Chebaraa

After our lazy day yesterday, today was anything but.  Last night we asked our waitress at dinner what time they opened for breakfast.  She said, “Six.”  So this morning we were there at six to get an early start on a long drive.  No one from the restaurant was there at six.  When the waitress finally arrived at 6:20, she said, “Did you mean ‘on-the-dot?’”    Ah, Africa!

 

So we did finally get out of the hotel by seven, which was fine.  We made it to one of our most remote, and newest feeding stations, Chebaraa, just after 10AM.  It’s a long dusty road!  We began assisting the Chebaraa church in feeding orphans in February.  They already had a decent kitchen and hall, so all we have added so far is a well.  As far as anyone knows there, it’s the only well for miles around.  There is a river but it’s almost 2km away and somewhat seasonal.  The well is producing over 150 liters a day right now, and the rains haven’t started for them yet, so it should be just fine all year. 

 

By 10:30, we were worshipping with the church.  The place was packed with kids and adults, I bet there were 150 in the small building.  They don’t get many, (read any) visitors here, so I’m sure there were more than normal.  It was a great service, not as long as a typical Kenyan service; only 2 hours.  I preached Tod’s “Forgiveness” sermon for the last time this trip.  I might have done ok.

 

As the introduction to that sermon, I have been telling them about how much we Americans were concerned for their country when the Westgate Mall attacks happened last month.  I related it to my own personal feelings after 9/11 and how angry we all were as a nation.  I was trying to get to a starting point for forgiveness, and making a link between our two cultures.  What has struck me as I have told that story is how effective it has been.  Everywhere we have gone, the people have been so happy that we still wanted to travel to Kenya, even after Westgate.  They just knew that after the attacks, no more Americans would come.  They have been so thankful for just our presence in their country.

 

After church we shared a meal with the entire church - beans, rice and some meat.  It was good to be fed just what everyone else is getting for a change.  Usually they really lay on a spread, which is part of their culture of hospitality, but a bit hard for us to understand sometimes.  We left their place around 1:30pm.

 

This time, Angton didn’t intend to try a new road, but he missed a turn and we got to try one anyway.  It took us three hours to get back to the highway, and then another two hours to get here to Narok.  We gave him a bit of a hard time, which he took in stride.  After we made it to the highway, he had the line of the day.  He said, “Tim, sometimes when you preach a sermon that was really good, the devil is waiting around the corner to test you to see if you really believe what you said!”  Forgiving him came really easy, just then.  Touché, Angton!

 

The Seasons Hotel is actually quite nice.  It’s a stopover point for Safari travelers who are going by road to the Masaii Mara Game Reserve, so they are used to mzungu.  Tomorrow, we will return to Nairobi and begin preparing to return to America.  Be Blessed!