Now is a scary time for Kenya. Memories of the post-election violence in 2007 are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Last time a president was elected, the country experienced a turbulent time where over 1000 people were killed. Kenya is very country divided among tribal lines which causes many problems. Everyone wants their tribe in power because they will benefit. They will get jobs, land, food… many services offered by the government will go most towards the tribe that is in power. They all say they are fair and won’t discriminate, but it doesn’t work out that way. When someone applies for a job, the employer may make their decision based on the tribe they are in. A person’s name often reveals their tribe making it easy for discrimination to occur.
In 2007, most Kenyans believed Raila Odinga, a Luo, would win the election. When the results were announced, Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, was declared the winner. Rumors flew of a rigged election and the tribes begin to fight. Kisumu, our home, is known to be Luo land and many business owned by Kikuyus were burned down. In another town, 40 Lhuya women and children were locked in a church and burned. It was mayhem. It took months for things to settle down. Four political leaders were indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity for their alleged rolls in the violence. Two of those four are running together for president and vice president in this election. Their trial is slated to occur later this year and many people think they shouldn’t be allowed to run.
The election is on Monday, March 4th. We are praying for peace. No matter who wins, people will be upset, but we hope violence won’t break out. Due to the possibility of violence, George will be here in Tanzania, although he cares very much about politics and wants to vote. We’ll be keeping up with the news on line and praying Kenya doesn’t start fighting again.
Please pray with us.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Scale
When we took Eli to the doctor on Friday, he was weighed. I finally got a picture of how they weigh babies here. It cracks me up. He looks like a fish just caught and weighed on the shore. One baby boy…22 pounder… Now, I have never seen a baby weighed in the US, but I am almost certain this is not how they do it, right?
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(By the way, he keeps improving. The nights have been slightly better and his fever is gone. His appetite is still not back to normal, but he is eating more than he was and staying hydrated. He is still pulling on his ear, but I hope that will go away as he continues the medication.)
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(By the way, he keeps improving. The nights have been slightly better and his fever is gone. His appetite is still not back to normal, but he is eating more than he was and staying hydrated. He is still pulling on his ear, but I hope that will go away as he continues the medication.)
Monday, February 25, 2013
Ear Infection
We returned to the hospital on Sunday and saw the pediatrician. It looks like Eli has an ear infection that has caused him to be so sick. We began antibiotics yesterday and are praying he begins to improve. Today he ate more than he has the last few days which gave us a little relief. We'll let you know how he progresses...
Thank you for praying!
Thank you for praying!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Eli Update
Here is an update on Eli.
On Friday we took him to the hospital to be checked out after he did not improve. There was no pediatrician on duty, but we opted to stay and have him seen by a general doctor. While there, they tested his urine and stool and didn't find anything. We had done a malaria test at home which was also negative. The doctor wasn't sure what the problem was. He told us to keep an eye on him and bring him back on Sunday if he continues to be sick. On Sunday a pediatric specialist comes and it would be good for her to see Eli.
At times Eli seemed to feel better, but then he would be lethargic again. His fever seems to be present less, but the big problem now is food. He slowly has decreased the amount he has eaten (solid food and milk) over the past few days until he refused to eat all together. Today was a very hard day. He fed at 4:30am and then refused to eat until 7:30pm. He ate nothing all day and we were very relieved when he finally took a small bottle before bed. Nights still are very hard with him waking up several times.
Tomorrow we'll be going back to the hospital to see the specialist and hopefully find some answers. It has been heartbreaking and exhausting seeing Eli not well and not being able to help him. Additionally, the health care system here is very poor and unreliable. We just want to find a doctor and lab we can trust, who cares about Eli. We are praying God shows us where to go.
In the meantime, we are so thankful he at least had something to eat this evening and are trying to muster the strength to get through the night.
Please keep up the prayers. We need them and are very grateful for them as well as for your messages. Thank you!
On Friday we took him to the hospital to be checked out after he did not improve. There was no pediatrician on duty, but we opted to stay and have him seen by a general doctor. While there, they tested his urine and stool and didn't find anything. We had done a malaria test at home which was also negative. The doctor wasn't sure what the problem was. He told us to keep an eye on him and bring him back on Sunday if he continues to be sick. On Sunday a pediatric specialist comes and it would be good for her to see Eli.
At times Eli seemed to feel better, but then he would be lethargic again. His fever seems to be present less, but the big problem now is food. He slowly has decreased the amount he has eaten (solid food and milk) over the past few days until he refused to eat all together. Today was a very hard day. He fed at 4:30am and then refused to eat until 7:30pm. He ate nothing all day and we were very relieved when he finally took a small bottle before bed. Nights still are very hard with him waking up several times.
Tomorrow we'll be going back to the hospital to see the specialist and hopefully find some answers. It has been heartbreaking and exhausting seeing Eli not well and not being able to help him. Additionally, the health care system here is very poor and unreliable. We just want to find a doctor and lab we can trust, who cares about Eli. We are praying God shows us where to go.
In the meantime, we are so thankful he at least had something to eat this evening and are trying to muster the strength to get through the night.
Please keep up the prayers. We need them and are very grateful for them as well as for your messages. Thank you!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Prayer for Eli
We would like to ask for prayer for Eli. He is sick and we don't know what the problem is. He has been waking up 6-10 per night (appearing to be experiencing discomfort or pain) for the last week or so which is not normal for him. Additionally, he has a fever on and off, diarrhea, has been lethargic and not eating well. The health care options here are very limited and even the doctors here tell us it's not good. So, we don't know where to take Eli. We are looking into some places, but are praying God heals him before it gets to that.
We'll keep you posted on how he is doing. Thank you.
We'll keep you posted on how he is doing. Thank you.
Kiswahili Lesson Update
Ng’ - This is the sound that is so hard for me to say these days. As I continue with my Kiswahili lessons, we are still in the basics of combining letters and sounds. Ng’ has been the hardest. Ng is one sound which I can do, but add the apostrophe and it changes and becomes my enemy! Their vowels are the same as ours (but sound different) so I add them to consonants and practice the sound and combinations over and over.
Ng’a Ng’e Ng’i Ng’o Ng’u
Check out this word: Ng’ang’aini. I cannot say it for the life of me! Ng’ is a sound we don’t have. I would describe it as lightly pressing the back of my tongue to the hanging ball doodad in the back of my throat and uttering a soft “n,” “g” and whatever vowel comes after. It’s tough but I will press on.
My teacher has been bombarding me with vocabulary words. Around 70 per lesson. With two lessons per week, I am expected to learn 150 words a week. And they are random. It’s not like we are learning animals or colors. It may be a list that includes the following: cockroach, sky scraper, gold, farmer, storehouse, those, father, nose, etc. As we learn letters, we learn words that start with each letter. It’s hard because if you change one letter in a word, it can mean something very different, and as I learned, something bad. I have been putting the words on flash cards and have been trying to keep up with the pace. However, I am a bit behind, but I am going to blame it on my pregnancy brain that never went away. Now it’s just the new mom/exhausted brain that limits my retention capabilities! Again… I shall not be discouraged and shall press on!
It has been fun though to surprise George when I know what something means. And I can count to twenty now! It’s challenging, but in a good way.
Badai! (Later!)
Ng’a Ng’e Ng’i Ng’o Ng’u
Check out this word: Ng’ang’aini. I cannot say it for the life of me! Ng’ is a sound we don’t have. I would describe it as lightly pressing the back of my tongue to the hanging ball doodad in the back of my throat and uttering a soft “n,” “g” and whatever vowel comes after. It’s tough but I will press on.
My teacher has been bombarding me with vocabulary words. Around 70 per lesson. With two lessons per week, I am expected to learn 150 words a week. And they are random. It’s not like we are learning animals or colors. It may be a list that includes the following: cockroach, sky scraper, gold, farmer, storehouse, those, father, nose, etc. As we learn letters, we learn words that start with each letter. It’s hard because if you change one letter in a word, it can mean something very different, and as I learned, something bad. I have been putting the words on flash cards and have been trying to keep up with the pace. However, I am a bit behind, but I am going to blame it on my pregnancy brain that never went away. Now it’s just the new mom/exhausted brain that limits my retention capabilities! Again… I shall not be discouraged and shall press on!
It has been fun though to surprise George when I know what something means. And I can count to twenty now! It’s challenging, but in a good way.
Badai! (Later!)
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
6 Months Old
Our little boy is half a year old today. This month he seemed to develop much more than the previous months. He is learning so much. Here is what he has been up to this past month:
He is learning how to eat. He’s not too consistent though which makes him tricky to feed. One day he’ll eat bananas and the next day won’t. Two days later and he’s back to liking them. There is no place that sells baby food so we make everything here from fruits and vegetable from the market. We made a sweet potato/carrot mix that again, he loved one day and not the next. We also give him bites of what we prepare to eat, if there is soup in it. Last Sunday, we ate at our pastor’s house and he loved the soup from the stew George was eating.
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He is moving… a lot. He has learned to roll over both ways and loves to stand up (with us supporting him, of course). I wonder if he’ll be an early walker?
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He is babbling more (ba ba is his latest one) and enjoys screaming (for fun).
He LOVES his stroller. We use it all the time, often just doing laps in the yard. I get exercise and he likes to be pushed around. Sometimes he falls asleep in there.
His drooling has drastically decreased.
His sleeping briefly improved, but unfortunately the last several days, he has resumed waking up 6-8 times per night. We are trying to find out if there is a medical reason for this – perhaps an ear infection or stomach issues.
He is a Daddy’s boy. Sure, he loves me, but he LOVES George.
So far, he doesn’t have separation anxiety (unless we are at home and leave the room) and enjoys being held by anyone and everyone.
I’m not sure what he weighs, but I am sure he has gone up a pound or two putting him around 23 pounds and wearing sizes ranging from six to twelve months.
He has a lot of new hair. I can’t wait to see what he looks like once it all comes in. So far, it’s looking like mine. Bummer. I was hoping for a curly head of hair.
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Until next month... I leave you with this photo of our future soccer (also known as football here) star.
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He is learning how to eat. He’s not too consistent though which makes him tricky to feed. One day he’ll eat bananas and the next day won’t. Two days later and he’s back to liking them. There is no place that sells baby food so we make everything here from fruits and vegetable from the market. We made a sweet potato/carrot mix that again, he loved one day and not the next. We also give him bites of what we prepare to eat, if there is soup in it. Last Sunday, we ate at our pastor’s house and he loved the soup from the stew George was eating.
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He is moving… a lot. He has learned to roll over both ways and loves to stand up (with us supporting him, of course). I wonder if he’ll be an early walker?
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He is babbling more (ba ba is his latest one) and enjoys screaming (for fun).
He LOVES his stroller. We use it all the time, often just doing laps in the yard. I get exercise and he likes to be pushed around. Sometimes he falls asleep in there.
His drooling has drastically decreased.
His sleeping briefly improved, but unfortunately the last several days, he has resumed waking up 6-8 times per night. We are trying to find out if there is a medical reason for this – perhaps an ear infection or stomach issues.
He is a Daddy’s boy. Sure, he loves me, but he LOVES George.
So far, he doesn’t have separation anxiety (unless we are at home and leave the room) and enjoys being held by anyone and everyone.
I’m not sure what he weighs, but I am sure he has gone up a pound or two putting him around 23 pounds and wearing sizes ranging from six to twelve months.
He has a lot of new hair. I can’t wait to see what he looks like once it all comes in. So far, it’s looking like mine. Bummer. I was hoping for a curly head of hair.
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Until next month... I leave you with this photo of our future soccer (also known as football here) star.
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Monday, February 18, 2013
Resting in God
This past Sunday, my women’s group discussed what it means to rest in the Lord. It is a topic that means a lot to me because I am a terrible rester. I have a constant to do list running through my mind (and on notepads throughout the house!) and have trouble slowing down. George often begs me to rest and tries to help, but I many times I just keep going. A lot of times the end result is a burned out, stressed out, frustrated, grouchy Stacie.
I know I am like this and have been for a long time. I remember wearing myself out in Sudan to the point of getting sick. I believe God allowed me to be sick so I would learn to slow down and rest in Him. I am not trying to brag and say I am this awesome worker. I’m good at some things, but not at others. The point is, I often focus on details that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things and forget to rest in the Lord. I get all worked up for what… dishes? Emails? Sweeping? I relate very much to the story of Mary and Martha. I am a Martha and I need to be more of a Mary.
The ladies and I read that story and discussed what is really important. It’s spending time at the Lord’s feet. I shared with them my struggles and strategized with them how to make it happen. These women work so hard and I know they must be exhausted and overwhelmed at times. Even Jesus took time out alone to pray and spend time with God. Since He is our ultimate example, then we better take note and do this too.
I was sent a devotional book called Jesus Lives. It is written as if Jesus is talking to you. It takes inspiration from the scripture and puts it in away that pierces the heart. Some days it really does feel like Jesus is talking to me. It has a variety of topics and one that I found especially meaningful was “resting in the Lord.” During our class I had the women close their eyes as I read a couple and asked them to imagine it was the Lord, encouraging them to seek Him for their peace and strength. I hope it touched their hearts as it did mine. I challenged them to take time out this week to seek refuge in God and draw close to Him when things seem unmanageable. I am looking forward to next week to see if they were able to do this and hear how it impacted their lives.
I know I am like this and have been for a long time. I remember wearing myself out in Sudan to the point of getting sick. I believe God allowed me to be sick so I would learn to slow down and rest in Him. I am not trying to brag and say I am this awesome worker. I’m good at some things, but not at others. The point is, I often focus on details that don’t matter in the grand scheme of things and forget to rest in the Lord. I get all worked up for what… dishes? Emails? Sweeping? I relate very much to the story of Mary and Martha. I am a Martha and I need to be more of a Mary.
The ladies and I read that story and discussed what is really important. It’s spending time at the Lord’s feet. I shared with them my struggles and strategized with them how to make it happen. These women work so hard and I know they must be exhausted and overwhelmed at times. Even Jesus took time out alone to pray and spend time with God. Since He is our ultimate example, then we better take note and do this too.
I was sent a devotional book called Jesus Lives. It is written as if Jesus is talking to you. It takes inspiration from the scripture and puts it in away that pierces the heart. Some days it really does feel like Jesus is talking to me. It has a variety of topics and one that I found especially meaningful was “resting in the Lord.” During our class I had the women close their eyes as I read a couple and asked them to imagine it was the Lord, encouraging them to seek Him for their peace and strength. I hope it touched their hearts as it did mine. I challenged them to take time out this week to seek refuge in God and draw close to Him when things seem unmanageable. I am looking forward to next week to see if they were able to do this and hear how it impacted their lives.
Valentine's Day
This post is a bit late. Ooops. Valentine’s Day was last week and George and I had quite the day. Did we go out to dinner or do something elaborate to celebrate? Nope. We stayed home and worked on a big to do list around the house: raking the leaves in the front of the house, packing up Eli’s clothes that are too small, scrub the walls where Nala left her paw prints, etc. Is that bad? Not for us. It felt good to get so much done.
It wasn’t all work. George surprised me with a cake. Here is a photo of it.
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I had to be careful to shoot it at this angle because I had already attacked it and eaten a slice from the top. Cake is a rare thing here. It was very good and lasted a few days, even after we gave a chunk to the neighbors.
I will say, it is nice to have a Valentine. I thank the Lord for him every day.
It wasn’t all work. George surprised me with a cake. Here is a photo of it.
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I had to be careful to shoot it at this angle because I had already attacked it and eaten a slice from the top. Cake is a rare thing here. It was very good and lasted a few days, even after we gave a chunk to the neighbors.
I will say, it is nice to have a Valentine. I thank the Lord for him every day.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
College Friend
A couple weeks ago, George found out a college friend of his was in the Moshi area. John is a teacher and works about thirty minutes away from us. On Saturday John came over and the two buddies reunited after four and a half years. I asked John if he had any good stories about George. Did he get in trouble? No, John told me. George was very involved with the Christian Union and was a good boy. It was fun for me to see them together and chatting away in Luo.
We are somewhat isolated here. We missed being close to family and friends and get lonely sometimes. John is married, but his wife and child moved back to Kenya. His salary wasn’t enough to support them all here. Jobs are very hard to find in Kenya and this is the only one he could get. Now his wife and daughter are living on their family land, taking care of their cows. It’s very common for men to go away for work and live apart from their family. It’s far from ideal and breaks my heart to see. But, they have to take a job any place they can to provide for their families.
Now George and John have a friend close by. I am so happy for him. Now… does anyone want to move here so I can have a friend too? :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Eli Photos
Here are some random photos of Eli…
After bath cuddle time
This is his grumpy gangster look. He rarely looks like this and must have been tired!
Eli is desperate to drink from our cups. He is very strong and grabs them any time he can.
Now he can reach the monkeys that hang above him on his swing. They rotate and makes a terrible clicking noise when he grabs one. Soon, he’ll break it if we aren’t careful.
Let’s see…. What shall I do today?
Eli likes to be read to when he is lying down as I hold the book over him. This is us chilling on the bed.
After bath cuddle time
This is his grumpy gangster look. He rarely looks like this and must have been tired!
Eli is desperate to drink from our cups. He is very strong and grabs them any time he can.
Now he can reach the monkeys that hang above him on his swing. They rotate and makes a terrible clicking noise when he grabs one. Soon, he’ll break it if we aren’t careful.
Let’s see…. What shall I do today?
Eli likes to be read to when he is lying down as I hold the book over him. This is us chilling on the bed.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Family Visit
Yesterday we got to visit with some of George’s family. In October, his brother Jimmy came to Kisumu. Jimmy is married to an American, Amanda, and hadn’t been back to Kenya in seven years. With Jimmy, Amanda and their daughter, Adelia, came Amanda’s brother, Dave, and his fiancée, Susan. Although we only spent four days with them before we had to leave to come back to Tanzania, they felt like family right away. They are very kind and nice people. Susan and Eli had a special connection back then. He loved her.
During our time with them in October, they mentioned they were coming to Tanzania and Kenya for a safari tour in February and hoped we could meet up. Last week we got a call from them saying they were here and would let us know when they would be close to us. They were on a tour with 24 people so they didn’t have the freedom to come and see us, but perhaps we could meet up with them when they were in Arusha, which is about an hour and a half away from Moshi.
On Saturday, we found out they would be in Arusha the following day. So, we began to think how we could get there without a car. Bus would be cheapest, but they wouldn’t be in Arusha until late afternoon. Because of Nala, we had to get back by evening and no buses go from Arusha to Moshi in the evening. Next option – borrow our friend, Eddie’s car. He is a taxi driver and has let us use his car a few times. Unfortunately, he called to tell us his car was in the shop due to an accident. Bummer. Ok… how about Saidi? He is another taxi driver we use sometimes. We called him and he said he could probably do it. He would call us after church. So, on Sunday morning, George went to church. I stayed behind otherwise Nala would have been locked in the house for 12+ hours. When George called Saidi after church, Saidi said his car wouldn’t make it that far. Oh no…. But he found another driver who could take us. Hooray!
George picked me up and we left around 1:45. I thought Eli would take a nap during the two hour drive, but he didn’t. He started to get sleepy just as we arrived. I thought for sure he would melt down at some point, but he didn’t. He did great. He loves to be out and about and was very happy the whole time. We arrived at 3:45 and were thrilled to see Dave and Susan. Their group was camping at a place called Snake Park. I wasn’t happy to be in a place with that name. I guess they have lots of snakes, reptiles, owls, camels and other random animals. Fortunately, we just sat and talked and I didn’t see any snakes.
Eli and Susan picked up where they left off. She has a way with babies… especially ours. Eli loved her once again. We had to leave by 6:00pm so we just chatted and got caught up. We were filled with so much joy being with them. Jimmy and Amanda sent a photo album with photos from their visit in October for them to give to us. It was such a special gift. Eli was SO tiny!
It was neat meeting their fellow campers. They joined a tour already in progress. It began in South Africa in December and ends in Cairo, Egypt in March. They are just going with them for two weeks to see Tanzania and Kenya. What a trip!
Too soon, our time was up. It was sad to leave them. Being with family even for a short time was wonderful. It was nice, too, talking with Americans. It had been a while for me! I didn’t have to talk slowly and could chatter away as much as I wanted. We said goodbye and look forward to see them when we are able to take a furlough in the US. They are two of the nicest people we know and blessed us very much.
We left at 6:10 and I thought Eli would just sleep since he missed his afternoon nap and it was close to his normal bed time. He passed out right away… for twenty minutes. Then the little stinker stayed awake until 10:30! We reached home around 8:30, but he was off his schedule and very confused. I didn’t realize how much his routine mattered. At least he slept until 5:30 this morning without waking which was nice for us.
I’m so glad we found a way to see Dave and Susan. We had to drive over four hours to see them for just two and a half, but it was worth it.
During our time with them in October, they mentioned they were coming to Tanzania and Kenya for a safari tour in February and hoped we could meet up. Last week we got a call from them saying they were here and would let us know when they would be close to us. They were on a tour with 24 people so they didn’t have the freedom to come and see us, but perhaps we could meet up with them when they were in Arusha, which is about an hour and a half away from Moshi.
On Saturday, we found out they would be in Arusha the following day. So, we began to think how we could get there without a car. Bus would be cheapest, but they wouldn’t be in Arusha until late afternoon. Because of Nala, we had to get back by evening and no buses go from Arusha to Moshi in the evening. Next option – borrow our friend, Eddie’s car. He is a taxi driver and has let us use his car a few times. Unfortunately, he called to tell us his car was in the shop due to an accident. Bummer. Ok… how about Saidi? He is another taxi driver we use sometimes. We called him and he said he could probably do it. He would call us after church. So, on Sunday morning, George went to church. I stayed behind otherwise Nala would have been locked in the house for 12+ hours. When George called Saidi after church, Saidi said his car wouldn’t make it that far. Oh no…. But he found another driver who could take us. Hooray!
George picked me up and we left around 1:45. I thought Eli would take a nap during the two hour drive, but he didn’t. He started to get sleepy just as we arrived. I thought for sure he would melt down at some point, but he didn’t. He did great. He loves to be out and about and was very happy the whole time. We arrived at 3:45 and were thrilled to see Dave and Susan. Their group was camping at a place called Snake Park. I wasn’t happy to be in a place with that name. I guess they have lots of snakes, reptiles, owls, camels and other random animals. Fortunately, we just sat and talked and I didn’t see any snakes.
Eli and Susan picked up where they left off. She has a way with babies… especially ours. Eli loved her once again. We had to leave by 6:00pm so we just chatted and got caught up. We were filled with so much joy being with them. Jimmy and Amanda sent a photo album with photos from their visit in October for them to give to us. It was such a special gift. Eli was SO tiny!
It was neat meeting their fellow campers. They joined a tour already in progress. It began in South Africa in December and ends in Cairo, Egypt in March. They are just going with them for two weeks to see Tanzania and Kenya. What a trip!
Too soon, our time was up. It was sad to leave them. Being with family even for a short time was wonderful. It was nice, too, talking with Americans. It had been a while for me! I didn’t have to talk slowly and could chatter away as much as I wanted. We said goodbye and look forward to see them when we are able to take a furlough in the US. They are two of the nicest people we know and blessed us very much.
We left at 6:10 and I thought Eli would just sleep since he missed his afternoon nap and it was close to his normal bed time. He passed out right away… for twenty minutes. Then the little stinker stayed awake until 10:30! We reached home around 8:30, but he was off his schedule and very confused. I didn’t realize how much his routine mattered. At least he slept until 5:30 this morning without waking which was nice for us.
I’m so glad we found a way to see Dave and Susan. We had to drive over four hours to see them for just two and a half, but it was worth it.
Stroller King
Recently we have been using Eli’s stroller a lot. (Thanks Mom!). Before, he was a bit too small to sit up well. Now, with a pillow wedged behind him, he sits up just fine. He LOVES his stroller. We love it too. It’s much easier to push our 22 pounder than carry him long distances. We have taken him around the neighborhood, to the YMCA and to town. Plus, we push him around the yard. It entertains him and gives me some exercise. Win, win.
When the stroller isn’t moving, Eli laughs and smiles.
However, when we push him, he changes totally. He sits back like he is the King of England riding in his chariot. He gets this super serious look and if he could talk, I bet he would say “You may push me now… and get a move on while you’re at it.” It cracks us up!
When the stroller isn’t moving, Eli laughs and smiles.
However, when we push him, he changes totally. He sits back like he is the King of England riding in his chariot. He gets this super serious look and if he could talk, I bet he would say “You may push me now… and get a move on while you’re at it.” It cracks us up!
Friday, February 8, 2013
Acidental Offense
On Fridays, Mama Saida comes to bring us a weekly supply of vegetables. The first time she came, she raked our yard. The whole time, I felt so guilty. This woman works very hard and yet she wanted to stay and help us out. I felt really bad.
The following Friday, she again, wanted to help us out by raking the yard. This time, we told her “no, we are ok. Maybe next time.” Our intention was to save her time and energy (we found out that she fasts every Friday, so she didn't have any fuel to keep her going while working hard in the yard, in the heat. Another reason to decline her help.). She said ok and left.
On Sunday, I was informed we had offended her. Redemta, the pastor's wife, pulled me aside and very diplomatically and gently told me what we had done was wrong. Mama Saida sees us as leaders as do others in the church and they want to bless us, as they do Zac and Redemta. Often, they will come over to Redemta's house and help her with work. This is what Mama Saida wanted to do for us. She knows we don't have house help (as most people do) and are tired from Eli's lack of sleep at night so she wanted to help. By our refusing her help, we had hurt her feelings and denied her the opportunity to bless us. Now, I felt bad for a different reason. Inadvertently, we hadn't helped her at all. We thought we were doing her a favor by saving her work while actually offending her.
I asked Redemta if I needed to apologize to Mama Saida. She said no. Mama Saida would be embarrassed. I just needed to accept help when anyone offers it. I explained to Redemta that it was hard for me to do that. People here work so hard and I don't want to add to their burden by them working at our house. She said, they don't see it that way. It truly makes them happy to help. Things like raking the yard, sweeping and mopping the floor gives them joy when it helps us. I said, ok. I will allow them to help. To be honest, it does bless me and I do appreciate it. So if they want to, I will be honored to let them.
In general it's difficult for me to accept help from others. I don't think it's pride. Maybe it's guilt. I don't know. But I learned a big lesson through all this. I'm glad Redemta wasn't afraid to tell me. I am still adjusting to cultural differences and this was a big one I needed to learn.
The following Friday, she again, wanted to help us out by raking the yard. This time, we told her “no, we are ok. Maybe next time.” Our intention was to save her time and energy (we found out that she fasts every Friday, so she didn't have any fuel to keep her going while working hard in the yard, in the heat. Another reason to decline her help.). She said ok and left.
On Sunday, I was informed we had offended her. Redemta, the pastor's wife, pulled me aside and very diplomatically and gently told me what we had done was wrong. Mama Saida sees us as leaders as do others in the church and they want to bless us, as they do Zac and Redemta. Often, they will come over to Redemta's house and help her with work. This is what Mama Saida wanted to do for us. She knows we don't have house help (as most people do) and are tired from Eli's lack of sleep at night so she wanted to help. By our refusing her help, we had hurt her feelings and denied her the opportunity to bless us. Now, I felt bad for a different reason. Inadvertently, we hadn't helped her at all. We thought we were doing her a favor by saving her work while actually offending her.
I asked Redemta if I needed to apologize to Mama Saida. She said no. Mama Saida would be embarrassed. I just needed to accept help when anyone offers it. I explained to Redemta that it was hard for me to do that. People here work so hard and I don't want to add to their burden by them working at our house. She said, they don't see it that way. It truly makes them happy to help. Things like raking the yard, sweeping and mopping the floor gives them joy when it helps us. I said, ok. I will allow them to help. To be honest, it does bless me and I do appreciate it. So if they want to, I will be honored to let them.
In general it's difficult for me to accept help from others. I don't think it's pride. Maybe it's guilt. I don't know. But I learned a big lesson through all this. I'm glad Redemta wasn't afraid to tell me. I am still adjusting to cultural differences and this was a big one I needed to learn.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Visiting Ana
Yesterday, Eli and I went with Redemta to visit Ana. Ana is one of the widows in our congregation. She has a rough life. Her husband died last year and she lost one arm in a car accident, making simple tasks difficult, especially when she lives alone without help.
I noticed Ana hadn't been in church for the last couple weeks and asked Redemta about it. Turns out she has been sick. Redemta was planning to visit her and invited me to go along. Eli and I met Redemta at church and walked to Ana's house. Redemta said her house wasn't far so I didn't think bringing Eli would be a problem. Well, I should have known. One lesson I have learned is most African's estimate of time and distance is much different than ours.
Once I was in Nairobi with some people we worked with in Sudan. We had been at the racetrack and walked to a “nearby” mall. Don't worry, we weren't gambling at the races. There was a Christmas Fair going on and some of us finished early and decided to walk back. Margaret, a nurse from Sierra Leone said the mall wasn't far. An hour and a half later, we finally made it. I still tease Margaret about that to this day.
Another thing people say here ALL THE TIME and it drives me crazy is “I'm coming.” That can mean ten minutes or five hours. You call for an update on their location and they say “I'm coming.” In the US, you would expect them to arrive soon. In Africa, they could still be at the market, then go home to cook lunch, stop by someone's house and then come to meet you. They aren't lying. They are coming... eventually!
So when Redemta said Ana's house wasn't far, I should have known to question her more. It really wasn't far. If far means from here to Kenya. Maybe it just seemed far because we were carrying a 22 pound weight named Eli. Anyway... traded off carrying him and found Ana outside her house. She didn't know we were coming and was quite surprised to see us.
We really had a lovely visit with Ana. She has been dealing with malaria, pneumonia and some leg pain. She has missed being at church and was so happy we were visiting. As with all women here who are amazing hosts, she rushed to give us tea. Most people can’t afford milk so I have learned to drink tea black when necessary. She felt bad she didn’t have more for us. I assured her, the tea was enough.
Ana lives in a tiny two room house. It has a sitting area and a bedroom. She showed me her husband’s grave just outside her house. I filled her in on what we had been talking about in class and told her to read the story of Mary and Martha to prepare as we discuss resting in the Lord.
She shared how difficult life had been recently, but praised God for being with her through it all. When her husband died, her house didn’t have a cement floor or windows in place. She prayed for help and someone gave her money to do those things and she as very thankful. Despite the hardship and tragedy, she has seen God’s faithfulness.
Throughout our visit, Eli was an angel. He played contently and put on a show of his new talents: play screaming and talking and flinging his arms around. Ana commented on how big he is and said we better watch out when he starts walking.
As the time for us to leave approached, Redemta and I talked about how Eli and I would get home. There was someone who could give us a ride. Since he was new to us, I wanted to make sure it was ok with George. I called George, who said it was ok with him. I didn’t realize Ana had been paying attention to me. Redemta translated for her so she knew what I was doing. She told me that she was touched that I called George. She said God has given me great wisdom and what I did told her I respected my husband very much. She said it was very encouraging because many women don’t consult their husband on things. She claimed I was a good example to her and proclaimed that was our lesson of the day (referring to our class).
I didn’t know a simple phone call could have such a big impact. I check with George on just about everything. We are a team and he, especially, knows better than I do about matters related to our safety here.
Before we left, we prayed for her, thanking God for helping her to feel better and asking Him to heal her completely. Hopefully we’ll see Ana at church on Sunday if she is feeling better. I loved seeing where she lived and getting to know her better. It was a really nice day.
I noticed Ana hadn't been in church for the last couple weeks and asked Redemta about it. Turns out she has been sick. Redemta was planning to visit her and invited me to go along. Eli and I met Redemta at church and walked to Ana's house. Redemta said her house wasn't far so I didn't think bringing Eli would be a problem. Well, I should have known. One lesson I have learned is most African's estimate of time and distance is much different than ours.
Once I was in Nairobi with some people we worked with in Sudan. We had been at the racetrack and walked to a “nearby” mall. Don't worry, we weren't gambling at the races. There was a Christmas Fair going on and some of us finished early and decided to walk back. Margaret, a nurse from Sierra Leone said the mall wasn't far. An hour and a half later, we finally made it. I still tease Margaret about that to this day.
Another thing people say here ALL THE TIME and it drives me crazy is “I'm coming.” That can mean ten minutes or five hours. You call for an update on their location and they say “I'm coming.” In the US, you would expect them to arrive soon. In Africa, they could still be at the market, then go home to cook lunch, stop by someone's house and then come to meet you. They aren't lying. They are coming... eventually!
So when Redemta said Ana's house wasn't far, I should have known to question her more. It really wasn't far. If far means from here to Kenya. Maybe it just seemed far because we were carrying a 22 pound weight named Eli. Anyway... traded off carrying him and found Ana outside her house. She didn't know we were coming and was quite surprised to see us.
We really had a lovely visit with Ana. She has been dealing with malaria, pneumonia and some leg pain. She has missed being at church and was so happy we were visiting. As with all women here who are amazing hosts, she rushed to give us tea. Most people can’t afford milk so I have learned to drink tea black when necessary. She felt bad she didn’t have more for us. I assured her, the tea was enough.
Ana lives in a tiny two room house. It has a sitting area and a bedroom. She showed me her husband’s grave just outside her house. I filled her in on what we had been talking about in class and told her to read the story of Mary and Martha to prepare as we discuss resting in the Lord.
She shared how difficult life had been recently, but praised God for being with her through it all. When her husband died, her house didn’t have a cement floor or windows in place. She prayed for help and someone gave her money to do those things and she as very thankful. Despite the hardship and tragedy, she has seen God’s faithfulness.
Throughout our visit, Eli was an angel. He played contently and put on a show of his new talents: play screaming and talking and flinging his arms around. Ana commented on how big he is and said we better watch out when he starts walking.
As the time for us to leave approached, Redemta and I talked about how Eli and I would get home. There was someone who could give us a ride. Since he was new to us, I wanted to make sure it was ok with George. I called George, who said it was ok with him. I didn’t realize Ana had been paying attention to me. Redemta translated for her so she knew what I was doing. She told me that she was touched that I called George. She said God has given me great wisdom and what I did told her I respected my husband very much. She said it was very encouraging because many women don’t consult their husband on things. She claimed I was a good example to her and proclaimed that was our lesson of the day (referring to our class).
I didn’t know a simple phone call could have such a big impact. I check with George on just about everything. We are a team and he, especially, knows better than I do about matters related to our safety here.
Before we left, we prayed for her, thanking God for helping her to feel better and asking Him to heal her completely. Hopefully we’ll see Ana at church on Sunday if she is feeling better. I loved seeing where she lived and getting to know her better. It was a really nice day.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Our First Visitors
It's official... my Mom and Al booked their tickets and are coming to visit us for three weeks in April. Words cannot describe how happy we are. They will be able to meet George and Eli for the first time and get to experience our lives here. The countdown is on!
Eli on the Move
Eli finally rolled over on his own today. (George said he did it yesterday, but this was the first time I saw it.) Eli was so proud of himself. After two months of practicing, he finally got it...
Back
Side
Stomach
Go Eli!
Back
Side
Stomach
Go Eli!
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