Last time I wrote I was still in Zambia, tying up lose ends and getting ready to leave. Generally I managed to finish off most things that I meant to (although of course I was doing some stuff the evening before I left!) Zambia gave me a typically Zambian goodbye; I had a long debate with the lady at the check-in desk about whether I was allowed to take two bags (as clearly stated on my ticket) or whether I had to pay extra for the second (I didn’t in the end but it took a while!) and then as I was waiting for my flight I ended up having three long conversations with various people who just wanted to say hello. It just wouldn’t happen at Manchester or Heathrow!
I was on my way to Kenya to meet Jo (Riley), Jo (Finlay) and Angie (Browne - I feel I need to include her surname as I gave you the Jo’s surnames!) Jo, Jo and Angie were on their way home from IcFEM (where I am now) and we had booked a weeks holiday in Mombasa together. We were taking the overnight train from Nairobi and I was due to meet them at the train station at about 6pm to check in, with the train leaving at 7pm. Thanks to Kenyan Air I arrived in Nairobi two hours later than planned with just 30 minutes to get to the train station and an hour and a half before the train left. The guy who was picking me up said that in the current rush hour it could take up to 2 hours to get across town from the airport the train station...great! We made it in a mere 45 minutes though by using lots of pot-holey little back roads, cutting across petrol station forecourts and driving along pavements, as you do!
Anyway, I arrived just about on time to the train station and it felt both very surreal and very normal seeing the Jo’s and Angie there. We all had to do a quick comedy reshuffle of our bags on the station platform as we didn’t want to take all our luggage to Mombasa and then we piled on the train and were off! We travelled first class....a first for me but I can assure you, Kenyan first class is quite different to English first class! Basically it meant we had a little cabin to ourselves with some fold down beds so we could try to get some sleep. We had a fifteen hour journey ahead of us so after eating our tea (in the dining car) and watching a film (on a laptop - the first class cabin didn’t come equipped with cinema!) we settled down for the night. Generally I found sleeping quite difficult as the train was so bumpy and bouncy that it just kept making me laugh!! I think I got some sleep but I’m not really that sure...
Turns out the Rift Valley Railway is pretty punctual and we made it to Mombasa at 10am as planned and for the next five days my life consisted of lazing by the pool, wandering along the beach and paddling in the sea, snorkelling with some amazingly colourful fish, eating yummy food and generally catching up with Jo, Jo and Angie. It was so great to take some time out, do as little as we wanted and just relax and have a laugh. Mombasa being a tourist area there are lots of folks out and about trying to sell you stuff so walking along the beach was never quite as relaxing as it sounds, but I really can’t complain. It’s a long time since I’ve had a holiday for holidays sake. Most my “holidays” become working holidays like Cyfa camp where I do the catering. Whilst I love doing those type of things they are hardly times of rest and relaxation!
All too quickly the days whizzed by and before we knew it it was time to head back to Nairobi from where the Jos and Angie would head home and I would head to Kimilili and IcFEM. We arrived at the airport at about 4am with 8 massive bags between us and much comedy ensued as we opened them all up to distribute the weight evenly, make sure anything coming back to Kimilili was in my bags, anything for England in one of the other girls bags - I’ve never seen quite so much luggage! Once again, I found myself with a 6 or 7 hour wait at Nairobi airport - I have spent far too much of my life waiting there!
And so now you find me in dear old Kimlilili, the place I spent four months in last year and home to IcFEM (InterChristian Fellowships Evangelical Mission). It’s great to be back here as there is a whole community of people involved with IcFEM who became good friends last year so catching up with them all is a great joy. Last year I was out here at the same time as the Jos (who I’ve just been to Mombasa with) and Gemma so without them here it feels very different. However, I now have Steve and Sarah Small (who some of you may know from home) and Marielle (from Holland) to keep me company around the guest house!
It’s been great to catch up with my Kimilili friends, if a bit of a challenge to keep up with all the things that have changed over the last year and a bit. Things are very much as they were in some ways, and in other ways things are different. When I was here last year there was a big project under way (which you may remember) supplying local farmers with maize seed and fertiliser hand in hand with Equity Bank. At the time, this took over lots of the time and energy of many people at IcFEM and I think as a result some of the other aspects of IcFEM got sidelined for a while. It is encouraging to see that this year time and energy is being put back into one of the missions core values - teaching people about God and his kingdom. The management of IcFEM has taken a step back to look at the structure out in the areas they are working and had a reshuffle to make sure that each community has a strong leadership team, well grounded in their christian faith. Teams from the head quarters are going out to visit each district area that IcFEM are working in and helping introduce and explain the shifting structure as well as carrying out some training on planning and budgeting and teaching on the putting God first (“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well.” Matthew chapter 6 verse 33). Hearing about some of the struggles and challenges people in the IcFEM community have faced over the last year I am once again lead to the conclusion that while we pursue good works for good works sake there is potential for jealousy, pride, distrust and greed to come in and destroy the good that people are building. However, if the good works are grounded in a deeper work in our hearts, a transformation Jesus causes within us leading us to outwards actions loving and caring for others, there is a much stronger chance for the good works to stand and succeed. It is therefore great to see IcFEM shoring up their foundations and making sure that the work they have already done is set on a steadfast rock.
During my first week here I went out with one of the teams to Nalondo to join the training. It was great to be out in the community and meet some of the people whose lives are being affected by the work IcFEM are doing. Hearing testimonies from villagers about the ways their lives have changes, the improvements in their relationships with family and neighbours, the amazing provision for their families and the difference some of the practical training they are receiving from IcFEM is making is so encouraging and a great reminder about how important the work of groups like IcFEM and Dignity is.
This last week I have spent helping out at Holiday Club and the Eye Camp. Hoilday Club takes place at IcFEMs headquarters and involves lots of kids, lots of noise, lots of running around and lots of fun! Marielle and I took on responsibility for all the break time games in between lessons to keep everyone entertained as well as running some craft activities. Although at a slower pace than last years holiday club, we had lots of fun organising games and watching the kids run around laughing! I also lead one of the morning devotions which I actually really enjoyed (I normally hate the thought of speaking to a group of people but it’s beginning to finally get a bit easier this year!). I’m not sure some of the teenagers have quite forgiven me yet for dragging them out to the front to help me with a little drama I was to doing to explain my point!
Eye Camp took place at Dreamlands hospital (linked to IcFEM) and was amazing! This is the fifth Eye Camp to be run and the idea is simple...a team of visiting specialist eye doctors, one local hospital, reduced rate cataract and other simple eye operations and as many people as possible from the community around benefiting, people who would otherwise not be able to afford the travel to the hospital never mind the operation.
The reality, as you can imagine, is actually very complicated and quite an exercise in crowd management with people who can’t see where they are going having to move around the hospital from one place to another. (I spent my days leading people from one place to another and trying to understand swahili and bukusu!) It’s also a massive tasks to keep records of all those assessed, operations undertaken and pre and post operation eye test results.
On the first day about 170 people had their eyes assessed, some were given medicine or glasses and those in need of bilateral cataract operations had their first eye operated on. Day two was a long day of surgery with about 80 operations taking place. Day three saw a long line of mainly elderly people all with matching bandages over their eyes. The doctors went along removing the bandages and checking the eyes. As bandages were removed there was great rejoicing. Imagine a group of 80 people who previously could see very little, some who could only perceive light and others who could only see half a metre away, all of a sudden being given their sight back! There was great rejoicing and many people thanking God for this miracle!! Of course, for some the results were not as instant or as dramatic but over the coming weeks their sight should improve following the operation. I nearly cried as I saw a group of about 10 aged mamas (between 80 and 100 years old), all of whom had arrived being lead or supported by relatives and using walking sticks, walking independently along the corridor having a good old natter! I’m sure that sights like that make all the hard work and preparation worth it for those involved in the organisation and sponsorship of Eye Camp. Do pray that the sponsors will continue to fund this amazing event as without their support it would not be able to take place.
After being at the Eye Camp yesterday morning, I went along to Rose’s wedding. I got to know Rose really well last year and was glad to be here at the right time for her wedding this year. Kenyan weddings are in some ways similar to English ones - the same vows and stuff, but in other ways so different! The wedding was scheduled to start at 10...the bride arrived at 2! There was 5 page boys, about 12 bridesmaids and groomsmen, 5 flower girls and of course the bride and her parents to process along the aisle (often the wedding party dances into church but this time they walked, albeit very slowly!) The gifts are presented after the ceremony, still in the hall where the wedding took place...all of a sudden there was a whole three piece suite, a bed and a calf being marched up the aisle to the front of the church as well as many other smaller gifts! We took our little gift up to the front amidst the procession and when I reached Rose she just cheered and started dancing...there was nothing I could do but join in the dancing! The bride and groom are adorned in tinsel and there is much singing, dancing and cheering. It’s strange to see such a well known service but feel so confused about what is going on as well!! The speeches then followed but it seemed much more like a free for all with anyone who wanted to taking over the mic for a while...mid-speeches everyone begins to wander out the hall across to the dining hall (it was held at a school) for a big feed of rice, beef, cabbage and chapatti. It was a great celebration and Rose and Elphas looked suitably happy about it all!
And now it’s my last week in Africa for now at least. I honestly can’t believe how soon I will be home. I can’t wait to see everyone and am looking forward to catching up with good friends, visiting the christmas markets, getting a chinese take away (and pizza...and fish and chips), being able to go out after dark and just understanding how all the simple things in life work without having to think about it! But I sure will miss being out here once I’m back. I’ll miss the slower pace of life, the way people always stop for a chat, knowing that each day will be sunny and warm and not having to wonder how many layers to put on, trying to speak bemba or swahili and generally making everyone laugh at my poor attempts, random kids deciding to walk along the road with you for a while and of course all the cows, donkeys, goats and chickens that are around!
A random note to finish on...I’ve been reading my way through the bible and have made it through Genesis, Exodus, Levitius and Numbers, finally reaching Deuteronomy - another seemingly tough going book about the law laid out for Israel. Chapter four is a gem though and a great summary of God’s amazing, faithful and forgiving nature! Read it if you get a chance. Two of my favourite verses from it...
Verse 32: “Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created man on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of?”
...and Verse 39 says it like it is: “Acknowledge and take heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.”
