peace

day 9 from leaving home. just lost power. back soon. i hope. 

hi 👋 again!

it is funny how quickly you settle into a routine. this trip reminds me of our 18 days in hanoi in 2018. being creatures of habit, we (me!) want to fall into a routine, some sort of predictability that gives us (me!) a semblance of stability. it gives me peace. 

physical peace first though.... the peaceful protest turned violent uprising has been quelled for now. the president refused to sign the significant tax increase bill. i think most are suspicious that it's an attempt to diffuse the anger the kenyans rightfully feel. we are in kisii and while we saw crowds gathered with whistles being blown and stores closing, it passed within the afternoon. nairobi was where the people gathered in mass and precious lives lost.

seven of the seventeen team members left today about 12 hours ahead of plan to ensure safety getting to nairobi... it was the medical team primarily from the same church. some natural separation was there because of knowing each other; it seemed at times to me like that division created unneeded division from the rest of the group. makes me mindful to make the effort to make all feel included next time i am in similar situation. 

and add in the amount of hoops they were made to jump through to satisfy the minister of health, the medical camp that was offered yesterday left all of that group feeling just done in. the people's needs are so great that it easily turns to desperation. when the medicine supply was depleted, the people were asking the nurses for the ballpoint pen in their scrubs. it is equally sad and frustrating. they literally want anything you might be able to give. 

i know it is impossible to believe... the vast majority have nothing. nothing. 

anyway, today was a good day. we were at the rescue center twice today and met with a widow and her seven children who so very much need help. this was the first time when there was no joy in the children. they were age three to seventeen and they just seemed expressionless 😔. when you took their picture (with permission) and showed it to them, you could coax a smile 😁. 

the construction workers are working hard! temperatures are mild and no rain so they are motivated. we met with the architect, the structural engineer, and the foreman. later we met with four americans, two are here for ministry and two are an older couple from kentucky who've never been out of the country. i admire their bravery!

phoebe spent at least an hour at the fence at the rescue center with kids who live on the adjoining property. they put tiny flowers in her hair and she made flower headbands for them. we gave them black barbies, paddleballs, and decks of playing cards. our driver alex lined them up and gave them each a gift making them stay in single file. a highlight for the day for sure.

for the record, we have the BEST rockstar drivers in kenya. they are with us more than 12 hours a day. 

we were back to itibo by 7:30 tonight! woot! esther, tom, and agnes spoil us every morning and every night with a beautiful spread of fresh food! who besides me goes on a mission trip and gains weight?! 

winding down by writing this post and snuggling in to my favorite (and only) podcaster 😉.

thank you for taking a few minutes to journey with me. i promise you'd love it here ❤️. maybe some day you can come see for yourself. in the meantime, be grateful for and mindful of our abundance of life's necessities - clean water, healthcare, beds, plenty of food and clothes. may kenyan joy be contagious. 

(these eyes)

(feels like home)

(cows and goats staked all along road sides. this one must be walking to his next grazing location)

(tea)

(land directly behind rescue center finally secured yesterday after months of haggling)

(pretty patchwork of masonry)

(alex the best driver along with justin. not kidding, he is masterful beyond anything you can conjure up in your head)

(we are in a 25 passenger bus driving on either dirt 

roads with chunks of rocks and washed out ruts or heavy traffic with lots of motorbikes and no stop signs or stoplights 😳)

(and lastly, our home away from home, itibo resort. we go to breakfast and dinner in jammies or clothes if we are too pooped to change. as soon as the watchman opens our gate at night, it feels like we walk into the sanctuary of our kenyan home. the property is just beautiful.)

love to you from africa 🌍