African Culture! A Feathery Gift! An Stones In My Soup!!

(Saturday July 2nd)
Today we slept in...had brunch, And then we were just around home in the forenoon.

A traditional African hut.

We then had a native couple from Ring Road that came to visit our family. He is an ex-Muslim (I have wrote about this couple before.) anyway, he shared his amazing testimony of his conversion from Muslim to Christianity. And being chased from his family, an his home, for the sake of Christ. They ended up being at our house most of the afternoon. They also decided over the course of conversation, that they want to go to our church the next day. They have one little son named Peace, an are expecting another child. They are a young couple, an started a little fledgling church down on ring road. He keeps telling Dad that he needs so much teaching, an is always asking Dad questions, Dad gave him the book they use for instruction class, an Richard says they are learning so many new concepts on Bible teachings.
Richard also keeps praying that I will be healed from my seizures. Bless his heart!
They are a dear couple, that is very real in their relationship with Christ.
(Sunday July 3rd)
Today I stayed home from church, since I wasn't able to sleep, an just got several hours. I was really sad, since I wanted to go especially since Richard & Janet were going along.


Dad left early like usual for IC class, he has had several more applicants added to the class, so he seems more overwhelmed with a bigger group.


So Mom, the three bro's, an Richard & Janet left at the usual time.
Another reason I was sad I couldn't go is because they were all invited to a widowers house for lunch after church, an we have come to crave their Kenyan food so much! So we are always excited when we are invited to someone's house for a traditional meal.
So it was abit later till they returned home, around 2:30-3:00pm.
We then just relaxed an were around home In the evening, sure was nice!
(Monday July 4th)

Washing the clothes in the river

Today we were all just around home, an the compound here.
Except for Dad who was out visiting all day, visiting different member's, having a meeting with a youth guy, an his hopeful girl-friend, visiting the hospital, an the list goes on...
Wayne an I went walking along Ring Road again tonight...
(Tuesday July 5th)
Today I was so excited! because today Mom, Stacy, an I, along with my best friend Irene, (Irene is the girl I met on Ring Road, while I was walking there, she has a shop where she sells shoes.) We had a day planned that Irene wanted to do for so long already, she wanted to take me to her homeland to meet her family, (Luo's often refer to their "homeland" an its usually not where they live at present, but rather where their family, an grandparents live, an where they grew up at.) So we met Irene at a certain spot in town, an she rode with us to direct us, she is an 18 yr. old who has had to drop out of her school, since their family needed more money, so she started a shoe selling business.

our family leaving the hangover hotel

Irene's mom's house

Her homeland ended up being about an 1 1/2 hours away from Kisumu, which was out close to the mountains, It was so pretty out there! But first, on our way out to her homeland we got stopped by the cops, it was my first experience with that since we are here. he claimed we were speeding...but probably not more then anyone else out there...but anyway, he had caught us at a speed trap where the speed limit suddenly drops to a much slower speed. anyway, so we pull off, an he gruffly comes up to our vehicle an tells us we were speeding, an then points to the other side of the road an told us to park over there, an go to court, well, the thing of it was, we weren't planning on going to court, since that could easily be an all day deal, an we were planning on visiting Irene's family, an couldn't be detained! So we sat in the vehicle an talked about the whole situation...an what we should do...And finally decided we would walk across the road, an try an be really sweet, an see if he would soften up abit. He said we can choose from two options, either go to court right now, or pay them $5000.00 ($50.00 USA) which for a missionary is a lot of money! So we decided we would ask him if we could pay $3000.00. (I know people! bargaining with the police over a ticket, welcome to Kenya!) so we finally went back over to him, I think he dreaded seeing us coming again, he asked us all business, "so! what have you decided!?" an we asked him if he would consider letting us off with paying bail of $3000.00 since we were really sorry!? an he puffed an huffed around, an kept reminding us how much over the speed limit we had been driving. Then he told Irene a whole row in Luo, (She later  told us he told her to take her friends, an just go to court like he had told us earlier!) But she pleaded with him that that wasn't kind, an that we are really sorry, an these were her friends...we kept saying sorry over an over again! an said we would pay $3000.00 if he would only let us go, but we could hardly pay him $5000.00 like he had asked us to. He kept acting all busy, an answering his phone. An after standing there beside the road with him for good long while, I got up some courage an asked him in my sweetest voice possible, If he could be at least a little bit nice to us? At that, he actually smirked, an then started chuckling!! I couldn't believe it! An finally he surprised us all by saying, " I can see you girls are young, I will forgive you totally! you can just go without paying anything!" Whoa! WOW! I felt like giving him a big hug!! But then, thought twice, an after many thank-you's an handshakes we left quickly before anything changed...an as we drove past him I rolled my window down an gave him a thumbs-up, he grinned an stuck his thumb high in the air too! wow! we couldn't believe he let us go scotch free!

Kenyan flowers

Cactus flowers 

At Kiboko Bay

We had a very great time with Irene's family! everything was very traditional, we greeted the family, an then were quickly ushered into the stuffy hut, were before we sat down, Irene's pastor had a prayer of blessing, then they served us some water, (which we didn't drink, since we had our own filtered water along,) an we waited for around an hour till they brought the food in, then after asking Mom to pray the blessing on the food, they came with water to wash our hands, then we ate our food! yep! with our hands! We didn't talk much while we ate, since Luo culture is, you don't converse too much while eating. They had chicken, Ugali, skuma-wiki, an Chapatti, very yummy! So after we were through eating they washed our hands again, an we were "released", being released is a big thing to them, earlier when we had been waiting on the food, I had asked if we could go outside to look around. (I know people, I should have kept quiet, but I needed fresh air!!) So they had to go out an find Irene, an ask her to come in, an then I was asked to repeat my request to our hostess, by then I was thinking, seriously skip it! if we have to take this thing to court, I'll just sweat this out, an remember to put an oxygen mask, an tank, on my priority list of things to buy...I do sometimes get very Closter-phobic when I sit in a stuffy hut with all of our knee caps basically touching each other, an knowing I will be here for several hours maybe, an I have to stay in here...I cant leave...I cant get out...one comforting thought to me is always that if I would faint, or have a seizure it would most likely be a soft landing, since there are people everywhere, or better yet there might not be a "landing" since we are packed in like sardines, I might just faint, an come back to, an nobody would even have found out about it, because I was squashed between two people so tightly that I would've never been able to fall over...ok, so I'll stop telling you about some of my random thoughts I have when I sit in those stuffy huts! I'll get used to this whole close fellowship stuff one day...I hope. Would sure help if my nose weren't as keen either...anyway, were was I?.... yes, back at Irene's hut requesting a short leave from the oven, also known as the hut...so I asked Irene if we could go outside an look around? an she said No! Oh! bother! I thought. she then said, "we have not yet released you, an we cant release you till you have eaten", I thought of putting in another request, to be the first survivor to be released before eating...but thought I would spare my mother the embarrassment. An once again I survived! Glory be!

Wayne trying out his homemade bow an arrows

The pastor was the only one in the hut most times, I guess he was the appointed one to entertain us, while the ladies had the glorious freedom of cooking the food OUTSIDE, an walking around, an going in an out of the hut as they pleased, blessed creatures. So whenever the pastor would run out of things to say, he would again try to get all three of our names straight, he kept pointing at us an slowly an deliberately saying, "Becky, Slilvia, an Stacy" I guess he was trying to memorize our names since he did that like 8-10 times! No Joke! finally when he would yet again start in with "Becky, Slilvia...." I would look at Stacy an we would just start laughing, like here we go again! an he always put all kinds of extra "L's" in my name, which I found super entertaining to listen to, since his tongue was totally out-doing itself just to say my name! when its so much easier just to say, Sylvia. At one point Mom told him, "her name is Sylvia!" an he basically interrupted an said "yes!yes! I know Slilvia"...ok, so we just left it at that, you sometimes have those moments when you know someone will not "get it" however long you explain. yes, this was one of those moments. Anyway I liked the old gramps dearly...an he was actually funny which was a bonus! An I impressed him with the little bit of Luo I knew, so that was nice! lol
They then showed us around their little home town, an we went to their grand-pa & grand-ma's house, an to Aunties house...an on an on...then lastly we went to the school which was actually a big impressive structure, it was interesting to look around, but another trial for me was to sit up in the principles office, where he asked us to "sit abit", I tried saying we need to be going, since we were in a rush, yeah, It didn't work, we had to sit down, an he served us warm soda's...an the room had sauna type temps. an the principle talked...an talked....an talked....an repeated what he had said twice already, until I reached new levels of exasperation! It was so hot in his office, an people were piled in there, I kept looking at Irene an mouthing, "can we go now!?" an she kept smiling serenely, an slowly shaking her head no...again I made it! but I just don't do those tight spaces with no air! I almost went bunkers! I am embarrassed to say this... but I even kept taking deep breaths, an loudly pushing air through my nostrils, in hopes that the principle might catch on that I needed air! yea, you guessed it, this didn't work either, but was worth a try though.

Irene's family along with the lady in the tan shirt an yellow shirt were there as friends

After the principle was finally through talking, about nothing...well, I shouldn't say that. he kept talking to Stacy an I that we need to come teach at his school, an also get married to guys from the area there...merciful days! I thought, just let me out so I'll be able to go on living. For Real! Once we were outside in the fresh air I felt better again, so we walked back to the small town, since they wanted to show us their mill, where they grind all their corn. etc. which was actually very interesting, it was all hand cranked. After that we headed back to Irene's house, an after a lot of different group pictures with Irene's family, an long good-byes, we left. But not before they gave us a "gift."  People!! I could not believe my eye balls, when I saw them lure the chickens in with feed, an then Irene's mamma snatched the chickens up by their feet, an tying their wings together, Deposited two live chickens into the back of our newest vehicle we have on the compound!! So on our way home when we would go over speed bumps, they would cackle an squawk, an carry on in the back, an every now an then a stray feather would float to the front where we were sitting, but listen! the best part was after they had been quiet for a while an we hit a bump, an they cackled loudly, an mom jumped like she had been shot, I had to burst out laughing, she looked at me with eyes big, an dilated, an said In a horrified whisper, " I forgot those old things where back there!!" I thought it was so hilarious!

The school close to Irene's house, one of Irene's sister's attend here.

 After we got back to the compound we discovered that the chickens must have been nervous about the ride home, since there was "recycled" chicken feed all over in the back of the vehicle. Oh! joy! So we dropped off Irene, an she grabs one chicken an stuffs it in her purse, like I would my phone, or wallet, an off she went! an we were left with the one remaining chicken.
what a day! an oh my goodness, the memories, I hope I will never forget them!!
(Wednesday July 6th)

Irene's friends an family, an aunt, an grand-pa, Irene's father is working in Niarobi

This morning we did some odd jobs around home, then mom gave all three bro's a hair cut, an we all got ready to go to bible study, we don't usually all go, but it somehow worked out this Wednesday, an the bible study was not as far back in an remote as sometimes, an since we have hardly had any rain, we could drive right up to the hut, which was nice. once again we were all packed in like sardines, but I soon gladly made room for an elderly man who came late, so I sat outside right by the door way, an there were prolly about 6-8 ladies sitting on a mat outside the door too, they had come late. It was so nice to have fresh air, an still hear Dad's topic, an I wouldn't be honest if I wouldn't say I also enjoyed the random entertainment that sitting outside provided, like the little boy who kept having to chase the geese away from the hut, since they made such a huge fuss, an noise, that people couldn't hear what was being said, so after he would chase them away, an come sit down beside the hut again, soon after, the whole flock of geese would come fly/running back honking loudly, an barreling straight for the hut, like a terrorist group about to attack! an the little boy would chase them away again... this scenario kept repeating its self quite often.
We ate cooked field corn an beans for snack at the bible study.
(Thursday July 7th)

My dear friend Irene, she is probably my best friend in Kenya

Today Dad was in the office most of the forenoon, an mom an I were doing different things around home here.
Then around 12:30pm. Dad an I left for the hospital, to see my Doc. for a check up with starting on my seizure meds. since he wanted me back after two weeks of being on half a pill. So we went there an the Doc wasn't in. Surprise! an so we sat an waited in a dark waiting room since the electric had gone off, soon however we talked to the Doc. an told him I have been feeling great, an don't have any side effects yet, other then a few sleepless nights, (but I struggled with not being able to sleep before meds so we are not concerned about that.) so we decided we will just stay with half a pill for the next month, since I usually went at least one month to 8 weeks between my seizures, an we will see how it does for me.
I really like this Doc. an especially since he has diplomas on his wall of working an practicing his Doctoring in Ohio! yes! he worked in Ohio for some time, we discovered that the first time I was in...seems like a small world!

Mom with the ladies, Irene's mother is the lady in the leopard print shirt

So after we were done a the Kisumu Hospital, Dad had different random stops around town, but since it was a Muslim holy day a lot of the stores were closed, so we ate some lunch at a small booth for $1.50 an other then crunching on some gravel stones in my bean soup, lunch was a huge success. while we were at the lunch booth we both somehow got terrible bad laughing fits, laughing about funny little things that were going on around us. We laughed till my side ached, we then drove around the long way home, to see more scenery, an of course laughed some more, an talked non stop.
We got home around 3:30pm. then I grilled some chicken for supper, an we quickly ate an got ready for prayer meeting at 7pm. We got to vox with Sharon Weaver for a bit over super, which was certainly a treat, an the highlight of our day, especially when Angela said several phrases to us too, we had not heard her talk much yet. So that was epic!
(Friday July 8th)

Mom giving them her phone number

Today Dad an the twins along with Joseph, left for a day of cultural experience, with a man named Jim Harries, he is from England, I believe, an he knows the Luo culture through an through, an people say he can speak better Luo then the Luo's themselves! he has lived here many, many, years already, so anyway, he took them way back in the boon-docks, teaching them different things about the culture, an also taking them to several church services, where they reported loud booming drums, an dancing, an the service being so loud, Stanley was holding his ears shut! they claimed they were chasing the devil out of the church, an were interpreting dreams, an etc. Dad an the twins said it was very strange, an they were glad to leave that service, they said it was quite an ordeal, but what made me sad was that they came home with hardly any pictures since they said that Jim wants to be respectful to the natives, an some people are really funny about having their picture taken, they don't like it at all.

At bible study

Mom, Wayne, an I were just at home, Wayne was mowing lawn here on the compound, and in the afternoon Mom an I decided to walk up to Nakamatt an do some curtain shopping, as well as some other things, we then brought a tuk-tuk back, an the guy way over charged me, an I just didn't realize it, still makes me ill, it wont happen again though!

A small baby at bible study

A traditional Kenyan lady an children

We got back in the afternoon an rested abit, then got ready for Friday night volley ball, since we had some visitors, an much needed extra players! The twins got back just in time to clean-up, an set up the net, an lights, an water the court so it's not as dusty. So we had the three girls here from IGO, I forget their names, they are known as the "water girls" I guess since they are with the water program? anyway, they are at Nakuru as of yet, but Kori was coming this way with his distribution work, an since there were not many youth in Nakuru to hang out with, they came along, an so we had four people from Nakuru helping us play, the three water girls will be in Nakuru till Wednesday, I believe, then they come to Kisumu an stay here for several weeks, helping out here, an visiting natives, etc. Also, Marcus an Micah Beachy came for volley ball, bringing their good friend Dishon along as well. (Dishon is a youth guy from Rabour, he also comes to our compound every Saturday to wash all our vehicles.) so with all those extra players added to our teams, it made for some epic games, the water girls left early, but we continued the party with much laughter, an fun times. As the rest were playing their last game, I asked Joseph (the Unit leader) if we could have extended curfew, an he said yes! (I know, he's cool like that.) an so I got some cereal, milk, an honey, an we had an epic cereal party on the lane, all sitting on the gravel, eating cornflakes, an granola, an talking about Jostie flicks...an dreaming of the days when we lived in America an could eat "Captain Crunch", an "Lucky Charms" at cereal parties...But hey! Kenya has cornflakes so that's that!

flowers

It was just us Kisumu youth, and Markus, Micah an Dishon, we had great times laughing, an Oh! the memories...

Well, this update it quite long now...so I'll leave you at that!

Hope you enjoyed reading it...if you got this far! ;)

-Sylvia

For The Miller's

Dad likes these purple flower that grow with the corn

 

Cute little sisters

 

Out side our compound  Kenyan wedding pictures were going on

 

 

 

Impressive line up!

 

 

The first four wheeler we have seen since we are in Kenya

 

Our family at Java house

 

Karen, an 18 yr. old that has just joined instruction class, an her 2 month old baby

 

Dad helping at Mark Beachy's church

 

At lake Victoria

 

A blind man from our church

 

children eating their food

 

Eating with Pastor Richard an wife Janet