Monday, January 9, 2012

Hello from Kenya



I am in Kenya with the family. Justin is the Executive Director of HaMoreh Ministries, which exists to mentor and equip Kenyan pastors. Through this ministry, several professors and pastors, as well as students and other ministry teams, travel to Africa to teach in Kenya Baptist Theological College and other universities and seminaries. We also provide funding, computers, books, and other resources to these schools and pastors.

We are here for three weeks. Justin is teaching an Old Testament course, and I am teaching a few half-day public health seminars for his students. We are having a great experience. This was our first time to come as a family; Justin has been here twice before. Our hope is to make this a part of our regular life rhythm, with trips here once or twice a year. We are learning things on this trip that will make each successive trip easier. Such as... two year olds have tantrums. Did you know? And sunscreen is shockingly difficult to purchase in Africa.

The kids are doing amazingly well, actually. Considering the circumstances (they slept maybe 3 hours on the first overnight flight and then walked miles and miles in Paris, and that was just day one.), I would expect lots of whining and poor behavior, but they constantly surprise me. Such great kids. What a blessing.

This is the playground where we are staying. In case you thought we are roughing it or anything.



It is truly beautiful. Not quite tropical, hilly, and so green. We are staying at Brackenhurst, a Baptist conference center which shares a campus with the seminary.

The kids with their friends, Felix and Joshua. Their dad Linus is the Principal of the seminary.

Jonas fist bumping with some of the kids at church.

Our very first day in Kenya, we drove through some tea fields. When we stopped and got out, children (their parents work in the fields and they live in housing there) came swarming out to see us. I think maybe they had seen some white people before...maybe once or twice...but not much. They couldn't stop patting Betty's hair :) Jonas and Betty took it in stride, jumping right in to make friends. Betty learned some songs and games from the girls, and Jonas was climbing trees and chasing cats with the boys in no time. Some things are universal I suppose; no Swahili translation needed.



This is the first cottage we stayed in; we've since moved to a larger one with a kitchen but I don't have a picture to show you.

This is out of order, but you don't mind, do you? We took an extended layover in Paris on the way here, to break up the flight. It was COLD. Paris is beautiful, but we Texans will enjoy it much more in spring or summer.









Please keep us in your prayers!