HI TEA

 “Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea.”
― Sydney Smith, A memoir of the Rev. Sydney Smith

 
This week i have been working out of town.
It's always refreshing to be out of the office, there is something about being in motion that does something to you :)
I am smack in the middle of a tea estate.. le sigh! The view is nothing but breathtaking!! I could wake up to this view everyday.

The mix of the dark greens from trees and bright greens from the tea leaves is SPECTACULAR!
The air is cool and fresh. It rained last evening and right now the sun has never looked so beautiful.
The town is quiet and i notice no annoying hooting from cars!! geez. that's a winner for me.
I am itching to leave my work station and ran out to enjoy the scenery.
I am enjoying the tea brewed from the finest freshly processed tea leaves. *Life's little joys*
Living in the city makes us immune to the small things. We get so used to chaos that quiet serenity becomes dull and boring.
I love being away from the big crowded congested city. Then again the comforts of the big city are hard to come by in a small town. It's WIN-WIN really.

TRUE LOVE: A TRIBUTE.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close. —Pablo Neruda

The story of Mbugua and Rosemary (Rosie) struck a cord in my spirit.
Before the West Gate Mall massacre i did not know them.
On the day the gunmen struck, they had gone to check out and perhaps purchase wedding rings.
They had announced their intentions to wed a month and half before the tragedy hit.
They were young, happy, deeply in-love,with their futures so bright, they wouldn't need light. and clearly from their tribute page , quite a match. 
Reports have it, that at the time the shooting started, Mbugua was outside of the mall. Upon realizing Rosie was still inside, he went back to get her. He found her.
Standing side by side, they were now facing one of the gun men face to face.
Instinctively, Mbugua reached over and shielded his fiancee.
The unknown gun man sprayed bullets. Eight of them hit Mbugua, Rosie was hit as well. (Rest in eternal peace.) I think about Mbugua and how much Love he had for Rosie.

I do not know how many men or women would do that  for their better half? two words come to mind ... TRUE LOVE! Only LOVE could trigger such a selfless act. only LOVE!
I think about Rosie too. In those last moments, she knew she was loved beyond a shadow of a doubt. Mbugua loved her beyond reproach. Beyond fear of the danger they were facing.

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. - Paul McCartney

Many more stories have been shared after the tragedy. Many have lost loved ones. It is devastating!
But, through LOVE we shall overcome.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.  And now   these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”                                     1 Corinthians 13:4-13  

I am counting the blessing of LOVE, because it reminds us everyday that even in our imperfections, even in our sorrows, even in the midst of tragedy, even in the space of time, it reminds us there is a God.
For without LOVE, we are nothing but terrorists.

KENYA.WE.ARE.ONE

"Oh, God Of All Creation Bless This Our Land And Nation. Justice Be Our Shield And Defender" ― Kenya National Anthem

“And when they ask you why i have allowed such calamity, YOU tell THEM that is NOT in my nature!! I AM THE GOD WHO RESTORES, HEALS, PROVIDES, SAVES,PROTECTS,DELIVERS.. it is NOT in my nature to kill or destroy"...

{ THE AFTERMATH ...

It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

― Roy Disney

Monday Morning, Kenyans Hit the Polls...
I was at my polling station at 5.30AM..To my utter surprise the queue had reached the parking spots.
I was even MORE surprised to hear that some Kenyans were at the stations as early as 3.00AM!!
After standing in line for almost one hour, without knowing heads or tails where the queues were heading, we left to return much later when there was order.
I followed the proceedings on T.V. and social media through out the rest of the day.
Queues & Queues & Queues of Kenyans lining up to exercise their democratic right to VOTE. No one anticipated such a huge turn out... #Proudly Kenyan.
Kenyans were in-line for HOURS on end. Some Polling stations still had queues as late as Midnight.
Clearly, We are ready for Change.
International Media!! I do understand the need to sell News..But surely, CNN... What Gives?!! 
The Negative Publicity is getting out of hand. You do not have to "STAGE" a report in order to make the headlines?!! SMH.
As far as that report goes, FOUR people DO NOT make up a MILITIA!!? SMH!
Just becos, Kenyans went to war Five Years Ago, does not mean, it will be the order of the day in EVERY ELECTION?! Helloooo!!
Forty-Eight Hours after casting our votes, we wait with anticipated breath for the RESULTS.
I commend the IEBC, for holding things together even with the tight deadlines, limited resources and staff.
The mood is slightly tense ofcos, that's expected before the winner is declared.
In case of a run-Off, we will be back at the polls in a month's time ... the numbers will tell. Though, I do not anticipate any violence.

QUE SERA SERA (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) ...

 

{ PROUDLY KENYAN!

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”
― George Augustus Moore, The Brook Kerith

 

Yesterday's Sermon, was a teaching on counting our blessings, naming them ONE by ONE... and the DANGERS of a scarcity mentality.

We limit ourselves by thinking small... too small sometimes.
We were celebrating Kenya and ALL its goodness..

1. The AMAZING Weather
2. Beautiful Landscapes
3. Fresh Organic Foods and Veggies
3. Breath-Taking Wildlife and Beaches
4. Aggressive, Hardworking People, with all our peculiar habits that are ORIGINALLY Kenyan :)
5. Best Coffee and Tea there is.

6. Cultural Diversity

7.  Innovations & Creativity

8. Our History & National Heritage

9.  Our National Anthem ... Our national prayer.

	Kiswahili English 1 1 Ee Mungu nguvu yetu Ilete baraka kwetu Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi Natukae na undugu Amani na uhuru Raha tupate na ustawi.  O God of all creation   Bless this our land and nation   Justice be our shield and defender   May we dwell in unity   Peace and liberty   Plenty be found within our borders. 2 2 Amkeni ndugu zetu Tufanye sote bidii Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu Nchi yetu ya Kenya Tunayoipenda Tuwe tayari kuilinda     Let one and all arise    With hearts both strong and true    Service be our earnest endeavour    And our homeland of Kenya    Heritage of splendour    Firm may we stand to defend. 3 3 Natujenge taifa letu Ee, ndio wajibu wetu Kenya istahili heshima Tuungane mikono Pamoja kazini Kila siku tuwe na shukrani    Let all with one accord    In common bond united    Build this our nation together    And the glory of Kenya    The fruit of our labour    Fill every heart with thanksgiving.

DAIMA MIMI MKENYA ...