Greetings from Kenya # 4

Jambo Friends,

It's Tuesday evening here in Meru, a little after 9:00, the end of another very full day.

After breakfast, we left for Guchunge Primary school for morning devotions at 7:30.  When we got there, we were enthusiastically met by the students at Guchunge - a large group of starndard 1 through 8 students - about the same as 1 through 8 grade.  Julie let a very good devotion based on the 66th Psalm.  The students sang songs for us and gave us a welcoming clap - where they clap their hands in rythym as  greeting. We also sang for them - Seek ye First and Sanctuary.  We were also introduced to the teaching staff of the school.  As is almost always true, the warmth and sincerity of the greeting boardered on te overwheling.  We also learned about the maize crop that has been planted for Guchunge for food. During some informal moments afterwards, I was reminded how much fun you can have with a handful of Kenyan first graders and a digital camera - they love to have their pictures taken, and then see the picture on the camera - especially when you let them know how beautiful they are.

Some of the team stayed at Guchunge and taught special education and standards 1 and 2, while the rest of the team returned to BLISS to teach biology, sit in on history and english classes (I believe those were the classes) and teach some biology about crops and computer skills.  We left BLISS a litle after noon, and after lunch at Thiiri, went on an extended sightseeing trip of Meru.  We drove through Kenya Methodist University (called KEMU for short), and observed classes at the school for the deaf in Kagaa (a section of Meu).  Merilyn gave us a history lesson as we visited Kagaa Methodist Church, briefly covering the inroduction and spread of Christianity in what is now Kenya, and a history of the various schools in the Meru area.  We visited the Kagaa Boy's school, one of the first schools in the area, and the Agricultural school, also in the Kagaa area.  We then went through downtown Meru on our way to visit Makena Textiles.  Makena is very similar to the Spinners and Weavers in Nanyuku that we visited on Saturday, in that it offers employement to women in the area, and they spin yard and weave mostly rugs, but also make tie die fabrics.  Most of us took the opprotunity to purchase something, both because they have some really nice things for sale, but, I suspect, also to support the women employed there.  Some of us in one of our two vans, chose to stop at that other tourist destination in Meru - the NAKUMATT - think Meijers, Kenyan style.  They did not sell much to us, just a few little necessities, but I personally enjoyed a COLD diet Coke and some popcorn, a bit of a treat in Meru (for me at least), and I was not the only one!

After our return to Thiiri, we had dinner and devotions, and made some plans for tomorrow, which mostly include classroom activities and both BLISS and Guchunge, devotions and the Polytechnic school (a vocational school very close to BLISS), and Ash Wednesday services at Mwanika in the late afternoon.

All of us continue to be in good health, and it seems to me, at least, have adjusted to our new place and time zone well!  I know of no complaints!

More tomorrow.  Until then,

Peace be with you.

Ted Brokaw for the 2013 Kenya Mission Team