I know you're all on the very edge of your seats, waiting for news about my lawyer. So I'll tell you.
I found my way to downtown Nairobi BY MYSELF (a feat not beccause Nairobi is that bad, but because I have absolutely no sense of direction), and met my friend Roy. We had lunch (chicken pot pies and LATTES!, of course) and then went to meet with the lawyer that came highly recommended from a friend of his.
Our lawyer, Frank, is really cool. He seems really nice and intelligent and serious about helping me. I dunno- I am generally trusting of, like, everyone, so who knows. But I liked the way he talked. He seemed genuinely interested in helping us.
We'll see. Anyway, he's going to get back to me in the next few days with some information about what he advises and what it will cost us. If we hire him, he's in it for the long haul- registering us as an NGO, helping us negotiate and pay for land, helping us with permits, etc etc.
Keep praying please!
I miss you all and hope you're doing well. Send me some emails or texts, for heaven's sake!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
say goodbye to jet lag...
...I do believe I slept through the night last night.
And the award for Most Improved in the area of Technology goes to my mom, who figured out how to leave me a comment on my blog! Good work, mamaci! I miss you and love you.
So, this morning we walked for miles. Okay, two. We walked for two miles and neither Susan nor I was used to it. Also, the sun came out. Yes, hooray, the sun! -but oh so hot, sindiyo?
After a veeeeeeeery long church service, in which I journaled, read half of Amos, and listened intently (to the 10% of the service that was conducted in Swahili), Susan and I walked home with a few others from her church. (We were visiting another church, see).
On the way home my attention was divided between the gorgeous scenery, lamenting the fact that I forgot my camera, carefully choosing my footing along the rocky and dusty road, and listening to the man next to me.
We discussed politics, mostly American. We discussed McCain's penchant for war (ha!), Bush's bungling of the US's relationship with, you know, the entire rest of the world, Hilary's stubbornness, and Obama's Kenyanness. We discussed the primary in Oregon (thanks for the statistics, Ange!, superdelegates, and blacks in America.
As we veered downhill, past cows, goats, children, hills, maize and trees, our conversation moved toward the topic of men in Kenya. He asked me why men in the US worked so hard when men here were so lazy. He asked me if women in the US had a need for fellowship and camaraderie the way women here so desperately did.
I didn't really have answers for him. I've been thinking lately about the roles gender will play in my children's home here. I'm tempted to take only girls, because they tend to rise up to expectations and will meet their potential. Women will use their education to make a difference in their communities.
But the boys need teaching, too. We need to teach them to become men. To fight for their families, for their country. To desire change.
I'm a visionary. I need someone to come alongside me and help me get things done.
Sigh...
And the award for Most Improved in the area of Technology goes to my mom, who figured out how to leave me a comment on my blog! Good work, mamaci! I miss you and love you.
So, this morning we walked for miles. Okay, two. We walked for two miles and neither Susan nor I was used to it. Also, the sun came out. Yes, hooray, the sun! -but oh so hot, sindiyo?
After a veeeeeeeery long church service, in which I journaled, read half of Amos, and listened intently (to the 10% of the service that was conducted in Swahili), Susan and I walked home with a few others from her church. (We were visiting another church, see).
On the way home my attention was divided between the gorgeous scenery, lamenting the fact that I forgot my camera, carefully choosing my footing along the rocky and dusty road, and listening to the man next to me.
We discussed politics, mostly American. We discussed McCain's penchant for war (ha!), Bush's bungling of the US's relationship with, you know, the entire rest of the world, Hilary's stubbornness, and Obama's Kenyanness. We discussed the primary in Oregon (thanks for the statistics, Ange!, superdelegates, and blacks in America.
As we veered downhill, past cows, goats, children, hills, maize and trees, our conversation moved toward the topic of men in Kenya. He asked me why men in the US worked so hard when men here were so lazy. He asked me if women in the US had a need for fellowship and camaraderie the way women here so desperately did.
I didn't really have answers for him. I've been thinking lately about the roles gender will play in my children's home here. I'm tempted to take only girls, because they tend to rise up to expectations and will meet their potential. Women will use their education to make a difference in their communities.
But the boys need teaching, too. We need to teach them to become men. To fight for their families, for their country. To desire change.
I'm a visionary. I need someone to come alongside me and help me get things done.
Sigh...
Friday, May 23, 2008
Nimefika nyumbani!
Hello all! I'm here! It feels so good to be in Kenya again.
My flights were looooooong and painful- my knees were KILLING me- but as always, it is so fun to read and watch movies and just relax for 2 days! It's like a mini vacation.
Now I'm here, in Ngong. I'm staying with my friend Susan (as per usual) and it just feels so...so right to be here. It's funny. I was thinking about all the things about Kenya that don't make sense for me. I HATE it when people are late to things- and people here are experts at being late. They make the latest latster from the States seem prompt.
They eat meat.
They are morning people.
And there are others which I can't think of right now. But in spite of any list I might come up with, Kenya feels like home. At times it can seem counterintuitive to want to be here- but my heart knows.
My heart feels content.
I will try to update when I can. In the meantime, I have a cell phone:
+254721930508
so you can text me and tell me how much you miss me. : )
And I figured out how to update Twitter from my phone here (that is a bald-faced lie. Nathan Hagglund figured out how I can update Twitter from my phone here.). The point is- you can follow my Twitter updates there on the left, or, if you're into that sort of thing, I believe you can get my updates sent to your phone.
That way, when I send a text from my phone that says 'oh my gosh, I'm about to get swallowed by a girafe' you will know about it RIGHT AWAY.
Grace and peace to you all. Hope you're all doing well!
Ash
(PS It's about 11am Friday morning. Let's see if my blog posts in my time or yours...)
My flights were looooooong and painful- my knees were KILLING me- but as always, it is so fun to read and watch movies and just relax for 2 days! It's like a mini vacation.
Now I'm here, in Ngong. I'm staying with my friend Susan (as per usual) and it just feels so...so right to be here. It's funny. I was thinking about all the things about Kenya that don't make sense for me. I HATE it when people are late to things- and people here are experts at being late. They make the latest latster from the States seem prompt.
They eat meat.
They are morning people.
And there are others which I can't think of right now. But in spite of any list I might come up with, Kenya feels like home. At times it can seem counterintuitive to want to be here- but my heart knows.
My heart feels content.
I will try to update when I can. In the meantime, I have a cell phone:
+254721930508
so you can text me and tell me how much you miss me. : )
And I figured out how to update Twitter from my phone here (that is a bald-faced lie. Nathan Hagglund figured out how I can update Twitter from my phone here.). The point is- you can follow my Twitter updates there on the left, or, if you're into that sort of thing, I believe you can get my updates sent to your phone.
That way, when I send a text from my phone that says 'oh my gosh, I'm about to get swallowed by a girafe' you will know about it RIGHT AWAY.
Grace and peace to you all. Hope you're all doing well!
Ash
(PS It's about 11am Friday morning. Let's see if my blog posts in my time or yours...)
Saturday, May 17, 2008
I'm outta here!
I can't believe I'm finally going to Kenya. It's been way too long. I dream about it. I catch myself speaking in Swahili to people here. And I look at my pictures constantly.
In other words, I'm ready. It's time to go back. I leave in two days! And I have about eight million things to do before then. So...I'd better get off my computer.
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