Week #1 Blog entry:
This is the blog I intended to post after our first week in Kenya….unfortunately our internet was not as easily available as we had first thought…so…HERE IT GOES!!
We arrived in Kenya safely last week. The best thing I could’ve ever done was to release any of the expectations I had when entering the beautiful country of Kenya. Since we’ve been here, we spend several days in Kijabe with our host family, Pastor Simon and his wife Margaret and their awesome niece Vicki! Then we were whisked away several hours out to the middle of nowhere to spend a week with the Massai tribe. I was extremely apprehensive about this. These indigenous people are known to be warriors. In my book I’ve been reading “Go Ye Into Africa” (Thanks Mom!), the author tells of several experiences with these people. They’re rough and often unreachable from her perspective. When we got to the village, however, I was pleasantly surprised. All they’ve been is welcoming!
The children here are absolutely gorgeous. Their smiles are contagious and they love to dance and sing. It’s absolutely the most colorful place I’ve ever been. The ornate jewelery. The bright robes and clothing. It’s picturesque.
I’ve fallen in love with a 9 year old little girl named Jen. She’s absolutely beautiful, even with her tattered and torn sweatshirt, dirty face, and bare feet. She’s in class one at the primary school. That would be the equivalent of kindergarden in America. Her family did not have the funds to enroll her in school before now. I find it entertaining that she’s become quite protective over me. If another child tries to hold my hand, she very quickly gives them the stare down as if to say “This is MY friend.” I’m not opposed to the special treatment. In fact, I love that I have someone to look forward to seeing every day. I know she was sad to see me leave on our last day. The night before we left, I was able to speak to her without a translator for the first time. It was bittersweet, as she hugged my neck, pointed to me and then herself. She quietly spoke words that melted my heart. “Brittany. Jen. Sisters Forever. Nacupenda.” (which translated means “I love you”) She then presented me with a necklace that she had been making for me the whole week. I’d be lying if I said it’s not going to be hard for me to leave this place.
On another note, the mountains here are breathtaking. They overtake the landscape for miles. There’s no doubt in my mind that Psalm 104:8 was specifically written for this area of Kenya. We can look down in the the valley and look up into the mountains for miles and miles. And every single morning I’ve been able to wake up to the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen. Even arriving at the airport early in the morning, it was so surreal to look out over the wings of the plane and see orange and blue color pallets intertwined in ways I could’ve never imagined. It only confirms my suspicion….God is TOTALLY a Gator!!
Around the world and back,
Britt
PS…. I’m having SEC football withdrawals. I won’t lie.
