Advent in Kenya

Advent! The season of preparation for Emmanuel has a new meaning this year.

In mid-October, I was contacted by SIM with a change of plans. The original departure date SIM and I set, December 2, has now been moved to March 2014. The American project managers of SportsFriends in Malindi, Kenya, John and Allison Smith, are in need of unexpected leave from the mission field. The health of John’s mother being precarious, SIM arranged for their stateside return to love and care for her! It was tough to stomach the Smith’s news as I imagined their reaction overseas and understood that I would not be arriving in Kenya in December. However, this circumstance allowed me to grow a new respect for SIM. SIM’s compassion to the Smith’s need and hasty reaction to the Smith family is wildly reassuring in my own circumstance. The happenings of the Smiths and the delay in my departure continue to remind me that this journey is not my own, but a parcel! A gift to arrive in good time like His Son. Ahh, so I arrive at a place of confidence!

My new assignment, located south of Malindi, fell into my life about a week ago! The remote coastal village compound, is midway between Malindi and Mombasa. Although I don’t know much about the village (the internet does not have much to say about this mere blip on the map), I do know some about my work and accommodations. A Kenyan minister and his wife have opened their home for my room and board. I will have a presence in the school, church and farm (African veggies yippee) on the compound as well as participating in a travelling SportsFriends ministry in surrounding villages!!!!! What a well designed assignment for this sporty, farmy white girl! The nuances of this placement are proof that God is actively sewing my thread into Kenya. Just in time for ThanksgivingJ   

I’ll keep this blog updated on my upcoming departure as my work permit paperwork files through.

Peace for now, and much thanks too!

Happy Thanksgiving, the best time of the year

 

 

 

Prayer requests: John and Allison Smith family, sweet time with family for the holidays

History in Funfacts

Hello, crew! Lets start Mackin' in Kenya!
While preparing to and living in the costal village of Malindi, Kenya as a short term missionary under SIM, I plan on updating this space with any sort of musings, processings and stories. I have yet to learn how accessible email will be. However, keeping  this blog going seems to be a great way to get the story of Kenya and Ellie 'out there'. So...lets giddyup!

In attempt to grasp the Malindi I will be encountering, I did a little digging into the village's past. Just incase you missed the AP World History course on Malindi, Kenya, here is a refresher on the major influences on the Eastern coast of Kenya.

Funfacts about those who have gone before me to Malindi*:

• 700s-800s- Arab traders mobilize Islam down the Eastern coast of Africa
• 1300s- Swahili village of Malindi is recognized as an international, sophisticated trading port
• A Swahili-Arab subculture pervades the port
• 1414- Chinese, led by the "tiger walking" Zheng He, arrive in Malindi!
• made land during an exhibition commissioned by the Ming Dynasty in pursuit of the Jianwen Emperor, the escaped predecessor .  
• In a relatively diplomatic exchange the Chinese traded fine porcelain and gold for a Giraffe, thought to be a deity-ohh lala! 
• 1498- April 15th, Vasco da Gama, the first explorer to reach India by sea, is welcomed by the Sultan of Malindi; the Portuguese center of influence on Eastern Africa is born.
• Vasco da Gama is a member of St. James of the Sword, Catholic militaristic mission organization affirmed by Pope Alexander III
• 1500s- Malindi becomes a major supply station for the Portuguese
• 1666- Oromo people take over Malindi. Arab traders and Portugese influence localizes in Mumbasa, 120 Km south.
• 1670s-mid 1800s- Malindi nearly ceases to exist due to skirmishes between the Oromo, Masai and Somali people in the region
• 1861- Sultan of Zanzibar reestablishes Malindi!!!woooWOOOOO
• 1920s and 1930s- Malindi becomes a tourist destination for Europeans:) Hola, Dobry den, Ciao, Guttentag, Hei, Bonjour, Goddag, Ola, Hallo:)  
• Ernest Hemmingway gets his kicks by wrangling marlin, sailfish and wahoo while staying the village
• 1960s-2013- popular tourist destination for several western European countries, but most popular with the ITALIANS!

*paraphrased from several Wikipedia pages, http://www.justkenya.org/kenya/malindi/malindi-history.asp, and http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/?period=08&region=afa#/Key-Events