I really love my team; we are a team of 9 with our mentor, Mark. We have Jacob, Justin, Corey, Travis, Rebecca, Rachel, Lauren, Virginia and myself. My favorite part of the week is teaching my Pre-Unit class with Teacher Hope. I really love spending time with these kids, and have developed relationships with them. It is so encouraging when I see them and they come up to me, reciting the verse we’ve been going over the past few weeks, they say it like this: Luke chapter 1 verse 37, it says,” For nothing is impossible with God.” At first, because of my nasally accent, they were saying: For nothing is possible for God—glad we got that fixed! A lot of the teachers and kids have been making fun of me for my accent, which is so ironic to me and really funny. Every time we enter the slum we are greeted with “How are you?” in their cute Kenyan accents by all of the kids. Also, if not we will here Mzungu, Mzungu, How are you? Which is foreigner in Swahili. I am surprised at how I naturally respond to this name now.
Last Saturday, we did a VBS with the kids in Kibera. It was our first VBS and we did the Noah’s Ark story and made little boats to go with it. I worked with the younger babies, 2 and under all day. They couldn’t understand much of what I was saying, but they were hungry for attention, and it was fun to spend some time with them. After that, we went to the girl’s home. I love spending time at Shunam. I have become really close with some of the girls there and I think that is one of my favorite parts of an internship versus a short-term team, building relationships. So of course, those of you that know me, I would make an idiot of myself most anywhere I go, and that only is heightened by the cultural differences. Here, they say “piga ma coffee” for the Swahili version of clap your hands. Well, the first Sunday I got here, I thought they were saying that we were about to have coffee. So I was wondering where the coffee was, so now it’s a big joke between all of us.
The food here is really good, and I have enjoyed a lot of it. My favorite meal is Chapatti, which is almost like a tortilla. I had the privilege of learning to make it last week, although mine was nowhere near the shape of a circle—I’m hoping my skills will improve before I leave. One meal that I was not too fond of was omena—small fish, whole. Not my favorite meal, although I did give it a fair shot. I hear they are a great source of protein, which they better be after the taste. Most Kenyan’s, from the one’s I’ve talked to, are not really big fans of the whole tiny fish, which was encouraging to hear. They eat a lot of tea here, mostly Chai, so we take a lot of breaks during the day to have tea. I really enjoy this aspect of their culture, taking time to build relationships. I have really loved the coffee, it is delicious and I will be bringing some back. And the Kit-Kat’s here are delicious, not sure why but they are, and I have probably gone on overload with the amount I’ve been eating since I’ve gotten here.
Some Swahili I’ve learned:
Asante- Thank You
Karibu- Welcome
Pole- Sorry
Sawa Sawa- Okay
Pikipiki- Motorcycle
Embe- Mango
Ngombe- Cow (try and pronounce that, impossible)
Sasa (what’s up), then you say Poa
Also, they drive on the left side of the road here, which is something I expected. But the other day, when getting out of the van, I looked left instead of right, and didn’t see a car coming. And apparently, pedestrians do not have the right of way here, so I didn’t look and walked out only to be terrified by the sound of someone honking their horn. Maybe one more step and I would have been mauled by a jeep in Kenya, not exactly ideal. Thankfully, I only screamed and was not hit by the car, but it was incredibly close. I mean I’m ready for heaven, but not quite yet.
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to go to the Kenyan market, where the Kenyan’s go to get their groceries. Each of us were given 3 items to get. You have to bargain for what you want and Caroline and Purity both helped us to bargain and find out reasonable prices. It was so fun, and such an experience. I just wish I hadn’t stuck out so much as a Mzungu (foreigner in Swahili). I hope we can get to go back again. Pastor Imbumi said that it was us getting out of our comfort zone, which was so true.
I’m so thankful for my time here, and so encouraged by what the Lord is doing. He is showing me my sin, and how black my heart is, and at the same time showering me with his grace and mercy. It has been a really great summer so far, and I’m sad it’s half way gone. I think they’re going to have to carry me out kicking and screaming by the time it’s over. God has really confirmed His call on my life for missions or full time ministry, and I can’t wait until I can be on the mission field full time. I could definitely see myself living and doing ministry similar to what we have been doing this summer.
So thank you for reading this, if you got through all of it. I’ll try and make them shorter but I wanted to catch everyone up. Thank you for your prayers, and please keep praying. Here are some things you can be praying for:
-Team unity
-That I would have a spirit of dependence on the Lord, and that I would go to Him for my joy and my strength.
-That I would take on the nature of a servant, and want to serve others before myself.
-That God would draw me closer to Himself, even in the hard times.
-Health of our team, that we wouldn’t get sick.
“Sow for yourselves righteousness,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes and showers righteousness on you.”
Hosea 10:12
“Surely God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, The Lord, is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.”
Isaiah 12:2
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
John 3:30
Thanks for reading!
