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So, I have some deep thoughts about which I really feel impressed to post. But they really have nothing to do with Kenya and I'm not really sure how to go about sharing them, because they may come off in a way that isn't intended. So, while I figure that out, I'll do what is now turning into the semi-monthly run-down:
Life has been nuts over the past few weeks. It all kind of smears together in my brain, and it's difficult to differentiate one day from another. Each day, we wake up, go to work until well after dark, come home, sometimes eat dinner if we're not too tired, go to bed, wake up and start the whole process all over again. I'm certainly glad to help out where we can--that's why we came. But, I'm really, really, really hoping that this is just a temporary scenario. A little balance in one's life goes a long, long way.
The finance department is still spread incredibly thin. Apparently I now double as the HR consultant and the in-house temp agency. Which is not a big deal. All my years doing data entry at THB are finally paying off! It's amazing what an asset a little ten-key ability is. I think the company could cut the time it takes to process internal forms in half if they would do a little excel and keyboard training. Does anyone out there know of any web-based programs for such?? If you do and could let me know pronto...your name very well could be lauded for generations to come.
But, that's really boring. So in other news:
Two Thursdays ago, we received a call from a missionary couple that is here in Kenya on a short-term assignment to oversee the "social mobilization" of a campaign to give free measles vaccinations to children. They are looking for ways to disseminate information very, very quickly. One of their ideas is through radio commercials. Apparently there is quite a coalition of NGOs that are working together on this ongoing campaign. This group has used a little jingle in the past in other countries to advertise on local radio stations. They want to do the same in Kenya. The couple has set out to make it happen. Upon contacting other members in the area, they found out that I play the keyboard. I am ostensibly the only member of the Church in the coastal region that can. That's a pretty humbling fact for me to note. (Especially given the fact that whatever skills may have been there have certainly rusted.)
Anyway, in short, this couple has recruited our help. So...we are now working with a few other members in the branch to get the jingle professionally recorded. We are holding "auditions" for singers--all of which must be children--and we are working to get the song translated into Swahili. It should be fun. The Church is doing this from its humanitarian branch and is not proselytizing in the process. They are in it for the objective of eradicating measles, but are hoping to do some PR work as well...to show people what we are really like. The Ogborn's (the missionary couple) recently did this in Mongolia and they said that it was a huge success. Hopefully it will be the same in Kenya...
A couple of Saturdays ago, I tagged along with the Elder's Quorum (for those of you not familiar with that phrase...a men's group in our congregation) to the beach for a intra-branch football match (aka a soccer game, for all you Americans out there). I decided to spare myself (and Aaron) any embarrassment and just watch. The beach was absolutely perfect! The beaches here are amazing. The sand is white, the temperature mild, the water turquoise blue and they are, for the most part, quite clean. I could have stayed there all day. I'm not sure why we don't spend all of our free time there...we certainly should be taking advantage of our prime coastal positioning more often!
Aaron's also got some stories to tell... He's actually thinking about making a cameo on this blog. This is a rarity, so I won't steal his thunder. But let me just say that his stories came at the end of one of those weeks that should have been made into a sitcom...ok, maybe a rather plot-less sitcom (most are anyway), but nevertheless a sitcom.
It involved no money, running out of gas two times in as many days, no phone credit, a car that wouldn't start, having to ask someone to buy us lunch [it's embarrassing when an American has to ask a Kenyan to spot her some money...it should be the other way around!], arriving on a motorbike* to work alive only because prayer works, a husband running an unbreakable fever, dark and dingy medical "labs," and not being sure if I could trust what the good doc was saying. I kept telling myself that life is so much worse for a good 90% of the people that live on this planet. But. I was quickly losing my trooper mentality. Opposition in all things, refiner's fire, trials, whatever your nomenclature, I felt it last week. Things are always humorous with 20/20 hindsight. But, there was one night that I was ready to throw in the towel and come home. Luckily, things got better--pretty quickly, might I add. What I realized last week is that I need to ramp up the patience and charity.
But, what I perfected last week was my British/third world driving skills. Not bad.
*Because we couldn't get the car to start, we had to take a motorbike to work in order to get there on time. Below are some examples (ok...maybe erring slightly on the side of hyperbole) of what this is like.
As we were zipping down the middle of a two-laned road, between traffic (with oncoming semi trucks passing inches from my shoulders), while gripping my lap top bag with one hand, and clinging to the back of the bike with the other, I prayed like it was my last day on earth, because I felt that it very well could have been. Luckily my prayers were answered and we arrived at work unscathed. They say there are no atheists in foxholes; I would add that there aren't any on the back of Kenyan motorbikes either.
And finally, we have another roommate...but this one is only for the week. This brings the tally to 10: Abby, Rebekah, Rebekah, Nicole, Jeff, Colton, Richard, Otso, Ami, and now Nancy. [Oh, and there is another on the way...] Let's hear it for communal living!!
Nancy is here to begin the implementation process for a new software system. She's from SLC and it's been fun getting to know her.
Ok. I've realized now that this post is really long. I'm sick of typing. So...my deep thoughts will have to come later. Sorry to disappoint. (But I'm sure you're not really that disappointed.) The Kenyan chronicles will continue another day. In the meantime, I'm serious about getting feed back about the logo and possible on-line keyboarding classes! Let me know your thoughts.
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