Thursday. We’ve been here a week. It has flown!
Morning. Petting Cheetah.
Afternoon. Eating lunch at George and Moreen’s.
Afternoon. Tea at Monica’s.
Afternoon. Mid day shopping.
Evening. Tasting the Kenyan cuisine.
What they have to say:
We got to fellowship with many church members. These people were vary welcoming and were on fire for God. Later on Pastor Safari took us downtown. He took us to a jersey shop where we got soccer jersey. It was a great day.
-Out on a Limb
My trip is nearing its end and I am so thankful for what I’ve experienced during this time. We have packed so much into each and every day that we’ve been here. I don’t know how we’ve done it! We have done it all, from the “touristy” stuff to visiting the slums of Nairobi and just the everyday life in Kenya. What a joy it’s been to visit the homes of the people from the church. Everyone we have visited has been so gracious to open up their home and feed our “army of nine”! I love listening to the powerful testimonies of these people. It really shows how God is moving here in Kenya. I feel honored and privileged to have been able to have this experience of a lifetime, something I will never forget.
-Tica
This difference between a hello and a glance tells the difference between the overall attitude of a culture.
(yes I made up this very profound statement all on my own, and now I will explain)
Jess and myself are staying in another house walking distance from where my parents and the guys are staying. Staying with us is a teacher from the school, and then another couple that are also visiting Kenya. We have been living in the same space for a week now. Every morning we typically see one of these three housemates we are living with. I would say that about 1 out of every 5 times we see them we get a glance. And about 1 out every time we have seen them we have actually gotten a smile and maybe a couple words without us speaking up first. Does this make them rude, I guess not really, after all they are American and we do like our space, you know that “personal bubble”.
Now let me give you a view of another culture.
As jess and I leave our house in the morning to go to where my parents are staying we are first greeted by the outside Kenyan guard. This man who doesn’t know us one bit, has really nothing in common with us, has no idea who we are, and is really only there to work for us, right off gives a great big morning smile with a huge “Habari Asabuhi?” (Good Morning) We then pass through 2 more gates where both the guards give us a big wave. Then I walk into my kitchen and the house girl (who doesn’t even know my name) also says “Good Morning, Did you sleep well?” Then for lunch we have had the great opportunity of visiting Kenyan’s homes. Many of them have near nothing, their kitchen, bedroom, living room, and really every room is in a 10 X 10 tin square. Yet when you walk in they smile and talk to you even though they are embarrassed of their English and don’t know how to treat you. They just want to talk. While we are bargaining at the Maasai Market, the trick to getting the best price is really to just stand there and create small talk – they LOVE small talk. They want to know who you are, genuinely just because they want to talk to you.
Kenyan’s compared to all British, Australian, and American people are really gems! They are friendly. Truly friendly. They are a rare people in my eyes, and people that make want to remember that even when I am on American soil I still need to take time, just say “Good Morning, Did you sleep well?” because those little good mornings sometimes are what determines the rest the other person’s day.
-The Negotiator
