February 2011 Trip: Happy Valentine's Day

Peter and his family after church services in Nairobi.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

We are writing this in Nakuru, after lunch, sitting on the open air patio - sunshine and 85 degrees.

The 24 hours of travel was surprisingly easy, and we haven't actually
suffered jet lag - still going strong!

Since arriving Saturday night, here is what we have done:
--We were met at the airport by a smiling and waving driver, David Muteti, who has been our driver for each of our trips.
--Spent the first night Methodist Guest House
--Sunday morning went to church service with Peter and family (just for the record, the 40 minute sermon began an hour into the service!) and then had lunch with the Magetos.
--Drove 3 hours to Nakuru and got in a quick game drive before the lodge gates closed at 6:30 sharp. Before dinner there was a program of traditional African dance,with Fran, Joyce and Lynn joining in the dance while Elizabeth documented the whole experience
--This morning we left the lodge at 6:30 a.m. for a game drive. Including last night we've seen zebras, a giraffe, 2 lions that crossed the road right in front of us, 15 rhinos, water buffalo, flamingos, pelicans, marobau stork, baboons, fish eagle.... we're hoping to see a leopard this afternoon
--After breakfast following the game drive, we took off for the Wesley Methodist Mission Clinic in time to see an emergency - a baby being driven to the local hospital. We toured the clinic, met Diane Hamrick and many of the team who Lynn had worked with there in 2009, and got ideas for improving our own medical camp at Ekerenyo.
--With the help of a local pastor we found Mercy Preschool, headed by a wonderful Christian woman - Alice - (we had visited her preschool in past years and helped her buy little chairs for the children to sit on at the tables) It is interesting to see her ministry expand to the formation of a women's co-op ... the women were meeting next door to the pre-school, spinning their own yarn from their own sheep and dying it. They then were learning to knit items to sell locally and hopefully internationally. They have built a chicken coop next door to that, and anticipaate the chickens arriving next week. They will sell the eggs and chickens, with the goal being that they will become self-sustaining women.
--We visited the United Methodist Mission Boarding School which has grown by leaps and bounds since we saw it last time. There is a big new dormitory with bunkbeds- the girls have recently moved in. They have a new school van. Current enrollment is 700 students! We found out that there is an opportunity to sponsor a child in the boarding school for a one year commitment. Let us know if you are interested!

Off to search for a leopard now - Muteti is waiting with the safari van! The adventure continues tomorrow as we head for Ekerenyo and the Amani Reading Centre, to set up for the Medical Camp.