Mzungus return

We are back in the states after a whirlwind trip to Kenya. Successful – yes! Fun – yes! Rewarding – yes! We checked all the boxes on this quick trip. And it was absolutely lovely. Oh – and “mzungu” means “white person” in Swahili; it’s something we hear all the time when we’re in Kenya, especially from the kids!

Unlike our previous experiences, the travel went as smoothly as one could hope for. No major delays, no missed flights (though we had a close call in Atlanta), and no hiccups. Our driver in Nairobi, Lewis, was there early and our driver in Kisii, Victor, was great. The bulk of our costs were for transportation, but it’s worth it to have safe and reliable vehicles and drivers when you’re going to be in a car that long and that often.

I’ll have to break this into a couple of posts, so be sure to come back to read about the fun stuff…this one will focus on the work. We were able, with the help of our friends and colleagues Jared and Jackie, to meet with and survey 19 teachers and over 40 parents; Sarah has the final tally, but we were pleased with the participation. It also meant that all 60 pairs of the shoes were given out and are currently in use. The kids and parents were so excited and grateful, and we are very much looking forward to returning in June with even more shoes to give!

Our last day in Kisii, a city we are thrilled to be connected with and so looking forward to continuing to build relationships in, we met with Abel and his family on his family land. I had no idea before we went that this land has been in his family for generations, and that he had to get all his brothers to agree to sell us the land if we choose to purchase it…it is humbling that this family, who just lost their father in July at the age of 118 years!, is willing to sell the mzungus (white folks/foreigners) some of their rich and fertile land. Abel himself had nothing but a t-shirt until he was 6 years old, when his parents scraped up enough Kenyan shillings to buy his school uniforms. From there, he has never looked back; he is working on his doctoral dissertation, is a Bishop in his church, and has taught regularly in the Bible College he and Deborah are working to bring back to fiscal health. He’s a true inspiration and he knows the power of education – a combination that is utterly transformational. His only desire is to ensure that the land goes to a purpose that serves his community, a desire we truly hope to fulfill if we should go ahead with the purchase.

Kisii is beautifully geographically and the people are kind, generous, and so happy to see new faces. Abel’s house is located about a block away from the Gucha WEEP center, which makes it even more convenient…it seems we have been guided to where we are and how lucky are we to have all these opportunities opening to us? Sometimes when you embark on the “right” path the path seems to pave itself. We certainly still face some hurdles and not all will be smooth sailing, but the big bumps in the road are still relatively small in the big picture of everything. I continue to hope that we get the support we need – both internally and externally – to keep this dream alive and bring our vision into being so that girls in Kisii, Kenya can be transformed by education, just as I have been, just as Abel has been, just as all those who are working with us have been. Education is powerful and empowering, and a trip to Kenya will only help you understand that even more deeply than ever before.

We are thrilled to have finally visited Kisii and look forward to many return trips. Help us make education for girls a reality in a country that contains such great promise and potential. We know our girls will make a big difference in the world – whether at the community or global levels!