Dedication Service Kimathi Church

The Kimathi church was finished so we had a dedication ceremony this Sunday. When we arrived that morning the children gave us flowers and we exchanged greetings and expressed thanks. They all dressed well. The men mostly in suits and ties and the women in nice dresses. We walked into the new church and the feeling of accomplishment and joy came over me. I looked at the others and I could see that everyone felt the same way. The church was packed with visitors and locals alike.

Kenyans, like anyone else, love a celebration and have their traditions to follow during this time. They had women and children come up and sing and dance. They even invited us to join them. We danced with them and it was so fun. The joy of the Lord was truly in this place. It gave me great pride to represent our church by being there. Kathy being the group leader accepted a certificate of appreciation. Stu also received a photo of Mt. Kenya from one of the parish ministers in appreciation of his ministry. Each member of our team received a gift of appreciation that was presented by different members of the Kimathi church. We gave some gifts as well, one of which was a really cool photo album of our church that Keith put together .  It was a great idea.  

We all went outside and watched the unveiling of the plaque while certain things were read and said. I didn't understand most of it but I knew it was all part of the ceremony.  We marched back into the church singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In". 

It reminded me of New Orleans. We used to sing that song, when I was a child, while cheering for the Saints football team . I had to laugh inside: even though the meaning was different, it still brought back memories.) Andrea gave the reading and the preaching began. A lot of the surrounding parish ministers were there and sat in the front of the sanctuary. When the preacher began speaking it was in English so we somewhat understood what he was saying. The emotions were powerful and there were tears of joy in his eyes. I wish I could remember some of the scripture he referenced and spoke about but I can't. Then he spoke in Swahili and the people responded with "amen" and other affirmations to his preaching, showing the same emotion. It was nice to hear the sermon in both languages.

When the service was over, the tradition is to plant a tree at the time of dedication. So Kathy and Stu planted a tree and watered it. We washed our hands and went to the old church to eat. We ate and talked for a little while but had to cut it short to get back to Kikuyu on time. We said our goodbyes and drove off. They were very thankful for all we had done but really they had given us more by sharing their time of joy.

A Day to Enjoy

Saturday July 5th

We finally had a chance to sleep in a little since we arrived in Kenya. However, the sky was clear that morning and the clouds were not rolling in as usual. This only meant one thing. Just as I came to that realization. I heard some people outside knocking at my door and said that we could see Mt. Kenya. I had been waiting for this moment since we arrived in Nyeri. I threw my clothes on and woke Michael. I didn't know how much time I had before the clouds may roll in but I am glad I brought my camera down. It wasn't very clear but the sun was peaking through the clouds and you could see the mt. peek through the haze. Kirsten was taking photos as well and some others were up sitting on the porch looking at the sunrise. It was beautiful. Mt. Kenya, I am told, is the second highest mountain in Africa next to Kilimanjaro. I was so excited to get a good photo that I totally lost any fear of obstacles that would get in my way. There was an entrance gate to someones property close by that had and electric fence warning posted on it. I carefully examined the gate and didn't see any wires connected to anything so I began to climb. Needless to say there was not a charge and I was able to get higher to view which was a spectacular sight from where I was. I was also able to get a nice shot of the retreat center. Carol, walked the parameter of the retreat center almost every morning for approx 45 min. Joe Bob and David joined her this morning.

It was a perfect beginning to another perfect day. We had breakfast made to order. Only this time I wanted to toss flip my eggs. Sam wasn't so sure that I could do it so he was standing by with another pan ready to catch anything if I missed. (I cook my own breakfast most every morning so it was a piece of cake.) 

After that, it was on to Kamatongu hill and the Aberdare country club. A beautiful area that was turned into a wildlife sanctuary. We hiked down the hill and into the valley where we saw giraffe, zebra, gazelle and other animals. It was our first view of wildlife up close with nothing between us and them except for our guide. We walked about an hr and a half on pathways through the sanctuary. We ended back at the country club hot, tired and hungry for lunch. We weren't disappointed. I had passion juice for the first time and it was delicious. We helped ourselves to a buffet meal that hit the spot. We sat outdoors on the patio area because the weather was perfect. We pampered ourselves with the view and relaxation. The birds were plentiful and beautiful.

That night we had another great meal cooked by Sam. Pork chops and a nice rice dish. We practiced some singing and prepared for Sunday worship at the Kimathi Church dedication.

2nd Day Kimathi Church

It was cold this morning, so most of us wore jackets or sweaters. Breakfast was again wonderful. Sam had prepared eggs, sausages, waffles, pineapple, chai and coffee. After breakfast we headed out to Kimathi church.

Today I learned some Swahili and was ready to repeat as much as I could. It was a productive work day, however, it was hard for me to coordinate building the church, taking photos, communicating and developing relationships with the Kikuyu not to mention my church friends. Talk about a sensory overload. Luckily we had plenty of help. Don’t get me wrong, I was very busy most of the time and I did manage to cut some mabati using only a mallet and machete. It's not easy as you can see by my cut. Tom Marlin did a better job.

Sometimes Michael and I worked together until someone needed a tape measure, sheet metal shears, other tools or a helping hand.

Just as I was getting used to the work, it was chai time. Like most American southern folk, the Kenyan, Kikuyu were very friendly and hospitable, so we fit right in. As a matter of fact, almost all the Kenyans we met were that way. It is plain to see that African culture is carried over to America. Observing the similarities of North America's deep south culture to the Kenyan people was interesting. I would witness that even more when we participated in church service.

We washed our hands before every meal by having the ladies pour warmed water over our hands. This day we worked and talked and ate lunch, drank chi and worked a little more and played Frizbee with the children. The kids were a refreshing treat for the soul. They just seemed to recharge our energy. The church was complete, and Stu along with David put up the church sign, the cross, the banner. We danced and sang and prayed. There was so much that was done in one day. We would return for the dedication and church service Sunday

We packed up in the Toyota mini-van (I think it was 12) and headed for the retreat center. We were all tired but excited about a day to ourselves. That night Sam cooked some steaks with rice and a sauce that was tasty. Needless to say, we all had a good nights rest.

First Day of Work Kimathi Church

         

We woke to exotic birds chirping and when I opened my window it was a beautiful site.  The hostel grounds were well kept and there were many bushes with flowers.  It was even cooler than last night.  It is winter in Kikuyu.  Temperatures were in the upper 40's in the mornings. We were still keyed up from the trip but somewhat rested.  We enjoyed breakfast and packed our bags.  We all squeezed into the two vehicles again and traveled the bumpy roads for two hrs.  We checked into the retreat center and headed out to the Kimathi church.

  

We arrived on the job site with a warm welcome of singing and praising God. These were the elderly church members.  They were happy to see us but we couldn’t quite tell what they were saying because we were not rehearsed in their language.  We accepted their songs of greeting and began our work.  We had mabati (corrugated tin) to put on the church and lots of painting.  We worked well together and we started to get used to the Kikuyu people.

  When we  took a break, we drank chi, fresh milk brought to a hot temperature. With an added tea bag the milk had a nice tea flavor. We worked a little more and had dinner.  We had goat meat with rice and vegetables. Many other items were available that I didn’t eat.   When we were ready to leave, we sang and danced to thank God for all he had done.

  

We drove to the retreat center where we would stay for a few days. It was very nice and each room had two beds and a bathroom.  I took a shower, had a quiet time and went to bed early.

The Long Flights

(June 29th) During the Sunday service the mission team was called to the front of church and all of the elders prayed for a safe journey. It was to be the beginning of a long mission trip that was prayed over from start to finish.

That afternoon I finished packing with Michael and we prayed for our health, safety and that we wouldn't forget important things. We met back at the church to pack the rest of our stuff in the van and drove to Jackson to spend the night at Kathy's parents house. It was a quick 2.5 hr drive as we were all excited. Josh, Beth, Julia and I stayed the night at the Shaw's. The Shaw's were very hospitable and made our overnight stay a pleasant one. The next morning we enjoyed a great southern breakfast even though it was a bit early...we had to be at the airport around 6:30 am.

(June 30th) We arrived at the airport and it took a lot of time to check in our 22 bags. We took a group photo gave our last goodbyes to family and boarded our first flight to Detroit. Michael and I sat together and talked a little about our anxieties. We prayed them away and tried to get some rest. It was a 2.5 hr flight. Next stop was Amsterdam but we had quite a bit of layover in Detroit so I went sight seeing. The plane boarded early (or at least I thought), and it was a good thing I had my cell phone on because I soon received a phone call from Kathy telling me the rest of the gang were boarding. I took a few more photos and caught the in-terminal train to the boarding gate. Needless to say I was impressed with the airport.

I was even more impressed with the plane and so was Michael. We had never flown on a large plane and this was our first trip overseas. Michael was so happy to have a TV screen in front of him and to have a choice of movies, video games, etc...

We soon settled in and the flight began. It was 7+ hrs of leaving the sun behind. The time change started taking it's toll about halfway into the flight. It was very hard to sit still for that length of time. Toward the end of the flight Carol, who was sitting on the opposite side of the plane, noticed a very nice glow from the morning light with a crescent moon. She asked me if I wanted to take a photo. When I finally got to where she was seated I thought to myself that it would be impossible. I am thankful that she came and got me because I was able to get a nice shot.

We arrived in Amsterdam very early. We lost a lot of hrs during that flight. We were all tired. We settled down at a place to eat and when we were finished we toured the airport and saw a Van Gogh exhibit. I had never seen any of his paintings up close and this was a wonderful opportunity right in the airport.

I think we were all too tired to really appreciate the show but we were there. We then split up and returned to our boarding area about an hr early. There were no waiting area seats available so we made the best of it on the floor. The first of many card games was played.

Our next flight was to Nairobi. We would lose even more time on that flight. We boarded for Nairobi and to my surprise it was a similar size aircraft. It was nice but we still had the longest leg of our journey ahead of us. By this time we were all beyond exhaustion. Sleep was the main objective and I know that Michael caught up on his. When we arrived at Nairobi airport I tried to wake him up but he was knocked out. He didn't wake up through a good 5 min of slapping on the cheeks, opening eyelids and talking to him. Finally he awoke not knowing that many people had tried to wake him. I couldn't help myself .... I had to take his photo.

After getting our bags, we passed through customs and obtained our visas. We finally walked on Kenyan soil outside the airport and were greeted by Stu, Linda and our driver Big T (Tony). Our welcome to Kenya was at dusk so our drive to the hostel was in the dark. I was sitting in the front seat with Drew and Tony. We were all packed like sardines in a Toyota minivan. The drive was a great introduction to Kenya. (Driving on the left side of the road, very fast on bumpy roads) I was not wearing my seatbelt when we were pulled over at a checkpoint by armed guards. They like to harass people who don't wear their seatbelt. I didn't now this and I guess Tony was able to talk to the guard and he waved us on.

We got to the Kikuyu Orthopedic Hospital well into the night. We were to pack our bags for 3 days and meet in the morning to go to Kimathi, ready for work. I just wanted a bed for the night.

Kathy's talk with Linda

Hi Gang,
How's everybody? I talked to Linda Ross today and told her that we
wanted to stay busy while we were in Kenya and that we would do
another building project if they had one funded. She said she'd let
Stu know that we were ready to work and didn't want to be idle. The
situation in Kenya is much improved, and things are back to normal
except in a couple of small pockets where some unrest still exists.
We will be sure to not go anywhere near there. She said they feel like
things will be ok until the next election 5 years from now when it
might all happen again. She is very excited about our coming and is
very glad we rescheduled the trip.

If you have the money, I need to collect for the plane tickets by this
weekend. The ticket cost is $1,650 each. The check should be made
out to First Presbyterian Church and marked for "Kenya mission trip".

Don't forget, you HAVE to have your vaccines no later than May 30!!
Tom T., Michael and Carol, I am working on getting yours. Call or
email me if you have questions. Anytime is fine. My cell is
662/312-4766.

Blessings,
Kathy

More Encouraging News

While looking to post more information on this blog I thought I would write Stu and he sent me this reply.
---------
Dear Tom:

The situation here is continuing to get better. The two political factions are getting together and forming a coalition government. All violence has ceased. The big problem left is the relocation of the 350,000 displacement people who are now in camps around the country. ...

As things are continuing there will be NO problem with your group coming this summer. We met yesterday to put together your work schedule.

As far as getting good information about Kenya... one good source is the national newspaper ...the (Daily) Nation. ...

Good luck.

Let me know if I can help further.

Blessings,

Stu