Language Class

My Luo teacher, Rosemary :) 

    Language class has been such a big part of my life here so far…Every morning (Monday-Friday), a native lady comes here to my backyard and we spend several hours together…working through books, discussing words and grammatical concepts, SINGING lots of LUO songs!!, talking about lots of things, discussing Luo culture, and just having fun together.

…but…

          The other day, I was feeling so burned out.  Morning after morning, 8-12, trying to make sense of all these complicated words:  kelo, kendo, ketho, keyo, keto, kepo, kecho, kero, keno, kedo… So, kero means to give…and kelo means to bring…and ketho means to place, put, or set…and keno means to store… and all of their meanings seem way too similar.  Some of my enthusiasm and determination to make fast tracks to learn this language was disappearing.  I was just feeling a bit overwhelmed and even frustrated with the dhoLuo (Luo language) in general.

Then, Chapter 14 came along – Constructions Using Parts of the Body…

    Often the verb in Luo is transitive, with the part of its body as its object, but in English the part of the body becomes the subject of an intransitive verb.  Therefore, you get some examples such as this with their literal meanings:

iya owang’                      my stomach burns                   I am angry.

wiye owil kode             his head is turned by it        He has forgotten it.

ne wakuodo wigi           we swelled their heads         We shamed them.

iya kaya                       my stomach bites me          My stomach aches.

…and so many more… now, when your teacher is Rosemary and she can make anything funny, this gets really, really humorous.  Things also begin to make sense:

chunye pek                    his heart is heavy               He is sad. 

chunye oduogo          his heart has now returned     He is encouraged. 

The little hut in my backyard where we have our classes:

 On Wednesdays, we walk to the market to get fruits and vegetables.  The hands-on classes are the fun days! 

One of the ladies at the market (L) and ROSEMARY (R)

This verse is found on the first page of my textbook- "Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."  Genesis 11:7

Behind the Wheel

Well, I officially had my first driving experience here. 

          I remember those first moments last summer of being traumatized as we whizzed along the road from Nairobi to Nakuru… trying not to worry, knowing that SURELY we wouldn’t actually rear-end someone, or hit one of the many people walking across the road in front of us, or smash one of the piki-pikis (motorcycles) that came careening past.  Yet instead of having faith, I had the urge to scream.  It only took a few minutes for me to be able to relax because it was evident that our driver was quite experienced.  He seemed to know when the cow that was crossing the road needed to be honked at or when to simply slow down and detour around it.  Tailgating appears serious, because the hoods are pretty much nonexistent…so you can conveniently pull up to the person in front of you with abnormally close proximity without harming either vehicle.  It is also very acceptable to be unpredictable, and somewhat aggressive.  Doing the unexpected IS the expected.

          A year later, I again felt those first few minutes of panic as I sat “calmly” watching and observing similar driving here in Kisumu… but sure, I definitely do want to drive here, right?  I mean, it can’t be THAT hard, can it be? 

          Suddenly, my bravery went down the drain.  All of my courage evaporated in a matter of days when I happened to be along with various drivers as they had some troubling transportation experiences.  Witnessing their misfortune was not so exciting, but to imagine myself in their shoes was a sobering thought.  Maybe I didn’t want to drive here after all.  Forget the fact that I went to the bother of getting an international driver’s license.  Maybe I could use it somewhere else someday; somewhere other than Kenya. 

          So, I have been happily riding along as others skillfully maneuver us around on these delightfully dusty Kenyan roads.

          Until today…Thanks to an amazing lady, who shows forbearance in the midst of potential trials and tribulations, I overcame my doubts and just drove.  Thanks, Darla!  (and Emily too~ you were a very trusting passenger) Really, it isn’t a big deal, especially when it’s a very, very short journey and it’s mostly back roads with excessive rocks and potholes.  Just be sure to drive on the LEFT…always on the left…and STAY on that side…but not quite up on the curb; remember that when you are hopping into the vehicle that the steering wheel is on the right, therefore the driver’s seat happens to be on that side as well; watch carefully for tuk-tuks, piki-pikis, and matatus (vans) that may decide to swiftly dart around you and abruptly cut you off; be alert for pedestrians who very likely WILL walk across in front of you and may choose to NOT scurry out of your way; be watchful for speed bumps and just bumps in general; keep an eye out for cattle, goats, chickens, and other creatures that are prone to cross the road in front of you… the list could go on and on. 

“Blessed are they who drive on Kenyan roads, for their lives shall be full of adventure.”  -CJR

Klippings from Kisumu

Recently, several people here in Kenya have asked, "So what brought you to Africa...to Kisumu?" 

Good question... :) That can be hard to answer.  Really~why am I here?  ...because this is where God wants me for right now.  

It all started last year.  I had contemplated doing SMBI's WATER program before, but somehow my summers were always filled with various other activities that I wasn't able to do during the school year.  Finally, I realized that if I didn't JUST DO IT, it would never happen.  I looked over the list of options...so many places to go!! ...maybe a Central American country?  Both times that I have been in Guatemala, I left part of my heart there.  I love the land, the people, the language, the food, just the culture in general...but....I had already been there!  Why not go somewhere new, somewhere I had never been?  Like Africa?  

So, I sent in my application...First choice, Liberia...Second choice, Kenya.  It didn't work out to go to Liberia, but instead I got the privilege of coming here to Kenya.  Now, less than a year later, I'm back and it is becoming home.   

WATER stands for World Awareness Training in Evangelistic Responsibility.  It is a 6 week term that involves reading lots of book prior to the term, writing book reports, an incredible week at SMBI, and spending the remaining weeks experiencing and observing mission life.  I HIGHLY recommend this opportunity to anyone!!  The week at SMBI was wonderful in and of itself.  It was packed with stretching experiences(!), many new friends, class time, hands-on activities, prayer, and growth.  From there, three of us headed across the ocean to an unknown continent.  We spent some time at the mission in Nakuru, and then the remainder of our time, we were in Kisumu.  I didn't really know how life-changing that would be!  

We had a wonderful time here!  So, when Ray Stutzman called me just several weeks after I got home and asked if I would consider returning as a teacher in Kisumu, my decision didn't feel too complicated.  Yes, it's hard to commit to being gone for 2 (WHOLE) years{at least}; to leave behind your amazing family, and church, and youth group, and friends, and relatives, and well...your community in general; to leave the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley, the lovely mountains, good ole VA roads; to say good-bye to your students after 5 wonderful years; to think of changing from 3rd and 4th graders to 1st and 2nd graders; from a class of 23 to maybe 3 or 5; to leave your horse, your car, ... everything  . . .  And yet, even after all that, it was "easy" to say yes.  

I appreciate this quote.  We can be content and joyful if we take this wisdom to heart... "Wherever you are, be all there."  -Jim Elliot 

Some pictures from last summer:

Book Distribution at a school :)

Giving each child a copy of their very own Bible story book

Visiting~a very important part of Kenyan culture...