Only in Africa

Joel and I are working on adjusting to our new environment.  Last week, I feel like I jumped to inspect every itch I had to see if it was a mosquito bite, worrying if I was going to contract malaria.  I guess I still worry about getting ill here, which is my struggle. But, I'm starting to cast my fears aside, and put my trust in the Lord.  We do have access to doctors in town here in case we need them. I should not worry.  Before leaving on this mission, Joel and I came across Psalm 41, 1:4:

O Lord, Be Gracious to Me
1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; 2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. 4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!" ....

To prevent illness we've been using a mosquito net at night, watching what we eat, and making sure we drink and use filtered water for everything (including brushing our teeth).

Adjusting to Kenya is quite challenging.  Many things are more difficult here for Joel and me.  For instance, Joel and I will tried driving in Kisumu today for the first time.  Not only do we have to be aware of other cars, but also tuk-tuks (3 wheeled vehicles that are notorious for driving erratically), boda-bodas (bicycles), piki-pikies (motorcycles), cows, goats, hand carts, and pedestrians....  Oh yes, and we have to stick to the left side of the road. The driving culture here is worse than Connecticut!  Can you imagine? Getting cut off is a normal occurrence. We are praying the the Lord protects us on the road!

The electricity here will also go out randomly.  The water pump for the shower stopped working yesterday.  An electrician was able to come pretty quickly, but he could not test his work because the power went out for a couple of hours.  The electrician didn't seem bothered by it at all even though he had to make a second trip back later in the day.  This is a common occurrence.

Another oddity that we have to get used to is being a minority.  Here, children that see us pass by call out "mzungu, mzungu!"  This means "white person, white person!"  It is not a derogatory term.  In fact, Americans are most often viewed favorably.  The down side is that prices seem to double since white skin is associated with more money.

Child rearing here is not only done by parents, but by the community.  It is really fun to play with kids because they are not shy.  They are used to being around many different people.  During a Bible study gathering on Thursday, one mother plopped her baby on my lap so that she could participate in a group picture.  The baby was beautiful, and didn't make a sound!  He was perfectly content being with me or with Mom.

A couple days after the Bible study, Pastor Isaiah, a staff member at Capstone and a preacher at the local ELCK church, stopped by the house for a visit.  It was refreshing to talk to a fellow Christian.  And, before Isaiah left he asked us to pray for him.  It is customary in Kenya that when you have a guest you pray for them before they leave!  What a great idea.

As I leave you with this posting, I pray for all those that have taken an interest in this mission.  I pray God blesses you and keeps you.

~Jen