Hospital

A good friend of mine's eleven year old brother has been in the hospital for the past week so I decided to go visit him yesterday. I was not prepared for what I saw and experienced there. My heart broke immediately when we arrived. It was weird because I see sick kids and people everyday when i am in Kibera but this day, I wanted to weep when I saw the physical state of the children and adults alike. My friend Abby took me on a tour of the hospital. We walked down the children's ward where she said that up to three people will sleep in a bed at a time. She told me how people will arrive at the front of the hospital at 6am and wait in line hoping to get a place where they can get treated...often times they are turned away. My tour continued as we walked down the HIV/AIDS ward, one side for women, one side for men. Some of the patience were literally skin and bones...I have never seen anything like it...I smiled at them as they watched the only white person in the hospital walk by...I felt so small because I felt like they felt like they were on display...I wanted to run inside and hug them all...or fall on my knees and cry. There have been many times that I have wished I was anything but white because of how i have been treated, but I have never wanted to blend in more than i did that day! Throughout the visit, my friend would say, "Mikey (her brother) will be so happy that a Mzungu (white person) has come to visit him." I know she was half-way joking but it gets really old when you can't just be looked at for who you are. Even though you are put on an invisible pedestal, you really feel so small because your value seems to lay in the color of your skin...It is something that I battle with at times but i know that I can't live feeling like that because then you would always have a guard up and not let yourself be loved or love others.

Though yesterday was a tough day I was also blessed beyond reason as I watched my friends' family come together and fight for one another. It was amzing to see every generation there at the hospital caring for eachother as they all cared for Mikey. Abby's sister, Ann, had been staying with Mikey the whole week, sleeping in the same bed as him and staying awake all night doing whatever he needed in order to be comfortable and keeping his fever down. Abby said that even the nurses do not care! She said that when they arrived they just put Mikey on a bed with no blankets or anything. The family asked the nurses for a blanket and the nurses said it was not their concern! That broke my heart. It was beautiful seeing everyone gather around and praying for Mikey. It was sad though because there was this Mama and her sick one year old boy in the bed next to Mikey who had been there for 2 months and no had ever come to visit them! Abby and our friend Hyda talked about taking time to come and visit these people who do not have anyone. They want to bring them mangos and spend time just being with them. That impressed me so much and I really want to do it with them!

We are so thankful that Mikey is doing so much better! Hopefully he will be home soon. This entry may seem disjointed and for that i apologize but i wanted to be transparent about what has been going on in my heart lately!

And, just for fun, I wanted to include some pictures of my friends and I at this wedding we were able to attend last weekend. They are all short-term missionaries that are serving all over Kenya.

Conference

Thank you all for the possitive responses concerning the pictures. I am so glad that you are able to see some now!

I just returned from a five day Missionary Conference at Rift Valley Academy in the Rift Valley. It was a fabulous time! Every year AIM has a spiritual enrichment conference for missionaries all over Kenya. It is amazing meeting new people and catching up with old friends. it is also very encouraging getting to hear everyone's heart for Africa and seeing how God has gifted everyone differently to serve in a wide variety of ways, for His glory!

The speaker was an American guy who had done missions in Africa almost ten years ago for I think ten + years. He was also a pastor in Alabama for a number of years. He was beautifully transparent as he shared about all the mistakes he made on the mission field as well as full-time mininstry. He talked about how he was always doing things for his own reputation and never really truly had a surrendered heart to the Lord, seeking His guidance and power in the ministry. He shared how he would beat people over the head with the Law, thinking he was ultra spiritual and being puffed up with arrogance because he was "spiritual" and others weren't. The destruction that this mentality lead to was tragic to his marraige, parenting, ministry, and personal walk with the Lord.

The Lord did a major work on his life as He opened the eyes of his heart and broke down the walls that he had so strategically placed around his heart. The major theme of the weekend was about the idea of Sonship. He expressed that the same Gospel that saved us is the same one that sanctifies us. Often times we forget the Gospel and begin to do things on our own strength and for our own selfish reasons. We have been saved by grace and are adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator of the universe. It is with this concept that we must frame our lives! Everything we do is by God's grace and for His glory. I wish I could accurately express in more detail what he had talked about but I am still processing through much of it myself!

It was a refreshing week. The desire of the coordinating commitee was that we would feel refreshed not only in our spirit's but also our bodies. They had min-massages set up that you could sign up for and they had someone doing manicures and pedicures. We had a lot of free time which was pivitol for some much needed time of quietness before the Lord and for being involved in a variety of sports and visiting with people.

I am so thankful for this week! So, tomorrow is back to work. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again because it feels like I have been gone for much longer than a week.

I hope all is well with you all! Miss you!

Promised Pictures!

Just wanted to let you all know that my dear friend Elf has taken it upon herself to set up her own blog by which she is taking advantage of the fast internet in Australia and posting a ton of pictures of our time in Kenya! I am so thankful that she so brilliantly thought of this. So, for those of you interested in seeing pics, just visit her blog. She said she will do her best to fill y'all in on some of the things we have done here. It is: sister-elf.blogspot.com Let me know if i have somehow given the wrong address...

Love you all!

Badai (later)

The Latest...

Wow! I cannot believe it has been so long since I have updated you all. Let's just say, between being sick two weeks ago for three days and having issues getting logged into my blog, it has been difficult to write an update.

So, without further ado, I will try and fill you in...

As I said earlier, I got really sick about two weeks ago. I am thankful that it was the first time since I have been here that I have had to stay home from work because of illness. I would have to say, one sickness in three months is not bad! Apparently I had an ameba (sp?) but I do not know for sure because I didn't go to the hospital. My supervisor is a nurse and so she just diagnosed me via my symptoms (one of which was looking like I was 5 months pregnant! No lie!) and got me some meds which seemed to do the trick! The amazing thing about getting sick is that you realize how much you take being healthy for granted! The other thing I learned through being sick is that you become more aware of how little control you actually have over your life. There is nothing like being violently ill to make you feel completely out of control. It is comforting to know that the Lord truly is over ALL and He ultimately has the first and the last (and everything in between) say in our lives!

Besides being sick, things have been pretty normal. However, I am getting really sad because Elf is leaving to go home in two weeks! I know that her family and friends miss her (as she misses them too!) but selfishly I wish she could stay...or maybe another option would be to clone her! I have learned so much from that woman and God has used her in a mighty way to radically transform me. I am so thankful for her and I know that wherever she goes she will be a blessing and a vessel of TRUTH to all who come into contact with her. Please pray for me as I process her leaving...Also, please pray for Eva and me. The dynamics here will no doubt change as Elf leaves and so we need prayer to be considerate with one another and to adjust in a way that is unifying and glorifying to God. We will also be moving into another house at the beginning of December.

On a happier note, I have the opportunity to do a couple of really fun trips with Elf before she leaves. At the end of this week, Elf, Eva, our friend and co-worker Melissa, and I are traveling with one of our Kenyan co-workers to his up-country home for the weekend. Everyone in Nairobi has an up-country home, where they are originally from. I believe there are over 42 tribes represented in Kenya and so everyone has a home of origin depending on what tribe they come from. For example, our friend Dennis is from a tribal group called Luho (sp?) and his up-country home is about an 8 hour bus drive from here. It probably would not take 8 hours if the roads here weren't so bad. We are really looking forward to seeing a different part of Kenya and meeting our friend's family...and of course, eating all the guavas we can manage!

Once we arrive back in Nairobi, Elf and I leave the next day for our vacation! Elf really wanted to make sure she had an opportunity to travel a bit before she went home because there is no telling if she will come back to Africa. Originally we wanted our vacation to be Elf, our friend Melissa, and I but our supervisor did not want more than two of us off work at once. So, Elf decided that she wanted to go with me since it is my half way-ish point. We are going to a remote island, where there are no cars, called Lamu...feel free to Google it, it is such a cool place! We will be staying at a little hostel there just meters from the water. We are looking forward to relaxing on the beach, reading, exploring, and just spending some last-minute quality time with each other. It's weird because realistically speaking, this probably will be the last time I see Elf...ever. It's funny how life works like that. You meet people all over the world and often times they are just in your life for a season, yet their impact will last a lifetime.

I am glad I was able to fill you all in what has been and will be happening. I won't be back in Nairobi until the 11 of November, so it might be a while until you hear from me. However, after going up-country and to the coast, I will have much to share in my next newsletter! Please pray for safety on the roads and for health so that we can fully enjoy these once-in-a-lifetime experiences! Thank you so much.

Until next time!

Signs, Phrases, Isms and Comic Relief!

The girls and I have been wanting to write down all of the funny signs we have seen throughout our time here. There are also so many different phrases that we have come across that mean one thing here and then mean a completely other thing back home! So, Elf, Eva and I sat down and compiled a list of random, funny things that we wanted to share with you all back home! The list is not exhaustive but I hope you have fun with them!

1. "A test you will never forget."- Found on a menu in an Ethiopian Restaraunt describing an item of food.

2. "The Exciting Hotel."- A name of a hotel we saw on the side of the road.

3. "Flashing." For example, "Flash me."- A phrase used when you call someone and hang up. This technique can be used to give your friend your number but is most often used when you do not have any credit on your phone and so you call your friend, hang up and then they will call you back...this way your friend has to pay for the call and you don't.

4. "The Scrape Shop."- A store in Kibera that sells questionable goods!

5. "Sorry." -What people say to you in just about any adverse circumstance. It is especially used if you are walking on the street and you trip. Everyone around you will say, "sorry." It is kind of nice because though it is completely pointing and laughing worthy, no one does!

6. "Take Care."- Advise given just after you have hurt yourself or if there is the potential that you might hurt yourself.

7. "Poa" (Po-ah).- A shang (slang) phrase that apparently means "good" but is definitley an appropriate response to any question or greeting. When in doubt, say, "poa."

8. "Jolly Escort."- Name of a matatu (public transportation) we saw on our trip to the safari. All matatu's have names across the front of them. They are very personalized to the driver. Here is my question for the day, "If you were a matatu, what would your name be and why."

9. "Maybe I like that."- A phrase that one of our good friends uses to mean he really likes something. He never says definite "yeses" to anything but now we know he means, "yes" when he says, "maybe."

10. "Missionary Fashion".- When Elf and I first arrived we made it our goal to reach the highest level of missionary fashion. This ever-growing, envy of all, fashion is characterized by ankle-length skirts, over-sized t-shirts with no brand names, knee high athletic socks, and tennis shoes. Elf and Eva achieved the highest level of this fashion last week when they purchased straw hats equipped with an elastic chin strap and flower! They purchased them in order to keep the sun off thier faces and the chin strap was necessary in case the wind were to make them fly off thier heads! The key to missionary fashion is always to remember function over fashion!! And of course, don't forget your petticoat (slip that you wear under your ankle-length skirt)! You too can join the many missionaries around the world by bringing this fashion to your own home town! You will be the envy of all of your friends and do not be surprised (if you are single) if you recieve endless proposals for your hand in marriage!

I believe i will stop there! We hope that you enjoyed a little window into our lives here in Kenya. I promise you, if we could not laugh, i think we might go crazy! I am so thankful for these girls that never cease to keep me laughing!

As Requested!

Here are some pictures! I tried to upload more than this but it was just taking too long! These are just some random pics of some random times with friends and kiddos! I know there are not a ton but i hope you enjoy them! I'll try and put some more on later!

Lessons in the Storm!

Contemplation has been the state of my heart and mind lately as I have been processing much of what the Lord is teaching me…about myself and others. I wanted to share some tidbits with you all.

I want to share one story and tell you a couple of the things that I have been learning.

You will find that the story explains the title of this entry. It was a Wednesday. On Wednesdays we have what is called School Evangelism. This is when we go to different schools (secondary schools) and have a chapel-like meeting. We sing worship songs, the youth do some presentations/testimonies (I am finding this to be a regular occurance in any church-based youth gathering), and then someone from our program shares from the Word. We arrived around 4pm and not too long after that it started to rain. Rain in Nairobi is on a whole other level than anything I have ever experienced. You do not even see it coming and then, out of nowhere, it absolutely pours! More often than not, the rain leaves just as abruptly as it came. So, for it to begin raining out of nowhere was nothing we are surprised of.

However, this Wednesday was a completely different story and we honestly had no idea what was in store! We made it through the songs and presentations without having to talk too loudly in order to be heard over the rain on the tin roof. It came time for the Word to be shared…it began to rain harder…and harder…and harder! Melissa, the girl who was sharing was literally screaming the message! It was a bit ironically funny because she was teaching on the passage where Jesus and the disciples where on the boat in the raging storm and Jesus was sleeping in the stern of the boat. The disciples were absolutely terrified but Jesus had to only raise His hand and the waves and winds ceased. I thought it was quite the realistic effect as she taught us about trusting Jesus…even in the storms…

Even after concluding the message, it was still raining like crazy! At one point, the wind was becoming so increasingly strong that the roof about blew off! The kids ran into the room next door, so fearful, hoping to find some better shelter. Admittedly, there was a point where I was really scared as well but I knew I had to stay calm. The storm became increasingly worse when we looked outside and saw HAIL!! I honestly could not believe it! I was dumb-founded as the water on the dirt-based streets came rushing down the hills like Niagra Falls!

After about 15 minutes of “waiting it out,” I began to see something in me that I was not particularly impressed with! As the Lord revealed it to me I became quickly convicted and to be quite frank, disgusted with myself! When it didn’t look like the storm was going to let up anytime soon, there started to be talk about us having to stay in Kibera for the night. Granted, it could have been in a joking way…or not…whether it was or not I’ll never know…but what I do know is what my initial reaction was to this statement. My mouth testified to my heart as I found myself blurting out, “No!” All I could think about was how badly I wanted to go home. Thoughts like, “I am hungry…I am wet…I am cold…I am tired…I just want to go home, I do not care how I get there…” began running through my heart and mind.

I could sense the Holy Spirit speak very clearly to me as these thoughts began to take over…”What if you did have to spend the night in Kibera?...What is wrong with that? Almost every person in this room lives here every day…They will leave this cold, wet, room and go to another one…Maybe they will eat tonight and maybe they won’t and all you can do is think about showering, getting dry, and eating chapatti (my all time favorite Kenyan dish!)…

I wanted to break down then and there!! How selfish could I be?!? I was broken! As God was internally rocking me, I could not help but look around and see the faces surrounding me…at this point, not worried about what would happen but instead enjoying one another’s company…laughing, chatting, and just being…

Eventually we decided to make the crazy trek back home. Our Kenyan friend, Dennis selflessly gave me his hooded sweatshirt to wear because I came completely unprepared. I had no idea of what the seemingly beautiful day would bring…a true gentlemen he was! You would not believe it if I told you what the walk back was like! I have never seen so much water…well, mud at this point…Elf and I were following Dennis’ footsteps, trying to stay as dry as possible but to no avail! As I focused on the ground, I could not help but notice other people’s feet. It was amazing that there were women in nice sandals and their feet were looking absolutely immaculate! I promise you, the Kibera residents must have feathers for feet because no matter what the weather is like, their shoes and feet always look like they have definitely NOT just walked through the mud! By this time, my heart was becoming lighter, especially as I managed to look up from my ever-so-focused walking to see smiles on everyone’s faces! It was if to say, “hey, we are all in this together, and it is not that serious!” I tell you, there is nothing like a storm (whether a physical one or a figurative one) to bring a community together! It was really beautiful! Unity and camaraderie at its prime! I would have to say that the highlight of my trip home was when we were walking up the hill to the main street and the water was literally forcefully rushing down, making a knee-high puddle at the bottom. There were people in a single file line on either side of the mud river, maneuvering around the shops that line the hill. Then, I could not believe my eyes, all of a sudden a man (one man) hauling a cart (one that they use to cart around water jugs, corn or pineapples) full of PEOPLE comes barreling down the middle of the water-fall like stream! There were at least 8 people in the cart that this man was carrying. Dennis told us that he will make a lot of money doing that. Supposidly, if he works for a half an hour he will make about 500 shillings (roughly only about $7.50). Work is work and you do what you have to do to make money. It was crazy!

So, there you have it…an insight into the mind and heart of Shayla…like I have said before, it is a scary place but it is a place that I long to be constantly changed and transparent in. It is my prayer that at the end of the day God will receive all the praise and honor! Thanks for taking the time to read, I hope your heart has been challenged as mine is every day!

Here is a PHOTO (I finally got it to work...it just takes patience!) of Elf, Dennis and I after we returned home! It is an awful photo but definitely encapsulates the day!

Still Trying!

I was finally able to get my computer to the internet cafe in hopes that I would be able to upload pictures for everyone! I can't believe that you guys have not seen ANY pictures yet!! I am frustrated with you! So, I got here and was on my way to upload the pictures and things were looking so promising but it is just taking FOREVER to upload them! I will definitley be trying again next week! If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

So much has been going on lately and I have so much to fill you all in on but I think since we have rapidly approached another month, I will save all the updates for my newsletter! I am planning on sending the newsletter off next week!

Okay, friends, unfortunately I have to go, Elf and I have grocery shopping to do! I love you all so much and miss you dearly!

Until next time!

Highlights!

Hello good people! I was thoroughly disappointed when I came to the internet cafe last week and was unable to get online due to the extremely slow internet server...such is life though. But, because of not being able to update you last week, i have a lot to catch you up on. So, get ready, this may potentially be a fairly lengthy entry (i know, all my entries tend to get lengthy easily) but i hope you enjoy it!

After re-reading the entry i wrote last time, i got to thinking, " wow, these people probably think I am having a horrible time and am constantly in a state of discouragement." While, i want to be honest with you all about the challenges I come up against, I also want to be balanced. So, with that in mind, I want to take time to fill you all in on some of the highlights of my time so far and all the things i am exceedingly grateful for!

It seems like i have to think back as far back as 3 or so weeks ago because I do not even think I have told you all about the safari Elf and I were able to go on. About three weeks ago our supervisor had visitors from New Zealand here for about 10 days. They had planned on going on safari but since there were only 3 of them our supervisor asked if we would like to come along. We excitedly jumped on the opportunity! It was just a day trip up to a place called Nakuru National Game Park. Nakuru Game Park is known for the massive amounts of flamingos that cover nearly half of the the lake at the park. It was incredible! We were able to see animals like rhinos, buffaloes, lions, giraffes, and zebras; among many species of birds! Not only was amazing to see all the animals but it was just incredible to get away and be out in more of a country-like place. It was gorgeous! The roads getting there, however, were a different story. It really actually made me laugh how bad the roads are and how the drivers compensate for them, and for one another! It amazed me that there were not more accidents. It is interesting because even though it seems from the get go that people are impatient and just want to get where they are going no matter what, they are actually really considerate. I don't know, that might not make sense, but that is how i perceive it!

Another thing that Elf and I are so thankful for are the friends that God has allowed us to make through the family we have been staying with. It has been fabulous having various people to talk to, learn from, and get to know; even outside of Kibera. The friendships that have been being established I am confident will be ever growing ones. One of the things we were able to do with some of our friends the other week was to go ice skating! I know, I can honestly say that I didn't think I would be going ice skating in Africa! I barely go ice skating in the States! It was so much fun!! Again, it was just so great to do something out of the ordinary and get to know other people as well! The people we went with (mainly the kids of family we stay with) are so much fun and we all have a great time laughing and getting to know each other better! Please pray that our friendship with them would be continually built and grounded in the Lord!

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to a wedding! We have been invited by our family to go to at least three but since we usually have to work all day on Saturdays we have had to decline every time. So, we re-arranged our schedules just so we could go because we have been wanting to go to one for a long time! The problem presented itself when we did an inventory of the clothes that we brought and realized that indeed, we are missionaries and have nothing to wear to a wedding! With that in mind, we had to do an emergency shopping session in which we had to buy "wedding appropriate" clothes on a missionary budget! Thankfully, we were able to pull something together, and I think besides the fact that we were two of three wazungu at the wedding, we fit in fairly well! It is amazing what a nice pair of shoes can do for a very plain outfit! We had a blast at the wedding! There was amazing food (MEAT!! which we don't get that often), great music, great company, and even though there was probably over 20 speeches (4 of them being for the cake cutting), the cake was well worth the wait as well!

We begin moving out this weekend and though we are so sad to be leaving our family, we are not far away from them and will plan on stopping by for chai at least once a week...we will miss them so much! However, we are looking forward to moving into our new place even though we have little time to move and so much to do for the process. I would have to say that the two main highlights of our new house is...drum roll, please...our coffee maker (that is already there) and our washing MACHINE!! I honestly did not think that they had washing machines here! It is a small one, but will most definitely do a better washing job on my clothes than my hands! Basically my hands just make sure they smell clean but whether they are clean or not, that is the question I choose not to answer myself:) We should be all moved in by Monday so please pray that we are able to get stuff moved in quickly and make the house a home! It is a bit cold and not very homey yet. We also pray that God would use it as a place of solace for all who enter it! We are also hoping that we can have many people over for chai and such. I am praying that we will not be so secluded that we miss out on all the relationships I long to see grow!

Lastly, we are going to the coast this next weekend with two gal friends we met through our family! We are thrilled! Our friend, Lynn's mom, is having her 60th birthday party and she has invited us to come along! I have heard amazing things about Mombasa so i will fill you in on all the details!

Hopefully soon, i will get over my computer illiteracy and get some pics on here, but we will see:)

I hope all is well! Miss you all very much and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Oh, i want to start putting down my new favorite kenyan phrases. My one for the past couple of weeks is the word, "imagine." Basically, you would say it in like a, "can you believe it?" sort of phrase. But, you can also use it just about any time...for punctuation! It's pretty great!

Okay, that is all for now! I hope it was not too long-winded!

Pictures....???

Hello!! Wow, I feel so loved when I get on my blog and see how many of you comment!! THANK YOU!! Sorry, though that i have not updated this in like a year! It really feels like that anyways! We are only able to get to an internet cafe once a week at this point and so I am trying to get around to emailing you all individually too and also write updates. It can take longer at times than anticipated because the internet can be slower at times than others.

So, I am going to attempt to post some long-awaited pictures today! Elf helped me to downlowd some pics to her ipod (she is much more computer savvy than me) so I am going to try and see if i can get them posted for y'all!

But, first, i will give a quick update. Things have been really good here. Today is the first week of our new schedule. We have decided to take Mondays off, so that means we will basically have all of Sunday and all of Monday off. Let me tell you, it has been wonderful! It is amazing what a day off can do for the body and soul! I am so thankful that we are beggining to look at what our schedule will look like. Since Elf and I have different areas of focus we will be trying to work out a schedule that will be convenient for everyone. For example, we are not allowed to walk into Kibera alone so we have a member of the staff come and pick us up and walk us in, so, now, with our new schedules we will have to find a way to make it convenient for him so he is not going back and forth all day long.

I am thanking the Lord because now that I am becoming more familiar with Kibera and the people there, I am seeing so much beauty there! I love being down there with the people! It has been incredible getting to know people and to be able to see people you know when you walk down the streets. We visited an orphanage on Saturday for HIV/AIDS orphans that is run by a Kenyan woman we know and that was incredible. I broke down! I can't explain it, God has been giving me an overwhelming love and passion for children lately...especially the orphans. Both Elf and I are hoping to be involved there at least once a week. Elf, doing some health eduacation for the mom's (there are some mom's that live there with thier infected children) and I will probably just help wherever the need is; playing with them and loving on them!

One thing that has been difficult being here, and it really hit me when i was in the orphanage is the whole idea of America being the place that can solve all your problems and that has all the money to make all your problems go away. This idea has been suttle and not-so suttle since i have been here as we get called Wazungu (white people) all day long and often asked for money. It really hit me hard when we were at the orphanage and the children were singing us songs, led by the Kenyan who runs the orphanage. They started singing this one song and I thought I was hearing the words wrong at first because it said something like, "America, America...a very happy place...America, America...where all your dreams come true." That is a paraphrase but that was the jist of it! I wanted to throw up! It is just difficult because this is such an erroneous mentality but it has been engrained from so far back, so I know it is not thier fault! It is hard because as a Mzungu, you sometimes feel as though people talk to you because of what they think you have to offer, money wise or even a ticket out and to America. I really have to pray through this because I know the Enemy would want to use this to bring division and leave me distracted to the task at hand and that is CHRIST...PERIOD! I need to love regardless of how i think people are percieving me because if i let this mentality filtrate into my being, I will miss out on growth as a result of and with those people who do not feel this way! And, hopefully by building relationships I can help to eleviate this cycle! Please pray for me!

So, there is an update! Now, I will attempt to post some pictures..they might be title-less for now but I will explain more later!!

UMMM..YEAH...I cannot figure this out...I have serious problems! I am so sorry! What will probably need to happen is that I will have to take my laptop to an internet cafe closer the house we will be moving into in 2 weeks. I know how to do it that way! Sorry to get your hopes up, I was all excited too! Thanks again for the comments, I treasure them because I treasure y'all!

Until next time, Kwaheri (Good-bye)!

An Update

I don't have a whole lot of time to update but i wanted to fill you all in on the happenings here. Today was the conclusion of my orientation. This week was full of Kiswahili lessons, moving into my homestay, taking the matatu (the taxi-type public transportation) for the first time, learning as much as you can about cross-cultural relations, and going into Kibera (the place where I am going to spending the majority of my time) for the first time.

I have loved every moment of all these various angles of being here though they have not been easy. Kiswahili is going well. It is difficult to learn another language and maybe even more difficult since most of the people here do not speak it in public. The official language of Kenya is English so most of the people speak English. However, Elf and I really want to learn as much of Kiswahili as possible so that we can show in another way that we care to learn and that we are not expecting the Kenyans to adapt to us but we, coming into their country, need to learn to adapt as much as we can to them. It is all part of bridging gaps and building relationships. The pivotal and vital aspect to the Kenyans (and I think it should be for all of us) is the idea, and reality, of relationships. So, with this in mind, if Elf and I can find as many ways as we can to build into relationships we can gain trust within these relationships and hope to be a source of encouragement pointing to the One who is our encouragement and hope as well...Jesus!

My homestay family is amazing! They are absolutely a riot! They make me laugh constantly! They have hosted a lot of short term missionaries so they are definitely a great resource for us when we have questions about things, etc. They have three young adults (ranging from 22-27) staying with them at the moment. In Kenya, since relationships are so important, hospitality is a very big deal. My homestay BaBa (kiswahili for father)says, "there is always room for one more..." That makes me smile!

Elf and I are LEARNING to be good Kenyan housewives. We are trying to make sure we are in the kitchen when the chapatis, the ugali, and the chai are being made so when we are living on our own (in 5 weeks)we are not un-hospitable when visitors drop by (which is pretty much expected). It is crucial to have a thermos ready for chai when people come over or you will be seen as un-welcoming. We have discovered that we have an amazing capacity for chai because you are expected to drink it whenever you go to someone's house, even if you just came from someone's house and had it there. We (and by that I mean me because Elf already knew how) are also learning to hand wash all our clothes. It is very pathetic when I think that I have never really had to hand wash my clothes. You learn to do it more often though because you can only do so much at once and it takes a while to dry especially when it is as cold as it has been lately. We are also learning to bath in a bucket in cold water! We are hoping to get running water in the next couple of days since we have not had it since we have moved in. The neighborhoods go through a cycle of sorts where you have two days off of water so as to conserve it. We get the water we use to bath in out of a massive conservation bucket outside our room...we are not sure where that water comes from but know we must boil it to drink it...we assume it just miraculously appears when it gets low:)

Yesterday was our first time to Kibera. Basically, we just spent the morning there, doing some home visitations with the staff of the organization we will be working with. I am still processing through my initial thoughts and feelings of yesterday...It is one thing to do research about a place, see all the pictures and hear all the stories and then quite another thing to go there and look into to the faces of people, hear the beautiful, excited voices of the children, smell the smells that words cannot describe, and learn the names and begin to start to know the lives of the people there...It is something else. But, i will say, I am so thankful that God is a God that does not despise the broken and contrite in spirit and those that call on Him from a sincere heart. This is what I have been and am learning...Only He can give me the wisdom and strength and love and hope as I come to Him with this kind of heart and I can intern point people with the same heart to the Only true source of love and hope and peace. It is truly all about Him and for Him!!

Apparently, I had a lot more time to update than I anticipated, though I know I could write more. However, I will end here, thank you all for your comments on the Blog, it is encouraging to me in more ways than you can know! Thank you especially for your prayers...this battle we fight is not one of flesh and blood and I truly treasure those of you battling with me spiritually! Know that i think about you all often and would love to hear of prayer requests you have as well!

In Him and for Him,
Shayla

Habari!

It is my first officical day in Nairobi! I can hardly believe i am actually here!! Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if it is a dream or a reality. My roomate Elpspeth (she goes by Elf) and I attended a church this morning close to the place we are staying. We are staying at an AIM Guesthouse called Mayfield until Tuesday when we move in with our family. After talking to some of the college-aged members of the church this morning we found out that we should never greet someone with the term "Jambo." This is because it is a very touristy term and nobody really uses it. They said that people can take advantage of you if they hear you greet with Jambo because they know you are a tourist. So, instead, we are supposed to say, "Habari." Habari is literally translated as, "how are you...or...what is the news." In response you say, "Mizuri." Which means, "good."By the way i have no idea if i spelled either of those words right! I loved the church we attended this morning! The people were so hospitable and I loved how solid the teaching of the Word was! The pastor preached on Ephesians chapter one and how God, who loved us first, chose us from before time began to be His children! The Lord has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and we are so spiritually rich in Him.

Well, i would love to write more but lunch time is coming up and i want to share some photos with you all! So, here are some traveling photos and ones here in Kenya.

.....umm...yeah, i just tried to load my pictures and it is taking forever! The wireless connection is not that strong here but I will try again later!

I love and miss you all! Please pray for both Elf and I. We will be starting orientation this evening and then Kiswahili lessons tomorrow. Pray that she and I will have unity and know how we can be there for one another. Niether of us have any idea what is in store but we know whom we have believed and He is able to keep that which was committed and begun by Him...for His glory!! Pray that our time with the Lord will be a priotity and that we will be able to find somewhat of a schedule in the midst of a very unscheduled season of our life!

I will be in touch!

Sorry this entry is so scattered, it is a reflection of my mind at this juncture with jet-lag and the like:)

Friends!

The afternoon of the day I arrived in Pearl River, a group of about 8 college-age people from all over the country came to meet up as a group to leave as a team to a city in Uganda called Arua for one month. One of the girls was staying here for orientation and actually left yesterday for her individual assignment (one month also) to a small group of islands called Comoros (spelling?).

It was an amazing answer to prayer because coming here alone i felt very....well...alone. I know that God has planned this trip before I ever knew about it and I know that He goes before me and with me wherever I go but I am also aware (and thankful) that He has created us with a need for community and relationships. I am praising God because He provided for my need in this area through the group that was here!! It is crazy how you can know people for such a short amount of time and feel like you have known them forever. Unfortuantely...for me, not them:)...., they left this evening. I have to admit, I am a bit sad and feel a bit lonely. However, God does not stop with His provisions for me in this area!! A group of about 15 people (mainly married couples and one teenager) came in today! Though i reckognize it is not the same as the group I got close with, I am thankful that I will be traveling with them to Nairobi tomorrow and will have the opportunity and priveledge to get to them and thier hearts for Africa. They have already been very welcoming to me, and for that I am so thankful...it will take a bit of time for me to get to know them too, but i know we have at least a day of constant traveling together so I know it will be great...nothing like traveling to bring people close:)

Here are some pictures of the Arua Team and I hanging out. I hung out with them as they attempted to make balloon animals to use as methods to teach the Gospel and all kinds of other things!







Carolyn (the one in Comoros) and the puppet!



Tea with the Girls!



Some of us got tired, too:)




We are so professional in the big conference room..




Some of my favorite pictures in the office:






So, tomorrow is the big day! I am so excited but admittedly anxious about the unknowns and so forth. I do know, though, that this is exactly where I am supposed to be and in that I rest. I leave at 1:30pm for the airport and following a layover in London, will be getting into Nairobi Saturday night sometime.

I love you all so much and i will stay connected as I can!

Wireless...Hallelujiah!

I made it to New York! It was quite the trip. It was my first time ever experiencing a Red Eye flight. I can usually sleep really well on planes but the combo of travel anxiety and time changes, i was only able to sleep for probably two hours the whole trip. Needless to say, I was exhausted when I arrived at 6:30 this morning. Now, don't get me wrong, I would do a Red Eye again I just don't think I am the biggest fan! After arriving at the AIM conference center, I slept for a good 3-4 hours which was so needed...and might be added to this afternoon:) I was stoked to get a meal! The simple things in life...Since they don't feed you on the plane I hadn't eaten since dinner in San Fransisco. It was nice eating a hamburger meal with some of the staff here at AIM. Many of them were or are missionaries in Africa so it was neat to chat with them a bit about thier experiences....more to come I am sure.

It was so fun, too, because when I was in the airport I ran into my COUSIN David!! David is my cousin on my dad's side and I have not seen him in over a year! It was random (or not so random...) seeing him and so much fun!!!

I was thrilled when i turned my computer on in my room this afternoon and it picked up on a wireless connection!!!! It is sad to say but as excited as I was to eat and sleep (the real necessities of life), I was almost equally excited to have wireless!! Pathetic, I know! It is so nice to be able to get online and check email and update my blog!! Again, a simple thing in life we often take for granted...until we don't have it! I will say, I am thankful for internet so that I can stay connected with y'all! I mean, just a few minutes ago, I talked to my mom via Skype (an online phone system) for FREE...it really does not get much better than that:)

While i wait for oriention to start this evening, I will enjoy every minute of this update...pictures and all! Here are some pictures of my room at the conference center:






And, to fill you in on the stages up to leaving yesterday...Packing was quite the ordeal! Thankfully, my girls came to my house to save the day! Here are some funny pictures of us packing. It was hysterical trying to weigh my bags on a standard scale!! I also found some of these bags that you can vaccuum the air out of in order to save space...they pretty much changed my life!! Here are some before and after pictures of the process...it's hard to see in the photo the difference the vaccuum made, but I will not lie to you...they are amazing and I would highly reccommend them to anyone!








Well F&F (stands for Friends and Family...i think that is what I am going to start calling y'all..), I love and miss you all so much! Thank you all for your prayers. Honestly, I feel bathed in it! Please let me know how i can pray for you all! We are all on this journey together, just at different stages in it...we all need the Lord and one another...as a Family! I'll keep you posted as I hope to hear from y'all too!

Packing Progress...

I knew that packing for nine months would be a process but I really had no idea how much of a process it would really be! My friend Stephanie came over a couple of days ago from Portland to help me get organized, shop, and begin to pack. She left on Thursday (3 days ago) and I really don't think I have done much since she left! My mind is in a million other places and time, being the way it is, just has snuck up me like I could not believe! It is time to get serious! I leave TOMORROW, so i need to kick it into high gear.

Here are some pictures of this process so you can have an idea of what my life has been like the past couple of weeks. Also, Stephanie, my parents and I were able to take a packing break and go up to one of the spectacular cascade lakes in Central Oregon. Enjoy some of those photos as well:)









Family Photos:

We had a family dinner last week. Here are some pictures of us hanging out. My grandma has a doll that we call her baby. She carries her baby around, attempts to feed it, and cares for it as if it were her own. It is amazing how our minds get when we get older, she truley is like a young child now...it is very sad...She is so beautiful though, I love her so much.

Hellos and Good-Byes

As many of you know, my grandparents on my mom's side have lived in Brazil, as missionaries, for the past 50+ years. Needless to say, I have lacked the opportunity to really get to know them over the course of my life. I have been blessed to know about the godly legacy the Lord has planted through them, but have only a select few times had the priveledge to get to know them personally. The last six months my aunt (who is from here and lives with another aunt) has been down in Brazil caring for my grandma, while my other aunt and my mom were up here taking care of my grandpa. My mom traveled with my grandpa down to Brazil about a month ago and left him there in preperation for the big move of both my grandparents up to Bend, OR... permanately....a little bit different from Brazil. The main reason they have been moved here is that thier health (especially my grandmas) has begun to decline. Health care is much better in the States than in Brazil and with my grandma having alzheimers and my grandpa not being in the jungle going shape he used to be, it was best to bring them here. I have been able to spend some time with them the last week they have been back. I will not lie when i say it has been challenging seeing my grandma in the condition she is but when i look close into her eyes I see the grandma I knew at a time and love! It is interestng seeing she and my grandpa interact...in her eyes, he is the only thing that matters and the only one in the room...she is fixated on her husband of 55 years! Even though she is not all with it, it is a pretty beautiful thing...even when she is hitting at him and yelling at him. Here are some pictures of us hanging out at my aunts' house:









With that Hello, i had to say a Good-bye this weekend. My great friend from Moody and her husband moved to Portland after they got married last year. Her parents have a house boat out a lake near me so it worked out for me to go out for a night and spend some time with her and her family! It was so great and relaxing! We ate a bunch, visited, played spoons, and even had enough time to get out on the SeaDoo...and then break it...oops! Supposidly it was not our fault, but i am starting to wonder why I seem to be around when everything breaks:)

Aubrey and her husband Luke, had some exciting news for me when i was visiting. They found out that Aubrey is pregnant!! They are so thrilled and so am I!! It's crazy to think that they will have a little bundle of joy when i get back from Africa!

Here are some pictures of our weekend:

Eleven Days and Counting...

I can hardly believe that I am leaving in 11 days!! I am so excited about leaving but am also sad to be leaving my family and friends! The past couple of weeks I have been trying to be so purposeful with my time and trying to make sure I spend serious quality time with everyone before I leave. My sister, her husband and their two kids were down for my niece's first birthday two weekends ago. It was such a blessing because my sister and the kids were able to stay in Bend for an extra week! I had so much fun spending time with them! I cannot believe how old the kids are getting and how much they are learning and growing--It is going to be so weird seeing them 9 months from now--they will practically be teenagers by then:)

I have had the absolute privelege to mentor/disciple two amazing young women for the past almost one year!! We have walked together in a lot of areas of life and they have seasoned my life in incredible ways. I will miss them! They graduated from high school this year so we have all kind of worked through transition seasons together, too. For a little going away, last hoorah, we were able to go up to a cabin on Mt. Hood this past weekend. It was so much fun. We did everything from roasting marshmallows to hot tubing to baking our own dinner to even a randomly spontaneous day trip to Portland. We literally rolled out of bed to see my sister and the kids off (they stayed with us one night) and while we were about to head back to the cabin we decided to just drive to Portland. It was such a great time!! Unfortunately, it was so spontaneous that we didn't have our cameras with us, which would have been fun to have to catch the moment. We ate at a Lebonese restaurant, which was a new one for the girls. Needless to say, it was a memorable time.

Here are some pictures of the weekend!















So, there is a mini update with lots of pictures for you enjoyment:) I will keep you posted as time gets closer. Please pray for wisdom as I seek to use my time in a wise way! Thank you!