Rest and Peace

I just returned from a two week vacation to Lamu, an island off the coast of Kenya...it was amazing! Esther, my teammate, and I rented a house in Shella, the quieter part of Lamu Island for a much needed respite from ministry and life in the desert. Here are some pictures from the adventure!

The house we stayed in was an old Swahili style home complete with coral cement and intricate carved walls and doors. It was gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves!



The culture on the island is pure Swahili...Arabic traders settled with local African tribes and formed the Swahili culture and language along with other coastal tribes in similar situations.



We spent the first day relaxing and soaking in the peaceful atmosphere, then we ventured into the town and to the beach later on.


Even though we put on sunscreen like our mom's told us, we both got burnt the first time we went to the beach! I guess the sun is a bit more intense on the equator!



The rocks on the beach were covered with little crabs like this one! The primary source of income is tourism on the Island, but it is supplemented by fishing, farming and crafts like weaving and carving.


I of course had to take the time to make the classic dribble castle, which I do every time I go to a beach. I love the relaxation of making them even though the tide destroyed them before I even finished!


We could walk to the larger town of Lamu from where we stayed when the tide was low, or we could have a boat take us there if we didn't feel like walking.


There are no cars allowed on the Island, so all the streets are more like alleys and very clean.


We did a little bit of sight seeing and souvenir shopping as well, and got to people watch from the roof of a museum into the market! My favorite pastime!



Abdul Abab, his son Muath and nephew Mohammed (left to right) took us on a few sailing trips during our time there. They were extremely nice and meeting them made me pray very hard for the Kingdom to come to their family.


I'd never been sailing before this trip, and I loved it! It was so exciting at times and other times so peaceful. What a perfect combination.


And of course, I found kids to play with and take pictures of! This little guy and his twin brother both stuttered in Swahili, and it was the cutest thing I've ever heard!


I taught them how to do the fishy face and do the peace sign and other very valuable skills. Then I prayed over them as I was hugging them goodbye. :)


I had a wonderful time relaxing and had some great times with God sitting on the balcony in the ocean breeze. Now I am refreshed and ready to go again! Thank you God for creating beautiful places like Lamu.