Since I have Left...

Here is a better day-by-day summary of what I have been doing since I left Illinois.

May 26^th- 31: Pre-Departure Orientation. I spent a week in Indianapolis getting to know the group of interns for the summer. Everyone is great and we’re really welcoming. I met Drew my partner for the summer for the first time. He is a really good guy and I am stoked to get to know him better this summer.

June 1^st: The day we’re head off to Africa. Problems started before we even got checked in… The plane was delayed so we wouldn’t make our connecting flight in D.C. on time to get to London. Anyways we got on a plane to D.C.

June 2^nd; Had a nice layover in D.C. got to go downtown and see the sights like the White House, Washington Monument and Lincoln Monument. Caught a late Flight to London.

June 3^rd; Had another nice layover in London. However while trying to get money an ATM ate my only working credit card. That issue was resolved though and I have another being sent to me. While in London we got to see Big Ben, The London Eye and Buckingham Palace. Caught another late night flight to Kenya.

June 4^th; After arriving in Nairobi Drew and I separated from the group and caught a domestic flight up to Lodwar. After finally arriving in Lodwar we were met by Eric and Salvestor from CMF. They took us out to lunch and I quickly became accustomed to the food here. Eric ordered for me fried goat and it was not bad just the random bone parts had to be picked through. After Lunch we went back and got a small Language class before preparing for the next day.

June 5^th – 8^th; Drew and I were assigned different host family homes in Lodwar as part of experiencing the culture and learning the language. I stayed with Samson Losuru and his wife Mary and their kids; Polo, Jeffery, Kelvin and Cyrus. They were very nice and welcoming to me. The first day I was with Samson I went with him to his brothers wife’s baby shower out in the bush by motorcycle. I was asked to share my testimony and there was a lady there who helped translate it. It was a very memorable experience. I ate more Goat, tried some intestines, heart, and some other parts of the Goat. However I survived. I went to church with them on Sunday morning and though it was long I really enjoyed it.

June 8^th- 10^th; Drew and I headed out about an hour or so to another host family for another couple days to learn the culture and the language. I stayed with Daniel and his wife Nahsuru with their three boys; Jackson, Edrick and Yeshua. They were very hospitable and Nahsuru was a great cook. They always gave me more than I could eat at both houses. I am learning the phrase “emono” which mean full in Turkana.

June 10th-13th; Gene my Host missionary arrived in Lodwar along with his friend Jim. I have been staying at his house these past couple of days. Gene’s heart is truly in the right place and is a man of God. I feel honored to be around him. He is teaching so much and providing the Turkana with so much through wells and teaching them how to farm.

Tomorrow Drew and I head out with John to put up solar panels at one of the sites located about three hours out of town. We will be living in the bush for a week then arriving back in Lodwar for the weekend

then going to start digging a new well. =D

From Africa with Love,

Josh