Miller Family Kisumu, Kenya: My Trip To America, Back Home Again, And Election Tensions!!

Rhoda And Kalita

Hello People!
Hope everyone is enjoying their life, watching summer turn into fall...
I got back from my two week four day stint to America...the normal questions from people in America ranged from: How was/is it to be back in America? Did you have culture shock when you got back to America? How is it to go back to your youth group, an church? Is the food in America good again? an on, an on, an on.

But most of the time I was just trying to grasp the fact that I'm even back in America again, an trying to get over jet-lag, an wondering if I'll soon wake up, an realize it was all just a dream like I did so many times before.
But no, it was for real, an yes it was wonderful to be back home, but at the same time I missed Kenya, an my Kenyan friends like crazy. Did I have culture shock in America? Yes! I did. I always thought I would never have culture shock, like "Those other missionaries" simply because I lived in America all my life, an missionaries that came home an had culture shock were probably not totally okay when they left...but no, here I was the return missionary in shock! things I noticed were the SMOOTH roads, I simply sat in awe at how fast the car glided over the pavement, I felt stupid for being enthralled with something so....so...senile? I guess that's the right word? Everyone drove such nice vehicles. People are so fat. sorry for saying that, but wow the people are huge-mungus. The food was too sweet an rich, but yes it was good. But the truth be told I missed Kenyan food so much, an made sure to eat a good Kenyan meal before I left, I love the food here, most of it anyway.
So in short, it was awesome to be back in America, to see my friends, who were dating when I left, toting around their babies, an to see everyone, but towards the end, I just wanted to get back home, were my family was, an my Kenyan friends, an what was familiar to me for the last year an a half.

Donut making...

America was good, but everything was so different, people change, time goes on, an I know once we return there will be so many adjustments. But God will help us to adjust when we return, I know.
I really enjoyed spending the first whole week with my sister, her husband an two little girls, it was strange to see their little house for the first time, since they have moved to an outreach since we left, an to go to their church, but it was good.
The next week was spent at my home church area, seeing old friends, an living in "my" house, with my uncle an aunt who are living in our house, an taking care of our business while we are gone.
I felt so blessed with their heart of serving God through taking care of our business, while we are on the mission field, they could make better income somewhere else I'm sure, but they choose to be committed, an that's something that goes a long ways with us, since we cant be there.

So the flights to an fro were fairly uneventful, we didn't miss any flights, an thanks to Rhoda's organized brain, she kept me on track.
I would like to throw out one tip for long travel hours, (But only if you are with someone else.)

{Sleeping Pills!!} for sure if you have problems with sitting in a tight little seat, with your knees touching the seat in front of you, an a stranger breathing down your back, an not being able to move much at all. I personally find sleeping difficult in those circumstances, but maybe there are some rare birds out there that can zonk out, an block all noise of coughing, babies lamenting, an people brushing past you in the aisles, an those stewards an stewardesses, forever rattling their carts up an down the aisles, serving drinks, pretzels, an other cardboard like substances to tired, irritable, an travel worn, victims.
But thanks to my sleeping pill, I would sleep soundly for hours, an regain conciseness enough, to hear Rhoda saying "I don't think she will take any food this time." hahah I couldn't wake up! the one time I did wake up to a smiling stewardess, with too much make-up on, an creepy red lips, staring down at me, asking if I would like some water, "sure I would like some" I said trying to act normal, but feeling like my brain was full of glue an my eyes couldn't focus...she gave me the cup of water, an leaning closer ask me in a subdued an serious tone, "Are you okay dear?" I quickly said "yes" so she would leave me alone, an she was infact asking entirely too many questions for someone who just woke up! An I was indeed fine as could be, I just happened to be a traveler with a lot of sleeping pills along, an conquered their torturous plane ride, an they were not used to seeing that! hahaha she then said, "seems like your really getting your sleep!" haha yeah more or less I thought, but only half smiled back at her like an idiot because my brain was all foggy, an I was trying to process what she was saying, but soon fell asleep again, I must say the trip seemed shorter then I figured.

Anyway, thankfully Rhoda was there to wake me up when we had to move, our flights were, first a one hour flight to Nairobi, then a eight hour flight to Amsterdam, an another nine hour flight to Atlanta, a hour flight to Nashville, an a five hour drive to Sharon an Andre's house. Lets say I was ready to be able to lay in a soft bed, an run, an jump, anytime I wanted! but that's what world travel is like, I guess I just haven't done enough of it, an I get all unglued about the toll it takes, on your patience, Christianity, mental state, your bottom, your ego, an various other things.
I got home an jet-lag on this side wasn't nearly as hard as on America side.
We got home Saturday morning after landing in Nairobi an sleeping there for several hours before we got up again at 4:30am. I had been able to take both my check-ins from America to Nairobi, for free, the one weighed 56lb. an the other 70lb. but then the short flight from Nairobi to Kisumu they were going to charge me $150.00 USD for them, but thankfully the luggage attendant was in a good mood, an said that that was way too expensive, even though that was the price he was supposed to charge us, he said in a quieter voice, "give me $40.00" as he tied tags on that said both weighed 20lb. hahaha I grinned an knew I was back home in Kenya! I then slipped him some small cash as a bonus for his discount, he faintly grinned in thanks, then adjusted his tie an continued with the next people in line, we just made it to our plane, because of the delay at the baggage counter.
We went to church on Sunday of course, an got to see all our friends, we had a children's choir there, that was quite interesting to say the least, an one little boy, beating a stick on an empty water can, for the music as the children sang, I sat there wishing everyone of my friends, in America would get to be there with me, an have that cultural experience.

Sunday night I went to the lake with three of my native friends, for a picnic, an games, I had brought them some gifts back from America, that was so fun to give them gifts! the greatest source of entertainment for me was, one of my friends had told me to bring back candy from America, but he said it had to be a kind that they don't have in Kenya, so I brought alot back but, seeing them try pop-rocks for the first time was the best! they sat there with their eyes big, then one of them sputtered, that it "feels like small bombs in my mouth!" haha I also brought some of those gummy eggs you can buy at most bulk food stores, an I told them in a very serious tone that, these were eggs from American chickens, I proceeded to make up my story as I went, an said that the chickens that lay these eggs are very small, an that as soon the egg is layed we deep fry the egg`, an that's how the gummy eggs are made. they stared at me, but I couldn't look at them because I was almost busting with laughter.
Then one of them said, "Sylvia I know you, an you are telling me a lie." I burst out laughing at my own joke, an they grinned abit an said they never believed me anyway, but the silence between my joke an him asking me if I was serious, was long enough to satisfy me. I told them I know they believed me for a little bit at least, they strongly objected, but I told them I thought my joke had been a huge success! haha
So on Monday I did laundry, then rushed to see some of my friends along ring road, since I knew with the presidential elections on Tuesday I might not be able to see many of them for weeks maybe...they were happy I made it back.
One of them wondered how Trump was, since when I left they had told me to greet Trump for them, I tried to explain to them that even though I was a white person, Trump didn't have time for the likes of me.
Anyway, Tuesday was interesting, we were all sitting tight inside the compound here, an as of today (Thursday Afternoon) we still don't know the results. We only see helicopters flying over head, an hear of tear gas being shot to disperse crowds.
I have found the roof of our house to be a nice look out, today we saw the heads of soldiers going past, fitted out in riot gear, Stacy an I clambered up on our tile roof in time to see 8-10 military men, riding past on horses, we were shocked! since there are no horses in Kisumu, it is too hot for horses an they simply don't do well here.

So that was kinda neat...but it does get alittle boring having to stay inside the compound all day, but on Tuesday all the ladies made tons of donuts an apple fritters, then we had an MZL open house, so everyone could come see all the books they sell there, an buy what we wanted, an of course we all feasted on donuts an coffee.
In the evening I had supper with Rhoda an Stacy, then we sat around our fire pit, as it was chilly, an had some great conversations with Dad an Mom.
The rest were out on the lane playing spike ball, an sitting around chatting about this an that.
So on Wednesday the ladies had an all day sewing, I didn't go sewing, but did random other jobs, an worked on my blog, only to loose most of it an had to retype it today...
So we keep us in your prayers, that the elections could be peaceful, we pray that whoever looses would except it an move on, without war an killing.
Have a wonderful week an thanks so much for all your love an support while I was in America, it means more to me then you will ever know.
~Sylvia
For The Miller's