Very first job...and the risk involved

So there I was fresh from campus…..eager to make my mark in this big big world. Went for several interviews here and there…none materialized….but one called me back and I started working as a Marketing Executive (what does this mean really??). I was together with  a team of about 7 charged with the responsibility of ensuring we get people to advertise in the two magazines ran by the company – i.e. we were to sell space. Oh my…what a difficult task…hats off to all those people in sales!! While some of us had it rough trying to get people even remotely interested in the smallest space, there are those who played in the big league and got companies to do center spreads….and for 12 consecutive months, to boot!! Luck chaps….we sat and admired them as their bonuses were announced at the monthly meeting!!  The silver lining was that after those 3 mths I learnt came to know many buildings in Nairobi by their names and street because that’s how the person you call would identify their office, and you would have to look for it (no Google maps then, sorry!)

Anyways, where am I going with this...ah yes, I have remembered. Today I took a matt and because of the heavy (end month) jam, we were unceremoniously told to alight downtown…near the dreaded Grogon….the place I call Nairobi Half Life…. I remembered how I walked into this street many years ago, oblivious of how dangerous it can be to the new person….Now back to the story about my first job. One of the many calls I made to prospective clients yielded an appointment and yes it was on this dreaded street – Kirinyaga Rd. I walked confidently as per the way I was told on phone but somehow managed to loose direction. So I walked into this vehicle spareparts shop and spoke to this elderly looking guy who was standing behind the counter and I asked him directions to a particular spareparts shop. He didn’t even ask me why I was looking for this shop….incidentally I had almost reached....it was right round the corner!! But his next sentence chilled me….he said ‘…please, please, don’t ask anyone else for direction….go straight there and leave!!’. Eh, I left for the other shop and needless to say didn’t even get the muhindi spare parts man to book a space in the magazine, and the way I had risked my life!!  

Rains and shakey planes

So am seating at the Kisumu airport waiting for my 1830 flight. Its 4.30pm so am pretty early and not many people have come. I call someone who stays in Kisumu outskirts and they tell me its already raining alot where they are...i silently pray that the rain holds off till we at least are airborne...needless to stay it starts pouring heavily soon after i disconnect this call. Its raining...and raining...a lot.. and the dark clouds seem to be getting darker!!.I wonder whether the flight will be canceled.....thankfully after about 1 hour the rain stops and the flight from Nairobi comes in....phewwwww...at least this is a good sign. At 6.15pm we are called to board and given temporary rain coats made of light polythene...can hardly fit my large frame, so i cover my head and basically jog to the equipment (thats what they are called in some circles)....there is a delay since we have to board one at a time and the zealous attendant wants to check each and every boarding pass!! am tempting to shout, heyyyy we are being rained on! but i hold my cool.....shortly after am seated and we take off . The flight attendant is called Vivian...and its a guy...maybe i heard the name wrong...he gives us instructions....no extra hand to help demonstrate 'the safety features aboard this aircraft' and basically has to put the 'phone' that is talking to us with, back to its case and then demonstrate....anyways, i dont bother much since my mind is already in Nairobi

we taxi off and i silently count to 21 before take off, normally its around 28-30 counts before take off, so i guess also Captain wishes to get us to Nairobi quick fast.....its quite bumpy as we take a bit of time to get through the clouds...zealous Vivian takes to the 'phone' again and informs us about this. Am not one to stand up and use the '..wash rooms located at the front of the plane to the right..' so this piece of info is really not for me...i just wanna get hommmeee!!

wacha now as we start our descent into JKIA....ehhhh....the plane was dropping and leaving my tummy in the air...sema pure fright!! dear Lord, i normally don't fear flying but this one was a winner....my neighbour was amused....she asks....you're scared?? am like YEAHHHHHH.....she say ati another time the plane was actually shaking - so this is nothing...and it doesn't frighten her one bit....and for sure she looked so composed.....eh, i honestly felt like we were 'temwad' by the cloudy skies into JKIA...never been so happy to be on land again....

eh...wacha tuu!!

Field trips

Field trips are normally a welcome break.....especially when it comes hot on the hills of an intensive week at the office. was therefore glad for 3 days off mid week to breath the fresh air of merti...challenge is that is far far away and the exhaustion of seating in a car for 12 hr journey can take a toil on my knees. back in nairobi now.....

Form 4 results

Now that the results were released yesterday and some of my friends have children with very good grades, makes me wonder how i would be if i had a child in form 4 now!! Interesting....that would mean i would had to have had the child while still at the university - the very thought still freaks me out. I think am a safe player, so all this anxiety that parents feel will be my portion in 4 years time....so help me God!

Working on Saturdays

Am seating here at my desk on a glorious Saturday morning....and laughing at myself at the way i had effectively stopped this habit of working over weekends. Over 10 years ago when working with a local NGO, working over weekends was normal to me...to a point where it, to some extent, became an expectation!!

i told myself, this is one habit i will definately not encourage if i move jobs....and so far, i have managed!! but times like this when, i can see that next week will be packed, i need to get some pending work off my desk

let me get back to work

Heat and Opulence!

Wrote this in July 2013...

Never been to the Middle East before…can’t count the one stop over I had in Dubai some years ago.

I was therefore more than excited to be visiting Doha – capital city of Qatar….checked online for most affordable tickets and of course Etihad came out tops. Booked ticket and was ready to go.  The flight was some 4 hours to Abu Dhabi, stop over for two hours then less than one hour flight to Doha. We were late leaving Nairobi and so this two hour stop in Abu Dhabi was compromised….reached well, and ran to next stop, but by the time we reached there we had already been bumped off since our bags ‘could not make it in time’.  Long and short of it is that flight was to be at 9.50pm and I ended up in the one at 4.55am!!

Anyways, less than one hour later we were in Doha, it has one hour time difference with Abu dhabi, but same time as Nairobi. Looking out of the plane, the sun has already risen and all I can see is miles and miles of desert….reclaimed into this city. From the plane took a long bus ride to next stop where were to alight and go to baggage claim (at least my bag was there!)….Sam was on hand to meet me…was so tired didn’t notice much of the airport…..took a taxi driven by a Kenyan with an interesting twang (wonder  about that)….apparently there are many Kenyans here who drive for this government owned taxi company called Karwa. Not far to where Sam stays…I was so tired, as soon as Sam took off to work I slept like a baby!! That evening we took a walk around the place…..still warm in the evening…..but better that mid day of course. Next day was Thursday and I basically watched movies as Sam was still at work. Evening we went to this hotel that had a Kenyan night with none other than DJ Joe Mfalme of Capital FM spinning the decks….was great!! Many Kenyans!! And I realise that most are so young….around 25 years!! For sure watu hutafuta mbali!!

Friday there is no work for Sam…and anyways since we slept at 4am, half the day was spent recovering….later in the day we went to this massive shopping mall called Villagio……….wow….yaani, don’t know what to say…..let’s just say it was impressive….many women are veiled, but many also are not….was worried may have to wear long robes only!! There are many Philipinoes and Indians…with their families…….the mall has an ice rink…..and the aircon is so low, you would need a sweater!! The shops are the usual brands found in malls…men are walking around with long white robes and head gear that make them look like royalty!! …this is the last weekend before ramadhan starts and maybe that’s why its so full of people…..on leaving of course as we wait for taxi, we can see all manner of cars in the parking bay of the mall….i mean, wanapenda GMC sanaaaaaaaaaaa……….plus all manner of posh cars…aiiii…evidence of wealth is all around….

Sato, same drill….back to the mall to complete the mission. I love malls, that’s all am gonna say!! Anyways, Sunday work for sam, so spent day packing and watching movies….had  carried over 70 movies for Sam thanks to Weety & Jose….to the airport at midnight, flight at 4am reached Nairobi at nearly 2pm…summary, don’t say the sun is out there here……huko uarabuni, the sun and its people come out to play daily!!!

Baptism

So this year am gonna be a God parent....this is my second time in this (now that i know) noble task

We had to go through some sessions where various topics were discussed. The first one, on a loose Wednesday evening, the guy spoke so passionately about PRAISING God..that i had to google some more info on it!!


Question: "What does it mean to give a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)?"

Answer:Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name." The terms "sacrifice" and "praise" might seem to be opposites. We think of sacrifice as offering something at great cost to ourselves. Praise, on the other hand, sounds joyful as it bubbles from a grateful heart. However, in the spiritual realm, sacrifice and praise are intertwined.

Praise does not always cost us something. We praise our dogs for fetching the ball and people for a job well done. Praise is often our response to some action that directly benefits us, and we feel generous because we extend it. We often find it easy to praise God from the same motivation. When He has blessed us, helped us, and protected us, we feel generous toward Him. We can sing, worship, and talk about how good He is because we can see it. That kind of praise, although worthwhile, does not cost us anything. It is not a sacrifice.

Then there are those times when God did not come through the way we thought He would. The medical test comes back positive. The spouse wants a divorce. A child is wayward. The mortgage company calls in the loan. God seems very far away, and praise is the last thing to bubble up from our hearts. We can't see His goodness, and circumstances scream that He has forgotten us.

To praise God in those times requires personal sacrifice. It takes an act of the will to lay our all on the altar before a God we don't understand. When we bring a "sacrifice of praise," we choose to believe that, even though life is not going as we think it should, God is still good and can be trusted (Psalm 135:2;Nahum 1:7). When we choose to praise God in spite of the storms, He is honored, and our faith grows deeper (Malachi 3:13-17;Job 13:15).

The command inHebrews 13:15says that this sacrifice is to be offered "continually." Our praise of God is not to be based on our opinion of His job performance. Praise cannot be treated as a "reward" we give God for His obvious blessings.Isaiah 29:13says, "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Real praise continues regardless of circumstances. It flows continually from a worshiping heart in good times and bad (Acts 16:23-25).

The "sacrifice of praise" comes from a humble heart that has been purified by fire. It rises from a spirit that has chosen to honor God in spite of the pain that life is causing.Psalm 51:16-17expresses this idea best when it says, "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/sacrifice-of-praise.html#ixzz3QacV5Gbp