Catching Up!

Good morning! It's about 11AM on Tuesday, June 19th,. and I get to blog again! 

My favorite internet "cafe"

The scheduled visits and ministry that Pastor Benard Mose has planned for my time here, as well as a number of unexpected stops along the way each day, hasn't left me much opportunity for blogging. At this point it's averaged out to be once a week. I apologize for this blog being such a bust at this time.

When I have been able to blog, computer speeds have been an issue, especially when it comes to uploading photos. Today I've been to two internet cafes due to speed/uploading/downloading issues. Benard has a laptop given to him by a gracious donor in the US which from time to time, as funds allow, he is able to utilize to access the internet from his room (through a little, portable mini-modem of sorts), but I haven't attempted to see how it would work.

Relaxing in Benards's room after a day of ministry

I've also realized that I'm writing a blog, not a book, and so I will need to keep my entries brief until I get home. With 17 days behind me, over 500 photos taken and close to 3 hours of video recorded, it is obvious that even my lengthy blog entries haven't related all that I've experienced.

Here's a quick synopsis since I last wrote:

I have been to the sites and shared with the people and the leaders of the Keera (3 days), Kiabugesi (1 day), Igorera (1 day), Riomoyo (quick site visit - a future time of teaching is coming), Nyondoche Ibere (3 days) and Kerobo (1 day) churches. Each place has been different: a couple of them requiring long climbs up very steep hills on foot or lengthy drives along rocky, rutty dirt (or mud if it has rained recently) roads. I hope to blog about each one separately.

Yesterday I had the privilege of sharing God's Word and lunch yesterday with over 2 dozen men, women and children either affected by (orphaned, widowed or caring for orphans) or infected with HIV/AIDS (including young adults and children), who gather to support one another and to encourage others in their respective villages to "step forward" instead of handling the disease and its stigma alone. 

Children, mothers, caregivers - affected or infected

 Today is more of a "rest" day for me (hence blogging) and there may be a time later this week when I get another time "off" to experience a game park with animals roaming about instead of in cages (like at Kisumu two weeks ago).

Speaking of, let me end this blog by sharing with you how a cat ate my hat at the Kisumu game park (zoo)!

Robert introducing us to Eve at the beginning

After seeing many different animals (mostly in cages) and some roaming free (like impalas and monkeys), Benard, our "guide" Robert, who came along side of us and took us all over the park, and I ended our time as we began it: at the cage of Eve, an orphaned leopard.

Robert thought it would be "fun" to use my hat to get the cat to come off of her perch and onto the fence. He waved it back and forth and sure enough down she came. Robert then waved it up and down which caused Eve to jump onto the fence, climbing up it a bit.

Eve enjoying my hat for lunch!

I then had the brilliant idea of trying to get Eve to pounce after my hat. Not so brilliant - Eve was quicker than me. She lunged for the hat, which I had waved too close to the fence, and grabbed hold of it with her claws, and then with her teeth, drawing it through the fence. Robert and I tried to pull it from her, but she was too strong and too determined. She pulled it all the way through, ripped the bill of the hat from the fabric and proceeded to chew and eat my favorite hat. All's we could do was laugh while taking pictures and video of the experience.

It's a good thing that I brought along a second hat, much like a safari-hat! I will be much more careful with any animals I encounter - caged or not!

Thank you again for your prayer coverage during the past couple of weeks and for the next 13 days!