Goat

Last week some new teachers organised a staff gathering. They bought a goat and tied it to a tree in the school compound all day. Then they arranged for someone to slaughter it and cook it. A few hours later, after sunset, we sat outside under an acacia tree, drinking soda and talking politics whilst we ate roast goat, goat stew and ugali. Entrails were fortunately served separately.

Stones as 'toilet paper'?

I read on the BBC at the weekend that these pottery pieces, once thought to be Roman gaming pieces, are now believed to have been used for wiping bottoms. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21204228 An interesting discovery!



In the same way, some traditional folks in arid, rural, northern Kenya use stones in the absence of other suitable materials (paper, leaves etc). This practice has caused problems in the many pit latrines that have been dug in and around Korr, many by NGOs. Of course, decent toilets and sanitation are important for the health of locals. But it's not enough just to dig the toilet; there has to be accompanying instruction and provision of toilet paper as many toilets have been filled up with stones, rendering them unusable.



Samosas for tea

Daniel, Elizabeth and Kulamo have just come round selling some homemade samosas...great for tea today!

Holiday project completed

Not the chair, but the crocheting!

I started this in November when I bought wool in Nairobi. http://missjacksoninkenya.blogspot.de/2012/11/holiday-project.html

No snow, but the heavens declare the glory of God

I understand that back home there has been snow chaos. I miss the anticipation of snowfall/snow days/sledging...how I open the curtains in the morning with the hope of seeing the street blanketed in white and listen intently to the list of school closures on local radio.

There's no snow here. And there's no curtains at our windows or local radio. Yet this morning there was a stunning sunrise. And I remembered the words from Psalm 19 that tell of how this spectactular sight shows people all over the world how beautiful and creative God is, how he made all this, and makes it work.

Here in the desert, where we can see the sun rise and set, and where we do feel the sun's heat, this passage has special significance.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Meet...the housemates: Misha, Sarah and Christina!

Housemates in what has become known as the kuku (hen) house. Colleagues at Tirrim schools. Co-workers in the gospel. Comrades against the local wildlife. Sisters in Christ.

Christina, Misha and Sarah (left to right in the picture) are three wonderful, godly women (or, as the locals would say, 'girls' as none of us are married) who joined me in Korr from America last week. We've enjoyed getting to know each other, joining to fight the camel spiders, and figuring out our new timetables. And we've started praying together in the evenings for AIM missionaries and for different countries around the world.

I pray that they will have an amazing year in here and that God will work in their lives and use them in Korr.

Donkeys

The Rendille use donkeys to carry things. When animals are grazing far away the donkeys are usually with the herders and will only make occasional visits into Korr. However, since the rains before Christmas and the better grazing closer to town, there are more donkeys around. I like the look of donkeys - here they are well looked after, and have big, thoughtful eyes. But I don't appreciate the sound of them...day and night you can hear piercing 'eeyore' cries that sound like the donkeys are being slowly slaughtered! Along with the influx of spiders, they are one of the less welcome results of the rain!

Chai time

Chai is a very popular drink here. It is served to students at morning and afternoon break and students are most put out if they have to miss it! It is a very sweet, normally milky tea, brewed over the school kitchen’s fire. As teachers, we have it brought to us in thermos flasks. I’m adjusting to the sugar…it doesn’t seem as refreshing as tea without sugar. Quite a lot of time is spent sitting outside of the classroom like this and is I am still getting used to the pace of life, even at school, where noone is in a hurry. Relationships, not time or tasks, are what is important.

In many of the local go’obs (villages), chai will be all that is taken at breakfast and lunch, with goat or camel milk. If the animals are far away then there may not be any milk available and it will be drunk black.

 

Moving house

Earlier today I saw some women moving house.  Literally. They were carrying the curved poles of their houses, called mins, on their backs. 

This week I returned to Korr after spending much of the long end of year school holidays travelling and staying in other places. I have missed the big open skies with bright sunshine, stunning sunsets and starry nights, and the friendly people here. I am glad to be back and excited about the year to come.

I have also moved house this week. I thought that I was travelling light and that moving would be a very quick and easy task. However, I ended up using a car to move my bags and boxes the few hundred metres. Compared to the local Rendille women I saw, I don't live as simply here as I thought. I certainly still have more stuff !

I will be sharing the new house with three American teachers arriving tomorrow. It is a large, basic, concrete house, with two bedrooms and a big kitchen/dining/living room. Clean water, solar electricity, satellite internet. Toilet and shower are just outside. I haven't shared with so many for many years...I hope it is going to be a lot of fun!