We came home to find our dear friend Elizabeth back in the hospital. And we spent time visiting her. She has a great husband and two small children: Hope and Mercy.
We spent part of the week trying to get budgets and financial things in order for the Branch. We made charts showing were the money had gone and how it fit with what had been budgeted. We visited with leaders. budgeting, recordkeeping, handling receipts and asking for accountability from members are difficult things here. With one of my proteges we worked up simple accounting to help her keep her business money separate from her personal money.
Friday, May 7th we went to the Kisumu Museum to meet the curator, Peter, who had spent time in the USA and invited us to visit him. He was so welcoming! He and his financial right hand shared their faith, their love of the museum, the difficulty of some things there, and invited us to wander around again. We found an art show there with some surprisingly lovely modern art. (Surprising because I usually don't like modern art much.) They also had some tradtional art, eggshell art, pictures of African scenes and the like. I comissioned a necklace. Then we went off to pick up a tricycle for a disabled man who lives on the way to Busia. when we were at the hospital, we helped spring Elizabeth from there. I won't complain about US paperwork anymore.
Saturday morning we walked to Kenyatta Park and met with a group of branch members working toward self-sufficiency. They are trying to set up small businesses and are also trying to get microloans. One of the Savings and Credit officers is Leah, a delightful woman. In the afternoon, we went to her home to share the gospel with her. At the museum, we also met two young men and invited them to learn more. One is an American who lives about ½ hour from Palmyra, New York, the birthplace of the church. He said he’d go to the pageant there this year. Bernard, the other man has started taking the missionary lessons. We also met a sweet young woman coming out of the bank. We stopped and chatted and shared about the church and she is supposed to come this Sunday. I love it that people are so open to hear about Jesus Christ and how to have a happy life.
Saturday evening Elder and Sister U came to visit. It’s always so nice to have company. They rode with us to Busia. We dropped off the tricycle to Morrice on the way.
He had several of his friends who also want tricycles with him. One had polio, another 13 year old was born with such bowed legs they amputated them at the knees. We think we have arranged for them to have transport. We always enjoy visiting the Busia branch. They had made me a dress, so I got to model it this time. And I took the scarf so they could show me how to tie it. We taught the temple prep class and headed home. We stopped at the Equator so Elder and Sister U could get a picture there and visited a member’s shamba. Our curiousity was aroused when we passed this truck. Why was it in this position? Our conclusion: The trucks here have a higher center of gravity, may not have the weight evenly distributed and if you saw the depth of the pot holes adjacent the current location of the truck, it all makes sense.Monday we left early to go to visit the Balochi Project in Asembo. The Church asked the U’s to check out an orphanage to see about assisting them. We had a little trick finding the place, but succeeded and found as well that the people there were warm and welcoming and also well organized. They showed us around. The U’s had high hopes of returning to Nairobi that day and expected a quick visit. It was not to be. We visited the aged mother of the man who had donated the property. Then moved to the Ambassador’s house where they fixed us a sumptuous meal. Then we visited the market…including the livestock, fish, vegetable sellers, grain sellers, and used shoes and clothing… so the U’s could see Asembo’s version of Walmart.We visited Elizabeth on the way back. She was not doing well. She is such a sweet person. Elder Fox and I fasted and prayed for her. We so wanted her to live, but came to accept that it would take a miracle for that to happen. Elder U is an MD and so suggested some tests. Then they adventurously headed to Nakuru (about a four hour drive), knowing they’d arrive after dark.
Tuesday we did some training, taught Institute. Wednesday we ran errands and Tom took me out for an early birthday dinner. I also prepped for the Employment Workshop the Employment Specialist and I were teaching on Thursday and Friday. It’s a 16 hour class. We had 12 students. It’s so important for people to learn to recognize their goals, their strong points, and how to present themselves well. It was fun to see them gain confidence as the course progressed and exciting to see them discover new opportunities. We did not do as well as Elder and Sister R, by far (the mission couple that teaches this course). But I believe the students learned and it was fun to see the Employment Specialist connect with the class in uniquely African ways. “If you ask for too little money when you are hired, you’ll be tempted to reap where you did not sow.” (steal) This is our graduating class. Tom was the master of set up, photocopying, and lunch making (30 PB and J sandwiches for each day) and helped a great deal. Thursday I felt pampered with roses and a birthday cake shared with the class. By Friday night I was pooped!
But today, Saturday we had a 2 hour training on presidencies, goal setting, and finances with the branch leadership. As the meeting began, I got a call that Elizabeth had passed. I was so sorry. But I was grateful she’d lived long enough for our acute sorrow to turn to acceptance that the Lord’s will be done. After Leadership Training we had a baptism of two great people and Tom performed the baptisms. Several people wanted to meet with us so we slotted them in after the baptism. Fortunately two canceled so we were able to go do a little shopping and check mail (Got Pictures of Denali! Hurray!) Tom’s getting a little tired of my attire, so I bought some fabric for a dress and impulse bought a lovely scarf. Now I’m blogging instead of working on tomorrow’s temple class. So I will quit, repent and get to work there.
i love the dress that the women from the busia branch made for you, you look great!
ReplyDeleteAs I read your blog, I realize, if every little branch and group had your kind on mentoring, the church in Africa would be unstoppable. I'm amazed at all you do and your closeness to the members. It shows through in your blog. Thank you for sharing it with us.
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