Days are Getting Warmer

We haven't used our little heaters in about a week now.  The days are getting warmer though it still cools down at night, thankfully.  We don't have air conditioning but our flat stays really cool with all its cement and tile.  Plus we're on the ground level where the trees shade us.  So as it gets warmer and warmer, which we are assured it will do, I think our flat will stay nicely cool.  I still wear a sweater every day in the office but outside the sunshine is very intense.

I've been fighting a bad cold; they call it the "flu" here but I think it's really just a bad cold.  Now I've been very kind and I gave it to LeRon.  So now I am taking care of him like he took care of me for the past couple of weeks.  It's a nasty bug, whatever it is.  Everyone is coughing and they say it's just because it's so cold.

We've still gone into the mission office most days.  We've been getting ready for seven new missionaries to come -- one from Zambia and the others from the US.  Lots to do.  There's a lot to keeping track of all the missionaries to be sure they are safe and accounted for.  I had no idea till we came here.  Every night (did I say this before?) each companionship phones in to their district leaders who then report to their zone leaders who then report to the AP's (Assistants to the President) who then report to the President.  That way we know each missionary is safe.  Sister missionaries have to be in their flats by 6 p.m.  Elders (the young men missionaries) have to be in by 7 p.m. in Nairobi and by 8 p.m. in the rest of the mission.  Good to have rules!

Now for a few pictures . . .

The Karen Hospital is a very modern, up-to-date private hospital a 5-minute drive from where we live.  Many people who live in our compound work here.  If we ever have to go to the hospital, this is the place to go!  Many of the doctors are from India.  Highly intelligent and very well trained.

I look really stupid in this picture.  I'll tell you what it's about . . . Our former mission president, President Hicken and our immigration employee, (2nd from left) always did a "Masai jump" when work permits for missionaries came through.  Now that Pres Hicken has gone home, I told Dickens (our immigration employee) that I would do the Masai jump with him.  So then others got into the act, with Victor (2nd from right) one of our drivers, and Elder Arudo joining in.  You have to stand straight with your arms at your side.  Then you jump up as high as you can and down, take a break and do it again.  You should see the video of it.  It's hilarious.  I might try putting it on.  Elder Arudo says you also have to stick your chin out and make this grunting noise.  It was so funny.

Lots of hay for sale along the road side.  Lots of horses in this area.  They don't even shy for vehicles.

Notice the reddish dust on this plant.  These plants grow along the roadside and are constantly covered with the red dust that kicks up from pedestrians, bikers and even cars.

The yellow vehicle ahead is one of those cute 3-wheeled conveyances that act as very cheap taxis.  I bet they're awfully hot in the summer.  Click on the picture for a closer look. 

We work with Bishop Peter.  He is our employee who helps LeRon with housing for all the missionaries.  He's a great worker and we couldn't get along without him.  We had him and his family over for an evening of fun.  We taught them the "Chicken Dance," the "Bunny Hop," and the "Butterfly".  It was so fun.  Next to LeRon is Bishop Peter (who is really the Bishop of his Ward) holding his daughter on his shoulders, and his wife next to him holding their youngest daughter.  Next to them are Samuel and Hellen, their nephew and niece who also live with them.  Cute smiles, eh?

Here's Bishop Peter and his wife Pauline. 

And our neighbors, our little African grandchildren, came over and joined in the fun too.

Here's our neighbor Sammy with his two children, Joy and Prince.  They all had great fun dancing with us.

School children in Kenya have long days.  Often from 8 a.m. till 4:30 or 5 p.m.  They walk to and from school.  All wear school uniforms.  I wish it were safe for school children in America to walk to and from school but not anymore . . . Sad.  This is another way that I see Kenya as we were 50 or 60 years ago.