New blog

It’s been 8 months since I returned from Kenya…and life has changed so much.  Over the past 3 seasons, I have often longed to share what God has been doing with all of you…but I couldn’t bring myself to write on this blog.  My year in Kenya is a closed chapter.  I may reopen it someday, but for now I have begun a new blog.  www.christyveer.wordpress.com

THANK YOU!

click on the link to read my final support letter: supporter thank you

My mzungu fro

On the OTHER side…

I am officially back in the land of Kansas! It was extremely hard to say goodbye to everyone in Kenya, and there were a few tears…I won’t lie. But it’s also so amazing to be back home. It’s a very strange feeling because I expected more to be different, and the lack of changes sometimes makes me feel as though I never left.

My travels went fairly well. I didn’t cry at all which is usually my coping mechanism when I get stressed in airports. So that was a plus! I did miss my connection flight in Chicago due to mechanical issues on the ground in London, but I was able to get another flight to Charlotte 6 hours later. By that time, I was falling asleep while I was trying to read. I’m sure it looked hilarious to see me dropping my book and catching it every few minutes! ha. My debriefing time in Charlotte was good, and it was a joy to be able to meet up with a dear couple I got to know in Kenya and had to say goodbye to in September. It made me realize that many goodbyes weren’t permanent, but rather temporary. Anyways…I finally made it back to Wichita, KS on Friday night. It was so special to be met by my parents, sister, brother & sister-in-law, my Grandparents, and an Aunt, uncle and cousin! It has been so refreshing and fun to catch up with everyone! I look forward to seeing all my Clark relatives this next weekend for my cousin’s wedding!

Some have already been asking what adjustments or changes I have been noticing. For one, I woke up on Saturday morning and thought I had gone deaf because it was SO QUIET!!! No noises in the house, and none outside even at 8 in the morning! I hadn’t realized how loud Nairobi is until I got away from it! And then there are the small adjustments around the house…new curtains, a new bed; people are wearing clothes I’ve never seen before (I got a lesson in this year’s culture while watching people at the airport for hours on end!) Small things seem like such a big deal. I could use spray out of can to grease my cookie sheets rather than having to get my fingers all dirty , a dishwasher, a timer to keep track of time while I bake! All kinds of stuff. And my clothes closet seems completely new to me again! ha.

I took out my braids on Sunday night. I was so thankful my sister and parents were willing to help me! It still took FOUR hours and my head was rather sore afterwards, but I still think it was worth it! However, my mom told me I should sign a contract to not do it again for at LEAST 365 days. I don’t think she has anything to worry about.

Well, I will continue to write in the next few weeks about my adjustment to life in the small town of Newton, KS. Then after that I might have to think of new things to write in a blog, because I really do enjoy having one, but life on this side of the ocean might not be as interesting! ha. Well, thank you all for being a part of this past year of my life. You have blessed me beyond measure.

And one last prayer request: I still don’t have my luggage… it has now been to Memphis, to Charlotte, and back to Memphis and I’m hoping to get it to KS before this weekend!

The HOME stretch…

The last few days have been bittersweet. Two days from now I will be boarding a plane and heading for the COLD USA. I am so very excited to see my family and friends and everything familiar, but goodbyes come along with the joy of going home.

I have spent hours backing up 80 GB of photos, organizing files, typing notes etc. I’ve also begun to pack and it is NOT looking good! Each bag is overweight and I have already given away most of my clothes. I guess a few more will be coming out. Good thing I left all my winter clothes at home so will have something to wear for a few months at least! Ha.

My roommates have been so wonderful. They have filled my days with laughter, coming to sit with me in the office while I burn files, sitting in my room while i pack, etc. Last night was incredibly fun. We went to a nice Mediterranean restaurant that I have wanted to go to this entire year. I felt like I had already stepped back into the US and it felt VERY STRANGE. I’m excited to see what all I see differently now as I re-enter the States.

I leave Wed. evening, fly through London, and will reach N.Carolina. Thursday night. On Friday I have debriefing all day at SIM Headquarters, then will fly the last stretch HOME to Newton, KS. Please pray that I will not have any of my usual flying episodes…I would rather not cry on this trip if possible My friend almost got stuck in Chicago for snow storms last week (sound familiar?) and I’m praying that doesn’t happen to me!

A displaced people…

I hardly even know where to begin sharing everything that has happened in the past 6 days! However, I will try to do my best…

On Thursday we drove out to a retreat center close to the Rift Valley for our SIMKenya spiritual life conference. It was so great to meet and get to know some of the other long-term missionaries from around the country. Thankfully almost everyone was able to make it…even those who had to fly in from Eldoret since the roads weren’t safe enough! There were many different nationalities represented including Kenyan, American, German, Chinese, Taiwanese, Swiss, and Jamaican. Our speaker was from the US SIM office and many of us knew them from orientation. They also brought along a team from the states to help with the children and youth. The days were filled with Bible sessions, testimonies of what God has taught us all this year, and of course way too much food! In our down time we were free to explore God’s amazing creation! The conference center is tucked into the hills and surrounded by gorgeous tea fields. The temperatures were cooler, the sun was shining (most of the time), and it was so great to be able to WALK IN GRASS!!!!

I had the opportunity to be spontaneous, and so went home with a missionary family on Sunday to Kijabe (where Rift Valley Academ is). On Sunday night and monday morning I was able to photograph their ministry of sharing the gospel at the hospital along with interpreting, caring, and showing God’s love to patients. Then I was presented with another opportunity for spontaneity! Several of the doctors were planning to go out to the refugee camps in Naivasha and provide medical assistance where needed.

On the way to the camps we picked up a child of the wanted tribe and took him to be reunited with his family. It was so neat to watch the boys face lift into a huge smile when he caught sight of his father whom he had been separated from since the beginning of this election trouble. The father came and gave the mzungu leader a hug and walked off with his arm wrapped around his son and a huge smile on his face.

I can’t even begin to describe the camps of displaced people. One was at the police headquarters and the other was actually on prison grounds. The UN has set up many tents at another location in town, but there is no protection so the people continue to hide out where there is a police presence and walls. There were over 3,000 at the first camp…some with only the clothes on their back and the more lucky ones with some of their belongings and furniture,…depending on how much time they had to get out of danger. There were only a few trees on the premises with scores of people making use of the shade. Others had umbrellas or were camped out in the wrecked cars on the compound. The VERY lucky ones found refuge in the lone empty building on the premises. Yet, strangely enough, the women were laughing together as they cooked. The men gathered in groups to talk, and the children played together with anything they could find. Several children were playing with nails, while others had set up and were playing house.

I can’t describe the feelings of seeing thousands of people who have been chased off their land, burned out of their homes, and pulled away from their loved ones. They are the same as you and I. They have done nothing deserving of this treatment. It makes it so much more obvious to see the sin nature of man. And yet, the Kenyans in these camps spoke of God’s grace, His provision, His blessings.

If you feel led to help financially, there is a Kenyan relief fund set up through SIM.
http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/donate
the project number is KE 92601
and is titled: Kenya Emergency Relief Fund

Refugee camps

It is after midnight here and my day has seemed incredibly long and yet too short! I will write more hopefully tomorrow if I get the chance, but for now am posting pictures I took this weekend (click on thumbnails to the right). I had the opportunity to go along with a medical team from Kijabe hospital to visit two refugee camps for displaced people in Naivasha. What a sight…I can’t even begin to describe it in words so hopefully photos will be able to show even a glimpse of what the camps were like.

more to come…

Two weeks to go…

Kenya is heating up once again this past week. The death toll is now above 800. We are all being cautious but have not been on lockdown so that is good. It has been really neat to see the Kenyan churches working together and gearing into action. There is teamwork; there is purpose; there is love. The messages in church have been some of the most focused and convicting that I have ever heard. One woman from our church shared last sunday about how she has been involved this past month. She took leave from work and has joined in to help wherever needed. With her speaking abilities she has been asked to speak at so many churches, work places, and even at official government meetings! The church has been giving abundantly of food, clothing, etc. However, she challenged everyone to not only give materially but as the body of Christ to come alongside others and to do whatever possible…whether that is counseling your neighbors and just listening to them, or serving in refugee camps, etc. I believe that the Kenyan church will come through this fire more refined as gold…

Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Nakuru and Naivasha (the DAY BEFORE fighting broke out again…so thank you to those praying for safety!). We visited 3 different ministries that have been recently started or are in the process…One orphanage/school, a street children’s ministry, and a home for children with AIDS. It is amazing to see the Nationals so passionate about their own people. Many of them give so sacrificially to help others.

Tomorrow I will be heading to our SIMKenya spiritual life conference for four days to a retreat center between Nairobi and Rift Valley. Please pray for safety for missionaries traveling from trouble areas. Also please pray that the conference would be a good time of refreshment for those who have had their hands full the past few months with all of the recent havoc in Kenya. I will be gone until Sunday so will not blog for sure until then.

Extensions…

And no…i’m not extending my time here in Kenya. However, I have a new look! On Saturday I went to the beauty shop by matatu at 7am for braid extensions and didn’t leave until almost 4pm. It didn’t hurt as bad as I thought possibly due to the ibuprofin I took beforehand!! There were moments when 4 women were braiding my hair and pulling at my scalp in all directions it seemed, but ironically my neck was the most affected! The woman who braided my hair was really sweet and it was fun to hear about her home, her fiancee and her business. My housemates were wonderful as well and came to sit with me for hours just to keep me from being so bored! (even though most of the time they could not even see my face through all the hair ) One of my housemates had her wallet stolen from inside her purse on the way but she made a fuss verbally and some guys told her that her wallet must have just fallen out and to look behind her. So she played along and when she turned back, one told her “LOOK, there it is right on the ground in between your feet!” Of course, there was 1000ksh gone ($15) but what can you do?

kill the termites!

random fact: I was cleaning up and organizing my room yesterday. In the process I picked up a beautiful wooden jar that I bought in Ethiopia. Underneath it were several piles of what looked like sawdust. When I looked closer, I saw many little dead termites…they probably ate themselves to death! I can’t bring myself to throw the container away so I am spraying it every day with doom and putting it in the sun to see if I can kill the termites. So sad!!!!