Caribu!

Caribu is the Swahili word for welcome, and I have heard it so much since I've been here. I have never met a more welcoming, generous, hospitable people in my whole life!

I'm sorry for not uploading pictures, but with the internet here I'm lucky to get some words up...don't worry, I'm taking lots of pictures and videos... although I forgot to ask someone to video all the Kenyan girl students doing the electric slide with me as I held up my ipod to play the music. When I asked them what they do for fun they said...we like to take a picnic. Ahh, the simpler things in life.

How can I even describe the things I am witnessing? I can't encourage you enough that if you EVER have the opportunity to come to Kenya...TAKE IT!

Yesterday we spent the day in Chepkong'ony. This is a rural school where both Chris and my brother Daniel spent significants amount of time teaching and ministering. I can only say that it was very surreal being there with those people and meeting teachers that remembered my brother and my husband. WOW. They took us around the school showing us their science lab and the water spout that was made possible by a fundraiser I participated in while at Harding (Texas vs the world). They were so proud of this water spout, and they showed us how they almost had electricity. The wires on the poles came right up to the school and then stopped. They made us chai tea and it was AWESOME. We listened to the children sing and Suzy, Cindy, and I took the girls aside and talked to them. They asked us a million questions about America and wanted to touch my hair and my skin. They fixed us a HUGE feast which I'm sure they could not afford, and we talked with the teachers about the school, life in Kenya, the bleak job prospects for their students, the culture...reading this I realize that it is a very boring story, but I just wish you could have been there. They had not had any American visitors since Chris left five years ago. The small children in the surrounding villages had never seen white people. They were so eager to talk to us and learn everything they could for us. I've never felt so honored and valued by total strangers.

Let me say again that two of our biggest blessings here have been our driver, Joseph, and our friend, Boaz. They have gone everywhere with us and helped us translate and answer cultural questions.

Today we drove to Kisumu. My stomach had butterflies as we approached the city that would be our new home. Every city we have been to so far has been soooo different. And I think Kisumu is my favorite. It is not too rural to be uncomfortable, but not too urban to be unsafe. We drove around today, trying to take it all in. We stopped in the slums and walked into the heart of them to see the orphan day school where Chris will be working every day. This was a bit overwhelming. I'll never forget walking down those dirt streets the first time. So many children came out around us yelling Wazungu! (white people) or how ahh youuu? or hallo (this was done as if holding their nose because they apparently think we sound very nazzly). They all wanted to shake our hand or touch us.

This is definitely a special place, and I'm still processing everything. Tomorrow we will go to look for housing and cars and such. Friday we will spend more time back in the slums with the children...at least we didn't see any kids high on glue like we did so much in Nairobi, although I'm sure they are there. As we drove past some children on our way they were waving, and Joseph told us they were very hungry. I don't know how he knew, but I know he was right. They are all very hungry. His comment took the wind out of our sails for a little while. What do you do with this?