I’m with Amanda - where do I begin?!

This past week has been so incredibly full. Where could I even start??!

We’re starting to really get settled into our apartment, which has given us sometime to relax and think about things. Its actually starting to feel at home. Home on the other side of the world - crazy, huh? There’s things we’ve come to love about Nairobi already, and there’s things that will take getting used to. This city is alive! There’s constant motion, there’s always something going on. Its so much more like an American city than I would’ve imagined. Almost any western convenience we could want is available somewhere. To be sure, we’re not in Kansas anymore. Some things here are frustrating. Amanda’s last post explained some of them well. But really, for us its not about liking Nairobi. God is stretching us in a lot of new ways, and being challenged tends to bring out who we really are, deep down. We’re seeing our strengths and we’re seeing things that need improved. We’re a really adaptive couple, and thats really showing these days. But man, I can be a critical guy, and thats really coming out here. So I guess being here, for me, is about learning a little more about who I really am, learning how to rely on something higher than myself, learning to adapt, learning to endure.

Our first morning in our apartment, as a good example of being stretched, was a rude awakening - literally! at about 6:45 am, we woke up to some people having a little tiff in our corridor. Our windows aren’t exactly soundproof - they bring the sounds of nature and the city right into our bedroom! Anyways, this tiff started sounding pretty violent. You know - yelling, cussing, slams. Somebody set off an alarm, the guards came, the works. We didn’t realize how bad it was until we opened the front door to a sidewalk full of of soil, plants, and clay - can you believe these dudes resorted to throwing flower pots at eachother?! anyways, from there I turned on the hot water heater and headed towards the kitchen, ready for some grub. To my surprise, the door was stuck. Jammed. So much for breakfast. So I turned my attention towards a hot shower. The hot water heater would take at least 15 minutes, I thought. So I waited. And waited. And waited. An hour later, and with 10 minutes before we had to go, I jumped into a lukewarm, then cold, shower.

Not to say that I haven’t like Nairobi. I love Nairobi. The school has been taking us around to some of the sights around here, and it’s been incredible! Yesterday we went to a place called Crescent Island, at the edge of Lake Naivasha (its actually not an island at all). Its actually where Out of Africa was filmed. We we’re walking around this incredible african landscape, walking around herds of zebra, giraffes, wildebeest, gazelles, etc. (Mom you woulda loved it!) Today, we visited an elephant orphanage, and went up onto a treehouse to feed giraffes some pellets eye-to-eye. (pictures are coming, we promise). This city itself has endless places to explore, and the public transportation literally costs pennies. We’ve spent a ton of time with all the West Nairobi School teacher families, which has been great. Doing all this with my bride has been the thrill of my life!!!

Anyways, this internet cafe is about to close. I just want to say thanks again to all of you who made this happen. We can’t believe where God has brought us, and we feel so blessed by everyone who has teaming with us. Please keep us updated as we try to keep you all updated! Every email and blog comment from the States is such a thrill for us! Please pray for our adjustment to Nairobi…

One of our best friends, Brian Childs, is coming to visit us tonight. (He’s been in East Africa for the past few months. check out his blog on the links page.) We can’t wait!! Pray for his journey, his bus has already broken down once!

Love you all!

In Nairobi, it’s not safe to be out and about after dark, especially for wazungu (white people). It gets dark around 6:45. We don’t have TV or internet. Our stove doesn’t work. Even if it did, I don’t really know what to make. Spaghetti sauce costs five dollars, so the old staples won’t work here. Oh yeh, and if I want to take a shower, I have to turn the water heater on nearly 2 hours before. The good news is that it sounds like the small roaches we have aren’t a common problem, so once we get rid of them, they probably won’t be residing with us all the time. Hopefully.

Yes, this is part of the adventure. God give me patience. He has provided for us in so many ways. We need constant prayer for protection in this city. It’s an exciting place, but dangerous as well.

On a brighter note- I got to feed a giraffe today!

 ”No problem, this is Kenya.” A man we power-walked around on the sidewalk today said this to us just laughing. We were late to meet a friend, and he could just tell we were so foreign with our American rushed mentality. So, this was his way of telling us to chill out. Hilarious!

Where to begin?3 whole days in Kenya already, so I feel like we have neglected the blog already.

First thoughts on Nairobi-

I never thought I would inhale 5 times as much pollution in a rural country than in Cleveland.

Every time I get in a car, I am positive we will be in an accident. So far, I’ve been wrong every time.

It is like a wild jungle is itching to bust through the pavement and just start taking over again. Seriously, the most beautiful plants I’ve ever seen coexist here with near squalor.

My feet are always dirty.

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We have been staying at a missionary guest house called Mayfield, which is this Oasis for missionaries from all over Africa. We’ve met people working in Morocco, Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti, etc. They stay here on the way in or out of their assignment or just for a respite from their work. It is shocking to see these little old white ladies, who would be in a rocking chair watching the tv in the U.S., say they live in Uganda as missionaries!

We’ve been slowly moving into our own place. We live in this brilliantly orange and yellow building (Sam wants them to paint part of it brown, so he can say it is celebrating the Falcons). It’s apparently a landmark. One of the other teacher’s little girls told me it was ugly, but I love it! I never expected something so nice in Kenya. The Kitchen really only fits one person, but I don’t know how to cook without a microwave anyways, so I am hoping Sam wants to play Mr. Chef for awhile.

Some prayer requests:

Tomorrow we leave the Mayfield Oasis, so it is time to start figuring out stuff on our own. Pray we are smart and safe about how we go about things.

I HAVE to learn how to drive here, so I can get to school. It is terrifying. I’ve driven in NYC, but that ain’t nuthin compared to the streets of Nairobi- plus the whole left side of the  road thing.

I’m still feeling the whole jet lag and new culture tiredness. Pray that Sam and I can be joyful and gracious, despite or in light of this transition

P.S. Brian, there is no such thing as good ugali.

Thanks Terrence for setting up this sweet blog!  You are an awesome friend to us, and we already miss you and Alisson so much.

Sincerly,

Amanda

Sam in Africa several years ago