KADZO!

I am back.
Back to the motherland.
Back in Kenya.
Back in Mombasa.
Back among the people I have formed friendships with over the last 3 years.
I am so happy to be here.
So overwhelmed with thanksgiving.

I arrived yesterday and spent the afternoon grocery shopping with Chris & Lisa, getting lunch, and settling in to my new home for the next 10 days. Chris and Lisa are full time missionaries here in Mombasa. You might remember them from my previous two adventures to Africa. They run a ministry called REAL4Christ. They started a school in one of the nearby villages called Mbewau (said em bay wow) in Mtepani.

Today I regrettably had the opportunity to attend a funeral for the father of one of the students. This man died last week after being hit on his motorcycle (pikipiki) by a bus. He left behind a young wife (24-25) and 4 children ranging between 10 and 2. The oldest, Janet, was having a very hard time dealing with the situation and was holding back tears the entire time I was around her. The funeral was huge. Because the father was so young and a pikipiki driver, many were there. Chris said a couple thousand. There was literally a sea of people. Chris and I were the only white people there.

one small part of the sea of people.
The casket is under the tree on the right side

the people beside me

Within about five minutes of being there, I saw a man walk by with a picture safety pinned to his shirt. The picture was of the father after he had been hit, laying on the ground with blood. Can you image someone wearing that at a funeral at home? Here I suppose it showed a sign of respect.

There was dancing and food and drinks and music at this all day event. Family had come in for the entire weekend and it was a mixture between sadness and celebration. The wife has been in mourning with the other ladies of the village for the last 9 days.

dancing--these ladies pulled me into the middle and started dancing with me

The pikipiki drivers came and drove loops around the casket and spun around in circles to stir up dust. It was their way of showing respect.

PLEASE pray for this family. He was not a believer and his wife has not been saved either. The funeral was not religious because it was mostly run by the pikipiki men. Please pray that his death will be a way for the widow and others to come to know the Lord and the peace He can give.

On a happier note, I was able to reunite with some of the women of the village and the pastor/school advisors from the school. I was so excited to see them, and they seemed genuinely excited to see me. I was standing on a dirt hill watching the pikipikis when I saw a few women starting to walk towards me. The lady in front had a HUGE smile on her face and started saying "Kadzo, Kadzo!" (They named me Kadzo last time because I spent so much time with them they welcomed me into their community and gave me a local name which means beauty). I immediately recognized her, "Mary!" Joy and thankfulness overflowed from me. I embraced her. Feeling her frail body, skin and bones hug me back. She got the attention of some of her friends, the other mothers of the kids from school, and we all hugged. She pulled me up to where she was standing with the other women and held my hand for the next 20 minutes. She would turn and look at me every once in a while. My heart was so incredibly happy.

Mary in 2009

Me & Mary in 2009- I know I look super cool

"Eucharisto means grace..the Greek word chara means "joy."... Deep chara joy is found only at the table fo euCHARisteo- the table of thanksgiving... is it that simple? Charis-grace. Eucharisteo-Thanksgiving. Chara-joy... The greatest thing [of life] is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live. He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything. " ---- One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voscamp.

Stop and think. When we give thanks, we are praising God and accrediting Him for things. Kidogo na kubua. When we thank Him and appreciate Him and take the time to marvel in what He has given us, we become filled with joy. It is hard to be mad when you are giving thanks and telling God how great He is.

Tomorrow we are going to church at Mbewau and I will show the pictures from before and now. There have been some amazing transformations with this school and what it is today. God is good. 

Mbewau today. WOW

From my thankful heart to yours,
Cathy