hurt so bad my eyes started to water. But all-in-all my friend Carol at ICF did a GREAT job and it really saves me time in the mornings not having to fix my hair! This was also one of the things I said I was going to do while over here: check!
LAUGHING AND CELEBRATING all the talent at ICF! These kids are amazing and continue to blow me away each and every day. On September 13 we had a talent show for the kids. Some participated by dancing, singing, spoken word and acting (which was by far my favorite part, thanks to one kid named Brian!). A lot of the students participated and even the teachers got involved singing R.E.S.P.E.C.T. the kids LOVED IT! We talked about how much talent they have and how they can use that talent to serve the Lord. Even Page and I had a little something up our sleeve with a skit! The kids also enjoyed when we surprised them afterwards with biscuits, juice, and even a soccer ball! I will miss these kids so much while Page and I serve with the Bay Leaf Mission Team, however, we will soon be back with them for 3 weeks!!
Nakapenda (Love you) and miss you guys so much! Someone enjoy some Jubala for me please!
TUTAONANA (See You..)
Sarah
HAIR HEADACHES because my hair is currently in corn rows. It hurt so bad my eyes started to water. But all-in-all my friend Carol at ICF did a GREAT job and it really saves me time in the mornings not having to fix my hair! This was also one of the things I said I was going to do while over here: check!
LAUGHING AND CELEBRATING all the talent at ICF! These kids are amazing and continue to blow me away each and every day. On September 13 we had a talent show for the kids. Some participated by dancing, singing, spoken word and acting (which was by far my favorite part, thanks to one kid named Brian!). A lot of the students participated and even the teachers got involved singing R.E.S.P.E.C.T. the kids LOVED IT! We talked about how much talent they have and how they can use that talent to serve the Lord. Even Page and I had a little something up our sleeve with a skit! The kids also enjoyed when we surprised them afterwards with biscuits, juice, and even a soccer ball! I will miss these kids so much while Page and I serve with the Bay Leaf Mission Team, however, we will soon be back with them for 3 weeks!!
Nakapenda (Love you) and miss you guys so much! Someone enjoy some Jubala for me please!
TUTAONANA (See You..)
Sarah