Here we are in Kenya. Today is a beautiful day with sunshine and 80 degrees. One of the things I love about Nairobi is that just about anytime of the year it is nice enough to eat outside! Most restaurants have outdoor seating, actually more outdoor than indoor:)
As we are here, eating good food, shopping for things to take back and enjoying the cooler temperatures, I feel guilty.  There are four young men who have not been home since January and they are sitting in Juba trying to find a way home. These men are in the Teacher Training Program through the Education Project that we work with. After classes ended the beginning of December we flew them to Juba so they could then get on flights to their home town of Pochalla. Yes, the same Pochalla that Lynn got stuck in:) We had 3 flights fall through and are now hoping for a flight tomorrow. Please pray that these men get on that flight! These men are polite, kind young men who keep telling us that God is with them and that He knows their need. Not sure I could be that positive if I was them! They have to leave their homes again the beginning of Feb. to be gone another year for school.
While here in Nairobi we always try to get medical stuff done. Lynn has just had it confirmed that he is getting older - he now has a frozen left shoulder! :) This will get better with exercises. Maybe Lynn is right, he can never retire because then his body will fall apart. Oh, man is he going to get me for writing this.:)
It is hard to believe that Christmas is just days away. We are going to keep the Kandel tradition of Ethiopian food for supper Christmas Eve, it just will not be with our children who will be doing the same thing about 8 hours after we eat ours. While at the mall the other day we had the opportunity to listen to a band playing Christmas music. It reminded me of the days when Dana was in band in high school - good memories! It also helped to focus me on the time of year we are in and to think about the meaning of this time of year. It really is the simple things that bring us the most joy.
Enjoy time with your families and thank our heavenly Father for the life He has given us.

Lessons in Patience and God's Planning

As I told you, Lynn went to Pochalla last week. He was supposed to go on Wednesday the 2nd but then last minute we found out the plane was going on Thursday instead. Ok, that was fine with Lynn since that meant one less day in Pochalla.  Now, while in Pochalla Lynn has internet for maybe 4 hours in a day and that is the only way we have to communicate. So, now this week we learn on Tuesday that somehow Lynn never got booked on the return flight and, remember, these flights only go once a week. So, now what?? We are supposed to leave on Monday the 14th for Kenya and no planes are allowed to land in Juba on Saturdays and Sundays. Many phone calls later and lots of friends helping us we get a possibility. I was at the church offices on Wednesday, spending hours waiting for the car to come back to take the Treasurer and I to the bank. I was doing ok with the wait but it was boring. Along comes one of the women I have been getting to know and she tells me about a flight going into Pochalla with one of the churches partner organizations. I make a call and, yes! they can bring Lynn back. YIPPIE!! The plane is leaving early Thursday morning and will get back late in the day but that is ok as long as Lynn is on the plane. I am able to communicate with Lynn to let him know the plan. Thursday morning I get a call from my new best friend, Rev. John Philip, the guy who said Lynn could come back with them, and he says they are at the airport (8am) and will be leaving soon. At noon Lynn is able to message me to say no plane yet and what is going on! I call Rev. Philip and he says they are having a bad time at the airport and some people are being detained but they are still hoping to leave within the hour. Fast forward to 6pm and a call from Rev. Philip saying they were not allowed to leave on the plane and he was only just then leaving the airport! They have everything worked out and are leaving tomorrow morning at 8am with a shorter day so hopefully will be back early afternoon. Rev. Philip reminded me that our plans are not always God's plans. I had to agree and say that I would rather go with God's plans as they are always the best for us. Not that I am happy that my husband is not back in Juba yet and there is still some question as to if he will be able to get on the fight so please, pray, pray, pray! If he does not get back tomorrow then our trip to Kenya is put off and we are out the ticket but that is a small thing compared to getting Lynn back to Juba.
I spent the day yesterday doing 3 things that should have taken about 2 hours but actually took 7 hours:) That is the way of things here and I felt I had accomplished a lot in the day. It is a chance to sit and get to know people and practice Arabic and pray. I also got to watch the dynamics in the office with all the people coming in and out with issues.
Anyhow, life is all about changes.

A busy weekend

We had a busy weekend last weekend. We went to a 24th anniversary celebration of Nile Theological College on Saturday and then I (Sharon) went to a church service that lasted from 9 am to 1:30 pm. Then Monday Morning had a 9am meeting that started about 9:30:)

This is the banner that was at the front for the College celebration.

This was a really nice day for us and we were so glad we had been invited to it. We got to meet lots of new people and had the chance to put faces to names of people we have heard about.

I have to admit, this little boy ( plus all the others I did not get a picture of) cracked my up. Even here in a refugee camp everyone has a cellphone and they use them to entertain the kids. The choir was singing and there were 3 kids 5 and under recording the singing:) This had been a very long service and the kids were getting rowdy so the moms were all handing the kids their phones to distract them.

I should have gotten a picture of the kids sleeping on a mat right in front of me at the front of the church. This is the the kind of church service I remember from down country with dad.

Ok, I was going to add a video from the church service but I am not sure if I am doing it wrong or our internet is just to slow to do it so I guess no video this time.

travel delay

Please don't go into shock that I am writing again within a week of the last post! :)

Lynn was supposed to leave today to go to the village of Pochalla but the flight was postponed for a day because they had to use that plane/helicopter for something else. No, we did not get official word that the flight was postponed, we just heard through the grapevine and then confirmed with a friend  such is life here, no certainties. He hopes to leave tomorrow but we shall see.

I made a "big" lunch yesterday since Lynn was to leave today. Have you ever made a meal that requires 4 burners and you only have 2 and one of them does not work right? It is hard to have everything ready at the same time so it is all hot but somehow I managed and felt like I had really accomplished something for the day.

Monday we spent time at the Church office working on the budget for next year. A co-worker had already done one draft and we are just trying to fine tune it now. It was an interesting time trying to make sure we were all understanding each other when discussing money issues - never an easy topic! I think we did pretty good with the whole thing but we shall see when we meet again on Thursday:) Overall, it was a good time at the office, much like usual.

One special thing that happened at the office is that the General Secretary arrived! He has been in Khartoum for most of the year with back issues that resulted in surgery. It was wonderful to see him being greeted so wonderfully by his peers. There were a lot of people coming in on Monday because they (the church) are having Executive meetings this week so there were a lot of reunions happening and seeing their joy in each other was heartwarming.