Visiting a local village

We met Masooy, our day-guard/warrior at 9:30 so he could take us to Grace’s village for church.  A 30-minute walk to a town somewhat spread out with homes made of block or corrugated steel or sticks and cow dung.  A small ‘main street’ with a few buildings and a nice ‘health clinic’.  We were told there were five churches in town.  

A hundred of so goats going by as we enter the village

But, before we go to church, Grace was honored to invite us to her house.  It was a very small, simple home made of sticks and dung.  It had three rooms; a center room with chairs and a small table, a kitchen/bedroom for her mother-in-law and cat, and her bedroom she shared with her husband, Paul and their 18-month-old daughter, Faith.

Kitchen counter.  A few pots and a small pantry for potatoes and a sack of rice.

                                                     

Grandma and kitty in the kitchen/bedroom

She was quite proud of her two small solar powered flashlights she has charging on the roof.  These were all they had at night.  A short tour of her home was followed by a hospitality gift of orange slices.  She also demonstrated how she lights her charcoal burner for cooking.  Interesting.  Charcoal is sold by the bags all over Africa.  She has a small brazier with a few sticks.  She then lights a portion of a plastic bag, letting the molten plastic drip on the sticks and you have a fire!  She had already cut up some potatoes for grandma to cook for lunch.  Once the brazier was lit, grandma took over with a bit of onion and tomato and spices.

How Maasai recycle plastic bags!

Grace helping us wash our hands prior to the orange slices

We then walked to church.  Paul is the pastor.  About 30 attending including the kids.  First, the kids sang and danced for us, then an offering, some praying then the sermon began.  Jackie, Grace’s cousin translated.  Jackie works at the health clinic.  Paul is one fiery preacher!  Jackie had a hard time keeping up!  At times, Paul just kept preaching and pacing and Jackie just stood there and smiled.  Lots of hand raising and clapping.  We had a great time listening to the sermon and watching the people.After church, Grace took us back to the clinic.  She enjoys her job and admits her employment is appreciated since it is steady.  Paul’s pastoral duties are volunteer and he is not paid.  He has a motorcycle so he is able to ‘uber’ people around for money.

Jackie, our interpreter on the left, Grace, our dental assistant on the right.  Two amazing gals!