Clarifications...

It has come to my attention that some of the things I said it my previous few blogs could be taken the wrong way.

First, on the way up to Loiyangalani, I said that we stayed at a mission station while we waited for transportation to Loiyangalani. When I refer to a mission station, I am talking about a compound that houses at least one family of Missionaries, a church, and Bible training center, etc. Benjamin statyed at the training center (about half a mile from the missionary house) and I stayed with the missionaries. The Missionaries are from AIM (African Inland Mission).

Second, I did not explain why I am going all the way to northern Kenya with a man only previously mentioned in this blog. I am in Loiyangalani for vacation. Benjamin grew up in Loiyangalani and his spiritual parents were Master's Mission Missionaries. Every year he returns to Loiyangalani to see his "family" and help out on the compound. Benjamin is a good friend of mine and he invited me to join him on this trip. I had met his "brother" and wife (P.A. and Callie) in Nairobi a few months ago and they had also invited me to come visit sometime. So I accepted Benjamin's invitation. I also wanted to meet Benjamin's family.

Master's Mission was started by P.A.'s grandfather many years ago. It started as a training program in the mountains of NC to train missionaries how to live anywhere in the world. Rural or City. You can read more about it here. They have since commissioned many missionaries to many places around the world.

The missionaries up here work hard all day. Their day starts at 7am with breakfast. Compound devotions start at 7:30 am. At 8, everyone disperses to do their various jobs. P.A. is currently digging to find the source of a thermal water source so he can cap it and provide safe, clean water to a new children's home going up on the compound. Callie spends the morning washing and doing dishes. Another missionary woman stays busy teaching her 8th grade daughter school lessons. At 1pm everyone stops for lunch. This is the biggest meal of the day. almost everyone stays indoors between 1 and 3 pm because of the heat. At 3pm, work starts again, more dishes to do and twice a week a literacy class to teach. The men return outdoors to work until sundown. Everyone retires for bed by 8 or 9pm, so they can be ready for the next day. The extreme heat really takes it out of you.

Benjamin is staying with his foster family in town (long story) and I am staying in a missionary house.

The internet is slow here so I cannot post pictures right now, but I promise I will when I can.

God Bless!