Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 10, 1995 TAG: 9508100007
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARY JO SHANNON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES &WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A member of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, Wainaina followed her pastor's advice to look for a Presbyterian church immediately after her arrival in Roanoke, where she came to attend National Business College. She brought with her a letter of introduction from her pastor, noting that her mother is a deacon and her grandfather an elder in the African church.
As she traveled to National Business College, her bus passed First Presbyterian Church. She eventually went to the church and met Louise King, a volunteer.
"I told her I wanted to join the church," Wainaina said.
King introduced Wainaina to the Rev. Bob Smith.
"The church is much like my church in Kenya," Wainaina said, "except we have only one pastor. We have about 1,000 members and sometimes the people cannot all get inside but sit outside and listen."
Wainaina met many First Presbyterian members during a fellowship period after worship. Some members, she said, have been very helpful to her.
Doug and Marie Freeman, became "surrogate parents" to Wainaina - keeping in touch with her several times a week.
"We did round up some odd pieces of furniture for her," Marie Freeman said. "And we helped her find a secondhand car. But she took out a loan to pay for it, and took private instruction to get her license. Those practice driving sessions on the old Sears parking lot [on Williamson Road] were a riot."
At home in Kenya, Wainaina had limited experience driving. Her family owned one car, but with her parents and five brothers competing for use of it, she seldom drove.
When she did drive, the rules were different. Kenya, a republic within the British Commonwealth, has British customs, and drivers keep to the left side of the road.
During the winter, Wainaina often longed for the warmth of her home outside Nairobi, and the Freeman's home became a haven for her.
Her father owns a coffee and tea plantation, which she hopes to manage after completing her studies. He also raises sheep, goats, pigs and dairy cows which produce 27 kilos of milk daily for sale to a dairy.
The year-round growing season enables the family to have fresh vegetables - something Wainaina misses most.
"We only have to buy things like salt and oil," Wainaina said. "I really miss the fresh vegetables and milk. And we don't have mutton and goat meat in America." Although she enjoys American foods, especially pizza, she longs for typical African dishes, such as ugali, a dish made by cooking maize in boiling water. The change of diet and the drastic change of pace from life in Kenya, where the day was over at dinner time, to days and evenings filled with classes and work, often until 11 p.m., may have taken a toll on her health.
Health problems during the spring semester caused Wainaina to stop working her part-time jobs and and focus on her school work, which she hopes to complete by March.
by CNB