So its time for a quick update…I know you all have been on the edge of your seats waiting…hahah just kidding but I thought the theme of this one should be the wonders of Kenya…just to give you an idea of some of the…eccentricities I come into contact with everyday…. pigs testicular sandwiches being one of them. We took the kids to the Nairobi national museum yesterday because it was a public holiday! It was an incredible day! Truly sooo much fun! After the museum we went to the park and had our picnic of pigs testicle sandwich and soda hahaha the kids looove them and then we just ran around the park playing in fountains running away from strange men with ridiculous money making techniques such as hideous face painting, pushing kids in little miniature cars or making balloon hats (minus any sort of skill or shapliness) like I said it was public holiday so the place was SWAMPED! On Friday I went to this HUGE market to try and track down instruments and costumes for the kids. This is definitely NOT the market that muzungus go to. Haha I now know where alllll our old clothes go….KENYA! there were piles and piles of used clothes from the western world and a whole lot of free spirits. Though I did get a darn cute sweater for 50 shillings (about 75 cents). But the wonder of all the wonders were these backpacks. One booth had all these backpacks exactly the same color, shape, everything except that it had a different brand stamped on it. Basically you could choose whether you are more of a reebok or puma person. Haha I laughed very hard. Also There are no rules of the road here…a trend largely perpetuated by mitatus-the taxi bus. These monstrosities are hardly road worthy and drive like MANIACS. The best part about them (did I mention they are my primary mode of transportation) is the decoration and naming of each unique mitatu. From “redeemed” to “Do me” to “wallz to wallz” these beautiful pieces of craftsmanship are the definition of art and creativity. Hahah its also usually quite clear that the designer did not speak English and so just typed some Swahili words into a translator and painted whatever came out. Or the other common mistake is the misunderstanding of rap lyrics…who can blame them though because I have a hard time myself understanding what they say. On any given day I might get into a mitatu with 37 people (it seats 14), a chicken, a goat, a mattress and 25 kilos of flour already aboard. It’s always an adventure.
Another wonder of Kenya (specifically where I am) are the tea plantations! I have been trying to run some mornings and recently found this back road that leads to the most astonishing, breath taking out of this world tea plantation I have ever seen. I literally rounded the corner and was at the top of a hill and was just baffled by the land that was spread out below me…such green, such blue in the sky such beauty. I really wont even attempt to describe it but let me assure you that there is a God and he IS an artist. Period.
In other news this has been a very busy week with the youth symposium coming up sooo very soon-this Saturday in fact. I am honestly a bit anxious about it. I know that a looot of people are coming ( my phone has been ringing like crazy) but I am just anxious about money, smoothness and whether people will actually think and participate. I would really really appreciate prayer on that account. Also I’ve been planning for the trip that we took yesterday and practicing for the talent competition!! Lots and lots of practicing. Maureen and Lydia spent the night on Sunday to make posters for the youth symposium. That was way fun. I finished my noah’s ark mural at the baby center and it turned out really good which is always a good thing (and certainly not a guarantee haha). Made a newsletter for the center, did bible study –I feel like slowly slowly I am becoming more of a friend and our conversations are getting better though I definitely would appreciate prayer in knowing best how to relate and love them and connect with them and overcome the language barrier, knitted more, spent friday night at the center, watched amelie (such a good movie-I love stories about quirky girls), and Basically that’s whats up. Its been good its been real. Hahah Well soooo much love from my heart to yours!
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2 comments:
Language barrier?
Perhaps there is a case for Esperanto after all.
An interesting video can be seen at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8837438938991452670
Keep blogging, keep BE-ing...your words are a gift to us back home in DO-ing land! Good luck this weekend with your symposium - the Reeves will be praying.
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