July 6—Village life in Kenya, 20/20 style
Hey everyone! Team Kenya just returned from 3 days of boma (a Maasai village containing 5-20 homes) stays. During our 3 weeks in Morloo, we formed good relationships with the students and their families, so we returned to live life with them for a few days. The experience was remarkable, ask any of these guys when you see them next and you’re sure to hear more details…but for now, we have an interview highlighting the time in Maasai bomas.
(Matt conducted the interview 20/20 style and the girls responded)
Matt: What are some daily activities of boma life?
Elizabeth/Christy/Elise: Washing dishes (no dishwasher), drinking lots of chai, sweeping with bush leaves, fetching firewood, getting water from the well, cleaning the sheep/goat pen with only cow hides and hands, making meals, laughing a lot as you enjoy others’ company, crying from the smoke inside the house, cleaning bedbugs off the beds before your head hits the hide, and watching a goat give birth -he was breech…and didn’t make it : (
Matt: How did you feel that you were received by the families in Morloo?
Elise: They were really thankful and excited to have us…it was humbling.
Elizabeth: They were very welcoming.
Christy: With open arms.
Matt: Up to how many cups of chai did you have in a single day?
Elise: I think 8.
Christy: 8…for sure, I counted.
Elizabeth: 10, I counted when it caused a panicked experience in the middle of the night…
Matt: What was the best part of staying in the bomas?
Elise: Waking up to a hot fire and a warm…no scalding cup of chai made by Mama Grace.
Christy: Hearing Grace (an 8 year old Masaai girl) say “napenda wageni” in her sleep, meaning “I love the visitors” in Swahili.
Elizabeth: The fact that I was able to further my relationship with Nalois (a Masaai girl who recently lost her mother) and her family.
Matt: What was the most challenging part of staying in the bomas?
Christy/Elise: Not being able to communicate…and the flies
Elizabeth: Knowing that my Masaai family was sacrificing for me by providing what little they had.
Matt: In what ways did you see God?
Elise: Grace prayed over our chai on the last night there, and it was the sweetest, most genuine little prayer. Hearing an 8 year old girl pray in her third language (English) is proof that our God is big. Also, the scenery was gorgeous.
Christy: The sheer fact that He provided what was sufficient for each day.
Elizabeth: I also saw Him in the compassion and love he gave me for a child (Nalois)…I’ve never known a love like that for a child. I also saw God in the way that my team cared for those around them.
Matt: What is a strength of the Maasai culture that you observed/experienced?
Christy: They give in abundance…from what little they have…without thought of return. And they’re strong enough to carry 20 liters of water on their head!
Elise: The community is like a big family…they all look out for each other. You see kids carrying kids their same size on their back!
Elizabeth: The way they live life together.
Matt: What is an experience (or two) from this week that you will never forget?
Elizabeth: When I was leaving and saying goodbye to Nalois’s stepmom I told her thank you and mentioned much I loved her family. She replied (in Maasai) “Thank you for being a friend for my girl, because she really needed a good girlfriend.” Also, I had a great time playing tic-tac-toe with Nalois and learning Maasai numbers. We laughed a lot and had a true bonding experience.
Elise: Jackson (our friend and translator) giving mouth to mouth to the baby goat…it was covered in “yuck.” On a deeper note, after a night of fretting if Grace pawned the cross necklace I gave her, I was relieved to see it around her neck, all Maasai-ed up (she put the cross on a strand of Maasai beads). It was then that I realized that we formed a true friendship.
Christy: The last night we had a chipati (Kenyan flatbread) party with chai in Mama Grace’s house. We laughed a lot and I felt so at peace…I felt like I was just hanging out with my family, not like I was an imposition or an outsider.
That’s it for our interview. Monday, we head out to the bush for another week of teaching and evangelism. This time, we’ll be working with high school students in a nearby school. We’re all doing well, enjoying the culture, and most importantly, growing. Thanks to all of you who have been keeping up with us...we love you,
Team Kenya
Shoutouts: (We’re a little slap happy tonight…except Elise, she just doesn’t like spiders…)
Matt—Chris and Emily, I love you and I’m praying for you…a lotta people here are! Dad, today I sorta grilled burgers…pretty appropriate for the 4th. Mom, I also did an absolute ton of dishes today…you taught me well! And for all ya’ll, I taught “Rocky Top” to some kids here…you know, doing what I’m supposed to do… Oh, David…I hear that you have some great hair…
Christy—Hey family and best friend, so I made deviled eggs today while listening to Christmas music…it was a weird combo of Thanksgiving and Christmas on the 4th of July. Nothing is normal in Kenya. I love you all and can’t wait to see you! David go straighten your hair ☺.
Elise—Happy Fourth of July! We lit a sparkler! (Kenyans don’t do fireworks…at least not for America’s independence day) Anyway, love you Mom, Dad, and Noelle…oh, and Toby. David I miss you and can’t wait to see you! Oh and I shared some stories with my team☺
Elizabeth—Hola family! So, I made some pico de gallo for the Fourth today. ☺ It felt like home. David, you should leave your hair natural. It’s always better to go au natural.