Rainy season, an council meeting with the church in Nykoko!

(Saturday April 2nd)




Family Picture 2016

We all slept in...Dad an the three brothers went to town to buy several items, (an drove around, I'm sure!)

Mom did some cleaning, an cooking, of course.

I worked on the blog most of the afternoon, an concluded that I either need to not write as much, or else split my writing up into parts of two days, seems my Saturdays are shot with trying to get the blog out that day, so this is Wednesday, an I decided to start writing so I wont have so much Saturday. I then did my share of the cleaning that still needed to be done.

We had pizza for supper, a treat, that brought back memories of home! an all went to bed early.






(Sunday April 3rd)


Ladies choir giving a program

Like usual Tommy, Cedric an Dad left an hour early for church for instruction class, the rest of both our families, an Charity came at regular time.



We had council meeting today, an felt so strange to be expressing my peace like I usually do at home, but being in another country,with a sea of black faces turned completely around, an staring at me all the while I talked...was so different then it is at home, but also a lot the same...I guess the strange part for me was when a brother, stood up to make a confession, I thought all was very serious, and he was confessing about having been drunk, an that he was dancing...an to my complete horror,  snickers erupted through the entire group, I honestly could not believe it! I guess it just goes to show I have lots to learn about how this culture is SO different then my own...the snickering soon subsided as the more sober souls, all started shushing the naughty ones that were laughing! some of the older ladies sitting around me looked apologetically at mom an I, clicking their tongues, an shaking their heads, in disgust.

Dad having a devotional

The ladies choir also had a program, Margi was the choir director, an with a "one, two, three!" they would start each song. :)

Dad had a devotional for the first time since we came.

Some of my little friends from church

 

waiting in line to greet the pasta's... singing their hearts out!

 

 

 



walking to Daniel's house for Sunday lunch

 

 

 

 

 



(his shirt!) My own home state! here in Kenya! jus had to snap a pic. :)

 

 

Chris & Mariah eating Chapattis

 

 

 



Mom learning how to cook.

Daniels nice house

Waiting for lunch...still waiting...waiting!

waiting on lunch outside

 

Daniel & his wife, an Tommy & Margi



So after a great message by Tommy on, "what will you bargain for your soul?"  there were many elaborate testimonies, an as I was listening to one young mans testimony, all of a sudden i hear this little old grandma, squeaking an protesting, that she had stood to her feet first, an that it was her turn to share a testimony! wow! I tried to imagine our own older church ladies, at home, responding in that way! :)



Last Pastors meeting with Tommy Wagler

Tommy's, Charity, an our family, all went to Daniels house for lunch, he is a member in the church, but his wife is not.




Mom an Wayne making the trek to town to buy some groceries.

walking out to the lake

After a little walk from the church house, we arrived at Daniels place!



They had a very nice place, (for Kenyan standards) an served a delicious meal! We waited for about an hour till the food was ready, but it was really good! my brothers especially liked the chapattis, an beef.





Lake Victoria (usually not this calm!)

The Kenyan culture has so many cultural things! it never ceases to amaze me! like at Daniels house, we were all sitting there getting ready to eat, an there was one chair to the right of the doorway, that was empty, an we all told Daniel that he should sit there an eat with us! but after washing our hands, he joined some other native friends of his out side to eat, he would occasionally come see if we were eating as much as we should, (they give way more food then we can ever eat!) but stayed on the outside most of the meal. I later asked Charity, "why did he invite us, if he doesn't want to eat with us?" an she explained to me, that the hostess, in Kenya, always sits to the left of the doorway, an Daniel had told mom to sit there, as dad was on the chair beside that one, so that is why he sat outside to eat. also his wife was hardly seen, till toward the end of our visit, we asked if he would go get his wife as we wanted a picture of them together, the wife generally stays outside too, usually in the kitchen. Even without company, the wife would bring the husband his food, an then eat separately in the kitchen, husband an wife rarely eat together.



the pergola's were we sit to eat 

Wayne Miller alive an well!

Another thing that was different was that, Daniel had the one main hut that was the house, then they had a smaller hut for the children, an then a tiny hut for the kitchen. (most poor natives, have their

kitchen in their bedroom, or living room.) so I could tell they were more well-to-do.



Sorry for The side view

After we were done eating we were telling the cooks that is was very good, an Tommy's an Charity corrected us, telling us if we say it is "good" that means it was ok. but if we say it was "nice", the food was nice! then that means it was really, really great! seems we learn something every time!

we finally got back to the compound around 5:30 pm that made for a short afternoon, we all took naps, an had a Miller family,  popcorn/ hymn singing that evening.

(Monday April 4th)

Rainy season is officially here! rained most of the day today, which made for miserable laundry drying.

Dad was at the pastors meeting most of the day, was kinda sad as this was Tommy's last meeting together with the pastors.



Sunset

School children along with Miss Carolyn

The Twins were working in the weld shop, Steve drove to town, driving a standard vehicle for the first time! they do very well at driving these manual vehicles, I think, however, Steve did wind-up getting pulled over by the cops, for an "inspection" but didn't get a ticket, so that was good! he later causally commented he had forgotten his licenses! I'm thinking, whoa! good thing they didn't ask for those!



 

Ladies choir giving a program

I would like to drive a manual, but i just know there would probably be gravel an dirt in the air! =0 so i will leave that for now. i guess somethings just come more natural for my brothers then me.





Kisumu

I was doing some laundry, but with the rain, things didn't dry as well, so i cut out a dress for my friend Jane, who is in instruction class, she is only 14 but a very nice girl, she doesn't have a lot of friends, an i kind of made it my mission to befriend her, i was thinking, what! could I do for her?because the second we were at church, i tried talking to her, but she just answered my questions, an then moved on her way, an i knew she was really shy, an also stutters, which makes her more timid...so, i decided that i have way more dresses then i need, an i had brought some fabric from America over with me, so i took each of my pieces of fabric, an cut little heart-shaped samples out an let her pick out which one she wanted, the next Sunday she showed me which one she likes, an was beaming, that she will have a dress with American made fabric! i asked her how she wants it made, an got her pattern size from the sewing center here at the compound. i also gave her a picture of me, an told her that i left all my friends in America, an that i need friends like Jane! she smiled really big, an that was it. but i could tell i got a little closer to her heart! it was so exciting... after church, i saw she was showing the others her picture, an later on after the service she hung around me, an when we went through the line to shake hands with the pastors, she was right behind me, an when we got up to dad an mom, she turned around, facing me, an in broken English told me that my dad is her "brother".  In Kenya, a lot of people are your brothers, cousins, friends, etc. i took it she was telling me that my Dad is her friend, that did my heart so much good, an most of all!  that she talked to me, without me asking questions! praise God! pray for Jane.



Flowers in Kenya

Tonight while we were eating supper Tommy sticks his head through the shrubs, between our wall an theirs, an told us that if supper wasn't a success, that we could always catch some flying ants, for protein! we looked out side an flying ants were everywhere! seems crazy that the natives eat those! yikes!

(Tuesday April 5th)

Dad was off to a meeting with Tommy, Tommy handed over a lot of different responsibilities that had been his for years, Dad came home an said, wow! now he can see how a person will stay busy all of the time!



Grilling chicken for the company

Dad was home for lunch, an then it was off for another meeting in the afternoon.

Steve working on a vehicle

Mom made a lot of food for tonight as we are having, Tommy & Margi family, an Linford &  Kay, over for supper tonight. Linford & Kay just flew in from Indiana to take over responsibility at our church,(they are former missionaries, they were here 5-6 years.) as we take langue classes, and as soon as Tommy's leave, an JoAllen & Glenda come to fill Tommy's roll. our family an JoAllen's will take langue classes together then, i believe classes last for several months.

Then Linford & Kay leave again, an we are officially on our own!

i cleaned the house, its amazing how fast we can clean our little house, compared to a three story house!! i then helped with some food, an grilled three chickens that i had cut up an put in marinade the day before, while i was grilling i got to talk to Gretchen, an after that to Kate! was amazing hearing their voices! then i hurriedly got ready for tonight.



visiting with Tommy's an Linfords

We had a great evening, an i think Linford an his wife will be great to work with over the next several months! we ate outside, like everyone does around here, an other then those horrid flying ants pouncing in on us, things went great. those flying ants came in over the left-over food, an over moms nice dessert cakes, an over our dresses. everyone kept eating, but mom looks at me kinda worried an asked if i think we should just move everything inside, i said, Nope! we're in Kenya, they can pick the flying ants out of their dessert.... i surprised myself, but finally you just give up, trying to be all Americanized, an just join the Kenyan ways...

Wayne an Clara stopped in a little tonight too.

And that concluded a busy day!



(Wednesday April 6th)

Dad & Mom left with Tommy & Margi first thing this morning for an all day visiting church people.

The twins were at the weld shop, as usual.

An I went to help Janette clean Tommy's house for the arrival of JoAllen & Glenda! we can't wait to have them here on the compound!

I worked on cleaning there till 11:30 then came home an made lunch for the three brothers.

did some laundry, an worked on the blog, so it won't be such a long day working on the blog, on Saturday.

As soon as Dad & Mom got home we all left for one of our favorite spots in the evening, "The Yacht Club!" had supper there with Tommy & Margi, the new arrivals, Linford & Kay, as well as both school teachers Carolyn an Charity. watched a beautiful sunset, an enjoyed the quiet surroundings, an also simply enjoyed seeing things other then "compound." was great to get out! of course had a wonderful time just all being together! Linford pulling off some pranks of his, which had us all laughing! :)

(Thursday April 7th)

Dad & Mom were in meetings off an on most of the day.

I was just around home doing various tasks, I did wind up baking some choc. chip cookies, took some to the guys at the weld shop, an also to Dad an Tommy's meeting.

In the evening Janette took some family photo's for us...which she did an amazing job!

We then hurried on down to Marlins carport, were the school children gave their end of the year school program, (they did it a little early since Tommy's are leaving before school is out.) Tommy's have 4 Students in school so they will be missed a lot when they leave!

School program

We then had a snack afterward, an the youth had a great time hanging out, lots of joking, teasing, an etc. etc. I am learning to really like the youth group here! I am already dreading when the Stotzfus youth (3) an Charity Yoder leave! but I'm sure we will try an go on without them.

(Friday April 8th)

Dad an Mom were gone all day today with Tommy & Margi, as well as Linford & Kay visiting church people, an checking up on the ones needing encouragement, to keep on keeping on.

Wayne an I were around home here, I was doing the usual cleaning an Laundry, I got Wayne to do some repairs on one of our toilets that needed help, he is a right smart, good repair feller! I need to find more things for him to work on! ;) much to his delight! lol



Black Mamba

This afternoon as I was hanging out the last of the laundry Cedric comes storming over into our yard an was wondering if we wanna come see a black mamba snake!? well, yeah sorta...but is it dead!? was kinda the question for-most in my head! so Tommy had killed this snake, Cedric had seen it while he was mowing their lawn, I was expecting to see a HUDGE thing-a-ma-bob, but no, it was just a tiny one, but according to Tommy deadly poisonous, he said, not much hope for someone once they get bite by one! wow! i was just glad we hadn't found it in our lawn...



We went to Dean & an Barbra Jean for supper, I hadn't been to their place yet, they have a cute little house an a nice big lawn, had a wonderful time there, with Tommy's (Where Tommy's go, we go! ;)

Linford & Kay an the two school teachers.

We youth had volley ball at 7 had some great games, an some very lame ones too...but ended up having a lot of fun together, the two youth

guys from the other AMA mission several hours from here, joined us for v-ball so that made it more fun, with more players!

Hope each one has a great weekend, an a wonderful week!

Thanks for taking an interest in our lives...for reading our blog, for all the emails, prayers, an support we can never say Thank- you enough!

Sincerely,

Sylvia - For The Miller's
p.s. (sorry for the delay in receiving the post, the internet went down so...)



Miller's in Kenya