tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17313718129800427502024-03-13T16:08:44.552-07:00Sammy in NorwayFrom the far North......Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-20371908497259662482008-03-28T02:33:00.000-07:002008-03-31T02:31:23.834-07:00What has been up<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >I must start by apologizin</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >g for lack of a comprehensive blog. <span style=""> </span>I have been working to finish my paper and book reports before the deadlines as well as the fact that I have been travelling a lot. May be I should start from the beginning of the month before the "missing out of a day". First I wrote a paper titled “Hans Nielsen Hauge:</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > the Norwegian enigma of social, economic and religious revolution of the 19<sup>th</sup> century”.<span style=""> </span>Hauge is the guy who was behind the beginning of the lay movements in Norway.<span style=""> </span>He went through many hardships to bring about the revolution, at the background of pietism and </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" lang="EN-GB" >enlightenment</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" lang="EN-GB" > </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >propagated by the</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > Luther</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >an State church of the d</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >ay. It was an academic experience to write the paper and I learnt a lot from his life.<span style=""> </span>The paper can be found at Hald international Centre and if you want to read more I could send you a copy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div face="arial" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-size:100%;" >I took a ten days holiday from 5<sup>th</sup> of March to 15</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" ><sup>th</sup></span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >. </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >Four of these days were to be spent in Trondheim a city far north visiting Pamela and Faith, fellow students at Hald form Uganda. It was an interesting experience to be in a train for 15 hours having a beautiful view of the Norwegian landscape, from the snow cov</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >ered mountain to the frozen pools of water to the smilingly “dry” trees without leaves it was all fantasti</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >c. <span style=""> </span>I got to meet Ingrid a former Hald student and many other people and this</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > deserved </span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >a chapati night</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > one</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > of</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" > the days</span><span style=";font-size:100%;" >.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zBGw5G8fI/AAAAAAAAAMI/VzZ5NLaSa00/s1600-h/Trondheim+tour+138.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zBGw5G8fI/AAAAAAAAAMI/VzZ5NLaSa00/s320/Trondheim+tour+138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182729593144406514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-y8hg5G8cI/AAAAAAAAALw/y6I4f6y9Q9A/s1600-h/Trondheim+tour+015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-y8hg5G8cI/AAAAAAAAALw/y6I4f6y9Q9A/s320/Trondheim+tour+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182724555147768258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zAsA5G8eI/AAAAAAAAAMA/SiNkSjY-TMs/s1600-h/Trondheim+tour+097.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zAsA5G8eI/AAAAAAAAAMA/SiNkSjY-TMs/s320/Trondheim+tour+097.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182729133582905826" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" >Above: receving an Easter egg form Ingrid, cooking chapati with Faith, and Palmela and Faith doing a comon dance at Hald in the kitchen.. ah ah ah. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style=";font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >I also visited the biggest cathedral in Norway and </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > it is the on</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >ly <span style="">of its</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> kind left in Europe. </span>The architecture of this building is first amazing imagining the it</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >was made</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > a</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >bout 850 y</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >ears ago.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-y9pg5G8dI/AAAAAAAAAL4/qGRSKS5cY9Y/s1600-h/Trondheim+tour+034.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-y9pg5G8dI/AAAAAAAAAL4/qGRSKS5cY9Y/s320/Trondheim+tour+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182725792098349522" border="0" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">The Cathedral in Trondheim (front view)</span></span></p><span style=";font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >The students' fellowship in this town is amazing. I felt like I had been there for years through the discussions and the one hour and a half long service followed by the normal talks till past midnight. I also attended a gospel consert, a sunday service and a baptisim service</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;">.<br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R_Cg9w5G8iI/AAAAAAAAAMg/OvnQpqTP8MU/s1600-h/Bergen+tour+092.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R_Cg9w5G8iI/AAAAAAAAAMg/OvnQpqTP8MU/s320/Bergen+tour+092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183820154060337698" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Later that Sunday I took another train for 17hours to Bergen. My host was Marija the Hald student from Montenegro. On the first day I joined Marija to her work in the office and in the evening fellowship on Tuesday where I was sharing God's word. Bergen is a beautiful city with lots of nice sites. I visited the museum of natural history which was amazing seeing skeletons of whales as long as 24 meters captured in the 1850s among many other beautiful things.<br /></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Below: A section of the Bergen city in the background and above Marija the Hald student working in Bergen</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zEcg5G8gI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ZqI2X1HQUks/s1600-h/Bergen+tour+054.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R-zEcg5G8gI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/ZqI2X1HQUks/s320/Bergen+tour+054.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5182733265341444610" border="0" /></a>It is always refreshing to be in a fellowship and even more amazing when it is about 2500 people from more than 40 nations gathered together in worship, fellowship and holy communion. I think I celebrated this years easter in a unique way and with people may be I will never meet again. Yet it was a very fulfiling one. This was at Linz in the IFES Europe students' eveangelism confrence. There were two plenary sessions every day, seminars and prayer time. I captured two thoughts from the plenary sessions one on building relationships as a way of reaching out to our friends with the Gospel and secondly on sin being who we are, that is the condition of the human heart rather than being just what we do hence it is only Jesus who can clean us from that not by our good deeds.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:100%;">I attended a seminar on communicating across the cultures. Here we explored the various differences between cultures, how the differences hinder us from reaching out to people of other cultures and how we can overcome the barriers in the context of reaching out to the international students. This was a good place for me to be considering one of the groups I work with is the International Christian Union at the University of Stavanger. The challenge for me is now to move what I learnt from mental knowledge to actual practice though with very little time left before the practice period is over. I made several friends for the few days we were in the confrence, one key place for that was the cafe that we run in evenings.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R_CotA5G8jI/AAAAAAAAAMo/ewaDLAWRodU/s1600-h/oslo+339.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R_CotA5G8jI/AAAAAAAAAMo/ewaDLAWRodU/s320/oslo+339.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5183828662390551090" border="0" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Timo from the Netherlands. He is an amazing young man filled with passion and confidence in his faith.</span></span><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I couldn't help but just imagine how it would be if all of us who were in the confrence would go hence and reach out to one student in the next one year. As John Stot said that IFES is the most strategic ministry of our time. I contend that the best moments to influence peoples life is at this point because the faith in Jesus affects our choice of career, the person we are going to marry, the way we are going to live the rest of our lives etc. And those choices are being made at this age!</span></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-87405411783091682612008-03-17T03:39:00.000-07:002008-03-17T03:54:06.980-07:00Missed out a day!<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the last few days from the beginning of this month I have been travelling a lot. It first started with a 15hours train journey to Trondheim where I visited my friends for 5 days. Later I moved to Bergen about 16hours on a train, a lot of fun and good landscape to look at. My coming back from Bergen was by boat where I became sea sick and the last two hours of the journey were something I wish I could forget. That was on 15th.<br /><br />I was to travel to Oslo to join the team going to Austria for a conference. So I woke up early this morning (Monday) in readiness to go to catch the train at 10.25am as I had booked. <span style=""> </span>I got there about 45 min before the supposed train.<span style=""> </span>But I just thought of confirming my tickets by giving it another look.<span style=""> </span>Wahh!! I should have traveled yesterday 16<sup>th</sup>.<span style=""> </span>I couldn’t believe it so I looked up for a calendar to confirm if the dates or the day was wrong, but neither, I shook my head a bit just to make sure I was fully awake but the paper was right.<span style=""> </span>I had missed a train by a day!!!!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I am now seated in my room writing this as I wait for the next train at 13.45pm.<span style=""> </span>My team leader had to buy for me another ticket costing almost double the first one.<span style=""> </span>Well if you talk about missing time, I missed a day!!</p>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-22019821033376075712008-03-02T05:01:00.000-08:002008-03-02T05:28:48.748-08:00Kenyanazied..<div style="text-align: justify;">Thursday last week was both a historical and a day of turn around for Kenya. I took the bus too Mandal at 11:15 am from Stavanger. Joe and I were headed for a partners meeting at Hald, to meet our contact person form home. The jorney was cool as ever, I enjoyed the landscape which is now full of clean flowing water from the melted snow, these made graceful site all the way. My thoughts went far and wide to different things for the three hours I was in the bus. At some point I was thinking about leadership in; what informs leaders decision making process? What is the cost of excellent leadership? Do we have servant leaders in the world? What makes excellent leaders? I was also reading a book by Noel M. Tichy titled "The Leadership Engine", I came across this statement in the book: ''Leadership is a holistic pattern of thought processes, attitudes and behaviours. Each leader has different weights placed on different attributes, and each has his or her own teachable points of view. One thing they have in common, though; is that they have developed their winning attitudes, behaviors and points of view by reflection on their lives and by examining thier experiences. And at the end, they have developed a complete and workable leadership style''.<br /><br />Well many things may be said about The Kenyan leaders who on this day made the power sharing deal. I think they have made many mistakes in the past but what they did that day to many Kenyans is a true sign of leadership going beyond personal intrests. I hope for a new dawn!!<br /></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-23284754602637073132008-02-18T03:13:00.000-08:002008-02-21T03:27:45.319-08:00Sweaty winter..<div align="justify">You may ask what I have been up to sweating at -3 degrees. A story was told some where of a time a pastor sheduled for a meeting with a prominent leader was taking a walk with his wife. And he said to the wife, ''when I think of meeting this guy my mouth gets dry'' then he paused and continued, ''and my plams get sweaty''. Then the wife said to him, ''why don't you leak your palms!!'' May be I have been having some palm leaking sessions??? But not in the same context.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">It has been too hot to be dressed...</span></em><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w-9Pl_l2I/AAAAAAAAALI/cRZYohp2O0U/s1600-h/DSCF2380.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169075694193317730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w-9Pl_l2I/AAAAAAAAALI/cRZYohp2O0U/s320/DSCF2380.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="justify"><div><div>I have been out doing winter sports in the last two weeks. Down hill skiing and also cross country. It has been fun though with multiple falls but I can do much now. The first day every part of me was in pain for days but before long I was out again skating and latter skiing. That is how I have <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w1xPl_lzI/AAAAAAAAAKw/kdLJjDP8wz8/s1600-h/012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169065592430237490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w1xPl_lzI/AAAAAAAAAKw/kdLJjDP8wz8/s320/012.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w1Zvl_lyI/AAAAAAAAAKo/l3R3xwyzA7w/s1600-h/007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169065188703311650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w1Zvl_lyI/AAAAAAAAAKo/l3R3xwyzA7w/s320/007.JPG" border="0" /></a>been sweting through out the season. Actually Norwegians have a common saying that goes someting like; 'there is no bad weather, you just have to dress for it''. I think it is true. It would be hard to live here and not do some of this thing, again there is too much snow here to let it go just like that...<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">Above; left getting ready for down hill skiing in Sirdal. Once in a while a big fall happened!! Bellow: cross country skiing in Sauda.</span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7xBtPl_l3I/AAAAAAAAALQ/MgF_qOeA20A/s1600-h/DSCF2368.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169078717850294130" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7xBtPl_l3I/AAAAAAAAALQ/MgF_qOeA20A/s320/DSCF2368.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w-a_l_l1I/AAAAAAAAALA/holDEih4huU/s1600-h/DSCF2373.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169075105782798162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R7w-a_l_l1I/AAAAAAAAALA/holDEih4huU/s320/DSCF2373.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Well skating again was a good game too and I managed better than before. Sometimes I felt like a baby learning to walk. May be I am a big baby in this. </div><div></div></div><br /></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-81269002499922854382008-02-04T10:12:00.000-08:002008-02-04T12:27:30.716-08:00The big picture<div align="justify">It has taken quit sometime since I wrote last, but many great things have been happening here. It all started with drawing a road map for the next three months of my stay in Stavanger. First doing a stock check for the last months, picking some leasons, dreaming what it should be like from here or seeing the end at the begining and waking up from the dream to the realities of the good challanges. That is not usually a big deal, the job is to make it happen, drawing the line between essentials and non-essentials and waking up every morning fired up or compelled by the vision.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dueqRNmPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/zJ-iUhIHPyk/s1600-h/Waterfall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163216970825177330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dueqRNmPI/AAAAAAAAAKY/zJ-iUhIHPyk/s320/Waterfall.jpg" border="0" /></a>I got up to a normal Tuesday on 22nd Jan, this day is usually the day I work in the University with the Christian students. This was one of those days that I wake up whisteling some melodies of relaxation knowing that there is no much pressure to get going. I was so well on time to get the bus to town and was walking to catch the connecting bus in town to the campus when I got a call form the Laget leader. It was about 30 min to the start of the fellowship, and he briefly explained that the speaker of the day had fallen sick and so he was looking for a replacement and it was good that I share. In normal cases it takes me about six hours to make a sermon. I was on the road and worse still in the relaxed mood back in the house, I somehow forgot my bible and most likely in that meeting it is usually my team mate and I who carry english bibles. I made an effort to get Joe to wait for me at the bus stop so that I could have some time to prepare the sermon in the bus using his bible. On the opposite seat in the bus sat a young man who gave me one of the most strange looks I had ever seen, he might have come a cross a bus preacher before may be. I almost said, ''sir I have no itentions what so ever to do it here''. As I read through some few verses from Joe's big bible, and when I say big I mean exactly that, I decided to assume the looks of any other passagers and I also mumbred a prayer after few checks. In ten minutes the bus stoped and there I was in the meeting. After the meeting one student asked me, ''you must have taken sometime to prepare?'' Another one who new the story just bursted into a loud laughter. Don't try this at home!!!<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">What amazed me that day is what I had never seen before in two separate scriptures that I had read many times before. The first was from 1Kings 19:9b-18. Here Elijah had run away from Jezebel. On the mountain the Lord calls him, gives him some job to do and also reassures him that he is not alone. In Mark 3:14-16 Jesus calls the apostles so that they can be with him, they can be sent to preach the gospel and that they can be empowred. The correlation here is that in both there is; first the call, secondly the commision or task and then finally the reassurance and empowerment. How unique it is that God has the big picture beyond the insecurities and fear when we come to him.<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Before long impuls was here!! I had <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dpiKRNmKI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Exqpg-lPEtA/s1600-h/2008-01-28_00001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163211533396580514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dpiKRNmKI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Exqpg-lPEtA/s320/2008-01-28_00001.jpg" border="0" /></a>looked forward for this time so much and I wasn't dissapointed. It was a confrence where more than 3000 teens gathered for a weekend of praise, worship, fellowship, prayer and teaching. I got a chance to experience the future of Norwegian church in these teens. It is going to be energetic, convicted and enthuthiastic about the gospel. Everyone was fired up and excited about knowing the Lord and relating with him. The first night a bunch of 60 of them matched forward to commit themselves to the Lord, it takes a while to have tears on my eyes expecially in public, but that night I just ''noticed''. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dqAaRNmOI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/ddGixHw69mI/s1600-h/2008-01-28_00005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163212053087623394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dqAaRNmOI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/ddGixHw69mI/s320/2008-01-28_00005.jpg" border="0" /></a>I had a nice time of fellowship with God and people, isn't it amazing how our faith in Christ is personal and yet something we can all share together and celebrate. The joy of being in Christ in someones heart is undesputable, it is only them who know what they feel as a result of being in Christ and them alone know what he has done for them. Testimonies of lives changed, challenged and encouranged all in one place from the same message, is just a show of God's focus on us as individuals and yet as a body. I love it!!</div><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153);font-size:85%;" ><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Above: The main hall at impuls, Cerine and Edson. Below: Left, Tueg Tueg and Nan and right confrence participants and myself at the Hald stand. </span></span><div align="justify"></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dp46RNmNI/AAAAAAAAAKI/A5-3zIHNULQ/s1600-h/2008-01-28_00004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163211924238604498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dp46RNmNI/AAAAAAAAAKI/A5-3zIHNULQ/s320/2008-01-28_00004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dppqRNmLI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/_C4m6PqiQRE/s1600-h/2008-01-28_00002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5163211662245599410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R6dppqRNmLI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/_C4m6PqiQRE/s320/2008-01-28_00002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-19545977841231430582008-01-21T10:33:00.000-08:002008-01-21T12:33:15.253-08:00One more time<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="" lang="EN-US">One amazing thing is how time just moves fast.<span style=""> </span>Once, one of my teachers back in high school told me that time is a rotating commodity that can never be equal to human demand, may be it is true.<span style=""> </span>And may be it also depends on the matrix of time measurement.<span style=""> </span>I have learnt the later really matters from person to person; for some is how mu</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ch has been done to others is how has it been done, and for others still it is because there will be time in the future.<span style=""> </span>Well, judge for yourself the best for you.<span style=""> </span>With the New Year I think it is another chance to become better, I can almost shout; God has done it again!!!</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p>I started the year in Exit 07/08, seminars, fellowship, games, dinner and outreach not forgetting the fireworks is just but a mention of the activities over those 4 days. <span style=""> </span>Am sure the photos below say it all.<span style=""> </span>It was a teens’ camp and that is where I thrive too.<span style=""> </span>My team mate and I also conducted a joint seminar on manuscript bible study too.<span style=""> </span>Every time I went to bed during the camp I </span><span style="" lang="EN-US">was fulfilled that I live my best, I was also glad that I was t</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">h</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ere.</span></p><p align="left"> </p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TubAe0uzI/AAAAAAAAAGg/hh1e8XMyPHo/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 188px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TubAe0uzI/AAAAAAAAAGg/hh1e8XMyPHo/s320/2008-01-01_00001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158009620999224114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvIge0u2I/AAAAAAAAAG4/uF-uJV_oNBg/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00003.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 187px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvIge0u2I/AAAAAAAAAG4/uF-uJV_oNBg/s320/2008-01-01_00003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158010402683272034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvPge0u3I/AAAAAAAAAHA/RCCto_1RC_s/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00005.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 187px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvPge0u3I/AAAAAAAAAHA/RCCto_1RC_s/s320/2008-01-01_00005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158010522942356338" border="0" /></a><p align="left"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5Tuhge0u0I/AAAAAAAAAGo/smvwKAeBTos/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00002.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 161px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5Tuhge0u0I/AAAAAAAAAGo/smvwKAeBTos/s320/2008-01-01_00002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158009732668373826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvBAe0u1I/AAAAAAAAAGw/13WgVlU4I4s/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00004.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 162px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvBAe0u1I/AAAAAAAAAGw/13WgVlU4I4s/s320/2008-01-01_00004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158010273834253138" border="0" /></a> </p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5TvBAe0u1I/AAAAAAAAAGw/13WgVlU4I4s/s1600-h/2008-01-01_00004.jpg"></a><p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p><p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p><p align="left"> </p> <p align="center"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="" lang="EN-US">It was nice to be back at Hald on 1<sup>st</sup> of January ready for infield. <span style=""> </span>It felt so homely as well as exciting to see all the international students. <span style=""> </span>We all gathered loaded and wai</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ting to share our diverse experiences, this was the way to ‘kill’ the night and topics for walks on the snow.<span style=""> </span>In the west coast where I live, there is it much snow and I hadn’t seen much of it so the whitening of everything looked beautiful, and a game on the snow wasn’t so bad either.</span></p><p align="center"> </p> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Below: snow ball game and a look of hald during winter compare with below d</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >uring summer.</span><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fsc2MMHjtuc/R4-WWd0gsnI/AAAAAAAAAQU/7RWT3nMdw4Q/s1600-h/Infield+Course01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156505411068670578" style="width: 273px; height: 204px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Fsc2MMHjtuc/R4-WWd0gsnI/AAAAAAAAAQU/7RWT3nMdw4Q/s320/Infield+Course01.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fsc2MMHjtuc/R4-WWt0gspI/AAAAAAAAAQk/CPjUk3T_n_0/s1600-h/Infield+Course03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156505415363637906" style="width: 269px; height: 203px;" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fsc2MMHjtuc/R4-WWt0gspI/AAAAAAAAAQk/CPjUk3T_n_0/s320/Infield+Course03.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5T8GAe0u4I/AAAAAAAAAHI/R_dOcqPPfks/s1600-h/12-sept+%28132%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 205px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R5T8GAe0u4I/AAAAAAAAAHI/R_dOcqPPfks/s320/12-sept+%28132%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158024653384760194" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"> </p>Finally I am back home, I mean Stavanger it has already become a home. I missed the student fellowship and the great moments with my room mates. Am sure this time will seam so short but am energized to utelise it the maximum, it is a one more time to learn and grow.Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-19871931293088976492008-01-05T02:18:00.000-08:002008-01-07T05:45:12.063-08:00Through it all<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R4IsHge0uyI/AAAAAAAAAGY/tjFJvDUTg_0/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R4IsHge0uyI/AAAAAAAAAGY/tjFJvDUTg_0/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152729431155194658" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">The thoughts of Christmas are so refreshing and energizing, it wasn't over yet until the swim on the 27th. This was an eager time too as it was the voting day in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region> my home land. I had and I still have great hopes for my lovely country. There are many thoughts and statements about the situation but I think the most important thing that goes beyond politics and individual interests is chastity of life. Well, how this can be focus for everybody is one thing I never figure out. I must be honest that the aftermath of the elections has left me heart broken and I really didn't feel like I wanted to say anything about my stay until now. There is this song that has made my thought through this time;<o:p></o:p></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size:130%;">Through it all by Ray Boltz</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">I've had many tears and sorrows,<br />I've had questions for tomorrow,<br />There've been times I didn't know right from wrong:<br />But in every situation God gave blessed consolation<br />That my trials come to only make me strong. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to trust in Jesus,<br />I've learned to trust in God;<br />Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to depend upon His Word. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">I've been to lots of places,<br />And I've seen a lot of faces,<br />There've been times I felt so all alone;<br />But in my lonely hours,<br />Yes, those precious lonely hours,<br />Jesus let me know that I was His own. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to trust in Jesus,<br />I've learned to trust in God;<br />Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to depend upon His Word. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;" align="center"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;">I thank God for the mountains,<br />And I thank Him for the valleys,<br />I thank Him for the storms<br />He brought me through;<br />For if I'd never had a problem<br />I wouldn't know that He could solve them,<br />I'd never know what faith in God could do. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN-US" >Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to trust in Jesus,<br />I've learned to trust in God;<br />Through it all, through it all,<br />I've learned to depend upon His Word.</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="" lang="EN-US">The strongest thing I believe for now is that soon things will be fine home and life back to business.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div> </div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-7645333446394162532007-12-27T04:35:00.000-08:002008-01-01T11:55:22.216-08:00Christmas Haven<div align="justify"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qZEwe0uwI/AAAAAAAAAGI/qORmc2dbqBk/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150597430864296706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qZEwe0uwI/AAAAAAAAAGI/qORmc2dbqBk/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+042.jpg" border="0" /></a>Beyond the gift of life that we all acknowledge to have received from God, I think there are so three more gifts that are important. These are; the gift of people be it in family or friends, the gift of the meaning of Christmas and the gift of self. This Christmas has been one of the most exciting moments of my life in Norway and a landmark may be for ever. Beyond that a Christmas like never before. May be you are curious of what happened or the experience. I spent the Christmas in Fogn with the Volds invited by a good friend Finn. There is so much to tell about it but I should start by painting a picture of Fogn.<br /><br />First Fogn is a small Island north of Stavanger with a population of about three hundred and twenty, may be twenty one, two, three or four… people. If you have heard of the times that Kings never excited in Israel and everyone knew what to do then Fogn is such a place. Or if you have ever read a book titled <em>“Siku Njema”</em> (Good day) and learnt of the dream of <em>Kongowea Mswahili</em> (the main character). The dream of a world of peace, natural harmonic existence such that no one has to lock doors to houses or cars, no need of police or even leaders then go to Fogn!! It also reminded me of my Kenyan village where we know everybody or rather almost everybody, we great them, we share with them and we welcome everybody. The true spirit of community and neighbourhood!!<br /><br />With such a background then you can be sure I was in a haven of Christmas. Being in the Volds home was a great gift to begin with. Being with a family is one of the things that really fill my energy tank. I had this great feeling of being at home through out my stay and I never lost the gift of being myself. The playing around with the two girls Ester Alida and Inger Katrina, dinning with the family, going for walks together and relaxing like I do back home was a great gift. And this is the gift of people. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qXewe0uvI/AAAAAAAAAGA/a--kZ7_H5MQ/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+047.jpg"></a><br /><br />It all started with the journey to Fogn with the boat once more, no fears this time, and an evening in a social gathering in one of the family’s friend who host a similar party every year for the last 10 years. Later together with Finn we attended a youth meeting till early morning. The Christmas eve (24th Dec) which is the peak of Christmas celebration in Norway start with eating one of the most typical Norwegian <em>‘uji’</em> called <em>‘ris grøt’</em> which is made from rice and milk before the service. The Christmas service is very important in this land and the churches are usually full. Amazingly it was the first time since I started attending Norwegian services did we sing a song that there was some clapping hands and some sort of dancing. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qaFwe0uxI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/NizumavpUkg/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150598547555793682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qaFwe0uxI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/NizumavpUkg/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+037.jpg" border="0" /></a>You can be sure I had missed this so much so I did it with all enthusiasm.<br /><br />I can’t miss out on telling you about the Christmas dinner which is a special meal in Norway. Several times before I had been asked severally by friends what I will be eating for Christmas, it was <em>‘ribe’</em>. These are pork ribs oven heated for about 2 hours or so. It was a great shift from my normal <em>‘mbuzi choma’</em> or ‘kuku karanga’ (roasted goat meat or fried chicken) back home. I received so many Christmas gifts than I ever anticipated this is a beautiful thing, don’t you think so? Then the dancing around the Christmas tree singing Christmas songs! I hadn’t imagined how fun it could be until it happened. We had many moments to focus on the true gift of Christmas and that is the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Without this I think Christmas would be another fun having event but not with the Volds. The moments to have talks with each other and reflect on different issues to do with our faith were beautiful moments. The several Christmas services added beauty to it.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qV5Qe0utI/AAAAAAAAAFw/d8zLnVplqCI/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+098.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150593934760917714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3qV5Qe0utI/AAAAAAAAAFw/d8zLnVplqCI/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec3+098.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The history of the island goes back to 500AD. Several historic sites as war centres and graves that old exist well preserved. The beauty of nature exciting so naturally was breath taking as we took the walk on the 26th before coming back to the city. As I left Fogn for Stavanger, I had a deep feeling of loss that I was living the family I had so become a part of though in few days, yet a feeling of gain because I had made good friends. I loved it that I lived out to have the gifts that I think are also important too: the true meaning of Christmas, the gift of people and the gift of self. It was fulfilling and refreshing. I look forward to living everyday with these gifts and the ultimate truth; Christmas is not an event but rather a life with Christ in our hearts!!!! What is better than that?</div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-15222810330725753132007-12-21T04:48:00.000-08:002007-12-27T23:04:29.228-08:00Ice Skating<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3SeSZY5MgI/AAAAAAAAAFY/7EV4Gi7eYfk/s1600-h/CIMG1931.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148914312881451522" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3SeSZY5MgI/AAAAAAAAAFY/7EV4Gi7eYfk/s320/CIMG1931.JPG" border="0" /></a> On the <em>'vintersolverv' </em>(this is 22nd of Dec when the sun starts coming back from the south and it starts getting lighter gradually on the north) at 11am our friend Tom picked us to go and try skating. This was my first time to try that and as everything new, I was afraid. But I decided that the worst that could happen to me would only be falling on the ice which won’t be a big deal as such. By the end of it I had made about 9 rounds on the field with several falls on the ice. Tom would lift me up every time I fell. Amazing there was some kids who new how to do the thing quite well. I made some friends. One of the young girls may be about 7yrs came over and held one of my hands as the other was on the wall and she became my couch for a round. Sooner after she had left some two more kids may be about 9 and 10 years old called Martha from USA and Caroline from Denmark came over and gave me a good lesson on skating, how to keep my skates straight and balancing my hands. Well it was good fun and I was so excited to <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3SezZY5MhI/AAAAAAAAAFg/-EGxJW2--7I/s1600-h/CIMG1934.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148914879817134610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R3SezZY5MhI/AAAAAAAAAFg/-EGxJW2--7I/s320/CIMG1934.JPG" border="0" /></a>try it out.<br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#666666;">Above how it was at the begining and below finally at the end!</span></em></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">What I want to share with you is some reflections I had as I went round the field several times and falling severally. It is obvious that I was afraid and I had some fears about the whole thing. And Tom asked me at the start, ‘are you afraid Sammy?’ I said back to him ‘let see when I try it out’. The first time on the ice was very scarily and I almost felt that I can’t make it, but I thought ‘mmh am just afraid because I have never tried this before’ and beyond that the host of kids watching around made me think that I just can’t flick out! And so I did it close to the wall for support. By the end of the first round I was not afraid any more!! In the next several rounds that I did I became stronger and better in trying every time I did it. This was a big lesson for me on over coming fear by trying the things am afraid of. Well am still very much afraid of swimming and this comes with adjacent complications too especially the public shower thing. Am still considering whether am going to try it out on the 27th when we go swimming with Finn Ivar.</div></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-21279930838753509822007-12-16T02:43:00.000-08:002007-12-17T05:43:10.350-08:00Jule Måneden<div align="justify">I have always wished that I could write like whispers my writing hero. Whispers was a humour writer on the Sunday Nation a few years a go in Kenya who left to be with his maker. But beyond that I don’t make to do it every week. But..eeh… I finished my paper and reports and also did a Norwegian language test, that sounds like reason enough… may be not very convincing. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2W0Q5Y5MdI/AAAAAAAAAFE/fa0BYixUXqo/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+107.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144716351716798930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2W0Q5Y5MdI/AAAAAAAAAFE/fa0BYixUXqo/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+107.jpg" border="0" /></a>The winter has also caught up with me may be. It is dark when I wake up and a few hours after lunch so it becomes again. The temparature is just above zero when it is not below. And on a typical day just dress as you can see. Suits are only used in parties.<br /><br /><br />All the same, many things have been happening in this <em>‘Jule Måneden’</em>. <em>Jule</em> is Christmas and the later just means ‘the month’. If I had ever seen <em>Jule</em> celebrated it is this year and by the way when you read <em>‘Jule’</em> read it as <em>‘Yule’</em>. Actually it takes a lot of planning. I have a friend who told me that she started planning for Christmas in June. The way to do is to do lots of shopping, planning where to be during Christmas, parties before Christmas, Christian concerts and Carol services. If you walked in any store in Norway you will find <em>‘Jule…’</em> everything. I mean <em>Julebrus</em> (Christmas juice/drinks), <em>julekake </em>(Christmas cake) and many more. You may wonder why am making a big deal out of this. But back home we think about Christmas not much before it appears, and no much of ‘Christmas everything’. And we also celebrate Christmas on 25th unlike on 24th (Christmas Eve), with eating a goat or several chicken.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#333333;">The Christmas cake house and the calender. This was made with our team leader in his house and will be eaten after Christmas.</span></em><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WwmZY5MaI/AAAAAAAAAEs/fENG8WwDk-8/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec2+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144712323037475234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WwmZY5MaI/AAAAAAAAAEs/fENG8WwDk-8/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec2+016.jpg" border="0" /></a>There is an extensive ‘<em>Jule Calendar’</em> having various activities from 1st the 24th of the month. All this is called the Advent period. I am sure my mother is more familiar with this than I am. I actually just remembered her favourite sermon during Christmas time, and it is amazing every time I listen to it. Now that am going to miss it this year let me tell you just a bit of it. It goes like; <em>‘Tukiririkana guchiarwo gwa gakenge Yesu, reke gachiarwo ngoro ini’</em> (as we remember the birth of the baby Jesus, let Christ be born in our hearts). It has many other words and it is usually in my mother tongue as you have learnt already. Back to the calendar days’; there is a day to go out singing to your neighbours and this is 13th, to light the <em>‘jule tre’</em> (Christmas tree), making a Christmas cake house <em>(‘jule hus’)</em> and many other things for everyday.<br /><br /><br />On 7th of '<em>Jule Måneden’</em> the Student group in University of Stavanger organised a prayer evening. It was a time to thank God together as the student group for the year, for those sitting for exams, for the festive season, and also for the student ministry in the coming year. I loved participating in the planning and being part of the evening. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2Wt9pY5MYI/AAAAAAAAAEc/gRvU3vvBvNg/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+212.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144709423934550402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2Wt9pY5MYI/AAAAAAAAAEc/gRvU3vvBvNg/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+212.jpg" border="0" /></a>As part of celebrating Christmas the group organised what is called <em>‘Julebørd’</em>. I have already told you that everything this month has a <em>‘jule’</em> aspect in it. This is would literary mean ‘Christmas table’ and surely it was, because it was a Christmas party. Coupled with indigenous Norwegian foods which at first tasted exotic to me was a lot of singing Christmas songs. Well, I had just joined the praise and worship team in church just a month before leaving home, though my close friends thought it was the wrong ministry for me because of the long time it takes to put my voice to harmony with others, I am surely having good practise with lots of singing this Christmas. Watch this space!!!<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#333333;">Above students singing in the prayer meeting and below, Vidar (left) and Sigurd (right) in the Julebørd</span>.</span></em><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WtipY5MXI/AAAAAAAAAEU/ccoKLO4FEas/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+223.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144708960078082418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WtipY5MXI/AAAAAAAAAEU/ccoKLO4FEas/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec+223.jpg" border="0" /></a> Over this <em>‘Jule’</em> my team mate and I will be spending and celebrating it with the family of one of our friends in an Island called Fogn. This is about 30 to 40 minutes ride in a motor boat. I have always been water-phobic; well to set things right I mean water-transport-phobic. But this weekend I tried it out and it wasn’t that scarily after all. Not only did I do the 40min to Fogn but first was a 2 hours ride to Sauda on Friday to visit a student group. As always spending time with students is always very energizing and activity filled especially on such an occasion where they were teenagers. The morning came sooner than I had expected. Sauda had much more snow than I had seen in Stavanger and so I did promise myself to go back and try skiing early next year. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WxxZY5MbI/AAAAAAAAAE0/MtK_QiA3nXw/s1600-h/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec2+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144713611527664050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R2WxxZY5MbI/AAAAAAAAAE0/MtK_QiA3nXw/s320/Stav+Nov+%26+Dec2+011.jpg" border="0" /></a>I also visit Tørd’s family (Tørd is a fellow student at Hald and in Kenya for internship) who were getting ready to go to Kenya next week and visit Tørd. That is when on our way back we visited the Volds at Fogn our host for Christmas. I am looking forward to spend time with them and have a taste of the Norwegian Christmas. You have something to look forward to when I return! <em>'God Jul og Godt Nytt År!!!'</em> (Merry Christmas and happy new year). Keep smiling!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#333333;"><em>Martha (Tørd's sister) playing a Christmas song during our visit in Sauda.</em></span><br /></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-33032537498962874302007-11-23T05:35:00.000-08:002007-11-25T06:06:33.501-08:00'Beyond the clouds'<div>On the 16th we left Stavanger for Oslo where we were to leave the following morning for a 2 days conference in Denmark. The conference was called the 'Nordic students' conference'. The students in attendance were from the five Scandinavian countries: Norway, Finland, Denmark Sweden and Iceland. Well as you may already guess my attendance was as a Norwegian which may sound ridiculous now that I can't even speak Norwegian. Nevertheless there I was as a 'proud Norwegian'. I attended tracks on 'glad you asked' which is a small group evangelism strategy through exploring different questions asked by seekers. I found this very helpful as we reach out, particularly to the youth in the postmodern era where we question everything and need mind cracking reasons to believe.<br /><br />It was organised into pl<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0bmfz1CKdI/AAAAAAAAAD8/ASTOfNEvMrM/s1600-h/DSCF1716.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136045859225610706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0bmfz1CKdI/AAAAAAAAAD8/ASTOfNEvMrM/s320/DSCF1716.jpg" border="0" /></a>enary sessions and small group discussions. It is amazing at what really joins us all together as Christians in the world that we could speak of the same things, connect socially, pray together and discuss God’s word in consensus. Surely this Gospel is real and alive in all nations of the world! This meant to me so much, finding students who have such a commitment to God amidst the social difficulties to the advancement of the Gospel. At the same time we also attended the largest mission conference in Denmark which was held during the same weekend. It was such a nice experience to see such a large group of people gathered to hear God's plan of salvation for the world. The sun is still shines!<span style="color:#000066;"> </span><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000066;">Above, Discussion group giving feedback durung the 'glad you asked' seminar. Below, the missions confrence.<br /></span></em><br />The conference held in Arhus city four hours drive from the capital city Copenhagen gave us an opportunity to view the flat landscape of Denmark, amazing road technology having the second largest bridge a cross the sea and the many windmills. In the midst of all that great <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0bm9T1CKeI/AAAAAAAAAEE/vrqxPAi76Ts/s1600-h/DSCF1733.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136046366031751650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0bm9T1CKeI/AAAAAAAAAEE/vrqxPAi76Ts/s320/DSCF1733.jpg" border="0" /></a>and beautiful sessions, the Scandinavians have a way of lighting up moments by making a lot of jokes about each other. In particular the Swedish and the Norwegian guys. Well I didn’t know why Jesus could not have been born in Norway until then; and this was ‘because there were no wise men from the east’. If you have a map you will understand the joke, and if you are a Scandinavian then it is even funnier!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0mBIz1CKfI/AAAAAAAAAEM/dmIh5tMMy6w/s1600-h/DSCF7344%5B1%5D.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136778838344346098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/R0mBIz1CKfI/AAAAAAAAAEM/dmIh5tMMy6w/s320/DSCF7344%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />As the plane took off from the Oslo airport on our way back to Stavanger, there was a lot of fog, the clouds were thick grey and it was dark on the land yet it was 9.00am. As we gained height and we were past the clouds, wow, there the beautiful blue sky and the sun shining big and bright. Despite the clouds the sun was still shining bright and beautiful. Isn’t life beautiful beyond the clouds of difficulty, uncertainty and failure? The sun is still shining, am determined to always look beyond the clouds!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-86465234106790590092007-11-11T05:52:00.000-08:002007-11-11T15:19:45.986-08:00Awakening Chronicles<div align="justify">As life unfolds so the weather seams too. Since I was a small boy back home, weather was not one of the topics I used to discuss only in my Geography and sometimes Science and Agriculture classes. However, today it seams to be the major consideration when I am to do something including dressing; is there snow, wind, rain and what is the temperature? In the last two days the temperature has been as low as 2 degrees. This is the lowest I have experienced. A friend of mine joked that back home 12 degrees in the city makes news, here 2 degrees makes small talks. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd-GHE5uuI/AAAAAAAAAD0/JzSZEnbL-A4/s1600-h/Hald4-Stav+1+220.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131708943855893218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd-GHE5uuI/AAAAAAAAAD0/JzSZEnbL-A4/s320/Hald4-Stav+1+220.jpg" border="0" /></a>However students still keep the smiles.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd9uHE5utI/AAAAAAAAADs/Ah-HJ-j24JM/s1600-h/Hald4-Stav+1+220.jpg"></a> Too much for the weather and hence small talks.<br /><br />A week ago my team mate and I embarked on a 7 hours train journey to Sandefjord which is some what on the east of Norway. We were attending a staff and volunteer staff meeting for the student ministry. On reaching the first destination where we were to change trains in Drammen, we had precisely 7 minutes to do so. Well it is common back home that our vectors studies are efficient so when moving from track one on railway lines we just jump over them especially when you suddenly realize that the train is just about to leave. Well, we tried the same! If I have ever heard a shout it was that day. It was one of the railway workers shouting that we get of the tracks!<br /><br />The meeting was good coupled with a good reunion with all the International Hald students in the students’ ministry. We had sharing moments of the progress in our work, bible study times, prayer meetings and team building activities. We also attended a teenagers meeting dabbed ‘Get Focused’ where more than one thousand students attended. It was fascinating to see such a big number of teenagers gathered. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd7kHE5usI/AAAAAAAAADk/EKgmWftSQhU/s1600-h/DSCF1583.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131706160717085378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd7kHE5usI/AAAAAAAAADk/EKgmWftSQhU/s320/DSCF1583.jpg" border="0" /></a>This weekend one of the big question I have had for long was answered. I have always asked myself what makes a true leader. That weekend I thought; just observe a true leader, and there you will know. I took time to listen to the NKSS general secretary keenly and sat next to him during the last dinner. Within 5 minutes of my close interactions with him I had got the answer I have been looking for! <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd6kXE5urI/AAAAAAAAADc/d3NuNDvf9sI/s1600-h/biblestudy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131705065500424882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rzd6kXE5urI/AAAAAAAAADc/d3NuNDvf9sI/s320/biblestudy.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Above, leaving the Get Focused meeting with friends. Opposite, a bible study and prayer sesion in the nature in Sandefjord during the meeting.</em></span></div><div align="justify"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"></span></em> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"></span></em></div><div align="justify">One of this days that I like working to finish a task to the end before I take another, happened last Tuesday. I took sometime finalizing work in the house while at the same time I forgot I was to catch a bus to school and learn some Norwegian. When I looked at the watch I noticed I had 2 minutes to the time the bus leaves. You can almost imagine what happened. Well, to keep you away from guessing, that day I came to know what it coasted the world 100 metres champion, Veronica in the Commonwealth Championships. I had never run that fast before.<br /><br />Learning Norwegian is interesting and I have learnt three new “alphabets”, å, ø and æ. Also ‘y’ is read as ‘I’ and so both are vowels. ‘J’ sounds like the English ‘y’. Where a vowel is followed by two consonants makes a different word and pronunciation as when followed by one consonant. Hence the words ‘pen’ and ‘penn’ are very different. The easy part is the ‘er’ takes place of ‘are’, ‘is’ and ‘am’ so I will say ‘Jeg er bra’ to say ‘I am good’. Well that is a 3 hours lesson. Soon I will start reading the Norwegian news paper. Since I came I always asked myself why when you ask a Norwegian to teach you something they say ‘I will learn you’ instead of ‘I will teach you’. This week I actually discovered. This is a direct translation from their mother tongue what we used to call back home ‘DT’ (direct translation). In Norwegian you say ‘Jeg vil lære deg’ so it is automatically ‘I will learn you’! I warned you if you hear it again! </div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-69374555934236118422007-11-05T10:31:00.000-08:002007-11-05T13:06:48.712-08:00Hands on....<div align="justify"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9352WMAZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/9FLElnRqQ2A/s1600-h/DSCF1496.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129450336323109266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9352WMAZI/AAAAAAAAAC8/9FLElnRqQ2A/s320/DSCF1496.jpg" border="0" /></a>Working among students is always energizing and rejuvenating. My working involves two students groups in Stavanger University; the International students Fellowship (Christian Union) and the Norwegian students Movement (LAGET). Both groups are part of the Norwegian International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) movement called NKSS. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Above. A joint fellowship between LAGET and the CU</em></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em><br /></div></em></span><div align="justify">Our focus is to make Jesus known, believed and followed in the University. We do this through, fellowships, bible discussions, camps/retreats and leadership development activities.<br /></div><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9k2WWMAWI/AAAAAAAAACk/zcRccB-_1v4/s1600-h/Hald4-Stav+1+198.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129429385472639330" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9k2WWMAWI/AAAAAAAAACk/zcRccB-_1v4/s320/Hald4-Stav+1+198.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#000099;">Students in a Bible study in a recent camp.</span></em></p><p align="justify">Informal gatherings such as social evenings, meals and outings are good opportunities of making contact with the students and other people too. I have visited several families and met several people in cafes here in Stavnger, it is a very common practice. Back home we call it <span style="color:#ff0000;">'Fellowship and swallowship'.</span></p><p align="justify"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9oxGWMAXI/AAAAAAAAACs/RI0d12HKd6Y/s1600-h/Stav+3+229.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129433693324837234" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9oxGWMAXI/AAAAAAAAACs/RI0d12HKd6Y/s320/Stav+3+229.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Finn Ivar Vold trying is hands on Ugali (Kenyan meal) and Chicken together with Elias (Visiting Kenyan, left) and Joe my team mate (right) in our house.</em></span></p><p align="justify">I am a part of a weekly bible study group in the city of Stavanger, the G12 group. It is a group in IMI church made up internationals leaving in Stavnger city. Here I try many things including baby sitting.</p><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9jlmWMAVI/AAAAAAAAACc/crs2yaoIUNM/s1600-h/DSCF1473.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129427998198202706" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9jlmWMAVI/AAAAAAAAACc/crs2yaoIUNM/s320/DSCF1473.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">With young David in the bible study group.</span></em></p><p>Use of every small ability is highly appreciated here ,to develop it and to serve.</p><p><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Playing drums in the bible study group<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9jM2WMAUI/AAAAAAAAACU/qY1x4ADw8-I/s1600-h/DSCF1481.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129427572996440386" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9jM2WMAUI/AAAAAAAAACU/qY1x4ADw8-I/s320/DSCF1481.jpg" border="0" /></a> </em></span><br /></p><p>I also attend the international church in Sandness. See; <a href="http://www.kif.sandness.googlepages.com/">http://www.kif.sandness.googlepages.com/</a>. Both the bible study and the churches are places of growth, meeting other people and off course areas to serve.</p><br /><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9h-WWMARI/AAAAAAAAAB8/WS4Z_kSWbCs/s1600-h/DSCF1361.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129426224376709394" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry9h-WWMARI/AAAAAAAAAB8/WS4Z_kSWbCs/s320/DSCF1361.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Pastor of the International Church in Sandness Fransis Kamau and his wife Janne. </em></span></p><p>The Global Leadership Summit organised by the Willow Creek Association was a good growth <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry98wmWMAaI/AAAAAAAAADE/cH5J7mGNX9Q/s1600-h/DSCF1384.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129455674967458210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ry98wmWMAaI/AAAAAAAAADE/cH5J7mGNX9Q/s320/DSCF1384.jpg" border="0" /></a>point. Together with the staff of NKSS office at Stavanger and two student leaders I participated for the two days the summit run. The topics discussed were: Vision to die for and inspiration by Bill Hybels, Tough Choices by Carly Fiona, Building humanity by Jimmy Carter, Lead where you are by Colin Powel, Go put your strengths at work by Marcus Buckingham, A leader's greatest fear by John Ortberg and living for greater good by Richard Curits.</p><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;"><em>Above. Discussing a point with Åusmud the LAGET Chair duirng the Global leadership summit.</em></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">I have had some reflections and questions on some few issues I thought after the summit, such as:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="color:#000000;">How to use my spiritual gifts (Administration, faith and Leadership) in what God wants me to do with my life while here on earth as a leader. </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">How do I stay in the course of God’s call even when there is no motivation and inspiration to stay? </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">What inspires me and what motivates me most in my life and leadership? </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">How do I want to lead in my context and cause Godly impact? </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">What are the Shadow missions that can distract me from God’s mission for my life and how do I counter them? </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Discover deeper my strengths take more time and build on them and get a way round my weaknesses. </span></li><li><span style="color:#000000;">Getting my cutting edge and playing my part in the lives of the less privileged, the poor, the HIV infected and issues of justice in the society. </span></li></ul><p><span style="color:#000000;">I am still thinking through, praying and finding answers, for some I may not find answers soon! The summit will remain a great highlight of my time in Norway, am glad I was there.</span></p>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-65569072874545531442007-11-01T13:40:00.000-07:002007-11-01T15:26:20.135-07:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/RypGdGWMAQI/AAAAAAAAAB0/zt2-7_sVVAI/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127988591448555778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/RypGdGWMAQI/AAAAAAAAAB0/zt2-7_sVVAI/s320/Stav+3+109.jpg" border="0" /></a>Being in Stavanger, a new city it could be lonely, but meeting Tom made a big difference. Well, he is from Stavanger and Nairobi too, after having visited Kenya 26 times in 19 yrs! Getting to make a home in a new land the aquitance approach is the best, with the people and the land and this started on this beautiful Wednesday of Moi day.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/RypC-mWMAOI/AAAAAAAAABk/Xc247oIin-8/s1600-h/Stav+3+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127984768927662306" style="WIDTH: 266px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 208px" height="177" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/RypC-mWMAOI/AAAAAAAAABk/Xc247oIin-8/s320/Stav+3+005.jpg" width="212" border="0" /></a> <div><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">Tom steering on a highway.</span></em></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"><div></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo91GWMAMI/AAAAAAAAABU/152xyP4ikac/s1600-h/Stav+3+045.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127979108160766146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo91GWMAMI/AAAAAAAAABU/152xyP4ikac/s320/Stav+3+045.jpg" border="0" /></a><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"><div></a></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"><div></a></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">Above a beautiful water fall in the middle of a city in Kilppen Community. On the left a historic site marking the </span></em></div></div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;color:#3333ff;">making of unity between leaders in Norway 1000year ago under the leadership of King Harlod 1.</span></em></div><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><div>Being in an new environment the body and the mind take some good time to get into the system. I have learnt that taking more time in the outside to breath the fresh air, get the cold, get rained on, meet the people, make mistakes and laugh loundly about them is a good part of life. The beauty of nature is healing and refreshing. It speaks of the greatness of the invisible maker who put it all together and his invisible nature controls it. At one point I thought, 'If I never believed then I would have believed', that is, "...since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Warumi moja, ishirini.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#3333ff;">Below. May be too much walking without some sleep makes Sammy and Knut dull boys!</span></em></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo_B2WMANI/AAAAAAAAABc/-xZI9GcjFbM/s1600-h/Stav+3+109.jpg"></div></a><div></div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo6kGWMALI/AAAAAAAAABM/BbHh_mPnwpg/s1600-h/Stav+2+101.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127975517568106674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo6kGWMALI/AAAAAAAAABM/BbHh_mPnwpg/s320/Stav+2+101.jpg" border="0" /></a>A little rest on the pulpit rock was not that bad, especially after 2hrs 30 minutes climbing to the o the top, walking over rocks and above beautiful fjords. The trip was with Knut an electrical engeneering student at the University of Stavanger . It is amazing how friendship grows and blossoms with time and how one would give for their friends. It wa a day well spent!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo91GWMAMI/AAAAAAAAABU/152xyP4ikac/s1600-h/Stav+3+045.jpg"></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div></div></div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-50233428434070522122007-09-21T08:10:00.000-07:002007-11-01T13:39:27.123-07:00A step next<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo5LmWMAKI/AAAAAAAAABE/T3NBiOR3yUE/s1600-h/Stav+2+060.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127973997149683874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Ryo5LmWMAKI/AAAAAAAAABE/T3NBiOR3yUE/s320/Stav+2+060.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It is amazing how time moves fast, already in Stavanger for one month. It has been exciting to be here working among students and visiting different places in Stavanger.</div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731371812980042750.post-5220196418713797592007-09-04T05:19:00.000-07:002007-09-04T05:39:41.070-07:00Finally Nimefika!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rt1PQ7_fkrI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ttJ9OcgnGcY/s1600-h/n846005243_1099468_6648%5B1%5D.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106324704908513970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XkfIdJmD55o/Rt1PQ7_fkrI/AAAAAAAAAAM/ttJ9OcgnGcY/s320/n846005243_1099468_6648%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Sasa? I am finally at <a href="http://www.hald.no/">Hald</a>! It is great to be here and life though diffrent is very exciting. It is now three weeks that I have been here at Hald International Centre. This is the first step of my work here in Norway and I am going through a preparatory course for seven weeks before going to my practice place to a city called Starvanger in the South coast of Norway. I have made so many friends and am happy that there is so great unity in diversity. Activities are many and the trainings on diffrent issues such as leadership, missions, poverty, Norwegian history and church, development and coorporation agenda by fk Norway. </div>Sammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17103744037861545317noreply@blogger.com6