hakuna matata

 i can say with complete honesty... i could count on one hand how many times i have witnessed here someone expressing anger or frustration toward another person. and this is after 17 days last year and six so far this trip. in towns, it is like a three-ring circus with people, animals, market goods, and poverty everywhere you look, literally, and yet everyone is just going about their business unaffected by any of it. i don't know if it is resignation, acceptance, or just unbothered. it gives a sense of peace even though you are in the midst of craziness. and when you drive out of a town, it is lush and breathtakingly beautiful landscape with people shephering their animal,s carrying water in yellow containters, or balancing baskets on their head. it just works. 

the next three pictures are from the deaf school. these kids. they are amazing! they stole our hearts last year and did not return it yet. they are so very grateful.  shoutout to legacy, esther's school, where the high school collected t-shirts for us to bring to the older boys.they packed the suitcase with 51 lbs. of them! last year, i felt like this group was shorted because most of our supplies were geared toward younger kids. the boys each received two to three t-shirts. they immediately put both shirts on 😁 over each other! it was super sweet to single them out. and shout out to phoebe for buying these snoopy t-shirts for me to give to two boys that the teachers selected as exemplary. it melts me to see them with that type smile that shows they were really pleased. the older girls received a small bag with bracelets, lip gloss, and hand sewn, reusable pads for their period. if you like to sew, their are several items you could make that would benefit these kids. 

after visiting the deaf school, we headed to the in His hands property. we arrived just before their lunch break bearing doughnuts, soda, and chips. they gathered around, and it will forever be one of my favorite memories. when we give to this program, we give work. they are very very very grateful. several of these guys have been here since the beginning (February 2024), and have invested much of themselves into it. it makes my heart happy.

while at the property, we also interviewed three women who had completed applications and submitted resumes through the website. they were interested in becoming house moms or teachers. of the three, one was sooo perfect we think. she will move to the next selection committee and have a background check completed and references contacted.  

then we went to jackie and richard's place. i posted a few pictures from this visit on yesterday's post. they are such loving people, they are an inspiration to everyone who sees what they are doing. 

and in closing, a picture of the bathhouse and rescue center. in about three weeks, the rescue center will have been finished and look as finished as the bathhouse. it will change everything! and painting starts next week on the bathhouse. michelle and i are still wrestling with the color palette to use. it is a big decision, aghhh!!!

it is about 9:00 here on saturday night. i am tired. tomorrow we leave for nairobi knowing we accomplished all we set out to do on this trip. michelle and i have traveled beautifully together. we have spent countless hours with stephen and have etched memories into our lives that we will all treasure forever. what a blessing. and i chuckle at God's sneakiness as i think back to a quick conversation with michelle mcgowan at the front door of michelle suess's home as i was leaving abbey mae's bridal shower. we had never met, and michelle plants a seed for joining a team going last june. i had no idea how much i needed kenya in my life until then. grateful.

tomorrow night, i will blog about today.there is little brain bandwidth left after another packed productive good day : )