We Just Happened to See Blind Kenyan Runner be Televised

While we were at our scenic spot out in the hills a pair of long distance runners ran by. They were being filmed. We were informed that these were no ordinary long distance runners. This is Kenya's blind, long-distance runner Henry Wanyoike and his friend Josephe Kibunja.

Joseph watches Henry's feet and informs him of any changes in terrain.

What You See in the Kenyan Countryside

A loaded bus.

Followed by a loaded pick-up.

Acacia trees.

A Maasai goatherder 

Children Everywhere Are Attracted to Mama Della

 This group of Maasai children, who told us they attended the Kings of Kings church up on the hill, readily gathered around Mama Della.

Pose for a picture...sure...

...except for the girl on the far right.

For some reason she ran out of every picture,

and stood observing from afar,

while the others took a keen interest in Della's unique hair.

King of Kings church up on the hill.

A Tour Through the Kenyan Countryside

The first Saturday of our trip we had some free time and a car at our disposal so with Harron at the wheel, we ventured out to the countryside.

We stopped at an Acacia Tree overlooking a valley.

A perfect place to buy handcrafted jewelry.

A young salesman greeted us with his wares. His mother makes many of the items he sells.

Here is another salesman with his wares spread across the trunk of our car. 

A Maasai girl welcomes the opportunity to use Della's binoculars. 

Maasai out at Nairobi National Park

These Maasai make a living entertaining tourists.

They pose.

They take your picture.

Answer your questions.

Let you pretend to be one of them.

Listen to special requests. One of Della's assignments on this trip was a request from friends, Gerard and Peta Gay of the First Nations people in Canada. They requested that Della bring them a stone from the land of the Maasai. Dikai agreed to meet Della the following week with a stone, but the Lord had a different plan.

Jump effortlessly.

Smile.

Dikai Lekerizae shares his phone number.

Getting Acclimatised in Kenya

First things first: Haaron drove us to Nairobi to change our American Dollars to Kenyan Shillings. One dollar equals 82 shillings. 

Lydiah shows Della where to buy music.

This is where Gavin, the groom to be, lives. 

We stopped by the giraffe centre to feed the giraffe.

And to visit the market. Lydiah would visit the market just about everyday to buy our food.

Lydiah and Haaron had a hard time understanding our fascination with the donkeys. Della is in the midst of discovering  sores on the donkey's back. I'm in the midst of letting Harron take our picture with my camera.

Here we are meeting Antony who is an associate pastor at House of Grace, the church where Gavin met his future wife. Left to right: Della, Anthony and Gavin.

Harron our Driver

Harron was our official driver. He is an electrical engineer with his own business who took a few days off to drive us around. This man knows how to drive. Whether negotiating through the traffic in Nairobi (which seems even crazier than the crazy traffic in Manila) or the gullies and gouges of the side streets in Ongata Rongai, we were secure with him at the wheel. 

Here is Harron with Pastor Frances at a church in a poor district of Ongata Rongai.

Outside Pastor Frances's home.

Harron and Della.

Harron relaxing up in the highlands where the windmills blow. 

Staying at Lydiah's House

This is Lydiah and Peter's home and where we stayed for most of the two weeks in Kenya.

This is the part of  the pot-holed kilometre drive up to the estates where Peter and Lydia live. 

This is Lydia. She is a wonderful hostess with a great sense of humour and a generous heart.  Her  husband Peter was away on a business trip while we were visiting.

This is Israel, their youngest.

Immanuel, their oldest. He gave up his bedroom for me.

Immanuel watching out for his little brother who gets into all sorts of things including his mother's high heels.

We invited the whole family to come visit us in Canada in August of 2013. It's Immanuel's job to remind his parents.

How Did I End Up in Kenya?

It began with a casual facebook chat. In early February my friend Della of Della Tyrrell Ministries, mentioned a wedding in Kenya. Her spiritual son, Gavin, a young man she had met in Nigeria would be marrying his true love in Kenya on March 2nd.

Gavin and Mom Della

 Della had been invited to attend as the mother of the groom (Gavin's blood parents would not be able to be at the wedding). She asked me if my bags were packed. Della wanted me to come along as the intercessor and photographer.

My spirit leapt (a very cool feeling). I said I would have to talk to God and my accountant (who is my husband). My accountant didn't think I should go. Tax season with dozens of people coming to our home office door was starting up and I am the receptionist. Also, just who would run the household?

Then I had a chat with God. He told me the trip to Africa was ordained. And, to give my husband time to decide.

So I waited.

Every few days Dave would ask more questions about Della's trip. What would she be doing there? How long would the trip be? Would she go if I didn't go?

In the meantime Gavin was busy planning his wedding and setting up a mission itinerary.  Della would be ministering at several churches, and possibly at an orphanage.

We would have to purchase tickets by February 8th if we wanted them at a decent price. At noon on February 8th Dave looked at me and said, "I think you should go to Africa." I phoned Della and suddenly Della and I were booked on a plane to Nairobi, two weeks from the day.

Every evening until departure, I prepared two meals--one to tuck in the freezer with instructions attached. My youngest, Christina needed money for a school trip to China and was eager to take over my chores. I made a detailed list of jobs: sweep the kitchen floor, clear up the breakfast dishes, do laundry, run the vacuum, and prepare the meals. This list totalled 22 hours of work. She signed up smiling.

Everything fell into place.

Suddenly I'm in Kenya

Where the Acacia Trees grow. 

And the giraffes live.

And you buy bananas at the market.

And donkeys pull water wagons.

And the Maasai welcome you.