Morning on Christmas Eve came a bit early for the adults. I think about 2am we all were awake. I knew we were in trouble when Yvonne went out and started the coffee grinder. I think we’ve all agreed to see some medical help before going to bed tonight – mind you U.S. pharmaceutical laws do not apply in Kenya. I wonder if there are any side effects of mixing Simply Sleep, Tylenol PM, and Ambien… maybe dreams of pink heffalumps?
The families of RVA collected donations over the year to distribute to some needy families and invited us along. Our group split among 3 other teams and delivered the gifts to some of the neighboring villages. Sorry – you’ll only see photos of the one I was on.
The landscape was filled with squares of farmland and mud homes. Trekking to some of the homes proved to be both slippery on the still wet paths as well as exhausting – being at 7500 feet it seems I’ve lost all of my elevation endurance from living at Hume.
All of the homes we visited were very hospitable. In fact one home actually had prepared some rice and potatoes to share which was very humbling – yet was very delicious. On our walk to the last house we got to observe a brief local dispute. Funny how a drunken farmer with a machete wasn’t too much concern to everyone else…
After the gifts were distributed we headed back for lunch and then off to visit the family we are building a new home for. We could only drive part of the way and had to pack our things in the rest of the way. A 60 pound pack of potatoes on my back did bring me back to my days of the fire academy.
We got to visit and listen to Mary who was living in a house her father had built 40 years ago and was falling apart. She shared her faith story and how she came to know Jesus working at RVA many years ago and being surrounded by Christians. All of us were a bit concerned when we were told that it was up to us to build the house… luckily we then were told that some “professional” Kenyan builders would be there to help. I think the last project I built on my own was a canoe in high school – and it never did float.
On the way back we had to cross a railroad track and the kids decided it was a great photo op.
That evening we went to the local hospital to sing Christmas carols to the patients. Seems there are only 2 carols they know here, Silent Night and The First Noel – and really only knew the chorus. (which was sung much louder whenever it came around) I got to share a Christmas greeting to the men’s ward and Yvonne shared to the women’s ward.
Once we got home, we settled down for some relaxing games and singing – the girls decided to follow tradition and sleep out in front of the fire for Christmas Eve.
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