THANKSGIVING DAY IN KENYA

On Thanskgiving Day, the Nakuru group joined us Kisumu folks in celebrating our thanks to our Lord who provides for us. In this country, we are especially aware of this. It was encouraging to get together without any meetings to attend or issues to wrangle through. It was totally a social day, for most of us anyway. Even though it's a lot of work for the women who ususally end up with mounds of food preparation, we were refreshed and are ready to head back to the field. The Nakuruites stayed for the night and drove back on Friday. Raymond and Lana Sue Fisher and family came to visit his brother Lee and family in Nakuru. (Raymonds had served there 4 years about 5 years ago.) They brought along beef brisket and ham for our Thanksgiving meal. Steve Eshes provided the ham. That was very special to us who resort to eating mostly chicken because other meat is so expensive. We were just sorry we couldn't store it in the stomach and chew the cud later.


Our Kenyan cornucopia. This country produces many very good fruits and vegetables. This was arranged by Kim Beachy. She certainly did a good job; it must be she learned it from her mother.

Awaiting the noon meal. For you non-Lancaster folks, this is Abby Fisher and Mel Beiler. Merv Peachey has his back turned.

Jonathan and Lavonna Martin welcomed the group under a tent in their front yard. Jonathan had some interesting trivia questions as to where Thanksgiving originated and by whom. It's been long enough, the generations following need to be reminded how God cared for those early pioneers in those difficult days. We do have a goodly heritage, another thing that is unfortunately lacking for many people here. But God is good and He knows what He's doing. He sent those that know to share with those that don't know.

In the heat of the day, it's almost too warm to play volley ball. The young people instead played games in Merles yard. The corn toss game, made by Jonas Beiler's son Mike, was a big hit. There was also croquet and hill-billy golf. Later in the evening the youth did play volley ball. Personally, it will be a long time before I get tired of watching volley ball or soft ball. The bifocal stage sorta took care of playing, but it's still fun watching. I now understand how my mother could spend hours watching her children play.

Black Friday is non-existant in Kenya and we didn't miss it. In fact, Thanksgiving Day is also non-existant. We do put up with other unfathomable holidays, Asian, Muslim or otherwise. Christmas is a holiday that seems to be celebrated world wide in some way or form.

The weather is warming abit. Mornings are beautiful with a consistent temperature of 67-70 degrees. During the day it's in the mid to upper 80's with a low humidity. The energy of people and animals shuts down and they lethargically walk to wherever they are going.

Thanks for your support and letters. Continue to pray for the work in Kenya. Sam and I are beginning to go through another round of baptismal interviews. The churches are growing....it's very rewarding, it also never ceases to amaze us; that wherever there are people there are problems. Someday.....some wonderful day....if we are faithful, we will be removed from this curse of sin.

Mattie Kauffman