Back In Kenya & a Giveaway!

We've been home for nearly an entire month already, but there are still plenty of things I want to share about our time in Kenya. I just haven't been able to post fast enough to stay on top of my thoughts. Darn grad school. But there is an end in sight! I'm working hard on my thesis this semester in order to finish the first week of May. I will take no other route. I will finish at that time. I no longer have an appendix to rupture, so I'm on my way.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed being able to share so much with all of you while we were away. It made the experience even more meaningful, because I  knew we weren't doing things alone. As an expression of gratitude for walking alonside us on our journey, I brought home a few things specifically to share with you, my lovely blog readers. The first is the colorful, paper bead necklace shown in the photo below. It was made by a woman who sells them at the guesthouse of the hospital where Pete was working. I'm in love with her pieces. I bought a couple similar necklaces for myself and two coordinating pairs of earrings. They are bright and completely remind me of the beauty of Kenya.

This giveaway is very simple. All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this blog post or on the post on my Facebook page. Each person can enter just one time, either here or on Facebook. I will randomly select a winner Monday at noon Central Time. Feel free to let others know! If I have a big response, I just might end up giving away two!

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So, back in Kenya. The last Sunday morning we were at Tenwek, we were invited to a village church across the river. We had the choice of walking or driving. That's not really as simple to decide as you might think. We had both of the kids and could certainly carry them in our wrap and Ergo carrier, but then it would take longer and they might be too tired and fussy to sit through church. Driving might seem like it would save time, but the roads are a bit crazy, as seen below, and we had to drive a ways to get to a bridge to cross the river. In the end, we did drive. We went with friends and hired two cars.

There goes the first car.

Oops. Ours didn't quite make it. Everyone got out but the kids and the driver.

We did eventually get it out, and you know what? Pete didn't get a speck of mud on his church clothes. That's my man.

photo by our friend Jen

This is just a glimpse of what many of the roads and intersections look like in Kenya.

And this was along the road to the church. A very typical view in rural Kenya.

Before we left for Kenya in January, we met with a surgeon here in Duluth who spends about three weeks in Kenya a couple times a year. She's done this about 15 times and was even there during our stay. It was great seeing someone we had med in Duluth all the way over there! She has a great relationship with this village church and the pastor, Pastor Daniel. This is Pastor Daniel's church.

I believe this was the church choir. Everyone dresses in their very best not only for church, but for any special occasion. This includes visiting the doctor. I saw many fancy dresses each time I walked through the hospital. It is a very formal culture. My long-jersey skirts and t-shirts were very casual (yet appropriate) compared to what I often saw others wearing.

We happened to be visiting the same day that a musical group was also visiting from another town. It was fun to watch them sing and dance.

Sam may have been a little surprised by their loud music. "Whoa, mama! What is that noise?!" I was sure to cover his ears during the music from then on.

After the service, the entire church gathered outside to greet one another and to hold an auction. I don't know that this happens every week, but it does happen often. Various items are donated by church members and others bid for them. Our friend had mentioned this ahead of time, so we were sure to have some money with us. We were really hoping to buy a goat, but none were available that morning. In the end, I bid for a very large cabbage, which we gave to Pastor Daniel's wife at lunch. We would have done the same with a goat. (I had really wanted a goat! We did leave money to buy one at the next auction, but we didn't get to name it or see it. I'm definitely buying a goat that I can meet when we return.)

Ella was excited about our cabbage and wanted to take a picture with it.

Catch that funny expression on her face? She broke off a little piece of the cabbage and popped it in her mouth before we could stop her. Guess she wasn't a fan.

I find it difficult to express my feelings looking at this next photo. I get teary trying to think how to describe Ella's experience in Kenya. While we were there, I couldn't help think over and over that she was made to live in such a place. She begged to play with every child she saw, she shouted "jambo!" out the window as we passed kids in the car, and she gave as many hugs as possible. Some spoke English, but it never slowed her down if they didn't. She naturally and gently gestured to express herself. I learned from watching her easiness with complete strangers, allowing her to open doors into relationships I was too timid to open on my own. Children are amazing like that, but my Ella was amazing in her own way. She was basking in the beauty of love that God has placed deep inside her. Have I mentioned her middle name is Rehema? It's Swahili for God's mercy. I have no doubt that the genuine love and friendship and mercy I saw in her every single day is only the beginning of what she's going to experience in her journey.

After the service, we were invited to Pastor Daniel's home for lunch. His wife prepared an incredible meal of rice with pumpkin, goat meat, chipati (like a tortilla), and fruit. Just writing about it makes me long for another plate. We all gathered around a long table in his one-room home to enjoy each others company.

The room was beautifully prepared for our visit. The cooking took place in a small building next to the house.

photo by our friend Jen

These were seriously the biggest bananas I had ever seen, and they came from Pastor Daniel's own banana trees!

photo by our friend Jen

This next photo was taken by our friend Jen. I can't help but laugh looking at it. Jen and her husband, Todd (such a character!) arrived in Kenya on the same flight we were on in January. They are there for two years with a post-residency program. Todd is a surgeon and Jen is a teacher. She is currently doing work in the surrounding community with health education, I believe, and travels to South Sudan every other month. We really enjoyed hanging out with them and hope to work with them again in the future. (Hear that, Jen? We really do!)

photo by our friend Jen

I hope it's not rude of me to put this bathroom on display, but I thought you might be interested in seeing what they typically look like in Kenya. Poor Ella had a little bit of a hard time with this style. Her little legs just weren't quite long enough.

Ella may not have been a fan of the bathroom, but she was thrilled with the animals.

I captured this cool panoramic photo with the Photosynth app. The path on the left leads to the house and the cooking building. The animals live in the structure on the right, and crops are planted beyond that.

Sweet Ella tried and tried to figure out how Pastor Daniel's niece was standing against this tree. After much trial and error, she got it and was incredibly proud. I love the minds of little ones.

Our visit to Pastor Daniel's church and to his home was very memorable. We hope to visit countless more quite like his in the future. I can only imagine the conversations and life experiences that will be shared during such occasions. While I wait to be in that place once again, I will do my very best to be patient and hear what God has for me now. He doesn't waste his time, of this I am sure.

Speaking of the future, that would make for a great post, don't you think? Some of you know where we're heading and when we're hoping to head there, but I don't want to keep you in the dark, if you haven't heard. Well, okay then, it's set. I'll be sure to get a "future" post up very soon.

God Is Good. No Matter What.

Dear friends, my heart is breaking as I write this morning. Yesterday morning, while sitting in the waiting room of the hearing clinic with Sam, I received devastating news from friends in Kenya. A few weeks after we arrived at Tenwek (the hospital where Pete worked for six weeks) the Kelleys arrived from Pennsylvania and moved to the apartment right above ours and began to settle in for their two-year stay. That same afternoon, there were three little boys running around in superhero costumes in the grass out front. A short time later, out came Hannah with her mom and dad, Steph and Aaron. Hannah turned one at the end of January and was one of the most adorable little girls I had ever seen. She had a little sprig of a ponytail on the top of her head and such a sweet smile. I spent numerous mornings sitting in the grass with Steph talking about having a little girl, how much fun it is to dress them, and the struggle of keeping cute ribbons and bows in their hair. When we left, Ella gave little Hannah a couple dresses and a pair of shoes, all of which she had outgrown during our time there.

It pains me to share the news that sweet Hannah is now with Jesus. I was shocked by the sudden news yesterday and immediately paged Pete at the hospital so I could cry with the person I knew would understand. We hadn't known the Kelleys very long, but when you're on the mission field together, relationships grow quickly. Just a few weeks ago, we were sitting with them in their kitchen, eating ice cream sundaes on our last night at Tenwek.

Aaron explained on his blog a few days ago that Hannah had been throwing up often enough to be concerned. They began treating for worms or giardia, but her sickness progressed. She was admitted to the hospital where Aaron is an ER physician, and many tests were conducted. She eventually had a CT scan, which revealed an aggressive tumor in her brain. My friend Jen wrote on her blog, "Arrangements were made for her to go to Kijabe Hospital, another mission hospital three hours away where there was a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon - yes, in rural Africa!  He was able to perform surgery that afternoon and remove most of the tumor." It was not enough for Hannah's little body. This is what her dad wrote on his Facebook page:

"My dear friends...God has answered our prayers and Hannah has been fully healed. She no longer has any pain or suffering. I was by her side since 2 am playing music on my phone for her (she loved dancing with daddy). As she passed the lyrics were to Jeremy Camp's King Jesus "King Jesus, you are victorious, you paid the final debt for all of us. King Jesus, you are victorious." He is victorious! He lives! And because of this each and every one of us have the opportunity to spend eternity with Him through a simple act of faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Please be praying for us today as we have to tell the boys."

They are leaning heavily on Jesus and his strength right now. I cannot imagine the pain they are experiencing, which is why I am asking you to please, please pray for them. They are in a new country, so far away from family and all things familiar.

Jen also wrote on her blog that Stephanie posted the following on Facebook, which is our hope in a world that is not yet free of pain and suffering:

"God is good. No matter what. God is good."

About this photo: I was telling Pete last night that one of the very clear memories I have of Hannah is when she was sitting in the grass in front of our apartment shortly after they arrived. Her daddy was lying in the grass in front of her taking pictures. It was an adorable sight. I just found the photo here on Aaron's blog. And in her little hand was Ella's wooden ambulance.

If you would like to read about ways you can help the Kelley family, please visit their blog here. There is even an opportunities to give to Hannah Kelley's Homegoing Fund.

Such precious gifts we are given when God entrusts his children to us.

Quick Update

I apologize for the very quick update, but I wanted to post something before we leave for Nairobi this morning. We'll be traveling through the country for the next week, visiting three mission hospitals and at least one school. We don't know if we'll have access to internet while we travel. If we do, we will certainly post an update. If not, we will be flying out of Kenya on February 27, returning to Duluth late on February 28.

Thank you so much for your prayers while we travel!

Ella at a village church last Sunday

Masai Mara Part 2

Our trip to Masai Mara included more than seeing the animals, which would have been enough in my book. We had no idea what to expect after the two-hour drive to the lodge. The reservations were made for us by a friend who works at the hospital, so all we knew was the name of the place we'd be staying. We packed for a stay in what we imagined would be a large canvass tent, which meant we brought bug spray and sunscreen and a huge jug of clean drinking water along with our clothes and such. As it turned out, the lodge was not at all what we had imagined. We were in for a treat.

As our driver took us through the front gate, this group of Maasai men greeted us, singing traditional Masaai songs.

They took each of us by the hand and led us down a long path to the lodge, singing and dancing the entire way.

I don't know a lot about Maasai traditions yet, but I do know that men jumping like this is something they often do. They each stepped forward and did it, and then they invited Pete to do it. (One of them had taken our camera and was snapping these photos.)

Ella liked the dancing but wasn't quite sure what to think of the men. After this photo was taken, she quickly warmed up to them. She really liked their necklaces and jewelry. So did I.

Soon after being led to the lodge, we were introduced to our butler Walter (what?? a butler?!). Walter is a father to a little girl about Ella's age. He became quick friends with both Ella and Sam. He took care of everything for us, including planning and serving our meals, bringing us tea and coffee in the morning, arranging our safari drives, and just sitting and talking with us because we asked him to.

Walter told Ella to find tent number 3, so she set off as our leader.

We found "tent" number 3. I suppose since some of the sides were made of canvass, it could appropriately be called a tent, but this isn't even close to what I had in mind.

Our place was completely open to the river in front of us, which only made me slightly nervous when Ella got close to the edge of the deck. There was a small grass landing before the drop-off to the river, but I still didn't let her get close.

What did we find in the river below? Lots and lots of hippos.

I had never been in a tent that also had a bathroom, especially one like this.

 

And that had a tub and shower that were open to the outside.

At night Walter unrolled the canvasses along the front to keep the bugs out.

 

This was the view of the river just up from our tent at the lodge. At the time I took this photo, we counted 34 hippos. Hippos come to the surface quite often and then sink back down to stay cool, and they are quite loud. They grunt and snort all day and all night. Did you know that hippos leave the water at night? They find places along the river banks that allow them to walk onto the land with their short legs. (They did not have access to the area where we were staying.) I was amazed to learn that they are very, very fast on land. I just can't imagine that with how short they are, but it's true. Hippos are fast and deadly if you get in their way. In fact, hippos kill the most people of any animal in Africa. I once asked a doctor here if they have many people come from hippo attacks, and he said no, they don't injure people, they kill. That was news to me! I did see one hippo walking on land during my early morning safari drive, but by the time the sun is coming up, most have returned to the water.

We enjoyed watching the hippos from our deck.

Pete and Ella even spotted this enormous crocodile. I saw one that was much smaller.

For dinner, we ate at the lodge. They closed the sides and had beautiful lighting. There was another physician from Tenwek who traveled out with us and offered to stay at our place Friday night so Pete and I could have a date over dinner. How thoughtful! We enjoyed every bite of our five-course meal from chef Wellington.

Pete and I woke early on Saturday morning in the hopes of going on a chilly safari drive together while Walter had breakfast with Ella and Sam at the lodge. We soon realized, though, that Sammy had a bit of a cold. Pete wanted to keep an eye on him, and graciously sent me on my own for the drive. I was given one instruction: take lots of pictures. And I did. I wrapped myself in a blanket in my seat of the open Land Cruiser and watched the morning sun peak over the distant hills.

Yes, I did take a self portrait. I know it's sometimes odd, but I mostly take pictures of the rest of the family and wanted something of myself on the drive. So, here I am. 

The early morning brought out all kids of grazing animals. They were able to munch in the safety of the daylight, away from the lions and leopards. These baby wildebeests were leaping here and there around their mothers. Leng, our guide, pointed out that one had clearly been born during the night.

This adorable baby zebra wasn't far from his mama. 

After watching animal babies and the gorgeous morning sunrise, I wasn't quite prepared for the complete ugliness that is the hyena. 

Yes, we did encounter a few hyenas who had clearly made recent kills. Yuck. I had always thought they were primarily scavengers, but I learned otherwise from Leng. He told us that they mostly kill their own food, but it's not a pretty sight. Let's just say they don't exactly wait until their prey has stopped moving before indulging. And their laugh? That's what calls the other hyenas to a meal. If they don't share, the other hyenas will kill them. Friendly. Ok, let's move on.

Another animal baby! This is a little jackal. See those fuzzy little ears on the other side of the mound? That's his mama.

Way off in the distance near the trees, we spotted a baboon.

 

On our way back to the lodge, we encountered this little family of warthogs. Leng kept calling them Pumbas, like the little guy from The Lion King. We had already seen quite a few, but they hadn't been in a group like this. They were pretty cute.

When I got back, I joined Pete, Ella, and Sam on the deck of the lodge for breakfast. We watched the hippos and relaxed in the sunshine. I kept whispering in my head to remember all the feelings and the moments of our weekend. It was something I had dreamed of for so long and this was far beyond what I had imagined. Being there with my loves was perfect.

I learned years ago that I married a man who loves to surprise me with things I deeply enjoy. The first gift like this he ever gave me was a Ghirardelli dark chocolate raspberry bar from Barnes and Noble while I was studying for finals my last semester of undergrad classes. We weren't even dating yet. I don't feel like I ever expect such things from him, so I am truly surprised when he does something for me. After breakfast was just such a time. He gave me a kiss and sent me off to this little tent.

Inside, I was treated to hours of spa loveliness. It began with a pedicure. Not just any pedicure. This was the most in-depth pedicure I had ever had. Next I had a full-body exfoliation treatment, which was a first for me. That was followed by a 90-minute massage overlooking the river with the hippos. To wrap things up, I had a manicure. I was in heaven.

Do I look like I was glowing? I felt like I was glowing. I love my Pete. I know it seems easy to say  after he gives me a gift like that, but I really, really do. He treats me so well. And I don't take that for granted.

As I returned from the spa, I found my lovelies sitting outside for a late lunch before we left.

Mr Sammy man was enjoying a bowl of mango yogurt with Daddy.

And with that, we parted from the Masai Mara. We have big plans for our next visit. One, if we return to this lodge it will be without the little ones. It's a perfect place for a romantic getaway. Two, we'll take the walking safari tour to a nearby Massai village and rhinoceros sanctuary. And three, we'll spend time at the outdoor pool and play a game of croquet.

There will surely be a next time.