Monday, October 10, 2011
KENYAN FURNITURE FOR OUR HOME!
The mission asked us to furnish our new home and Elder Babcock and I wanted to go with traditional Kenyan furniture. Here are a few shots of the furniture market and furniture delivery. There was a market next door selling T-shirts and I took a picture of the front of the market and the back! I asked Alice (T-shirt market owner) if I could take a picture of her T-shirt market and she said yes, but after I took the pic she asked me if I would take her to America! We laughed and she asked about my little black missionary tag. She was interested in what I had to say; she now has an appointment with the missionaries for Friday!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A VERY SPECIAL SATURDAY EVENING
Saturday evening was such a special treat for us. We attended a youth fireside with the Mission President, President Broadbent, his wife, his son, and daughter-in-law (in for a visit from the states), as well as President Kogo. We were asked to speak (happens quite often here) with the subject for the youth being: Be Smart. Luckily that is a comfortable subject for a schoolteacher! The meeting was inspiring; the youth are even more inspiring with their testimonies. They face a deep challenge of persecution for being a member of the church here in Eldoret. I have the deepest respect for these Kenyan pioneers.
As if the Saturday evening wasn’t grand enough Alice, President Kogo’s sweet wife (and a friend of mine) invited us for a traditional Kenyan dinner. It was so yummy and I am sure she cooked all day. I brought cupcakes and they were a hit with the boys! The food was delicious, the company some of the choicest people on earth. It was a beautiful experience in the home of a Latter-day pioneer, President Kogo, who we are certain his grandchildren as well as many future saints in this area will reverence his name. How blessed we are to be assigned here in Eldoret, where the Eldoret District is just six months old.
As if the Saturday evening wasn’t grand enough Alice, President Kogo’s sweet wife (and a friend of mine) invited us for a traditional Kenyan dinner. It was so yummy and I am sure she cooked all day. I brought cupcakes and they were a hit with the boys! The food was delicious, the company some of the choicest people on earth. It was a beautiful experience in the home of a Latter-day pioneer, President Kogo, who we are certain his grandchildren as well as many future saints in this area will reverence his name. How blessed we are to be assigned here in Eldoret, where the Eldoret District is just six months old.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
MY YOUNG WOMEN FRIENDS
Last Sunday in the Langas Branch I was invited by these two lovely daughters of God to come to their Young Woman class. I loved it! They laughed and clapped when I told them we had
six children, and five of those six were daughters. They are strong youth with stunning testimonies. Many of the schools here require all students shave their heads.
six children, and five of those six were daughters. They are strong youth with stunning testimonies. Many of the schools here require all students shave their heads.
Monday, October 3, 2011
OUR NEW HOME
We've moved into our new home, hurray! It's located inside a compound with an iron gate in the front, a guard who lives behind the house, and the compound is surrounded by an 18-foot hedge. The home is quite old (probably 50 years) and needs much work. It’s humble by US standards but very nice by Kenyan. We have no hot water; there is a showerhead that will heat the water however, the water comes out scalding hot or freezing cold. We are working on that. We are doing fine, the house has needed MUCH attention and it is difficult to explain how difficult it is to get anything completed. For instance, we wanted to put our shower curtains up so we went to the Eagle Hardware (not like the one in the states) for a tension rod, but a Kenyan shower rod is three pipes to be connected with various attachments. Our house has all concrete walls so we needed someone with a drill. We picked up our drapery man who has a drill, we thought great ...today we can check this off our list. Well, the cord to the drill is 3 meters, the surge projector has a 3 meter cord but ....... there are no light sockets in the bathrooms and the closest one is another 10 meters away. So that was a bust. As I said getting things done in Kenya takes so much longer than expected. There just is no multitasking here. We took out after an extension cord there is no such thing here. But the good news is we have curtains, a bed, and a kitchen table. We purchased (will be reimbursed) a fridge, clothes dryer, and the mission bought a cooker (stove). The stove is part electric part propane and Elder Babcock is hooking it up right now. Anything that is in the house we have needed to purchase such as dishes, silverware, glasses, etc. etc. Quite a challenge.
This experience does come with a blessing for we are very comfortable going anywhere in town, walking in any of the markets, and talking to people. We are asked quite often about our little black missionary tags and that brings an opportunity to share the gospel. Here are pictures of two Kenyan houses one is ours and one is Kenyan. I bet you know which one is ours! We have a poinsettia tree, a banana tree, and a mango tree here on the compound!
This experience does come with a blessing for we are very comfortable going anywhere in town, walking in any of the markets, and talking to people. We are asked quite often about our little black missionary tags and that brings an opportunity to share the gospel. Here are pictures of two Kenyan houses one is ours and one is Kenyan. I bet you know which one is ours! We have a poinsettia tree, a banana tree, and a mango tree here on the compound!
ELDER BABCOCK'S NEW BABY
Elder Babcock's new baby is a white, 4-wheeled, 4-door, turbo, Isuzu, diesel truck! We need one because you should see some of the roads we drive upon! Every one of our days is an absolute adventure. He drive likes a pro on the left side of the road.
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