“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
~ John Lubbock (1834-1913), British philanthropist, scientist, and banker
This was our spectacular view at Olepolos Country Club, where we went for 'nyama choma' (roasted meat). Roasted meat - or to be more precise -
roasted goat (mbuzi choma) - is the unofficial national meal in Kenya. And what better day to enjoy it than on Boxing Day!
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| Wuala points to where he's from, off in the distance |
I had seen the sign for this place several times (on the back side of Ngong Hills), but had never been to it. Upon our arrival, we happened to meet Wuala, one of the supervisors at Olepolos. He showed us around the sprawling grounds and helped us choose the best viewpoint for enjoying our meal.
Wuala also took a lot of time showing us several paintings depicting the Maasai culture through the past 200 years or so. Each painting showed something representative of that particular "age-set" (a rigid system forming the basic political and social structure of the Maasai people). This particular painting shows the arrival of missionaries in Maasailand during the Ilnyankusi age-set. Some welcomed them, while others were quite wary.
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| A typical Maasai manyatta home |
A really neat added bonus to our day was that Linet, Derrick, Jeremy, and Robai
for their first time ever - got to not only
see a Maasai manyatta home - but to go inside one! They were amazed at how small they are and also how dark they are and filled with smoke!
After the normal lengthy wait, our meat was finally ready. Wuala deftly cut it from the bone and into bite-sized pieces. We all eagerly dug into it, along with our chips or ugali and a cold soda.
I discovered later that this was also the first time for all of them to have nyama choma (actually the second time for Robai). It was yet another added bonus for our fun outing and made it that much more memorable!
When he sat beside me on the swing, I enjoyed some fun interaction with this Maasai mzee (older gentleman). I love the simple pleasure of sharing a smile with strangers.
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| Making a fun pose to commemorate our day :) |
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| Gorgeous sky over the Olepolos playground |
*Boxing Day originated in the UK a few hundred years ago and is still celebrated in many Commonwealth countries (former British colonies). It was a day of giving gifts to employees and the less fortunate in society. It's a national holiday in Kenya.
1 comment:
The pictures really bring a lot to add to what you are saying and to see the people you are talking about, so thanks a lot. "Father I come to You to thank You for the call You gave Deb to go Kenya. I thank You for all the lives You have enabled her to bring the Gospel to these people. I thank You for the Spiritual Gifts that You have given to Deb." Jim
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