Update 1/25/2010

New Experience: On Tuesday we visited our farthest away branch, Kilili, for classes in English, keyboard and investigators. It was an enjoyable day starting very early with travel from Nairobi. Keyboarding has been bogging down a little so we planned a church music program where all students would perform 2 hymns plus we would learn a new hymn to sing at the program. We set a date the end of March after sacrament meeting. I suggested just family be invited but the class chose to invite the whole branch! We'll see how it goes.

Pictured above: YM in Kilili Branch holding Sunday School class.

After classes we were to pick up some mangoes from Pres. Makiti's home to transport back to Nairobi for a young man there to sell to help pay for his PEF (Perpetual Education Fund) loan. When we went to the president's home women were working there to get the bean seeds out of the shells as he sells them for seeds. Everything is done by hand, even picking up every little seed after they are separated by hand. Then the sorting is done by hand. Sister Blake participated with the sisters and we all enjoyed a good laugh!

Some days are harder than others: We are struggling with teaching English to some who have no English experience. Elder Blake calls them ZEE's (Zero English Experience). One problem is preparing African members to understand how to be the teachers. Another is: Where do you start with so many at different levels? Especially when the same 10-25 people don't show up consistently from one week to the next?? Other classes are going well with a very special group of investigators who are getting close to baptism. They speak enough English to understand and ask good questions. Sister Blake and three young branch missionaries are working together and we almost hate the classes to be over!

Three more days in the hills: Friday we taught in Ilima (highest on the mountain). We are met when they hear our truck approaching by 20-30 little children (when they are out of school) who live near the church. They see and hear us making our way up the mountain in low-range 4-wheel drive for about 20 minutes before we arrive; there are no other vehicles that drive up there. We try not to give treats or we almost get attacked, but this time we couldn't help it. They have so little and sat down and ate the cookies right there. We will pay for it in weeks to come by being mobbed by them and dozens more like them as we arrive but it was worth it.

Pictured above: Children waiting for the truck at the Ilima Branch

We had to hurry after class to go to a baptism in Kyambeke Branch. The Branch President called and asked us to see things went well. He was on the way in a matatu (taxi van) to take his brother to the hospital as he had been in an accident that morning in another matatu that had swerved to miss a person in the road and had rolled down the mountain! We saw the accident as we drove by earlier. The baptism went well, though on “African time” as two of the girls who were baptized didn't arrive until 45 minutes after the baptism was scheduled. Elder Blake just started his talk over and we went on. There was a good spirit there and they will be good members. We pray the members will help them feel part of the branch and that they will continue to grow.

We left the baptism to go with Pres. Kaseve from Mitini to visit a new area, Matua, where there are many joining the church and attending Mitini Branch. They are all from one large family. (All but one person in the investigator class belong to this family.) We thought we were just going to see the area but found that the people had all gathered and the women were waiting for us for a relief society meeting and the men were waiting at another home where Elder Blake was announced as the speaker! (We're getting used to this type of surprises... (sort of!) In the R.S.meeting they said something in Kikamba, and the sisters started each giving a few shillings of money to the RS president while someone recorded who contributed. I asked the sister next to me what the money was for and she said it was “fast offerings.” They have so little but they pulled coins from here and there. At the end of the evening they gave the collection to the young mother with a new baby who lived there. (Interesting use of fast offerings but appreciated.) She brought the baby out and gave her to me to hold and you know how much I loved that! They then gave us a tour of the area where all the families lived and Elder Blake took pictures of the families. It's a whole little community belonging to this family and they have joined the Church. They have to walk 40 minutes across a valley and up a mountain each time they go to meeting! It was nearing dark when we finished the very full day. Two young men rode back to Kikoko with us to make sure we didn't get lost (which we appreciated). We were exhausted and almost on overload with all that we had experienced.

Pictured above: New members from Matua

Another Water Turnover: The Church turned over another water bore hole in our Kilili area. The celebration wasn't quite as large, but the branch choir sang (which included Elder and Sister Blake). They requested that I wear my bright flowered dress so I could “fit in.” The people are so appreciative of the water. As they said “Water is life.” We understand more now.

We spent two nights in a row at Precious Blood so we didn't have to drive back to Nairobi before speaking in sacrament meeting in the hills on Sunday where those who were baptized were confirmed. We were happy to arrive home safely Sunday evening for a hot shower and good bed! Our bath in Kikoko was standing in a dishpan size tub of hot soapy water (heated in our cooking pot) and scrubbing and then stepping into another tub of rinse water and using a cup to pour over and rinse the soap off. It was quite an experience but better than we thought it would be! At least there was water.

Our love to you all. Have a good and safe week.

Update 1/16/2010

“...Sleep tight, Don' let the bedbugs bite.” This little phrase we have said to our children over the years has a whole new meaning to us now! Elder Blake's legs look like a hoard of hungry mosquitoes had a feast. We didn't know what was wrong until someone mentioned bedbugs and in looking on the Internet the welts looked just like his legs. We think they were in the old mattress under the foam pad at Precious Blood. He tried sleeping on that to see if it worked better and they must have been hiding out waiting for him! They must not like me (and I'm grateful). We are now prepared with a chemical spray given to missionaries. We are to spray everything and then let it dry three hours. We will use it Tuesday when we go again. Watch out bedbugs!(You don't want to see pictures of this!)

“You're going to buy what on that street corner?!” Elder Blake's mission suit is ready for retirement. This is its third mission (given to him by Brother Bergeson's wife when he passed away after their mission to South America) and the fabric is going the way of all old cloth. He didn't think he'd use it much here and he enjoyed the light, cool fabric. I gave him a certificate for Christmas for a new one. On the way home last week we saw a man, along side of the road, with suits laid out on the ground – pants on one side and coats on the other. We pulled off the road (the best we could) and Elder Blake went to investigate while I waited in the truck and prayed no one would run into us! They measured his legs, waist, etc., tried on several coats, chose a likely one, and then began to dicker on price. We had heard that “Mzungus” (white people) are charged way more than native people, but Elder Blake can bargain with the best of them. The result is a nice new suit (at a good price) which Sister Blake took in and up, gave a good press job, and is ready for church tomorrow. “Merry Christmas” Elder Blake. (We wish we had pictures of this event!)

Best part of the week. Wednesday we had one of the most rewarding, spiritual days of teaching on our mission. Elder Blake has been training members to teach each other English (to learners on different speaking levels). Wednesday the new teachers were with their groups separated into three competency levels in different corners of the room and having a wonderful time teaching while Elder Blake enjoyed watching them. Sister Blake taught investigators and showed them the Restoration DVD. The spirit was so strong that they didn't want to leave when the class was over. // As we were ending, another man came. Elder Blake met him a week ago as he was trying to get his daughter enrolled in Precious Blood school. He'd invited him to the branch and he had shown up. I had to go teach a music class but the YSA branch missionaries whom we have been training taught the investigator class again to this man and the rest of the class stayed to hear it again! It was a perfect experience to show them what the spirit feels like.

Watching over us. On our way home we stopped down the road a little ways to get organized and get out our lunch (it was time by 3:00!). As we were just getting started again our phone rang. It was the branch president. Someone had called him to tell him we were stopped on the road and he wanted to know if we were okay. They take such good care of us. (We must seem awfully old to them :) ) We feel blessed.

Pictured above - some of the beautiful flowers of Kenya: Top picture is from our Nairobi apartment window across the housing complex; Next two pictures are at Precious Blood. Next picture Mitini baptism. Next, Sister Blake by Precious Blood Apartment Bldg., Last picture, Curtains in our room of same fabric as Elder Blake's new African shirt!

Another blessing. Our son, Scott, had emergency back surgery this week and is healing well (although not as fast as he would like). They were blessed as the neurosurgeons they needed were available and they were able to perform the surgery that very day. Our prayers are that he will continue to get better. How we love all of our family and keep them always in our prayers.

We wish family and friends a good week!

Update 1/8/2010

Challenges and Blessings: The clutch on our truck went out. (Not good!) The blessing was that it happened while we were in town and not in the mountains somewhere! They let us use a little gray one but we're glad our white one with the cattle guard is now repaired.

The Girls Came Back: Holiday is over and the 420 girls at Precious Blood School started to return last Tuesday. Some couldn't get back on time because of a matatu (small bus) strike. We were concerned that we wouldn't be able to stay when they returned, but Sister Mary Joyce made us feel welcome, at least for now. She's hoping the electricity will come soon to the new apartments where she has indicated we can rent a flat when they are ready. (We don't know when that will be! “African time” can be very long.)

Pictured above: Precious Blood Catholic Girls' school where we stayed right on campus until the dorms were completed.

Temple Preparation Class: We started this class in the first branch this week. If things go well we hope to take a group to the Johannesburg temple the end of June. We told them we had been sealed in the temple 46 years ago this month! That was unbelievable to them. (We can hardly believe it's been that long ourselves.) The flight to Johannesburg is four hours from here. The church “First Time Temple Attenders” fund helps pay for the trip when they cannot afford it and the nearest temple is so far away. We would pay our own way to accompany them.

Investigator Class: We're starting new classes and had two mothers, each with five children, in our class in one branch and three adult brothers and their sister-in-law in another branch. There was a special spirit in these meetings. They spoke minimal English but we seemed to be able to communicate with the help of young single adults members in both branches. They enjoyed the story of Christ's visit to the Nephites and His blessing of the children, read first in the picture storybook and then in the scriptures. . The brothers and sister-in-law live in a valley where people from a small church there are joining the church in groups. It reminds us of experiences in early church history when whole congregations were prepared and just waiting to hear the gospel.

I practice my Kikumba on them by telling them “weka nessa” (well done) or asking them their name “wetta-whatta.” They laugh at my funny accent but it breaks the ice and we have a good time.

English Class: Elder Blake makes teaching English fun for the teachers and students. They practice alphabet sounds, words, and actions such as: stand up, sit down, turn around, and walk, etc. He works with them to use their diaphragm to talk louder as their culture is to speak softly. We can hear them hollering in the other classroom and having a good time. This is so important as they cannot be baptized without English here.

Keyboards Arrived: There is excitement in the branches as we are beginning to distribute the 10 new keyboards. In the new branch we are still teaching music conducting in preparation for keyboarding. We have a good time as we clap and count and try to teach correct rhythm. It's hard work (harder for some than for others!) but we tell them to practice and it will be worth it. The Harmon grant that provides keyboards generously is wonderful.

Pictured above: Music conducting class in Mitini Branch; Below, Keyboard class in Kyambeke Branch

We get tired, but we love this wonderful missionary work and are being blessed in so many ways. Best wishes to all of you and know we are thinking of you.

Update 1/2/2010

Christmas and New Years week . . . where has everyone gone?? Streets and roads not crowded; people more laid-back – always a cheerful greeting of “Merry Christmas” or “Happy New Year!” Majority of people have “gone up-country,” which means out to their native villages for the holidays.

Last Sunday we attended Kyambeke Branch. The Young Women wrote their testimonies to send to our home ward and we took pictures of them and their leaders outside the church to send home with the testimonies. What a fun experience. It was also the last Sunday at church for Claire, our good friend who has helped us so much with our teaching here. She bore her testimony and said good-by to the branch. She is the first missionary in her family and the first young woman missionary from the branch and will be going to Uganda. Her feelings were tender. There are nine children in her family.

Tuesday night we stayed at Precious Blood (for the last time before the 420 girls return to school!), and then drove to Mitini Wednesday for a big ceremony. / LDS Charities does so much for the people here and they had completed a water project for the community which purifies the water and pumps it clear up a hill to be available for people to use right at the village crossroad. The whole village came to celebrate including the tribal chief and government dignitaries (in their Kenyan military uniforms) from all over. And do they know how to celebrate! They had set up shade awnings and used the Mitini Branch chairs. The program was two pages long and lasted from 9:30 a.m. (which included a walk down the hill and back to see the actual water site) and ended at 2:00 before starting the lunch! There was music and native dancing from the Tribe and local churches. Mitini Branch choir sang a spirited “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel.”

The villagers are so appreciative for the water. We see women carrying large barrels of water on their backs - so heavy they are bent way forward, their chins about the height of their knees, up hills and long distances. We'll never take water for granted again. When Elder Esplin (LDS Charities Missionaries) spoke he explained to the people that the money used to provide the water didn't come from rich people, but from many people all over the church who gave small amounts because they want to help. The Humanitarian Fund of the church is blessing the lives of many people all over the world. When we put the money in the contribution envelope we see here that it is being used wisely and helping where it really is needed!

Pictured above: Water supply shed and below dancers performing for the ceremony turning the water over to the village.

After the ceremony we took Claire (young sister who had been helping orient us and serve as interpreter also) back to Nairobi to be set apart by President Taylor for her mission. It was tender time for her as she left her family and friends. We took pictures and there were a few tears shed. She and friend Michael - a convert of 14 months, age 24 - have been teaching all the investigators in two of the branches for the past year+, which accounts for most of the baptisms. Michael is expecting his mission call any day now. They both will be sorely missed by the branch presidents and new members. // We made it back to Nairobi in time for her interview and Elder Blake assisted as she was set apart. She will be a wonderful missionary but there are great changes ahead for her; from living in a small village with no electricity or running water and never being out of the country to flying in an airplane to South Africa and three weeks in the MTC. She stayed with us for the night and was so nervous she didn't sleep. We took her to the airport Thursday at 5:00 a.m.

Pictures above: Elder Blake with Michael, Clair, and Sister Blake; Below Young Women and sisters from Kyambeke Branch where Clair and Michael were members.

Thursday was New Years Eve and we had a progressive dinner and games with the couples. It was fun but being "very old" as we are, we celebrated an hour or so before midnight! New Years Day we visited a giraffe center and a crocodile farm just outside of Nairobi. They said that giraffe saliva is sterile, so a kiss would be okay; but hugging and feeding by hand was plenty for me!

"Happy Birthday" to Devan on Sunday and a "Happy New Year" wish to family and friends. We love and appreciate you all.