Camel Ride and more!

We are ready for the ride of our lives. Sister Dalley said she felt like she was going to fall off the back at any minute.

(The video file was too large to upload with the internet connection in Naivasha, so these are screen shots of the important parts)

Camel Ride. The first picture is as we were getting up. we thought we were going to fall off the front. I was squealing in fright and laughing at the same time.The 'saddle' is just a bunch of padding over an iron apparatus that you hold onto. The next picture is us being jerked forwards then back with the undulating movement of the camel as he walked. Something about his having two knees in back make it anything but smooth. I do not know how the people in the olden times ever rode these things. The last picture is after we finally got up and before we started. As with a lot of things here I want to experience them then that is enough. We asked the camel driver to take us back before we even went the whole half hour we paid 150 bob (about $2.00) for it was so uncomfortable.

Coming out of the front door of our church in Nakuru. You enter into what looks like a water-house and find yourself inside an atrium looking up five stories, then you climb the very uneven cement stairs to our location on the fourth floor but they call it the third because they don't count the ground level.

This is Mike's birthday he just turned 13 and received the Aaronic priesthood. We gave him a white shirt and tie so he can pass the sacrament. He is so little he spent a year extra in primary because nobody bothered to look up his records until Elder Dalley began to get them updated.

(anyone know how they got the glimmer effect to just be on Mike?)

Sister Dalley received some lilies from our investigator Laura. She works for a flower farm as a procurement agent and we were asked to visit her by her mother who lives in Nairobi. Her Father is bishop of the Upper Hills ward which meets in the mission office complex and all the rest of the family are members. She is a lovely, gracious woman of about 35. Think of a young Sally Fields only black and that is how she looks. We have been visiting her since March and have grown to love her so much.  When she got a dozen lilies from another branch of the company she gave them to Sister Dalley. They really smell delicious.

(posted by Katy Kay)

Longonot continued

Sister Dalley learns how to correctly roast ground nuts with Roseline who bought the nuts fresh from Up Country where she has a home and garden.

First you soak the nuts in salt water then drainthem and put them in a heavy pan over low heat. You have to stir the nuts every few minutes for half an hour to keep them brom burning. .

 Newly baptized members Elly and Josphat with Elder's Sanders and Kiggundu. Josphat was so terrified of going under the water it took six times to get him baptized.

 Nukuru Group buildong it is on the fourth floor ip a flight of uneven stone concrete steps. This is how it looked before anyh remodeling was done. The windows are above a busy noisy street and the Salvation armyband  marches past every Sunday morning blaring horns and beating drums. the nearby mosque has defening calls to prayer six times a day.

Colrnelius our gate guard with Elder Dalley who he calls Grandpa. A delightful young man who likes to kid with us each morning as we pass the guardhouse on our morning walks. 

 Cornelius with Sister 1dalley and our turbo Nisson he so covets. We bring him treats sometimes and he always says, "God Bless you."

Frederick Gichuki from Nakuru Group recieving his ordination to become an elder from James Mckenye, branch clerk from the Naivasha Branch that is over the group. Freddie is engaged to a mszungu from Utah and he and Crystal are planning to be married in July.

 Frederick from Karagita who is a member but has a hard time coming out because of the distance 12 km.

 A giraffe crossing the road in back of Sister Dalley. Below the giraffe dodging traffic.When we drove off the giraffe got spooked and began gallop along side of us and we clocked it at 40 km an hour. It looked so funny with its neck undulating as he ran,

Roseline and Sister Dalley showing off the finished cake below. Plus Millicent and Leah with both cakes.

 Together step by step resting every 20 feet all the way up we made it.

 Elder Dalley leaning on the stick at the top with the valley we had just come from in the background.

 The crater from the rim. The six elders hike to the top of the peak but it was all we could do to make it to the rim.

 Elder Dalley by the Longanot sign. We have seen it spelled three ways.

 Each step had to be calculated so there would be no slipping.

 Slowly by slowly as they say in Kenya Elder Dalley helps his struggling companion down the hill.

The six elders and Elder and Sister Dalley all climbed Mount Longanot

Two cakes done to perfection.

Sister Dalley, Millicent, Leah and Roseline waikting for the reveal. Will the cake be done and come out of the pan in one piece? The structure behind us is the chicken coop.

 Victory at last. We made it ot the top.

 Students from the Nairobi University all gathered for a picture as amazed as we were that we had made it.

 We think these are a type of gazzelles but they are as big as cows.

A man nearby said they were something but as usual we could not understand him.

This is millicent showing off teaching sister and Elder Dalley how it is done

Branch members

Millicent, our Branch President's wife is so fun. She was trying to teach me how to carry water on my head. She could balance a five gallon bucket and dance while doing it. You can see how I did with a half liter jug.

You wrap a scarf up and put it on your head. It is called a "touch" at least that is how it sounds.

 

Sister Dalley in front of the church with Mary. She is a 14 year old Catholic girl who lives in a dilapidated shack in the slums above the church with her grandmother. She spends as much time at the church as she can. In order to attend public school all students are required to shave their heads. Maybe the fear of lice? Mary comes to my English classes on Wednesday and to Choir practice on Thursdayand to church on Sundays

 A Wildebeest in a wild life reserve that is right on our way to town.

 We think this is a large gazelle.He seems to be saying,"What are you doing in my terretory>"

 The zebras, wildebeests and giraffes all seem to get along fine.

 There was a power struggle looming. We did not stay to see if they carried it any farther.

 Elder Dalley showing off his new lawn mower called a slasher. You just swing it like a golf club and there goes your grass. Not very evenly, however.

 This is Millicent and Nelson, the branch president and his wife, in front of their house after we came home from a "Helping Hands" seminar in Nairobi. This is one of the nicer homes in the branch provided by his employer Finlay Flower Farms. They were s all decked out for the occassion

 This is us with them.

 We had such fun teasing each other.

 Sister Dalley and Roseline, the vice principal of the closest primary school easting bread and soda between sessions of general conference.

 Elder Dalley with Elly the week before his baptism at the church.

 Elder and Sister Dalley with Sarah, the primary president. She is a real orator and loves to praise the lord.

 Sister Dalley with Lavender a newly baptized member who is now counselor in Young Women's. She is such as delight always happy. She travels by Matatu every Sunday from Naivasha to Kwamulia which is 25 km away and costs her 200 bob but she is so faithful.

 Alvin, the branch president's son, with the birthday cake Sister Dalley made for him. He is kind of shy and has spent a lot of his life in the hospital with sickle cell anemia.

 Leah, Joyce,Millicent, Nelson, Evalyn Steven and Alvin after they ate cake.

 Sister Dalley and Evalyn.

Relief Society President Keziah showing off one of the cakes Sister Dalley made for the Relief Society Birthday Party. As the only one in the branch that has an oven it is my job to bake the caskes and I really don't mind.

They are huge but do not come out of the water until it gets dark and then you better watch out

Elder Dalley's New Hair!

Elder Dalley's New Hair

Everyone over here has this short of hair, so now I perfectly fit in!