Church! (and other things)

Today we went to a huge Church, Nairobi Chapel. There were about 1400 people in the main service, and about 200-300 kids and youth in their own services! The actual Church building was a bunch of white tents set up, looking like circus tents. One huge tent for the main building, then a children's tent, a youth tent, a visitor's tent (where we were invited to after for chai or juice and cookies), and a nursery tent. The service was really good, an amazing speaker, very energetic music with lots of instruments, a testimony, a dance presentation, and of course, much longer than our North American services typically are! We really enjoyed it, but are going to be trying other Churches for the next while to see which one we feel we should attend on a regular basis. This one didn't have a very distinct African feel, and was very big. They do, however, have small groups we could get involved in if we chose to attend this one. Andy and Lesa Brown took us, and Tim Lang (another short-termer who is in orientation with us) to Church today. We also picked up a Sudanese youth for Church, so it was neat being able to talk to him a little. On our way out for lunch, we stopped at the place where we're going to be living starting next week. It's really nice! A gated compound, beautiful trees and shrubs, and a grey brick duplex. There's about 3 or 4 of these in a row. We'll even have a dog! He's a rottweiler, and his name is Ruger!! (we're only going to be living in that location for a month or two, until the missionaries who usually live there are back from their home assignment, then we'll be moving to a different place). So that was exciting to see, and be able to picture it a little more! We then went out for lunch at a place called "For You", which is actually a Chinese restaurant! A Chinese restaurant in Kenya...!! But really, really good food! It's all outside, and we sat at patio tables on the grass.
Now we're back at the Mayfield for the evening. We have some more homework to do for orientation, which will be starting tomorrow. We've been getting to know our fellow short-termers quite well these past few days, and will be continuing to get to know them throughout this next week. There's Tim Lang, a young guy from Washington DC, who is here for 9 months, and is going to be involved with the On Field Media, filming and video editing, traveling all over. Chris and Sandy Rackley are from Minnesota. Sandy is a psychiatrist/counsellor who is going to be working with AIM Care, at Tumaini Counselling Center. Chris isn't totally sure yet what he's going to be doing, and they'll be here for 6 weeks. Dr. Fiona Logan is from England, and she's also going to be working at Tumaini Counselling Center, and she's here for 1 year. So we have a bunch of things lined up for next week, and it's going to be a very busy, intense week of learning and being stretched. I'm really scared to have to take public transportation, and those lessons are going to be tomorrow and Tuesday with James Muyela..so please pray for us!! It's really awesome that we are getting lessons, and if we learn it we'll be able to be much more independent...it's just scary at the same time!! On one of those days we're also going with James and Wycliffe (two Kenyan men) to the Kibera Slum, and we'll be able to meet and have chai with a family who lives there...i think it's going to be a difficult day in a lot of ways. We're really nervous, and yet looking forward to it at the same time. Sometime this next week I'm also going to be meeting with Murray Schmidt, who is the short-term coordinator for Kenya Eastern Region, who will handle my placement. So please pray for that as well, as I'm really hoping for a placement that fits me and my gifts, and that I can be where God wants me to be.
Please also pray that we would find our "place" here, and that we will be able to get to know the people, and not become too "cliquie" with just other missionaries, but that we would venture out, and get to know the nationals. That's the hard part with living in the city, and we really want to be a part of the real Kenyan culture as much as we can. We are also already talking about how things would look if we were to be in Africa full time, and so it's given us a lot of food for thought and discussion. I wish we could properly discuss it with some of you...maybe once we get our cell phones! So, please pray, pray, pray...!! Have a great day :)
~A