[Kwg-list] Happy New Year from Kenya

[Julie Hard]

Hello Family and Friends,

I hope that everyone managed to enjoy the festivities that the holiday
season brings and now that the tinsel has wilted and the wrappings torn and
strewn about,... Mike and I thought we would wish you all a happy New Year
in keeping with African time.

For our curious friends and family back home who wonder what it was like to
celebrate Christmas in Kenya, this letter is for you.

We celebrated Christmas with the Okidis who placed going to church first on
the list of priorities for Christmas, followed by copious amounts of eating
with all the family present. Sadly, Gilbert, the family goat was the main
course for much of the day.  I grew to realize my friend's demise
when walking through the compound Christmas morning, I discovered a pair of
furry goat-like ears on the lawn.  It was the last remains of my
four-legged, flower eating friend along with a skin that was left to dry in
the sun.  All parts of Gilbert were put to good use, including the ears
which the guard dog chomped on and the skin, which would be used to turn
into leather for shoes.  Despite my feelings for the goat, I realize that
the goat existed for the purpose of this day and that my sadness would be
replaced with delight at how tasty he was when cooked over an open fire!  We
ate almost every part imagineable, served in weird and wonderful ways.  I
found it strange that I had to direct Mike to the spoon for the liver which
was misplaced in the bowl of intestines!

Mike and I couldn't help but to introduce at least one of our North
American traditions for the day.  We decided that our favorite tradition was
that of opening stockings on Christmas morning and so true to form made all
the Kenyan produce one sock to be hung on the wall behind the livingroom
couch.  The funny part was in watching them come up with a sock as most of
the Okidis do not wear socks and were borrowing from neighbours or buying
them from the market.  Mrs. Okidi had two socks each with holes in them but
when put together made one viable sock ready for reciept of treats.

After our socks were hung and labelled the Okidi's sat quietly and waited
for them to be filled.  We then explained that in order for treats and
presents to appear in the socks that everyone needed to go to bed.  At that
pointed, everyone got up immediately to retire for the evening.  After an
hour or two of giggling noises in the dark, rustling sounds of wrapping
paper and a thump or two from stubbed toes we fell asleep.

Church service at 6 am came really early Christmas morning and went until
8:30 am.  We had breakfast then proceeded to the sock openning ceremony.
With each person opening in turn it was a wonderful morning and Santa was
very generous.  A pot holder and knives caused Mrs. Okidi to dance with
delight.  Mr. Okidi did not hesitate to eat the candy in his sock as he
admired his new disposable razor and shaving gel.  After Julie
was prompted to put on her new Kanga and model it, Mike was encouraged to
sport his new shorts over his trousers and do the same!  We laughed and
kajolled about for the morning and "took soda" in the afternoon.

New Years Eve was not a roaring event, but we did manage to hook up Mike's
laptop to the Okidi's stereo-system which is powered by solar panel battery
which goes through some kind of converter thingy... at any rate,.. we
watched a movie that required the occasional pause to update Mr. and Mrs.
Okidi as to what was going on in the movie.  Mrs. Okidi kept snoozing
through the film and periodically woke to ask "is it over?" when we had
barely got throught the openning credits.  Eventually she packed it in an
hour and a half before midnight and Mr. Okidi who took a nap emerged shortly
before midnight to wish us all God's Blessings before we all retired to
sleep.

New Years day required returning to church for 6 am mass but as Mike and I
were of the few who actually stayed up long enough to say good-bye to 2005
we were excused from the service and slept through the family departure.

Sadly, the holidays have come and gone and now the Okidi house will become
quiet again as all of the Okidi children are returning to school or work.
Mike and I said goodbye this morning and feel at a loss as we know that our
time with them has ended for this journey and we do not know when we will
see them again.

Mike and I also left Rongo this morning and are now in Kisumu for the day.
Tomorrow we will cross the border into Uganda to go on a safari in search of
Mountain Gorillas and chimpanzees. I can't wait for this safari not only
because we began preparation for it almost 9 months ago but also because I
am a huge fan of primates and secretly hope they fling poo at us just as we
snap a photo!!!  You'll find out soon enough if this transpires when I
e-mail next.  I hope to be able to share with you some of our photos.

Hope and trust that all is well with you.  I look forward to hearing from
all of you soon.

God Bless,

Julie and Mike
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