Cross-Cultural Ministry in Kenya, Part Two

Life in the rural is very interesting. Everything has a purpose and many have several purposes. For instance, chickens live in the homes with the people. They lay their eggs on the floor under chairs and tables. It keeps them safe and from getting stolen. Chickens also serve as exterminators. They eat cockroaches so you won't find a cockroach anywhere. I never saw any chicken droppings in the houses so they must be house broken. They do roam the compound during the day.

One day, David and I were standing outside and the rooster let out a warning cry. The chickens high-tailed it to the houses. David looked around and saw the danger. It was a chicken hawk high up in one of the trees.

Now, chicken hawks are smarter than chickens, or at least they have longer memories. They wait patiently in the treetops until the chickens forget and venture out of the houses where-upon, the chicken hawk will dive bomb and grab the chicken, flying off with his feast in his claws. Since we were outside, this chicken hawk decided not to stick around and flew off to find another compound to rob.

David's family has 5 cows. They have 2 mature bulls, two baby bulls, and a milking cow. Sean got to milk the cow.

David has a 25 year old half brother who is mildly mentally retarded named Ouma (pronounced “oh-OO-mo”). It means, "born on the stomach." What Oumo lacks in intelligence, the Lord blessed him with an over abundance of kindness. He is most gentle and kindhearted. The greatest honor a Kenyan can give a visitor is to serve a chicken for dinner. Oumu provided us with a chicken in honor of our visit. He tends to the cows and does the plowing. He took the two mature bulls to the field and hooked them up the hand plow so Sean and Jamie could get a chance to do some plowing.

It takes three people to plow, one to guide the plow and two others who walk beside the bulls waving branches to keep them moving in a straight line. It takes some strength to keep the plow digging into the ground and moving in a straight line. Before sundown, the cows are brought into the compound to eat grass, the center of the compound looks like a finely manicured lawn. The cows keep it that way and fertilize at the same time (rural multi-tasking) and the milking cow provides the family with milk for tea.

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