country living

Here we are living in the country. I never thought I would be doing this again. Walking by growing rows of corn, listening to the breeze blow through the weeds, the quiet of open spaces, people bent over working the fields. All things I grew up with on a farm in Iowa.

It feels so right being here. Ron & I have a 3 mile walking route we take across this land that we live in. What a great time hiking around getting to know our neighbors. Our first words in Swahili are 'how are you today' and then 'we are just learning swahili now'. With smiles and laughter we also tell them 'we will see you again' and off we go.

We see growing corn, tobacco, beans, and sunflowers. They raise cows, chickens, goats and donkeys. As we pass they are cooking on open fires, carrying firewood or crops on their heads, herding their animals to and from grazing spots, working in the fields, washing clothes by hand, and they all stop to watch us white people go by. What a surprise when we speak to them.

Our hearts desire to sit and talk and learn, though our mouths and minds can't do it yet. But we can greet and smile and keep coming back. Soon we will get to know our new friends better in this farming country where we get to live.