I know Tuesday is usually Chuck’s day, but since I got my modem and can get on the Internet I thought I’d sneak in a post, but where to begin!? We landed in Kenya last Thursday and it has been a “Kenyan culture” refresher course ever since. But let me start at the beginning of our trip…
We arrived at PHX Sky Harbor around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon with 26 bags, 2 carry-on, 2 computers and 2 excited/anxious/tired travelers (we were up quite late the night before with last minute things and hanging with the kids) thanks to our friends Mike and Valerie, Dave and our kids! Once we got the luggage checked in, which took about an hour, we settled in for one last Starbucks. I didn’t want to talk much, just enjoy watching my kids interact.
Honestly for me it was bittersweet, I knew I would miss my kids in Arizona but I was also excited for our new journey to begin in Kenya. We had someone say it was starting a whole new chapter in our life, but I corrected him and said it was more like a whole new book! It was a tearful goodbye but I tried to be somewhat composed for the kids and we continued texting each other until we had to turn off our phones. I’m so proud of them and how they are working together…the Lord truly blessed me with great kids who are independent, resourceful and able to get along with each other. They each have their own strengths and I pray they continue to seek God in all they do in their futures.
Ok, enough mom stuff! The flight to London was uneventful and, thank God, all the luggage arrived with us. Then it was just pray that it would make it to Nairobi because we would be staying the night in London before leaving the next morning. We were so tired that as soon as we checked into our room around 5pm we took a nap, got up at 7, ate dinner and went right back to bed. I hoped that would help with jet-lag but it didn’t (more on that later).
We got on our flight the next morning and arrived in Kenya around 9pm Thursday night. It was another uneventful flight, thank you Lord for safe traveling mercies. Now the action inside the airport is another matter, first all the luggage made it, praise God! Then as we went through customs the gentleman informed us we needed a letter from the orphanage where the items would be going. This was the first we had ever heard this but thankfully Gideon was outside customs and able to come in and talk with them. But then customs decided (and I don’t know if this was spur of the moment or something they usually do) we had valuable items that should probably be taxed…even though Gideon and Chuck told him the items were for the orphanage. After some discussion they, Gideon and Chuck, were ushered into the customs office where they stayed for approximately 45 minutes while I stood in the airport with all the baggage. Needless to say I was getting immersed into Kenyan culture right from the get-go and I admit I was tired from the long trip and frustrated with the bureaucracy. After a few minutes of anxiety I began reciting the Lord’s prayer…He was in the midst of all that was, or wasn’t, happening and I wanted to let go of my anxiety.
Once they returned from the office Chuck looked at me as if to say you won’t believe what just happened. He told me the customs officer looked through our list of items and said she really should tax us, but Gideon, Chuck and mostly the Lord kept moving this lady’s heart because she finally said if she taxed us over orphans’ necessities she would be in the grave with the Lord looking at her! They left her office and we began loading the bags into a matatu (public/private transportation). Which had a story in itself…the driver had never been to Kenyatta Airport so when he finally arrived (after being stopped by police once or twice) he drove into the airport without taking a parking ticket…at which time he was stopped once again by police and questioned. He explained why he didn’t take a ticket (he had never been there before) and what he was doing (picking up guests and I can only imagine he said he was picking up wazungu (whites)). Once he was given a parking ticket he then proceeded to find his way around the airport but Pauline had to call him to direct where we actually were.
And this was my first greeting outside the airport:
Then it was the drive back to Tala…here again I have to admit I was pretty emotional. The roads, city, people were all very different from what I was used to and my mind was having a hard time wrapping around that idea. It was a new way of life and I wasn’t quite sure if I was prepared for it, it was definitely one of those times I cried out to God saying “are you sure about this?” I knew if I had my selfish, sinful way I would turn around and head back home to my comfortable living conditions and be closer to my family, but I knew this was where God wanted me and I had to rely on Him for getting me into the swing of things here. We arrived at our compound around 11pm; had dinner with Gideon, Pauline, Grace and Eric (their children) then headed to bed around 2:30am…we were home.
For the next couple of days I was having a hard time sleeping because of jet-lag but I was also emotionally conflicted with what God had in store for me. I felt lonely and afraid but after a few sleepless nights and many crying episodes I began to feel God’s peace again. It helped too when Tarrin (our daughter) called us and I knew they were only a phone call away, not to mean I won’t miss seeing them, but that was truly a blessing to know that form of communication was open.
Today, Tuesday, finds me trying to settle into our home, although we aren’t able to settle in too much as we have limited space to store our clothes, office stuff etc. so we are living out of a suitcase until my dressers are delivered sometime, hopefully, this week. Plus the addition onto our home has begun (I’m hoping to get some video of that construction onto the blog soon) and that has helped calm my nerves a bit too, knowing this will be our actual home not just a place to drop our bags and visit.
I haven’t seen the kids at Nice View yet what with all the construction and cleaning of the house but I would like to step over there if even for a few minutes…maybe tomorrow I can head over there for a bit and take my video camera to capture the moment.
Now that I’m up and running I hope to keep you informed on a daily basis here on the blog of what God has in store for us. Thank you everyone for your prayers, emails and words of encouragement. I find strength anew everyday through the Holy Spirit and am looking forward to seeing the blessings God has in store for our kids here in Kenya.