Church

One of the orphans baptized during the service




The auctioning of traditional khanga cloth after church as a fundraiser

Well, we didn't go to a Masaai village. Instead we went to the youth prison and had church with them. These guys are in prison for stealing a loaf of bread like Jean Valjean. It is complete minimum security with no fences or shackles, and the guys learn trades while they are serving their time. The prisoners, guards and their families, and Masaai who walk in from thier local village all worship there. They all sit together and the prisoners even have a choir. They just put red shirts over their bright orange jumpsuits.

Three hours of church while drowning in my own sweat is enough to make a person appreciate being Minnesota Lutheran. I'm pretty sure I've reached my threshold for church for the next three months I am here.

There was a little girl there dressed in what looked like one of my niece's princess dresses she plays dress-up in, only ever so much prettier (if you get my drift). I took a picture to show the princess and her mother back at home. What my niece wears to the grocery store this little girl wears as her best dress to church. It kept me smiling all day. Ella was my special friend all day and never left my side and was beyond thrilled that I wanted a picture of her and just her. The adults around were pretty excited for her too. I'm guessing it will be one of those things she remembers for a very long time - when the white people came and the really sweaty looking one took her picture.


Ella