I have arrived!

I have arrived in Kenya and have had a busy first two weeks! I know wordy blog posts are a surefire way to make you not want to read this so I’ll keep it brief and stick to the top 10 most interesting highlights.

1. After many sad goodbyes I set foot on the plane to Kenya, instantly felt peace despite my tears and soon after was overwhelmed with the joy and responsibility ahead.

2. Kenya feels very different this time around. It feels familiar, not nearly as far away as I had feared and to my surprise, it instantly felt like home.

3. The kids have grown so much and their English is improving rapidly. Some of the kids who were scared to death of wazungu (white people) the last time I was here are now some of the first to say, “Auntie Lachel (R’s are difficult for the Kenyans) come sit by, play with and hold me!” I can’t tell you what that feels like!

4. My roommate, Rikki Tai Ferrell, is amazing and I am so thankful for all that she has done to make this transition easy. There have been many laughs, many hours speaking strictly in British accents and a million random off-the-wall questions from Rikki that have led to even more random conversations.

5. After a few days of orientation with Julie Mendonsa, I started full-swing working with short-term volunteer teams, which are nonstop until October. It is such a beautiful thing to understand why I was called here and to be truly needed by this ministry.

6. There is a Kenyan woman named Margaret that lives next to me at Naomi’s Village. She has offered to braid my hair like a Kenyan and to help me with my Swahili. So far I have 10 solid things I can say including telling the kids to sit, stand, come, NO and STOP! Very important!

7. Despite my daily insecticide bedroom spray-downs, I awoke the other night to a long, thin TBD insect on my face at 2 AM. I frantically wiped it off and then was further mortified when I turned my light on and found a giant furry spider just hanging out on my bedroom wall.

8. In addition, the kids think it’s hilarious to pretend like they want to hold my hand and then put giant beetles in it instead. Super awesome.

9. I went to a movie in Nairobi the other weekend and found out Kenyans play their national anthem in theaters (much like the start of a sporting event) before every movie. The whole theater stood up, placed their hands over their hearts and went to town singing their song.

10. I have befriended a friend of Rikki Tai’s, who works for the UN. She is teaching me about the history of Kenya and the current political situation in Kenya. It is quite fascinating and helping me to understand the brokenness that surrounds me.

That about covers it. Thank you for all the love, support and prayers! They are much needed and so appreciated! 

My roommate Rikki Tai and I

a few days after I arrived.

More pictures to come soon!