I'm Here

So is this day 4?  I'm not sure myself.  Friday I went to church and met with several people there.  I'll meet with Dr. Mungriria again on Thursday to go over what the school requires and try to match that with what the church needs.  I may be traveling around some.  They have several churches they have planted and want me to see.  I will likely spend much of my time with the youth.  

Everyone has been so nice to me.  I'm staying at the YWCA.  I have a nice room with a bed, a desk, and a closet.  The bathroom and showers are down the hall.  I feel like I'm back in the dorms from college.  The YWCA is across the street from Nairobi University so many of my neighbors are students.  There is a woman from St. Andrew's that lives there as well so I have someone to hang out with at night.  Her name is Nell and she is so nice to me.  She let me tag along with her to the cyber cafe I'm currently at.  She has been at the YWCA for 6 years and knows all the ins and outs of the place.  I have met so many people but she's one of the few who's name I remember.  

Friday I met with Mercy who is over the children's programs at the church.  She was putting together a retreat for the children's teachers and so I went out to Karen to check out retreat centers with her.  She has invited me to her house for dinner with her family sometime.  I hear she makes wonderful banana pancakes so I'm looking forward to it.  I may teach some of the primary kids on Sundays for her.  I don't have much experience with kids that young but I'll do what I can.  

Friday night I was invited over to Phyllis Byrd's house for dinner.  Phyllis is an American Minister who married a Kenyan.  She's an associate pastor at St. Andrew's and the PCUSA coordinator in Kenya.  She like to experiment on the American volunteers in Kenya so she may us a Middle Eastern meal.  It was so delicious.  She is big on people taking seconds but I did manage to sneak through with only one helping.  It was a good thing to as she had a wonderful cake and ice cream for us for dessert.  

Saturday I met Nkatha.  We went to a Java Something or other that had western food.  I was pleasantly surprised that I knew everything on the menu.  We had a wonderful time talking.  She is so outgoing and I hope I've made a long term friend.

Today I was introduced at church.  The service was very nice and long.  The service began at 8:15 and I think we got out around 10:30.  It was Women's Guild Sunday so it was interesting to hear what the Woman's Guild is and what they do.  One of the women preached and at the end called for people who wanted to make a commitment to Christ and one young man did accept the offer and we prayed with him as he accepted the Lord.  It was very touching to hear the man say why he wanted to come to Christ today.  After the service we took communion.  After that we had tea.  I was waiting in line and someone came up to me and said I should not wait in line as I was a first time visitor so he escorted me to the front of the line.  Special treatment still takes some getting used to.  So many people came up to talk to me after church.  Many said I'll see them in the church office while I'm working.  I hope they don't mind telling me their names again as I have forgotten most of their names already.  Everyone is just so nice and says my stay of three months is just too short.  I'm beginning to agree but I'll just have to come back.  

Well, I guess that's about it for now.  When I start work tomorrow I'll try to upload the pictures of my room.  I'll have Internet at work so I should be more regular in my posts but I hear there is a lot of work to be done so who knows....  I miss you and do think of you often.