I have now been in Kenya for one week. It is hard to believe that I have left Rwanda, and am now in month 6. This means I have 6 months left-I am almost half way done with the race! I have to admit that this brings me much joy knowing that the end is near. Not that I want the rest of the race to fly by, but knowing that helps a little with going through the race. Yes, I am still trying to enjoy every minute but it is hard.
Nairobi is a great city, although the coffee isn’t nearly as good as it was in Rwanda. Oh well, it was still good and enjoyable to sit in a coffee shop and be able to relax a little. I had the opportunity to visit with some friends of my parents who have been missionaries here since 1997. I had a great time with them enjoying Ethiopian food (and getting a picture with Green Bay packers plates), enjoy some coffee with them, and a nap at their house. It was great feeling like I was a part of their family, and just being around parent figures. Although I only spent a few hours with them, I was sad to say good-bye to them. Hopefully I will have a chance to see them again when I head back to Nairobi at the end of the month.
The other day I had the chance to go on a safari, and on the way we stopped at the Great Rift Valley. Wow, what beauty! Think of the Grand Canyon but bigger…much bigger! On the bottom of the valley we could see Masai villages dotting the landscape. I wonder what it is to live down there, in the traditional way of the tribes? Driving back from the safari (which, I am sad to say was disappointing after my safari in Zimbabwe 9 years ago), there were several instances when I had to pray. Picture driving on the narrow road on the cliff wall of the Rift Valley (that was built in 1942, and is one of the oldest roads in Kenya) and the driver deciding that the traffic was moving too slow so we would pass them. Now, the roads here do not have guard rails or shoulders and it was quite tense (of all the times to wake up from my nap!). But, we made it safely and I was able to see an amazing sunset over the valley.
Driving through Kenya makes me feel like I am back in the USA. Parts remind me of the mountainous North Carolina, others the corn ridden fields of the Midwest, and still others remind me of Florida. I do not know which I like better, Rwanda or Kenya, but it is beautiful. I’ve decided that it is pathetic that the roads here are much better than in Michigan; well, that is except for the couple hours of intense bumps that felt like a bumpy old, wooden roller coaster (thank God I wasn’t as sick as I was on the way from Kigali to Nairobi).
So, anyways, I am now in Kitale and do not know how much internet access I will have or even what ministry I am doing (other than working at an orphanage). Janelle, Sarah and I are all sleeping in a queen size bed together in a room that barely fits the bed. Are stuff are piled on the bed and anywhere we can find space. In our backyard we have a calf name Rachelle, two dogs and a bunch of very tasty looking chickens. I have a feeling that come the end of this month I will really be wanting to eat one of those chickens (not that I don’t right now) as we are eating rice, beans and potatoes.
