Arrived and Acclimating

After 32 hours of airports, planes, etc., we arrived in Nairobi last night around 11:30, and at the ACK Guesthouse this morning at around 12:30 a.m. A couple of the advantages of having a late plane: Most of the customs officials have gone home, and then there's the absence of Nairobi traffic jams. We were able to get home fairly quickly after a Tetris-like game of getting the suitcases in to the van (kudos to Silas and Livingstone for their skill and strength).

Stunned a little by the fact that we were back to four-wheeled transportation, I took in the bright billboards, the worn path by the highway (that seemed strangely empty--it's usually bustling with activity), and listened to Julie filling everyone in about guest house logistics and our plans for the days ahead. The team joked about how for a bit it seemed like I was driving--truthfully, it is a little odd for the first five minutes or so as a front-seat passenger in a country that drives on the left side of the road.

We dispersed to our various rooms, knowing we'd reconvene at breakfast over mango juice, eggs, and tea. Zadie and I have the front room in the guest house for the next two nights, so we hear a lot of the outside activity--footsteps, talking, cars idling, alarms sounding, and unfamiliar bird calls. Oh yes, I love me some earplugs. :-) Familiar were the sounds of crickets and some humid air.

As we turned in, the guest house light spilled in around the curtains, illuminating our mosquito nets. The reality of being in Kenya has set in.

Today we're heading out to a boys' orphanage near Nairobi. Among the things we're taking with us are a soccer ball and some scratch art supplies.

As everyone adjusts to the new time zone (and tries to remember important details such as taking malaria medication and brushing teeth with bottled water), we covet your prayers.

Two Days!

So it's two days 'till go time. It's raining here in Lexington, and according to Julie, it's been raining some in Nairobi, too! Something about the events coinciding makes the upcoming trip more real, vivid, and tactile to me. She's been nibbling on cabbage and chipati (unleavened flatbread), and in association with this experience learned the phrase, "I tamu," which means "It's delicious!"

(I'll admit that I find myself a little nervous about the food this time around, as I've become gluten-sensitive. It's sad, because I love me some chipati. I'm packing a lot of protein-packed snacks that my body is used to, and my fellow team member, Zadie, is doing the same! I know I will get some concerned Kenyan glances when skipping over the food, but I'll learn a phrase to explain why, and I'll get used to the scenario.

Julie says she's going to contact a few on the team with some packing tips after having gone through customs this time. She noted each of us might want to pack a tiny umbrella on account of the rain, which comes down hard and fast before disappearing quickly.

We found out this morning that we'll get to visit another orphanage while in Kenya, and that we'll also have an opportunity to visit the Masaii. After meeting Leah, a Masaii woman about my age on my last visit, I am looking forward to having this opportunity.

Off to church, American-style. I'll take it all in so that I can fully reflect on Kenya church next Sunday.

"Dadas" in Kenya

Our team is a week away from its departure to Nairobi. Nine strong, our team has backgrounds varying from college pupil to seminary student to marketing guru to music ministry assistant.

In the initial stages of our trip planning, we were dubbed the Good Shepherd group because the Good Shepherd orphanage in Nyaharuru is our main destination in Kenya. So, why “dadas”? Our missions pastor, Julie, explained early in the trip that dadas means “sisters” in Swahili, and as our trip formed, she started calling us dadas in our trip e-mails. The transformation made sense, because as the group got to know one another, we truly began to form a sort of sisterhood—one that I anticipate will grow as we travel together.

Here are some basics on the trip, for you who are just learning about it or for those who need a refresher:

• We depart to visit our friends in Kenya on July 28, arriving the evening of July 29. Julie will already be there, hanging out with two of our friends in Nairobi who have spent time with us at Centenary.
• After a few days settling into Nairobi and assisting our friends with their projects in Nairobi, we’ll head by van north to Nyaharuru, which is a town about three hours north.
• We’ll spend time visiting with the children of the Good Shepherd Home, their guardians, and the gentleman who oversees the orphanage, Simon.
• Activities planned for the kids include Scripture-themed crafts, singing, sports/activities, and we hope to simply express to them/remind them of their worth and God’s love for them.
• We’ll have some sessions educating the young women on health issues such as HIV prevention, and just answering questions about health that they might not feel comfortable asking. (Our nurse on the team will be helping us guide those discussions.)
• Same with the women who also care for these children: We hope to serve as encouragers for these women and several team members will be teaching some cooking classes, guiding some sessions on training in grief counseling (they deal with grief a lot, on account of the losses due to AIDS and other illness).

Ultimately, we just want to be available on this trip, for whatever God might have for us in our connections there.

The team was commissioned yesterday, we pack this week, and off we’ll go. I will try to provide as frequent updates as I’m able during this time via this blog, and we’d appreciate your prayers as we head out next week.