Well, last week got by without a new entry.  It was the first since I began doing this.  My apologies.  I was just too busy (which you will read about below).  And, this will be my last entry from Kenya, God willing.  I am scheduled to fly from Nairobi this coming Tuesday night and arrive back home on Wednesday evening.  I will be sad to leave.  I am missing the students and our program already.  Joseph and I will meet to share his final evaluation Friday morning and then we are going out to celebrate Friday evening.  Then is all done but the packing and cleaning. [Elders Simon, Sophia, and Watson accept gift from my "pastor's purse."]

Sunday a week ago I visited the Kahethu PCEA Church which is about fifty miles from here, north of Nairobi and north of Thika.  This was my first venture into truly rural countryside.  Electric power has not reached there yet and there are no paved roads.  Of course it rained Saturday night and continued well into Sunday.  We made it to the church, but dared not attempt to drive to Daniel’s home more than a half mile on down the road.  So, we left the car at the church after the service and went “slippin and a slidin” down to his house.  [Daniel was one of our six students.  I had sent a gift to his congregation for the purchase of a few chairs - they are furnishing the sancturary.  Then I got so sick I couldn't go with him to take the gift.  I am glad I could do it now.]

The  “new”church is nearly 15 years in the making and nearly complete.  The old, sheet metal church where they began has become a place the children play and have Sunday School.  The new church is built of the gray stone one sees everywhere around here.  It is octagonal in form with a soaring roof.  The service was all in Kikuyu except for the small parts given to me.  The people were grateful and welcoming.  There was a lot of singing accompanied only by drums, which suited me wonderfully.

Monday and Tuesday were finishing up days with final seminars.  Wednesday morning we began with our last chapel service at the Kikuyu Mission Hospital (Patrick, Joseph, and Gladys sing as Lucy leads us)  After the service we made our way to Rafiki for evaluation presentations.  We heard three students on Wednesday and three on Thursday to finish the group.  Friday morning we did the group review and closing, followed by the students presenting their review of the program to a few guests.  Then they were left to do their exit interview with three members of the Professional Advisory Committee.  I understand that was a good experience.

On Saturday we gathered in the Administration Building Chapel for a graduation ceremony.  Pictured here is the small congregation being “warmed up” with group singing, as is the custom here.  The leader, standing apart from the others is Lucy Karaba again.  She has a talent for getting people singing and clapping.  I was sad to be singing with her for the last time, but very happy to be part of the ceremony.  It meant a great deal to these students who had worked so hard since mid-January.  Folowing several speeches and the presentation of certificates from the University of Louisville Health Care ACPE program, we adjourned to a lovely lunch.  The event was made all the more special by the presense and particiapation of the moderator of the PCEA, the Vice Chancellor of the University, the head of the Theology Department, and the CPE leadership: Professor Kirika, Lyle and Terry Dykstra, Joseph Mothaly, and myself.  The students were permitted to invite three guests to celebrate their achievement.

Bright and early Sunday morning Joseph and I headed out for the Olepolos PCEA Church in Maasai land.  He was preaching and I was carrying another small gift.  This is a struggling congregation as a result of a split that occured a few years ago.  The denomination leadership seems to have treated the pastor badly.  He happened to be Maasai and a great loss to the PCEA.  When he left he took more than half the congregation with him.  The current pastor (this is one of four churches he serves) is Edward Magiri and a delightful young man whose wife, Ruth is also a pastor.  Joseph did the preaching and translated my greeting message.  As you may recall from an earlier blog, I just love this country in and near the Rift Valley.  I took many pictures and will miss seeing this beauty.

After the service we were served a nice lunch of very tasty beef stew.  Then Sophia, one of the three active elders, led us to a nearby shopping area where we picked up her friend who was our guide for an afternoon with the Maasai.  This group has taken up the task of preserving and interpreting Maasai culture.  They have built a small, demonstration village.  We were able to sit inside a manyata (below)  and learn about some of their traditions.  Then we went outside for some traditional singing and dancing which I dearly loved.  I was even invited to participate.  Joseph told me later that old guys like me are not allowed to dance.  They are supposed to sit and appreciate the warriors and maidens.

Too soon we bid farewell to these folk and made our way to the home of Kimani and Jane Chege.  He is a member of our Professional Advisory Committee and sits with the Supervision Consultation Group.  He happens to be of the Meru people.  When I met Jane a couple of weeks earlier, she told me they had a five acre shamba on which they kept cattle and dairy goats.  I am sorry I have no pictures from that visit, but it was delightful.  I even got to sample some of their goat milk which brought back memories of our life in Florida in the 80s when we kept dairy goats.

Joseph’s family arrived from Maralal in time for the graduation.  His daughter, Julia, was expecting and having some difficulties.  She went to the hospital and delivered a sweet baby boy – about six weeks early.  So there is one more joy for Joseph to remember with this time.  Now I am busy writing a final evaluation for Joseph and a program report for the ACPE New Generation committee.  Then I have a couple of days to pack and catch my flight.  I will surely make at least one additional entry from Indiana in a week or so.  In the meantime, thanks for following this adventure with me.  Prayers for safe travel would be welcome, along with continued prayers for the people and church of Kenya.  Peace, Cal Brand

It has continued raining.  I thought you might like to have a look at the muddy, red road.  The first photo actually shows Alice (lady who does my laundry) making her way up the road from Rafiki to work at the Dykstras’ – in the rain.  The second photo is the view coming home from the hospital.  I had Joseph take the final shot (below) during a brief pause in the rain.  It shows this old muzungo (Kiswahili for white man) preparing to enjoy tea and a mendazi.

I did manage to collect the remaining three students’ notes on their experience.  I am hoping to have some excerpts of their evaluations in a subsequent post, assuming I receive permission.

 Susan Kamwara has also just completed her BTh and is awaiting assignment at the end of CPE.  She and Daniel are both members of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa.  She writes: “First of all I would like to thank all the organizers of this program – everybody who has participated for the well being of the program.  This program of CPE Level 1 has been of very great importance to me both to me as a person and for my ministry.  I feel that the program has really helped me a lot in many ways.

To start with the program has enabled me to meet both my personal and professional goals.  I feel that I have grown in these areas.  Again, I have gone through different didactic seminars which were very important to me.  These seminars have shed light to me in a great way.  More than this, I have had a humble time to be with patients and this has given me experience on how to give pastoral care to patients and listen to them.  Anyway, I would like to say that the program is very important.  I thank God for my supervisors including Cal, who is always with us and of a great help to our group.  I am looking forward if God can open another chance to do CPE Level 2, and I can be grateful.  May God bless you mightily.”

 Patrick Kinuanjui is a 60 year old lay minister of pastoral care in a large parish in Nakuru.  He writes: “When I consider what I have learned in CPE I would want to say frankly that it is a very commendable course for all clergy.  It is a ver resourceful endeavor meant to help people who are going through many crises in life.  It is a very objective and timely especially this time that I have a big congregation that is beset with all kinds of responsibilities.  Life is stressful so much that we need to equip ourselves with enough knowledge to handle the emerging situations which are very threatening.  I am confident that armed with this knowledge, I will be useful to someone.

I would wish to relate my gratitude to everyone who participated either materially or spiritually in the CPE program.  It has been a source of spiritual growth to me and my family, and more importantly to those whom I wll be able to serve.  Thank you.  Patrick”

Daniel Njenga was a school teacher, then a career soldier prior to receiving a call to the ministry.  Daniel is awaiting assignment to a parish when CPE is concluded.  He writes: “I have learned a lot (in CPE).  The program has been quite helpful as far as my pastoral programme is concerned . . . we have benefited a lot as a group through the intensive programme.  When I reflect back (over) the course, I am well equipped as far as pastoral care is concerned.  I would call all ministers to enroll with the programme and they will experience a great difference in the services they render (to their parishioners).  I would like to thank Rev. Cal Brand for offering his wealth of knowledge to come and supervise Rev. Mothaly, the only single supervisor-in-making in Kenya.  I would humbly request many others to be enabled (to become supervisors) so that they can be of help to others who need to learn CPE.  May God bless all those who promote the CPE programmes.”

Now you have heard from all six of our students.  They are very enthusiastic in there appreciation of and endorsement for CPE.  Hopes for seeing the program succeed and expand are frequently expressed.  I share those hopes and will follow future developments with interest.                                                                          Peace, Cal Brand

I have asked the students to write some notes to be included in the blog and here is the first installment.  You may remember Gladys Muchoki.  She was a school teacher before attending seminary and becoming a Presbyterian minister.  She has been posted to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital in Nakuru where she will begin as chaplain at the conclusion of the program.  She notes that her area was “the most affected by the tribal clashes, and suffers frequent drought leading to hunger.  Thus, the hospital is kept quite busy.”  Through the CPE program she “has learned to handle the patients by listening” and that “patience is a primary requirement.”  “Observing the patient’s emotions and feelings is an art. . . Writing and presenting verbatims has given me a new approach to my ministry.”  CPE has “helped me deal with fear and gain self-confidence which is very useful in my ministry.  I work with about thirty volunteers who need my leadership and training.  CPE has prepared me to” provide this leadership.  “CPE encourages the pastor or pastoral care giver to see the patient ‘no matter who that patient is’ as somebody in whom the face of Christ could be seen. . . CPE trains the student to hear the patient’s story, not putting his/her agenda (on the patient so) he/she will not judge them for what they are thinking or feeling. . . CPE should be a requirement for all pastors as they serve the Lord’s people.”

Lucy Karaba is a lay minister in the Presbyterian Church.  She serves as a prison chaplain.  Like Gladys, she begins with relating how CPE helped her “learn to listen to the patient’s feelings” and never to take things for granted.”  She says, “I used to give them my own agenda, and not listening to the patients expressing his/her own agenda or feeling and emotions. . .CPE has helped me to become a better chaplain in prison and also with patients. . . I have learned from various topics presented which challenged me to grow.  My supervisors and lectures have become good role models for me. . . CPE is so relevant to Kenya and Africa because it helps to tranform hearts and minds, thereby impacting the patients, prisoners, and the society as a whole.

Leah Munio is also a lay minister serving in a ministry she founded called Healing and Revival Ministries near Nakuru.  She was raised in the Anglican Church of Kenya, though her ministry is interdenominational.  She writes that “most of the things we were taught (in CPE) ties with my ministry and the church as a whole, and even the community.  I have benefitted a lot because in the hospital I am able to move with the patients, discern their feelings and emotions, amd move with them in their valley.  CPE has helped me personally as a mother and in my ministry.  I have already started teaching my peers in the ministry how to follow one’s or another’s feelings and emotions so we may be able to help the community in our village to start with.  CPE has helped me in my learnig goals: bitterness, viewing dead bodies, and anger.  Today I am trying to overcome these weaknesses though it is a process; I can see a lot of change in me.  Soon they will be strengths.  Finally, I would congratulate all the organizers of CPE here in Kenya and outside Kenya for the good work they are doing.  Long live CPE.  Long live the whole fraternity.”

I hope you, the reader, can pick up the enthusiasm and satisfaction these ministers are sharing.  It has been a real joy for me to observe their progress and hear their plans.  I have no doubt that the general quality of pastoral care is going to be improved by them – directly and by their example.  I hope to be able to share comments from the remaining three students in next weeks blog.  When we resume seminars on Monday we will have only two weeks left.  This coming week will be our last “regular” week, followed by final evaluations.

The students are already working on their final evaluation reports.  Because of the need to have them typed, they have to be submitted by this Friday.  So, they are feeling some pressure.  They are also feeling sadness about the ending of this experience together, but it is balanced by the excitement they feel about doing ministry with new skills and confidence.  The sun is still shining.  The Son is shining through these ministers.  Peace, Cal

            Lyle and Terry took me into Nairobi to St. Andrews PCEA Church for Good Friday services and we will be returning there for Easter services on Sunday.  One thing that made the service special was hearing the organ and choir.  Made me glad and homesick at the same time.  On the way home they drove me by UN Headquarters which is just across the street from the US Embassy.  Both compounds were quite impressive.  Since the bombing 5 years ago, the US Embassy has been rebuilt and is very secure.  We weren’t allowed through the gate for a closer look.

            Then it was back to the Maasai Market which is a wonderful craft bazaar.  I was able to pick up the few gifts Donna had missed before she returned.  The bargaining is intense and one never knows just how one came out.  It is good sport and can be a lot of fun.

            Joseph and the students have gone to their homes for the Easter holiday.  We had no seminars on Friday and will not meet on Monday.  Joseph called from Maralal to say he had made it safely.  He and his son, Ike, drove to Nayahururu where they caught a bus the rest of the way.  Though the road has been recently scraped, he said it was only barely there and they could not have made it in the little 4WD Suzuki.  I am praying he is able to make it back for seminars on Tuesday.  Though it is just over 150 miles, it is a 10 – 12 hour journey in good conditions.

            Patrick Kinanjui, one of our CPE students, was confirmed to have malaria on Wednesday.  He missed that day’s seminars but was able to be with us on Thursday.  He is expecting another two or three bad days, but then he should start feeling better.  The group observed eye surgery that day and all were very impressed with the skill of the surgeon and the teamwork of the staff.  This holiday break is serving as a “practice” termination and their anticipatory grief is evident.

            I am finally feeling almost well.  This cold has slowed me down for over a week.  I was able to complete and submit a proposal for a Masters Degree program in Pastoral Supervision as requested by Vice Chancellor Thairu.  I look forward to a meeting with him early next week to discuss it.  This is his idea of how to jump start CPE here in view of the need for additional supervisors.

            These three pictures (above) are of the old stained glass windows in the first Church of the Torch.  They were imported from Scotland along with the building itself.  They are beautifully done and you may be able to tell that many of the figures are Kikuyu people (though Jesus looks more like a Scotsman).  The remainder are of windows from the present church.  A sad anecdote: the previous moderator of the PCEA got carried away fighting the devil.  He believed he could see satanic symbols in stained glass windows.  He destroyed many beautiful windows at St. Andrews and elsewhere.  The people were able to save these at the Church of the Torch.

            The appearance of the landscape round-a-bouts has changed.  The maize is mostly harvested and beans, potatoes, and new maize plants are springing up.  It is fascinating to watch the folk in  twos and threes, mostly women, harvesting, cultivating and planting.  There is much gratitude for the rain; harvests have been plentiful.  I tend to give thanks when the sun breaks through from time to time during the day.

            Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter are a bit different here.  There remains a strong concern to be distinguished from things Roman Catholic in the PCEA.  I missed our Maundy Thursday Communion service.  I also missed participating with our choir in sharing special music with the congregation.  And, of course, I will miss a special Easter feast with Donna and family/friends.  I am grateful for the Dykstras and their care as they chauffer me to the services at St. Andrews which are more familiar.  And I send Easter greetings as we look forward to the last three weeks of this inspiring CPE program.  There have been abundant signs of new life.  Peace, Cal Brand

            So, I awoke Wednesday morning to a bed cold from loss of my partner, and sick with a serious cold.  Of course, whenever a foreigner gets a sniffle around here, there is worry that it is malaria.  Happily, this just seems to be a stubborn cold.  But that is bad enough – especially without my favorite nurse and chaplain.  And all this explains why the blog posting is a little later than usual this week.  I am on the mend; not back to full strength yet, but feeling well enough to resume most of my normal activities.  Donna had a delay in Paris which caused her to miss her Newark connection, so she arrived home about five hours later than expected weary and frazzled, but in one piece with all her luggage.

            Now, back to Nakuru.   The highway was good all the way and we made it in just over two hours; arriving around 10:30 Saturday morning.  We checked into the Kunste Hotel and headed to the market.  Donna had a few more gifts to purchase before heading home.  From my Lonely Planet Guide to Kenya, I had selected Kokeb, a Kenyan-Ethiopian restaurant.  It turned out to be a good choice.  Unfortunately, as we were leaving it began to rain.  We wanted a little more time for shopping before heading for the Nakuru National Park.  We tried a bit of shopping in the rain, then retreated to a coffee shop until it let up.  We had hoped to stop by and visit Patrick, one of our CPE students and started that way.  Then the sun came out and we headed for the Park instead.

            There we found Lake Nakuru and its famed Flamingos – and there were thousands of them.  We were greeted by this little fellow who wanted to hitch a ride (remember the mischievous Vervet monkeys).  Joseph tried to convince him otherwise.

            Not far into the park we began to see wildlife.  There were Hippos, Black and White Rhinos, Impalas, Gazelle, Cape Buffalo, a lot of Baboons and one Oryx. 

There were also Lions, Leopards, and Cheetahs, but they didn’t come greet us.

            The Park gates close at 6:30 PM, but Joseph assured us that once inside we could stay a late as we liked.  So we drove the length of the park, finally arriving at Makalia Falls (which we shared with a large troop of Baboons) before heading back.  Darkness was upon us.  Then the rain started.  Visibility was poor.  We missed a turn and found ourselves ascending the escarpment to the West gate – not where we wanted to go.  Turning around on a narrow dirt road with drainage ditches along both sides, in the dark, in the rain, miles from “civilization” in a Park full of dangerous animals provided several very tense moments.  But Joseph patiently upped and backed, turning little by little until we were headed back into the valley.  With a collective sigh of relief we found the sign we had missed and made it back to our gate.

            Sunday morning we visited the Anglican Church in Karunga where Leah (another student) had grown up.  We stopped by her home (Shamba) and visited with her husband and friends.  Then we stopped at Gladys’ home for another brief visit with her and her husband before heading to Baraka Farm in hopes of seeing Arthur Ndoro.  Joyce, Arthur’s ex-wife, met us at the road and led us up to the farm.  She was very welcoming and served us a nice lunch (for which she kept apologizing).  At all three stops, I was wandering about trying to learn what I could about animal care and gardening – they kept geese, chickens, sheep and a cattle.  Joyce and Arthur were married soon after we knew one another when he returned to Kenya in the mid-sixties.  At some point along the way they separated.  He now lives on the opposite side of this huge farm and they see little of one another.  I may make one more effort to see him, but it now looks unlikely that reunion will occur.  This picture was taken in front of the church built on the farm with their support.  The youngster next to Joyce is her grandson, Adrian.  He and I became fast friends and Donna is convinced he was the donor of the virus that has laid me low.

            Last week was tough on our whole group.  Four of the six students were doctoring one kind of malady or another.  Joseph has been searching diligently for a house to rent nearby so Agnes can spend more time here.  This week he learned that the second one promised to him was given to someone else.  Agnes made the long and difficult journey back to Maralal by matatu (12- 14 seat vans that scare me to death), and their son, Ike, was hospitalized briefly for food poisoning.  We are all hoping next week will find us well and able to concentrate on the last month of the program.  Please continue to hold us and the program in your prayers.  Peace, Cal Brand  PS: This Oryx posed so nicely for us, I wanted to squeeze him in.

It is my intention to share some more pictures from our Maasai Mara excursion each week.  I kind of like the contrast between these two Baboons and the Maribu Stork couple.  What do you think?

We attended St. Andrews PCEA church in downtown Nairobi.  It is more or less the “flagship” PCEA congregation in Nairobi and it was a lovely facility.  We were not the only visitors attending.  A group of perhaps 12 young adults from Hungary were completing a week long mission trip to Presbyterian churches in Kenya.  They apparently had a good experience and were inviting a group to come from Kenya to visit Hungary.  (Photo by Dan Chira)

            St. Andrews is only the third church I have had the opportunity to visit.  Some things were pretty much the same in all three settings.  What is the time for a prelude (usually on the organ) in our churches is given to singing “Praise” music beginning up to 30 minutes prior to the formal beginning of the service.  At the Church of the Torch, this is led by all those primary school children.  At St. Andrews, the singing was led by a group of praise leaders – a small chorus.

            This is interrupted by the processional of clergy and worship leaders, led (usually) by a youth carrying the Bible.  By this time I am beginning to know some of the songs and enjoy clapping and singing along.

            Once underway, the service is made up of prayers, scripture lessons, introductions and intimations, offering, preaching, and singing – much like our services.  Visitors are typically asked to stand and introduce themselves.  At St. Andrews Donna and I were given rose buds to wear or carry.

            I experienced some nostalgia Sunday on seeing a pipe organ as we entered.  I was looking forward to hearing organ music.  But, alas, as has been the case in each church we have attended, the organ has been replaced by an electronic keyboard.  It just sat there at the back of the sanctuary, silently.

            I called this Post, “Rough Weekend” not only because of Donna’s bout of the Kenya Kwikstep, but for what we learned as the new week began on Monday.  Gladys, our Saturday On Call chaplain was called to comfort the grieving after the drowning death of a high school student at an “open swim” party.  Earlier that day we had passed through quite a crowd along the road near here as we made our way to Nairobi to do our weekly shopping.  On Monday we learned that one of our students had the misfortune to be in the middle of a shoot out Saturday morning (the crowd we had seen) between the police and some thugs who had hijacked an automobile.  At least three persons were killed including the owner/driver of the auto.  We were glad to know Patrick was not injured, only frightened.

            It is a sad fact of life here that this kind of violence is fairly common.  Donna’s psychology about this is to presume there are still lions or other dangerous animals in the bush and stay on the alert at all times.  As a general rule, women do not walk alone (and many men exercise similar caution), especially after dark.  We are told to go in larger groups of four or five at a time.  Even so, we hear stories of persons being beaten or killed when caught out by these thugs and robbed of money, jewelry, cell phones, anything of value.  And this danger is particularly relevant for whites, who are presumed to have money and valuables.  I have been grateful for the availability of the Dykstras and Joseph to take me around when needed, so I don’t feel like a total prisoner.  Thankfully the area around the hospital and university are relatively safe.

            We had planned to visit the National Museum last Saturday, but as noted above, Donna was in no condition for an outing.  So, we went on Monday afternoon instead.  Lyle and Terry had not been there for a few years and were delighted with the changes and improvements – except for the loss of a model Kikuyu house they were hoping to show us through. (Beneath the sculpture, that is Donna, Lyle and Terry)

I was particularly interested in the early bones.  Pictured is “Turkana Boy,” one of the most complete early skeletons, estimated to be 1.6 million years old.  Kenya is the home of many of the earliest human fossil remains and the National Museum is home to many of those discoveries.  It was also fun to find the stuffed versions of many of the birds we had seen last week at Maasai Mara.  I learned a good deal in three + hours we had to wander about there.  I couldn’t resist purchasing a copy of Peoples of Kenya by Joy Adamson (author of Born Free and other well known books).  She went about Kenya photographing and painting persons for the more than forty tribes who make up Kenya’s population.  It is a fascinating book and I look forward to continuing my education.

            This coming weekend we are off on another excursion – this time to Nakuru.  Nakuru is the fourth largest Kenyan city.  Three of our students are from Nakuru, and it is the home of my friend Arthur Ndoro with whom I have (so far) been unable to connect.  Nearby is a spectacular volcanic crater with active steam vents, and a National Park famous for Flamingos and Rhinoceros.  One thing that will make this trip very special is that we will be going with Joseph and Agnes (his spouse).  Donna has yet to meet her, and we are looking forward to an opportunity to get acquainted.  Joseph has said he would like us to visit a nearby lake which is known for its hotsprings.  We will leave Saturday morning and return on Sunday evening, so it will be a pretty quick visit.

            I have invited the students in our group to write a paragraph or two about their experience in CPE so far.  I hope to be able to begin including one or two of these contributions in the next posting.  In the meantime, we are doing well.  I am already grieving Donna’s return to Indiana on Tuesday, March 23.  Her month here has gone by way too fast, but it has been wonderful to have the time we have had.  Please continue to keep this mission, our students and the persons they serve in your prayers; and prayers for safe travel for Donna.  Peace, Cal Brand

I would like you to meet Landa Tanyassis, our guide and driver from 8:00 AM Friday till Noon on Monday.  A Maasai himself, he was both skillful and experienced – and kind to old white people as well.  I don’t know how many muddy miles we put on his van in those three days, but it was many.  He managed to introduce us to the varieties of landscape within the park as well as many animals.  I would love to show you all our pictures, but I doubt this blog would allow such a deluge.

Even before reaching the park we saw herds of Giraffe and Zebra.  At first it was a bit startling to see these creatures which I had only known in zoos wandering around with no keepers or warning signs.  However, by the time we were headed home, it seemed quite natural.  Amazing!

Interspersed with the “wild” animals were large herds of cattle, sheep and goats.  The Maasai are pasturalists and much of their lives are centered around their animals.  We would see hundreds of animals grazing in the distance or near the road, accompanied by a lone Maasai shepherd in his red garb.

The last hour and a half of the four and a half hour journey was over hard scrabble dirt roads that threatened to destroy the van – or so it seemed to us – and we were glad to dismount at the Siana Springs Lodge with plenty of time to clean up before

before lunch.  We fell in love with our “luxury” tent.  We had all the comforts of home along with the delights of nature all around.  Except for times when we took picnic lunches, we had our meals in this happy, open air dining room.  We found both the food and service to be excellent, though perhaps a bit too familiar (a lot like home, if you know what I mean.)

We shared the compound with Bush Bucks, Vervet Monkeys and Colobus Monkeys.  One night a Baboon managed to enter which led to quite a stir as lodge staff showed him/her the way back over the fence.  We were warned to tie our tent flaps securely to prevent a disaster of cosmic proportions should a band of Vervet Monkeys manage to get inside our tent.

After lunch we were given an orientation to Maasai culture by two young warriors, JJ and Patrick.  JJ introduced himself as a living example that people can complete college and continue to live the traditional Maasai way of life.  I was glad we heard from them.  It helped us understand what we were seeing as we drove by Maasai villages and often, through their herds of livestock coming and going to the Mara.

There is no way I can put that experience in a blog.  I will share several more pictures and stories and hope you are blessed with some small measure of the awe we experienced and by which we were so refreshed.  We saw several kinds of Gazelles, several elephant families, a couple of warthog families, ostrich families, many very large hippos sharing the River Mara with scarey crocodiles, more giraffes, zebras, wildebeast, hartebeast, water buck, buffalo, and heyena. 

And we enjoyed a close encounter with a pride of lions.  Five lovely ladies strolled out of the tall grass and right up to our van as

 they went out to find some lunch for several youngun’s back in the bushes.  They were absolutely beautiful, though I wouldn’t want to meet them outside the van.

One of Donna’s favorite sights was the Secretary Bird.  She casually asked Landa, “Are we likely to see a Secretary Bird here?”  Maybe five minutes later he called out, “There’s your Secretary Bird, Donna.”

Landa took us off the main roads onto tracks that often turned out to be too soft to traverse.  Several times he had to stop and leave the van to check before driving on.  He managed to avoid getting stuck, though he did come to the rescue of others who weren’t so lucky.  We spent more than an hour of our last afternoon helping get a jeep out of a ditch where it became mired trying to free another van.  [The white van was actually here from Tanzania.  It got nose down in a ditch with its frame partially grounded.  The brown 4WD Jeep got stuck trying to pull it out.  The white 4WD Jeep eventually pulled the brown one free and it had to make a long journey to come from behind the van to pull it free.]

We returned a bit early Sunday afternoon in order to do a bird walk with Patrick around the compound.  We had gone out in the dark at 6:00 AM with packed breakfasts and lunches.  By the time we hiked around the compound with Patrick and learned the songs of many new birds as well as other Maasai nature lore, we were ready for some quiet time in the tent before supper.

All through this adventure we kept thinking of people we would like to share it with – starting with our grandkids!  We were sad for packing time to arrive.  The staff were friendly and helpful, and we felt like God smiled on us.  It was raining when we left Kikuyu Friday morning and we had a light shower in the park that afternoon as we headed for the lodge.  Then we had sunshine until our van climbed out of the Rift Valley west of Nairobi Monday morning when we encountered more rain.  We learned that torrential rains had caused serious flooding, especially in the northern part of Kenya where Joseph lives.  He and his son Ike had started for Maralal but never made it.  The roads were underwater and mud.  I believe a dozen people were victims of fast flowing waters and much property and crops were destroyed.

I want to report that the CPE group had a very fine mid-unit review day last Thursday.  I found them to be at least on a par with comparable students in the U.S.  Lyle and Terry made the trip to Nairobi to the nearest pizza parlor and returned with five large pizzas.  Happily, it turns out that these Kenyans liked pizza!  We have now begun the second half of the unit.  The students have new ministry assignments in the hospital and some different writing assignments.  After consultation with Donna, I decided that a good use for some of the “pastor’s purse” funds provided to me by First Presbyterian Church of Columbus was assistance to the two students who seemed most in need of help with their fees.  So, FPC Columbus paid Ksh 7,500 (about $100) of each of their outstanding fees.  The whole group breathed a sigh of relief.  I was very grateful to have that discretionary fund to help out.  Here is the picture we took at the end of the day last Thursday – a very happy group.

Standing left – right: Gladys, Cal, Patrick, Daniel, Lyle, Susan, and Joseph

Seated: Donna, Leah, Terry, and Lucy

As we made our way back to Nurok and the across the Rift Valley again, our friends the Giraffes came out to bid us farewell.  It was a very special few days beginning with our CPE Mid-unit review and having a dream adventure to Maasai Mara.  Peace, Cal Brand

We did everything we could to persuade the finance folk that we were on schedule with original arrangements and that these new requirements were unfair and impossible.  There was no flexibility.  Then it appeared that they would check with the PCEA (Presbyterian Church of East Africa) for a guarantee of payment for the two who were expecting help from their parishes.  We had to wait till that negotiation could be completed.  This morning, Terry Dykstra pledged funds from CPE money raised in the US to pay for the two self-payers if they did not pay in full by the end.  We learned at 9:30, just after the communion service in the chapel, that these arrangements had been accepted.  Praise the Lord!

We all expect the money to come in and, in fact, payments were being made according to agreements at the beginning.  I had a powerful cross-cultural experience.  We have had to threaten to withhold certificates and evaluations from students, but I have never been at risk of losing a program because some of the group were  behind in their tuition payments – not in 40 years.

While I am complaining, there is a whole lot going on in Kenya that seems a bit incredible to this country boy from southern Indiana.  I don’t mean to suggest that we don’t have our share of bad apples, graft, corruption, pedagogues and greedy rascals – witness the disaster we are still living through from our wall street high rollers!  But I think when one gets involved in mission service or other charitable work, we are inclined to romantacize those we intend to help.  Running into reality is almost always disillusioniong.  Anyway, not a day has passed since my arrival that the Kenyan news has not been dominated by one scandal after another.  I can’t tell you how many conversations I have heard or participated in about mismanagement and theft in churches or church sponsored institutions. 

It breaks my heart to know that funds were raised to pay the tuition of a couple of needy girls only to have that money go into the pockets of a school administrator.  There is poverty, deprivation, exploitation, and disease enough without the harm done by greedy leaders.  We are learning that there is an ancient tribal tradition here that essentialy legitimizes the “chief,” the one at the top, taking what he (usually he) wants to help himself, his family and friends by whatever means happens to be at hand.  Even when these folk are caught, they are seldom punished – on some level, this behavior is expected.  I find it makes me pretty angry.

On the one hand it makes me want to get out of here.  On another it gives me new admiration for the Kenyans and others who keep giving, serving, praying for these people.  When I consider the sacrifices being made by our students to give up 14 weeks of their lives to participate in this program in the hope of learning to provide better pastoral care to their churches or institutions, I get inspired to find reasons to be hopeful myself.

So, tomorrow our group does mid-unit review.  We will end the day with a pizza party.  Now only one of the six members of the group has ever eaten pizza.  I hope they will like it!  I know they will try to like it for my sake, since it was my idea and they do go out of their way to be kind to me <smile>.  Next week we will begin the second half of the unit and Donna and I will be fresh back from Maasai Mara and we hope many close encounters with elephants, buffaloe, lions, zebras, etc.  Wish us luck.

I promised you a photo of my Kikuyu dentist, Dr. Olale.  I managed to catch her this morning and she graciously allowed me to snap her.   She was late getting in because of a traffic jam.  That is a fairly common problem here.  While I waited for her, I got a picture of (left to right) Fred, Rahab, and Lillian.  When I was there waiting as a patient, I thought I recognized the music playing in the background.  I was sure it was Fernando Ortega.  Fernando is a very popular Christian keyboardist/vocalist, and he is the son of an elder in the 2nd Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque.  Because of that relationship, we heard him play in our services several times, bought some of his CDs and even heard him do a concert in Indianapolis a few years ago.  I asked Fred about the music.  He had put together quite a collection of gentle Christian rock music on the computer and he was also a fan of Ortegas.  Small world, huh?

And even with all the stress and strain reported above, I did make it out for another round of golf last week with Frank Bertram before he and Nancy left.  That’s him on the 1st Tee – a dogleg left par four with a steep drop off the right, making a mid iron the club of choice.  Unfortunately, I was too far left and in the trees.   Frank took a picture of me on the next tee.  Once again I was too far left and back in the trees.  O well, its only a game and a wonderful diversion.

Its raining again – comes most every night now making the red road muddy and the walk sloppy.  Still we gather at Rafiki and consider how to do a better job of caring.  Keep us in your prayers.  Peace, Cal Brand

I awoke Thursday morning to a birthday card and the happiness of having my partner safely here with me.  Thursday afternoon Joseph and the students (with a lot of help from the Dykstras) gave me a surprise birthday party.  What a special treat.  I had been telling anyone who ask that what I wanted most for my birthday was Donna’s safe arrival.  But it was very nice to have a fancy cake with “Happy Birthday Cal” iced on top and candles to blow out while the group sang a Kenyan version of Happy Birthday.  After opening a gift and a card, there were speeches all around.  I felt very celebrated!  Then we adjourned to the veranda for a group photograph (Lyle did the honors and so is not pictured).  [From left to right back row is Terry, Susan,Leah and Joseph; middle row is Gladys, Lucy and Daniel; and there we are, Donna and Cal up front.  Remember, Patrick is away attending the double funerals at his church in Nakuru.).  Would you believe she had just spent 24 hours on airplanes and in terminals a few hours earlier.  So far, she has made a great recovery and is suffering minimal jet lag.

I was able to pay a visit to the Kikuyu Mission Hospital Rehab compound, which is quite lovely.  Here is the front gate.  The building you see is the inpatient ward.  If you look closely you can see a mural of the paralytic being lifted from Acts 3:6-10 (just above the center of the gate).  In addition to these inpatient beds, there is a large out patient program.  Patients range from children suffering from injuries and deformities, to elderly diabetes patients who have lost limbs to amputation.  I understand there were 881 procedures done in surgery last year.  The chief limiting factor is having only two suites.

One of the blessings to be found here is the Limbshop where Choi Seo Dong practices his craftsmanship serveral months each year.  Choi is from South Korea and just returned to Kikuyu – this time from China where he was staying with his son who is a missionary.  Choi is very popular with patients and staff alike and is viewed as a miracle worker as his limbs get folk back on their feet once more.  The afternoon I visited the workshop I met Maureen Kirwa, another Ortho Prosthetic artist.  I could have watched them for hours as they made their miracles!

There are two fully equipped surgery rooms, called theatres over here.  They occupy the second floor of this building.  This unit is connected by covered walkways to the ward building to facilitate ease of access for patients coming and going to surgery.  One of the first things you see from the other side of the ward building is this wonderful ramp/walkway which makes the whole building completely accessible to patients.

At chapel on Friday, Dr. Frank Bertram was recognized and appreciated as he concluded his current service period at KMH (Kikuyu Mission Hospital).  He is on his way for two months of service in Malawi.  He and Nancy, his wife, are Presbyterians from Lakeland, FL.  They were regulars for my Friday night dinners out with the Dykstras.  And, very importantly, Frank was my golf buddy for the two outings we enjoyed at the Sigona Golf Club.  I will miss them, the staff and patients at KMH will miss them, but others in Malawi will be very glad to see them soon.

The CPE Chaplain who brought the message at the chapel service this week, Daniel Njenga, spoke from Acts 3.  This sparked a memory for Dr. Bertram from his first visit to KMH eight years ago.  He shared that memory with obvious emotion.  He spoke of a man in his thirties who had been unable to walk since childhood when he fell into a fire.  The scar tissue had locked his legs in a bent position.  This tissue had been surgically relieved now and it seemed time for him to attempt to walk.  Frank recalls asking him if he wanted to walk.  The man replied that he couldn’t remember ever walking and didn’t think he could even now.  “Why don’t you just give it a try?” Frank asked.  With some assistance the man stood beside the bed, then slowly and unsteadily walked around the end of it – with tears in his eyes.  At that point, Frank had to give up trying to tell his story – he was too choked up, but we all knew something of the joy that was in his heart.

Now that Donna is here, my life is significantly changed.  I have moved out of the small room with single bed and we share a queen size bed complete with mosquito netting (which takes some getting used to).  The apartment doesn’t seem empty any longer and we are planning a First supper together tonight.  We are starting preparations for our three day safari to Maasai Mara next weekend.  Life is good!  Here is a photo Terry took at my birthday party.  Peace, Cal Brand

When the food arrived I practiced eating Kenyan country style – with my fingers.  We had Ugoli and chapati along with the goat.  Having raised goats and become very fond of them, I had some qualms about eating one, but I joined right in, wrapping morsels in chapati.  I felt like I could have stayed there and watched the valley’s appearance change as the sun sank across it to the West for days.  Too soon we had to leave that magical place behind and head back to PUEA.  Near the road as we were leaving, I saw my first Kenyan wildlife - a tiny, minature deer which I believe is called a Dic Dic (I will check on that).

One of the “dreads” I had about this journey to Kenya relates to my aging and high maintainance teeth.  As Dr. John Sawin can tell you, I am lucky to get by with only one or two dental emergencies a year.  My mouth is full of crowns (and now a bridge), many of which have served me for thirty years and more.

Well, Tuesday night as I did my routine flossing, the crown on my upper, left canine tooth decided to give up and pop out.  Fortunately, it did not dive down the drain or disappear behind the baseboard.  I am getting to be an old hand at this by now, so I put the dislodged prosthesis in a plastic baggie and began to fret about who would do a suitable repair and when.   I called the Dykstras.  I remembered that Lyle had had some dental work done the previous week and hoped he could advise me.  Even with his encouragement and consolation, I felt my first real attack of homesickness.

Wednesdays, you may recall, we have chapel at Kikuyu Mission Hospital.  I made my way there intending to go directly from the chapel to the dental clinic and wait as long as it took to get some help.  I was in for a pleasant surprise.  After completing minimal paper work I was sent to the cashier to pay a KSh$200 deposit.  I returned the Dental Clinic and took a seat.  I had been told that the dentist would not appear until nearly 10:00 AM.  At ten past the hour I was invited into the examination room, fitted with one of those little paper bibs, and introduced to Dr. Joana Olale.  I would guess she is in her late thirties and others have told me that her name belongs to the Luo people (that is the tribal association of our president’s father from the western part of Kenya).

Dr. Olale set about scraping and probing the stump of tooth exposed by the lost crown and soon pronounced it sound.  Next she cleaned and examined the crown itself and in a reassuring voice informed me that the tooth was fine and the crown was fine, and she would just glue it back in place.  (I will try to include a photo of her and some of the staff in my next post.)

I was scheduled to be in a meeting at 10:30, and just as I left the exam room with my crown securely back in place, my cell phone rang.  It was Lyle Dykstra volunteering to come and get me for our meeting with Professor Kirika to discuss future plans for the CPE program in Kenya.  I thanked Dr. Olale and made arrangements to return the next day to have my bite adjusted.    Then I went back to the cashier to pay the fee of KSh$500 (all together about $10.00 USD) and catch my ride back to PUEA with Lyle.  [I had no idea how far off it was until I tried to eat lunch!  I could hardly wait to see Dr. Olale again.]

I was back in her dentist’s chair at 12:40 Thursday afternoon tapping my teeth on articulating paper.  Buzz, buzz, buzz – and suddenly my back teeth made contact once more.  I was very happy and very grateful.  And my gratitude was not only for the good and kind work of Dr. Olale.  This sign adorns the wall in the waiting or reception area.  You can see that the clinic was dedicated in 2002 and was built and equipped by Presbyterian Churches in the USA.  The dear folk in Fargo, North Dakota; Goldsboro and Charlotte, NC; and Birmingham, AL who contributed to the dental clinic at Kikuyu Mission Hospital had no idea they would be helping and itinerant Presbyterian pastor/CPE supervisor from Indiana get a crown replaced half way around the world.  So, I say, when we make our offerings, we have no idea how far God may send them nor who they may benefit.

I did make it for a tour of our Rehab Hospital and got some photos to share, but I think this is enough for now.  My mind is increasingly focused on preparations for Donna’s arrive on Wednesday, February 24th.  I am also spending a lot of time praying the weather will allow her to make the trip.  Nothing could make my birthday (#68) on the 25th feel more joyous than having her here to share it with me.

I would invite special prayers for one of our students.  Patrick is the minister of visitation for a church in Nakuru.  Two days ago he learned that two other pastors in that church were killed in an auto accident returning from a conference.  It is a great personal loss as well as a loss for that congregation.

I have appreciated hearing from several of you who have read these pages and look forward to more messages in the future.  Peace, Cal Brand