Week One

Well my first week here has been good.  The weather has been great.  Only rained a few times but not for very long at a time.  But once the sun goes away a light coat is needed.  Kind of like spring or fall in Ontario.  As we sat watching a movie last night we both had blankets on.  We tried to remind ourselves that we are living right on the equator.  Something didn’t seem right.  But we 8000 feet above sea level which makes this area a little colder than what you might think of for Kenya.  Much of the week was spent unpacking and getting settled in the house.  One day we went to the city (about 1 ½ ride) to get some supplies.  The ride is so beautiful.  It is very mountainous with green (more brown these days as there has not been much rain) hills.  There are many smaller towns that we drive through and it is always interesting to pick up on different cultural things.  When we were on our way home the kids were coming home from school.  It was not unusual to see 3-4 year olds walking along the road by themselves coming home from school.  I asked if there was any fear of them being taken and the answer was not at all.  I also saw a cattle crossing sign which made me smile.

Another fact that I have learned which some may have already known but Roasters don’t just crow when the sun comes up.  They can go on all night as I have witnessed since I got here.  I am getting used to hearing chickens, rosters, cows and dogs while sleeping.

I was also able to go over to PACE for the first time and see some people that I knew from my last time here.  It was so good to see some familiar faces and to connect with them again.  It gave me much excitement to start my work.  I will officially start on Tuesday so I have the weekend left to relax a little before the work begins.

I also experienced my first visit to a small Kenyan hospital to pick someone up.  We went into the place where the child was staying.  The “room” with two beds was like a small cement cubical.  Not much room and not great beds.  We also go to see the doctor and see her treat the child we were picking up as well as her one year old sister.  This was interesting to observe as nothing was sanitary.  It was very hard to take it all in.  Though the conditions were not that great I was reminded that if it were not for this these two children who had really bad coughs and a high fever may have died.  So you become very grateful that this was available even if it was not at the standards we are use too.

So I a slowing getting use to and comfortable with this new home of mind.  There are new a great challenges happing all the time and I continue to look forward to walking through them.

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.  May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22