Greetings from Kenya........

Dear CUMC members,  It is with mixed feelings that I write this last message before leaving beautiful Kenya.  We have been given incredible opportunities to experience so many different facets of the life of this country.  Since last writing we went on a completely exciting Safari experience where each citing of an animal group brought exclamations of wonder only to be topped by yet another group.  Yema and Lahe could not believe that we were able to see lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinocerus, buffalo, and monkeys as well as the many other more numerous and often sighted animals.  Having wakened at 4 a.m. to begin this remarkable trip,we were a tired but elated group who returned to the apartments, just in time to pack and ready ourselves for a 6:30 pick-up by our host families.  My hostess, Josephine, was sensitive to our early arrisal and offered to let me go to bed at 10:00 ---earlier than I had anticipated.  Josephine served the " tradtional" meal.  Her lovely daughter Helen shared photographs of her family and joined us for dinner.  The next morning after breakfast we worshipped at the Kaga Church where we had the previous Sunday.  Laury and her hostess Judy joined us for a quick lunch,photos, and the afternoon.  We travelled over what had to have been as rough as any jeep trail I've been on in Colorado, past Josephine's forest of some 1,000 eucalyptus trees, and onto her mother-in-law's farm which she manages. WE did not have tea with her, but were so impressed with the mother-in-law'ssharpness and physical quickness.  Her land holdings were large. Next we visited the place where Josephine was born.  Here we met her mother and father and had tea with them. Again we were impressed with how spry both parents were and their land holdings which included tea, coffee, passion fruit, and farm animals..  Laury and I were both impressed with how frugal these people are, and how nothing is wasted. But, I,ve gone on too long, hence I will say good-bye for the final time until I see you again.  Thank youagain for all your support and prayers.  Marty

Greetings Dear Family and Friends….Saturday was a full a day indeed, enjoying the Safari…I don't know what I enjoyed most…the majestic lions, the tree stomping elephants or Marty…delighting in the entire experience with her head in the open roof!!!!  A blessed day all around. Mr. Mwenda, our driver and friend, once again maneuvered us over terrain filled with adventure. It was an African experience for sure!...That evening I spent the night with Judy, a Lay Preacher, and member of Kaaga Church. Sunday morning we back at Kaaga with Marty and her host, Josephine. Recognizing faces and even having an idea of how the worship would proceed was affirming…we had embraced one whole week in Meru! WOW!  Today we did some shopping for "banner fabric".  Oh my what fun we had in a small store filled with fabric from the ceiling got the floor. Ed, Tom, Marty and I were lovingly trusted to choose some fabrics….we had a blast and I must admit Tom and Ed have good taste…(thanks Judy)…The shop clerk would carefully pull down material with an eight wooden stick. Mekena, the shop owner, had a young son, Dominic, on her back in a wrap…something we have seen often. ( yes, Janet, I got some for Sr. high…thanks for the nudge!)…As this is our last night in Meru, I must admit I will miss Yema and Lahi very much…One of the many highlights has been our meals together, especially dinners, with extended conversation and laughter! But seeing you all soon warms my heart!  Thank you for your continued prayers….Lovingly Laury

Dear Community Church. I think of this greeting now with a bit of a Kenyan/British accent, and, I pray, with as deep a devotion as I see in the pastors here. Sunday, February 3, was Transiguration Sunday. I, too, had a mountaintop experience in Maua which we reached by winding roads that lifted us to above 5,000 feet. I was there as a guest of the Synod Bishop, William Muriuki (like our District Superintendent--this one oversees 19 circuits and 174 congregations) I had been an overnight guest in the home of the Bishop and his wife, Catherine and 3 year old son, Muriki. It was a very modest home with open fire cooking in the kitchen and no electricity at the residence which was a small farm/chamba with one cow. When the sun set, it was very dark. On Sunday we drove early to Maua to participate in the Conference Ordination Service. I was welcomed warmly by the six Bishops and 100+ pastors and included in the procession along the public road to the church compound--colorful robes shining in the sun, and one white face/Muzungu in this long line of splendor. During the tea time, before the 5 hour service, in a small room crowed with clergy, the Residing Bishop from Nairobi assigned the parts of the service. He called out my name asking me to do one of the readings in the Ordination Ritual--the reading from II Timothy 4 that encourages the pastor to be faithful "in season and out of season". What a moment to stand among the clergy and before the gathering of 1,000 joyful worshippers crowding the sanctuary, with many standing outsided the the church yard leaning in and listening through open doors and windows.  At the highpoint of the ritual, I was among the group of pastors who all gathered around each candidate (there were 12) to lay on hands with the Bishop as he ordained with the words, "Take thou authority as a minister of the Church to preach the Word of God and administer the Sacraments. . ." He was speaking in Kimeru, but I knew and felt what he was saying. A moment of renewal of my own ordination now 33 years ago. Finally, the last surprise was to be asked to help service Communion which I did with one of the ordained Administrators from the University. Again, a second Sunday in succession, offering the Body of Christ, wafers, which some humble folks received on their tongues. I was moved to tears. Then down off the mountain past the edge of the Rift Valley where some anthropologists claim the first humans lived-- the Garden of Eden. What a day. Enough!! Now home. And thank you for your supporting prayers. Tom

Dear family and friends: Much to tell, but in an effort to get this last writing posted on the Blog I shall be short.  Saturday evening and Sunday was our "sleep over" with a Kenyan family.  I stayed with the former Bishop of this area (comparable to our District Superintendent) and his family.  They were very delightful people who live "in town" Meru…something quite different from what I have seen so far.  The area was littered with trash, and looked to house a number of homeless people.  At the end of the street was a gate (quite common) and behind the gate was their home.  Modest, but nice.  What I found most interesting was the fact that despite the fact that we were in a very urban area, the only thing missing from the homes that I had seen in rural areas were the animals.  Everything else was the same.  The grew corn, papaya's, passion fruit, banana's, avocado's, etc…though obviously in smaller quantities. Amazing!  Church on Sunday (where the Bishop was the guest preacher) lasted four hours and was all in Swahili!  Fortunately the Bishop's wife sat next to me and translated. Though it sounds long, it actually went by rather quickly as I was mesmerized by it all.  We are now in our last day in Meru.  We will be sad to leave, but I believe we are all ready to come home.  Due to the tension in Nairobi we have decided to forgo any sightseeing and go straight to the Nairobi airport tomorrow for our flight home.  I apologize that we have not been able to write more often, but Internet accessibility is limited to the library at the university, which is only available when the library is open and even then has been sporadic.  So, you will have to be bored by getting the rest of the stories from us in person.  Many thanks to all of you for your comments and your prayers.  They have been greatly appreciated.  As they would say in Kenya…Asante Sana ( thank you very much!).  Love to all (even you Dan!),  Ed