From Geoffrey to You; Green and Lush is a Plus

Saturday May 16, 2009

Green and lush is a plus

I spent all of Thursday on the backside of a motorcycle with my dear friend Jackson. We ventured up some of the steepest hills imaginable and scaled up a mountain on this bike. We forced our way through rivers. We passed through small cities and towns. This bike took us to what seemed like the edge of the world and back. With nothing but beautiful countryside to our left and right, rough terrain ahead, and the wind howling past our ears we were free to explore the beauty of this world.

I had traveled along this road before, just not as extensively. My previous ride opened my eyes to the extreme famine and hunger as a ramification throughout this country. I saw river beds completely dry with young children digging holes in some attempt to find water. I saw hundreds of shambas (farms) where no crop or vegetation could be found, keep in my that there should be a plethora of food for the harvest right about now. I saw brittle old woman and young children carrying jugs of water on their heads or hanging them on their backs. The climate was dry, arid and miserable and that seemed to match the optimism of some of the people I met. There was an profusion of suffering and affliction because of this drought, the morale and spirits of some of the people I crossed paths with were low. Faith in God for some seemed to deplete as famine flourished. This was my last trip which was over a month ago.

Since my last visit God has sent down the rains in selected areas. Masii is as dry as ever, but it seemed like Masii was one of the few in the area that was lacking rain. As we soared down the road and up the dirt paths my eyes were opened to how incredibly magnificent and truly amazing the lush green wildlife Kenya has to offer. Vegetation was beginning to soar to the sky in the shambas. The most vibrant shades of green enticed my eyes as I gazed upon the splendor of Africa. The contrast between the seemingly effervescent red earth and the lively colors of the foliage was outstanding. My eyes have seen some of the most aesthetic sights any set of human eyes have ever experienced.

I think one of the most comforting spectacles was the fact that we crossed a few rivers and not river beds. Dry patches of sand where people dug holes to find water, now had vigorous rivers gushing saturate that once desiccated sand. Young herdsmen could be seen watering their animals. Families were able to fill their water jugs without a quandary. These rivers of dirty murky water seemed more like gifts from God and rivers of gold than anything else. A smile was fixated on my face as we zipped, zoomed and sped our way over mountains and across rivers.

I can’t even express the view from atop the mountain. Farmers had carved stairs into the deep red earth to level out their farms, it looked like a stairway to heaven from my view.

Our mission for the day was to deliever checks for school fees for Tumaini children. We traveled the furthest distance to visit the school and pay the fees for just one child. Imagine traveling nearly nine hours for just one person whom you had never even met. This was a young girl in her last year of high school. She is the pride and joy of Tumaini, her grades in school are brilliant. She is university material and, by far, is going places in life. I heard the tragic story of her being orphaned and was flabbergasted that she is where she is today. If it weren’t for Tumaini she never would have gotten the opportunities she has. If it wasn’t for someone traveling nine hours every few months to pay her school fees she never would have gone to school. We sat there and told her how far we had traveled and the fact that we did it because she was so important to not only us but to God.

This trip opened my eyes to the mighty power of God, as it was not only displayed in thriving plant life, but also in the life of this young woman. It never ceases to amaze me what a group of people united in heart can accomplish, look at Tumaini and the lives they have impacted and differences they have made. Wow… all I can say is Wow.

Asante Sana,

Mwendwa

Prayer Requests:
Speaking tomorrow
Stacy’s wheelchair
Funds for Tumaini Projects
Functioning of the medical center

Randoms:
I paid a guy twenty five cents to iron my clothes… he came at the perfect time because I don’t have an iron
The first small business I am looking at helping start is a dry cleaners… it would be the only one in Masii, which is cool cause everyone here has clothes they need to have dry cleaned
In the package from my friend Tovah I got M&Ms… all I can say is that went I am chomping on those bad boys I am at peace… if you want to be cool send me M&Ms or Reese’s : )
I started reading the Chronicles of Narnia and finished half of it this morning… good book even if you have seen the movie
I also got sent a few magazines… did you know they have projectors that can fit in your pocket!! Also I read in Men’s Health about Matthew Mchonahay and he basically travels the country in a RV
I have been bitten enough times by mosquitoes to last the lives of fifteen men

WORD OF THE DAY
Githeri (not sure on the spelling)
Ga-there-ree
It is a Kenyan dish of basically beans and corn. Nothing gives you more gas than this!!

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