Miller Family Kisumu, Kenya: March 2018

March 19th 2018

Hello Friends, {at least I hope we are still in the friend zone, even if I'm not posting regularly anymore.}
Somehow this topic of not posting in a long time is always my first topic! sad but true. an another sad but true fact is the fact that I got "burned out" on posting every week, an simply got tired of writing...so I'm taking it easy, but I will post here every couple months,
to let you all know that we do still have life an breath.

SO the last two months have been full, of simply life.
the twins went to Arkansas for 6 weeks of Bible school, an Wayne an I had a very peaceful time here at home, however we did miss them somewhat, yes we do love them..... from a distance, okay kind of kidding. be that as it may we welcomed them back with open arms, an smiling faces because what else do loyal family members do to each other?
They came back inspired, an missing new friends, an all those after Bible school emotions that I only thought possible in girls, life keeps surprising me!

Andy's family was here for two weeks, an what a Jolly grand time we had! Once they finally arrive with none of their luggage an muttering"Christian profanities" against United Airlines.
But we were just glad to all be together safely.

Relaxing in our living room

So the first morning we went to see an Elephant nursery, which was mildly interesting to me, but since Hannah had told Serena that she would almost leave her horses an come to see the Elephant nursery, but then decided neither the baby Elephants nor our family were special enough to leave her animals at home to come on a Safari to Africa, we had to make sure an go straightway an see the Elephant nursery so that she would have her dose of jealousy for the week. We love you Hannah, an the Elephants feel quite abused by your lack of love to them seeing that both their parents no longer exist to take care of them. hah! just kidding Hannah!
Our prayers were answered an by that evening all their luggage arrived.
the following morning we headed out for the Masii Mara, having a lovely time as always, seeing the big five, plus extras like a several day old Giraffe, and a Mother Elephant who was upset an charged at a rover, she had a baby elephant an some of the rovers were getting too close for her comfort.

Sunday Morning discussion...

We ate lots of good food, an always after meal times talked about how we were all going to start dieting after they leave Africa.
We made our way back to Kisumu an spent the rest of our time around here eating, sitting around, showing them our favorite places here in Kisumu, taking them to church two Sundays was fun, instead of just one Sunday like most of our visitors. eating at natives houses, an I must say they did so well to eat the food an even liked it! we were impressed to say the least.
Was so good an refreshing to have them visit, an the twins came home from the states for the last week of their stay, an they were so thankful to have Myron here, it was close enough to having a "youth guy" visit them.

Dad having Bible study....

Sometimes I wish more of the twins friends from home would visit them, they get so lonely an are so alone over here, no other youth guys in the mission here, its just them. an they could use encouragement at times. so I would like to encourage some of our youth, come visit us! we loved our youth group at home an were very involved in making our youth group a good place, an we miss you all! but I do thank Judith, Elaine, Esther, an Myron an Karen for coming ! as well as Rita, Chad, An Ron! It meant more then you will ever know, especially Chad an Ron, the twins still talk of the time when you guys were here!

Over the time Andy's were here I felt like it was so busy, we had chicken butchering an bless their hearts for helping us! the AMA board was here, an had meetings with each family.

Water Buck...

We had unit meeting in Nakuru mission. an then the usual prayer meeting Thursdays evenings, bible study Wednesdays an so our time together flew like crazy fast!
Also most of us have talents somewhere, some hidden, some talents more obvious, an Myron found out one of his talents is coming to Africa an managing to contract Malaria in less then a week. we couldn't believe it! but there are actually meds you can take before you come to Africa that is like a preventative for Malaira so don't let that dampen your spirits to come visit us! we don't all have that talent anyway, so I doubt you will get it, hahah!

Stacy the cook...

Right after Andy's left I was busy making a wedding dress for a friend of mine getting married in Nakuru mission on the 24th of March, it was my first time, an with not a lot of measurements to go by, an only a few weeks till the wedding I was very nervous.
she wanted me to just use my pattern, but I knew my dresses were big on her, so I just "sewed deep" an hoped for the best, well, by some unknown good fortune the dress fit her perfectly! she called all excited an said, "Its like you had my measurements, it fits perfectly!" well needless to say I breathed a sigh of relief!
An right after I shipped the dress off to Nakuru....the youth girls from here got a girls trip to Mt. Kenya together, an at first I didn't plan to go, simply becuz I was just there a month ago with my family, an I was also out of vacation days, an had already borrowed some vacation days from my family, an I just felt bad to even ask to take off. But then the pastors were ever so gracious to talk about it, an sent it to the Nakuru pastors, an they both approved me going! I felt so unworthy!

Twin Monkey's

So us girls left early Friday morning, an had a wonderful time returning again Monday evening....our time was spent at a cute little cabin, actually it was a rather big house, having four bedrooms two baths, kitchen, dining, an living room complete with a real wood fire place, you might think fireplace? in Africa? but in that region it gets SO cold! the landscape there reminds me a lot of out west, mountains, an water bucks an forests, an gets so cold in the morning an nights, we dressed warmly an kept the fire rolling an marveled that we were in Kenya, with Mt. Kenya towering right above us, in our back yard, an monkey's on our porch eating the banana's we tossed out, an water buck roaming through our yard, we concluded we work for an amazing mission who allows us to have such an amazing break in the action.

When in doubt hug the human closest to you. take example from these animals

On Sunday we rented Motor bikes to took a new road up closer to the mountain...an somehow I ended up with a moderately drunk piki driver! I was quite disturbed to say the least...since we were taking hairpin curves going up higher every time! he would swerve dangerously close to the inside of the drop off, an I would subconsciously lean the opposite way to try an balance out the situation, which made everything worse, his breath kept blowing into my face an smelt like beer, an I kept silently praying an preparing my self mentally which way I wanted to jump if we crashed. it was awful! we hiked abit upon reaching the top, an he had a dangerous time just walking in a straight line, let alone driving his motor bike!

eating a banana...

We made it back safe an I was glad to be back on solid ground.
since that trip, we have been around here doing normal life counting down the weeks till furlough which looks like 6 more weeks!! we cant wait!
That's all I have,
Take care,
~Sylvia Miller
For The Millers