So I’ve arrived… and Here I was thinking that I had got Kenyan life down to an art.. it appears not the case when if have been travelling all night and developed some random sickness bug.
I arrived in Nairobi on Sunday morning where I stayed with Pamela, a friend I made on previous visits, for a few days. As I was unwell when Pam picked me up in the car I just had to lie down on the back seat and close my eyes thinking that once we get to Pam’s place I’ll be fine. Whenever I take a long journey all I want at the end of t is a shower, a nice hot cuppa and a couch... feeling unwell I was hoping for this more than ever. As we pulled up to Pam’s place I realised that all these things were well out of the question, I was faced with basically an iron shed with no toilet, sink or kitchen, and 3 beds between the five of us (her two little boys Amani and Baraka and Matrim, a house girl who helps her with jobs since her Husband died a few years ago)
Although Pamela was hoping I would preach at church that morning, I was so sick so I took myself to the nearest bed. As I slept under the roasting hot iron roof, I felt awful, tangled in a mosquito net, unsure of which case I packed my paracetamols in, and wondering where the nearest water supply was - the Culture shock hit me Big time!
I am ashamed to say I had a moment of doubt.. ‘’what the heck have I done? .. God where have you brought me?’’ It felt like a very dark moment where I was so far from everything that made sense and the people that I love that would make it all ok again. I can see now that it was a time to completely rely on God and try to hear his voice, instead of automatically using all the home comforts or solving the problem my own way. It's fair to say I felt completely vulnerable, more so than I can remember, and though I knew somehow it would all be ok, for that moment I wasn’t. I texted my little travelling companions from before - the other two Jos, who prayed for me, and although home was a million miles away, I felt their prayers and that dark fear quickly lifted.
The next day I felt so much better, the sickness nonsense had gone and Pam offered me either a shower or a sponge bath… I went for a sponge bath. So I was presented with a plastic washing up bowl with hot water. (sponge and bath not included!)The following day I was offered the same choice.. I opted for the shower.. So I was presented the same washing up bowl, again with hot water inside. (shower not included) I asked Pamela what the difference was and she pointed to the outdoor iron sheeting….so the difference was that I was to take the bowl outside instead. Ha ha…There’s loads more of these learning curves in the pipeline I’m sure!
As I recovered and got settled into Pamela’s place I was struck by how much poverty there really is around here. Pamela I have known now for a few years, she is such an intelligent woman with lots of goals and really perseveres everyday juggling work, looking after her boys and extra studies. Though I have known her for a while, it was different living with her, seeing how little she really has and how her day never seems to stop. I was stuck by how much she puts into her life.. and how little she has. We are the same age yet I have so much more ‘stuff’ than her, all my "stuff" wouldn’t even cram into the space where she and her family live, (in fact it was hard to find a place for my 3 cases, which are a fraction of what I own.) But she and everyone else around her manage very well…
As I wandered back from the ’shower’ in my towel, it was becoming dark and all my neighbours were outside lighting their stoves for dinner. I felt privileged to be a part of the community - a group of people who really help each other out, sharing everything - even soap, and just living so simply, yet thankfully.
When it came time to leave, I realised I had grown quite fond of the place. I guess it's like anything one is used to, it just takes changing one's mindset, and eventually one adjusts to realising a person can manage quite well without running water, electricity, internet access and flushing toilets. Another important realisation was that rather than spending £4 on John Freida shampoo, a big bar of green soap will do the same job just fine!
Somehow, life is just a whole lot simpler here and I am becoming more aware of how choice can really complicate things.
As a "thank-you" for letting me stay, I wanted to take Pamela and the boys for a treat, I went to a restaurant that my friend, Jo, and I found on our way home last time (they sold lasagne !!) The boys came too. As we were ordering drinks we asked them what they would like, a choice for them was obviously a big deal. They sat with their "fantas" chatting on in "Swahili" and laughing… I asked Pam what they were saying she said “they are saying they feel like the "muzungu" ladies they saw once on TV who go out to dinner and sip their drinks from a big glass…’’ they were just so cute. It is worlds away from some of the kids that I served in pizza express just a few weeks ago..
Pamela said they would be talking about this day out for a long time to come. On the way back home we had to take 3 matatus, squashed up. It became dark and the boys fell asleep lying on top of us. Just as we got off the last bus a massive downpour came. So we, and many others, gathered under a shelter for 30 minutes while we waited for it to pass. Everywhere was covered in mud so we trudged back in the pitch black with one of the boys on each of our backs. Though it took hours to get home, it had been a fun little adventure - we came home, took off our muddy shoes and ate chappatis and chai!
On Tuesday I travelled to Kimilili with Solomon, the Director, who happened to be driving that way. He drove a while and then passed me the wheel, telling me it was my turn.. I drove from Nacuru to Eldoret, (about two hours drive) it was great to get stuck in. I will need to learn this so I can get around myself.. but oh my word -the roads are bad, more like driving on one of those big water slides than a road, except you have crazy huge lorries coming full speed at you from the other direction. But, I love the way Africans just make life simple, and don’t put stuff off.. ‘just try ’!
