Miller Family Kisumu, Kenya: Another Funeral, Oreo Milk Shakes, An CBYC!

(Saturday December 3rd)
Today was the day of the funeral...what a day though!

A little boy watching as the casket is taken...

we got there around 11am. an had some testimonies...but due to a smaller funeral, an Daniel from our church moderating, the testimonies didn't go jus on an on, like they sometimes do!
But toward the end of the message after the service was almost over several politicians staggered in, an wanted to give long speeches...but Daniel soon shut them down, an told them that if they had so much to say they should have come when James was still alive, I found that rather humorous since I had not heard that said from a Kenyan before.
Dad had a strong salvation message, pleading for repentance while we still have life an breath...Bishop Wayne then had the committal at the graveside service.

Sitting under the sweltering tent at the funeral...

Bringing the casket to the grave...

So first of all, the grave diggers had dug the grave big enough at the top, but it slanted too small at the bottom, so after trying to get the casket to go down an it got stuck, they brought it back up, an one of the men jumped down in an started digging away to make so there was more room at the bottom of the grave, they then tried lowering the casket again, I just cringe how they handle caskets here in Kenya, not at all with the reverence an care that we handle our caskets at home! they were lowering it down in, but not level, an you could hear the body slamming around inside the casket....CRINGE! They lowered it down in, an it was only inches away from being at the bottom, but still got stuck on a clod of dirt jutting out from the one side...so instead of bringing the casket all the way back up again, the one guy from our church just jumped down in on top the casket, an after several hard bounces, an several hard THUMPS with the heel of his shoe, the casket thudded on into the bottom...I'm standing there thinking... wow! so that is how you get someone into their grave....if only my friends from America could be here at these moments! especially funerals, they are real cultural experiences...women weeping...cooks cooking food for crowds of people....men butchering cows an sheep....dogs running around fighting over left over meat.....piki's bringing people, tents, an a speaker system....putting up tents an lights....an on an on...it is quite the experience! but jumping down on the casket an bouncing on it to get it to slide into place was a new one for me!

Dad watching as they cover the grave...

After the funeral all of our CBF church people went to a lady from our churches house that was close to the funeral for lunch...after eating lunch sitting outside the hut on the ground, I sat under one of the few shade trees with the children an I tried to teach them some different clapping games, they seemed to enjoy it, an I know I sure did! those children's joy is just so contagious...they are happy with simply nothing it seems like!
We traveled back home to Kisumu, an decided to quickly go to hippo point to watch the sunset...it was a relaxing evening to unwind there at the lake...
(Sunday December 4th)
Today Dad an Mom an Wayne an I went to our church like usual, but since a lot of our youth an the twins went to CBYC in Nakuru it seemed rather lonely at church...Dad preached on having victory in our lives an not living in defeat, it was a good Sunday!

Lowering the casket the first time...

We actually got home around 2pm. unreal! We then had lunch together with ourselves, then after that our much appreciated nap time, after naps I woke up to a beautiful evening outside an wanted to go do something, but the rest were lazy, so I got a piki an went up at Acacia an watched the sunset, wrote in my journal, watched people coming an going...an just hung out with myself! It was a nice time.
(Monday December 5th)
Today I got up early an got my blog post out! Congrats to me!
Then from noon to late afternoon all of the compound ladies an children went swimming.
After swimming, Rissa, Shonda, an I all went to Acacia an got some of their amazing milk-shakes! They have this new Oreo milk shake, an although it is like a dollar more then the rest, it is the best thing EVER! just saying.
What a Monday though...felt quite lazy, but oh so amazing, an to be with all the ladies an children, an sunshine! it was just too good!

Oooops! digging the grave bigger since the casket didn't fit in...

(Tuesday December 6th)
Today I got our laundry together, an was well under way at washing when one of my friends from ring road stopped by an wanted to help me do the laundry, so we had ourselves a jolly grand time, an I sure didn't complain about having a helper! no sir!
In the afternoon Rissa an I went to Java house for lunch, I guess just to celebrate being the only youth girls left over on the compound with CBYC in full swing...not that that was something to celebrate, since we missed the others so much! but we had a grand time!
After lunch we went to visit one of my friends...actually it was Richards wife Janet, I needed to pick up a book I had given to her to read, an of course to hold Baby Peter Gerold was all part of the fun!
I also took some candy along an Rissa an I gave the many, many, dirty, smiling, smelly, cute little children candy...it was so fun to see their faces light up!
We got back home around 3:30pm.
But probably the highlight of my day was that I actually drove a mission vehicle!! for the first time since I am in Kenya...it was quite exciting an I enjoyed it a lot, but it is so different then at home...but it felt like an accomplishment for me, since I am struggling to do things like that on my own since my seizures...so that was really exciting for me.

Digging deeper...

(Wednesday December 7th)
Today Dad an Mom went to Bible study like usual, then after doing our jobs, Wayne an I went swimming the rest of the afternoon, I went to Nakamatt in the morning an printed all the family pictures out for the church people that I had taken several months ago, I guess that will be their Christmas gift from us this year...after swimming, Wayne an I went to hippo point to watch the sunset, an then came back home with piki's.
(Thursday December 8th)
Today we were all just around home here, (except for the twins, of course) Dad was working in the office all day catching up on reports an things, we were getting things ready to leave Friday morning for Nakuru as we want to be there for the program given by the students on Saturday then.

Bishop Wayne having the committal...

Prayer meeting was at Joseph an Becky's house, an it was a small group with everyone gone...we sang some Christmas songs, an it was good to sing them again, but somehow took extra energy to want to sing them...if that makes any sense at all...?
So I guess the only memorable thing that really happened today is that I woke up this morning after having this dream that I was somehow allowed to attend Jon & Jenn's wedding after all, (For those of you that don't know Jenn is one of my very best friends that got married since I moved to Africa, an I was not able to attend her wedding.) anyway, I woke up with my hand extended awkwardly above my head, then I realized that I had been dreaming that I was taking a selfie with Jon & Jenn on their wedding day! ha ha! I was laughing before I got out of bed that morning...I dream a lot, like every night! I dreamed a while ago that I was taking a selfie with Trump, an after that I was sky diving!! what a disappointment to wake up after such amazing dreams! after all who wouldn't want to take a selfie with Trump!? ha!
Anyway, so much for that random "rabbit trail".
(Friday December 9th)

Getting a ride from an older sibling...those smiles though!

Today we all got up early an packed our bags for the long trip to Nakuru, (3 hours) an we left the compound around 8am. taking with us Carolyn an Amanda, Amanda is one of Carolyn's friends that came to visit her while she is here in Kenya, since they had both come to Kenya several years back on WATER program. We also picked up Winnie from Rabour church, a native girl that is friends with Carolyn, who she had invited to go along...so we had a grand time on our way to Nakuru, with much laughter an entertainment, we stopped half way through the trip an some of us toured the coffee plantation, since Dad is all into coffee raising an harvesting right now, he always needs to have a hobby an this is one of them! I'm glad he has something else he can spend his time at instead of just our church needs all of the time...its good for him to think of something else once in a while.
We got to Nakuru in time to hear the choir practice several of their songs, actually they were recording their songs, an we got to sit in if we were really quiet. (Because of recording) then they had some volley ball to which some of us joined into, an then it was suppertime, an the students had to disperse at 7:30pm since it was exam day the next day, or as my brothers called it, "Reckoning Day!"

Mom singing with the choir ladies...

It was so good to see my brothers again...I think they should write a whole post on their time spent there at CBYC, from swap baths, to sleeping in the dorm with all those natives....it had to be quite the experience, but of course they don't see any need to outdo themselves to give any details about their time there...it was a "nice time" an that's all I needed to know...I might add that they did text me pleading that I bring snacks for them, as the whole 10 days was all Kenyan food, an native ladies cooking it, but others said the food was fine, so I keep wondering if my brothers were a tad-bit "wimpy" ha! ha! just imagine!

Clapping with the children...

Our family stayed at Steve Eash house over night since the compound looked abit more appealing to us then the dorms at CBYC. plus there wasn't room to stay there anyway...
Well, that is all I have for now...I hope to squeeze a good story or so out of the twins to add to next weeks blog post, so we can all hear alittle about their time at CBYC!!
Have a blessed week, with the joy of the Lord as your strength!!

~Sylvia
For The Miller's