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...