Two Weeks In

So, it's time to finish the rest of our story. We returned from Maralal on Sunday evening
and the next morning we were off to Naivasha for the pastors' retreat. We learned one
valuable lesson from this trip: we are no longer on American/Canadian time but African time! Though we arrived at PACE at 10am - bags packed and ready to go - we didn't leave Nyahururu until 1:30pm since many of the pastors and their families were not ready! To make matters worse, many of the cooking supplies were not pre-purchased, and so we had to make multiple stops along the way. Needless to say, our arrival to Naivasha was pushed back many hours! But, we did thoroughly enjoy the drive to Naivasha - the mountains, the zebras, and the small communities in between. And, we arrived at Lake Naivasha Panoramic Park with just enough time to quickly check out the beautiful grounds (array of tropical vegetation, monkeys, hyrax) and panoramic views of the surrounding lake and mountains, and set up ten tents before dark - so that was a blessing. One thing to point out is that the tents and their poles were stored together in a heap and so setting them up with the correct poles was very difficult - and in most cases impossible. In fact, we were surprised the next morning to see that none of these mismatched tents had collapsed during the night!

Anyhow, the retreat was a real blessing for the families that joined us, as pastors here do not get holidays and rarely have free time to spend with their families. It was a joy to see the fellowship that took place! We also got to eat traditional meals prepared over the fire, including more goat and sheep. We visited a local pool which was a treat for many of the adults and children as for some it was their first time swimming in a pool! And after that we enjoyed a beautiful drive around much of Lake Naivasha, and even stopped to see some lazing hippos and thousands of grazing flamingos - what a sight! Unlike Maralal, we did find that some of the children seemed a little hesitant to interact with us. We wondered if this had to do with the colour of our skin, or the fact that our skin (face and neck) was now blotchy and peeling after being horribly sunburned!? Ryan said a couple children actually thought we were suffering from a skin disease – but he set them straight. (Ha ha!) On the way home, we saw more zebras and baboons along the side of the highway (amazing, eh?!) and again marveled at the beautiful landscape around us. While the families were being returned to their homes, a few of us joined some new camp attendees at Nyahururu's Thomson Falls.....not Niagara Falls, but still very picturesque.

As much as we had enjoyed our time in Maralal and Naivasha, we will admit that we were eager to get back and stay put for a while - all this traveling had taken its toll on us! We spent part of Thursday helping with the camp and with Joannie off to Nakuru, Ryan was put on photo duty. His first assignment was joining the teenagers for their driving lesson. This exercise, however, proved to be more than he bargained for because the truck broke down twice and he ended up inhaling a lot of diesel smoke. Meanwhile, I had organized a dress up relay race for the younger kids and it was a hoot to see! They loved it! None of the kids had done anything like that before – it was neat how their skepticism turned into complete joy and excitement. After lunch, we hopped in the bus again and ventured off to a nearby lake so that the kids could fit in some rafting/boating (again, something many of these kids had never done) before dinner.

Upon our return, we quickly vacated the premises and found refuge in our house (we're currently living with Joannie, just a stone's throw from PACE) - for that evening and the whole next day! What a treat! But, the unfortunate part is that I (Taryn) have been trying to fight off a cold for the last couple of days and so for much of our time off I wasn't feeling very well. We did, however, enjoy the solitude and rest - even though we had computer issues to contend with, a huge pile of laundry to be hand-washed, and some cleaning to do. And as I (Taryn) sit here writing and waiting for PACE's doctor to arrive (Wachira insisted!) Ryan is off purchasing some much-needed groceries. We've had very little free time to run errands, so when we're not with the locals eating goat, rice, stewed potatoes, cooked cabbage, and ugali (corn flour mixed with water ... a local favourite because it tastes great – ok, actually it’s quite the opposite – it just fills the belly) we're at home eating hot cereal and peanut butter toast. Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration ... we did feast on pasta three nights in the last two weeks! One local tradition we thoroughly enjoy is morning tea, where fresh chai and mundazis (sort of like donuts) are served - yummy!

As a final note, we ask that you would keep us in your prayers as we continue to adjust to this very different culture and way of life. We also ask that you would remember us as we begin our servitude here, and pray that God will direct us into the roles He intends for us and that we will be a blessing to the people around us. We also request your prayers for our safety and health, and also for the continued healing of Taryn's back (without a chiropractor at hand, she has struggled in the last couple days with back pain). Please also keep the Kenyans in your prayers over this holiday season, as the increase in cost of living has become an added burden to these people.

Verses that have spoken to us this week:

You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4: 7-8)

The sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:3)