gingerichhome

Excitement is running high! Next Tuesday afternoon we plan to fly out of Kisumu, after a short flight and layover in Nairobi, we head about 4 1/2 hours to Doha. If you are like me and not sure where that is, it's the capital city of Qatar and located on the coast of the Persian Gulf. (does that help at all?). we are to have a 2 1/2 hour layover and then from there we have a 13 (?) hour flight into Philly, PA. With all the time changes it gets pretty confusing. It seems we should be arriving Wednesday evening but instead we are to land 8:40AM.
I've been enjoying getting into the natives homes and visiting more with Jacob and the children again lately. We've gone out three times in the last week n half. With that and bible studies on Wednesdays and all the normal home duties it's made for a busy but enjoyable schedule.
Today most of the women are cleaning at Joseph Hostetler's place in preparation for their return. So instead of Stacy helping with my cleaning, I'm doing my own and not helping down there, as we are on to host prayer meeting here tonight. Stephen, one of the youth boys from church spent the night here last night and is helping with hedge trimming or whatever all outside work Jacob has for him. Jake is busy running James' to the immigration office and taking care of other business in town. Wayne's returned last Wednesday. It's great to have them back again. Our fill-ins, some Kuephers from Kansas, arrive today. Marlin Stolzfus' left last week. Like someone said recently, on the mission field, you have to learn to deal with lots of changes! So much coming and going!
Stephen (age 17?) normally would be in school but his boarding school had a problem the other week. A teacher beat a student and a bunch of students retaliated and started breaking windows and other things and went on strike. There was no school for a week or two and now before they come back, every student is to pay 3000 shillings ($30).. a huge sum! I think there are somewhere around 800 students. I was asking Stephen about their school schedule. Their rising time is 4AM. They are to study on their own till breakfast at 6:00. If they fall asleep there is a punishment. They have approx. 11 classes with breaks ever 2 hours or so. Bedtime can be as late as 11:00 ! I'm like "that's not enough sleep!!!"
"I know" he says, "but you get used to it!" Wow.


sorting rice before church in prep for a fellowship meal

Where we stayed

The other week, I was beginning my day and Jake came and told me that we're going to town and Stacy is coming at 8:00 to stay with the children. I was half sick and kind of out of it and didn't ask any questions. Thought maybe we were going out for coffee. Which would have been extremely rare and special but when I noticed the tooth paste and brushes missing and saw some packs on the piki-piki, I was really suspicious that something more was going on. We did go out for coffee and then he told me we're going on out by Rasinga Island. It's the first time since having children that just the two of us did an over-nighter and it was terribly special! And it was a wonderful answer to prayer that I felt well and could enjoy the trip. In two days we spent maybe 6 hours on the piki, 2 on the ferry, and 2+ hours on another boat. We returned home sore, sunburned, and quite happy :)

The Hut on the hill is where we stayed. Very nice, relaxing accommodations.


I loved the adventure of taking a road less traveled and seeing some beautiful scenery on the island even tho we looked a little worse for the wear till we got thru here.