June 6

Ministry Partners,


Yesterday before we arrived in Nairobi it was my final time to enjoy the culture here as we drove along with sights that are familiar in both Uganda and Kenya.

Anyone need potatoes or other veggies?

I will miss these familiar sights

 We arrived in Nairobi but not "safely". It was about 10 last night and we were about 3 miles for Heart Lodge where I had reserved rooms. I was here last year and it is a nice, quiet Christian place. Anyway, we were hit by another car just in the right tire, finder area. The three of us fell it was his error but of course he claimed it was ours so after an hour conversation it was decided they would meet at the police station today. We are outsiders and he is local so I had my concerns. Even though we were in town it was the outskirts and a bit desolate with only a bus/van stop.

Nairobi, late at night is not the safest place for a Musungu (white person) with a loaded van of "goodies to be. There were a number of young men on the street there and Alfred had concerns that at that late time in night they might rob us since when we tried to start our van and leave ........ it would not start. In all the confusion Aaron had left the lights on and the battery had run down.

But once again God stepped in to provide for us. Alfred called Heart lodge to see if they could send someone to give us a jump start, since we were so close to the lodge. The man he talked to said yes they would send someone. he came, and jump started the van but as Alfred was paying him $25 he told us he was not from Heart Lodge and then he left. When we arrived at heart Lodge they said they had never received a call from us. Alfred then checked his phone to show the man that indeed he had called the number on their pamphlet but there was NO number on his phone. His phone looked like he had never made any call!!! Was an angle involved here???? I don't know but he did take $25 for his efforts. Are you smiling at all of this? I am as I write this, it's just another time when we were in trouble and God provided for us. Praise hie name!

After breakfast the guys went to the police station I sorted my bags to come home and then the things we will send back with Aaron to store at Alfred's house. I had my concerns about the police findings as the other man was a local diplomat and we are all from other countries. Locals will tell you of the corruption in government amd police here but I do not have personal information on that.

Alfred called a while ago to say they were going to go for cost assessment of the damage to the mans car. The police said they could not determine those fault it was and we could file papers and go to court OR come to an understanding bu "mutual agreement" which ended up meaning I pay 1/2 of the bill to repair his car. The owner of our car/van said that because we filed a police report that his insurance would pay to fix ours. I guess the insurance we were required to purchase at the border was just paperwork but then at least we have a colorful sticker on the windshield that says we purchased it.

Needless to say my hope of finally going to one of the Maasai Markets, which were all a distance away, never transpired so I walked to the local market but was unable to purchase the Kenya coffee beans for gifts that I wanted or the individually wrapped Kenyan tea bags. So although I did get a few things my shopping was pretty much a bust. When the guys returned Alfred and I talked to some ladies here about any other markets in the area and there were none. I still wanted to get an authentic Kenyan dress and Alfred wanted to buy gifts for his family. I guess we will both have to check out the airport before we fly out tomorrow.

Please pray for the three of us:

1. Aaron leaves for Uganda with our car/van in the morning at 3a.m.
2. Due to an unforeseen issue in Australia, Alfred had to change his ticket from leaving 10 min after me to flying out at noon tomorrow.
3. I fly out at 11:55p.m. tomorrow night. This will be the first time for me to fly out of a foreign country by myself. Alfred has always been there to help me with my bags and getting them and me through check-in. Please pray for me!!!

That none would be lost,

Arlene