The mountains await....

 So I decided 2025 is the year I will push myself to walk more... hike more...and not to give excuses when opportunities come

so when I saw the poster from Itchy feet Hikers that their first hike was ranked as moderate, I was like letsgoooo!!

vitu kwa ground was different...

very different

off we went on Saturday Jan 11 to Empaash Conservancy in Kajiado county, some 2 hours drive from Nairobi

we reached the conservancy camp site...and, i must say i like the way its been done..a gazebo place and washroom/shower 

at 9.30am we started off .....after the briefing and intros

the starting was ok...and clearly this was not a trail that had been walked on often...the conservancy began recently

then the climb began...ok...it was a slow climb....but I was already panting...and this was not even hour 2

after trekking for some 2 hours, and seeing very interesting vegetation and  great landscapes....we reached a section where we were to basically push thicket aside to get the path to the caves....this is where we gave up.....the thought that we need to come back the same way....my sister and I decided we can go back now

and so the other group went on....and we turned back

mercifully we had two guides for the tour

so one could take us back to base

he was very patient with us, as we walked slowly

at some point we heard a strange noise, and he said those are monkeys...we asked, which ones? he said the big ones....but its ok, they will not come near!

and then after some time we see him being more keen and looking around...he says...there are animals around, they just look at us...if we had goats then  probably they can attack ....sema adrenaline rush...weuhh

we reached base after 4 hours of walking (and resting....) and waited for the rest for close to three hours!!

meanwhile, some young ladies were selling lovely jewelry, we bought some and we took photos with the elaborate ones

(oh...and my shoes gave up on me!)

back to the story, i have come to terms with this, that me..am not ready for these tough hikes

i will still do the simple ones for now

still....

the mountains await

one day, i will manage it!

New Year 2025

 I M A G I N E

Its already 2025!

I can vividly remember the turn of the century - 1999 to 2000 when the world went berserk regarding the Millenium...oh, so many conspiracy theories were spinned...including the world ending, the computers switching off....weuh...I know IT guys who keshad at work just to watch and be on guard when the change happens at midnight

My sis and I were in Carnivore to usher in the millennium at an electrifying show by Chaka Demus and Pliers and of course, this is when I first heard the Redemption Song!! sang by none other than Rita Marley herself!! weuh....I have never attended another concert that matches this one...and the fireworks? Carnivore outdid themselves!!

Now its 25 years later...so much has changed

am 50years old....

and my phrase for my next decade is 

Rejoice in the Lord Always, and AGAIN, I say Rejoice (Philippians 4: 4)

I have a good feeling about this year...5 is the number of GRACE! 

I read somewhere that 5 symbolizes Gods grace, kindness and mercy towards humankind! 

May this be true for all of us!

Happy New Year!

 

Whats in a name?...varied sources

 Whats in a name?

back to my keen interest in names...

1. Angel/Malaika

2. Blessing / Baraka

3. Faith / Imani / Iman

4. Goodness / Wema

5. Joy/ Raha / Furaha

6. Kindness / Fadhili

7. Love / Pendo / Wendo

8. Mercy / Rehema

9. Peace/Amani / Thayu

10. Praise/Sifa / Namsifu

11. Promise / Ahadi

12. Truth / Adiera/Kweli

13.   Life / Maisha /Aisha / Ava

14.  Goodluck / Bahati

15. Grace / Neema

16. Pray/Sala

17. Gospel?/ Injili

18. Purpose / Nia

19. Goodluck / Bahati

20. Thanks / Asante

21. Amen / Amina

others?

Whats in a name? Days of the week..

 Names have always fascinated me

Here's a sample of names derived from days of the week

• Sunday /  - Sunny /  - Sunne /  - Kwasi
• Thursday /  - Alhamisi /  - Hamisi
• Friday /  - Kofi  /  - Juma / - Mwajuma 
• Saturday /  - Kwame

Others?

Guard the starting point!

Reflections on Life!

I heard this quote once and it stuck with me...it doesn't go wrong, it STARTS wrong!

This is so true for so many circumstances

Whereas I do believe that all things will eventually work together for our good (Romans 8:28), for those who trust in the Lord, the truth is that we do make decisions in life that guarantee us a long period of suffering /strife before we experience light.  But this should not always be the case!

So how does one communicate to others especially the young ones who are starting off in life?

Lets do it with an acronym

S  - Self awareness is key. Be conscious of who you are and what you are about. Take time to learn about yourself and your non-negotiables. Understand what made who you are today (you are a sum total of your past experiences), what has informed the choices you make/ will make; who are the main influencers in your life and what value they bring- all this so that your antenna can be high up on what you want for yourself in this beautiful life! 

T - Time is precious. Go through life with some sense of urgency. I remember periods of my life where I just went with the flow. No project in mind, no self deadlines...niko tuu! and with time...boom...its five years later and you wonder where the time went!

A - Adapt and Agile.  Learn quickly from mistakes (yours and that of others) and move on with it. No need to stay in one place because you feel comfortable in it. Someone once said that there is no growth in comfort, and for sure no comfort in growth!

R - Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4:4) . Being anchored in the Lords word will be a game changer! Go to church! Connect with like minded people. Be challenged by the Gospel  - to do more for the Kingdom!

T - Treasury - money money money! it does make the world go round. Have a plan for how you will get money and how you will invest it! Build a culture of investing early on in your life, and there is nothing like its too little to invest; and leaving money in the bank is not an investment channel!

It doesn't go wrong....it probably started wrong...so guard your starting point!

There you go, wisdom from the MinK Jubilee corner!

Peace!

Whirlwinds that swept Oct/Nov 2024

 What a period...October & November!

On 9th Nov I was at a funeral in Muranga - just less than 90min drive from Nairobi, in solidarity with a friend from high school as she laid to rest her beloved Mother. The ceremony was filled in song and dance (characterized by lots of jumping) from the Church of God congregation adorned in colourful long pleated dresses/skirts and equally colourful headgear. I honestly assumed they were Akorino but seems it is different. Either way, it was sad and I can only imagine what loosing a matriarch feels like....May God rest her soul in eternal peace

Across Kenya, in rural Siaya, another friend from high school was laying her beloved husband to rest. From the live stream, and also press updates, the ceremony was huge and had so many political honchos present. I pray that amidst all the hype around the circumstances of his passing, that for sure justice prevails and her and her family find peace in this whirlwind!

Just days before this, a lady I got to know when we went to Rome for CWA in May 2023 succumbed to cancer...a battle she had fought for 10years! Dear Lord have mercy....she was laid to rest on Nov 6

and while that news was sinking in, another lady, also in the Rome entourage, collapsed and died! ai ai

For sure all this cannot be understood by our mortal minds!

May our Good Lord show himself to all these families as only HE can.

November is the month we remember the faithful departed

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God,

rest in peace

Amen

So what was the world like in 1974?

 I checked the internets

and here are some interesting events that happened in 1974

1. President Richard Nixon resigns following the Watergate scandal - becoming the first American president to resign from office

2. George Foreman & Muhammed Ali boxing match in Zaire dubbed Rumble in the Jungle - Foreman was knocked out in the 8th round. Oct 1974

3. Riara Group of Schools was started in 1974 - the site for Riara road primary was once a kindergarten that catered for the European population that had moved to Nairobi before Kenyas independence in 1963. Prof Eddah Gachukia acquired the school and renamed it Riara Kindergarten

4. Post-it notes were invented in 1974!

5. The Rubiks cube, one of the most popular toys of all time, was invented in 1974 by Hungarian architecture professor, Erno Rubik. He used the cube to present info about spatial relationships to his students in a more interesting and compelling way!

6. The famous People Magazine hit the stands for the first time in March 1974

7. World Vision Kenya began operations here in 1974~!

8...others?

--end--