After just 12 days...
Dear Fellow Servants,
Kyle and I wanted you to know how we are doing now that our very first week of language school has come to an end! Though we have a long way to go, we have a huge feeling of accomplishment. I especially feel good because I had quit class in my mind every morning and ended up going out of pure obedience. So far we have learned: to tell time, greetings, introductions, some grammar, to worship in Swahili, and lots of vocabulary. We rise at 6:30 a.m. to switch on the water heater in order to have a warm “shower.” Our bathroom has a tub, but no upright shower/shower head. We get the kids up, eat and are at school by 8. In Kenya, we take “Chai” or “tea” at 10 a.m. and then back to class. For the first month we only go half the day in the classroom. The afternoons are filled with assignments such as: Greet 25 people in Swahili. Also, we are required to stand in the local Swahili speaking church on Sunday and say in Swahili: A greeting, our name, where we are from, if we are married and have children, and where we are staying. In Kenya, most people will include their spiritual status upon meeting some one, so we must also say: “ I am saved. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of my life.”
Our language learning takes place on an incredibly beautiful campus called “Brakenhurst.” The flowers and trees are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. We are at 7800 ft, so we have had some altitude adjustment on top of the other transition hurdles that we have experienced so far. In fact, please be in prayer for Lexi as she is having nightly respiratory spasms due to the altitude, the mold/mildew in her mattress and the cold. That’s right...I said “COLD.” It is the beginning of winter here and at this altitude the days are chilly and the nights can get down into the 40’s. The only source of heat is the fire place. Thankfully we have made friends with a Kenyan worker here on campus who offers to collect wood and bring it to us for 250 shillings a load. ($3.50 U.S. dollars)
The kids are adjusting well. In fact they have made friends with a family with kids that lives right next door to us. They also have little girl named Alexis, who is 7 years old. They play all day long. Beckett is discovering all kinds of bugs and doesn’t seem to be as afraid of them as he once was. Kyle and I have also made some friends. In our class there is only one other student and she is a 30 year old woman called to work with Somali refugees. She has had us over to dinner and even brought us house warming gift consisting of a scented candle (very important as the power goes out daily here!) Hershy’s Kisses, and Cadbury chocolate mix for hot cocoa! We spend some of our free time together and we have counted it a huge blessing having her in our life so far.
Overall we feel well provided for and EXTREMELY blessed. I thought maybe I would share some personal growth moments with you all so that you might get a glimpse of how God is working in us all the way over here:
- We have discovered once again that life without TV and all the “stuff” we thought we needed is more of a blessing than a sacrifice. A simpler life FEELS unhurried, and uncomplicated and actually seems to be drawing us closer to our Maker.
- Our calling and His provisions keep confirming over and over again that God has ordained us to be here in this place and this time.
- There have been times when it was obvious that only God could fill in the needs that we had...and He did! Many times we know in our minds that God provides and takes care of us, but how often can you say that you have witnessed the impossible when there was no other way? Moments like this have been bigger than life for us here, so far away from home.
- Bugs, slugs and power outages are not so bad!!!!
Many have asked where they can send CARE packages or letters of encouragement. For the next 6 months our address is the following:
Kyle and Jessica Davis
c/o Brackenhurst Baptist International Centre
PO Box 32
Limuru 00217
KENYA
Lastly, we just want you each to know that we are fully aware of the prayer covering we are receiving from you. More precious than anything else, it has helped us transition gracefully so far. Enjoy the photos and write us when you can.
Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)
Before we left for Kenya (June 4, 2006)
The gorgeous RIFT VALLEY. They say that it was scratched out by the fingernail of God.
Lexi and Beckett at Brackenhurst in front of a cottage that looks like the one we are staying in for the next 6 months.
Here lizard, lizard, lizard... Notice the bunny ears?
Most have never seen a poinsettia tree...
Before they got arrested at Brackenhurst! :)
Playing on the playground at Brackenhurst.
