The first 2-3 weeks back home in Mombasa the weather was pleasant—much like those hot summer days in Seattle so the transition from that aspect was fairly easy but now the humidity and mercury levels are rising daily. Everything is very dry and there is a lot more brown than green to be seen. It rained hard for about 20 minutes this morning and now that the sun is blazing overhead it is more humid than ever. Thank God for electricity and fans is all I can say!!
My cat Izzy cut his belly open on the glass as he was coming back over the wall into the compound, which required a trip to the vet in town to have the 1-inch x 1-inch tear stitched.
Then, two days ago we discovered that the cement underground water storage tank had developed a crack so most of the 8000 liters of water that I bought 2 weeks ago drained away into the sand. I don’t know if you are aware that we do not have city water here. We rely on rain water catchment and during the dry season we buy water by the lorry load, which costs about $80.
The mason fundi Fred hired suggested that instead of re-plastering the tank we should cover it with tiles (like a swimming pool). A great idea! The tiles and cement are being delivered today in preparation for the tiling work to begin on Monday. This morning Fred bailed out the little bit of water in the bottom of the tank so it could dry out over the weekend and he no sooner got it wiped down than that 20 minutes of heavy rain came and he had to do it all over again---but at least we now hopefully have enough water to last the 7 of us ( me and Fred’s family of 6)until the tank is repaired and I can order water delivery again (maybe Saturday next week?)
On the work front, I have been going to the base one day a week to work on the data entry for May-October and that is going OK. However, I am surprised to find that instead of feeling a compulsion to get back into the action and get things done, I feel like I don’t care if I ever go back at all. Things have changed physically on the base compound (one dorm demolished and the pavilion enlarged and re-roofed), and some of the staff have been away so I haven’t reconnected with the majority of them yet either. On the 14th I have to go up to Athi River base for the YWAM Kenya society AGM and then the quarterly National LeadershipTeam meeting and I find that I am not looking forward to either one. I feel very detached—which has really caught me by surprise.
On the home front, I can’t seem to get motivated either. There are still 2 bedrooms that haven’t been cleaned; one suitcase remains unpacked and the other 3 suitcase contents litter the guest room beds; I have fallen behind with my Bible reading and quiet times are superficial; my exercise DVD is sitting on the dining table but I haven’t done it even once; I made out a daily schedule but afterward realized it was completely unrealistic and have put it away for the time being because looking at it makes me feel like a failure My alarm goes off at 6:30 every morning and I haul myself out of bed, dress and go downstairs to feed the animals but it is like my brain and body don’t engage until about 10a.m. The only things I seem to do consistently are read and play solitaire and mahjong on my laptop (a waste of time, I know!) and Skype weekly with Kathy C and DeLoa to discuss the book which we are all reading together. We are working our way through Fervent by Phyllis Shirer. Last week’s chapter was about pressures—the pressure we put on ourselves to be what we think we ought to be is the one that jumped out at me this time around.
I think I am stuck! So maybe I am settling in after all—not the slough of despond but some sort of valley for sure.
I was talking with Kathy Cooper about this the other day and I was reminded that in Moses’ transition from Egyptian prince to Israel’s deliverer he had to spend forty years doing a menial job in the desert. Maybe there were days and weeks he felt stuck too?
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