In the time since I was last able to use the internet I can see quite a lot has happened in the strange world of CLC. However, you won't believe what's been happening in mine!! For starters, two Sundays ago I led my first service meeting and did my first sermon! Absolutely hilarious and completely true. I also ended up talking to the rest of the team about being slain in the Spirit (no quite sure how that happened!).
Since then we've left Uganda, on a very long night bus which got a puncture and hour from Nairobi in an area notorious for highwaymen (I just love this part of the world). We then had a day in Nairobi to pack for the mountain before it was back in the truck (a 4 ton ex-army ruck which we love). On the way to Mt Kenya we kept on trying to guess which of the bumps on the horizon was it, until we saw it and realized how massive it was. It was a really hard 4 days up the mountain but we all made it to the summit. I was absolutley petrified at the top and I'm very glad that we did the last section in the dark, there's no way I would have done it otherwise! However, on the way down I hurt both of my knees going down a very steep scree slope so ended giving my pack to a porter and descending the remainder of the mountain with treking poles very very slowly. Which has set my arm off again. We were all very stiff when we reached the bottom and greatly appreciated the hot showers waiting for us.
The day after we came off Mt Kenya we went on safari (in our beloved truck). The elephants and lions were on their day off but we did see zebra, warthog, giraffe, eland, Thompson gazelle and a friendly black rhino. Some of the team also honed their bartering skills whilst we were waiting in the truck for lunch to be bought. We're also visited the Mau Mau caves (caves where the Kenyan independance fighters hid out) and have had a lamb slaughtered in our honour. Tha night was amazing. A big feast was laid on for us then we went to the local police station for a drink (it's also the pub!). While we were there we ended up having a huge the meaning of life, the universe and everything conversation, which became a bit of a grill-a-christian (and I discovered that there were 2 other christians on the team, including a charismatic!).
We're now back in Nairobi chilling before the wedding tomorrow (of 2 of the adventure alternative staff we've discovered) and heading to the coast.
Oh yeah, when I got off the summit of Mt Kenya I phoned home on the sat phone and discovered that I've got in to do my PGCE so I'm afraid you still haven't got rid of me!!
I'm really missing all of you. | 