The things I learned in Kenya

Well, I finally have time to sit and go over my journal so that I can make this post, as previously promised.
This is only a list, and can't contain everything I learned about God, Kenya, others and myself. Hopefully it'll give you an idea of the things one can learn on a trip like this -- both the serious and the humorous! Also, some of these will be redundant for those who read the blog while I was in Kenya -- sorry!

1. There is no such thing as "hurry" in Kenya -- unless you're in a car. And Kenyan drivers LOVE their horns!
2. Never, ever sit at the back of a bus.
3. The stars at night are big and bright -- deep in the heart of Kenya (sorry Texas, but you've got nothing on Kenya!).
4. Mosquito netting doesn't work quite as well when it has large holes in it.
5. Mosquito netting makes me feel claustrophobic.
6. It's possible to squeeze 14 adults into an 8 passenger van (painful, but possible).
7. Joy can be found in the worst of circumstances.
8. It's possible to fall in love with complete strangers and a country you never wanted to visit.
9. My body can retain fluids for at least 12 hours (OK, I know it's not healthy, but it is good to know!).
10. Sometimes it seems overwhelming difficult to touch someones life and heart, but it's really quite easy.
11. Instead of the word "detour", Kenyans use "deviation" (this could make a whale of a sermon illustration -- & I even have a picture!).
12. African mothers perform nothing short of a feat of magic when they tie their babies onto themselves (ask me about my "sling" experience with my baby!).
13. Kenyans have awesome smiles that start in their eyes and light up their entire face.
14. Every American should be required to go to a third world country to help out.
15. America has great restrooms.
16. Electricity is an awesome convenience!
17. Kenyans and Texans have an all-together different idea about hot & cold weather!
18. A window screen company would be a fantastic thing in Kenya.
19. Kenyan children have the patience of Job.
20. I will have less patience with the complaints and "problems" of people back home (and I do--though I'm working on it).
21. People have cell phones in unbelievable places.
22. A 2 yr old Kenyan child can operate an iPhone.
23. Kenyans love to pronounce my name (we wore name tags) and they did a much better job than most Americans!
24. There's always one in every crowd (and that's all I have to say about that).
25. I now know that I can do anything with a positive attitude when it's in God's plan.
26. Obnoxious wake-up calls usually set my teeth on edge -- but not in Kenya.
27. There are fewer pregnant woman than one would think (I saw one in 5 days).
28. Kenyans do not "help themselves" to food. It must be offered to each individual personally before they'll take it.
29. Most Kenyans love having their picture taken and ALL love looking at them in the digital cameras.
30. Kenyan mothers love it when we pay attention to and touch their children.
31. Most Kenyans age really, really well.
32. When you're desperate you can learn to really enjoy warm Coke.
33. Peanut butter does not translate well (neither does tuna fish).
34. There are obnoxiously stubborn, persistent people in every country.
35. If you could make people this happy every day in your job you'd never retire!
36. People who try to cut in line in Kenya are dealt with swiftly and loudly.
37. Young Kenyan women have got to be some of the most soft-spoken people on earth -- and it's impossible to get them to speak louder.
38. I'm going to miss the sounds of Africa -- no T.V.; children laughing and playing outside in the evenings; frogs, birds, chickens & roosters; women laughing and talking and singing while they work & cook outside.
39. Kenyans have long-lasting handshakes.
40. It's possible to leave a piece of your heart somewhere.

And the list keeps growing

OK, I can't say that all males do this. At the moment it's just the 15 year old male in my home who does it:
writes all over himself!! I do NOT get this!
I'm not talking "once in a while" --- I'm talking every - single - day. It drives me crazy!
Is it a cry for a tattoo? Is it because he's a stifled artist? Is it because he can't remember to bring paper to class? WHAT IS IT?! (Wait -- what is it other than the desire to watch my head explode? I'm not a complete idiot!) And why can't he seem to stop?
Here's today's "artwork" (which he made extra-special with the addition of a stamp):



I guess I need to google this to see if there's a support group for the people who do this --
or for the people who love them.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Daughter #1's 23rd birthday. One of the first birthdays she's been home for in a few years.
She woke up with a cold. Her car started making loud screeching noises today and had to be taken in. She went Christmas shopping and bought gifts for other people.
Happy freakin' birthday.
It ended up on a good note, though. We went to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants and she got free tiramisu. Then we came home and she had an Italian cream cake waiting.
Here is her picture before she made a wish:

Cute, right?
Here's her picture after I said, "OK, we're going to sing now.":

See what I have to live with?! It's bad enough when it comes from the males, but she's supposed to be on my side!!
It's a good thing she's cute.

And yet another item to add....

Family Guy.
I. Totally. Don't. Get. It.
I watched this with Son #1 last night (well sort of, I fell asleep after about 15 or 20 minutes). He guffawed out loud - a lot (he always does).
I groaned out loud. Often.

Add it to my "Things I Don't Get About Men" list

So the temperature today never got out of the low 40's. It was cold and drizzly and a good day to curl up in front of the fireplace -- after church, that is.
I got ready for church -- dressed in slacks and a warm sweater. Put on my coat and headed to the kitchen to meet up with my guys and go. And there I saw Son #3, standing in the kitchen. He was wearing no shoes, a pair of shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.
I stared at him for a moment, stunned. Then here was our conversation:
Me: "Ummm, have you been outside lately?"
Him: "Uhhh, yeah. Why?"
Me: "Because it's cold outside. Very cold."
Him: "I wore this in Oklahoma."
Me: "This SAME outfit? This same, unwashed outfit?!"
Him: "No. This same kind of outfit. Sheesh, give me some credit, Mom."
Me: "I'm sorry -- did you say "credit"? You're dressed for summer, it's 42 degrees outside and you want "credit"? Sheesh, give ME some credit."
Him: (sounding smug) "It's not cold. I played in the snow in shorts. I wasn't cold."
Me: (refraining from telling him to march upstairs and dress like a normal person) --- "Whatever."

So that is what he wore to church.
By the way, I also refrained from making fun of him when I saw him shivering in the car on the way. What a goof.

More Kenya pictures

The girls are all gone so I have the house to myself. I figured this would be a good time to upload some more pictures of the people I was so blessed to meet.





The Kenyan part of Team 3:


The whole Team 3!




Is this little guy cool or what?!




These young girls seemed to enjoy hanging around and watching me work (and joke with them). They stood there for about 3 hours!








This is Jane, a wonderful Kenyan lady who was on the team. She's holding an avocado -- which she said was on the small side:


This is the lady who hugged me hard and then said, "I'll see you in Heaven!". I love her.


This is Derrick, one of our translators. He was awesome! He's studying to be a pastor.


This was a large group of school kids who waited hours to see the eye dr. They swarmed me to look at their pictures. Oh, and check out the boys on the right front --- just goes to prove that teenage boys are teenage boys in any country!




This lady was so happy with her glasses that she kept shaking my hand!


Lining up:


This lady was one of my very favorites:


Is she wonderful, or what?! She loved looking at her picture:




This guy was sooo happy! He said, "Now I can go home and read my Bible!"


Believe it or not ....


....this guy is 103 years old! I need to eat whatever he eats!!














This lady was in her 90's:







After I took this picture she reached out for me to hold her -- I was happily surprised!






A group of school kids:

By the way .....

This is what my pantry door has looked like for 4 days with no males in the house:



Make of it what you will.
I'm just saying .............

A "normal" post

I am going along with Daughter #3's request to write a "normal" post.
The girls and I had a great Thanksgiving. Daughter #1 and I did the cooking, with #2 & #3 pitching in where needed.



Here's the finished product:





Here's "Thank God it's Not a Tattoo":





After we ate and cleaned up we went to see "Enchanted", which was really fun and cute. Then we went to some friends' house for dessert. It was very nice, relaxed holiday.
Hubby called and the men had a successful Thanksgiving -- lots of food, football and sleeping.
The family tradition lives on.

Yesterday the girls and I decorated the house for Christmas. The cat "helped".




Son #3 called last night to say they were out playing in the snow! Sons #2 & #3 were ecstatic! They were hoping and praying for snow up there, which is very unusual at this time of year. I wonder if I can get by with telling them that that should be considered one of their Christmas gifts?! :)

Today Daughters #2 & #3 drive back to school. Daughter #1 is going to work. It will be very quiet around here -- for a while. The hubby and sons are driving back today (10 hours -- yuck). Not a great day for traveling in Texas. It's been raining non-stop since about 3 a.m. and shows no sign of stopping. And it's cold. Well, of course "cold" is relative (just ask the folks in Kenya) but for people in Texas, 42 degrees is dang cold!
My body is slowing getting back to the Central time zone. Very slowly. It's been rough but I can see that it's getting better (this getting old stuff stinks!).

The surroundings

Some of the shops in the village:




Loved the sign:

A hair salon in Mitunguu. The client sits in the chair outside:


Anna's garden:

One of many beautiful flowers in her garden:

This was our breakfast every day. Eggs, wonderful yams, bread w/ butter & jam and fruit (which was always much better than the fruit in America):



When the shower worked (twice), this was all of the water pressure there was. Seriously.

This was our source of hot water, when it worked (once). You had to turn the water on first, let it run a bit and then push the electric switch. We just prayed that we wouldn't die in Kenya - naked and wet by electrocution:

This was the only source of electricity in our room (other than the mostly-non-working water heater). I also did a lot of praying when I flicked this switch to charge something:

Our river bath water (before my bath). I told you it was brown!

My mosquito netting:

A lizard on the ceiling above my bed. I named him Fred (and hoped he ate a lot of mosquitos!):

Chickens in the corn (much better than snakes in the corn, Harry!):

This was Team 3 (or the Texas contingency of it):

This is Anna, who cooked and cleaned and generally took care of the place where we stayed:

This was a bucket of rainwater for our bath one night (for 3 women). It was awesome!


Papaya tree where we stayed:

They, like everything else that grew in Kenya, were huge!

The "squatty potty" behind that building. This was about as close as I wanted to get:


very large mangoes!

From this tree behind the clinic: