Update - July 29

july 27

juan:

Most of the servants went on a retreat this Friday and Saturday. We couldn't go because we are helping to resolve network/internet lag issues, which is fun stuff. This entire week has been focused computer stuff because John is going back to Egypt on Monday. We have set up a mail server for the compound, which they are excited about because up till now, a lot of things have been done by word of mouth. We have been going to bed quite late and even keeping some of the kenyans here late, which I have been told is not cool :)

Today, as we were all hanging out together, one of our servants fainted. Apparently, she suffers from hypertension and has contracted typhoid as well. Immediately all of the servants ran to her aid. The doctors and pharmacists tended to her, checking her blood pressure and taking blood samples to the lab. The bishop and Abouna, together with all the servants spent the evening with her, joking around and making sure she felt loved. It was awesome to see how the servant family takes care of its own.

Quiet time was nice today. I am reading Ephesians, from start to finish, and it is Beautiful.

Dad, thank you for calling me today. You don't know how much it meant to me. It was so nice to hear your voice. I am glad you and mom are doing well. Say hi to Sue and Grant. I was telling dad that I think Christine and I are the worst servants that ever lived. I have told this to Abouna many times. He said that he always waits a couple of months for a new servant to adjust and Wake Up, and after that, serving will be the will of the person, not a set of tasks. We both really need God to change us. This is what we pray for the most. Please pray for us for this reason. More than our own safety, we need to change, to be like Christ. This is what matters most.

One thing that scares me is the corrput police check stops. At night, there are these police check stops where the police pull you over, especially if you are a muzungu (white or foreigner), and make up any reason for you to give them money. They all have machine guns. It is very unsettling, but it seems you get used to it.

Last night, our friends Tamer and Sherry took us out to eat Indian food for dinner. It was really good. We ate chicken in special masala and garlic naan.....mmmmmmmm.

Vinny, thanks for the Linux tips. They helped me out.

Carm, we have a mailing address: Ngong Road, Between Kindaruma Lane & Rose Avenue. P.O. Box 21570, Nairobi. We heard there can be customs issues with mail, so don't send me an envelope full of cash :) Give Mocushla and Jeju a kiss for Christine and me.

Manny, did you get the beemer yet? Could you be a dove and comment on the blog or send me an email? I love you bro.

I saw pictures on Facebook of the Calgary youth with MarClaudine and the kids. It was nice to see you guys. How are you doing? If any of you guys read the blog, please write us a comment :)

I'll post pictures on Facebook soon. We don't go to bed until around midnight everyday, so I'm just too tired, but I'll find time.

Lastly, please know that God is taking care of us here. I pray that you are all doing well. God Bless.



July 28

Christine:

We have had some very interesting couple of days at the mission lately. Yesterday morning, we went to Mass and I had communion and it was just awesome! The bishop didn't attend the mass because he went with a kenyan priest to go visit and bless a bunch of coptic churches outside Nairobi. After communion, Juan went to help with some more IT stuff and I went with our new friend Neveen to her apartment to make us some breakfast. We made some very tasty eggs and sausages - my first since we left Canada! After breakfast, we started watching an old arabic movie on the computer at which time Lydia also joined us. It was alot of fun to hang out with the girls and watch a movies. While watching the movie, Lydia got a phone call from the bishop telling her to go make pasta because he's bringing a goat with him for everyone to eat!! My first thoughts were....A GOAT?? A LIVE GOAT???? and indeed it was! So we met up with Mickey and Sherry and we all started cooking a big tub of pasta for about 30 people. We later found out that the bishop (sayedna as we call him in arabic) apparently was given a goat as a present from one of the churches he visited. But knowing that one goat won't be enough for everyone at the compound, he drove around for another hour or two going from one shephard to the next asking if they can buy another goat. God as always was with him and they managed to return to the compound, 2 hours late, with 2 goats and a chicken...all alive and kicking! The goats were just trasported in the trunck of the van...one of the servants that went with sayedna got very acquainted with them. Anyways, once they arrived, all the boys took the goats to the back and killed them. Magdy, thank God, knew how to butcher and skin the goat so he was managing the entire procedure...I asked him how he learned to do that but he just laughed...I figured it's probably best if I don't know so I didn't ask any more questions. By then, it was already the evening so we decided that we'd save the goats for the next day so we went for dinner. While at dinner, Tante Mona (she's awesome!) came to ask who wanted to help her clean the goats after they were skinned. THANK GOD me and Juan got out of it or else I think we would be puking for the next week. She managed to capture 2 guys from LA to go help her (and I mean capture!). So today, we went to prayer meeting and then to dinner. At the end of prayer meeting, sayedna finished talking and then he said "Yalla, lets go eat goats!" So we all flock to the Center where we have dinner and they bring out 3 different types of goat; barbequed, in a tomato sauce and the third in a garic sauce. They also made fata (an egyptian dish). It was pretty good, it tasted like beef! And that's the end of our famous goat story.

Also, today we went on visitations to Lanana. It was the best visitation I've had yet. We went to get people from their houses but they didn't really want us to go in to their homes and they just said they're busy now but they'll come later. Lucy said that most of these ladies don't have a job and need the money for their children so they sell liquor out of their homes (which is why they didn't want us to go in). Anyways, she didn't think they were coming.

So we gathered in an open area on the grass with the few that came and started singing. It was awesome! everyone was so in to their singing and a guy came and started dancing in the middle which made more and more people want to come.

The children started moving towards the music and laughter so by the time we were done, we were all standing, clapping, dancing and singing our hearts out. Even though it was all in Swahili, I'm starting to pick up some stuff so I sang a little too. I loved it. There were at least 30 people there listening with us to the word of God. Lucy shared today and people started giving testimonials afterwards. It was really great, I can't wait till next week when we go to Lanana again.