By Wes (November 26, 2004 @ 12:19 pm)
We have amazing children and we don’t take it for granted. There are moments of just pure joy and fun and we will attempt to recall a few to give you a glimpse of what we’re talking about.
Ezra is soaring in kindergarten – counting by two’s, learning (and teaching me) Kiswahili, writing his name in unique and interesting styles (and with excellent penmanship), and reading full books. However, today he had a huge moment of frustration when he was writing Ezra’s (that was the word). For some time now he had been under the impression that no apostrophe was required – only two s’s. When I corrected him he went to his room for some space, and when I went in to ask what the problem was, he said he needed to get into his box of work and throw away all the papers that had this mistake on them – is he a perfectionist? We talked about how mistakes were only useless if one didn’t learn from them, that we can chose to release them and not let the frustration build. He wanted some more time to think about it. After a little while he came and found me and whispered in my ear, “Mom, I’ve made my choice.” My heart smiled. “What have you chosen to do?” I asked. “I’ve chosen to stay frustrated,” he said. sigh I hugged him and told him that was his choice to make but that I hoped he would think about it some more. Five minutes later he forgot all about it and created a new drawing with perfect grammer.
We love bedtime around here because it is the one time of the day when no one has to rush here or there and we can just unwind and talk about our day. Ezra has also initiated a few games to increase his brain power – rhyming, adding, and subtracting. Isaiah’s in there like a dirty shirt – though for some reason the only letter he rhymes ALL words with is M – but they certainly all rhyme!! My word was eyes and they were attempting to rhyme as many words with it as possible. They got them all except one. In an attempt to lead them to it I said, “this is a word that mom and dad call the two of you when we are are talking about both of you, like you are our two little…?” “WEINERS!!” shouts Isaiah. We laughed and laughed. I was looking for guys, but… hey, that would certainly do 
!
Falling asleep isn’t always easy when there is the possibility that the adults in the other room might actually be having more fun than you, and Ezra is getting more and more attuned to this. One night we were watching some movie, having to tell the boys a couple of times to go to sleep. Finally things were quiet and we were thinking the boys were deep in sleep when suddenly Ezra yells out from his bed, “You have NO idea how hard it is to be a kid!!” We just looked at each other and laughed.
Of course they have moments of annoyance with each other (some days it feels like the WHOLE day!), but also lots of great times of playing in complete synchronicity (we as parents just can’t do it as well as they can), showing each other amazing patience, and lots of love too. We are just so thankful for these two very different personalities that bring so much energy and joy to our lives.
PS: just posted new pictures in the gallery, relating to our last blog entry before this one. Click the gallery link to see pix of New Staff CFS and Malaywa Conservation Park.
By Wes (November 17, 2004 @ 10:31 am)
Jambo sana!! Just a short update here to let you know what’s been up lately in sunny Nairobi. Since we’ve last blogged, Jean and I have gone on new staff CFS, and our family has visited the Malaywa Conservation Park in the Rift Valley – two new experiences to tell you about. Before I do, let me put to rest your immediate questions: we are all fine, and besides finding ourselves tired every evening (still can’t really nail down why that is), we are in good health. Life continues to be busy, and unfortunately will increase as basketball season begins in a couple of weeks – meaning 4 nights a week of varsity bball (I am assistant coach this season). But, it will be fun. I think. Weather here is beautiful – still in the rainy season, but so far that has meant very frequent night rains, but sunny warm days. Truly an amazing climate, and will apparently continue to please as we get closer to “true summer” here in the equatorial region of the world. Ok, enough small talk.
First, new staff CFS (cultural field studies). All new staff members (and spouses if they wanted, which Jean did) went about 2 hours away from Rosslyn to Kingangop, an area overlooking the Rift Valley. We stayed at Ben and Margaret Mwangi’s farm (their daughter in law – Josephine – is a secretary in our business office here at school). It was breathtakingly beautiful in many ways there, as we had a chance to relax (the kids stayed back on campus with friends), enjoy the view just outside our tent, look at the stars, enjoy incredible chai and food, talk and learn about Kenya, Kenya’s tribes, the country’s history, and get to know in the most intimate way so far what life is really like for Kenyans. Ben and Margaret were fantastic – so friendly they almost felt like pseudo-parents to us all (in fact they did remark to Jean that we should think of them as our Kenyan parents). We went on a tour of a nearby Kenyan boarding school (I’m happy where I am right now thanks), some local homes (rustic, yet functional housing), and the Mwangi’s broccoli farm (Dad, I asked all sorts of questions about local farming practices for you!). Enough cannot be said about the people and the place – except that we enjoyed getting to know them and our fellow new staffers, and loved getting out of the city for a while. We were invited back anytime….very tempting indeed!
Just this last weekend we joined our friends the Beyers on a daytrip to Malaywa Conservation Park. There we were hoping to see some of the big 5 – and did see zebra, as well as warthogs, thomson gazelles, a few water bucks, and on the way, even some baboons (the kids liked them best of all). Again, the beauty of the Rift Valley made you want to stop and just look at the incredible acachia trees, and the river, the cacti, while listening to the new and interesting sounds of the birds (and gazelles). There was a lodge there, along with some cottages for rent, which were really interesting to look at and explore. We also tried out the newly installed suspension bridge (we all made it across and back, even the boys!) and sat back and watched our kids play hide and seek. It was a great way to spend the day, and worthy of a future visit, especially if you were able to stay a night, as this is apparently when you can get some up close views of the giraffes and hippos and zebras. There is apparently one lion in the 3000 hectare park, but, he is so rarely seen, the workers said its hard to know if he’s still around. There are campsites as well, although that might be a little close for comfort, as some people reported that when they woke up early in the morning, their tent was surrounded by animals….it might make you rethink that late night cup of chai if you had to get past them to get to the bathroom!
Anyway, this was not meant to be long, but just to keep you in the loop on the latest experiences in our lives. Coming up, we’ve got Mistletoe Market (a huge bazaar at Rosslyn this weekend – lots of new and used stuff – Jean is already gearing up for the deals) this weekend, and US thanksgiving is around the corner the weekend after that. Time still seems to fly here, as it is hard to believe it is almost December already.
Best wishes from the Enns’ over here in Africa, stop on by when you have the time!
PS – You might also want to check out Rosslyn’s website at www.rosslynacademy.com if you’re in the mood for surfing. Some other sites of our friends out here (that I know of): www.journeyofhope.ca, and www.thematlaks.com. Cruise around ‘em if you’d like.
PPS – be sure to check out our blog’s picture gallery. More pix to come this weekend, including new staff CFS and Malaywa.
Later!
By Wes (November 2, 2004 @ 10:23 am)
Magi Moto 8,9 October 2004
What a thrill! I had a chance to get out of Nairobi and see the Kenya that I thought existed but hadn?t seen up until now. It is everything I imagined and more. From the top?
Friday at around 9am I loaded my gear into a Somak Safaris van masterfully driven by a Kenyan man named Andrew who had never been hit or hit anyone in all his 14years of driving in Nairobi (this was tremendous information to receive up front and unrequested ? better to lose 5minutes than to regret it later, he said.). We promptly made our way out on Limuru road and headed for the summit. It is so big up there, the antithesis of big sky! It was bright and sunny, so we saw for miles. Then begin the descent along a road built by Italian POW?s (the picture of the small church is the memorial to them). Lots of big trucks making there way painfully up as we went down. Once we got into the Rift Valley we made good time ? my eyes were glued to everything I could take in. Three huge satellite dishes that I?m told supply the better part of Nairobi with communication to the world sit just on this side of Mount Longanaut ? a dormant volcano. Pass through a few little centers and begin to see specks of red out in the grasslands ? the Masai. Traditional people whose only recognized form of wealth is in livestock. Tall, slim, cloaked in red, and diligently herding their groups of thin goats, or cattle, or sheep or any combination of the three. And along that same road I saw my first of the ?big 5? ? zebra! Just merrily grazing on the plains! The road just before Naroc is – whooo! ? brutal! Though Linda (the friend whose trip this was to make contacts in the community) raved that it was in such great shape ? thankfully it wasn?t raining. We stopped in Naroc (means black water in Masai) for some samosas and chips (French fries), and also to meet up with a guy named David ? a Masai man with a vision from God to bring literacy and the love of God to the Masai warriors.
Now we?re only about an hour and a half away from Maji Moto. Finally there is a hill with a red road off to the left and that?s where we?re going. We bump along a dirt road which would be impassable with any amount of rain, and enter the mission outpost ? essentially a grouping of buildings including a block mission house, a pastors residence, some homes for nurses (Elizabeth A and B), and a school for girls. This is dry, dry, dry land ? think powdery dust that puffs up when you walk, semi arid (lots of cactus, some acacia trees, rough and untamed) and windy. We unload our gear and meet with Daniel, a young Masai man (23) with both a vision and desire to help the community, Mary, the pastors wife, a brood of children looking for sweets, and eventually Pastor Steven. In due time we drive off to the nearby center ? typically we would ?foot? it around, but a recent knee injury for Linda makes it better to drive) and just beyond to meet Daniel?s mother. Here I am invited into the fenced compound (by thorn bush to keep predators ? cheetahs, hyenas, and sometimes lions- from destroying their animals), and her home and offered a traditional Masai seat ? a short 3 legged stool. Daniel translates for us as Linda enquires about how she?s doing. I?m noticing how dark (there?s only 2 small windows that let in any amount of light), small, but functional this round mud house with an upgraded tin roof is. The branches that form part of the ceiling are shiny black from the smoke of the fire when they cook. Apparently when they cook it is so acrid that it?s hard to stay inside for long ? at least for my lily-white lungs, they of course are quite accustomed to it (and respiratory ills as an unfortunate extra). After a short visit we say goodbye and make our way back to the ?town center?(maybe 4 buildings). It was cool to see an evangelistic team running an outdoor worship time ? and a few Masai jumping as they sang. I bought a blanket for Wes and a conga for myself, while Linda made many contacts with the people of the area with whom she?s had an ongoing relationship for the last 14 years. It was awesome to be introduced as friend, and not just some curious white chick. I shook a lot of hands, smiled back at a lot of smiling faces, and touched the heads of many young children (they bend there heads to receive your touch as a blessing ? from any adult, not just visitors or whites).
On the way back to the compound we stopped at a hot spring that is a major source of water for the residents and stepped into the boiling hot water. The girls tried to get us to go to the deep part but all I could manage was to stand in 1 inch of it and even then I singed my feet a bit.
Back at the house we began the process of getting supper together. For the guests who joined us we made ungali and souka ma weki – don?t know if the spelling is right. This is a very typical Kenyan dish of a very dense sort of cream of wheat which is just torn off of the big lump and used to grab the cooked greens ? a little bitter for my liking, but certainly not terrible. The men who had been with us had also made a ?quick? trip into the town for some goat meat and so we didn?t eat until 8:30. But no matter, we just sat and talked and listened to one of the guards ? a small, thin, strong man – tell about, and show us proof of, the lion he killed. It was pretty cool! And his wounds had healed very nicely as far as I could tell.
The next morning dawned bright and early as the same evangelistic team was having devotions in the nearby church with loud music. I wandered over and after being called upon to greet the group made a mental note to always (in the future) remember to be prepared when visiting a church or group. As it was I stumbled over myself and gratefully sat back down. I have been assured that most churches ? except for the really large ones ? will almost always want some sort of greeting imparted to them, so start working on your nerve – and your sermon outline ? for you come to visit.
After that we cleaned up our stuff, got packed up, I wandered over to see a monkey trapped in a chicken coop that would later be snuffed out, and we said our good byes. We made a quick stop at the local clinic, which was very adequate, and I met Elizabeth A (one of the local nurses) and then it was off. When we got to Naroc we had a quick bite for lunch (samosas and chips/French fries), said goodbye to David, and headed home. From David both Linda and I scored an authentic Masai walking stick (every good Masai man has one) for our men ? which when used regularly will turn black (I think it?s in Wes?s closet, it may stay walnut color for some time at this rate). The only other highlight was seeing the long necked giraffes among the acacia trees as we drove back to Nairobi. Oh, and buying souvenirs from the comfort of our touring van as a very eager group of merchants surrounded us at a short stop to enquire about a shirt. Ezra and Isaiah got a runga (I think that?s what they?re called) each, which is a snake killing stick.
Anyway, it occurs to me after all this blather that I might not have done such a blow by blow but rather more a highlight feature. Oh, well, I never was one to skimp on words!
To summarize, I will just say that it was absolutely delightful to enter the rural life of the Masai Kenyans and to widen my worldview in a real way. Again I see just how diverse and full of contrasts this beautiful country is. You must come!
