A Dog Bite, Unit Meeting, An More Visitors From America!

(Saturday September 3rd)

Just a random picture of coming into the compound, the gate by the white van is ours.

Today we all slept in like usual, then had brunch together...After that Dishon came to start washing vehicles.
Dad went to his office after brunch to study to teach IC class, as well as for the message, his Saturdays mostly consist of studying in his office, its something to get used to for our family, since Saturday's were always our day to do something together as a family, maybe some jobs around home, then shopping in Cincinnati, or at the least go out for supper...but those days are past for now, an we are learning to like the schedule we have here.

Regular sites when I'm walking ring road...

Mom promptly put the brunch dishes away, an started doing cooking for in the evening, since we had invited around 20 people to our house for Saturday evening supper.
I dove into my cleaning with a fury, being afraid that the day wasn't going to be long enough for everything that I wanted to get done....but it all worked out ok, we bought chapatti's an made quesadillas out of them stuffing the wrap with chicken or beef, an lots of melted cheese, dad also bought fresh mondozies , an then we glazed them, they tasted similar to a donut back home.
We had the hillcrest group here, as well as the three single girls, an Joseph & Becky, an Kori from Nakuru, we all had a good evening together, enjoying having all those visitors from the states with us.
(Sunday September 4th)

A soccer game going on, just off of ring road....they call it football

Today Dad An Mom left early for IC class.
Steve an Wayne picked up a youth guy at the gate, that wants to start attending our church, also they had to pick up Charles at the blind school, so they had their morning planned.
Stan was feeling sick, an I was tired from not being able to sleep the night before, so we both stayed home.

Organized chaos?

After the church service was over, two of my friends asked mom if they can come back home to Kisumu with them to visit me while I'm sick, an mom told them they could. Oh! Joy! also dad had two little orphan boys that are his "buddies" an they also wanted to go to Kisumu an see where the pasta lives, so they all came home for lunch, I was still in bed when mom called saying that she is bringing me some visitors, an that I should start lunch preparations till they get there. I was still very tired an not necessarily in the mood to host visitors, but I survived the ordeal.
Kori from Nakuru was also at our house for lunch.
So Stan an I arose from our slumbers to get lunch ready, an had it basically ready by the time everyone got home.
An then the rest of the afternoon I tried to entertain the two girls who came to see me.

September Unit Meeting...

Finally, at around 6pm Dad & Mom took the two orphan boys an Stacy an Jane back home, driving an hour an 20 min. one way! I concluded that my parents have an even bigger heart for these natives then I do at times! because till they got the girls home it was already dark, an with them living way back in the boone-docks dad would drive as far as he could, an then walk the girls the rest of the way to their house, with only the flashlight on his phone to show the way, they were walking along the narrow paths, an through the fields, past other dark huts that were burning small oil lamps for lighting.

These guys are bored completely stiff!

"So, if u wud point ur camera in the opposite direction, I'll sneak my second banana!"

An the Pastors "circle" where problems are solved, an decisions made!

Painting the guest rooms...

 He took Jane home first, then as he was walking Stacy to her house he finally arrived at their small hut at around 9pm. the families scrubby, flea infested dogs barking an growling as they announced to the family that someone was coming, so of course the father an mother had to come greet the pastor an talk for a while, an while Dad was standing there talking with Stacy's father, one of the little dogs ran up behind Dad an clamped his little jaw around his ankle an bite him hard, ripping a whole in Dad's pant leg as he fled in terror when Dad swung a solid kick at him! unreal! thankfully he didn't bite hard enough to puncture the skin, but he sure gave his little jaws a good working out, as he tried to show this white man that visiting at such a late hour was unacceptable with the guard dogs! Dad tried to shorten the conversation an leave, as he still had one little orphan boy to take home, this little boy is basically on his own, an we were never quite sure exactly where he lives at, so he kept telling Dad that it is in this certain town, an so they drove an drove, than asked him how far it is yet, an he would just tell them that its further, this kept going on for quite an while, the little 9-10 yr old kept saying that its further still, enjoying a free ride with the white man! finally in desperation Dad stopped a piki driver an got him to talk with the boy in luo asking him where he needed to go, Dad was going to pay the piki driver to take the boy the rest of the way home as it was way too late by now for them to continue, but the little fella didn't want to talk to the piki driver, an the piki driver kept trying to get him to tell him where he lives so he can take him home, but the little guy didn't even want to get out of the van, so finally the piki driver said that the little guy keeps saying he wants to go back home to Kisumu with the pasta, an the piki driver explained to him that that was not possible, but the stubborn little guy refused to go with the piki driver! finally the piki driver told Dad that the police station was just down the road, an suggested taking him there to see if they know where he belongs...well, once they were at the police station, an were talking about leaving him there over night, the little guy quickly decided to use his vocal cords after all! an told them where to drop him, an here it was back at Masogo the little town that they had just driven through to take the girls home! oh! my! what a wild goose chase! they dropped him there an started the long trip back home to Kisumu, arriving back at the compound sometime after midnight...I guess live an learn, seems like sometimes when you lend a hand to a native, to do a favor for them they take your whole arm instead...but I guess that is where our love for these people must continue...only through Jesus can we continue to have a true heart of love an compassion for such a needy people as this.

Katie from Hillcrest, an Stacy from Kisumu...

In the mean time we youth went to Joe & Glenda's house for the evening, they had invited the youth for a mountain pie supper, after supper they played ping-pong, an it was great to have more youth with the hill-crest group still being here.
(Monday September 5th)
Today was very original...
Dad was at pastors meeting all day.
Mom did some of the laundry, an Wayne helped out where ever he was needed.
I worked on the blog most of the day.
The twins were busy in the shop, an getting things for repairs in town.
In the evening all of the compound went to Joseph & Becky's house for a farewell evening of sorts for the hillcrest group, the hillcrest group made pizza an ice-cream for everyone! what a treat! an what a blessing this group was! they painted the guest houses for us in several days an were very helpful in any way that they could be! they had such a heart of service, an where a real blessing to everyone here! thanks for coming to bless us all the way over here in Africa!
They are planning to return home again on Tuesday (Tomorrow) to either return home after finishing 15 months at the Hillcrest nursing home, or else, stay an take their schooling to become an RN.
(Tuesday September 6th)
Nothing much to write about today...

Brittany hard at work...

I did the rest of the laundry, an helped around home, mom was sewing most of the day.
Dad was out visiting most of the day.
The twins were working on several vehicles.
(Wednesday September 7th)
Today Dad & Mom left early to have a meeting with the needs committee about Joshua & Karen's wedding coming up in several weeks.
The three bro's an I stayed home.
Stan went to Jakes church for bible study, as Jakes family was still returning from Nairobi where they were picking up Jakes parents that are here for a several week visit.
Today Carolyn's parents also arrived in Kisumu, for a several week stay, to see where their daughter has been serving, an teaching school for the past year.
Steve was working on a motor bike that he seemingly had to test drive to town to buy other parts for repairs, I guess every job has it's highlights....
I was putting all the laundry away, making food for the bro's an went walking with Rhoda before dark. We were all just around home in the evening.
(Thursday September 8th)
Today was unit meeting, at our Kisumu compound.

Hillcrester's....  Cheryl, Rachel, an Tyler

All the missionaries and single staff working at the Nauru AMA compound came here, for the unit meeting, these unit meetings are held aprox. every 3 months or so.
So like usual us youth sat at the back, laughing, texting each other random comments, their were even some having a banana peeling fight, what a grand time...we also partially listened to the pastors an their wives up front sitting in a circle discussing various things, the ongoing work in Kenya, an specifically life on the compound, as well as discussing about various vacation requests, a leave for Bible school etc. an then they approve, or dis-approve the issue once it is discussed at great length.

My two friends who came to see me, when I was sick. (eating Sunday lunch with us)

Finally the meeting was over around 5pm. an we all had supper, an us youth played volley ball till curfew.
(Friday September 9th)
After all the Nakuru people stayed the night, they resumed the unit meeting at 7am. held at the same spot as it had been the previous day, at Joseph & Becky's big, spacious yard, under the white tent, only today was "orientation" instead of discussing compound comings an goings...orientation is for those of us that have come to Kenya within the last 6-9 months.
It was our family, Joe & Glenda, an Stacy I was again not able to attend the meeting because sleep didn't come for me till around 4:30am. so I slept in, an then worked on some sewing projects.

The rest eating lunch with the two orphan boys, an Kori.

The rest ate lunch after listening to several of the pastors giving topic's on various relatable subjects, encouraging us all as we strive together to make a difference in Kenya.
Over lunch time a lady from Nakuru was experiencing very high blood pressure, an after passing out, they took her to a local hospital, so that delayed several familes from returning to Nakuru till the following day, but thankfully she is doing ok, an was able to travel back to Nakuru on Saturday.

The youth weren't into volley ball tonight so we just had an open evening, so our family decided to go to hippo point to watch the amazing sunset once again.....And that concludes this weeks blog post! Thanks so much for the many of you who take time to read this, also, for your interest in our lives, as well as your encouragement an prayers.

We love an miss you all!

-Sylvia

For The Miller's

They were so excited to be at our house, an have their first meal with a white family.

 

This little guy loves Mom an Dad, an didn't want to go home, such a cheesy grin though! HA!