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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Write for the HUMOR Genre (10/09/14)
As I stepped out of the car in front of my place in Nairobi, I lingered and enjoyed the fragrance of fresh flowers in the garden. Furlough was almost here. I would be heading for the USA in just three short days. It was February, and I thought about arriving in Dallas with a chill factor of 10 degrees.

It had been a fun but exhausting day, finishing with a big henna party for a new bride-to-be. I wouldn’t be there for the wedding. But as scrunched as my schedule was, I didn’t want to miss this. The grand finale was the bridegroom arriving, and the sisters of the bride stealing his shoes. They made him buy them back. The whole thing was hilarious.

I thought I caught a glimpse of someone on the porch. It was after 10 p.m. and surely it wouldn’t be a guest. As I rounded the corner, who should I see on the doorstep but Mary, a young lady I had met in Nakuru. I was stunned. I hardly knew this girl, having met her once or twice.

“Hello, mama” she smiled. “I came to visit you. See, I brought you a chicken and some onions.”

“Oh,” I thought,”this must be the appropriate hostess gift here in Kenya.”

I stared at the live chicken and the 10 kilos of onions.

“I hope she doesn’t expect me to kill this chicken and serve it to her. What will I do with 10 kilos of onions? I leave for the States on Tuesday? Where do I put the chicken for now?”

“Come in, Mary. I’ll fix you a cup of tea. Have you eaten yet?”

No, she hadn’t eaten, so I prepared supper for her and put her to bed. I had a small, one-bedroom place. So I slept on the rinky-dink couch. Would I handle the situation differently today, and let her sleep on the rinky-dink couch?

The next day, Sunday, at 6 a.m. groggy and sleepy-eyed I boiled a pot of Kenyan tea with lots of milk, just the way they liked it. Mary’s eyes shone when I set eggs and a side of toast in front of her. After breakfast we read the Bible together and prayed.

Mary went to church with me that morning. It was so special to have kind co-workers invited us for lunch. That took a load off me. God is good.

Doing the right thing is not always easy. The whole event was a totally unexpected opportunity to display the love of Christ. I’m not sure how well I did. It’s so hard to respond to these situations with grace.

I do know that Mary left around 4 p.m. a happy camper, and I had time for a cup of tea before heading back to church.

Oh, yes, I put the live chicken outside in the laundry area. Monday grateful friends received the chicken and onions with joy!
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Toni Babcock 
10/17/14
Always interesting to read a story about another culture. Good job...perhaps a few words about the visitor's appearance would paint a clearer picture in the reader's mind - since she is really the only other character participating in the story. Thank you for your entry!
alan kane
10/17/14
Very descriptive, you could really feel you were there. It was also a good display of love and grace.
Noel Mitaxa 
10/17/14
Cultural clashes can be lots of fun when treated in the right spirit. You've touched on this, but a few more descriptions would bring us into the scene just a little more.
C D Swanson 
10/18/14
Interesting read that was descriptive and well done.

God bless~