church services in the village are long,
usually several hours, and singing is a
jubilant experience and is usually
combined with dancing
singing and dancing at church
offerings include money as well as other items
like produce from the shambas (farms),
or even livestock like this chicken
the Bible and this hymnbook are some
of the few texts written in the
local Kipsigis language around Tenwek
an outhouse - this is a very nice one
an inside view of the "squatty potty"
rice at a celebration
rice can be cooked in huge quantities
so it's perfect for large gatherings
beans and rice (and pototoes) at a funeral
this funeral was a joyous event,
evidenced by this dancing trio,
celebrating a long life well lived
there's always room for everyone on the road
(or so it's thought)
motorcycles are called piki pikis or boda bodas
and they are everywhere - the cheapest and
most dangerous mode of transportation
no load is too big for any vehicle...
...even for piki pikis
I cannot tell you how common
it is to see things like this.
handwashing before a meal at someone's home
Kenyan fast food - roasted corn
on the side of the road
in the rainy season it's important to put your
laundry on the line before the rain clouds roll in
children gathered after a church service -
a great time for fellowship
Chai is an extremely important aspect of Kenyan culture.
Many Kenyans drink chai in the morning, mid-morning,
lunch, mid-afternoon, and again in the evening.
The hospital nearly comes to a halt when it's chai time
in the morning. It's a chance to take a break and visit
with each other. We always had a chai break
at home with our househelpers too.
Kenyan children typically begin drinking chai
when they're two years old. Asa reached that
milestone while we were there and enjoyed
his first cup of chai with our househelper.
Visiting friends in their homes is a huge honor,
and they typically prepare a wonderful meal
(including chai, of course) for your visit. It usually
takes hours to visit someone in their home because
when you're visiting with friends there is
nowhere else you need to be!
children are responsible for chores at a young age -
these boys are in charge of watching the family's cattle
many people have big rain barrels (the black tank
to the left) for acquiring drinking water
as well as avoiding hauling water from the river
honoring people with gifts is a common part of
saying goodbye - this Maasai blanket, the apron
and the bag were gifts given to us by the Family
Medicine residents as we prepared to leave Tenwek
"football" is the most popular
sport in Kenya (of course!)
