Blogs from Western Province, Kenya, Africa

12 June: Nairobi to Masai Mara, Kenya In the morning we were off early to Masai Mara for our first safari. We stopped along the way to go to the shopping centre for lunch foods for the next couple.We also enjoyed some wifi time. I was excited because being a celiac, it is sometimes hard to find food, but here I was able to find some flaxseed bread. Samantha and I bought ham and cheese to but on the flaxseed bread for me and tortillas for her. Wasn't too bad. Also, there was time so Samantha and I sat and had a warm lunch at the shopping centre. I ordered some nice fajitas with outs the tortillas and Samantha a burrito. Along the way we stopped to see the great Rift Valley and enjoyed a break ... read more

Keeping up with this blog writing is a challenge, but maybe no-one is reading it so in that case it matters only to me. I want to complete it for my own satisfaction. On the 5th Ben and I set out quite early from Bumala for Kisumu,the third city of Kenya. It took about two hours in a bus which was one, or maybe two, up from a matatu. Quicker, but also had accommodation for my very large suitcase in which my few remaining possessions rattle around. Ben had arranged for a friend from Ahero, who has a taxi, to meet us and he was waiting. Off we went to Ben and Lillian s house and I met that charming lady. As they arrived from school I met their daughter Janny, nephew Sam, and Lillian s ... read more

This is coming late because of my bronchial cough and problems with Internet access. Thank you for your prayers, which have sustained me well. On Sunday Ben and Lillian came for me to go to their church, which is the one Ben grew up in in Bumala. We arrived late and were given seats just inside the door where there was a breeze. I was welcomed by the pastor but my voice was very weak. Ben translated. My impression was that women outnumbered men. They were dressed in long brightly coloured dresses with head coverings. The children came in and led the congregation in singing, clapping and dancing with great energy for a long time. The senior pastor and Ben spoke. The style is to shout and have the P.A. system turned way up. Then the ... read more

What a lot has happened since I last blogged that I want to tell you about, but it is challenging to get it out. This is the third time I have typed this. On Friday we had the dedication of the Bumala Vision Project. It was to begin at 10a.m.and I was to be collected at9:30. So at 9:10 I thought I would just rest for a moment and when I came to, it was 9:55! I rushed downstairs and Jonah was patiently waiting for me. We got a matatu and when we got to the site there were a few people there and they were starting to put up the tents to shade the guests! Chairs were then set up for 300, and still there were not many people other than the committee. The chairman ... read more

I'm now on my third day in Bumala and the strangeness is beginning to disappear. I am staying in the Western Ambience Hotel which is a four storey structure right on the main street. It is modern but some things are not what you would expect. My room is at the back at the end of a long corridor with only one way out and only one stairwell which is not lit at night. The staff aure very helpful and are dealing with the problems in the room, Including a toilet which did not flush. And the phone and TV didn't work. Food is plentiful. I didn't come here to be pampered. It seems as if almost nobody in Bumala has a job and so they set up stalls at the roadside to sell whatever they ... read more