Social Manna

One thing I have been craving lately is fellowship with people my age. I've started missing my friends like crazy this past week and whenever someone asks me for prayer request my answer has been: friends. I've SO enjoyed getting to know other missionary families here and their kind friendships have meant the world to me...but hanging out with some American 20-somethings would be amazing.

I met my Swahili teacher today at a local coffee house. It was a great new environment to be able to converse with each other and to practice what I've been learning. I successfully ordered us some coffee, samosas, and a cold Sprite for Ireri. To my surprise, during our hour and a half at the coffeehouse, I was able to use minimal English! It didn't feel like a class, rather felt like hanging out with a friend but speaking about our lives completely in Swahili! At one point Ireri began to say that he teaches a class 26 American students my age before he meets me for my tutoring. My heart sank. It was that "so close yet so far" feeling. What I've been craving recently...fellowship with exactly those he teaches right before me. I SO wanted to say "Can I come to your class???" but instead waited and listened to what he had to say about his class. My ears perked up as he continued. I caught some words "phone...who?..."kate"...nairobi...meet..." As I began to put the pieces of the language puzzle together I realized what he was saying. Yesterday I had to call him to confirm when we would be meeting. Apparently when I called he was in the middle of teaching these students. After we talked he hung up the phone and all the students were curious as to who he was talking to since he was speaking in English. He told them another American who has recently moved to Kenya alone. He concluded that they wanted to meet up with me but he wanted to ask me first if I would like to meet with them. "INDIO!" (yes)...haha not to sound TOO excited, but come on... another answer to a specific prayer...who wouldn't be excited??? I figured it would probably not come about but I did let him know that he could pass on my email if they ever asked again. As we concluded our lesson, I said goodbye to Ireri hoping that he would remember to pass on my email to the other Yanks. I remained seated in the coffee house and picked up my newest book. Within 5 mins I was already engrossed in it's pages, clueless of my surroundings. All of a sudden I looked up and saw Ireri again. Not just Ireri though, he had two others with him. Two other AMERICAN 20-somethings! "Uh Bibi Kate, I was about to leave and noticed two of my students outside!" With that Ireri left and they sat down to join me at my table. Brijal, Ryan, and I quickly introduced ourselves and laughed about how great it was to meet other Americans in Kenya. We agreed that while it has been AMAZING getting to know Kenya, her language, and her beautiful people...sometimes its great to converse with those from the 'Motherland.' It was indeed amazing...at that moment, the Lord was providing me with my very own "social manna!" The guys told me that they are a part of a four-month study of the Kenyan culture and Swahili with 24 other students from around the world. Although they will be leaving in May they invited me to start hanging out with them and to further explore Nairobi. Exploring Nairobi is something I'm very excited about but never wanted to do it alone. AND to further my amazement, their own compound is just a few compounds away from my office. We exchanged numbers and made plans to meet up next week with the whole group. I'm sure I will have some fun stories of our adventures together in the future. One things for sure...never underestimate the Lord. Even something as tiny as craving some social interaction is cared for by our Savior. Thank you to all who have been praying for this for me! :)