Local Village

(view from behind our house to the ocean right)

(walking down the washed out path to the market--right)

One teacher (Ursula) at the school was kind enough to offer us Swahili lessons for a week. She is a sweet lady that teaches German at HOPAC. On Saturday a few of the girls went to her house for breakfast and she offered to take us around the little village behind our house. The walk to her house took just a few minutes, but it was so great to get a tour from a local. She took us back through dirt paths and we got to see more of a village lifestyle. There are so many great things back there, schools for children, little stores that sell the essentials, and hidden away behind some twists and turns is a huge market. They sell all kinds of vegetables and food. It was amazing and so close to our house too! We can get almost everything we need for our kitchen right there. For sure, we could live off of just the food that is within walking distance.

While we were walking, we met some local children. So they of course followed us and tried to talk with us. When we stopped one time, these two beautiful boys came running out of their home and jumped on us giving us huge hugs. It was so sweet. Clare decided to buy them all sweets from the store. They were very happy! But I was so glad to be taken around to the local places. It is great opportunity to practice Swahili and to support our neighbors by buying their produce instead of from a big store. Everyone was kind and friendly. It got some good pictures there. In Kenya, the store owners were not as excited about pictures, but here they were fine. I kept telling them it was for my friends and family to see at home! So they were happy to show others what life was like in Africa.

I keep saying, I wish people could see this. But even pictures don’t give the true feel of Africa. I hope that everyone can one day come here and see this great continent. It is so different. Everything is just different.

There has been some great opportunities opening up to get involved in some ministries here. Some teachers at the school run one, others are working in a village of one of the gardeners, some are teaching English through Bible stories, and many more. So I am praying and thinking about where I want to be involved. Please keep this in your prayers too. I can’t over estimate how much time I will have, but I also want to help and serve where possible.

Enjoy the pics!