RE-ENTRY

We have been home for almost 2 weeks and are readjusting to what ‘normal’ daily life looks like. It is a bit of a wrestling match – like trying to fit the pieces of a jigsaw without the photograph of what the finished piece should look like. Perhaps we will never know the ‘answers’ for places like Kenya but we feel privileged to assist in some small way.

In the meantime we had an amazing time in Australia and then in Cambridge before arriving back home on the coast we love so dearly.

Backtracking to Australia – the day to leave came far too quickly with Jonathan just a week old. Pete and Shirl (Caleb’s amazing parents) joined Caleb, Jen, Thomas, Jonathan and Ron and I at the airport to see us off – to visit, bless, pray and say goodbye. You can probably imagine my complete melt down in tears going through security….. and the thanksgiving in my heart for such a precious visit.

We flew to Singapore and on to Heathrow. From there we took a bus to Cambridge which stopped a block from our B&B. Marty and Anni met us and we walked, wandered, listened, talked, photographed and soaked up the history and beauty of the area. M and A are great company anytime and anywhere! We ate in a couple of pubs, visited a botanical garden, browsed the book stores, museums, colleges etc. What a beautiful place! History enfolds you everywhere you turn and the weekend flew by all too quickly.

Before we knew it we were heading back to the airport for a Heathrow to Vancouver flight …and then onward to Nanaimo where Don and Joan graciously drove us home despite the time of day!! It was wonderful to see them and to start connecting with friends and family here…..

Adjusting to the comforts of home and the affluence of life in Nanaimo takes time but readjusting to people takes only micro seconds …. Just cannot get enough of them! As for sliding into routines like housework … well that is another story!!!! Some things I honestly don’t miss when I am away from home! But I am thankful to have a home to care for …. I just need to get a rhythm going!!

The most frequent question we hear is ‘what’s next?’. God knows the answer to that one and we will know in due time. Whatever and wherever the adventure continues.

photos and such

We await the opportunity to work from our own computer so we can upload some more photos. In the meantime there are some at www.flickr.com/photos/laurzy.
We leave Perth in 24 hours and travel for 20 hours to Heathrow, then a bus ride to Camrbidge.... and reunite with Marty and Annika. We are truly blessed.

The Brownhill Connection

It has been a joy to be here in Perth and sharing in the anticipation and arrival of Jonathan David. We have had the priviledge of reconnecting with Thomas and being blessed in many ways. We hope you enjoy the photos!

Visual Turkana

Here is a wee taste of Turkana visially.

We are now in Perth with Jen, Caleb and Thomas awaiting Bubs #2. We spent the first 5 days here at the beach getting over jet lag while Ron battled a bug he picked up the day we left Kenya.

We are missing our team in Kenya very much but lovng the enfolding of the Brownhills and the YWAm group.

We are also enjoying a good internet connection on the base!!!

Our accomodation is in a house about 5 blocks from the YWAM campus with 2 couples who are doing a crossroads DTS. They are leaving for Papau New Guinea in a couple of weeks time. They have had an amzing expereince here in Perth and are looking ahead with great anticipation. Hopefully we can stay in touch with them and hear about their outreach.

Keep watch for some baby news! JEN IS READY!

ENDING A CHAPTER

‘There is nothing like a good book’ ….however….. experiencing the ‘real thing’ is definitely richer.

When Ron and I married some 35 + years ago, we did not fully recognize our mutual love for adventure…. As that spirit grew over the years, it fortunately grew in both of us …..so here we are living some amazing adventures.

Beyond the sights and sounds of a new place there is a pulse …. a heartbeat. Becoming truly involved in the lives of locals in Kenya has brought us to the emotional heartbeat of this place. It has been an amazing blessing.

But back to good books – we read an ‘out of print’ book while we were here called My Kenya Days. We enjoyed it not for its literary brilliance but for its ability to engage us in Turkana back in the 1960s. It gave us a way to connect many things to the realities we experienced there in 2008/2009!

Still speaking of books, we purchased a Safari Guide to East African Wildlife after being on Masai Mara and were thus introduced to an amazing photographer - Jonathan Scott. The book we bought is not his best photographically speaking, but if any of you who like photography can find one of his books in the library – be sure to check it out! He has a web site which is worth finding and his wife, Angela, is also an excellent photographer.

Back to ending a chapter - a good chapter … it makes you want to go the next…. but that one of course is not yet written in the physical realm….. although God knows it well. We do not know if we will return to Kenya again but we are surely willing!

So, how to describe the chapter which has just closed? It was surely full of surprises, challenges, new sites, rough roads, hard paces, and some pretty uncomfortable beds. There were those poisonous spiders in our hotel room, a few unidentifiable meals and other inconveniences. But these are not the things we will remember. That which is clear in our minds eye is all amazing:

· Travelling to what initially felt like the end of the earth and finding there neediness ….but also perseverance, commitment, adaptability, determination, faith, and sharing.
· Wonders of creation including the most beautiful sunrises imaginable
· Opportunities to serve, connect with, mentor and work alongside some of Kenya’s finest individuals.
· The challenge to the heart and mind when there are far more needs than possibilities and to move forward without becoming discouraged
· Adapting to travelling with armed security escorts when our basic leaning is to not get close up and personal with guns of any kind!
· The privilege of sitting under an acacia tree with the Turkana women listening to them chatting and sharing womanly things without using words.
· Dancing with the locals and hearing their laughter (at us!)
· Listening to the people sing in their own language a song which declares –‘we don’t now the future but we know that God will guide us’.
· The inward ‘embarrassment’ of watching tiny women who eat only one small meal a day pick up a 50 kg sack and walk off with it on their heads when I cannot even lift it off the ground without help.
· Witnessing the Turkana people who sit and wait patiently for food for many hours in the blazing sun and blowing sand.
· Being humbled to be given Turkana names – Akal (Lauris) – meaning Place of Rest and Ewoi (Ron) (aye whoi) meaning Acacia Tree. This is an act of love and acceptance and we were indeed honored.
· The generosity of people who have little….. sharing their possessions in blessing to others, including ourselves.
· The blessing of being loved and respected while simultaneously agonizing over farewells to colleagues who will be forever in our hearts.

In the midst of one chapter now closed…. there is also anticipation of the next and the next and the next. God is good – He holds the future – He makes us willing. His grace is sufficient. He supplies our needs. Praise be to God and thank You for a great chapter!!

TIME OUT

This blog is on hold until at least March 2009.
I have made a personal decision to commuincate only by email for now.
Hope to hear from you! Lauris

Life Kenyan Style

Ordering from a Menu – the list may be long but, like travel in other parts of the majority world, only a few items might be available on any given day and the very tastiest item of the day may not be listed. So (Sa sa) it is best to ask for a recommendation and dialogue a little before you place an order. We have enjoyed some particularly tasty chicken stews. It is customary to eat with your hand – I must confess I still prefer a spoon or fork. This leads me to hand washing.

Hand Washing – In many restaurants and in private homes you are offered the opportunity to wash up … a jug of water and some soap or perhaps sliced lemon or lime appear and a basin held beneath your hands while the water is poured for your wash up. I like it! There is such a sweet attitude of servant hood that goes with this. After the meal, the same courtesy is offered.

Drinking chai – I have grown fond of drinking chai here – a thermos (usually very large) containing steaming hot milk arrives at the table along with tea bags and instant coffee. I stick to the tea. The Kenyan sugar is lovely and chai is usually consumed sweet. I may have to take this habit home with me! Sometimes the chai comes premade in the thermos … it is a real treat.

Greetings – Kenyans are very friendly people and there is plenty of time to shake hands and greet each other. I particularly love to offer my hand to the little ones who shake it and say ‘mzuri’ meaning fine. We were in church on Sunday and a very small boy (maybe 18 months old) came up to Ron to be held…. Very sweet. Some of the children are rather terrified by our white skin. Some cannot wait to get their fingers in our grey hair!

Time – there is North American time for some things, Kenyan time which is less definite and Swahili time which is totally different …. It keeps things interesting!

Courtesies – Kenyans ask about your well being and your family regularly and genuinely want to hear from you. Mothers are given a special place and to be introduced to an adult person’s mother is special. We have met some lovely mothers.

Age – I cannot do well guessing peoples age here - life is hard for many and a person of 50 might look so much older to me. I will not guess! Many women have their first child in their teens. The carry heavy bags on their heads, a baby on their back and other items in their hands. I cannot.

Driving – Drive on the left, right, or best side … drive beside the road or off on a track through the sand, through river beds ….. and in Turkana you will average about 35 Km/hour. We pray before we set out and give thanks when we arrive….. it is an adventure for sure!


Post Comments - sorry we have been unable to read your post comments but we will as soon as we have a good enough connection! We have posted a few photos on flickr if you care to look. Again not all have captions due to internet limits. But we HAVE internet!! Yeah!