An African Funeral, An Baking Banana Bread, Over An Open Fire!!

(Saturday July 30th)

Sunset From Hippo Piont

This morning we all got ready an went to another funeral, only this time it wasn't a CBF funeral, so it was more authentic! An I was excited to see how everything would end up going! Stacy an Rhoda Joined our family as well. We had a really great time!

Mom Talking with Jacinta, a lady from our church, who was also at the funeral 

One thing they did at this funeral, that I had never seen before, is that after they dismissed from the services, an as they were carrying the casket to the burial site, they made a big deal out of the whole situation, singing, an swaying in time to the music, then every so often the whole procession would stop, an the leader would read some words to the assembly, then they would start singing, an swaying, again...an all the while they were walking to the grave site the ones carrying the casket were swinging the casket back an forth! I couldn't believe it! I was used to seeing the casket handled with upmost care, an respect! but they sung it from side to side much like I would a hoe on the way to the garden...it was so strange, an I still have not gotten an explanation on why they did that!

The priest's with their flowing robes an sporty hats! 

As usual when we went to leave the funeral, after eating their food, with flies everywhere, an dogs under the table hoping for a stray crumb, there were many people who wanted a ride here, or there, an some even going all the way back to Kisumu with us! so our van was full.
The one man that was riding with us, was sitting on the seat, with just barely half of his body actually on the seat, an all of a sudden his head hits the window with a CRACK! an he jumps, an starts rubbing the spot on his head that had met the window, an mumbled something or other about that he had fallen asleep, after giving my condolences, I almost split my sides trying not to laugh out loud, it looked so funny! an with Rhoda, an Stacy sitting beside me, their bodies shaking with laughter, it was almost impossible to not laugh, but I felt so sorry for the man, what a rude awakening! poor fella!

The funeral Procession...

Our family was just around home in the evening relaxing, the three bros went to hippo point to see the sunset, an Dad was practicing his skills on his motor bike since he needs to get his license for that soon.
(Sunday July 31st )
Today the rest of the family went to church, an I again stayed at home since it was around 6am. Sunday morning before I fell asleep.

The crowd coming, juggling the casket back an forth between them...

So Dad & Mom went to church, an the three bro's took 2 vans an went to another CBF church (Rabour) an picked up their choir an took then to Mark Beachy's church to give a program, they had a long day an didn't return till around 6:30pm that evening.
Dad & Mom got back home, an said that they had lunch at the house of a lady from our church already, so we took naps an since the three bro's were not at home till around dark, we went on a walk along ring road, walking the whole block around the compound, that was interesting an fun.
We got home an made popcorn, an soon after that the three bro's returned, an we were all just around home, all talking about what each of our days consisted of!
(Monday August 1st )
August! Really!? must be time flies when your havin fun... =]

Stopping for a rest...

Today Dad was a pastors meeting from 8-3.
Mom was doing laundry, an cooking.
I worked on the blog off an on, an once Dad got home from the pastors meeting, he took me to town to check up on my lymes test results, an also to talk to the Doc. about my difficulty with sleeping, So first, the Lymes test we did through a blood sample showed negative, an I don't know if I was glad, or sad...my test showed I was 22.88% an you had to show 23% or more to be positive for Lymes, I told my Doc. I get so tired of doing all these expensive tests, just to hear that everything is fine, an looks great, then I go home an have another seizure....sigh. but, I guess I will rest in the fact that I don't have Lymes, an since I started meds I have not had a seizure.
We were all just around home tonight.
(Tuesday August 2nd)

Starting the journey once more...

Today Mom had invited four ladies from our church, to come out to the compound to learn how to make banana bread, an how to bake it over an open fire, Stanley an Mom went to pick-up the ladies in a town close to their homes, an brought them back to our house around 10:30am. an after having chie tea together, they made four batches of banana bread an baked it in pans, floating around in a big kettle of boiling water, with a lid over the top, to trap the heat.

At the funeral....

They had an enjoyable day together, leaving again around 4:30pm. with each a loaf of banana bread to sample with their families, the one ladies family is having a extremely hard time financially, so that was the main purpose of teaching her how to make the bread so she can sell it at a shop, an maybe earn a few extra shillings to help her husband with money for their family.
It was a great day, to get to know the ladies in a different light, rather then just seeing them at church.
(Wednesday August 3rd )
Happy Birthday Wayne!! Welcome to the youth group here, an thanks for all the humor you add to my life!! love ya!
Today our whole family went to Bible study, an since no one was able to host it we bought mondozies, an made a huge cooler full of hot lemon grass tea, an just had Bible study at the church house, we had an enjoyable time together.

The man from our church, who started attending the school for the blind

We drove straight from Bible Study to hippo point to watch the sunset, then went home an had a light supper.
Since Dad had taken part of a day off earlier this week to celebrate Wayne's birthday with him, we didn't do anything special today.
(Thursday August 4th)
I woke up to feeling pretty bad this morning, an ended up having a seizure. I fell in the hallway, an got banged up pretty bad, I came to, with terrible pain in my knee, as it had slipped out of socket again, an my head was throbbing where it met up with the tile floor. So I was resting most of the day, trying to once again accept this illness that barged into my life 3 years ago, without an invitation.

The blind man, an his helper...

Mom did laundry, an Dad took one of the youth guys to the hospital to check out his eyes, as they are really sensitive to the sun, an found out he has an infection in his eye, so dad bought drops at a chemist for that.
Dad was gone most of the day.
Unit prayer meeting was a Joe & Glenda's house tonight. I stayed at home.
(Friday August 5th)
Today we were just around home, Did some cleaning, went to town to develop pictures for several girls from our church.
An in the evening the rest of the youth had v-ball, Markus, Micah, an Dishon joined the game, they all played in the rain, an it looked like a soggy group, that had a blast! was so happy for them that they had enough extra players to play.
Everyone then came to our house to celebrate Wayne's official arrival into the Kisumu youth group.
We celebrated with cake an ice-cream, an I made some pop corn, we had a grand time till curfew, then the twins took Dishon back to his home since it was raining, an too late to ride his bike all the way back to his hut.

Bless her heart! she wanted to carry the pasta's brief-case

Dad & Mom were gone all evening, as they went out for supper with Richard & Janet the ex-Muslim pastor an his wife, to have a meeting with them, an also to treat them to the rarity of eating out, they reported a very enjoyable time connecting with them.


A bit of a highlight, or I should say a huge event our family is looking forward to, is that two of my friends from our home church, Judith an Elaine Schlabach are coming to visit us in Oct. we are all so stoked about it, that we can hardly wait!!!
We feel honored an blessed that after being here for only around 6 months we have our first visitors! unreal! God bless you for making the trip over, I will do my absolute best to give you a real cultural experience, an best of all let you meet all my Kenyan friends!! We're so excited!!


-Sylvia
For the Miller's

Mom with the little girl named, Becky Miller....

$2.00 for a dozen!

The shop where we often buy roses....

 

The Sheep is probably thinking: "I'll most likely be seeing my chiropractor after this ride...."

 

 

Waiting on the banana bread to bake, Dad had to check in to make sure all was going ok

Helping to start the fire...they totally know what their doing when it comes to cooking over fire!

Getting the water to boil....

Rispah stoking the fire....

Mom loving every minute of it!

The "oven"

Keeping the fire hot!

Almost done baking...

Cute little baby Andrew...

He's always so happy...

In the kitchen with Becky, learning how to mix the banana bread...

Having so much fun....

Rispah sampling some banana bread...

Enjoying our porch swing, at first they were scared of it, because the swing moved, an they thought it would break down.

Rispah, holding Joe & Glenda's baby, Elliot.

All the bread is made!!

Eating lunch together...

Looks like their might have been a difficulty with the tractor, or else lack of anger management....

The three bro's, with their "adopted" brother Dishon.

Having so much fun....

In church...

A visiting pasta, Thomas.

The blind man giving the church a report on what he is learning in the blind school.

Monday Pastor's meeting...

"...Wait!! now he gets to ride up front!?...while I'm barely on back here!? Life has a way of doing this sometimes...Be Strong! an of good courage! God is a good God!!