The day that was...

Written Dec. 26, 2010 - posted Dec. 31, still 2010.

Am listening to Latin music on my itunes, cooking mashed potatoes and glazed carrots, to go with the roasted chicken my daughter bought this afternoon at the Halal restaurant. We eat at this particular establishment quite often. (They have the best roasted chicken in all of Ngong.) When Judie went in today to buy chicken for dinner, they asked her where her mother was… meaning me. You know you’re part of the community, when you become Mama somebody. I’ve been called Mama Judie before but only in the village where everyone knew us… being a city Mama is something else entirely!

Yesterday, Judie and I attend PCEA (Presbyterian Church of East Africa) Enchorro Emunny Church, Ngong Parish. We didn’t know exactly when it started, so we went for a 9 a.m. English service, only to find out that it began at 8:30, luckily the English service ends at 10:30 so we still had another hour and half to worship. And, wisely, they don’t greet the visitors until about half way through the service when everyone finally arrives. We were recognized as visitor – obviously – I was the only white person in the congregation. A very nice usher woman came over and pinned white hankies on our shirts that had the church insignia on them. We didn’t have to introduce ourselves (typically Presbyterian – we don’t want to embarrass the visitor – although the big white hankie on your chest – well… I was feeling a bit… silly.) Anyway, Judie and I now deducing ways in which we can be visitors repeatedly, to collect 5 hankies so we don’t have to buy the ones required for boarding school. Not sure how the nuns at her Catholic School will take to her Presbyterian hankies…

I am a keen observer of the church pew - mostly because my boney backside is very particular. I was pleasantly surprised to see the inch and half thick velvet covered pad on each bench at PCEA EEC Ngong Parish. The pew pad is a Presbyterians way of saying we like to be comfortable when we worship. That said, there is a universal problem with Kenyan church pews. They are very short. They come to about the top part of your thigh when seated. And I have to say, even with the cushion (and I’ve been to churches where no such cushion exists), I was fighting to find a comfortable position. A very short pew does make you sit up very straight, but what’s the point if you can’t concentrate because you feel like a pretzel. I should not be complaining, a few years ago I attended a Catholic Easter service that was 4 hours long and we were seated on backless benches! That one required numerous “bathroom breaks.”

Interestingly, not one person spoke to us when we left… not sure about Kenyan church culture, but plan to be annoyingly present at PCEA EEC Ngong Parish, so they’re just going to have to get used to this mzungu. And maybe someday soon they’ll talk to me, and very soon after that, they will be calling me, “our white sister!”

FYI – the sermon was quite good.

After church we rushed home to change clothes and head to South C. That’s a neighborhood off Mombasa Road in Nairobi that is mostly populated by Muslims, and my friend Glenda and her family. She is the Auntie to Buddha, my Kenyan nephew for the past ten years since his birth (in the USA). Buddha (his real name is Ibrana), grew up on Maine Prairie Farm also known as the Hasslen Homestead. At the ripe old age of 5 years old, his mama sent him back to Kenya to live with his Dad and siblings. Which broke my parents hearts (mostly because I have not done my job and supplied them with any tangible grandchildren). Judie is here for at least the next three years and is grown – too far away for them to spoil her too much.

However, in an attempt to get myself off the hook and supply my best friend Abla with a much needed extended family, I have given them a “Buddha II” in the form of Abla’s recently born son, Nathan Kossi. They love him to death and there is no chance of Abla shipping him off anywhere… so I think I’m outta the woods for the time being.

Okay – back to South C and the Buddha Man. Buddha and his uncle Daniel came out of the development to meet us. Buddha is growing so much, but he’s still got that mischievous streak and his uncle (Glenda’s husband) who is the dictionary definition of stoic, says he’s hyperactive. But he’s still the all time greatest kid around. Still loves to read and is always number 1 or 2 in his class. I had forgotten my camera so we don’t have any photo updates!!! I’m ever so sorry. My mom is going to strangle me!

Sorry this was posted so late... I was enjoying writing in the comfort of my living room... however then you have to come to the internet cafe to send and it's been a week of VERY quick internet visits.

Am making a vow right now to get better about posting photos. Not promising it will happen right away, but I will start actively taking photos specifically to post - how's that?