Habari? How are you? Mzuri sana. I'm very good.
Last week was our first full week of volunteering on ANU campus. Much
to learn and adjust to here. First of all, we have learned to be
willing to serve wherever asked. For example, this week Jeremy did
several firsts including coaching women's basketball and teaching
science labs. We are also learning to be extremely flexible. School
for this coming Wednesday was cancelled, as of Friday. It is the end
of fasting for Muslims and is a national holiday and since it is timed
by the moon, the date is not known or set on the calendar until last
minute. So all of Kristin's plans for a first aid class on Wednesday
will be postponed another week. Its challenging to understand how
things operate here, but then we stand back and remember that "oh,
yes, we are in Africa."
We have had some fun days of shopping in town this last weekend too.
The other volunteer, Jessica and I visited a Maasi weaving shop. They
have large weaving looms and do all sorts of things. We then visited
a bead shop called Kazuri. They send clay beads out to all over the
world. The organization hires single mothers and widows and this job
is a constant and sustaining job for them and their families. That
was especially fun for Kristin to see all the pottery and beads and
how they make them all. (Had to spend a little money there, it was
too good of a cause to pass up--says Kristin:)
In all, we are doing well. Last week was a little discouraging for
Kristin at the clinic. It is difficult to volunteer in a place where
everything is different--from the medications to cultural and language
differences. But we are encouraged that this week will be better.
Church today was about obeying God and we feel we have obeyed God by
coming this far and we trust that He will continue to care for us and
continue to use us here. We continue to ask why, and often don't see
the answer but know that we are to trust Him.
Tonight we are headed to the Pitts' house for a fajita dinner, so
we are excited for an evening with them. Those of you who don't know
them, they were at NNU in Nampa, ID and now they are working here at
ANU, so it is fun to have familiar faces!
If this email doesn't quite have the right flow to it, we're
sorry... we have been coming back to it and each interjecting ideas.
We love you, thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray
that we remain open to how God would use us here.
Jeremy and Kristin
PS sorry about the pics... internet is like molasses (really old
molasses) here and pics don't do well to attach. we can recieve them
fine though for some reason.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Now at ANU
Jambo!!! Habari?
Hello!!! How are you??? We are doing great! The past two weeks have been quite an experience. It is hard to describe what we have seen the past few days. We were in the city of Kisumu and the outlying areas. We set up clinic at different churches and schools and saw about 240 people a day. We targeted OVC (orphan and vulnerable children… program with grant from States) children and saw caregivers and their families. We did basic care and had basic meds to give them, since we didn’t have a MD. It was a joy to serve them and meet people from the rural villages, yet wish we could have done more. Jeremy and I were “pharmacists” primarily, by this we mean we gave them the meds that the nurses wrote for (very different, huh?). The roads are something to mention… they are awful and by that we mean sometimes dirt and sometimes paved, but either way they have continual pot holes. I heard that some tire companies test their tires here because they are some of the worst roads in the world! Sometimes its better if you just drive on the shoulder and off the road. And cows, goats, people, donkeys, bikes, matatus (buses/vans) and chickens cause for lots of swerving. We say this only to give you an appreciation for your curious drivers, laws, lines on roads and construction zones even.
The missionary we were with was such an encouragement to us and its great to hear how God is working through them to counsel young people here and minister to the children of Africa.
So after six long days of clinic all day we went on safari at Masi Mara Game Reserve. We saw zebra, elephants, giraffes, wildebeast (it’s the great migration and there were tons in the park!) baboons, monkeys, lions, gazelle, impala, elands, cape buffalo, hyenas, cheetah and lots of birds! It was a blast and a dream come true for Jeremy! Kristin visited a Masi village too with several from the team. Just some info they drink cow milk and blood and that’s it. We danced with them and had a jump challenge dance where you try and jump higher than the other. It was a blast and so interesting to see how they live.
We arrived at Africa Nazarene University (ANU) today and will be here for a month. The campus is beautiful and there are some amazing buildings. It has grown so much in the last few years due to much work and witness teams. We felt lost at first, but have been welcomed by many. There is even another young couple here volunteering from the States. They have been working on organizing some intramural games and we got to play softball with them tonight and eat dinner at the school cafeteria with them. Jeremy may be helping him with the sports, as well as an agriculture professor. Kristin will be in the clinic but we don’t know much yet. Tomorrow we will begin figuring out ways to serve and schedules.
We are doing well overall and have been enjoying Kenya! The missionaries kept saying we were naturals and we were adapting well. We hope so. We have loved getting to know the people and they are welcoming. For the most part. They also like to pressure you to buy their stuff. Bargaining in the market is a work out, but you walk away with stories! Its been fun and we’re learning how to get a good bargain. J
We appreciate your prayers so much. Kristin has had a sinus cold, but other than that we have stayed well and are grateful. Pray for continued health and energy. We also would appreciate your prayers surrounding relationships we build with those on campus with the students and faculty. Thank you for your prayers and love! We miss home, but are enjoying making new friends and seeing what God is doing here.
Love,
Jeremy and Kristin
Hello!!! How are you??? We are doing great! The past two weeks have been quite an experience. It is hard to describe what we have seen the past few days. We were in the city of Kisumu and the outlying areas. We set up clinic at different churches and schools and saw about 240 people a day. We targeted OVC (orphan and vulnerable children… program with grant from States) children and saw caregivers and their families. We did basic care and had basic meds to give them, since we didn’t have a MD. It was a joy to serve them and meet people from the rural villages, yet wish we could have done more. Jeremy and I were “pharmacists” primarily, by this we mean we gave them the meds that the nurses wrote for (very different, huh?). The roads are something to mention… they are awful and by that we mean sometimes dirt and sometimes paved, but either way they have continual pot holes. I heard that some tire companies test their tires here because they are some of the worst roads in the world! Sometimes its better if you just drive on the shoulder and off the road. And cows, goats, people, donkeys, bikes, matatus (buses/vans) and chickens cause for lots of swerving. We say this only to give you an appreciation for your curious drivers, laws, lines on roads and construction zones even.
The missionary we were with was such an encouragement to us and its great to hear how God is working through them to counsel young people here and minister to the children of Africa.
So after six long days of clinic all day we went on safari at Masi Mara Game Reserve. We saw zebra, elephants, giraffes, wildebeast (it’s the great migration and there were tons in the park!) baboons, monkeys, lions, gazelle, impala, elands, cape buffalo, hyenas, cheetah and lots of birds! It was a blast and a dream come true for Jeremy! Kristin visited a Masi village too with several from the team. Just some info they drink cow milk and blood and that’s it. We danced with them and had a jump challenge dance where you try and jump higher than the other. It was a blast and so interesting to see how they live.
We arrived at Africa Nazarene University (ANU) today and will be here for a month. The campus is beautiful and there are some amazing buildings. It has grown so much in the last few years due to much work and witness teams. We felt lost at first, but have been welcomed by many. There is even another young couple here volunteering from the States. They have been working on organizing some intramural games and we got to play softball with them tonight and eat dinner at the school cafeteria with them. Jeremy may be helping him with the sports, as well as an agriculture professor. Kristin will be in the clinic but we don’t know much yet. Tomorrow we will begin figuring out ways to serve and schedules.
We are doing well overall and have been enjoying Kenya! The missionaries kept saying we were naturals and we were adapting well. We hope so. We have loved getting to know the people and they are welcoming. For the most part. They also like to pressure you to buy their stuff. Bargaining in the market is a work out, but you walk away with stories! Its been fun and we’re learning how to get a good bargain. J
We appreciate your prayers so much. Kristin has had a sinus cold, but other than that we have stayed well and are grateful. Pray for continued health and energy. We also would appreciate your prayers surrounding relationships we build with those on campus with the students and faculty. Thank you for your prayers and love! We miss home, but are enjoying making new friends and seeing what God is doing here.
Love,
Jeremy and Kristin
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