A Birth, A CBF Funeral, An Other Luo Land Happenings!

(Saturday July 23rd)

Not a care in the world...

Happy Birthday to a very special Niece! Angela Ranae!! she is two years old today!
Today we all slept in, had breakfast, an then all got ready to leave for a funeral at 11:15am. It was my first African funeral, but I might add it was very "toned down" then the usual, an traditional African funeral's since the lady that died was a CBF member. usually a funeral is a party place, with drinking, music, an dancing going on, a funeral is their chance to "party!"
Despite this being a CBF funeral things sure were different then what I was used to! there were hundreds of people there, an the poor cooks were trying to feed everyone...we sat there for around 2.5 hours, under a tent with the sun beating down, and a occasional breeze drifting through, wasn't too bad actually. We sat listening as gobs of people

Waiting at funeral....

 came up to the speaker system to share various good things about the deceased lady, Bishop Wayne then had a short message.
After more talking, an then taking up the offering, we were dismissed to go to the burial...but first I have to tell you about the offering, I simply could not believe it. So there were all these chiefs sitting in one place, off to the side, many people would come an bow, an shake hands with them during the service, it was interesting to watch! When it was time for the offering you had to walk up to the basket an drop it in, but the one chief reminded me so much of the Bible story about the rich man, an the poor widow, he made a big show of how much he was putting in, even counting it out over the speaker, as he laid one bill after the next into the basket...an then to see poor widows coming an casting in a few shillings. God sees the heart, an I know who put more into the basket.... We then went to the tent where the casket was in, an after more singing, an a prayer the ladies carried the casket out to the place in the field behind the house where they were planning to bury her.
Earlier when they were bringing the casket to the home for viewing, they happened to drop the casket! unreal. but in this culture it really wasn't a big deal...we went to watch the burial, an then had to go to a warm hut to eat before we left, the hut was set with a coffee table type thing in the middle, with bits of food scattered all over the table from previous guests passing through the hut to eat, there were flies everywhere, an on everything. an if you wanted salt they had poured a mound on the table an everyone used their fingers to spread it over their food. (These are some details I so often leave out since they are such a normal part of living in Kenya anymore.) anyway, so we ate, an left, with a lot of people that needed a lift to different places along the way, they do anything for a bit of a lift, since they have to walk so much, our van was stuffed to the gills, with the AC blasting to keep the body odor under control, a truly memorable ride. We finally left the funeral at 5:30pm. an having arrived there around 12:45pm. it made for a long, hot, interesting, day!

Stacy, Irene, an I

This evening I went with the single girls, an the WATER girls to a small shop to eat supper, an the rest of my family was invited to a Chinese restaurant with Jake's an Dishon, they reported yummy food, an a really enjoyable time!
(Sunday July 24th)

Helping me to keep the fire going, to bake the banana bread

Today Wayne an I stayed home from church, since I wasn't able to sleep Saturday night till 3am. Sunday morning...Also a water faucet by the broiler house was turned on during the night leaving the chicken house flooded, so Wayne stayed home to clean all the soggy bedding out an fill it up with clean shavings again, he reported much hard work, he said he hauled 10 wheel-barrow loads out of the chicken house, he thought he might have over done it for the Sabbath, but didn't want to leave the water standing in there with the chicks being so young yet, an quite able to become sick.
I slept late, had devotions, an then tried to have lunch ready by the time the rest got back home.
Dad had left very early this morning since he wanted to go to the blind school an pick up Charles there an bring him to church, he then had instruction class to teach, with several new applicants, an then he had his first baby dedication for Joshua & Karen who are not yet married but hope to do so soon, (Karen is the 18 yr. old that I have written about before.) the child is not Joshua's child but he loves the baby, an cares for her just like she was his child.
Dad then had a message.

Irene loved Jakes little chubby baby

The twins got home earlier then Dad & Mom an we waited for a while but finally just ate lunch without them since it was getting so late, they finally got home around 3:30pm. but they still had Charles with them an needed to take him back to the blind school, so Mom stayed home, an Dad grabbed a plate to eat on the run, as well as a plate for the blind man he was taking back to school.
Like I said Mom stayed home, an we worked on making food for the WATER girls who were coming for supper, as well as the three single girls, an Joe & Glenda an their two children. Jakes stopped by as well, Dad got home just before the company arrived. Was great to have a house full, with much laughter an talking, the compound families have really become our family away from home, an we love them dearly!
(Monday July 25th)
Today we compound girls, along with the WATER girls had planned to go help with road side clean-up, but two of the WATER girls were sick, probably from the food, since they were throwing up an feeling pretty bad. an also since I wasn't able to sleep till after 3am. again we just cancelled it, an slept in, we all then went swimming in the afternoon, I got home around 4:30pm. since Rhoda an I stopped randomly at Java House for ice cream after swimming, was great to get a piki ride back home too! I always love that!

Baking banana bread

I got home in time to grill chicken for the company we were planning on having for supper, tonight it was Joseph & Becky along with the WATER girls, we had a great evening!
(Tuesday July 26th)
Today I had invited my good friend Irene to my house for the day. I wanted to teach her how to make banana bread in a cooking pot over the open fire, in hopes that she could add that to her shop to sell along with her shoes. We had a splendid time together! I went down to the gate around 10:30am. to let her in, an walked her back to our house, where we dove right into making banana bread, Kenyans absolutely LOVE Banana bread! so I had a fire built in our lawn, an a huge cooking pot setting on top of three bricks, with the fire underneath it, soon the water was boiling, an we put our batter in a smaller bowl, an let it float around in the boiling water for about 35-45 min. till it was baked, an it turned out very nice! I was scared since I had never done it before, but I knew Mom had, so it all went ok, except for the one pan that was too small flipped over an I lost all that batter, but the bigger pan did just fine.
She is all excited about selling that with her shoes to have more income.

Cooking banana bread

I then showed her around the compound, taking her to different houses, to meet the compound people, she knew some of the girls from when she went swimming with us. we then looked at pictures on the laptop, an lastly I took her swimming, she loves swimming an I wanted to surprise her with that, so we swam for several hours an got home in the late afternoon, an she left around 4:30pm. was a very enjoyable day, I walked her down to ring road where she got a piki, an left for her home again. What a fun time we had!
(Wednesday July 27th)
Today there was no Bible study, since Dad & Mom had planned to go to prison with a widow lady from our church that has a son in prison, he has been in prison for 3-4 years an is serving a 30 year sentence for rape.

At the burial

So they wanted to visit him, an take food, an different things in to him, the widow was so happy to think of being able to see her son again, but alas, after an all day deal they were not allowed in to see him, what a let down! So Dad & Mom took them to a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant where they had supper together, as well as with another son the widow lady had, an his wife, an small daughter that they named Becky Miller at birth! its funny to see a small, totally black, little girl an her name is Becky Miller! =] they still had a good day, but were very sad indeed that they couldn't go in to see her son in prison.


Meanwhile, the twins went to a house mudding, with the single girls an the WATER girls. they helped mix the dung, dirt, an water, stomping it with their feet, to mix it, an caking it into the wooden frame for the walls of the house, they reported hard work, an lots of water pumping at the well! an oh the cultural experience they had today, doing something they never did before!
they were gone all day for that.

Stanley helping to cover the grave

So that left Wayne an I at home today doing various tasks, an in the evening when no body was back home yet for supper, Wayne an I decided to get ready, an we went to "hang-over hotel" for supper, an then walked the streets talking with people, an looking at all the things the street vendors had to sell. It was an interesting evening!
Once the rest of the family got home, everyone was exhausted!
(Thursday July 28th)
Today Mom an I, as well as Wayne worked around home all day to try an get ready to have unit prayer meeting at our house this evening, we cleaned an made food, an cleaned some more!
The twins were working in the shop.

Steve Miller

Dad was out having a meeting with an IC class applicant, an older man in his late 50's  early 60's that said he wants to join our CBF church, so Dad was interviewing him, an asked him why he has decided to join our church, he said he is joining because he likes our church, an because of all the benefits that come with being a member at the white mans church, during conversation Dad found out that the man has never, ever gone to school, so when he needed to sign some papers, he didn't know how to write his own name so Dad had an ink pad where he just put his thumb print on the paper to sign. unreal! After the meeting was over an they were leaving, the hopeful IC class applicant came to Dad saying  "Oh! by the way", one of the first benefits he would like, is a small request, an a need that he has, an that is, he is needing an new house, an that the Pasta should think about how, an when he was planning to do that for him! WOW! when this guy mentioned benefits he wasn't joking! Dad trying not to laugh, explained to the man that they don't just hand out free new houses to CBF members, Dad said that the interpreter an himself waited to laugh about the "small" request till they got back to the vehicle, it sure was another one of those, "Welcome to Kenya" moments.
In the evening we had the compound at our house for prayer meeting.

Bishop Wayne at the burial

Lowering the casket into the grave

I requested prayer for the Muslim lady down at my friend mamma Kay's hair braiding shop,(I have wrote about this lady before, an how hostile she has been towards me.) since I had stopped in earlier today, an after talking to mamma Kay, I was ready to leave, an the Muslim lady sat in the corner all the while not saying a word, (I often feel like she resents the fact that I am friends with Mamma Kay. But I don't know that for a fact.) so I asked her how she is doing...an she replied that she is not doing good at all, an that she is very sick! so I told her I was sorry that she is sick, an asked her if she had any pain pills to take, she sarcastically said no! she hasn't taken any because she has no money for pills. I then said that I have some pain pills at home an I could run home an bring her some, if she would like some, she then said, what she wants is a cold coke! an I laughed an told her I didn't have any cold coke for her, but I can get her those pills if she likes, an she said ok, so I ran home an got the pills, an I wanted to only put a few in a baggie an give it to her, but I figured how her nature is, she would probably say, "What kind of pills are these?" or, "I wont take them if I don't see the bottle they are coming from!" so I just decided to give her the whole bottle, I ran back down, glad that I could show her love, despite her obvious dislike of me, an when I gave her the pills I also gave her a bottle of ice cold water to drink, after showing her how many to take, I even got a small smile, an a thank you! I nearly floated back home thinking I finally scored a point with her, an I might be able to get to her heart! I told her I would pray for her, so then I thought how powerful it would be if the whole compound would pray for her! An we did!
We had a good evening together...
(Friday July 29th)

A CBF pastor...

So this morning, I went down to Mamma Kay's shop to show her a picture of my new little Niece Shana Rose, since mamma Kay would always ask me if my sister from America has had her baby yet, an she told me I should tell her once she is born, so I went down with my phone an several pictures, an when I got there, there were several ladies there, but Mamma Kay was no where, they said she went to buy something an would be back soon, they said I should sit an wait for her, so I was showing them the pictures, an talking, when in walks the Muslim lady, I reached out my hand to greet her, an after a little hesitation she shook my hand, an I asked her how she is feeling? mamma Kay came back about that time too, so the Muslim lady said she is not doing good! an is still sick. I told her that I was sorry she was still sick, then she said, "an it is because you gave me pills that were out dated!" she handed the pill bottle to me an I looked an saw that they were outdated, but I knew Tylenol was ok even if it was outdated, an I started telling her that we were still using it, an that it is ok even if it is outdated, but she interrupted an said, "They are NOT ok!" an I said, "I'm sorry! I didn't realize they were outdated." an she yells at me, "How could you give me pills that were outdated!!" an I again told her I didn't realize that they were outdated. Then she started ranting, an waving her arms around telling me that she could arrest me for that, an then asked me, "Do you realize I can have you arrested for that!?" by that time everything had turned to ice in the small shop, no one ways talking, no one said anything, while she yelled at me....I then told her it was ok. an she said No! its NOT ok!! An I explained that I was saying, it is ok if she wants to have me arrested. an somehow that response drove her into a fury, she then told me to get out, an to never, ever come back again! , she said, "This is my word! Don't ever set a foot inside this shop again! Our business with you is over!!" So I showed mamma Kay the picture of my new little niece, an left with out another word.
I thought the hair braiding shop was mamma Kays shop so I couldn't figure out why the Muslim lady was allowed to expel me like that, but now I am wondering if mamma Kay is renting it from her, I don't know, but I know one thing for sure I'm never going back, unless they invite me to come back.

A little boy at the funeral

I stumbled my way back home walking the dusty, stony, road back to the compound, fighting tears all the way home, telling myself I was stupid for crying about what happened. But it hurt. an quite frankly I'm not used to be yelled at! An here I had tried so hard to do everything just right for her, an I still failed! I'm embarrassed to say I cried for several hours once I got home, here we had just all prayed for her at prayer meeting, an I felt like I had taken 2 steps forward when I got a smile an a thank you from her, an now this! It felt like I took 5 steps backwards again.

The three pastor's

But Mom encouraged me that the Muslim lady can yell at me, an try to make me look stupid, but she cant take Jesus from me, an she cant stop me from praying for her soul! So after working through it abit, I was ok... realizing that it wasn't me she was yelling at, in a way, yes, but she was really yelling at God! I had to realize the battle was not a battle with weapons, but a spiritual battle! an the battle was raging, an I had to realize the fact that if they killed they Messiah, the one with no faults, what makes me think that I, a servant of our risen Lord, wont suffer from people who are serving on the opposing side of this spiritual warfare. An lastly I had to realize that it wasn't my battle, but the Lord's! an it was not my job to save her, but only to have a heart of love for her, whether it was a smile, I still love, or whether she is yelling at me, I still need to love, an it doesn't mean I wont feel hurt, because God gave us feelings, we are not robots that don't have feelings, but it is my choice to allow that hurt to bring hate to my heart, or to continue loving her, an I have to continually choose to love her, because she needs love, God's love, an I want to show her God's love, even if I get hurt by her words in doing so. Satan gets worried when us Christians band together to pray for a soul in his kingdom, But God is so good, an the battle is fought, an over! pake jesu!
Help me pray for her, I don't know her name, but God knows who we are praying for when we mention, "The Muslim Lady" to him.


So Friday evening us youth decided to go out to eat at "Simba club" (an excellent Asian restaurant with a buffet, that opens at 9pm.) instead of playing volley ball, so that was fun, an Markus surprised us all by showing up an joining us for supper.


Also, Friday morning Dad & Mom had a meeting with Joseph & Becky at Java house, then after that Dad an the three bro's went to the "Kisumu Farm science show," an Mom an I did our work an left to go swimming in the afternoon, it was very special to have Mom all to myself, an to swim together. was such a treat to have some Mother/daughter time.


And that concludes my blog for this time!


-Sylvia
For The Miller's