mayday...mayday

Oh, has it been a challenging few weeks! Mayday…S.O.S. I have lost power several times and twice for three consecutive days. No electricity means no water, no fans, no refrigeration, spoiled food, no lights and no computer. During this time, a new missioner moved in with me, we had the long Holy Week, Maryknoll Lay Mission Advancement and Missioner Director visit to Kenya, promotional videos, and a welcoming lunch for them at my ministry.

The welcoming lunch was for 40 guests and this was the first time the students have cooked and served. After the May 3rd luncheon, the U.S. team began the live recordings of me and my ministry. Oh, the stress and worry I placed upon myself…mayday…mayday! But my stress and worries over the past year have become tamed. I am learning that I cannot control the circumstances, but I can control how I react to them. I arrived home to find no power again. In less than 36 hours the twelve Maryknoll guests were to gather here for a meeting and a surprise Cinco De Mayo party. Friday night was spent peeling and chopping vegetables by flashlight! Kathy and I were also celebrating arriving in Kenya on May 5, one year ago. The power came back at 4:50 pm Saturday May 4.
 
The Friday welcoming lunch went very well. The students worked so hard in the kitchen, the servers set and decorated the dining room nicely, the entire campus joined in the courtyard to welcome and pray for our guests. The dining room was filled with talking and laughter as the missioners, the staff and the administration were fully engaged. The food was full of flavor and the students sang, danced, and paraded a surprise birthday cake for a fellow missioner celebrating his 80 ^th. And I was even able to get through the introductions, speeches, and keeping the program moving in a timely way.
 
Saturday, two of my students came to assist me in preparing the Mexican feast. They enjoy learning new things and eating foreign food. We laugh and share our lives and bring great joy for one another. They returned on Sunday to finish cooking, serving, and cleaning everything up.
 
7:00am Mass this morning welcomed a wonderful choir from Uganda. Their singing is much different than here, calmer and very beautiful, closer to perhaps music from home. They provided an emotional worship for me today.
 
Tomorrow I will have my 1:1 with the Director of Missions before she departs to Tanzania. The remainder of the week will be preparing for the 800 guests arriving for the graduation ceremony of last year’s students. They have now completed the 4-month attachment at their designated hotels. It will be a wild and spirit filled reunion for them.
 
Ramadan begins Monday a time of fasting for the Muslim community. I look forward to walking this journey with them.
 
Many blessings from Mombasa!
Mike