More Pics from here n there

A school Jake visited where one of our youth boys teaches

sorry about the blurriness..just a relaxing Sunday evening on the lane, watching spike ball

                                           our chauffeur to the Valentine's supper

The youth did an awesome job. Fun props. Great food. followed by an outdoor theater to watch "The War Room"

Birthday party. Mahlon is now 6! and Jediah is 1 !

the girls' class saying goodby to Jeneva who moved with her family to Ng'iya for the next 5 months or so

Bible study was at old Asmonds this week

As far as I can remember this is the very first time Jediah has ever worn shoes or sandals. 1 year and 3 days old. He was up early and it was cool enough to wear something extra since Hannah was taking him outside.

three musketeers headed to Prayer meeting

Jake tries his hand at breaking rock. So many people spend HOURS day after day, sitting in the hot sun breaking up rock to sell.

Visiting a pottery making place

The broken heap (there's an allegory in there somewhere)

widows from our church receiving their CAM parcels

There they go, wrapped in lassos. Those boxes were heavy!

Another widow that we took a parcel to. They had ground nuts (like peanuts) drying out front and sent a bag of them with us. Yum!

I was so pleased with Joshua. One day the neighbor boys came over shortly after we got the new tricycle. The tricycle was brought inside and the front door locked so it would stay here. Well, Joshua quietly pushed it out the back door and took it around front to give the boys rides. I love how he loves to make other people happy.

My crazy darling monkeys enjoying some mud

Jake and I were out on a piki ride one evening and came by this vehicle. We watched while they yelled and flipped it back over by hand, first onto its side and then back onto its wheels.

Emanuel translating for Pasta

Boys totally delighted with new toys from a box from the school back home. I wonder how many miles those little vehicles have traveled by now. Pretty many!

Our chorus..whoever happens to show up. Thankfully there are a couple who are pretty faithful.

We Moved !

our crew waiting for breakfast at Java House that Saturday morning

For different and varied reasons, it was decided that once Deans move to Niya, we would move into their place at the other end of the compound and the new family, who is to arrive this afternoon would move into our place by the school.
 We've now been in the "new" place 2 weeks or so. It was one of the easiest moves ever for us beings we didn't have to pack up all the kitchen stuff or move all the furniture. We did switch some beds and refrigerators around and move one load or so with the pick-up truck. The rest we moved over the course of three days or so and did it primarily using the faithful little wagon.

First load headed for the new house

coming in our gate

Back porch / laundry room

living room/ dining room

                              my little kitchen. Stove and nice big pantry are to the left. And yes the door stays open pretty much from 5:30 am to 8:00 pm

living room and front door which opens into a hallway

where Jake spends many hours. He is the compound business manager and does a very good job of it.

How To Make Mandazis

One fine Saturday morning Jacob picked up Pamela, her two sons and a nephew along with a bike that belonged to her late husband. While the guys fixed the bike, and the little fellows played, I had Pamela "teach" me how to make mandazis. Here are the instructions :

Dump one bag of flour into a large bowl. Take out 2-3 handfuls. The size of your hand will enter into this. Just guess.  Dump in about a quarter of a (90 gram) box of baking powder. Add approximately 1 and 1/4 cup of sugar and a big spoonful of salt.  Mix well with your hands.
  Next we need a glass of oil. Find one the right size..like, oh..1 and 1/2 cups. Mix it in with your hands till clumpy.

 It's a good idea to keep a Dholuo/ English dictionary handy. Hand gestures are also helpful when working with someone who knows just a bit more English than you know of Luo. Both of you having a good sense of humor can aid in keeping frustration at bay. And when someone fluent in both languages (her nephew) comes in, you jump at the chance to get some things straightened out. :)
 Now back to the recipe:
 Once your dough is nice and "clumpy" , take about a quart of warm water and add it about one cup at a time till your stuff has a nice "doughy" look (5-10 minutes of kneading). Mix the peel of one lemon (I used a grater. She uses the cap off a glass pop bottle.) with a bit of flour, water, and oil. Add to dough mixture and mix in well. (This was only the second time I've had them made with lemon and they are the BEST!) Knead another 5-10 minutes. Cover and let rise 30-60 minutes.
 Meanwhile get the jeko going using charcoal. Stuff kindling in there with your fingers and move the hot jeko with your bare hands to a spot that suits you. (Seriously, these women have TOUGH hands!)
 When dough is ready, roll out bits at a time, maybe 1/4 " (???) thick and cut into desired size and shape. Triangular is the norm.

Fry in hot oil till golden brown. Try to control yourself and wait till they have cooled off a least slightly before devouring. DELICIOUSNESS !

As this makes a huge batch you can share with a couple other families and stick some in your diaper bag for a snack during the Sunday service...uh, for your toddler. My mouth is water just thinking about these. I really should get my work done and mix up a batch. BTW if you are familiar with sopapillas, these would be pretty similar.

Beauty All Around

Heidi in Nakurur

 More than one person has said that when they think of Africa they think of desert. Here in Kenya where we live, there's hardly any desert. But there is diverse beauty all around. There are the flat rice fields, the mountains, the rolling tea fields, the hills where stones and boulders jut out bigger than small houses.There are the vast savannas. The coffee farms. I love traveling in Africa and never tire of the changing scenery. Then there are the people. Little children with smudged up faces, running to wave as you go by. The old men napping in the sun. The grandmas wrinkled but hardy. The busy mothers scrubbing clothing in a watering hole...Friendly people. Beautiful Souls. All needing Jesus.
 Jesus. The Author of true Beauty.

There is usually cooler weather and more rain in Nakuru. It is a lovely place.

We were going to Freeman Bylers for supper but when we heard they had gotten the flu we ate at this place overlooking Lake Nakuru. So lovely and peaceful.

Jediah and Mary at the marriage seminar.

Jennifer's Gardens where we had the annual pastors outing with the native pastors and wives

Hi, My name is Precious and I am 3 years old.

There is beauty in Laughter which crosses all language barriers

Large Calla Lillies

Nelly and Jediah

My handsome Joshua. He loves to push his brothers' bikes all around.

Sunset over the savanna

The purple flowered trees are a favorite of mine tho I have no idea what they are called.

I always Love the bright green of the tea fields

Beauty in friendships...tho Mahlon does look a bit uncertain here