Arrival and such fun

4:26 AM

I hardly know where to begin! After arriving in Nariobi, we went through customs with no issues. Oddly, they take your finger prints and picture when you go to get your passport stamped, which is always a fun time. Apparently I don't look like a terrorist after all because when they asked how long I wanted to be in Kenya for, I said two months, and the guy says "I'll give you three." Hey! As long as you let me in pal!

We retrieved our luggage without an issue, and passed through the joke of a customs, since they just waved us through. We found, or rather, a man - for a tip of course - found us a little pub/ cafe thing where we parked it for a few hours as we waited through our 6 hour layover. However, Nairobi was freezing, so our outdoor table eventually lost it's appeal since I was also losing feeling in my toes. Ok, so it wasn't that bad, but it was cold!

We finally were able to check in for our third, and final (hallelujah!) flight. It was awesome because we were supposed to pay for ever extra kg over 20 each. Anyone who saw everthing we brought can tell you that we were way over that! Jenn and I were snipping (in jest) at each other as we do, and teh ladies at the counter were laughing at us. I apologized and explained we really haven't slept in three days, and get grumpy when we are tired. Jenn was over about to pay for our extra baggage while I got things squared away at the check in counter. They asked why we were going to Kitale,and I explained about the children's home. Suddenly they were hollering at the lady Jenn was dealing with 'No charge! No charge!' so we got it all on the flight for free! That was a pleasant surprise!

We went and chilled in the departure area, a room that looks out on the tarmac and had a pineapple pop. Then the plane pulls up in front of the doors, we load up, and off we go! I slept the entire hour long flight. It was wonderful!

We had been hoping to go straight to the lodge, get showered and such since I was in pj bottoms, and Jenn in sweats, and we both looked/ felt like dirt. However, Dalton was waiting at the airport! So off we went, to the children's home. On the way, driving down the.. interesting.. roads of Kenya, everyone stared at the cab of muzungus driving by. Everyone here drives on the left hand side of the road, and the driver sits on the right. Children would yell at us, 'how are you?!' all the time. I was in heaven. Then we hit the road that would take us back to the home. It's pretty much a roller coaster. Between the massive beach ball sized craters missing from the dirt road, and the fact it's rainy season, it was an interesting trip. Dalton and John were very interested to hear about Canada and how things work there.

Oh rainy season! So in everything we've read about Kenya, it's always said that the rainy season is over by now, but it apparently just started a few days ago! So thunderstorms and complete sogginess are what our lives are going to be all about for the next two months.

So when we finally arrived at the children's home, the children who saw us driving up came running, and by the time we parked and got out of the car we were swarmed by 25 beautiful boys and girls. Hugs, handshakes, leg clinging. Then Dalton took us on a walk around the orphanage. When we got to the church/ meeting room the children were all gathered, and we were asked to sit as the children sang for us and welcomed us to their home. It was all we could do not to bawl our eyes out. It was amazing.

Our tour was very revealing. We learned that $5000 is needed to finish the boys dorm, and another $5000 to finish the roof that is to span the two dorms, creating a meeting place. Also $750 to put electricity throughout the home, and probably another $250 for a shed to keep the animals at night.

After our tour, we went into Dalton and Lillian's little two room house, to talk with Lillian for a bit. Apparently the women aren't allowed to talk to you until they've served you tea, and you've accepted it. So she brought out some warm milk, and made us a chai tea, and brought out some banana and oranges. It was such a wonder at how they do everything here.

We chatted for about 45 minutes or so, and then we loaded up into the car to head to the lodge. Oh the lodge. A girl could get used to this. We were put in a room for now, which I'm sure we would have been fine with, however found out that on Tuesday we are moving to a little cottage type thing of our own, which has its own kitchen and such. It has such a family feel to it, we have been accepted right in, and it's nice to be in a place where we aren't being stared at all day.

After we dropped off the luggage, and got changed, we headed to the market to buy the food for the feast tomorrow. Food here is so cheap! We got an unreal amount of food for nothing! We were also able to pick up a couple pairs of rubber boots (which we will be living in) as well as a few buckets that we intend to use to take all the stuff for them in, and then they will be able to use the buckets for showering and washing their clothes. The butchershop was fun. Nothing like standing beside a hanging set of cow guts to get a girl's tummy turning. If that's how we are going to have to buy meat while here, we will probably become vegetarians.

After our shopping adventure, we headed back to the lodge for some much needed rest. Dinner was made for us at 6:30 and it was delicious! A three course dinner, consisting of raviolli and cheese, chicken and vegetables in a curry sauce, and an ice cream with berry sauce desset which was all amazing. Then we showered up, and hit the hay.

Overwhelmed doesn't even begin to describe how we were feeling yesterday. Oh! and we were asked to preach in church today. So now I'm going to go and figure out exactly what we are going to talk about.

- Breezey

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6:05 PM

So today was interesting. We got ourselves dressede up for church, we kind of had to improvise since we didn't really bring too many nice clothes, but our outfits turned out alright. So we went to church, and were greeted and welcomed and thanked by the entire congregation. Speaking in church was so nerve-wracking. We just kind of winged it, and it seemed to go alright, we didn't want to let everyone down on our first day here!

So yesterday when we met the kids they were pretty wary of us after the initial introduction, and some of the little ones would cry when we came near. Today we came prepared. It takes a soft football, some candies, and a video camera where they can see themselves in the screen, but they now love us! And instead of running from us, they come willingly to shake our hand. It is going to be an amazing next five weeks. We taught the kids Jesus Loves the Little Children and they loved it! and everyone is trying to teach us swahili. Emphasis on trying.

It is amazing how greatful they are for something as simple as a toothbrush. Because we brought so many, we were able to give some to the church leaders, and other people that help out around the home. The lady that cooks for the home has baby twins and asked if she could name them after us! Jenn wants to bring them home. I'm not gonna tell her that Dalton told me I should bring the baby back to Canada, I think she'd actually do it!

Our big issue at the moment is transportation. The cost of the taxi to and from the home is too much, 1400 shillings per day. We are only paying 1050 shillings/ day for an apartment! So we need to find another way, and soon!

- Breezey

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9:01 PM

So today was our first full day in Kenya, and what a day it was! The morning began early by trying to figure out what on earth we would preach on at church that morning. The whole preparing a sermon to give to a Kenyan church, on our second day on the continent let alone country, certainly took us by surprise to say the least! Nonetheless, we pulled something together and it seemed to go well! But hopefully not too well and they ask us to do it again next Sunday! Haha.

After the service we helped to serve a large lunch to the children and other visitors. After people insisting on doing everything for us and serving US for the whole time thus far in Kenya it was sure nice to start serving others! We all ate the feast together of fresh veggies, rice and meat that we found at the market yesterday. After lunch everyone gathered in the large room fro some informal singing.. seems pretty common here, then we were able to hand out the presents we had brought for them today. Firstly we handed everyone a toothbrush and some candy (Good combination, no?) it was sure humbling to see how genuinely excited they were for something so seemingly insignificant as a toothbrush! We gave the rest of the presents (some medical supplies, Canadian souvenirs, Bibles and the pressure cooker) to Dalton to sort out later then had fun with the kids throwing around little footballs and a beach ball.

The afternoon continued with fun games and songs with the children. It was refreshing to see how enthusiastic and happy the children were to sing and play.. no matter song, game, or dance. A lot of North American children could sure take a lesson from these kids! Bz and I also found the cutest little pair of twin babies that we are currently trying to orchestrate a way to take them home with us, and apparently they want to name them after us, which is crazy and we hope it doesn't happen but we shall see what happens.

- Jenn