Homecoming
A short tale of feeling welcomed
As our vacation was ending, we were not looking forward to facing the logistical nightmare which is getting home. First, we needed to get ourselves and all our bags (numerous shopping bags from numerous trips) to Ngong. From Ngong, we hoped to get a spot on a matatu or bus that would then leave sometime for points west.
Step one was made easier by Jacob volunteering to drive us to Ngong. We were even able to buy a new LPG cylinder and have Jacob put it at the MCC office where Ron can bring it to Najile later. We were at Ngong by 1:30 and considered ourselves quite lucky.
Step two was to find a matatu and then burn time until it left. Fortunately, I had called our partners and was able to meet with them at their office. This impromptu meeting came after failing to meet for 3 consecutive weeks of various mishaps. Sometimes planning just isn’t as effective as God’s grace.
Steph went ahead and toured Ngong market for our last food items, and reserved a spot on a bus to leave at 430. At 4:05 she called frantically telling me the bus was ready to roll away. I walked/jogged from the MIDI office with my hands full of bags to the bus stop and made it just in time.
Our ride was uneventful if not bumpier than a wooden roller-coaster. We were in Najile by 6:30 just as it was getting dark and were wondering whether to walk from the town centers (a 20 minute walk) or try to get the bus to drop us closer to home (it stops pretty much anywhere along its “route”). We were again blessed by the bus conductor who actually brought us most of the way home, even going a little out of his way for us.
We felt our way through the dark to our house and got home with a sigh of relief. It was 7:00pm and we were already home! As we started to unpack, we got a knock on the door. We both internally groaned as we didn’t really want to interact with anybody at the moment. Steph goes to the door and finds two farm caretakers who live next door, looking to make sure that it was us who had turned on the lights at our house. One guy even came with a club, ready to beat off any robbers. This sign of caring was truly touching, and made us feel more at home than any goat slaughtering could.
Throughout the day we felt like part of a community. We got things done when we could, and let each moment determine what our next step would be. Throughout the day, God was with us and reminded us that while our family and friends are thousands of miles away, we are still home here, and He is happy we are here.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
R&R
Rest
This past week we took a much-needed vacation, staying with friends in Nairobi Tuesday through Friday. It was a great time of relaxing, buying up things only available in Nairobi and eating lots of good food.
One highlight was a thanksgiving meal on Thursday. In honor of the many Mennonite Canadians (none of whom were available, ironically) in Nairobi we had a Canadian Thanksgiving meal with chicken, stuffing, guava sauce (like apple sauce), beans, and much much more. We started the meal with the traditional, “name one thing you’re thankful for” to which I said, “I’m thankful for popcorn, ice cream and chocolate chip cookies, things that remind me of home.”
The meal was excellent, and truly took me back home. There’s something about the combination of foods, eating with friends, and an attitude of thanks that make thanksgiving meals seem like home to me. Like very few other things, Thursday night made me feel like I was home. Later, after the pumpkin, chocolate, apple, and peanut butter pies, we had a hymn sing. Our family used to always gather around the piano, dragging my brother or me in to play before we finished for the day.
As much as New Tripoli, PA will probably always be home for me, one meal made Nairobi seem not so far away.
Favorite Things of Our Nairobi Vacation:
1. Buying many new things (like a sweet printer for under $100)
2. Eating eating and eating. We had ice cream multiple times, a thanksgiving meal, plus our first experience of Diamond plaza, an Indian food court with excellent selection.
3. Sterns driving us around. Jacob and Alvera pretty much picked us up wherever we were, making numerous logistics easier.
4. Access to unlimited internet
5. Good conversations with friends
6. Crossing off multiple things from our to-do lists, something nearly impossible in Najile.
This past week we took a much-needed vacation, staying with friends in Nairobi Tuesday through Friday. It was a great time of relaxing, buying up things only available in Nairobi and eating lots of good food.
One highlight was a thanksgiving meal on Thursday. In honor of the many Mennonite Canadians (none of whom were available, ironically) in Nairobi we had a Canadian Thanksgiving meal with chicken, stuffing, guava sauce (like apple sauce), beans, and much much more. We started the meal with the traditional, “name one thing you’re thankful for” to which I said, “I’m thankful for popcorn, ice cream and chocolate chip cookies, things that remind me of home.”
The meal was excellent, and truly took me back home. There’s something about the combination of foods, eating with friends, and an attitude of thanks that make thanksgiving meals seem like home to me. Like very few other things, Thursday night made me feel like I was home. Later, after the pumpkin, chocolate, apple, and peanut butter pies, we had a hymn sing. Our family used to always gather around the piano, dragging my brother or me in to play before we finished for the day.
As much as New Tripoli, PA will probably always be home for me, one meal made Nairobi seem not so far away.
Favorite Things of Our Nairobi Vacation:
1. Buying many new things (like a sweet printer for under $100)
2. Eating eating and eating. We had ice cream multiple times, a thanksgiving meal, plus our first experience of Diamond plaza, an Indian food court with excellent selection.
3. Sterns driving us around. Jacob and Alvera pretty much picked us up wherever we were, making numerous logistics easier.
4. Access to unlimited internet
5. Good conversations with friends
6. Crossing off multiple things from our to-do lists, something nearly impossible in Najile.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
