Primary in Keyna

CHOOSE YE THIS DAY...

December 10th we traveled to Kitale to help the Senior Missionaries over CES facilitate a Seminary Activity for the Kitale area. They asked us shortly after we arrived here in Eldoret to do the same activity down in our area the next Sat, Dec 17th. I understand it is the first time for Eldoret to hold an activity like this. We had about 53 youth and about 25-30 youth leaders, plus the four branch presidents, and our 10 missionaries come. The students registered, received a neckerchief that was red, blue, yellow, or green. The color became their group to follow for the day plus the students followed a prophet dressed in the same color waving a flag with that very same color.

They had a “guess the scripture story by the picture” game to keep them busy until we had everyone registered. We had a great speaker come from Nairobi, Prince Omondi. He really was impressive. We played a scripture game by teams, they had a challenge to beat me in who can say the books of the Old Testament the fastest; none of them beat me but a couple came very close. We then broke into groups with each group having 15 minutes to prepare a drama presentation from the Old Testament. They had never done anything like this before so it was a bit rough but they came through. The groups performed for each other. Next activity was lunch Kenyan style. We all ate a banana, a large roll, and a soda pop. The afternoon gave each team a chance to rotate through volleyball, tug-of-war, dancing, and sack races. All of this was followed by a testimony meeting. The students loved the day. Many of the parents told us their children came home so happy. It was good for them to know there are other kids in the branches of Eldoret that believe and have testimonies. You see around here these kids take a lot of persecution from their peers and yet they still keep their testimony. It was a full day. I have been tired for a week!

SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER IN AFRICA...

We were asked to drive Pres. Kogo to Kitale to check on a break-in of one of the branch buildings. He invited his wife Alice and friend Esther so it was a picnic. We stopped so they could pick up a few items for Christmas dinner—3 huge sacks of maize, sacks of potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, onions, 2 live chickens and 1 live goat! All items were put in the back of our truck. Crazy. Esther started feeding him cabbage leaves and told us be nice to the goat because his days were numbered. The sad thing was when we got home the goat was dead. He must not have been able to take the bumpy rutted roads here or he strangled between the back of the truck and the bags of maize. Poor Alice said, “Oh our Christmas is gone.” Elder Babcock and I felt so badly for them, so the next day we went goat shopping. Yep, we bought a goat and I tied a big bow around his neck (apparently billy goats are better eating in case you ever need to know!) and we took the goat to our friends, Pres. Kogo and his wife. Only in Africa!! I do want you all to know I have no plans to learn how to prepare or cook a Christmas goat!

OVER THE TOP

We were invited to lunch last week to William’s Kipsang’s home, the PTA Pres of Kapsaret Primary School. We asked if we could share with him how we felt about the church and coming to do missionary work in Kenya. The family seemed to sincerely enjoy our message so we further asked if we could return and teach his family—he told us to come back on Sat (yesterday) and he would ask a few friends to hear the message with his family. We returned and the experience was “over the top”. There must have been 30 people in his small front room of his mud house. I would say 10-12 adults and the rest various ages of children.

Elder Babcock has created a PowerPoint Presentation for the 1^st discussion and we fired up both of our computers running on battery to share the discussion using many pictures. William translated for us—the spirit taught these people. They told us they would read our materials, pray about the information, and they all seem to want us to return. However, William would not set a date for us to return rather he wanted to talk with his friends and neighbors. He is involved as secretary to the AIC (African Inland Church) and it is going to be tough to break with that tradition. We are fasting for them today. The children were so very quiet, the eyes were so intent on our computers, everyone was listening, the lesson and scriptures that I have been studying just rolled out of my mouth with ease by inspiration. The Africans that five months ago would have frightened me so have became so dear to me. Oh how I want them to grasp the beauty of the restored gospel so they might have the truth in their life. One of William’s sons, Kevin, who is about 14 sat down by me and told me he had read our pamphlet we left a week ago at the home, he asked about Joseph Smith. I told him we would be talking about Joseph Smith today. As we were ready to leave he looked Elder Babcock straight in the eye and declared that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Such are the experiences we have continually in Africa. The follow up is tough or getting them to move farther but I pray we might return to this little village in the middle of nowhere for the next discussion.

Following the meeting at William’s home we were invited to his neighbors home, Helen and Solomon where Helen graciously greeted us. We were asked to take her daughter, Caroline Chepkwony (a hopeful Olympic Kenyan runner), a huge sack of maze and beans to the main road some six kilometers away. As we left the home and headed up the dirt road we met Caroline’s father Solomon and visited with him for about 10 minutes. We went up the road further and met Solomon’s brother Thomas and wife Sally. They are wonderful people who greeted up warmly and invited us back. Oh by the way Whitni & Brent, if you do swing a visit this way Caroline extended a running training session with you both. She runs about 18 miles six days a week!

This is just one half of the room.

Wow! We taught all these people in one little room of William’s mud home!

SOLAR DRYERS--A NEW CONCEPT TO SELF RELIANCE

One of our goals for January 2012 is to instruct, encourage, and teach gardening skills for self-reliance. We are working to complete a solar dryer for each of the branches. Elder Babcock has created a Shamba (garden) Introduction Power Point presentation for us to share in a Fireside for the branches.

From this.....

To this, SUCCESS!!

THE MISSIONARIES CAME OVER FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER

After church on Christmas Day the missionaries came over for Christmas Dinner. I must admit I quite surprised myself with a great Christmas Dinner in Kenya. We had turkey, potatoes, gravy, dressing, beans, Jell-O salad, several great raw green salads, fruit, rolls, cake and ice cream. It was even good. (But I missed pies from my girls!) Our African missionaries just were loving all the great food choices and one said, "This will be a Christmas to remember Sister Babcock!" One of our American missionaries said he was adopting me as a grandma for Christmas Dinner because it was a better dinner than his grandma makes!! I fixed Christmas Dinner for 11! They were great fun and left a great spirit in our home but I did not do much the next day except to try to organize the office. We are getting far too many files and piles!