...unto us a child is born...

...and an altar call was given...

Can you imagine having your spiritual birthday on our Lord's birthday? Many chose today to say "yes" to Jesus and it was awesome to see them come forward for prayer...to be led into God's Family!
Our service today began with a very fun 'contest' (after a time of praise and worship of course!) Our Senior Pastor and his family asked question after question about facts surrounding the birth of Jesus...in the photo - to the far left is the first-born girl, our pastor John Wesley Nguuh and his wife, Pastor Josephine...

...and one of the twins...

Here are two women who thought they knew the answer to the first question; "Who was the emperor at the time of the birth of Jesus?"...each person standing was to tell someone nearby their answer...then once the answer was given all who were correct (Caesar Agustus) remained standing. They were then eligible to answer the next question; "How many wise men visited the baby Jesus?". Those who knew that the Bible does not specify a number remained standing for the next question "How long was the prophetess Anna married before her husband died?" and on it went until only 7 were left standing...

...here is a fuzzy photo of six of the seven...

...number seven was this little guy! We discovered later that all the adults left standing are in the church's discipleship program - kudos to the program! and the disciples!
Our pastors asking a question to pare the semi-finalists down to 5...the number of sweets for prizes...
..and the big winner got a cake! Presented to him by the 'other twin' who was in charge of the prizes...
Here are the 5 semi-finalists receiving their sweets...
Pastor Murimi delivered a captivating message entitled "Choice for Destiny", and many today made the choice to spend eternity in Heaven...Hallelujah!

While we all sang "We wish you a merry Christmas..." one of the kids was doing his best to cature it on tape!

Singing, laughing and worshiping with brothers and sisters in Christ was the best way I can think of to start my Christmas day!

Yes, I miss my family...most of them are celebrating this day together in the state of Washington...but being so far away helps me to remember the Why and the Who of Christmas. As Pastor Murimi reminded us this morning God sent His Son to earth to provide a means of reconciliation and redemption. It is now our "Choice for Destiny"...

Christmas Eve in Kenya!

The day dawned bright and sunny...which is not unusual for me. Being raised in Southern CA, I spent more than one Christmas day on the beach! Christmas Eve was also Wednesday, which is the day Nancy comes to clean my house and wash my clothes. I decided it would be good for me to be elsewhere and out of her way.

I decided to enjoy the sunshine and stroll the 30 minute walk to Yaya Centre. First stop, New Day Bookstore - just to browse. I found the newest Randy Alcorn novel, "Dominion" and then also bought his book "Heaven"...as my Christmas present to myself! After stopping to make some copies I headed downstairs to Dormans for a cup of coffee, a plain croissant...and Randy!

My table was right next to Santa! I looked up from my book often to watch the little ones; some delighted, some frightened, some just shy; coming to visit and sit with Santa. I managed to snap a few photos before the guard told me it was not allowed...oh well!

You have to really look to see him, but there is a little boy right in the centre of this photo who walked right up to Santa...not sure what they were discussing, but he had a smile on his face afterwards!

The photographer setting up for business!

Santa's first 'customer'...a sweet little girl with a cherubic smile!

Here they are with all the 'scenery'...

...and here are the parents, trying to get baby brother into the photo...but as soon as they left, he started to cry and cry! They gave up and only the girl got her picture with Santa...in my mind I think it's okay even if they are crying...or with mom and dad in the picture!
I spent about two hours reading and watching all the kids with Santa...I love people watching! Then on my way out I picked up a few items at the supermarket and then headed home. It was a glorious day for a walk and I felt blessed with the sun on my face and the breeze in my hair!

A week in Tanzania...

Sometimes when we don't hear God's voice, He orders circumstances to 'guide' us! I believe that happened to me recently. For some reason everything connected with me getting my work (or entry) permit had the heading "delay" written on it. There have been so many delays that before we even had a chance to submit my application, the expiration of my visa was looming in the immediate horizon! Agh...I was pretty nervous (understatement)...then a co-worker Paul told me that he discovered a brother in Christ that he had not seen for years works for Immigration!

I really don't think that was a coincidence...so when Paul asked Davis if it would help if I visited some friends in Tanzania, Davis recommended that I fly and stay at least a week and I would possibly receive a 3 month visa upon my return. He even gave me an acknowledgment letter to prove that my permit is in process...just in case!

Even though the timing seemed strange (two weeks before we are closing the office for two weeks for the holidays!) I accepted that this trip was to be a gift from God and began to look forward to the blessings He had planned for me and for the Makali's...So when the pilot said Mount Kilamanjaro was out the left side, I grabbed my camera and shot the only thing that even remotely resembled a mountain...think what you want, I have decided that is the 'real deal'!
These are two photographs that Pastor William shared with me as soon as I entered his home. He is so excited that they have installed a water tank for the preschool building! I don't blame him, that really is quite exciting!
My first morning I explored the yard and took this shot of the Makali home...that first open window is my room! You will see the inside shortly...
Martha posing near the 'floor plan' of her new preschool building. She is praying that she will have the funds to complete it by February. God prompted me to donate $100 towards her dream - when I entered Tanzania I fully expected to pay $100 for a visa and guess what! They did not require a visa for me to stay a week...so once Martha explained what that rock formation was, I quickly made the connection! (By the way, Amanda, it reminded me of those cool Lego house plans you used to create!)
Here is Martha posing in the tight space she now uses to teach 3 levels of preschool kids. She has 3&4 year olds, 5 year olds and 6 year olds. They are all at different levels so she is very creative in the way she segments the children and keeps age-appropriate materials on hand for them...

Her bookcase, full of all types of materials...

And of course, the blackboard! Her daughter Upendo (you will see her soon) helped us pose these shots!
As promised...here is 18 year old Upendo with her mom. We decided to look in the dictionary to see if there is any place in it that supports the African pronunciation of the word mosquito. They actually pronounce it phonetically (moskweto)...but according to Webster it is actually pronounced meskido...but then Upendo pointed out that Webster was American and that we actually need a British dictionary...
...but when we went to the internet cafe I tried to find any evidence that the Brits pronounce it the African way, and could find nothing...we all had much fun for the balance of my stay teasing each other about these little pests!
Martha decided that since I like this plant that I should have a picture of Upendo and me in front of it...okay...and since I don't look half bad, I decided to comply!
This is a plant that grows wild...Martha picks the leaves and makes the BEST greens I think I have ever tasted...pretty cool, huh?
Okay - as promised...here is my room...it was clean, cool and so comfy. And I even had a desk! That was an addition since my last stay...in fact when I stayed one night back in June, I think this room was being used more as a storage room than a bedroom...definitely a bedroom now!
Although...no place for my clothes. Rather than keeping them folded in my suitcase I spread them out each day and rolled them up each evening!
I asked about these bananas which are for cooking. They are different than the eating bananas. When these get ripe, they do not taste good...but, yummy, they sure do taste delicious when cooked...
...in fact, she picked some and cooked them up that same night...
...yummy, they were so so good. This is Martha laughing at me taking her picture! (the one she took of me was not flattering and since this is my blog I get to discriminate!)
I took this photo from my bedroom window...this mother and daughter have such a precious relationship that I just had to capture this sweet moment as they were walking and talking and laughing...they laugh so much it delights my heart!
And did I tell you that William is a pastor? He loves to preach and teach...and he has so many stories that he could keep me entertained for days, I am sure!
Sunday Martha and I walked to this church...sorry I only have one shot and this one before the 'overflow' room was full...Martha seemed a bit nervous when I pulled out my camera...but I was pretty impressed that this small church outside of town was pretty high tech...what you can't see is the TV in the overflow room so that we could watch the goings on inside the main room (which is what I shot in this photo)...the sermon was entitled "Empower Your Mind for Your Glorious Destination (or Destiny)"...even though it was delivered in Swahili, Martha translated for me and I was blessed - not only by the sermon, but by the whole service! We were given an awesome opportunity to pray according to Ez 21:27. When many of the congregation filed forward and then came back to their seats, Martha explained that they were getting anointing oil to pray under the anointing...she went forward to get some and shared with me...I prayed for God to 'ruin the schemes of the enemy' to block my visa...
...that night Martha made fish - so good! The reason I had to shoot this picture is because the sun had gone down and the lights don't work in her kitchen so she was cooking in the dark! But she was using the flashlight on her cell phone to help her see what she was doing (can you see the phone in her hand?) Even though I basically took this picture in the dark, I am amazed how good it came out! Can you see to the left in the picture is the raw fish and to the right are the cooked ones? and in the background you can see her 'shelving unit'...which is basically a couch and two chairs stacked on each other!
Here is the final product...a delicious meal of fish, greens (yup, from the yard!) and rice...
Okay, this shot was not too bad, so I kept it! Me eating the fish...Martha loved to take photos of me eating...later she told me that when people enjoy her cooking it makes her feel good, maybe that's why she wanted to capture the moment!
Is this a handsome family or what? L to R are Upendo (18), Martha (the mom), William (the dad) and Emmanuel (they call him Ima). They also have another son, Victor, who is in college in the states. Ima just completed his college education in the US last year and is busy acclimating back into TZ culture and looking for just the right employment to engage his amazing intellect.
These are the four who spent lots of time together all week. I told William I was grateful that he was gracious enough to leave the house every day so that I could get time with Martha! She and I discovered we have much in common; an interest in health and nutrition, an immense love for our children, love for children in general, and many common views about life in general.
...and to my delight I discovered that Upendo is an interesting, bright and wise young woman! I kept having to remind myself that she is only 18! We had such fun together walking, talking and laughing.

And, oh by the way, I got my 3 month visa at the airport in Nairobi! And I did not even have to use that acknowledgment letter! Thanks so so much to all of you who have been praying for me! Now I have another 3 months to walk that entry permit through the process at Immigration!!!

Saturday visitors!

Imagine my delight when I received an sms from Nancy, my househelp, telling me that she is 'around' with her 'baby' Shantel! Of course, I was stuck in traffic...but they waited for me.

Once I discovered two weeks ago that Nancy had a 'girl' I asked for a photo, which she left at my home last week...then surprised me today with the real girl! She will turn 5 on the 15th of this month and as luck would have it, I had a gift for her...a coloring book and crayons. She has agreed to color a picture for me soon. But - she is asking that I 'mark' it with a red pen...she wants me to grade her work! Oh, the pressure is on...

As you can see Shantel is a doll, and quite shy. She knows English well, but was a bit too shy to talk. Her mom says she has been asking to visit the Mzungu lady, and will certainly tell her family and friends all about the visit!
I showed them a picture of my 'girl' (who is probably older even than Nancy!)...and it was fun to share "mother to mother"...below you see Nancy with her baby (mtoto) and I could tell that Nancy is so proud of her!
By the way, I will be out of town for the next week. Please pray for me as I travel to Tanzania to spend a week with friends I met back in May when I first arrived here in Africa. Pastor William and his wife Martha are almost as excited as I am to visit together and catch up on all that has happened since we saw each other last!

I hope to have internet access so that we can stay in touch, but probably will not be updating my blog while I am gone. However, I plan to take lots of pictures and will share with you about my trip after I return to Kenya on the 15th of December.

...a little bit of 'life in Kenya'...

I was planning a blog entry called "Today's Adventure", but that day turned out to be so full of adventure, challenge and blessings that I just could not highlight this minor incident! But, today I decided to include it in a random post...

During my morning commute, shortly after I boarded my second bus, from town to the project, I was casually listening to the news playing on the radio...resting my head against the window. I was amused by the story of increased traffic accidents in Kenya. The Minister of Transportation was reported as accusing the drivers and owners of public vehicles, while he was being accused of 'sleeping on the job'...I smiled and marveled that I had never been involved in an accident in the months of riding on public vehicles every day! Just then - you guessed it - the sound of metal on metal, breaking glass and screeching brakes! We had hit a car!

Of course we were all ushered off the bus (fortunately I had not yet paid!) and there I stood on the side of the road, trying to figure out what to do! By the time I pulled out my camera to snap a photo of the scene, it was too late...then a nice man showed me where to go to catch another bus...and soon I was on a much nicer vehicle, back at 'the scene'...you can see below (maybe!) the approximate location...thru the front window of my 'new' bus...
...ah! then I spotted the 'old' bus! and a traffic cop and the car that was hit...sorry folks this was the best I could do...
Yesterday morning as I was heading into town to meet a friend, I came upon a wedding celebration! I had been hearing some loud music and raucous laughter, but had not paid much attention...I just had to pull out my camera - it was all so colorful and festive...

Then as the wedding vehicle rounded the corner, I shot this photo -if you look closely, you can see a vehicle just ahead of it...

...with the videographer hanging out the window!

A day in the field...

On Tuesday, I accompanied Paul to Huruma - a community just east of our center. First we attended the meeting for Halala, one of our newest groups. Then we went on four 'assessments'. When a group forms, the Loan Officer (that's Paul in this case) must visit each of the businesses owned by the group members. Usually one or more of the other members also participates.

First we visited Brookview Vocational Training Centre. This school is run by our client, John Mdoga. Subjects currently taught include computer training, tailoring and hairdressing & beauty. These are all vital skills that will enable the participants to better their lives.
Here is the entrance to the school...

Paul and John in the computer training room...due to a recent break-in the computers were removed while classes are not in session.

These two photos were taken in the hairdressing & beauty classroom...

While Paul was inside, I took advantage of the opportunity to snap photos of the village. Goats are a major business in this area...in the background is the auction house where goats are brought from all around every morning...

Paul is using John's desk as he fills out the 'assessment form' on the school. The form contains information such as weekly expenses, monthly revenue, assets owned, as well as personal information. The goal is to learn enough information about the business owner as well as the business to make an informed decision when a loan is requested. To the far left and right you can barely see Dorcas and Susan who accompanied us. Not shown is Daniel - you will see his business next.

Daniel Karani is in the foreground, answering questions about his business and personal expenses as Paul completes the form...

Daniel runs a Kerosene Shop - this was my first exposure to a Kerosene Pump. You can see the worker filling a plastic bag for her customer...

Daniel's shop also carries various grains...


And, of course, while I waited I took several photos...

I was intrigued by these girls - and I think it was mutual! They could not stop giggling!

These boys were also quite entertained by the Mzungu snapping pictures!

Next stop is a charcoal shop run by our client Susan. John told me that Susan was one of many Kenyans displaced due to the post-election violence. With the help of her friends and our ministry, she is putting her life back together again. Praise the Lord!

Here Paul is lecturing Susan about being honest with her measurements. Some of the cans containing coal are badly dented so he explained to her that these were not full cans and she cannot sell them for the same price as undented cans...

I think she understood!

Dorcas Mwongeli Musyoka supplies the coal to Susan and several other retailers in the village. Here you see Dorcas and Paul in her storeroom. This is Tuesday and on Saturday she had picked up 130 bags of coal - can you see in the background she only has maybe 20 bags left - I would say she is successful!

Here Dorcas is explaining to Paul that each week she hires a lorry (truck) to pick up the bags of coal. On her way to her shop, she drops bags to various other vendors (like Susan)...Her prices are written on the wall...

Here she is posed in front of her retail shop, which is just in front of her storeroom.

This is a shot of the main road in that area...as I mentioned to John (who was with us the whole day...) when I take these pictures, you can see but you cannot hear the sounds, smell the smells or feel the warm sun - all of which adds texture to what I see...so you will just have to imagine children laughing, dogs barking, music playing, shopkeepers talking, birds squawking and vehicles rumbling by...

We ended our day in the field at Dorcas' home. Here are Paul and Dorcas completing the assessment form...in addition to being a wife, mother and business owner Dorcas also ministers to a flock of women who meet weekly in one of the classrooms of John's school. She is amazing!

Then she served us lunch! You can see John in the background deep in conversation with Paul.

Then Paul grabbed the camera to shoot this picture of me!

It was such fun to visit our clients, to see what they do while I am in the office entering their names and savings and loan payments. It is good for me to put faces to names. And I enjoyed visiting with John who walked with me and delighted in sharing with me what he knows.

Oh, and while we were walking to Susan's shop a man decided to approach us (of course he was focused on me)...almost imperceptibly Susan moved to one side and Dorcas to my other side. John engaged the man in conversation and together they all 'steered' him away from me...it was so great to see how they worked together silently to achieve an unspoken goal. The best part is that John's conversation was full of encouragement and positive affirmation of the man. Even though he was a drug addict, I believe that fertile seeds were planted into his soul that day.