Miller Family Kisumu, Kenya

(Saturday November 19th)

When the twins went to the Mara...

Today I went to get my braces put on, but because of me not feeling well I only got the bottom row of my teeth done, the dentist will be doing the top row next Monday.
In the evening we had Marlin's family from TN. an John & Lois from PA. at our house for supper, it was a fun evening...
(Sunday November 20th)
Today we all went to church like usual, only Jadon an Lavon went with us, an we also stopped at another CBF church on our way to our church, to pick up a pastor an his family as they were coming to our church to preach, for "pulpit exchange."
After church the visiting preacher an his family came to our house for lunch, we also had Downing, (an orphan boy from our church, an his grandmother an some cousins to our house for lunch, I also invited several of our youth girls.) It was quite the crowd, an we had a good time.

Elephants they saw on the plains...

All except while Downing was helping Steve start up the grill so I could grill chicken for lunch...he somehow managed to dump fuel on glowing embers of charcoal! needless to say, flames shot out an singed his eyebrows, shirt, an chest, but thankfully he wasn't hurt too badly! Although I did feel terribly sorry for him, as I saw him running through the back yard with flames shooting out from the front of his shirt, he was wildly slapping at them, while doing an awkward jig underneath the wash line...poor soul! I promptly went outside an had a stop. drop. an Roll. session with him, to which at first he thought I was just saying something crazy, but soon he saw the merit in what I was saying, since he had discovered first hand, that running around in our back yard, an swatting at the flames with his open palms got him some burns.
After lunch Dad took the others back home, an the three bros an I took the youth from our church to Hippo Point, (I know, Imagine us going there!) ;)
Later on instead of giving them transport money to go home, the youth decided to stay at our house over night an return home in the morning...unreal! it was quite the experience, with Downing piling into the boys already crowded bedroom, an me rounding up three floor mats for the three youth girls to sleep on, on the floor of my bedroom...we had lots of fun laughing an talking, sometimes I still cant believe how that I can have so much fun with these native girls, it is in a totally different way then with my friends at home...an yet, it reminds me so much of fun times with my girlfriends at home.

Watching these thankfully from their vehicle...

I felt like I got to know them in a totally new way, they went through my closet choosing which of my dresses they wanted to wear, (Some I will say did not fit the best AT ALL.) they had such fun, an I was laughing an watching them, which was unreal fun for me!
(Monday November 21st)
The next morning before breakfast was ready, they helped me do all of our laundry, they had never seen something like the ringer washer I was using an were quite amazed at how fast we got it all done!
After brunch, an singing together, we took them to the closest round-about an dropped them off, giving them money to get transport back home.
I could write so much more details about their stay here, but it would take way too much time, an space to tell you all of the things that I found funny!
The rest of the day our family just spent together, since it was actually supposed to be "Family Day", so we went to the tin market, called Kabuya Market, an walked around looking at everything...we felt like tourist again, walking around the shops an trying to speak our limited Luo, to the peoples great delight!
In the evening we went to a new restaurant, at least our family had not been there yet, it was up high in a building, an over looking Kisumu town, they had a lot of good "American" type of food, an we had a jolly grand time there...after we finished eating we all went to Hippo Point to watch the sunset...it was a fun, relaxing, family day for sure!

Mara trip sightings...

(Tuesday November 22nd)
Today a friend that Stanley had met in town one day, came to visit him, he supposedly has a studio where he records music an is a musician, so he came to try an sell his CD's an get Stan to join him in his next music video, sadly, for the new friend, none of his endeavors to benefit from his white friend worked.
I worked on doing our laundry, then Mom an I made lunch for three men that Dad decided last minute to bring home for lunch, they had been doing things around Kisumu, hospital visits etc. an Dad decided to bring them home for lunch.
I went to town with Stan in the afternoon to get various things...an another day was spent!
(Wednesday November 23rd)
Today Dad an Mom went to our Bible Study...But Steve, Stan an I went to the Bible Study at Kajulu, since the twins were supposed to give the church people there, transport to a lady from their church house for Bible Study, an since she lived fairly far from the church, an not the general area of the other church people, they needed someone to help take them there.
We had only one van, an there were literally scads of people! we piled them in till the seats were all taken, the laps were all full, an the second layer of peoples heads were at a slant to cope with the low ceiling space of the van...three of us ended up taking piki's since there was simply no room anywhere, we even had people sitting in the back behind the last seat...there was no more space anywhere!

Father of the plains...

We had a good Bible study, an after making two trips to take all of the people back home, we were invited to Andrews house for supper, he is a youth guy from Kajulu, an is a friend to the twins, it was an interesting evening, of meeting his family, an him showing us the lake close to his house, the only down side of the visit was that they had minnows for supper, an I simply cannot stomach those little things, they are just too fishy tasting, an its creepy enough having all these blank eye-balls staring back at me, let alone the awful fish taste that fills your mouth as soon as one comes near your mouth or the rest of the food on your plate, I tried eating rice, but of course they noticed that I didn't eat the minnows, an I know they were offended, but of all the love in my heart for the people of Kenya, an the love I have for their culture an food, minnows is just too much for me!
It was around 8:30pm when we finally returned back home...an interesting day for sure!
(Thursday November 24th)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Today we all gathered in Jake's spacious back yard, where a big white tent was erected for the occasion of Thanksgiving...there were three different visiting families with us, two from the States, an one from the mission in Nakuru (CAM) so there was a big group gathered together.
We assembled ourselves around 11AM. then after a short devotional, an some random group singing, we had our feast! Complete with special trimmings here an there from our beloved America! Brought over by our visitors some of who also stayed for the holiday.

Steve feeding the chickens...

It was a treat to eat real candy corn an pumpkins, an smoked ham, an many other yumminess from home! thanks for everyone who put in the special effort to make it feel more like Thanksgiving, despite the fact that we were looking for a spot of shade, sweat running down our back, an still we studiously ate our mashed potatoes, an ham, an thought of family an friends thousands of miles away...after I finished feeling sorry for myself that I wasn't able to see my sister an her little family, I was actually able to enjoy the day, I guess kinda one of those "mind-over-matter" type of things.

Dad eating lunch with brothers from church....

In the after noon there were various yard games going on, an a piñata for the children, an also some games for the youth...A group of us went to Kibuya Market with some of the visiting youth, simply to see what we would find, well, we found a major traffic jam, to which my oldest brother had this strict intent that the van beside us covered in all manner of bumper stickers, an rattling to the loud music booming from its speakers, was not going to crowd us out of line to get in front...after edging along in traffic, terribly close to the van beside us, close, as in, I could have reached out an shook hands with the people sitting in the other van, an close, as in, we nipped their mirror as we went past, the driver looking abit defeated that his "budging in" plan didn't work, but grinning good naturedly since his mirror was still in tact, an that a white guy also knew how to drive like the Kenyans...we had a grand time at the market......torrents of rain forced us to stand under a white plastic stretched out over our heads, so low that taller ones had to bent over, an rain was seeping through the plastic...an we had stopped right in front of a shop where they were selling bananas an they were bound an determined that they would get a sale out of all these white people finding shelter from the rain under their tent. no banana sales that day. From us at least.

Wayne doing what he loves most...

After we had all taken our supper they put the dishes away, an then the youth all played volley ball on the lane till curfew...an so was our first Thanksgiving in Kenya...strange.warm.dusty.mashed potatoes.ham.pumkin pie.candycorn.....but no family.

Before I sound too morbid, an you start thinking of various kinds of depression meds I might be needing, I will add that we were terribly thankful that we had the dear missionary families here to celebrate with, we couldn't do it without their support an friendship!
(Friday November 25th)
Today we were all just at home.
I wasn't feeling well, so I got very little accomplished.

Mom braving this whole Kenya life with a good attitude...

The twins an I at the lake with our friends, an some of the youth from church...

Dad went to our church area once again to make funeral arrangements, as another older brother from our church has passed on to glory....it was a sad day somehow, maybe because I felt sick, maybe because Thanksgiving was here an not at home, maybe because Dad was gone all day to make funeral plans ONCE AGAIN, maybe it was simply a Thanksgiving hangover! I haven't taken the time to try an dissect what was the issue, but in the evening it was rainy an cold, an we closed our glass slats in our windows an curled up at home for the evening...if I shut my eyes an thought long enough about home, about fall weather, about how rotting leaves smell...I might have experienced a bit of fall, in a Kenyan way...ok, I'm fairly positive I've lost your attention by now an your wondering what kind of melancholy sentences I'm rambling on about...

Rhoda an I working on Thanksgiving décor...

We are loving Kenya, an accepting our call, it isn't a one time thing to accept this calling, but we continue to go back to the stake we put in when God called us to this needy country, an we again renew our commitment, to serve, as Jesus served, not just in the good times, but in those times when the sky is grey, there are holiday's but no family, there is simply nothing to be excited about, an life looks bleak...then we remember that this is not our choosing, an that God didn't forsake us, but that he has called us, an the exciting thing is that his blood still has the power

David & Leah to be married later this month...

to cover our sins, an to wash us white, to justify us...making us so that we are, pure, an like we had never even sinned...that is the power of the blood! Pake Jesu!! So I'll leave this post just like this for this week.
Hope you all have a good week!
~Sylvia
For The Miller's

CBF children who were at our house for lunch...

Getting tables ready for Thanksgiving...

Carolyn's amazing chalk art!!

Carolyn an I listening to the devotional given on Thanksgiving Day...

We went on a boat safari an saw these hippos...

Me on my way to Bible study, in the rain...

(Saturday November 12^th)

Sunrise on Lake Victoria....

Today I did cleaning around home, then Stacy an I did a bit of shopping in town, we had a grand time!

In the afternoon I helped Mom makes pizza, then we had the three single girls over for Pizza.

We then had another game of Volley ball since Jadon an Lavon were here from Greenville Tn. We had some great games, an even three teams…we had much fun!

(Sunday November 13^th)

Today was a very normal Sunday…other then me having to go over to the children’s section during church to try an quiet down their laughing an whispering, I tried my best to look super-stern, but their big, black, scared eyes looking back at me almost made me burst into laughter…I always knew I wouldn’t make a good parent! They were pretty shocked that the white girl came to tell them to be quiet, since most times the usher does that…but he was somehow on the blink that day.

A group singing at Rabour Youth Seminar...

At testimony time, a lady repeatedly tried to give a testimony…she is an older lady an her mind is abit shallow…to say the very least! An she would just randomly while someone else was sharing a testimony, get up, an loudly say, “Pake Jesu!” (Praise Jesus!) then the interpreter would tell her to sit down again…an again…an again! Yeah it was pretty funny! I thought at least!

In the Evening the whole compound went to Jake an Janice for a hot dog roast…an fellowship with former missionaries Marlin Stoltzfus family from Greenville TN. It was a great evening, with two other families visiting from the states, visitors of Wayne’s an Joes.

(Monday November 14^th)

Today I went to Java House to write my blog…for something different…then I also went to acacia for some alone time.

Youth Seminar...

Dad was at pastors meeting all day.

Mom was working around home…

(Tuesday November 15^th)

Today Stan an I went to Nia Where Mark Beachy’s church is to help Dishon with mudding his house, We worked hard an after mudding the house we had a big Kenyan feast.

We had a lot of fun, a lot of Marks church people were there, the ladies singing incessantly an stepping around in the hut to the tune of the song they were singing, it was a new cultural experience for me!

And also to see them making mud by chopping up the dirt an adding water, then stopping around in the “mud pit” till it was soft an pliable, an just the right consistency to fill the wooden structural frame they had built.

All of the white youths were supposed to sing a song too...

One of the highlights was throwing mud at Micah an Stan, an another highlight was being mistaken for Markus’s Mother! Oh! Happy Day! Lol

It was just a grand day of doing something totally different! An I loved it!

Stan an I started home after Bible study since we had Richard an Janet coming over for supper, so we got home in time to clean up ourselves an get ready for supper.

We had a good evening, eating, talking, an planning to travel out to Richards family with them in Dec. some of his family is still Muslim so that should prove to be an interesting experience!

(Wednesday November 16^th)

Today Dad an Mom went to Bible study alone, the rest were working around home.

I felt sick most of the day…

(Thursday November 17^th)

The Rabour Youth...

Today Mom an I were busy getting ready to host the unit prayer meeting at our house, it was a really small group, so we just all sat around in our living room, instead of the carport like usual, then we also served some snacks afterwards, it was really neat having a smaller group.

Wayne's an Joes had left for Nairobi to pick up their visitors, an bring them back to the compound.

(Friday November 18^th)

Today I was sewing most of the day…

Dad an Stan along with some of the other guys from the mission here went to Nakuru to help with a building project, Marlin an his two oldest sons coming over from America to help with the big project as well….Steve an Wayne had left on Monday already to help, they said it was a lot of fun, but also a lot of hard work…work starting at 6am. Every morning, an working till 6pm. At night. For a week! They sure got a lot done…

The Aroba Youth...

So mom an I were at home alone catching up on things that needed to be done, but mostly cooking an cleaning.

In the evening Carolyn invited mom an I to eat supper with the single girls, we had a really great time an Carolyn went all out on the food, an even set everything up all fancy, in our thatched roof gazebo in our back yard, it was really neat!

An That is it for this week.

~Sylvia
For The Miller's