TOUCHES OF HOME

Good afternoon!  Its another warm day in Kisumu but not as hot as some days.  We have been blessed with some rain lately and oh what blessed relief that brings from the heat and dust!  Mornings are always nice and sunny though and a great time to do laundry.  

  As I was saying in my last letter, we are in a total different world here and sometimes it would have felt SO good to just have a touch of home... something that felt the same as home sweet home.  God was gracious in giving us that on Thurs. eve. when all the compound families met at Dean and Barbara Jeans house for prayer meeting.  We spent a good part of the evening singing and oh it was lovely!! I almost cried when the first song was sung because it was so beautiful singing English together and it sounded like home!  :)  It was a very good evening of getting to know people better here.  The hard thing for me was when I looked around at the group and realized that, Lord willing, most of these dear folks will be leaving within a year. :(  There will be big changes here and people are saying that we will soon be the veterans. I'm NOT looking forward to that... we are so new here yet and it feels like it will take years to learn all the ropes.  On Fri. morning I was blessed with another "touch of home" when all the ladies went together to Java House for breakfast in honor of Darla Weaver, who is heading back to America this week.  Java House is a very nice restaurant located in something like a mall that looks very American.  The contrast between rich and poor here is almost staggering. Seems there should be a middle road but it doesn't work that way obviously.  Friday afternoon Jason and Cynthia and their family took us out to visit several more church families.  We were definitely out in the "bush".  We had to walk a ways to get to one of the homes.  We crossed a "treacherous" bridge made of sticks.. its amazing what these people can do!  Cynthia said they even cross that bridge (when it was in better repair) with a piki piki (motorcycle)!!  That blows my mind cause we had to step very carefully over small logs that would suddenly "roll" on you, etc. 

I love the little groups of children who often come to gaze at the mzungu (white people).  We often hear children hollering "mzungu, mzungu" when we are passing by.  They seem to be amazed at our white skin and we're amazed at how black they are. :)  Our church people are located in the "interior" close to the area that Ken Miller and Gene Beachy were beaten.  Its not always a very safe feeling to be out in those areas and away from anything familiar but I suppose with time it will become familiar and feel safe.  We are learning more and more Luo words and are beginning to recognize our church family and remember names.  I definitely felt more "into" it this Sun. than I did last Sun.  These people will be easy to love I think!  I like the way they often say "Amen" in church and sometimes just break into singing while giving a testimony.  Its a relaxed atmosphere... maybe too much sometimes. :)  Bradlyn likes to play in the dirt during church. :(  I was so happy that he went along to Sunday school this time and even stood up front afterwards when the children shared their song and verse!  Carolyn Rodes comes to church with us and does a great job with the children.  On the way home today we had 23 people packed into our small van!  Talk about HOT and SMELLY!  But we survived and when we arrived home we did not find a monkey on our roof but we saw a big blue lizard in the hedge. Wonder what we will see next Sunday?  We see the most amazing sights.... cows on the streets in town, goats everywhere, and I love all the tuk tuks!  They are the cutest little 3 wheeled cycles with kind of like a canvas covering I think.  They are everywhere and maybe someday I will ride to Nakumatt in one if they don't make me pile in with a bunch of other people. 

  We are still struggling with our hot water issue.  We have enough hot water for about 1 shower and then it quits and the rest of us are out of luck. The plumber was here yesterday but the problem is not fixed so I guess we just keep on heating water for the little ones and the rest of us need to take cold showers or go to Rachel's house or heat water... it doesn't hurt us anything but oh...... to those of you who enjoy nice warm showers with nice pressure every day... please don't EVER take it for granted!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)  We can learn a lot from these Africans.  They don't waste anything!  In fact I just found out the other day that even our trash that is hauled out of the compound here is dug through by natives who are searching for bottles or anything else they can salvage.  We are SO blessed!!  It helps put things into perspective a bit when you come to a place like this and realize what all we have taken for granted all our lives.  

  This evening we are all invited to Josephs house for the evening.  We are all expected to take some food.  I'm still having a bit of  a struggle finding my way with cooking here so wasn't sure what to  take but finally decided to slice up some oranges and take a plate of cake that Carolyn sent home with us after lunch today.  I'm thinking now that I may not pursue making bread here afterall since my oven is unpredictable and Judith found some bread for us at Nakumatt that resembles homemade bread and my children seem fine with it!  PTL!!!!  Such a relief since I don't think I will have time for bread making.  It only costs 55 shillings and I don't think I could make bread for that price.  Wayne has been driving a bit more lately and getting used to these roads.  Its still scary and a challenge but he's doing well and has been studying maps.  Driving here still causes me to pray and its hard to keep from gasping when there is a close call but God is good and blesses with safety time and time again.  Please continue to pray!  This week looks very full.  Tomorrow all the pastors and wives plan to spend the day at Rondo Retreat.  The children will stay here with the single ladies.  Tues. our language classes start and I think school starts on Wed.  Don't know when you will hear from us again.  We appreciate ya'll so much and rely heavily on your prayers.  We can't thank God enough for blessing us with peaceful sleep at night in spite of the loud music and drums and Muslim prayer calls that we hear so much.  I think we're learning to tune these things out.  Have a blessed eve.   Clara

Brad and a "Weaver" carrying a bench after church.

Harvest Offering.  I was challenged by their sacrificial giving; especially the one widow's gift.