Sunday Evening

Shalom all!

Well, another day is ending here.  We had brief rain shower while at Naivasha and with the tin roof, it was too loud to continue talking, so we had another time of praise until the rain let up.

It is a blessing here, though as everything is so very dry.  A few minutes later it was hardly evident that it HAD rained.  The electricity went out just as we got home, so I have been working on the computer at the apartment until now.  

I was just able to meet Victor, Peter's eldest son, who was briefly home from his high school.

So much happening...I am trying to store it all up and ponder it!

Catching you up since yesterday...

Note from yesterday:  it is hard to know where to step in again, but I will say that I was so excited to see that several people have commented on the blog. I appreciated your encouragement! I was finally able to get a few pictures to load, but no luck on the video from Kisii as yet.  I think you will be amazed!

Shabbat Evening February 12, 2011

Intended departure time this morning was 8 am, to be at the building by 9—back through the red sand area with great crevices throughout the roads. I was ready at 8.  Peter and family were ready by 9. It was so familiar, as Peter came to get me so he could manage the lock which has to be done at such a funny angle, I haven’t been able to do it. Then, down the street to his home where the children piled into the back seat, and after he went looking for her, Margaret finally came out, carrying several bags and thermoses of Shabbat snacks. It’s not only American families who have trouble getting out of the door on time.

I had been awake on and off through the night thinking, preparing for Peter’s request to teach on the menorah and 7s. This group of people is more sophisticated in their knowledge of Torah, but has yet to come into understanding about the two houses.

I decided to speak about Abba as parent, in connection with the parenting things I’ve noticed here. Spoke of the Prodigal Son story and how Ephraim is represented.

As a good Father, He put teaching tools for us right in creation, as well as in His written Word and His Living Word.

Here most homes seem to be designed with a courtyard which is used for hanging laundry and maybe other things I don’t know yet. Everywhere you look, you see the same  kind of metal paneled doors on the front of homes and shops, which a double sliding bar and padlock on the inside, and a hand sized hole to reach through to unlock it from the outside. Keys are needed to unlock, and move in through courtyard and eventually into the house. Seemed to me that this was a picture of the Word being made known to us a little at a time; as we grow and move in to one part, He will give us the key to the next.

Later,  I told them we believe it is the fullness of time for more depth of understanding…numbers, colors, patterns…did 7 days of Creation, 7 Spirits and 7 Feasts.  Asked people to stand up for candles; reviewed concepts; had them hold hands as picture of walking in fullness of all 7 Spirits of YHWH; but where is the path?  Since Fear leads to Wisdom, I took Fear person back around to Wisdom person and had them walk in a circle; explained path/cycle; groove to stay in it and not depart. I asked what happens when animals walk in a circle for a long time…someone said they get dizzy like they are drunk!   Ok!!! What happens to THE PATH???  They knew of course!

We arrived near 10 but met various people on their way there as we drove along; some walking, some on bicycles, some waiting for the local public bus transportation.  These are the buses I mentioned earlier, that Peter considers so dangerous…and I have seen more of them with the door hanging open and people hanging out, than ones that are intact. Yet, there are few options to get together:  walk, bicycle, motorbike or bus, as most don’t have cars.  Again, I feel like royalty, as they insist that I will be most comfortable in passenger side in front, while anywhere from 3-5 people crowd into the back. Remember, it is a Toyota.

As difficult as it is for us to travel over an hour to come together for Shabbat, other than during a blizzard, I’d have to say that the struggles they face here are greater; yet they come; walking more than several miles in many cases. They have asked if roads in America are like this. Well….yes and no.  Described some old country gravel and dirt roads, and potholes in the cities, but generally paved and good. I also said that in America big crevasses like that would be barricaded off and  repaired or else if people fell in, they would sue the government.  Universal response here was that the government wouldn’t care if anyone fell in.

There had been about 20 people there when we arrived, and the tent had been set up with chairs. I was shown to a chair in the row behind the small table with flowers, facing the group.  I took a few pictures of the tent and building but went back to the same place, not quite knowing what to expect. About an hour later, someone started singing and playing the round drums. Soon everyone there was in the swing. I have a picture of this; and it only got louder and more intense as more people arrived. Then all stopped and there were various messages of welcome by and to various people there.  Back to some more worship music; a few English songs but most in Swahili or Kuruku’s mother tongue.  The tonality is strange to my ears, and I can’t understand the words, but the drum beats were intense and complicated.  People just picked one up and started playing, listening and watching what the others were doing as they joined in. sometimes one person yielded the drum to another. Soon everyone was literally hopping in place, and singing their lungs out. Peter later told me some of the messages of the songs, as did Francis/Chege who was sitting next to me.

They were all messages of encouragement in Messiah Yeshua and His work on our behalf and even one on the days of Creation. Then again, there were various introductions and people asked to come up and address the group.  Peter had a small notebook and was coordinating with the local pastor there so as not to miss any of the visitors. Each one might have a song to offer, or a word of encouragement and some just said Shalom and where they were from.  It seems to be custom to declare that you love Messiah Yeshua as you introduce yourself, too. Peter kept saying “time is against us”  so we will need to be quick; and he would give a person perhaps 2 minutes to talk.  Since when have we ever seen someone who is in a leadership position, whether a pastor or maybe a politician? Be able to keep a message so short!  Some of them did. I am learning that when Peter says “a few minutes” it likely means at least an hour.   “African time” is much more relaxed; generally because with all the transportation challenges, one is just glad if someone even gets there relatively close to when expected.  Peter did admit that they do usually start late on Shabbat despite efforts to begin by 9. I described our ‘ish” time as sort of similar, I think.

People continued to arrive until at least noon, and they just added more chairs as needed and kept right on talking and singing group by group.  Peter was finally introduced and said he was going to introduce me but first, two more songs so that everyone would be awake and attentive to what I would say.

I didn’t know if I could leave without offense or not, so stayed there without a lunch break, as they’d announced that due to the late start, we would just go straight through until 3.

So, now! I have never been videotaped teaching before, and now this is the 3^rd time in less than a year. More interesting this time, probably due to the translation going on at the same time. They were attentive and appeared to be understanding the connections, even though I didn’t have a lot of time to develop each topic. Mostly pastors/elders volunteered then to stand up and be candles.  It was just like us….as they tried to remember what happened on each creation day, which spirit, and which feast! They seemed to enjoy raising their hands together as a symbol of echad and were happy to walk around the small table as a demonstration of walking out the moedim in the spirit, too. Peter told me later that there was a couple there from the Church of God, who keep Sabbath, but not the moedim; so they must have gone home with something to think about!  He said people enjoyed it all and asked for DVD copies.

Apparently, Peter, who is recording is going to edit all the footage into a presentation of my visit.  Oh MY! He is really quite a director, too; just casually waving and directing people where to go from behind his camera.  Did I mention that yesterday, after the children’s home visit, I met the couple who farms and have 600 chickens?  Peter insisted that he wanted to take some pictures of me inside the chicken coop so there I am.  This woman is so very proud of her small farming operation and despite the current drought and being worried about the garden being able to survive, they seem to be among the more prosperous people.

I made a round of visits as I mentioned yesterday I think.  The custom in Kenya is that one have several upholstered pieces of furniture, covered by lace curtains or knit or crocheted work. A central table with a matching table cloth and perhaps a few extra hard chairs if there is room.  Each family seems to have a sort of an entertainment center/hutch which houses their television and DVD players, any valuable books or mementos and so forth. The home may be made of wooden planks, corrugated metal or mud and sticks, but the décor is the same.  Of the ones I have seen so far, most are quite small, yet house many people.  I am living in luxury here in Peter’s brother’s apartment, with so much space just for one person!  Each person insists on a visit, sometimes it might only be for five minutes but as long as we have said Shalom!, shaken hands, and sat down in their front room for a minute, it passes as a visit. They want to offer hospitality, whatever they can offer; such as the local chai tea or beans and cabbage and chapatti, or rice; whether one is hungry or not apparently!   Most everyone greeted me initially with “feel at home here”  “be comfortable.” Kenyan’s want to be certain their visitors are satisfied.  How ironic!  I was thinking that food might be in short supply and wanting to lose weight anyway, have been cutting back on amounts for several weeks.  And now, they are very worried that I do not seem to be eating enough. As I have taken out the trail mix or a protein bar while on the road, Peter has commented; ‘You have food of which we know nothing.”  He was intending it as a Scriptural reference, I realized later! They were all curious enough to try some trail mix, and have no idea what on earth a meal shake mix is.  My visitor this evening, Joyce, a new mom with 3 month old Esther along, was brave to try some of my American chai tea mix. She liked it but thought it tasted like chocolate.

After we concluded the worship gathering my film “crew” directed me to go among people, especially the ladies near the back of the tent to greet them. I did so and was nearly bowled over with requests to shake hands, and time to talk. Then the children kept coming and staring again, so I finally asked them if they wanted to touch my hair; and they did.  Another child later wanted to know about my freckles. Finally, Lucy, one of the women I’d spoken with about food concerns, and Peter’s wife, Margaret, dragged me to a chair and handed me the chapatti she’d made especially for me because she said I looked tired and Kenyan’s will not stop talking and asking questions so she would just make me stop. She also gave me a slice of bread, and wondered if I knew what arrowroot was. Took me a while to figure out what she was saying, as the British pronunciation is different, but I was having enough trouble balancing the bread, chapatti, mangoes let along the chai tea that was also offered. She insisted she needed to go home but wasn’t going to leave until she saw that I ate it all without people interrupting me! I almost made it.

The young woman who has her diploma in counseling asked to be in contact with me as she knows she needs help and her training is still pretty basic. As I went for a business card, hands in all directions reached out for them.  Should have brought a lot more than I did. A young couple has a visa interview on Wednesday to come to America, Minnesota probably, in order to study.  They already have a green card so are hopeful, but were worried what they might do for fellowship while here.  They are of course, invited to visit us, though if they are in Minnesota, it wouldn’t be very often.  This group of people is definitely not interested in getting too close to any form of Judaism, so it might be a challenge indeed for them to find fellowship in Minnesota.

I am starting to recognize a few landmarks as we careen down the highways and have finally figured out that the large box like trucks with open tops are for coffee beans or tea or transporting workers to the fields. It is these slow moving, black exhaust spitting vehicles that we are most often scooting around before the oncoming traffic gets too close.  Their idea of too close and my idea of too close aren’t the same. Yet, I continue to remain mostly at ease, praise Yeshua! I asked if there weren’t emission standards. Peter said, yes, but in Kenya most laws are bent.  He said that if a policeman did stop one of these vehicles, a bribe would ensure they were released without any enforcement.

Back at home, Peter advised me that the young woman, Joyce would be coming to visit and she came shortly thereafter with baby, Esther.  Very nice young lady who came to Messianic understanding while in the 3^rd form, I think like our 5^th grade. Her grandfather brought her along to church with him where she met Messiah. Her catholic parents were so angry that she didn’t want to be in the Catholic faith, that they eventually disowned her and threw her out of the home, also discontinuing funds for her schooling. Her grandfather came to the rescue and helped. Joyce finished high school and college for accounting.   She has since married and is very happy with her new Set Apart Ministries family here. And as well as enjoying her visit, I am also glad she came because Peter came, too.

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He brought his friend who had just arrived from Tanzania, a Messianic pastor there named John Ezekiel.  When Peter had to leave for something else, it was Joyce who interpreted so we could talk.  John has invited me to come to Tanzania as soon as I am able.  He has one fellowship already and hopes to open a second one on Mount Kilimonjaro, which I would of course, love to see!   I told him it wasn’t very likely, but then, I had never known I would be here, either!  He said Kenya is much better than Tanzania, citing increasing Muslim presence and control, as well as Freemasonry and witchcraft issues. Like Kenyans, he seemed pretty amazed that there are Messianic believers in America of all places!  Peter told me that it is because Kenyans see all Americans as rich, and they can’t believe that rich people would realize they need Messiah.

As they left, Peter briefly returned long enough to escort Joyce home and to tell me that MamaJamal was coming with rice and vegetables for me for supper.  He had gone to the fridge earlier looking for a soda for the guests, and decided I was too low on food. MamaJamal did indeed arrive, with Grace and another young woman --I’ve forgotten her name. We visited while I ate, and MamaJamal decided she wants to make me a snood like the ones I’ve been wearing—pink to match my skin. They can see that it is difficult for me to wear scarves as they do because a scarf just doesn’t stay in very well, whereas their hair is “stiffer” and the scarf clings better. I finally remembered to tell her that I’d enjoyed her song in Kisii; and asked if they’d like to hear an English one. They did, so we sang along to Amen by Danny Carmel.  They were harmonizing almost immediately! It isn’t quite like their drum music, but they liked it anyway.

Oh, I learned why they have trouble with my name:  it seems that barabara in Swahili means “road.”  Did I mention that?  So MamaRachel is the name of choice.

It is near midnight and I suspect you will be done with worship so I am going to try to call you…Yes!  I was able to get through. Good to hear your voices, and thanks for the technical coaching, Rachel and Michael. I will try to shrink the pictures, but it is also that the internet connection isn’t always very stable here.

Today, we are off to Navaisha, where Francis/Chege is pastor. I wonder how much like yesterday it will be!  Blessings to all and thanks for your prayers!

Watching and praying in Kenya,

Barb