So you can see life from my eyes....

Can I just say that I have finally been told that I am eating like a Kenyan! When I got here

Tuesday, I took very small bites, but now I can fill my spoon and put the whole thing in my
mouth!! haha. I am sure you all wanted to know that... I am really starting to enjoy the food!
At first, I didn't know if I would be able to eat 3 meals of heavy food (so many vegetables)
and 4 cups of hot tea a day, but now I know I can do it!! I am actually starting to love it. I
have realized that the reason people eat so much heavy food is because they walk so much
and work so hard. The last two days have made me very hungry! Last night's meal was my
favorite. We had mashed potatoes, rice, stew (meat, carrots, onions, beans, and cabbage),
bananas, and greens! This morning for breakfast I had Kenyan pancakes with my mammaw's
strawberry jam! YUMMY!


My two days at the youth centre have been amazing!! It is a little different being the only
muzungu (white person) around. All the children flock to me! I am surrounded constantly by
at least 50 kids all who want to lay a hand on me. I have been pinched and rubbed more times
that I can count. I have tried to tell them that my skin will not come off and it will not change
colors!! A lot of them do not understand that, though beacause many of the children (especially
the younger ones) do not speak English. Today I let the hair and beauty department at the centre
braid my hair! I have been reminded that Africans pull very hard! OUCH! My head still hurts.


Yesterday, I was a little upset because I was told that the reason everyone stares at me is not just
because I am "white." Yes, I am a different color, but a lot of them stare because they are hurt. They
are hurt because I spent thousands of dollars to come here and many of them cannot even afford to
give their children food each day. I was very emotional yesterday. I cried and was teary eyed all
day long. These people are right. I did spend thousands of dollars to come to this place, but what I
want them to see is that I came FOR THEM! I am here because I love them. I love them so much
I am here because I think that what I have to offer is much better than money. I want to share the
Word of God with them. Oh I pray that before I leave, these people would see that. May they see
that these earthly things will pass (including food), but if they have Jesus Christ they will continue
to live!


OKay.. On to the pictures!!

This is my BESTEST friend Joab! He comes and visits
every night for dinner and to keep me company! This picture
was taken in a very loud, obnoxious, and hot matatu
(public transportation)! Their were about 15 people in this van.
Joab has helped me so much here in Kenya to fit in! If he wasn't
here then, well, I don't know if I could've adjusted so quickly. He
has taught me everything from the proper way to fix tea to being a
confident muzungu among many Kenyans!

My lovely bed and mosquito net :) :) It is so nice that they haven given me my own room! And man, this bed sleeps good!!

Well, Jacob tells me that I attract farm animals! All of you
know how much I want a goat! Since my dad says no, I guess
I will have to keep one while in Kenya!! When I picked this
little guy up, the momma was not very happy with me..... One
thing that I love about the animals here is that none of them
are scared of humans! I have already gotten to randomly pet pigs,
goats, and well.... chickens. They run throughout the streets.

I knew all of you who went last summer would appreciate this
picture :)

I couldn't believe it when I saw the school! It looks like a whole new school from when we came last summer. There are now 3 floors, and an underground level. The underground level has a staff room and a library! Yes, a library!! Hundreds of books were donated to the centre! I have started reading one childrens book to my friend Saul each day. Yesterday I read him Green Eggs and Ham and then today I read him There's a Wocket in my Pocket! He loves Dr. Seuss, but had never read any of those books. The 1st floor has 6 classrooms, and the 2nd floor has 5 class rooms and a huge office for Principal Moses. The 2nd floor also has other administration offices and the youth classrooms. They are down to only 8 youth at the moment, but are hoping to bring more in. The third floor is a HUGE assembly room. Complete with a stage and ceiling fans. It will also have tile floors! The school looks amazing. I was very impressed! I think having a nice school to learn in brings hope to these students.

This..... is why I am here. I love each and
every child. Currently there around 295 kids
at the youth centre. I hope to learn each ones
name. It is a big goal, but I can do it :) I am
also learning swahili by the way. Principal Moses
is teaching me, and he said I could take classes
with the younger children!! He has even given
me homework. He says by the time I leave, I
should at least know simple Swahili.









Well, I am going to say goodnight! I just spent two hours doing this blog! Uploading pictures takes
FOREVER!! I love you all :)

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I AM IN KENYA!! Woohoo!

The flight here wasn't terrible. Long... but not terrible. While at the airport
in Atlanta I was able to meet 4 college students all going to different parts
of Africa to do missions. We all ended up having the same flight, so really
I wasn't alone at all! One of the girls even went all the way to Kenya so we
helped each other at the airport :) I think God knew that I needed friends.
Ya know I did get my mom's mouth so me and not talking don't go well
together. haha. (mama, you are laughing right now reading this-I just know it!)

My bags did make it to Kenya, but were SO DIRTY! Miss Kim, one of your
duffel bags ended up with a hole in it as well. SORRY! I will pay for it!

After getting my bags, the excitement started to really role in! I knew that after
I exited the doors, I would be in a place that I love. A place full of adventure! I
was so happy to see Mama Joe (Jane, Pastor Wambua's wife), Philip
(Wambua's brother), and Joab (my bestest Kenyan friend who came to
surprise me!!). Joab also brought me flowers!!! 15 orange roses :)

After we got my bags loaded in the car, we made our way to Wambua's
house in Lucky Summer. I guess I had forgotten how crazy Kenyans drive!
I thought we were going to die!!!!! ha. Philip laughed at me. He said,
"Klowie no like my driving?" He says my name funny. I tried to spell it the
way he pronounces it!

So, things to note on my first day in Kenya. Well, really only half of a day.
1. It's not smart to go without sleep for two days before making it to Kenya.
2. Fifteen orange roses make things A LOT better (you should all take
note to that! hahaha)
3. Make sure to eat two plate fulls of food or Kenyans get angry!
4. Getting called a muzungu (white person) is really starting to go to
my head! I like feeling like a celebrity!
5. stop for hot coffee or tea at least 4 to 5 times a day or you will be sorry.
6. bathing out of a bucket is really not as bad as it sounds. I kind of liked it :)
7. squatty potty's.... gotta love em'!
8. make sure you plug the right adapter into the wall then plug in the
blow dryer. A small burst of
fire and a whole Kenyan home losing power because of you is no fun!
9. I love my mosquito net that hangs from the ceiling over my bed! It kind
of makes me feel safe
and secure!

Well, this is my first day all summed up! You can just imagine the details!
I'm WAYYY too tired to write them all in.

Today started very early. Although I took a day of rest, rest was not really on
my priority list. I WANTED TO EXPLORE, and explore is what I did. I
needed to go into the city to exchange some money so Joab and I traveled
Kenyan style! We walked about 20 minutes to a place where the matatu's
(vans used for public transportation) pick you up. We then got in a matatu
and rode 15 minutes to the city. Boy, that ride was CRAZY!! Kenyan drivers....
boy oh boy. It is definitely going to take me a little while to get used to them!
When we got into the city we had to walk another 20 minutes to catch a bus
to the other side of town. We rode the bus for 15 minutes and then walked
another 15 minutes to get to our destination. A lot of walking, but I loved it!
Joab took me to exchange some money and then he took me to where he
interns. It is a place called TMA (Transforming ministries Africa- I think that is
what it stands for). I LOVED IT THERE! It is a Christian organization
whose goal is to love on Kenyans and share the Gospel with them. They
want to share the Word with Kenya so that Kenyans will share with the rest
of Africa. Joab says I will be working with them some while I am here. One
thing Sandy and Lee (the Americans who run TMA) told me helped them when
moving to Kenya is that their culture is not wrong, it is just different.

After a very long day of visiting and seeing the city, we finally made our
journey back to Lucky Summer, and then to Baptist Chapel for a service.
It was wonderful!

Funny story: On the way back to Lucky Summer there was a motorcycle
and a chicken (kuku) coming straight at me. Well, Joab is trying to make me
Kenyan so he told me not to be scared because neither would hit me. I basically
played chicken with a real chicken. Needless to say, the chicken got very excited
because of the passing motorcycle. Instead of running across the road, it ran/flew
at me and hit me in my face!!!! I wanted to tell that thing...."Chicken, do you
know that I will eat you!!" Joab and all the rest of the Kenyans around me
died laughing. I was so embarrassed!

I am loving Kenya so far! It is a whole new/different/exciting trip from last
summer. I am definitely seeing a whole new side of the Kenyan culture. I
asked Joab to make me as Kenyan as possible in the next two months! I
want to see life like they do. They are so loving and truly have a servant heart.
Mom and Dad.... I may decide to stay in Kenya :) :) I know you will be okay
with that! hahaha.

I love you all and I am so thankful for all the encouragement! You people who
hid all the cards in my bags- you are very very sneaky! I appreciate each one!
I wish I could go into more detail now but Mama Joe says I need to go to bed!
hahaha. It will be a busy day tomorrow. I will start teaching at the youth centre
which means I will be getting up at 6 a.m. and walking 30 minutes to get to the
school! Thank you so much for the prayers! Pray that every part of me would
display Christ. I want His light to shine from my life!

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On your mark, get set, GO!!

Kenya, HERE I COME!! Right now it is about 10:00 p.m. and my flight leaves in just a few short
hours. :) I wanted to let everyone know that I may not have internet until Thursday or Friday
so be patient with the blogging! I am going to try and update as much as I can, so bear with me!

As I spend these last few hours getting ready to leave, I couldn't help but be reminded of my
theme verse. Romans 10:14-15 says, "How, then can they call on the one they have not believed
in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is
written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" The one question everyone
seems to ask me is why I want to go overseas so bad. Well, this verse says it all. I want to share
the Gospel overseas because these people might never have a chance to hear otherwise. I want
to be used by God more than anything. I feel that the best way for me to be used by Him and
give Him glory is to do what I am good at, which is loving on other people. My prayer for this
trip is that God would let me be His vessel in sharing His Word.

As we go on this adventure together, I hope that we will see the urgency in spreading the Gospel.
I pray we would get back to the roots of our faith, and that we would see Christianity as God
designed it. Lets go into all the nations!

Thank you all so very much for the prayers and support you have given me. This trip would not
have been possible without you! I love you all!

:):):):)

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Let the countdown begin!!

Well, I will officially be in Kenya in 6 days! The long awaited trip is finally almost here....
START PRAYING NOW, please :) :)

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