Photos from the top:
1) The Rev. John Mbiiri and the mission team standing on the site of the future chapel.
2) The Kawangware church and school grounds.
3) The sign on the front gate to the church grounds - featuring Tom & Jerry!
On Sunday morning, we were invited to worship at Kawangware, a Methodist church in one of the larger slums on the outskirts of Nairobi. The church was located on a red dirt road. The church is building a new chapel, on which the 2008 mission team broke ground last year. Construction has been slow as funding is difficult. The base work for the chapel foundation is nearly complete - consisting of building a stone wall for the foundation, filled in with about 18 inches of gravel. Soon, they will be ready to poor the concrete foundation, but don't have enough funding yet for the cement. If the foundation is not pored before the rain season comes next month, much of their work may be washed out. They need rain desperately, but we also hope they will finish their foundation before the rain comes.
After a brief tour of the church grounds and school house, we attended their worship service, which is held in the dining hall until the new chapel is completed. Despite being located in the slums on a dirt road, the Kenyans proudly attend in their Sunday best - many in suits that would fit in at Chapelwood. The service was lively, but mostly in Swahili, so we enjoyed the energy and the music. The pastor gave his sermon in English and it was lively as well. He thanked us (the mission team) for electing Obama during his sermon. Yes, it was lively.
After the service, we formed a line and shook hands with the entire congregation. One by one, each member of the congregation joined the end of the line, so each person greeted each person, forming a huge circle. Unfortunately, I didn't learn the traditional Kenyan handshake until later in the day, then attempts by several of the church members to shake my hands in a 'secret' handshake that was a secret to me made sense.
Before we left, the local church offered us a traditional Kenyan meal - with rice, green beans and beef - it reminded me of pot roast - and hot tea made with milk. After lunch, we were on our way for the nearly six-hour drive to Maua.
I'm not sure what I was expecting for the hotel in Maua, I think I'm pleasantly surprised. It's practical. Each room has two twin beds. We're using one room per person so you can fit your suitcase on the spare bed. As far as the bathroom - imagine placing your toilet and sink inside your bath tub. Literally. The bathroom is about 5' by 4', the shower head is essentially over the sink and the drain is in the floor. But there is hot water (at least now that maintenance has fixed the electric heater that is part of the shower head. At the end of a long day, I am thankful for a hot shower, even standing between the sink and toilet.
After a brief tour of the church grounds and school house, we attended their worship service, which is held in the dining hall until the new chapel is completed. Despite being located in the slums on a dirt road, the Kenyans proudly attend in their Sunday best - many in suits that would fit in at Chapelwood. The service was lively, but mostly in Swahili, so we enjoyed the energy and the music. The pastor gave his sermon in English and it was lively as well. He thanked us (the mission team) for electing Obama during his sermon. Yes, it was lively.
After the service, we formed a line and shook hands with the entire congregation. One by one, each member of the congregation joined the end of the line, so each person greeted each person, forming a huge circle. Unfortunately, I didn't learn the traditional Kenyan handshake until later in the day, then attempts by several of the church members to shake my hands in a 'secret' handshake that was a secret to me made sense.
Before we left, the local church offered us a traditional Kenyan meal - with rice, green beans and beef - it reminded me of pot roast - and hot tea made with milk. After lunch, we were on our way for the nearly six-hour drive to Maua.
I'm not sure what I was expecting for the hotel in Maua, I think I'm pleasantly surprised. It's practical. Each room has two twin beds. We're using one room per person so you can fit your suitcase on the spare bed. As far as the bathroom - imagine placing your toilet and sink inside your bath tub. Literally. The bathroom is about 5' by 4', the shower head is essentially over the sink and the drain is in the floor. But there is hot water (at least now that maintenance has fixed the electric heater that is part of the shower head. At the end of a long day, I am thankful for a hot shower, even standing between the sink and toilet.
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