Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As usual, things have been very busy around here, even without school. Last Sunday (Dec 23rd) a group from our church visited the Bomet prison. It was a very interesting experience. I wasn't sure they would let women go, but they didn't seem to have a problem with it.  

A group from another local church fixed a huge batch of food including goat (a bit chewy, but not bad), chapatis (a thick tortilla-like bread), samosas, and oranges. The churches also raised money to buy mattresses (which they typically do not have), blankets, shoes, and some toiletry items.

We gathered under two large tents in the prison yard -- one for the prisoners and the guards and another for the church members. We had a program planned, with some music and a speaker, and they also had some of the prisoners stand up and talk. They even had a group sing for us--very nice.

When we left Tenwek in the early afternoon, it seemed to be an unusually warm day, so most of us dressed accordingly. We had only been at the prison about an hour or so when the storm started rolling in and the rain started. Thankfully, we had the tents and nothing ended up too wet--the blankets and mattresses we brought were all wrapped in plastic.

We found out later that, shortly after we left, the prisoners requested to go to bed. So by about 5:30 pm, they were all locked in their cells for the night with the new blankets and mattresses. It seems funny and sad at the same time.

 It was an interesting visit. A few of the men walked over to the prisoners' tent and talked with them for a few minutes, but none of the ladies were going, so I followed that cue. Except when we were handing out the gifts at the end, there was always considerable distance between us and the prisoners. Very different from other churches and gatherings where people are all around you.

Another difference I noticed was that this was the first gathering I had attended held in a non-Christian place. I have been to many orphanages and churches, but the prison is not a Christian establishment. A number of the administrators stood up to greet us and mentioned God or their faith, but not all did. And one was obviously pretty drunk and was eventually guided away from the microphone. That part felt very unfamiliar to me. 

 By the time we left, I was ready to leave. I was wet from the rain and was ready to change into some dry, warm clothes. I am glad I went, though.

Christmas Eve was pretty busy, but uneventful. We had a candlelight service at our church, so I didn't go to the church down the road like I did last year.

I spent Christmas morning with the Bemm's, a family here on the compound. It was nice. I took the gifts my parents had sent and opened them over there. I also took the traditional sweet rolls over to eat with them. Yum! I am still working on them, actually. It was nice to have someone to open gifts with me.

I am looking forward to rejoining my family next year at Christmas.

We have all of this week and the next week off from school, so I am looking forward to getting some things done around the house and down in the schoolroom.

I would very much like to travel into Nairobi during my time off, but we will have to see. Presidential elections were yesterday and they announce the winner today. Things have been pretty dicey in some areas of the country, Nairobi particularly, and most of us have tried to avoid traveling over the last month. I am hoping that things calm down after the election and I can go in and get some things done in Nairobi, but we will have wait and see. (If you want to read more about the elections, you can go to this BBC article. )

Please pray for the announcement today. I am not sure how they will announce it--probably over the radio. I just hope that whatever the outcome is, it is accepted peacefully.

I will try to update more later this weekend.  Merry Christmas!

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