Updates From the Field:  Kenya # 1:  January 29, 2007
Hello My Friends, I have now been in Kenya for two weeks.  Time is already moving fast.  The first week here was a hard one. I had a hard time adjusting to the time change, and I slept very little.  Therefore, I was quite overwhelmed with everything and found myself homesick most of the time.  Once I started sleeping, things got better. I now am enjoying this country.  It is beautiful!  First of all, the weather is perfect this time of year.  It has been somewhere in the 70's or 80's and sunny everyday.  There are gorgeous flowers everywhere, and I am enjoying photographing them.  I live on a compound with other THQ officers quarters, Kabete Corps, and Kabete Children's Home. I enjoy leaving my window open, so I can hear the children playing.  There are 65 children in my back yard!  You all know that I love that.  I hope to be more involved in ministry there once I am settled.  The Kabete corps has wonderful ministry opportunities as well, though I have not decided if I will soldier there or not.  I am planning visits to other area corps soon. My job is a complicated one, but I feel that I will soon understand all that I am expected to do.  There are about 15 institutions that have social service aspects.  I am the direct supervisor of the chaplains and centre (getting used to British spelling :) managers.  Though I have to handle business matters such as budget, statistics and employment, I hope to also be a pastor and counselor to the officers that are serving at these locations.  I will travel often, visiting each location two to three times a year.  Some locations are a full day travel away.  The roads are not very well maintained here, making travel more difficult than in the states.  When the budget allows, I will be able to fly as well. Each day brings something new to learn.  The people here make it easy to keep positive. They are very loving and very willing to encourage me in my transition and adjustment.  I have several Kenyan friends helping me learn Swahili.  I now have the huge vocabulary of about ten words.  At least I can be polite, saying things like 'How are you?' , 'Thank you', 'Please' and 'Sorry'.  Thank the Lord most people understand English.  I have found that humor and sarcasm do not translate well, however.  I will have to rely on more than my brilliant wit here! In contrast to the beauty, there are very ugly things here.  The poverty in some locations would break your heart.  People live with very little and in conditions that no one would find acceptable.  When I am faced with the despair and hopelessness in these areas, I feel overwhelmed with my responsibility to love and bring Christ's hope.  I hope to do this without feeling superior.   We reach out to others, not down.  I want to pray against judging situations with my jaded American values.  Please pray about that for me. Well, there is so much more I could share, but I know you all have your own lives and experiences to get back to.  Please continue to pray for me and for Kenya.  If there is anything I can pray about for you, please let me know.  You can e-mail me at this address, but I prefer to get mail at: armidalamarr@yahoo.com Thank you for your continued support. I send my love to all of you! Armida