Home visits

November 11, 2009


We found out today that George has Typhoid. (don’t worry we had our ‘jabs’ (vaccination)). He went to the clinic today for a blood test. We were sitting in the van for about a half hour or more, not knowing how long it would be, so we took a walk through the streets with vendors on both sides and down the middle. I saw bought some pinto beans. The lady gave us a price which we did not understand what she meant so we over paid her. She was honest and told us we gave her too much so we took some of it back and gave her a little more that she had asked for. I thanked her for her honesty. When I started to take the picture of her a man came up yelling at me in Swahili. I looked at the lady and she wasn’t impressed so I just ignored him. He was pretty obnoxious but I got a couple of pictures in spite of him. It took all Noah could do to restrain himself I forgot to bring the cell phone so we had no way of telling George where we went and when we came back to the van he was still not there. We found a scrap of paper and left a note on the windshield. About that time he walked up from behind so were together again.

Then they took me to the barber that knows how to cut ‘nylon’ (mzungu) hair. His name is Gerald. He does a very nice job and puts his whole heart into it. He cuts the hair first, then there’s the shampoo with massaging followed by towel drying and oiling with olive oil. The best part is saved for last- that is a massage of the head and shoulders with a vibrater. Ahhh….helps relax those tense muscles. When we are riding down the bumpy roads you don’t know whether to tighten up your muscles or let them go loose so you end up a little sore by the end of the day. I will take pictures of the barber next time Joel or Noah get a haircut.

Next on our agenda was a home visit to Sycilia. When we arrived she greeted us joyfully. She took my hand and walked proudly through the neighborhood showing us off to her friends. We laughed together as we walked. She is a dedicated lady. When we came last time she is the one like the woman at the well. After teachings and gatherings she went home and told the everyone she knew about it. She is sick with cold symptoms and needs to go to the health clinic but doesn’t have the money. So we gave her what she needed.

Christine invited us to lunch at her house and because George wasn’t feeling well we decided we would go but not stay long. She served us the best fish you can imagine, beef stew and chipati (flat bread). It was so good. As we talked we could hear the wisdom in her words even though we could not understand her Swahili. George let her tell her stories and then a told us what she had said in his own words. He was so encouraged by her faith he started to feel better. She had been talking to someone who had left the church and wanted her to leave too. She said no. She is committed to be with us for the rest of her life. She had great insight into the untrue things that were being said to her. We ended up staying much longer that we planned. We were blessed.

We went back home for a little rest then went to the teaching. Noah is teaching accountability, responsibility, and authority. This is a really good teaching and he is being very clear. Near the end the lights went out so it was hard to see his notes but was able to finish without too much trouble. As he prayed for God to give us light the lights went back on. George spoke to emphasis the things Noah taught and then we went home for dinner, fellowship, check emails…. Then under the mosquito nets, read a little and sleep.

We prayed for you all this morning. Love you and miss you. Haviylah