A Snake Bite, An A Picnic With A Random Stranger!

(Saturday July 16th)
Today it was no sleeping in. I got up at the smashing hour of 7am.

Sunset on Lake Victoria

Since Stacy, Rhoda an I were planning on making the drive out to where Mark & Maryellen Beachy live, about a 1.5 drive.
Carolyn had been there over the weekend along with the WATER girls from SMBI.
So we got there around 10am. an joined the rest, an went to a local hospital to sing, an to hand out the 25 bible story books from CAM, an lollipops to the children.
We also had a limited supply of bibles to give to the doc. an nurses.
We had a very good time, an got back to Marks in time for lunch, right after lunch Stacy, Rhoda, an I started the long trek back to Kisumu, we arrived back at the compound around 3pm.
I helped mom with several small jobs.

Drying these in the sunshine

Then the three bro's an I headed out to hippo point to watch a gorgeous sunset, over the lake. was a wonderful evening!
(Sunday July 17th)
Today Joseph & Becky, along with Rhoda were at our church, Joseph is the bishop of our church, as well as several other churches, so he had a message on being separate from the world, not only in the way we dress, but also in heart.
We then had a members meeting following the service, so that went on for almost an hour, then we were all invited to Daniels house (A man from our church) for lunch, so that took lot's of extra time, so till we got home it was around 4:30pm an the whole compound was coming to our house for the monthly compound activity at 6:30! so we got home an dove into our last minute preparations before people started coming, we were ready just at the nic of time.
Mark Beachy's came in for the activity bringing with them the WATER girls, along with Carloyn, who had all been out in Denia with Marks over the weekend doing various activities.
So we all gathered in our carport to sing awhile, then Mark Beachy shared abit of his life's journey, the WATER girls shared about their mission in coming to visit Kenya, through SMBI.
We youth directed by Mark Beachy sang several songs, then we had a snack, an that concluded another very busy Sunday.
(Monday July 18th)

A feast in an African home

Today was family day! so everyone was entitled to have the day off an do whatever their family felt like doing.
Well, since our family had kind of taken the day off when we went to see Luke's family on Friday, an since dad had things he needed to see to with various church people, we didn't do anything together as a family, but we had a good day none the less, at least us children did!
Dad an Mom left in the morning, an were gone all day.
Us children did different things around home in the forenoon, then had lunch, an quickly got ready to go swimming by 1pm. we went to a hotel that is really close to the compound here.

Serving the visitors food

It was really nice because on a Monday everything was empty, an we had the entire place to ourselves, we had a splendid time swimming, racing (Steve says he beat me, but I still think we were basically a tie, we'll never agree on this issue!) ha! an diving, as well as drinking cold, glass bottle, coke's, an their amazing slushy passion juice. We got home around 4:30pm. The boys all quickly did their chores, an I fixed a quick picnic lunch, an we all headed down to hippo point, (fast becoming a favorite spot for us children.) to watch the sunset an have supper, we were hoping Dad an Mom could join us but they were not back in time.

Ugali!!

The girl you see in the veiling, is starting instruction class. an also dating one of our youth guys.

So us children were sitting there by the lake watching the sunset, an eating our picnic supper, when this young man kept walking back an forth behind us, an I felt like he wanted something, I was just getting ready to tell Wayne to ask him how he is doing, when the guy stopped walking an ask, " could I join you all?" we said, sure! an welcomed him over to where we were sitting on a blanket, spread out on the grassy bank of the lake, I fixed him a plate of food, an Stanley washed his hands since that is what we knew he would use to eat with, we talked for quite a while, we soon discovered he was a more well-to-do person then most, first, I saw he had a big phone, an then, he told us he works at the bank across from Java House, (Quite frankly, I didn't believe him that he worked such a high class job, simply because he had asked us for food, an wanted to join us, but later we stopped in at the bank, an there he sat in a suit an tie, hardly recognizable, from our former meeting at the lake, maybe someday I will get used to the Kenyans no-shame attitude of asking for food, or anything free. even if they are fairly wealthy.)
Anyway, back to hippo point with our stranger guest, he said he came to the lake to reflect, an to relax, an to see if he was headed in the way he wanted to be heading in his life. Interesting.

Joshua, the shorter guy in the teal shirt an black pants is the youth guy she is dating

He also said he was there with some friends, actually a couple who was having marriage issue's an since they wanted to talk, an try to resolve some issues, he didn't want to disturb their conversation, so he didn't have anyone to talk to, so that is why he decided to join us, he said. We had some great conversation, an he showed us pictures of his family, an soon he left again. We had no idea who he was, but I told my brothers that I couldn't help but think of that verse in the Bible where it says something about, being careful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (That is just me paraphrasing.) Anyway, although we know he wasn't an angel, it felt fulfilling to be able to reach out to a complete stranger.
We had a really great evening.
(Tuesday July 19th)
Today we were just around home in the forenoon, then Dad had a needs committee meeting around noon at church, I worked on the blog most of the day.

Joshua, with all his hopeful in laws, getting the families blessing, on their courtship.

Mom was busy with laundry an cooking. Stan was sick all day.
Steve was busy fixing different things most of the day, we then went to town to pick up some things he needed at the shop as well as some pictures I had gotten printed at a small store.
In the afternoon Richard & Janet stopped by to visit with Dad & Mom for awhile, Steve an I then drove them over to the school where they were headed to pick up their son Peace, we dropped them off there, an came back home an had supper together, an just caught up on each others lives.
(Wednesday July 20th)

As seen in this pic. in this culture, showing any affection is only for the bravest! =)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! my Mom's birthday is today an she is 50! wow! unreal! she is the best Mom I ever had! so caring, an patient, with me through my many health issue's, an when I so often feel tired. your the best, Mom!
Today only Dad & Mom went to Bible study, us children stayed at home doing various things around home, we went to town to get some supplies, an the twins finished up the grill for Wayne's that they had been working on for a long time already.


After Dad & Mom were done at Bible study they went to Hippo point to watch the sunset, an to relax an unwind, after a long day with "ever-in-need" church people, an also to not totally neglect the fact that today Mom reached "The Year Of Jubilee" as I told her.

Mark Beachy sharing some of his life's journey

Dad preaching, sometimes he stops to wake the children up. looks like some need it!

So Mom thought only Dad an her would go somewhere for supper to celebrate, but all the while dad was texting us children an told us to get ready, an go, to Java house an reserve a table, so they walk into Java house an Mom was very much surprised that we were all there, it was funny because while we were sitting at Java house waiting for Dad & Mom, Mom sent me a text sayin that we could make some hot dogs for our supper, an I just replied with an innocent, "ok". It was really fun to surprise her. After supper we went to our very favorite spot, up on top of the building were Java house is in, there is a fancy restaurant up there, with modern looking tables an chairs, an a pool. we usually just go up there to relax an enjoy the view of Kisumu an the Lake, it was dark, so we all just sat up there looking at all the lights reflecting off of lake Victoria, an Dad an I talked about how much we love it here in Kenya! Our whole family loves it here, but sometimes it just really hits us how much we are enjoying it here so far.
We had a relaxing evening up there, talking about how we would bring different people from home up here, if any would wanna come visit sometime! ha! hint! hint!
(Thursday July 21st)
So today Dad & Mom went to "get lost" as they say it. since the day of Moms birthday had been spent at Bible study with the church people all day.
So they had different little shops they wanted to go exploring, an I think Dad got Mom a foot spa treatment for something special, an since you can buy a dozen awesome roses over here for $2.00 Mom also got lots of roses!

The WATER Girls sharing their mission

So just before Dad an Mom were getting ready to leave for this amazing day together, Dad's phone rings an it was a needs committee member saying that a lady from our church was deathly ill, an was coughing up blood, an vomiting. SIGH. Dad just couldn't cancel Mom's special day since they were just ready to leave, so Steve an I took the challenge an drove the 1.5 hour drive out to our church to pick up this sick lady an bring her to Kisumu to see a Doc. we took a van, an I stuffed in some pillows an blankets so the lady could be relatively comfortable on the way back to Kisumu.
We got to Masogo an picked up our interpreter there, an then he directed us back in to where her small mud hut was, we found the sick lady laying on a reed mat on the ground, outside her hut in the sunshine, an despite the sweltering weather, she was covered in a thin blanket.

Dad at the market

So after greeting the family that was gathered around, an all the stray children, we waited in the sunshine till they had gotten her things together, an were ready to leave, we then helped the very sick lady into our waiting vehicle, an I guess since the family saw we had a van, everyone an his uncle decided to go along, Steve an I had thought 2-3 people might go, but no, we ended up with a full van on the way back to Kisumu. (The sick lady taking up the one seat.) she seemed to had a great deal of pain, I felt so sorry for her.

Ewww! the meat market, glad we butcher our own chickens

We finally get to the hospital, an drive up to the "emergency" door, an the first thing I see was crowds of people piled into the waiting area, my heart sank, I knew this was going to be a long afternoon, the next thing that happened was while I was helping to get the sick lady out of our van, I almost got run over as a piki-piki comes zooming in with three guys on it, honking, an whistling, all manor of different sounding horns, they jump off of the piki, an made their rapid entry into the already full waiting area, shoving right past us in the line, I was thinking, wait a minute! we're like kinda here too! Just saying. then our interpreter turns to explain the situation to us, saying that the one boy had gotten a snake bite, an needs medical attention right away, I look at the threesome standing in front of us, an saw the one young man's leg had a tight stripe of cloth tied around it, an the bottom part of his leg was huge an swollen! he was soon whisked off to be treated, I sure hope he is ok.

Selling potato chips

So the waiting room was packed out with 50-60 people sitting, an standing, in line waiting to be seen, I soon saw we were also now in line an waiting, so after several minutes, I found a shady place outside where I waited, since you all already know very well, how I don't do those tight, warm, smelly places, with no air an people everywhere, so, we waited for quite a while, then the interpreter talked to Steve an I, saying that the family wants to take her to another hospital since this one is too full, oh! joy! so first I ask, "how far the other hospital that they want to take her to?" they said only 10 min. an so I tried convincing them that since the sick lady was already in line an awaiting her turn, at this hospital, that some of us should first go check at the other hospital to make sure it wasn't the same story there, before we take her out of the line at the hospital where we were at now. The family didn't seem to understand why we would want to do that, an so we all picked up our things, an people, an headed to another hospital, we get there, an people, people, people, everywhere....we drive around to the place where we helped, the by that time, very weak, an sick, lady out of the van an into the hospital, we soon had her checked into that hospital, an she soon was able to see the Doc. thank God! there were people siting every where, along the flower beds, an on the window sills, literally everywhere. an the funny thing about it was how different this hospital was from ones in the US, I was able to walk right into the ER with out so much as a signature, where the Doc. was checking out different people, there were even people sitting on the window sills watching the Doctors work on patients, the doors were wide open an the people, flies, an dust, milled in an out at their own convenience.

Kisumu Town

Way on top of the building were Java house is in

An while I was waiting outside the door of the ER I almost got run over by a fleet of Doctors an nurses pushing a stretcher with a very sick patient on it, they come barreling through the door, an as they bumped carelessly over the door jam, the patients IV bag slips off of the bed an bounced to the dirty sidewalks, but the head nurse just picked it up, an in one smooth motion plopped it back on the bed with the patient, the patient winced alittle with the needle to the IV bag still being stuck in her arm, but was hurriedly being pushed to her new location, breathing with labored breaths, an moaning in pain. I hurriedly tried to get out of the way, but so was not to be... as I kept stepping out of the way an right to the spot they next wanted to go to! The nurse was yelling at me to get out of the way, so id step aside another direction only to realize that was the way they were wanting to go, the nurse kept looking at me very impatiently, waving her arms, an rattling off a whole line in Luo, that I completely, an totally, did not understand, I kept looking back at her like any innocent little opossum that was about to get run over would, I didn't know where she wanted me to go, so I stood there in the tight hall way, waiting for the impact, then a girl grabbed my arm an pulled me over to the steps an out of their way, I felt so stupid, but I honestly had no idea where I was supposed to go to since every way I had tried to go to get out of their way was the wrong direction. I was beginning to feel like a road kill, I don't know which is worse, being a road kill, or being a road kill survivor, an seeing all the people chuckle at this American who simply couldn't get out of the Doctors way as they rushed by. I really wanted to vanish... I felt so embarrassed! so I sat down, to the side, out of the way, an pondered over my narrow escapes, since the piki incident, an the stretcher happening, that had just happened.  I then tried making conversation with the girl sitting beside me, while I waited on Steve an the others trying to get admission fees paid. but she didn't seem to talkative, I guessed it probably wasn't cool to talk to a "almost road kill" since whenever I would ask a question she just said, "yes." or grunted, so, I'd ask her will you be staying here all day? Slight nod, an a grunt. (because this girl was along with the group we had brought, an the sick lady from our church was her Mom, I thought I should probably talk to her.) I would ask her different things that required an answer, an she just said, "yes." so I left it at that.

How they look when they think you might take a picture!

An went to find Steve, he was just finishing up the check -in, an so we soon left to go get lunch.They were going to call us once they were ready to be taken back home, but it was late by the time the family called, so Dad & Mom took them back home,


This evening instead of our usual unit prayer meeting, we all (except for children) went to the local hospital to sing, Dad & Mom were not along since they had taken supper to the van load Steve an I had brought in to Kisumu hospital earlier today, then they took them all back home, except for the sick lady who had to stay in the hospital several days, they got back after the rest of us were finishing up our snack that we had a Jakes after hospital singing, around 9pm.
An so ended another day in Kenya, with many a new experience!
(Friday July 22nd)
Today Dad was out an about most of the day, trying to get help for the sick lady that was in the hospital...
The twins worked in the shop all day.
And mom an I worked around home, I did some cleaning that was long over due.
In the evening we had some great volley ball again, with more players then usual, the three WATER girls were here, an Markus an Micah came in, as well as Kori from Nakaru, an Dishon from Rabour. we actually had 3 teams! what a treat. And we got extended curfew which was really nice.

How they look when you actually do take a photo

an so another week passed.
So here is for my very late blog, sorry people!
Also, sorry I don't have more pictures this time, maybe next time!
-Sylvia
For The Millers