Long overdue update!

So much has happened since my last update and yet so little. I’m settled into life in Kijabe. Everything mentioned in this post happened in the last two weeks. 

I joined the praise and worship team for the English service at church. This is exciting for me, because, as many of you know I love to sing. I was finally able to meet with the LIMBS Committee for a group meeting to discuss the LIMBS M1 polycentric knee assessment. The meeting went fairly well, but I was left with a lot of paperwork to do. The committee secretary was not at the meeting so Alex and I had to take notes and then I had to compile them into meeting of the meeting to send out to the rest of the committee members; definitely a new challenge for me.

This week I have been developing at least 5 different new forms necessary for the assessment. To add to an already busy week, relations between APDK (a Kenyan Disabilities Organization) and AIC-CURE (where I’m based) have become strained over the politics of another project. Certain members of APDK leadership have the attitude of it’s my way or the highway. Thankfully, these gentlemen were not at the assessment discussion meeting or things may have gone very differently. This strained relationship could make getting my assessment running much more difficult as APDK is one of the partners in the committee and also one of the testing centers. Your prayers are appreciated!

I HAD a smart pack rat in my house. He stole my toothbrush and I’m pretty sure he stole my tablespoon measure as well. I found my toothbrush chewed to pieces the other day in his nest. I have not found the tablespoon! I’ve had a trap out all week trying to catch him. The first night, the trap caught him on the nose (I’m assuming) because I heard his screams. However, when I went to the trap the next morning, he had gotten the bait off the trap and tried to eat some of it and escaped. There was blood droplets on the floor and meat bait, so I know it got him somewhere on the face near the mouth. I tried re-baiting the trap in the same place, but he never cam back to that area. Once I found his nest, I tried setting the trap there, but the only evidence I had that he had even gone into the nest was that he PEED ON THE TRAP! The little boogger! Last, but not least, I put the trap on the counter where I saw him running back and forth. I baited the trap with butter this time since that was what had been on the spoon when it disappeared. The first night I didn’t set the trap sensitive enough and the rat ate the butter without setting off the trap. Okay so now I know he likes butter! I re-baited the trap yesterday and set it much more sensitively. Last night, when I came home from work, I found a sprung trap with a DEAD rat inside!!! Ok maybe I shouldn’t be excited at the death of a small animal. He was about twice the size that I thought he was. I guess that is better than half, which would mean I had blown it out of proportion. I wouldn’t have minded having him around if I could be sure that he was disease-free and he would stop stealing my stuff. Yea, call me weird. I guess I am craving animal company. I am glad I was able to avoid using poison because animals go through the place where I am supposed to dispose of my trash and I would not want to kill anyone’s pet and some pest control cat. The poison they have here is VERY strong and could kill any animal that ate another animal killed with the poison. Plus, the last thing I need is another rat crawling off into some hidden corner to die and stinking up the house. (For the story of the first dead rat found in my dwelling, talk to my Mom or Stephanie Korth and they can tell you about the one they found in my house)

Dead rat. The handle in the picture belongs to a long fillet knife.

I killed the chicken shown in my last post. I found out only after we slaughtered it that it was a hen, not a rooster. Oh well! Some nursing students passing by helped me cut off its head and prepare it for cooking. I had boiling water ready to dunk the chicken in to pull out the feathers and one of the nursing students showed me how to gut and cut up the chicken Kenyan style. What has not already been eaten of the chicken is in my freezer a-waiting cooking as needed.

Due to the recent security threat here in Kenya, plane tickets have almost doubled in price. Therefore, I will be spending the holidays in Kenya. I knew this was a possibility when I left so I packed accordingly. But its still sad. I miss my family and long to see them even if its just over Skype.

The wireless internet has been down for the last week. (Another reason I have not updated) It finally came back on this morning. I have been using a USB Internet modem, but it costs about 1 Kenyan Shilling a Mb so I have to be careful how much I use it.

I have been experiencing some pretty heavy spiritual warfare and definitely need prayer. It is getting harder and harder to get up in the morning and get to work on time. Then there was the rat situation. Also, I have been getting frustrated during department devotions because the group won’t answer a question simply and move on, instead they discuss the issue at length. For example, the question was “According to the verse [Romans 6:23], what is the payment of sin?” , instead of answering death, they philosophize about if all sin really leads to death. And now, there is the politically charged issue between CURE and APDK. 

Yes, I’m feeling a bit frustrated and overwhelmed.

On a happier note, I have hired one of the young ladies (sisters) that befriended me and have been asking me for money on a regular basis, to help me clean my house once a week. This is a good solution for both of us. I get my house cleaned and don’t feel like I am promoting perpetual begging, and she gets a regular income to help care for her family and pay school fees. Her name is Rose and she is the youngest but one of 6 children. Her youngest sister is around 8-10 years younger than she. The oldest three are in high school and a fourth (Salome) will start in January. In Kenya, school is only provided for “free” through the 8^th grade after that you have to pay. So in essence, her family will be like one with four children in college in the States, except there are no student loans. Anyway, this arrangement works well for the both of us. 

Rose and Salome came over on Sunday afternoon to hang out. They found my camera and enjoy taking pictures of me and each other. Below are some of those pictures.

Me with my frog given to me by Grandma Jan

Rose (wearing my sunglasses) on the stairs leading to my bedroom

Me working on Christmas presents.

Salome

Prayer Requests

• My ankle should have healed by now, but instead its acting up and giving me more problems. I am back to wearing the brace I wore when I first sprained it, which is helping. I also found out that I am allergic to the soft brace I was wearing. Please pray for healing of my ankle.
• I get all the assessment forms completed and approved and that the assessment gets started on time. Target date is the first of December. Philippians 4:13!
• The internet stays on.
• Energy in the mornings.
• The political situation between CURE and APDK resolves itself.
• Good sleep at night.
• A solid walk with the LORD
• There is a natural gas (or whatever is used to cook here) shortage in Kenya. Please pray that this gets resolved quickly.
• That I get my job right. I am still learning what is expected of me from LIMBS International. Please pray that the organization will have patience as I make mistakes and learn just what I need to do when I meet a LIMBS patient.
• My support checks are not reliably making it to the LIMBS office. This month none of my support checks made it!  I have enough saved up for the month. But this is the second time a check has not made it to LIMBS, I am sure this is spiritual warfare plain and simple. Please pray that next month’s support comes in.

Praises

• God is in control. Since the initial grenade attacks in Nairobi by some Al-Shabob wannabe, there have been no more attacks on Kenyans. (The man responsible for the grenade attacks has been arrested and is awaiting trial)
• The rat is DEAD. Now to clean out his nest.
• God provides relief when you need it most. Just yesterday, God provided an excuse for me to leave the room right after a meeting so I didn’t get pulled into a heated discussion/grilling from someone at APDK. Its amazing how God works. He knew I would have a hard time keeping me mouth shut and not expressing my opinion so He provide me a way of escape.
• I have gas, water, and power. I got the last gas cylinder available in Moffat Bible College (the college that owns the guest house where I’m staying).
• I got to hear from my Mother the other day. It meant the world to me. I need encouragement especially now and a surprise call from Mom was just what I needed the other day.
• God has given me travel mercies thus far in my trips to and from Nairobi.

I really appreciate getting emails from each of you! They bring me a lot of comfort.