It's cold and grey again. The cockerel next door definitely lacks conviction, sounding half-hearted and giving up after a few bursts. I sort out an inexpert omelette for breakfast. I've got no washing-up liquid, etc, so use shower gel and my nail brush. The kitchen smells delightful. I prepare for Sunday's church teaching, and ring home.
Now comes the big test of the on-line access as I try to book a replacement rail ticket to Northampton through thetrainline.com, and to cancel the Sheffield one. Thanks to a stored password for my account, it works just fine. Next I reply to a bunch of JACT Exec Forum postings: success again. Finally I download three weeks' worth of Together bulletins and agape study sheets to read offline. I'm being wary with the data bundle: the Orange Roaming package costs £125 for 250MB, and excess usage charges are astronomic. By 12.30pm, I go offline, and notice that the day outside has considerably brightened up while I've been hunched in the lounge.
The Zion reading is good, and I feel some connection with the scenes back home. I've just finished eating a quick lunch when at 2.00pm Bishop Joseph arrives. He's clutching a bag containing two complete chicken and rice takeaway meals, eight bananas and four eggs. I'm profusely thankful and similarly apologetic that I've already eaten lunch. He leaves me one of the takeaways and half the bananas, and he sets off to plodge through the mud to where he's had to leave his car. If it's like this first thing tomorrow, he's promised, there'll be a bunch of guys coming to act as luggage porters. I'm very touched.
The air outside on the balcony is warm, so I settle down to read the last couple of years' worth of personal journal entries. There are some stirring quotes from the notes in the Geneva Bible that I was reading in 2012. Approaching 5.00pm the doorbell rings again, and it's George come to invite me to his house for tea. This I can't refuse, so I tell him I'll bring Joseph's takeaway and bananas. His Toyota 'dances' (his description) through the chocolate puddle pudding and we discuss tactics for tomorrow's early pick-up and confirm my times for flying later.
He lives in an eight-apartment block similar to mine, and I meet his wife, Joyce, with her broad smile, and their two young boys. George has a PhD in nutrition and food, and lectures at the University of Nairobi. Joyce is completing a Masters. They are long-standing members of Gregory's church, as the photo of their wedding on the wall testifies. He's been to Europe a couple of times on work-related courses. We have an interesting conversation trying to define the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain, and why England hasn't got its own Parliamentary Assembly.
The boys compete to lead singing grace. My takeaway resurfaces as part of the spread for tea: the boys demolish the chips. A little after 7.00pm, George suggests we head back before he has to travel in total darkness. As the full moon rises, the evening seems clear and we hope the rain holds off. In Nairobi, they talk as much about the weather as we do at home!
I abandon reading my journal in early 2013's entries, tidy the kitchen and do some packing. For once, there's no patter of rain as I go to bed.
Now comes the big test of the on-line access as I try to book a replacement rail ticket to Northampton through thetrainline.com, and to cancel the Sheffield one. Thanks to a stored password for my account, it works just fine. Next I reply to a bunch of JACT Exec Forum postings: success again. Finally I download three weeks' worth of Together bulletins and agape study sheets to read offline. I'm being wary with the data bundle: the Orange Roaming package costs £125 for 250MB, and excess usage charges are astronomic. By 12.30pm, I go offline, and notice that the day outside has considerably brightened up while I've been hunched in the lounge.
The Zion reading is good, and I feel some connection with the scenes back home. I've just finished eating a quick lunch when at 2.00pm Bishop Joseph arrives. He's clutching a bag containing two complete chicken and rice takeaway meals, eight bananas and four eggs. I'm profusely thankful and similarly apologetic that I've already eaten lunch. He leaves me one of the takeaways and half the bananas, and he sets off to plodge through the mud to where he's had to leave his car. If it's like this first thing tomorrow, he's promised, there'll be a bunch of guys coming to act as luggage porters. I'm very touched.
The air outside on the balcony is warm, so I settle down to read the last couple of years' worth of personal journal entries. There are some stirring quotes from the notes in the Geneva Bible that I was reading in 2012. Approaching 5.00pm the doorbell rings again, and it's George come to invite me to his house for tea. This I can't refuse, so I tell him I'll bring Joseph's takeaway and bananas. His Toyota 'dances' (his description) through the chocolate puddle pudding and we discuss tactics for tomorrow's early pick-up and confirm my times for flying later.
The boys compete to lead singing grace. My takeaway resurfaces as part of the spread for tea: the boys demolish the chips. A little after 7.00pm, George suggests we head back before he has to travel in total darkness. As the full moon rises, the evening seems clear and we hope the rain holds off. In Nairobi, they talk as much about the weather as we do at home!
I abandon reading my journal in early 2013's entries, tidy the kitchen and do some packing. For once, there's no patter of rain as I go to bed.
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