Well when it rains it pours… But God is faithful. The last week has been a stretching one and God is teaching me more and more about His faithfulness but it’s also been full of distractions and flat out attack. Here are some examples:

· Just 5 minutes before I was suppose to receive a phone call from the US about some final arrangements for the coming team, my phone code failed and my sim card locked causing me to lose my phonebook, alarm clock, etc. The information I needed to unlock it was with SaraBeth in the US and I had to go to great lengths to fix the problem. It involved getting on the very limited internet to find SaraBeth’s phone number, taking the sim card out of my computer and placing it in my phone, which also meant that I had a new phone number. I called SaraBeth and left her a message to call me on the new number. It was after midnight when she called me back and we discussed the final trip details. We also talked about her finding the information to reactivate my phone and she was not hopeful. The following morning she called me to let me know she could not find the information I needed. I would have to get a new phone number and new sim card. This would mean a trip to the city, spending some cash I didn’t have , and telling everyone at home that I had a new number. It would take all day… time I didn’t have. I was really upset, although looking back at it now seems kinda silly, but nonetheless I was UPSET. I just began to journal these words…

“So long story short I lost all my numbers and now the only one who has my number is SaraBeth. I’m going to Kakamega today in hopes that my friend at Safaricom (the phone store) can help me restore my number. If not I will just have to get a new one. This is about the worst time ever to lose the use of my phone, but I just have to know in my heart that God will work it all for the best… we will see!

GOD IS FAITHFUL… just as I wrote these words I received a call from SaraBeth and she said in her last minute packing she found the card with the number I needed to reactivate the phone. The Lord’s provision Rocks, Even when Life is Rocky. Glory be to God!

· So as I began to prepare for the team I started to get sick. First a sore throat, then congestion and such. This just made everything more complicated. The worst part… sores in my mouth and it tasted like acid. I thought this is a weird symptom, but I just tried to grin and bear it. As my sickness gave way to the double doses of Benadryl and good sleep, the blisters in my mouth remained. I began to notice that the symptoms were really familiar… just like the “African funk” I had in my mouth last year after my return home. After some investigation my amazingly awesome nurse friend Amy discovered it could be the Malarone… the malaria medication. Turns out it can cause mouth sores and an oral yeast infection. Now I am faced with a great dilemma, keep taking the malarone and keep a constant yeast infection, which is NOT good for the mouth, or stop taking malaria prophylaxis. Neither are good options! My only other choices: a med that causes some to have psychotic episodes or a drug that I’ve had an allergic reaction to before. Again none of these are good options. GOD IS FAITHFUL… My wonderful friends and family went to great lengths to make sure I received a medicine that would clear up the infection in my mouth. And when I say great lengths I mean it!!! My friends went above and beyond to assure that my medicine arrived with the team this week.

· Many of the kids are sick, and I just found out we had a mumps outbreak at the school and Vivian has the mumps… please pray for her. She is doing okay, but she is super sad that she can not participate in the VBS this week. Also pray that those in the Children’s home would be resistant to the mumps. I have a feeling that they will run their course and keep all the workers at Tumaini very busy in taking care of sick kids. GOD IS FAITHFUL… no miraculous story of healing or anything of that sort although God is completely capable of this, but I just think about how he has provided the team from the US at just the right time, allowing them to take care of the kids who are well and allow the staff to give extra attention to those who are sick.

· It was so good to see the team arrive but it’s been hard adjusting to the “sprint paced” lifestyle and structure a team of Americans bring with them. I want to be completely honest and transparent, so I will say without hesitation that this has been one of the most difficult weeks so far. I was full of emotion and excitement as I stared at the faces of my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ as they walked thru the gate at the airport giving me hugs from my mom… how cool is that. I love sharing Tumaini and Kenyan culture with them and each and every volunteer has so much to give. Once they arrived at Tumaini I was encouraged to see how much more we could get done with more hands to love on the kids, teach, fetch water, make mortar, etc. But all of a sudden, my marathon had become a sprint. I found myself acting like I was only going to be here for a couple of weeks, pouring out in abundance, snapping pictures left and right, trying to capture every moment and detail, and trying to spend every single moment with the comforts from home… spaghetti, poptarts, talking fast and without an accent, catching up with friends who came to visit, and the list goes on. What I did not realize was the extreme conflict this would cause within me. I’ve been here for a month and a half or so and the lens through which I view my surroundings has changed. I expected to embrace the things from home, and while I am greatly appreciative, all the STUFF was overwhelming. I found myself wanting ugali and cabbage more than macaroni and cheese…. Now don’t get me wrong I still like some mac and cheese from time to time, but that much culture from home so fast was just too much. GOD IS FAITHFUL: He provided today for me to get away and collect my thoughts, to resubmerge myself in the “Kenyan way” and take a break from the VBS schedule.

· FINAL THOUGHTS and MY PRAYER

I think you can be prepared to experience some reverse culture shock to a certain extent when you are preparing to come back to the US, but when the US came to me, it just caught me off guard. I’m not quite Kenyan but I act as the Kenyan’s act in many ways. I am making a conscious effort to blend in as much as possible. So I can’t completely relate to someone who is just here for a couple of weeks looking at the picture on the surface. And I can’t relate to the Kenyan’s who call this their home and have an intrinsic understanding of the picture. I’m somewhere in the middle. At first glance the picture is exciting a full of brilliant vibrant colors. But the longer I look at it I see what I consider flaws in the composition and I can’t fully grasp what the picture is trying to communicate. It’s hard to decipher what’s a flaw and what may have been an intentional mark by the artist. As I continue to look at the picture I pray that God will teach me how to interpret the picture before me. May I make it a point to not just look at things on the surface anymore, but to spend more time with the artist in order to dig deep into the culture to find the true expression of his/her work. May I be able to discern the marks that are intentional and the marks that are counterfeit. May I view this picture through the lens of Christ.

The Spirit is Here… and this is a Waging War

Okay so let me begin by saying the last week has been a bit of a rollercoaster of sorts. I’ve been here a little over a month and I no longer feel like a volunteer… I am trying my best to become as Kenyan as possible… I eat with my hands, I’m learning the language, I’m even picking up Kenyan mannerisms like raising my eyebrows with a slight head nod for “yes” and clicking with my mouth as a response to something being said, etc. But the truth of the matter is: I’m not Kenyan and I am not a permanent resident here, so I find myself somewhere in the middle. It’s easy to come for a couple of weeks and love on the kids, make bricks, and experience another culture. But in a couple of weeks you are only seeing things as they are on the surface. You come, you love, you leave, not completely aware of what it’s like on a day in day out basis. That’s it! On the other hand you have long-term (career missionaries) who know they have years to invest. They first learn the language, develop some relationships, learn to get around in town, etc. Then after a while they begin to slowly implement a strategy to reach the people with the love of Christ. THIS CAN TAKE YEARS!!! But when you are serving long enough to see under the surface and take note of all the needs, but not long enough to really implement a plan of action, it can be a bit discouraging. That’s where I find myself today. Staring the under the surface “stuff” in the face and wanting to implement a plan that is relevant and sustainable among the people it’s meant to serve… not an easy task. But the Lord never promised us easy… quite the contrary! But he did promise to never leave or forsake us and today, at a low point he reminded my heart of the rich inheritance I have in Him. The following is a portion of my journal entry from today:

Faith is greater than gold… it’s so much easier to see when there is no physical gold. At home, I often looked at God in a way that my faith increased as he provided a job, education, home, car, and the list goes on. And He did provide all those things and they were good. But, more importantly he provided even when I didn’t see Him at work. This was usually when my faith increased, when I couldn’t plan or predict how he would come through. Well, here I look around and see all kinds of trials and spiritual warfare. Life is hard here and you can see it in the worn faces of the people. But, oh how rich they are in faith. They are accustomed to not “seeing” God, but oh how they love Him. This is a generalization of course and there are many here, just as anywhere, that live under the guise of God is love, yet they steal, lie, or cheat. This is where I find the greatest frustration. I ponder on the scripture that tells us to rid ourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, slander, and envy and tap into the inheritance we have in Christ. As I am writing this a storm has come to Tumaini. The rain is beating down so hard on the tinroof that I cannot hear anything but the provision of God’s rain on the land. So I make this my prayer… Open the floodgates of heaven and let it rain. Lord let your Spirit rain down in a way that your voice is all we hear. What an amazing inheritance we have in Christ Jesus.

Later this very evening I had an opportunity to share in a worship service with the kids at the Children’s Home… we had a special prayer for a couple of kids who were having an especially hard time. It was completely impromptu on my part, I didn’t even have my Bible on me… which is rare, but God laid it on my heart to share with the kids what I’d been learning in my quiet time. How amazing it was to share with them the inheritance they have in Christ. In Kenya a male inherits land from his father. This is often his livelihood… his salvation if you will. It thrilled my heart to share with these kids whose lives are void of earthly inheritance that they have an inheritance worth more than gold, that earthly inheritances are meaningless and fade away but the faith we have in Christ assures us that we are HIS and HE IS OURS… forevermore. GLORY BE TO GOD! I wish there was some way to capture what the Lord did in my heart this night. It was as if Isaiah 61 came to life right in front of me…

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Picture: Hesbon praying on the mountain! LOVE IT!

As promised here is a prayer request list in bullet format (my personal favorite thanks to my father ☺ )

• Rose’s request: strength and protection
• Rose’s request: Provision for the funding and building of Standard 7
• Safety and good health
• Continued language and cultural learning
• Continued relationships with those living in the Guest Home
• That I will have time alone with God (I’m often interrupted)
• That I will have time to spend with the children
• That I will have time to prepare for my lessons
• Basically that I will learn to have balanced time here
• That the children will get thru the cold season (they all have colds and runny noses)
• That God would allow me to encourage the teachers in truth and love
• That God would allow me to encourage the head teacher to be more assertive
• For good sleep and pleasant dreams (no matter how vivid they may be)
• A continued servants heart
• For the team from ISF (they will be here July 24th- August 4th or so)
• For my upcoming travels to Nairobi, Mombasa, and possibly Uganda
• For peace and rest to continue in Kenya
• For baby Joshua who is beginning to cut teeth
• For the children who have HIV to have good health, proper care, and medication
• For the children who travel far distances to walk to school each day
• For the leadership at Tumaini who make decisions on behalf of the children
• That I would be sensitive to the needs here and help in a way that is encouraging and culturally relevant.
• Pray that my matatu rides to the city are safe and that I choose wisely
• Pray for the Maasai guards that protect us at night… one is a believer the other is not
• That I would be able to continue a friendship I made at the phone store in Kakamega... Her name is Emily and she is a student working on her MBA.
• As always that those who may not have a relationship with Christ would come to know Him
• THAT THEY WILL KNOW US BY OUR LOVE

Thanks for all your prayers… Those of you who are on my prayer calendar I pray for you all day and I appreciate your prayers for me. .. If you want to be added to the prayer calendar just email me to day you want to pray…. I will pray for you and you for me. This truly has been an encouragement to me and helps me stay connected to friends and family at home.

Well it’s official!!! My first month in Kenya is behind me. If I didn’t know better I would have thought that the first 5 days were equal to the next 25 combined. I would love to say the transition was a piece of cake but that would be a complete lie. I was well prepared, solid in God’s Word, equipped with confirmation after confirmation from God. I had done the research on culture and language. I had been to Tumaini before and for the most part knew what to expect. So as I struggled through the first few days I asked God for more peace, a greater understanding, and a renewed purpose. Of course he provided in His own way and right on time. I just had to wade through all the “stuff” to find it. I came to the conclusion very quickly that no matter how much you are prepared mentally and spiritually, moving into another culture and learning to function takes TIME!!!! So here I sit one month later with many experiences behind and much more to learn. I’ve seen things over the past month that broke my heart into a million pieces; things I wish didn’t exist in this world. I’ve also seen things that made my heart smile and brought about utter joy in my soul. I’ve heard sounds so unfamiliar that it makes my head turn in wonder. I’ve also heard familiar sounds of crickets singing me to sleep at night and children laughing. I’ve wondered why this or why that, and I’ve learned that life is life no matter where you live it. The important thing is not where you are but instead where you are with the Lord. I read an encouraging scripture this morning and I pray it encourages you wherever you may be: For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. ~ 2 Chronicles 16:9a

So now with the Lords strength I would like to share with you more about the reason He’s brought me halfway around the world to serve Him among the least of these. (Warning: this is a long one and includes some processing thoughts so feel free to read as you have time) (The next post will be prayer requests in bullet format )

When I arrived at Tumaini I knew I would be working with the children, teaching English (which cracks me up, b/c I have a biology degree) and PE. I also knew I would be working specifically with the kids at the orphanage to eventually develop an after school program for the children… including a systematic way to complete their chores, study, and of course play. During the first 6 months of this journey I planned to actively observe the system already in place. I’ve been encouraged so far as to what I am seeing here. Rose is a visionary and so many wonderful things are already in place. At the Children’s Home the children seem to go about their business with intent. They know what to do and as a team they usually do it. After school they line up for a bath and then they beginning helping to prepare dinner. It always seems to be a group effort and I love coming alongside of them in sorting maize and beans or cutting sukumawiki. They are also the very ones who taught me to wash my clothes. It’s been a pleasant surprise to see how well they function and how happy they seem to be. At this discovery I began to wonder why God brought me here at all. I didn’t wonder for long. On day 2 Rose said she had a BIG job for me. She didn’t want to scare me (these were her words) but she wanted me to do some administrative work for her. She wanted me to meet with a man (Ishmeal) who does monthly site visits to schools to make sure the teachers are covering the curriculum (in Kenya a syllabus) in a timely manner. Then she wanted me to take over his duties and make sure the teachers are arriving on time and that the students receive maximum instruction time. My first thought was, I don’t know anything about Kenya’s requirements, curriculum, teacher expectations, etc. My second thought was, what will the teachers think and my final thought was I don’t want to do this… this should be done by a Kenyan. After my first meeting with Ishmeal and Tumaini’s head teacher I felt relieved. I found that a really good system was already in place but the polices were not being enforced. So, they just need someone to help them enforce it. So long story short, I will be the one to help them enforce the policies and procedures that are already in place. I am still a bit apprehensive about this. I am a firm believer that the missionary’s role is to come along side and serve as a support role, but at this time those who should be enforcing are not, so my hope is to encourage the teachers to respect the policies and those enforcing them. I had a meeting with all the teachers Friday and encouraged them to abide by all the policies and procedures. I spent several days preparing and it was amazing how God provided just the right words…. And guess what…. All I shared with them came from Scripture. We talked about how God views children (Mark 10:13-16), giving back to the children the gifts God has given to us (2 Corn. 8:7-12), discipline (both for the children and for ourselves) (Hebrews 12), and that God wants us to have a good plan (Proverbs 14:22). For the most part the encouragement was well received, but as always I sensed some opposition. I think this is why the head teacher was so discouraged for so many months, and the reason he found it difficult to enforce the policies. He is such a kind and gentle man. It’s my prayer that the teachers will come to see that the policies are for the good of the children and for their own good. I do not foresee a problem in me enforcing these policies… my heart is for the children and they deserve the best. I will not hesitate to report those who go against Tumaini’s policies. But I will not be here forever and I cannot, and will not be the only one to enforce. My challenge now is to teach the administration to enforce the policies themselves… for the love of the children and out of respect for the profession of teaching. At the end of the meeting I shared with the teachers how I intend to help them along the way…. With listening to their issues, equipping them with new teaching techniques and resources, establishing incentives, and most importantly praying with them and for them. The single best thing that came from my time of preparation for the meeting was the idea the Lord laid on my heart to encourage the teachers to be on time. Each morning we will meet at the flag pole and pray… for each other, for the day, and for the children. What God-fearing teacher would dare to be late, not to school, but to meet with the Lord. I pray it works and ask for you to pray as well! Other than that my purpose here is to grow in my own relationship with the Lord as he continues to stretch me, and invest in the relationships the Lord is growing among those at Tumaini. Oh, I almost forgot... watched my 1st Kenyan Sunset from a mountain nearby.. Sophia went with me (check out this view)

Blessings!

Amanda

So many people I’ve talked with have requested a day in the life of Dub in Kenya and I agree, but this is a difficult request as no day is the same. This again is my best attempt at giving you a glimpse of my world at Tumaini. I hope you enjoy ☺ My next blog will begin to focus more on the ministry that goes on at Tumaini, and the part the Lord is having me play in His great plan for this beautiful place. Prayer Warriors get ready…. This is a waging war!

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
~ Isaiah 60:1

Between 5:45 am and 6:15 am I wake up to the sound of Doreen and Helen (she is a new assistant to Rose) sweeping the floors with a broom made of small sticks. At this point I know that it’s ALMOST time to get up so I usually go back to sleep. NOTE: On Sunday mornings I wake up at 5ish to the ruckus caused by the people on the way to the bullfights outside my window. Ruckus is the best word I can find to describe the wailing, screaming, cow bells, etc. At 6:30 am I get up and look for my headlamp so I can find my way to the kitchen. I walk over to the large black barrel full of rainwater gathered the previous evening and fill up a large stainless steel bowl full of water. I then place it on the propane burner, light a match and wait for my bath water to boil. In the mean time I go back to the black barrel and fill a bucket half way with cold water. This is to mix with my hot water to make the PERFECT bath (I almost have this down to a science). As I am waiting still for my water to boil, I make my morning trip to the bathroom. The last stall of 3 is my favorite because it has what I like to call my western toilet. It doesn’t have a seat so I have to sit on the actual toilet. After depositing waste, I have to fill up the tank with 2 gallons of water (also drawn from the black barrels) and flush the toilet. Now it’s back to the bath water… more waiting. When it’s just right I take my bucket, a basin, and a pitcher into the 2nd stall… my shower/ the squatty potty. At first I thought I was really going to miss the shower, and I do… but not near as much as I thought. The basin shower really is sufficient and I always feel clean when I am finished, especially on days when I wash my hair, which is about every third day. (For those of you that know me and my hair, can rejoice with me every third day). After the bath I head back to my room to get dressed for the day. Most mornings it is cold from the rain the evening before, so I start my day by wearing long sleeves. After I get dressed I take my Bible and my journal and sit in the living room by the window for my morning tea and quiet time. Every morning I have tea with milk (the real milk straight from the cow) and 1 and a half scoops of sugar. I also have one piece of bread with butter and one piece of bread with peanut butter and strawberry Zesta jelly. WOOT! I usually have about 30-45 minutes until Rose joins me and we chat for a few minutes. This is one of my favorite times of the day and it’s always very encouraging. I love talking with Rose about her vision for Tumaini. Between 7:45 and 8:00 I head on over to the children’s home to take care of baby Joshua otherwise known as JO. I greet him every morning and he smiles the cutest laughing smile. First thing on the agenda is the bath. Same goes for him, we warm it to the right temperature and away we go. After his bath I dress him, including the cloth diaper method. (It took me a few days to get the hang of this one). After he is bathed and dressed we usually play until he gets tired and then I give him milk and porridge until he goes to sleep. Sometimes this requires singing, rocking or going for a walk outside. I love my time with Josh in the mornings and so many times I look at him and think, “How could anyone leave this little one to die?” I told myself I would not get attached and I’m not much on babies, but he steals my heart every morning. Now after putting Joshua down for his nap, I am off to school for my PE and creative writing classes. It’s only about a football field’s length walk to school. (YES I am spoiled) My class schedule varies from day to day. At around 5pm I return to the guesthouse to help with dinner or chores or head over to the children’s home for some fun time with the kids. Some of my favorite activities include reading a book on the big rock in front of the Children’s Home, learning to cook the Kenyan way, (ugali and cabbage are my personal favorites) and singing with the kids. The sun begins to go down around 7pm, so I try to be in for the night before the mosquitoes come out to play… I mean bite. Dinnertime consists of more ugali, cabbage, rice or beans and on occasion, meat. The other day I had liver… not my favorite but I took one for the team. In the US I am a HUGE fan of meat, but here I try to stick with the vegetables and let peanut butter be my main source of protein. Preparing dinner is a fun process. It begins with lots of cutting vegetables… the girls begin learning to use a very sharp LARGE knife in the third grade, and they are very good with them. Yesterday I learned to prepare the ugali. It consists of boiling water then adding lots of corn flour and stirring like a champ. I admire the Kenyan women so much for all their hard work. Sitting at the dinner table after working for hours to prepare a meal just gives the meal a special meaning. Every meal is truly prepared with LOTS of TLC. In the evening after dinner I usually hang out with Rose or baby SaraBeth and the rest of the Guest Home crew. We often watch TV (thanks to the generator) We followed the World Cup and of course I was the only one chanting USA when they played Ghana. I’ve also found the Kenyan soaps a great way to learn Kiswahili. I usually head to bed around 10 or 11 pm, depending on the day and how tired I am. After a night full of vivid dreams (thanks to the Malarone malaria pill) I wake up and do it all over again. Like I said, everyday is different and some days consist of a trip to town which is an adventure of it’s own. Yesterday I went to town and visited the Nacumatt, which is sort of like Wal-mart. I purchased some water and realized later that I would have to carry the 10-liter bottle from the matatu stop that is ¾ of a mile from Tumaini. So I did what any Kenyan would do… I put the 10 liter bottle on top of my head and started walking. It was fun and great exercise. I must say the top of my head is a little sore today. So I mentioned the matatu ride. It’s better than King’s Island. The final head count in this 14-passenger van was 21. The 30-minute ride from town to my stop was full of adventure. Many stops, people jumping on and off the van and dodging potholes, and people, you just say a prayer and hope for the best. I noticed yesterday that our driver was taking extra caution and as we stopped he looked at me and said do you know me? I said no, and he said you are my daughter’s teacher at Tumaini. Now how’s that for the Lord’s provision.

So this is about the best I can do for a day in the life of Dub in Kenya. If you wanna see first hand just plan to visit. I hope to see you at Tumaini!

Can you pass the Culture Please…

Many missionaries often speak of cultural barriers and what it’s like to live or at least survive in a culture that’s not their own. Many struggle with this process and some embrace it to a fault, but nonetheless it is a process and I seem to find myself somewhere in the middle. I’ve been thinking for the last few days about how to convey this in a way that will make the culture “come alive” and this in and of itself is a daunting task, but this is Kenya, so I have plenty of time to figure it out… The following is my best attempt.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN A CULTURE NOT YOUR OWN WHEN…

• You wave hello, but you are really saying come here
• You chase the chicken in the morning and eat her for dinner that evening
• You begin every dish with Kasuku (Crisco), onions, and tomatoes
• Flushing the toilet requires drawing water from the well
• Taking a bath means collecting the rain water and warming it to your desired temperature
• Going to town requires a long walk plus a crazy 30 minute ride sitting on a strangers lap next to a lady with a live chicken in a bag.
• You wake up when the roster crows and go to bed at dusk
• You watch babies toddle around an open fire and small kids cut sugarcane with a knife as big as they are and the adults don’t seem to mind.
• The physical education classroom doubles as a pasture for a donkey, goats, and cattle (they actually serve as the lawn mower)
• You call for a driver to pick you up and it’s no problem if they are 3 hours late… this is SOOOOO common
• Nothing at the market has a price tag so if you are gullible you pay too much and if you are smart you pay very little (the high price is mazungu price and the low price is the African price)
• Doing laundry requires a machine with two arms, 10 fingers, a few basins, and a bar of soap… not to mention a few good hours of sunlight and a metal sheet fence for drying
• A jigger coming forth from the body is explained away as nothing other than witchcraft (google Jigger if your interested)
• A funeral consists of an all night vigil of drums and chanting
• You begin to dream in a language not your own and you can’t understand your own dreams
• Dishes and children and washed in buckets
• The night watchmen carry bows, arrows, and flashlights
• The internet costs a fortune and it takes 20 minutes to load your Facebook profile page
• You see people walking along the road suddenly stop to pee and then continue on their way
• The options for brushing your teeth are going outside or standing over the toilet. Aka the hole in the ground.
• You can’t tell which smells worse… you or the sheets on your bed
• You are speaking the same language but you can’t understand one another


This is my life… this is where I live…. This is where I serve… this is Kenya!

Now some of you may be saying better you than me, or wow that sounds tough, but allow me to share with you my favorite things about this culture:

YOU KNOW YOU ARE LIVING IN A CULTURE NOT YOUR OWN WHEN:

• Children prepare food and wash their own clothes even as early as 6 years old
• Children sit quietly at their desks even when the teachers are not around
• Children recite numbers, letters, sounds and words as they play on the swing set… they do this for hours!
• People are more important than the day’s agenda
• People take time to breath and say no worries a lot!
• Cleanliness is important even if you are sweeping dirt floors.
• Every meal begins with a prayer thanking God for providing today’s food
• Every resource is used to it’s fullest…. Nothing goes to waste.
• You fix what is broken instead of just going out and buying a new one
• As people pass by they throw up their hand and wave with a smile
• The entire house comes together in the evening to help with all the chores
• Children walk hours to school each morning and arrive at 7 am and leave that evening at 6pm… they also go to school on Saturday
• Tea is served every morning for breakfast and members of the house can sit and encourage one another in conversation
• Children sing about God in the classroom and write about Him when asked to write a story about Rain.

Now it is clearer to me than ever before, one culture is not better than the other… they are just different. I think we can each learn some lessons from one another.

That being said, can you pass the culture please, because I am ready to learn about it, embrace it, and love through it or maybe even in some cases in spite of it. My prayer is that culture is not a barrier that keeps the gospel from going forward, it’s that culture will be the catalyst by which we learn to respect and love each other for who we are as individuals and as a society. Most importantly, I pray that by taking the time to embrace someone’s culture and learn their language I may have the ear of those who have not heard! Blessings my friends!

After being at Tumaini for only 2 days my American friends from Utah left to return to the US. It was such a blessings to have them at the Guest Home when I arrived. It made the transition so much easier. I must say though, when the matatu (van) with all the wazungu (white people) in it pulled away my heart did something I did not expect. I had a HUGE lump in my throat and, had I been alone, I would have cried hysterically. It was like watching everything familiar pull away from me and all that was left was the scary harsh reality of living in Kenya. Not just visiting for a while, but living. Day in day out, the good with the bad, the mosquitoes, the lizzards crawling on the walls, the people who may or may not understand me and why I would choose to come and live among them. I recall lamenting to God, now I am all by myself… No one “gets” me. Now what??? I love the Lord with all my heart and I am thankful that he chooses to speak into my life… even when I am WRONG!!!! He gently spoke to my heart and said, “my dear child, I brought you here, remember. I made a way for you and I will continue to do so because I am faithful. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!” Hebrews 13:5 began to stir in my heart and with an unexplainable peace I could rest in the words, I will never leave you, never will I forsake you. Praise be to God!!! When I rise in the morning and I hear a language not my own, He is there. When I want to withdrawal to a place all my own, He is there. When I wake in the night to unfamiliar sounds of chanting, He is there. I am also thankful to the wonderful people I share a home with… I think it’s safe to say… I am not alone!!!

Rose: Rose is the Director of Tumaini and she is a wonderful Godly lady who seeks to do all things for the glory of God. Even though she is busy with many daily tasks, she takes time in the morning to have tea with me and we encourage each other with God’s Word. I am so thankful for her and all she does to take care of the children of Tumaini and her American daughter… Me 
Favorite Rose Moment: Rose laughing at me when I kept waving at people in the city and they kept coming to me. She finally said, you should not wave that way because it means come here! (I was wondering why people kept coming up to me and shaking my hand then just standing there. I thought they must have thought I was famous and wanted to shake my hand. Hahaha ) Now I know how to wave properly!!!!

Doreen: Doreen is one of Rose’s personal assistants and lives in the Guest Home with me. She is 18 years old and loves to cook, clean, wash clothes, and make fun of my poor Kiswahili skills. We have a good time in the kitchen and hanging out around the house.
Favorite Doreen Moment: One morning I came out of my room and my hair was fixed curly. She said that I looked smart, which means nice or good. So from now on I refer to people looking smart in a totally different light!

Roselyne: Roselyne is also one of Rose’s personal assistants and nanny. She is 22 years old. She also lives in the Guest House and helps take care of baby Sara Beth also known as Ble meaning Blessings! Roselyne loves to cook and clean and she also makes fun of my accent. She is always laughing and full of joy. She loves teaching me new things, especially how to prepare cabbage and chapatti. UMMM good!
Favorite Roselyne Moment: Making Chapati together, she is awesome and I am a mess!!!!!



Baby Sara Beth: Sara Beth is a handful and always gets what she wants. She loves eating meat or anything else for that matter. Yesterday she peed in my floor, splashed around in it and laughed. I had to laugh too! She is so smart and always makes her presence known. Don’t tell Rose but she’s the boss!
Favorite Sara Beth Moment: Rose bought her a new small chair to sit in and she would not get out of it. She was sitting outside and we were all admiring her when she posed with her legs crossed and propped up on the arm of the chair with her arms behind her head. I would have given anything to have a camera on me. TOO CUTE!


Moses: Moses is Rose’s son and he is 10 years old. He loves playing with my iPod, watching me do anything on the computer, and riding his bike. We like to play connect four and just hang out. He likes all things American and wants to come to the US some day.
Favorite Moses Moment: He loves to come up to me all the time and ask Teacher what is this. He also loves to eat my peanut butter!


Hesbon 1: Hesbon 1 lives in the kitchen beside the Guest Home. He loves to sing and play with the children. He works hard everyday to make sure everything is as it should be at the Children’s home. You name it, Hesbon can do it and he always gives 100%. Many see him as the spiritual leader of Tumaini.
Favorite Hesbon Moment: Singing “I Will Rise” together out in front of the house. He is trying to learn new songs to teach the children.


Hesbon 2: Also known as Uncle Sam. Hesbon lives in the kitchen as well and does all the bookkeeping at Tumaini. He also works hard around the house to make sure everything is in working order… like the solar panels and the generator.
Favorite Hesbon moment: We were watching the World Cup and I said, What is that loud humming noise in the background? He said one moment. He went to his room and got his Bubuzela (horn). He blew it at me and laughed. He also blew it at me loud and clear the night Ghana beat the US.



Dennis: Dennis is 23 years old and works at the office. Dennis also lives in the kitchen and he operates the m-pesa, which is kinda like a bank. He also loves football and playing with Sara Beth. Many times he brings us bread in the morning. I appreciate him very much.
Favorite Dennis Moment: I like to kid Dennis about making a washing table for the girls. He always laughs when I say it, but he still hasn’t started making the table  I couldn’t find Dennis when it was time for a photo. I’m sure he was hard at work doing something… maybe even making a table.

So now you see and I know for sure, I am not alone, but instead surrounded by lovely people who love the Lord, life, and love each other. I am glad they are so willing to let me become a part of their family!!!