JANUARY AND ALREADY FEBRUARY 2012

January is a slow start for the HIV Support Groups. The first week everyone is looking for school fees and returning from the rural area. So until the children are back in school the groups do not begin to meet. Even now a few groups have not started back or as they put it have not organized.

So we took an overnight trip to Lake Nakuru the first week of January. It is about a 3 hour drive. Sometimes it is an easy drive and well sometimes it is not as it is on most roadways in Kenya.  So I thought I would give you a bit of what you see along the roads. Driving is one the biggest challenges to living in Kenya as far as the faith it takes each time you get in your car or walk anywhere.

So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

ROADWORKS AND ROAD SCENES

MATTRESSES

A mattress on the way to boarding school is a common sight at this time of year.

Along steep highways it is common for trucks to gain speed and then go off the road or just taking a curve at excessive speed and not having breaks.

 The fine art of display: To think we go to university to learn how to display. Bananas for sale.

Diversion: If you get any warning of what is ahead it is just as you approach!!! Also once a road is determined to need to be redone it is torn out and you are on dirt. So the road to Nairobi is being redone and it is said the plan is for a 4 lane road all the way. So there are large sections of just dirt at the present time.   Sometimes a water truck comes along to cut down on the dust but at this time of year with no rain it is dry almost as fast as it hits the ground.

Sugar cane trucks and tractors bring sugar cane to the factory.

Here is a very common scene of the women carrying water. This is one of those moments when you think what do I have to complain about if I have to filter my water. Really I do not have to carry it except from the sink to the filter. Really as westerners we are so spoiled and we do not even know it.

 LAKE NAKURU:

LAKE NAKURU

We took our friend Denise as she is leaving Kenya soon and had never been to Nakuru. Our objective was Rhino because Denise had yet to see any in Africa. God delivered Rhino and More Rhino!!! It was once again amazing to see nature in action.

This is a great picture of nature on alert as the mama Zebra catches sight of hyenas checking out her baby. The hyenas finally just gave up and walked away as the group of Zebra all stood guard over the young.

We must have taken 100 pictures but we will only share 2 of the rhino. This time we did all our own safari driving which John really enjoys and it was a wonderful relaxing trip to start the new year.

 

The heavens are Yours, and Yours also the earth;

 You founded the world and all that is in it. Psalm 89:11

 

MOVING to a new compound:

February brought that move that we have been telling you about for months. The compound is almost finished. Most issues were resolved the first few days we were here. It is a lovely apartment. We are enjoying the patio where we can eat breakfast and dinner outside.

Many funny things happen in a move anywhere but I think Kenya has some great stories. Our washing machine outlet was not connected to power. At least this is what the electricians thought. We had a switch with a light  I kept asking what is this for? No one seemed to know. They kept telling me they were looking for power and walked around trying to figure which wall to chisel out and connect the power. I was a bit concerned. After this adventure for a couple of hours of head scratching they showed me the switch with the light and said all you need to do is turn this one on when you want to use the machine. Yep that was the one and all is well. Who knew? No chiseling required.

The water in the sink kept coming up in the sink and we discovered the waste water pipe was placed where the water had to travel up to drain. John had a discussion with the Plummer that water does not travel up and we would continue to have leaks and problems until they lowered the drain pipe. Well after they arrived with plumbers tape and calk gun John said no this will not work. Then they said they would be back next week. Our landlord Mike had a serious discussion and they returned that day and our water now drains down imagine just like it is suppose to.

Yes everything made it and nothing was broken.

We are still sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere we go. It is why we are here.

Pray for the Word of God to penetrate the hearts of those we speak to.

“Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “ and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?”

Jeremiah 23:29