Ilove

I am going to be back to California soon. Dare I say home. Kenya is my home. Thika is my home. Approved is my matatu stop. Thika Children's Rescue Center is my home.  

Everyone in Town knows Megan and I when we go our separate ways in town to divide and concur everyone asks us where the other one is. I honestly cannot imagine life any different. 

I love being the only white person for miles. I love that everyone just wants to be my friend. I love that children get so excited when I come walking down the street. They always yell, "Mzungo, how are you?" I love that all the boys think I eat snake. I love teaching. I love the way we have to squish on matatus. I love the rains. I love the thunder and lightening. I love having to wake up at 6:30 am to make it to church by 9 am. I love the way I communicate with the boys. I love playing football with 50 orphans when ever I want. Most of all I love the fact that I get to wake up every morning to a whole bunch of little faces that just want to love me, be around me, and help me with what ever I am doing. 

Megan and I both have begged our mom to let us say a little bit longer. But, in all honestly I do not think it will happen. Megan has to go back to school and finish up her last semester and I have to you know...do my thing...what ever that maybe. Mom says that we can come back when ever we want. I already want to come back the second I get home. It boggles my mind that in a little over two weeks(yes I said it) I will be on an airplane back to California. I do not want it to happen. Neither does anyone else in Kenya. Every day we get asked if we could stay a little longer...maybe even forever. Oh yes I would LOVE that! But, not this time around. Maybe one day! I have to have faith that the Man up stairs has bigger and better plans for me right now. Till then, God be with you till we meet again!

a few of my favorite things

These photos are so far my favorite that I have taken thus far in Kenya

in no particular order

Toothbrushes

Erina and Taleah's dentist donated 90 toothbrush packets for Megan and I to bring to Kenya and hand out.

 Megan and I have been trying to get someone to come and help us hand them out. But every time someone came we would always forget. We decided that it was time we did it our selves. We talked to the teachers and asked if we could just leave it on there desks while they were at break. They said "No, Let us gather them all together and you will teach them how to use them."

So that is what happened. After Break they had a perfect window. 30 minutes before they were headed out to PE. The teachers called all the boys to come and sit on the grass so we could teach them about brushing teeth. 

In the packs were toothpaste, a toothbrush and floss. I can honestly say I do not think any of these boys have ever seen floss before. Megan heard of a cool way of teaching how to use floss and why it is important. Megan used her hand as the teeth and peanut butter as the food we eat. Then she showed the boys when you brush there is still food in between your teeth, just like your fingers. and so that is why we needed floss to get the extra food from out of our teeth. 

After Megan was done with her demonstration the teachers asked the boys to smell there breath. and they sent someone to get tape and a marker so we could mark there names on the bags before we handed out the toothbrushes. This might have seriously been the funniest thing that happened that day.

(see William, he is in the top left of the photo-his face explains it all)   

Once we handed the tooth brushes out Teacher Roda took over and demonstrated how much tooth past you should put on your brush. 

Teacher Roda told them to hold the toothbrush in there mouth as they put everything else away back in the bag so it would not fall over and get dirty. So you know all the boys were walking around with there tooth brushes in there mouth like this.

Then half of the boys went to one sink to brush there teeth and the other half came with Teacher Hannah and I.

Teacher Hannah made sure all the boys brushed there tongue because studies show that is where bad breath comes from...

After brushing all the boys were gathered together to floss there teeth. I have decided that flossing pictures are very unflattering. 

The boys were SO very happy.  After every meal, 4 times a day, these boys brush there teeth. They love there toothbrushes and could not be any happier. The teachers thanked us over and over and over again for bringing these packets for the boys. They said that it will help them not get sick. (most of the boys are just getting over a little cold)  After it was all said and done all of the boys came up to Megan and would tell me how clean there teeth were and would ask for a picture so they could see.

Thank you Doctor Natalie for donating these toothbrush packets for our boys here at Thika Childrens Rescue Center! They love them so much and there teeth now are cleaner then they have been in literally years!

(our noses say thanks as well!)

We also recorded a video of the boys saying Thank you Doctor... Natalie was to hard for them to say so it just says thank you Doctor! (I will get that video up one day)

LOVELOVELOVE

Valentines Day..for some reason I was so excited for valentines day this year. Not only did I have just one valentine I had 51 of the cutest valentines EVER! (no bias opinion) The morning started off with dying the boys porridge purple. 

Then I cut out 55 hearts from paper. After that was finished Megan and I went to the super market where we bought lolly pops to make all the boys and the 4 teachers valentines. That day class was canceled because the wayward nurse decided to show up and talk about health, so while they were in the meeting we placed all of there sweets on there desks. 

Once the meeting was fished we told the boys that each one of them got a surprise on there desks in the class room. More then excited they all RAN to the class room to see what it was. Then Megan and I visited each class where every single one of the boys shouted THANK YOU and we explained that today was the day of LOVE. 

Sweet Collins was so happy he just held his valentine in his hand for the longest time. 

After school they all got new soap and were sent to the showers to wash and clean how the nurse taught them. Then they were given new uniforms that were long long long over due. Just take a look at my handsom boys that I love so much! 

The rest of the day was just spent playing with the boys. It was the best valentines day I have yet to have! I wouldn't rather have spent it with anyone else! 

Up Country

We got home from Mombasa early Saturday morning. Then on Monday mid afternoon Alfred called us and said "we are going to Kisuum on Wednesday or Thursday. What day works better for you?" No really choice at all and no advanced notice. We picked Wednesday because on Saturday we already had plans that could not be canceled. The rest of Monday and Tuesday were spent washing did
-ty clothes from Mombasa and repacking everything. Right after class on Tuesday we headed off to Nairobi to send the night to catch the bus early in the morning on Wednesday. The Otieno's decided to take a day bus so that Megan and I could see the Country side. It was wonderful. Not like the drive from California to Utah. It was green, all green and lush. I was expecting not to see anyone for a while but that was not the cause. you would not drive for more then 5 minutes with out seeing someone herding there cattle or farming. 

Legit in the middle of NOWHERE Kenya people live. It was crazy. They had no cars, no running water, no electricity. I do not know how they do it. Once we go to the city we were staying in we caught 5 boda bodas to the Otieno's house. Those boda boda men were so nice and funny the second we got off the bus they drove up and were like MUZUNGU!! (white person) TAKE ME!!! hahahaa

The Otieno's house is still being built, shoot it has not even begun to be built so for right now they just have a temporary house.

This house was just one whole room with a sheet in the middle to divide the bedroom from the sitting/cooking/dining room. It hosted 8 children, 6 adults 5 chickens, 2 rosters and 5 chicks. Yes we slept with the animals inside the house, if not they would get stolen. we also slept with all the construction tools and cement they would get stolen as well.

When we got there they were just finishing up the bathroom. It was so nice. The boys working on it did such a good job!
We were living the real Kenyan dream with no electricity, or running water. It felt just like camping. We walked miles everyday.
Once we got to the house put our things where they belonged we walked to the shop to buy things for dinner that night. The neighbor girls, Millie and her sister heard that the Otieno's were home so they rushed right over. 

Little did we know they would become our bffs while we were there. The next day started off with 5:30 am wake up call for family prayers and the roster waking everyone up and the kids heading off to school. Megan and I were more then exhausted with not being able to sleep very well that night. Her ring worm was driving her crazy and I got 5 mosquito bites with in 15 minutes of trying to fall asleep. (how i missed my net) We just laid in bed half asleep until 7:30 then we took a shower ate and went to Millie's house to see what they were doing for the day. They invited us to go to the salon with them and of course we went!

Getting hair washed

Megan decided to get lines on one side of her head

The ladies in the salon wanted a picture, please excuse the lady to the left she is feeding her children. Once we got back to there house Alfred said where have you been? Ester is waiting for you. So we headed back home to see what was up and that is when we headed to the Abilas grandmothers house. We were told it was just up the hill to jump on a boda boda and we would basically be there. Little did we know that once we were up the hill we would walk another mile all down hill to grandmas house (remember what goes down must come back up)

 

one of the most beautiful black women I have ever meet

We stopped off at Grandma's granddaughter's house to see if Grandma was there. She was not but she took us down to Grandmas. 

Grandma's house. It was so lush reminded me of New Zealand. There were cows, sheep, chickens and goats just grazing on the lawn. Once we get there grandma was SO excited to see us. (white visitors) She came over said hello in the only English that she knew. 

Then she sat down to talk to Easter. That is when Easter told her that Megan was dating her grandson Oscar. (witch is a lie. they are not dating at this time but we could not tell her that.) She was SO excited and greeted Megan again and again and hugged her and shook her hand a brillion times. It was so great. Then she said I am going to cook you one of my chickens and beans. Which I was totally fine with because I was hungry. Little did I know. This would turn into a 3 course meal in one hour. She called in the chickens by clicking her tongue and then killed it for us. While it was cooking we went out side to eat our beans and maze. We also played jump rope with the kids and watched as they climbed the trees.

Megan always tells me that I need to eat EVERYTHING when ever we go over to someone else house. Which is common sense especially when they are sacrificing there food for you. (guess who did NOT eat all of there maze and means-that would be Megan) You know I finish my plate chocking down the last couple of bites cause I was so full. Then comes the bread and hot coco. Eat all of that and a 2nd cup of coco. I have no idea where that went. Then, we are called inside to eat the chicken soup and ugali. OH my.

  More food. Mind you we walked down a HUGE hill that means we have to walk back up it full. This is when I about died. I finished my food and almost fell asleep just sitting there. For reals food a coma. Never have I been so over full in my life. We then said our goodbyes and went back home. 

Once we got home we went right to the high school to ask if we could come and visit the students the next day. They said of course the students would LOVE that! So we set up a time for the next day at ll. Then we just walk around town. It was so fun and nice. Megan and I were some of the first white people these people have ever seen in real life. While we walked by everyone would stop and stare with there mouths WIDE open in shock everyone had to greet us and say hello. If we walked to close to some children they would run off screaming and crying. But none the less everyone was so kind and welcoming. 

The school kids especially LOVED us.

On the way home we ran into Millies friend who walked us home. 

The next day we get up get ready take a shower and head over to Milie's house to see if she was ready for the day to go to the high school with us. Once she got ready we walked down to the high school to 'teach'.

(sighing in) 

(the students) 

It was wonderful. The students just asked us about America and our schooling and what we like to do and how college is and what they do for the talented students. I loved it!! 

Then when we were leaving we stopped by the elementary school basically just to take pictures with the children.

When we were leaving the school is the same exact time that the children were going home for lunch. You know they were all more then excited to walk home with the 2 muzungus that just visited them in class. 

One of the boys was running down the hill and cut open his arm pretty good. Megan was more then excited to help him out with her handy first aid kit!!

After walking with the school kids we walked to the shop to get some water. There we meet up with one of Millie's friends..I swear to you she knows EVERYONE. (maybe cause it is a tiny town and everyone does know everyone) But he had on these shoes that I had been looking for so I asked him where he got them and he said town in the market, and guess what...just our luck it was MARKET day. So I looked at Megan and said LETS GO! Millie asked us over and over if we were sure. YES we were! We were more then sure! It is so weird for Kenyans to just pick up and go they are always like pole pole which means slowly. We hoped on 3 motorbikes and off we went! While we were there we got shoes for the family we were staying with. None of the children had shoes except for there school shoes and I noticed that the fathers shoes had broken while we were there. 

They were MORE then happy. They told us thank you over and over and over. Some times I think we take shoes for granted. Shoot sense we have been here Megan has gotten at least 2 pairs of shoes. Shoes is such a little things but for someone who does not have any it makes all the difference. 

After we gave out all our shoes to the family we packed up and headed home. 

It was a good trip all in all. I learned that I am a terrible Kenyan because I will not kill a chicken, I do not like 5am family prayers, I do not eat enough, I walk too fast, I like running water and electricity (at least at night) and I do things the wrong way always. Other then that it was a good trip and I meet a lot of people I will never forget.