A must read...

You must read this. It's our friend the Helsby's who are missionaries in Tanzania. This is her most recent blog. I cried, then laughed... real hard. I've been here 2 years and had no idea about funerals here.

I confirmed this with Zippy. She and I had a long talk about weddings and funerals at our "Livingstone staff meeting"... okay so it was just an excuse to take my friend and treat her to coffee, but it made her feel professional!

While the boys were away...

...the girls went to play!  

You heard right.  They boys have been working their pa-toots off traveling around and doing so many different ministry things.  Shauna and I got the chance of a lifetime to do something fun.  Did we go for it?  You bet.  It was too good of a deal to pass up.  For about $10-$12 you can take a "red eye" bus ride to the beach- Mombasa.  Then if you get enough people together- you can split the cost of the bung-a-low.  (In other words- if you are cool sleeping 3 people to 2 twin beds).   It didn't matter about the sleeping situation.  We played so hard during the day we were exhausted by night. Then we slept so hard and got up by 6:30 every morning to go running.  By going DOWN (in altitude) to Mombasa it was much much easier to run on the beach as opposed to where Sara and I had been running- the trails around the house.  Since it was safer running with someone- Shauna and I decided to be smart.  Though together we each had our own moments with the Lord just delighting in Him and in His creation.  I will never stop loving the beach.  It might be old news to someone like CT who grew up there, but I love the feeling of knowing just how small I am.  The ocean always does that to me.  It humbles me to look out over the ocean (this time the Indian Ocean) and know that God doesn't need me or anything that I have- But he wants me.  And I have been given the opportunity of life to use for Him.  To glorify Him in everything!  That was probably the most special times- getting up early to spend time out on the beach running and singing praise songs.  I had just recently received an encouraging email from my BF and she mentioned in there to sing like no one is listening- so I knew I really needed to do that.  So as I ran, I sang... loud.  Only, Shauna could hear me... over her music.  It was fantastic though.

Here are a few pictures of our trip.  Cheap trip, but action packed fun!

These Kenyans were NOT messing around playing volleyball. They were SO good! It was worth every bruise though.  I LOVE some beach volleyball. 

Now, you KNOW we are going to find some kids any where we go.  Isn't he gorgeous?  We had to get them some ice cream.  But this little guy wanted to save his and share it with his mommy.  So it was milk by the time he got back.  :)

Who can say they've kissed a camel?

Feet kicked up overlooking the ocean. Yes that is Walt's raft (any Lost fans?) and a camel in the back ground.

TIME'S UP

What wonderful participation!  I see what happens when we offer cool stuff for prizes.  I see how you people are...  

And the Wiener is..........

Deputy, sergeant, captain, sheriff Cory Eugene Mann!  And since I KNOW you stole from your wife a bit... she deserves a prize too.  Your super cool stuff we will be sending home with guests that are staying here.  You may redeem your prizes from one of my family members.

We will have one more contest in a couple days.  So stay tuned so YOU can win a prize as well.  

Quip it!

Chris and I were on our way to a celebration ceremony in Kibera today.  We drove past the picture below and just HAD to turn around and go back to take this pic.  After uncontrollable laughter, we began coming up with different captions for it.  That's when we decided to get you all involved.  So we need YOU to write a caption for the below picture.  You may use a caption or a "desquiption" of the picture.  The winner gets authentic Kenyan memorabilia.  That's right!  We will send you a special prize from here!  Whoopie!  That might encourage some participation from those of you who might be a bit reluctant.  I will call time on the contest whenever I want!  

 

Nonsense

Just another fun post b/c I'm trying to pass some time.  CT is being important right now and I've been hiding out in the grocery store.  I've been trying to find quiet places to pray for him.  I went over to the furniture area (Guys... you need to think twice the size of super Walmart) to try and find a good comfy place to sit and pray.  I'd get on my knees somewhere but I think someone would would try to help me up.  In this gigantic place there is one employee for every isle and section.  So the couch dude was really looking at me- like he thought I was interested in buying a $3,000 couch.  Any way, that didn't work b/c he was stalking me.  So I just walked around and prayed for him whilst pricing groceries to share with you.  Don't worry- I don't have any money so I didn't buy any of the following, but I just thought this would be another good "nonsense" post to show you guys more about the groceries here.  Maybe because I'm still in shock when I figure some of the prices up.  Candice (one of our Nairobian friends) doesn't seem to flip out anymore about the prices anymore.  Maybe b/c she's been here longer and is used to it now.  When I told CT I wanted to post again on the prices here he made me tell you the good prices of things too.  So they aren't all bad (you can thank Chris).  Oh, and I did eventually find a quiet place to pray... the bathroom worked very well.  It's nice and quiet!

They use kilos, grams, liters here so I've converted them to lbs, oz, and gallons.

1 gallon Milk $4.14

1 block of Philadelphia cream cheese $10.15 

14oz of Bacon $7.40 (we do have to splurge on that... but we use it sparingly)

2 Liter Coke $2.03 (we do without those)

1lb Bananas $0.30 (you can get these even cheaper on the side of the road)

1 can of Tuna $3.74

4.4lbs sugar $2.34

1 Avacado $0.15

Parenting magazine $13.28 (I was just meandering around and saw this crazy price so don't think I'm sending hidden signals- Cosmopolitan cost even more)

Treadmill $4,531.17 (who in their right mind?...)

And next time you want to complain about gas prices, get a load of this:

1 gallon of gas here is $6.07.  We don't have a choice- we have to buy gas! 

Tomorrow I'm going to a Maasi medical clinic to volunteer with our church.  It's from 9a-5p.  I'm not really sure what it's going to be like.  I really don't know if I have the nursing skills the nurses here have.  I'm a bit nervous, but anxious to do something with my passion. We'll see! 

  

You asked for pictures....

Chris and I got to experience an African Graduation today.  It was to start at 10, but since Chris was speaking we got there about 9:30am.  African time is a little different than American time.  We thought it was going to be 2 hours... in actuality it was to be 5 hours.  It didn't begin until 1130.  The PA system showed up about 12 and the programs came at about 1245.  That's the way they do things here, I believe.  It was very interresting.  Silly us, we thought it would start at 10, be over by 12 and we could go eat and get a few things done.  Not the case.  We finally ate and drank our first meal of the day at about 5:45pm.  Whew!  We've got to get our bellies used to this!

After they recieved their deplomas there was no waiting until all had recieved theirs.  The families immediately got up and went to their graduate.  They adorned them with garland.  (See picture below)  It was really very sweet.  The families we SO excited!

The lighting was bad inside, so not many pictures came out.  But there is something about this girls' silhouette I just love!  She was singing praise songs and you can see kibera in the back.

22 grads

Looking out the door of the building.  This is the edge of Kibera.

Chris with the pastors from Kawangware.  (Opps!  We left his dress coat!) 

We were totally cracking up at Timothy's hat.  Isn't that HA-larious?  I wish you could see the top of it.  He got the privilege of wearing it b/c he's the principle of the school.  

Had to take a picture of this billboard.  Every time we drive by we say hello to Thad Howell.  Doesn't it look just like him?  Being a pilot on his cell phone makes it no question. Love ya Thad!  (click picture to enlarge... yea- still looks like him... even really big)

How funny is this?  The Kenyans are all about Obama.  They are selling Obama shirts in several locations.  Since he has family that are Kenyans they are all about him.  We have had several people ask us "Are you voting for Obama?"  

"The wait is on"- what in the world is that supposed to mean?

So I was a little obsessed with this cute little bowl thingy.  I played with it almost the whole dinner.  It was pepper on one side, salt on the other.  It had this darling little spoon in which you used to season your food.  I gotta get one of these.  Notice I had my own little chiminea too!  I was lovin' it!  (again, click picture so you can see my precious little salt and pepper bowl.  Now you're ALL going to want one)

8 years together and he's still dating me.  I love him!  He even switches

desserts with me when I don't like mine.  Pretty sure he loves me too!  ;)

groceries...

Remember how we said that we weren't coming to Kenya alone? That we were bringing you guys with us. Well, we meant it. Today I would like to bring you guys grocery shopping with me. I want you to be able to compare prices back in the US with our prices here.
I have already converted them from KSH to USD. I know you all appreciate that.

6 eggs- $1.51
milk (2 liters)- $3.71 (PS- it goes bad in about 2-3 days)
Pineapple- $1.57 (that's good!)
3 small tomatoes- $0.43
1 Mango- $1.21 (bummer and it was VERY tart)
1 box of Special K - $11.00 (No, that is not a typo- but don't worry I didn't buy it. All I have to say is that it better be EXTRA special for that price.)


Yea people- you can almost eat out for what it cost in groceries.


So as you can see I'm trying to be Captain Frugal. We eat much smaller portions and I'm freezing every morsel of food that has any potential of being consumed. I can tell I'm really going to have to think ahead on my recipes and plan out the weeks cooking schedule well in advance. That way I can buy milk and freeze it by what the ingredients call for. For example if one recipe calls for a cup of milk and another calls for 2 cups, then I will freeze one in a container and two in another. I'll let you know how this works out (I might be crazy). I've never really thought of myself as being much of a planner. I kind of just... do. Guess God is molding me in more ways than I thought.

When we first got here we had to get a few staples to get us through the next couple days. Ot course, CT and I wanted some fruit. So I bought a mango, a pineapple, some tomatoes and bananas. The next day Abraham (our wonderful house help) told me he could get them at a market for much cheaper. I was so excited because I would LOVE to buy them from someone on the street that really needs the money. He also told me that the people at the Nakumat (like a walmart) were not Christians. He says they will hand you produce and tell you it is good and it really is not. (I picked the produce myself). So i guess since they lie in the produce isle, then they are not Christians. :) Looks like we have some ministering to do at the Nakumat.

I'm going to attempt to make wheat bread today. : o ) I figured out that if I can bake 4 loaves at a time and freeze the other 3. We can save money! WooHoo!
Tomorrow I will try to make laundry detergent (5 gallons- Thanks Linds!) Then Saturday I will see about making some Salsa.
Missing you all like I miss my grocery coupons...

Please look at my coffee mug (hope you can read bakerds')


CT has one that says "#1 Grandpa". Thanks Hal and Ruthie!
(Sorry guys, i know you have been asking for some real pictures, but I haven't taken any. i've been busy... I know it doesn't look like it though)


PS- I've been wearing the same clothes for 3 days now... they are the same ones I sleep in (I literally have not taken them off my body.) Not because my suitcase still isn't here, just because I can! Yep, that means no shower either! My husband thinks I smell AMAZING! j/k- i have good deo.
Give me some dreadlocks and a sewing machine and call me Shane Claiborne cuz' I LOVE IT!