Henna

I've had a few folks ask, so thought I'd better clear up the controversy: Emily did not come home with full arm and foot tattoos.

What I did do on the morning of our last day in Nairobi was visit a salon where a young lady decorated my skin with henna. Henna art is an old Asian/East African tradition -- the coast of Kenya and Tanzania ("Swahili" culture), in particular, is where you will find many a hand and foot decorated in elaborate designs. Henna is a plant that is ground into a paste, mixed with tea or lemon juice and maybe some essential oils, and used as a dye to, among other things, draw tattoo-like designs on the skin. As the paste dries, it stains the skin, and the dye usually stays on the skin for up to 3 weeks. Swahili women will pay to have a henna artist decorate their hands, arms, feet, and lower legs, especially for occasions such as weddings. A good artist is exceptionally fast; the gal who did mine painted my arms and feet in only 45 minutes.

While I was pregnant with Lincoln, I also learned from an Indian friend that in some cultures the women decorate their bellies with henna when they are expecting (she decorated mine at the time, and it was beautiful!). I opted not to do that this time around, mostly because I would have had to sit in the salon and wait for the paste to dry - with my shirt up for all the world to see my white belly - for up to an hour.

For me, having my hands and feet dressed up with a gorgeous floral design was a way for me to bring a bit of Kenya home with me - a visible reminder that will last a couple weeks. Besides, how could I not take advantage of the opportunity: I paid a mere $20 for my henna (would have been half that had I been on the coast instead of Nairobi), while the same work would have easily cost me $100 or more here in the U.S.

Karen's Final Reflections

From Karen:

There are so many things that moved me, but if I have to pick a couple, I would have to say that one would be meeting Josephine's father, Ibrahim Gitonga. He works humbly as the hands and feet of Jesus in his rural community. It is not a surprise that Ibrahim (a name that means "father to many") is a father figure to many of our sponsored kids, and in a visit to his compound we saw many of our kids laughing and playing as well as some of the older ones he has taken to live in his home. His smile and the shine in his eyes are just a bit of evidence of the joy he shares being the servant leader that he is.

It was also extra special for me to meet Harriet, the young woman I have sponsored for several years. It was a treat to sit with her and talk and to feel a connection that I have treasured so long in our letters... To be able to visit her home, meet her mother, and give her a hug in person was a dream come true for me. She is an inspiration to me and it has been an honor to be able to have such a close relationship with her.

Last Day in Kenya

We spent our last day, Monday, tying up loose ends, packing bags, and then visiting an area of Nairobi called Kibera.

Kibera is one of the largest, and most infamous slums in Nairobi. My host mom from my days as a study abroad student, Lucy, lives on the outskirts of Kibera in a gated, secured neighborhood. She is a retired teacher and spends much of her time these days supporting and helping to manage a preschool and rescue center for children from Kibera. The ministry she works with, Sisters of St Vincent de Paul, focuses their efforts on orphans, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. We visited the preschool, the rescue center, and Lucy's home on Monday afternoon -- a trip down memory lane for me, and a new experience for Karen and Bob.

During our visits, another friend, Irene -- the 15-yr-old girl who Jason and I have sponsored through Homeless Children International (http://www.teulekenya.org/) for several years -- joined us. The last time I met Irene, she was a very shy and quiet girl with only elementary English speaking skills. This time around, she was a confident, well-spoken young lady. We had just enough time to visit her home in the slum, a tiny shack the size of my bathroom. She lives with her Auntie Elizabeth, who sells ground nuts (peanuts) to support her own 4 children, as well as Irene and Irene's sister and brother. Without this kind auntie, Irene and her siblings would be on their own on the streets. Meeting Elizabeth was another highlight of this trip for me -- such a joyful and strong woman, doing the very best she can with what little she has, and praising God through it all. She gave me a necklace she had made before we left, a gesture which nearly moved me to tears.

With adventures in Kibera out of the way, we took one final trip to the Methodist Guest House to fetch our bags -- emptied of gifts for kids, and now refilled with purchases from curio shops and the Masai Market. We then headed out through Nairobi's rush hour traffic (the most insane circus of vehicles you will ever experience) to dinner, and the airport.

Josephine, Karen and I arrived back on US soil late Tuesday morning. Back home safe! Greg is enjoying a bit more time in Kenya with his daughter and son-in-law, and Bob stopped off in the Netherlands to spend one more week with his daughter's family (his wife, Janet, has also been staying there during our entire trip).

Safari and Other Adventures

First of all, let me confess that I spoke too soon about 100% health for the team. I spent most of Monday night tossing and turning with stomach issues, and got up Tuesday morning (the day we drove back to Nairobi) feeling horrible. Thank goodness for emergency antibiotics! On the advice of a Group Health nurse, I started the meds that morning, and was feeling back to normal again in just a couple days. Thank you, Lord!

With that news out of the way, let me back up to the wheelchair delivery in Meru. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip for all of us. We drove into the village and found Dorothy's home, wheeled her new wheelchair up to the tiny hut/house where she and her mother live, and found them both home. Dorothy came out using crutches, and gave us the biggest smile we'd seen in a long time. It took her no time to hoist herself up into her new chair, and she was soon wanting to try it out for herself, wheeling around the bit of yard in front of her house. Something about the joy from Dorothy, and the knowledge that this wheelchair was given by another friend in the US who is wheelchair-bound, and the opportunity to help out the mother with medical bills, all made the experience a tearful and memorable one. Picture of this moment to follow when we have the ability to add more pics to the blog...

The next day, Tuesday, was a long drive back to Nairobi. We then took Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to take a break and travel to Nakuru National Park, and Masai Mara for some game drives and amazing food. We were able to use the down time to regroup, reflect on the work of the week prior, and make some plans for stuff we need to accomplish once we return home.

Saturday (today) was taken up with one last long drive back to Nairobi. We will be here for 2 more nights, and may try to see a couple more sponsored kids who are currently in the city. On Monday night we hop on airplanes back home - except for Greg, who will hop on a different plane to Zanzibar. Hard to believe the trip is almost complete...