This morning, Mama Faith and I had the opportunity to go shopping at Eastleigh market. We took matatus (super cramped public transportation) to get there. It’s in the middle of Nairobi and is where small business owners go to buy their merchandise at wholesale price. I successfully purchased Christmas presents for all the women in my family. That’s about all I can’t reveal since many of them read this blog.
This afternoon, Pastor George and I traveled across the city to meet with some CTS alums for lunch. Unfortunately, word didn’t get out that it was happening until yesterday and only two people were able to make it, both of which I’ve spent time with before. We had lunch at a lovely restaurant on the water. Our lunch was really more like dinner. The other half of our party arrived 2 hours late (gotta love Kenyan timing...) and then the service was fairly slow. Fortunately we were seated on a covered dock over a little pond so it was serene. After the meal we sat around for 2 more hours. I was a little irritable because I was tired and had been up since 5:30.
Out of nowhere, the waitress showed up with a cake and we had a surprise birthday party. It was me and three men in their upper forties (obviously it was a raver). We had cake the Kenyan way. Everyone had to feed each other cake. George had to feed me first and promptly dropped a huge icing-covered piece on my dress and blazer. We all took turns feeding each other cake until they were full. It was an interesting time but I really hate cake so I was happy when it was through. After that, Rev. Henry and Rev. Robert surprised me with some birthday presents. Two (size small) t-shirts and my very own shuka (blanket/fabric thing that all Kenyans have). They were very kind and told me that they owed it to CTS. They both had surprise 40th birthday parties thrown for them by their seminary classmates and wanted to do the same for me while I’m doing my contextual ed far from home.
We got stuck in a dense traffic jam (per usual in the evenings) and didn’t get home until 8. I was exhausted and anxious to put on my pajamas and call my family. Much to my surprise we had guests I didn’t know were coming. Little did I know, I had walked into my second surprise party of the day. Mama Faith had prepared dinner for our guests and made me a homemade carrot cake (it was delicious and that’s coming from a gal who doesn’t like cake). Mama Faith fed me cake and I fed cake to all the guests. Then I was given more gifts. I got pink slippers (because the Kenyans think I’m sick because I don’t wear shoes on tile floors) and a beautiful painting of a Masai child (so I can remember my safari in Masai land). Then we had a brief worship service and prayed.
Today has left me feeling emotional, exhausted, overwhelmed, and thankful. I was touched that this community (even the folks I had only met once) went out of their way to celebrate me even though this culture doesn’t do much to celebrate birthdays. I’m so thankful for their kindness anas their love. With that being said, celebrating with people I hardly know just made me miss my support system at home even more. I’ve been super homesick the last week of so and I think it’s because I’m so close to finally going home. Today was a good reminder of all the love I have in this community and the need to savor each second of it while I can.
Also, Happy Birthday to my birthday buddy! I was born on my Poppop’s birthday. Here’s a picture from our birthday last year when he turned 90. This year he’s 91 and I’m 23. I love you Poppop!
~ Nell in Nairobi