Maybe later...
Mayfield Guesthouse - Nairboi,
I met Joe, a teacher and coach at
While I was still considering whether or not to take Joe up on his offer, I met Darla at a Mayfield breakfast. As the Mayfield trend goes, conversation centered around our work here on the continent. She spoke of her work with street boys in
Agape Boys' Ministry - Kisumu, Kenya
And while traveling with individuals one meets the previous day is not entirely commonplace or by most even suggested, I was very well taken care of and for that I am thankful.
The first four days were spent with Darla and her family, visiting and learning more about Agape, an outreach center and boarding school serving street boys in
- It is a small, small world... Darla, her family and I also visited a baby home in Kisumu. While there, I ran into a fellow AIMer I met last January in
I left Darla and her crew or rather, she left me, at the sports center in Kisumu. I had been instructed to meet Joe there between the hours of twelve and five. He promised to be easy to find, as the only white male present, and I couldn't imagine that an African football field could be all that crowded. So with that in mind, I assured Darla that I would be fine, stepped out of the car, into the sports park and away from my only Kenyan contact. I was surprised to find not only one, but two VERY crowded football fields at the Kisumu sports center. Fortunatly, us mzungos stick out like sore thumbs and after asking only a few spectators, I was directed right to the guy.
Three days were spent with the Suba Lakers Football Team. Most of the girls on the team come from broken homes, foster families and/or economically stressed households. Many are students at Christ Gift Academy and oh, did I mention, these little ladies can play some football! Both the Senior and Junior teams won first place in the weekend's tournaments. For me, the best part of the weekend came when the Junior team scored their winning goal in front of hundreds of cheering fans on the main football field Kisumu. Hearing their names and each play by play announced over the loud-speaker was so exciting!
These girls are not only learning how to play football on the Suba team. They are learning something about themselves, they are learning who they are in the Lord. Beautiful women of Christ.
African Travel: Five adults, 14 teenage football champions, 19 backpacks, two trophies and one trusty Land Cruiser.
Lake Victoria Ferry - En route to Mbita, Kenya
I spent about five days observing elementary classes, working with small groups of students at CGA and getting a general feel for the Mbita area. After visiting and working short term in several schools here in Africa, I can boldly say that
I couldn't believe the quality of her penmanship, she was only about four years old!
She could have taught my 2nd graders back in the states a thing or two.
I traveled to the
I spent a week on the
I had the opportunity to observe an adult English lesson, visit several
Strangely, I was surprised by the unity the Islanders experienced throughout this time of communal fasting and by the joy they shared in their feasting.
I am, once again, at Mayfield Guesthouse (the closest thing to home sweet home these days). Yesterday, I said goodbye to my Didinga teammate Tianne and after seeing Bill off to his new assignment with TIMO setup this morning, I am left alone.
Walking to Java House this morning, Bill and I were in agreement, we just can't believe that our team won't be reconvening, boarding a caravan and flying back to the Hills. Sipping our lattes, under the electric lights of this modern world, we speculated how Abahbook spent his morning back in Didinga. This slipping in and out of worlds...
I never thought that it could happen, but I have grown weary of new landscapes. Craving a bed that I can call my own, I plan to stay with a generous family who has opened their home to me until the path ahead is clear. For, although the opportunity to teach at Christ Gift Academy in Mbita or minister in the Islands seem "perfect", I feel no peace at this time in accepting either offer. I need time to pray, I need time to rest, I need time to reflect. I need time to wait on Christ to show me the next step and I know that He will.
