Supa (hello in Ma language) everyone!

I have made it back down to Nairobi after our first week with our beloved Maasai friends! It has been an absolute whirlwind since getting here, and it’s hard to believe that each day seems to top the day before! Everyone is doing great adjusting to the culture, food, lack of water and electricity. By now we have each had our first bath and we laugh at how easy it’s been to go without…one of many take-always for sure!

The first time we went to go see the children, I was ready for them all to run into my arms, but instead they were lined up around their brand new flag pole ready to show us Mzungus(white-faced people) how proud they are of their classroom from Shaffer and new office from Vision Photography! They sang, danced, and raised the flag in our honor…already the tears were welling up. The 50 students I knew in November have now blossomed into 91 beautiful, eager, and excited students! The event was followed by a goat slaughter we were invited to watch, dancing, presentations, many speeches from the parents, chairman, and even a few chiefs came by to say thanks! They also showed off their strong teeth by biting the lids off our sodas and cleaning a goat bone with not even a scrap of meat left on the bone! We then had a ribbon cutting ceremony and afterwards all 6 of us were decorated in Maasai blankets, jewelry, and pure love! Of course I’m used to this treatment, but to watch the group experience this act of kindness was a sight I will never forget….nor will they!

This day was followed by a journey to visit Agie, the Maasai girl that we sponsor. Molly, her husband and I joined Jeremiah in his car and traveled 80 km to a town called Kajiado. She was quite surprised to see us and we in turn were very moved by how hard she is working just to get a high school education. We got special permission to take her to lunch and spoiled her with some goodies at the market for her to take back with her. It was wonderful to see her and this perfect day was followed by a much needed cold Tusker on our way back home!

While we were visiting Agie, Lindsay from Vision photography and her 2 college friends went to go deliver a cow that Vision purchased for a needy family. They gave the cow to a 26 year old single mother of 5 children! Anna was left behind by her husband and moved home to be with her father…..only to learn that he had passed way. Two of her daughters live at the Safehouse rescue center so that they can attend school safely, and she was very grateful for the assistance as she struggles to start a new life.

Yesterday the team got to experience one of our favorite events here….church! Everyone who visits agrees that if we did church in the US the way they do it here, everyone would go to church! We put on “our Sunday best,” and ventured out for what can only be described as How church should really be! The girls began by dancing with the Safehouse girls while I took photos. We were determined to dance like them, but they have a head movement that none of us can figure out how to do. Im sure they were laughing at us, but appreciated our willingness to join them. When these people worship, they must’ve coined the term, “raising the roof!” Of course whenever we visit we are expected to say something to all the people, their acceptance and love for us is very humbling! None of us wanted to leave, but we knew it was Chai time and didn’t want to keep anyone waiting!

I escorted the girls to George’s home in Nairobi last night in preparation for their Safari today. We were delighted to have running water, and many of us had to be reminded to turn our torches off and the electricity on! What a treat that was for a night, but it doesn’t take long for those “luxuries of the slums,” to pale in comparison to living in the peaceful, quiet, and beauty of Maasailand.

So, the girls are now on safari, I’ve found the Internet to do this blog, and now I will begin the journey of making my way back up to mama Sheila’s home where Brian and Molly are. They are spending the morning working with the Ronesa students, taking all of Shaffer’s supplies into their new office, and then the 3 of us will spend the rest of the day helping with the construction of the orphanage…we can hardly wait!

I will meet with Our dear friend Simon tomorrow to plan the delivery of 3 more goats and chickens….one of our favorite things to do! We all hope that your summer is off to a great start. Thank you for your support of our precious Ronesa students, but especially for widening your hearts to learn about what is happening in our global community. While we all stick out like sore thumbs here, we are so grateful for the daily reminders of how comfortable our lives back home are and hope beyond hope that somehow we can take away just a glimpse of HOW to live our lives the way the Kenyans do….

Kwaheri for now friend…..

Julie