It has been requested by a parishioner for me to write about my daily life, the weather, living conditions, family life here among others. Hum drum…..yawn, yawn, Mr.Galazin, …boring! Oh, how I wish to see the reaction on Dave’s face right now!!
So, let’s start with living conditions. I decided to reside in a very poor area, the slum of Mbungoni, because my ministry is conveniently located a short walking distance away. The place I am residing in is owned by the Archbishop of Mombasa. The flats down and one flat and a chapel on the second story. The ground floor flat adjacent to me is occupied by a couple of Kiltegan priests. They arrive Sunday evenings and return to their ministry sites the following day. The bishop stops by about once a month to rest for a few hours in his flat upstairs.
My apartment contains a kitchen, sitting room and two bedrooms. The walls and ceiling are of cement plaster material, and the floors are a mixture of smoothed stones and cement. There is a padlocked metal gate at the entrance of the compound. Steel and iron barred porch door and windows and a metal front door all with padlocks. I have a night guard, so I feel safe.
Because it is hot here, I have all the barred windows open which allows the smoke from all the burning trash and dirt to pass in. The dirt on my foot pictured, accumulated in less than an hour while I was sitting at my table. I have my share of 6-8” centipedes crawling along the floors, toads that I run around to catch in the mornings and their turds left on the floor. Lizards scamper along the wall and ceilings in search of dark places. The never-ending armies of ants are not possible to conquer. At my surprise, I have adjusted to all of this. Those who know how clean and orderly I lived in Lansing must surely be mused.
From outside I hear the talking, laughter and shouting of the area residents and from those passing along the dirt road. There are sounds of the kids playing just outside my gate, the noise from passing Tuk-tuks, motor cycles and semi-trucks bouncing along the road. Music from area churches fill the air beginning Friday evenings throughout the week-end. Every morning at 4 am speakers bellow the Muslim call to prayer to awaken me and again at 5.
Power outages are common and the lighting is dim, so it grinds my heinie when I need to use a magnifying glass to read. I feel I am too young so it has become an issue of my pride.
Acclimating to the environs has had its challenges toward my well-being too. The on-going rashes, skin dryness, open soars caused by the hard salt water, heat exhaustion and colds that persist for weeks. With medication and acceptance, I am managing well.
Though physically challenging I would not want to change my circumstances because the simplicity of life is allowing me to view from a new perspective. I will try to share these with you if I am able to find a way to express them.
Oh, and Dave also recommended I keep these posts simple, so with that I must go!
Kindly I thank you DaveJ!