Monday, November 10, 2008

Weekly Update 11-10-08

Well this week was a little different than our last few. There was a lot of rain all over Kenya almost all week. We were unable to get all the way to Ilima on Friday so left the material we were taking to them at President Mbondo's shop in Kyambeke. We left there at a little after 10:00 and did not arrive home until 5:00. We did make it all the way to Ilima for church yesterday and it rained while we were there but were able to 4 wheel through the muddy spots coming home. I must have got some bad diesel on our last fill up though as the vehicle started sputtering but we nursed it along to Athi River and finally called a tow truck and contacted another couple to come and give us a ride home. It was pass time to service the vehicle and there were a couple of other things that needed attention so we will be in a different rig for a few days. We will need our 4 wheel drive back before we head up country on Thursday. The General Motors shop we deal with is not particularly speedy though so here is hoping they get it done. It is probably contingent on whether it was bad fuel or another problem.

All 3 branches are excited for the good rain they have received and the crops in Kyambeke and Ilima have all pretty well germinated but because Kilili is a little lower they are just planting most of theirs now.

We were able to confirm Jacinta on Sunday and Martin was cleared in his interview for baptism last Thursday. However, because he asked that I perform the ordinance it wont happen until this Sunday then we will confirm him the following Sunday as we will be back there for their branch conference.

I made a quick trip back to Kilili on Saturday to secure IDs so we can try and pick up their passports this week. Sister Bishop wasn't too excited about another trip on the bumpy roads so Elder Pocock went along to keep me company. He is a retired Navy Chaplain and they are serving as the charities couple. He shared several humorous stories with me. "A man died and went to Heaven but said he had a couple of questions before he was judged. What are they? How come you made women so pretty? So men would want to marry them. How come you made women so dumb? So they would be willing to marry men." His next touch of humor has something to do with the fact that he graduated from Utah State. Did you ever think what would have happened if Orson Pratt had been the second President of the church. It would be OPU instead of BYU. We wont know until tomorrow whether we can get the passports without bringing all the folks back into Nairobi.

Wednesday afternoon we spent some time at the Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity where we left Mwende a year ago. We had coordinated with the Charities couple to have some special wheel chairs made for some special needs children there and they were delivered then. Only 2 were chairs and the other 4 were roll around beds adapted for some kids whose lower limbs were so deformed that they cannot sit. Until now they just spent their days in a big bed in the covered courtyard but now they will be able to roll them outside when they take the other children. I have some pictures and will get them out soon. We are having a real struggle with the internet again today but I will forward them once this thing gets up and running again.

The Kenyans are very excited about the new president elected in the US. They declared last Monday a National Holiday in honor of Obama's victory and some are even thinking that they need to permanently declare Nov. 4th as Obama Day. They immediately ran power to his Father's Mother's village and have began upgrading the runway at the Kisumu Airport so that Air Force 1 can land there if the need should arise.

Well that is my ramblings for another week.

God Bless,
Elder & Sister Bishop

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