WHAT SHALL THE REDEEMED WEAR?
Perez Nyagol is a dear older lady in her early 60's who has been coming to the Kajulu church for most of this year. She has been attending the instruction class faithfully but suddenly didn't show up anymore. We decided to visit her mud hut in the flatlands and found that she had been quite ill. She is very thin and frail and has little or no income. She depends on the neighbors for most of her food. We could tell by her house that once upon a time life was much better. Her husband, deceased for 10 years, had a good office job, but suddenly became ill and died. Their seven children have all died except one and she hasn't heard from her for 3 years. It's a sad story but Perez has peace. She says that when there are times she is so hungry, she thinks of a portion of scripture and her physical and spiritual hunger pangs disappear. She has a keen sense of humor and a very likable personality. She can neither read or write. Even though we can't speak the Luo language (yet), she would like if the girls and I would visit her occasionally and read the Bible to her. Yes, we can read Luo, but it would be a bit like the Ethiopian....understandest thou what thou readest? At least she would.

The churches here have a policy that if you attend faithfully for half a year or so and are interested in joining the fellowship, you are eligable to exchange your clothing for the CBF (Christian Believers Fellowship) clothing. This is a real highlight for these ladies to be able to dress like the rest of the church sisters. Since Perez walks 2 hours one way to get to church and with her still weaked condition, I asked her if we could visit her home to exchange the dresses. She was more than delighted! Pamela, wife of Tom Ogema and a good friend, accompanied Martina and me and did the interpreting.


Before the change, with Perez and Pamela

Perez testifying to her neighbors. They were very impressed and wanted to be included in the picture. Perez says now she not only IS different since she was saved but she also wants to LOOK different. These people sometimes put us to shame with their eagerness to share the saving power of Jesus. They do not want to have one stitch of worldliness in their appearance. Oh, they are not all the same. Like in America, if a mother has pride in her heart, it comes out in the way she dresses her children. But unlike America, most are ignorant in the ways of modesty and simplicity and are very teachable. Worldliness occurs anywhere but mostly in affluent communities. One lady, in her testimony yesterday in church, related how happy she is to be and look like a Christian. She said you cannot hide behind your clothes, but what is in your heart WILL come out! She said in order to be sucessful in our Christian walk, we need to be submissive to God and the authority He has set over us. We were impressed she knew so much for being a new Christian. How we 'knowledgeable' Christians can try to explain things away!

Perez and her neighbors in front of her humble home.

The neighbor herding his cows to pasture. Perez told us she had one cow and would send her with a nephew's herd of about 20 or so to pasture every morning. The children, who were supposed to watch them, got to goofing around and playing. Suddenly the cows were nowhere around to be seen. This happened about a month ago and they have not been seen since. One man said since she lives close to a slaughter house, they very likely had been killed early in the morning and their hides and heads buried. Things like this are happening. She probably will never see hide or hair of them again, but only God knows. Maybe someday her cow will return.

A group of 8 from Hillcrest will be arriving this coming Thursday and staying a week in Kisumu and a week in Nakuru. Omar and Elsie Miller had planned to come but his mother passed away in Kansas. In place it will be Leonard and Caroline Mast. Next Monday, we plan to take the group up to the mountians for a tour and dinner at someone's house.

Rosalie Beiler is excited about a trip home to PA on Wednesday. She will be attending a sister's wedding and will be gone 3 weeks. Martina will be substituting in the classroom.

Mattie Kauffman

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIRIAM!
(you didn't expect this, did you?:)

My 'only' sister, Miriam, was born on September 21, 1965. We each had seven brothers. Miriam now lives in Lancaster, PA and since we are now in Kenya, we miss her very much. This photo was taken on June 17, 2009, the day we left America. David had a September birthday as well, on the 10th. This is the second one he remembers. Birthdays weren't celebrated in the Vinogradov, Ukraine orphanage he lived before he came to join our family. With the 150 children to keep track of in a poor setting and possibly many not knowing their birthdates, it really wasn't possible.



Yesterday Sam and I were enjoying our Sunday afternoon coffee time when we received the call from the young groom, Jack, saying his wife is very sick. Could we take her to the hospital? We bumped to their home close to church and took her to the Russian Hospital, one of the cheapest (and the poorest) in Kisumu. This was our second Sunday evening emergency room experience. It resembles and smells like a milkhouse minus the bulktank. Like in Lancaster, we sit for hours and wait......and watch all the activities coming and going out the door. A couple months ago, we saw 3 drunken brawl results coming in with their drunken buddies. Some are in pretty bad shape, like one man having a chunk taken out of the back of his leg. What a mess......! We will spare further grusome details.
There doesn't seem to be any ambulance around; people brings their friends on the back of bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, or just walk. Last night a car hurriedly pulled up to the door. Three harried, young men jumped. A hospital worker gave them each plastic gloves they quickly yanked on and somewhat gracefully tried to deposit their friend onto the shabby stretcher. As it was shoved past us, we saw the motionless victum was shot through the head and appeared dead. The three young friends jumped into their car and sped off. About 10 minutes later, the place was swarming with police. They brought quite the delapidated vehicles, including a strange looking paddy wagon. After awhile the victum was taken back out the door and put into the back of this wagon. We heard the other waiting folks murrmuring words about going to the mortuary. It made me sick in the stomach....what stupidity! Suddenly this young man was ushered into eternity, probably unprepared. Did he really have a chance?

By now it was dark. It began to rain, and did it pour!! For an hour it poured! It was the first real rain we've seen since we're here. Nora, Jack's young wife, was diagnosed with Marlaria and we were discharged. We finally waded out to the van, stopped by the chemist (pharmacy) for the medication and headed down the road. It was a hazzard to be out. The defroster didn't work properly, the roads are unmarked, lighting is poor, people and bicycles, also unmarked and unlit, are everywhere and it's raining hard! We didn't know what else to do, so we inched down the road, with me wiping the inside of the windshield with the leso, so Sam could see. The drainage system must be poor or plugged with trash, because people were walking in ankle deep water, and the trash was being washed across the road. Again, I felt sick....... Needless to say, finally we arrived home safely and were thankful. No wonder the mission doesn't encourage going outside the compound after dark.

We look forward to the joint unit meetings coming up on Thursday. The group from Nakuru will join us and there will be approximately 100 people. It's alot of work but also a fun time. We have these joint meeting about every 6 weeks.

Sam and Mattie Kauffman family

STREET SCENES
part 2


Cattle walking home.....while the traffic patiently waits...

In the plains, along a country road with cattle and thatched roof houses.

Street vendor- a brightly colored bowl anyone?

Death is so common.....we occasionally see a two wheeled cart loaded down with two smart-looking coffins.

Summer is drawing to a close for our American friends; it seems strange because here summer continues. We are blessed with lovely mornings and often a rain comes toward evening to cool down the blazing afternoon. The light September rains have begun and farmers are hoping for a 'winter' crop. We have adjusted to life in Kenya and are falling in love with the people. The Christians are so appreciative to us missionaries for bringing them the gospel. After visiting their homes and being exposed to their culture and lifestyle, we can understand just abit. In this dark land, by God's help, we are trying to make a difference.

Sam and Mattie Kauffman family

STREET SCENES
part 1

When you first arrive in Kenya, you will be appalled by the road traffic. You see anything and everything! The roads are conjested with boda-bodas (bicyles with passengers), tuk-tuks, ('covered wagon' golf carts), piki-pikis, (motorcyle taxis), hand pulled carts and van taxis. Besides this there are private cars and many, many people walking. Often they even manage to make 3 lanes out of the narrow roads. Due to the British influence here, the vehicles head down the road on the left side and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Until we Americans get used to it, you have to be very careful and keep your head together. The laws are scarce and there are amazingly few accidents because everyone watches out for the other person. Oh yes, mixed in all this are many cattle and goats aimlessly crossing and walking down the street. They seem to be half street smart and expect people to watch out for them too. Due to all this chaos, the mission advises us not to travel often at night. The people are black, the roads poorly marked and the lights dim.


The tuk-tuks have a 2-cycle engine that smokes and sputters down the road overloaded with passengers. They can't go very fast and are a pain......

Most anything with wheels turning is overloaded, whether it's human or cargo. People are laughing and talking and having a good time. Able-bodied men are seen jumping aboard a slow moving taxi with the side door wide open. Aye...you save time when you don't have to stop......We have been surprised in spite of the poverty, most people are happy and friendly, chatting with each other along the way. They often greet each other a warm handshake so typical of the Luo culture. We don't see ANY immoral display of affection in the daytime, but we're told when nighttime comes, everything breaks loose. AIDS runs rampant.

Few men carry things on their heads or carrying anything at all. That's the women's job and they carry anything from great piles of twigs (firewood) to a little hand towel perched on the head. Most times it's a loaded basket. It appears so effortless. On this igloo, the handle is rendered useless. :)

These 2-wheeled carts are the biggest hazard. Pulled by man and beast alike, it's loaded with wood, water barrels, potatoes, tomatoes, etc, and clothes. The tires are often half flat and the wheels appear to need grease. The sweat is running as the straining men drag it down the road.

to be continued...

KENYAN KAUFFMANS

Last evening we decided to take some more updated family pictures so I grabbed the tripod and camera
and we headed for the backyard to take advantage of the Kenyan greenery.

Left to right in back: Miriam (12), Martina (18), Monica (16), Daniel (14)
front: David (will be 9 on Sept. 10) :), Mattie (46), Sam (62), Myrna (9)

I know the pictures are all kinda the same but they have different backgrounds.

I was so impressed that everyone is looking pretty :) that's rare! No funny faces etc...

From the 'picture lady'- Martina

A BUILDER'S TROPICAL PARADISE

The Nyagono church is only a year old and has outgrown their current church building. The congregation was born due to dire circumstances. The last rioting and clashes has caused many to return to their homeland and tribes for safety. Some of these were of our CBF members (Christian Believers Fellowship) and they requested a church in this particular area. Nyagonda is a hour away from Kisumu and is now pastored by Ivan and Kay Peachey and their family. The attendance is approximately 250-300 even though the current membership is 25 people. Thus the compound pastors saw the need to build a church building. These are simple, tropical, open-air structures and very simple compared to some elaborate cathedrals we have seen in the world today. The breeze will ruffle the hair and flutter the veil. A bird may twitter in the rafters and a mother hen with her multi-colored peeps may nonchalantly walk through the congregation clucking and pecking as they go. Regardless of the surroundings, God is worshiped in sincerity and truth.




This makeshift building (17 X 30) was packed with people including many orphan children. Many sat outside on reed mats. The men originally planned a typical size bilding, but decided to extend it (32 X 60) because of the growth and interest.
Sam and Daniel are viewing the old church.



Jevon Beachy, Daniel and the welder extending the rafters.

The equipment available is rather primitive but workable. Note Merle Beachy holding the rafters until they are welded into place. This scene made me think of the e-mail forward, "why women live longer than men".

These two elderly brethren like to keep their feet on the ground, and let the younger men brave the heights in mid-air. Tomorrow they plan to put on the tin roof. Next Sunday the first services will be held. Eventually a partial wall (half-height) will be put in and, and maybe a platform and concrete floor. This will take place as funds allow. Some of the older established churches even have glass windows, which bars the roaming hen and crowing rooster.

For us as a family, life is very interestingly different. We have acclimated quite well by now and are in the scheduled routine. School has begun for the younger three with Rosalie Beiler for their teacher. The total school attendance is only seven students. The children will learn what's it's like to play with the big and small children, and remember their mama's small one-room school stories. Monica and Daniel do their high schooling at home and go with the rest of us to visit the poor and sick. Continue your prayers and your comments. We love them.

Mattie for the Kauffmans in Kenya