Ok guys...now really.

I heard this morning that some friends of mine back home (ahem...Willis family) and possibly some others who were planning on making a trip to Kenya in the next couple of years have reconsidered, or flat out decided against the idea after reading about our adventures in this blog.

Really?

I am amazed that more of you don't realize I can be a drama queen!  Actually, everything I've shared in this blog is true, and although some of it was terrifying, there's no reason to blame Kenya!  (Well, the driver who got malaria was kind of a Kenya problem, but tourists take preventative medicine for that) Honestly, this trip has been different, more challenging than trips in the past, but what can you expect when I have been here 7 times!  And we have learned A LOT through the challenges and trials.  I highly recommend a family trip to Kenya!  Anyone and everyone should come!

Today we visited His Cherished Ones Baby Orphanage.  I was totally out of my comfort zone:

But these two were not:

Primarily we went to HCO to speak with the director, Trena Ivy.  I feel that her "Mzungu" (white person) run organization is one of the most successful I've seen in Nakuru and we wanted our son, Harrison, to have a chance to speak with her.  She was a wealth of wisdom and inspiration to Harrison, but one thing she said, directed to me, that struck me, was this: "I've been following your posts and your blog on FB and after seeing all of the trials you have faced on this trip and you still find the light, you are IN IT! Whatever it is, you are in it!  You are meant to be here and you know that so you are in it."  She went on to say that if God wanted to use me over here, he certainly wouldn't fill my first trip with such big trials or I'd never have come back (there are minor Kenyan frustrations with every trip, but that's just Kenya, folks...). She said that she hadn't set out to run a baby orphanage, her original focus was much different, but she "followed the bread crumbs" and God led her to where she was today.  

Why do I keep coming back to Kenya?  It may be as simple as learning about this country that my child wants to minister in.  It may be something more complex, but I will keep coming back. And I will continue to find joy in the small things over here.  I will have faith.  

Why should you come to Kenya?  To learn about this different culture, to help you understand a life you've never known, and to step out of your comfort zone (and of course the safari, ha, ha!).  You will see a better side to yourself.  One that wants to care for people and show compassion and love.  You will challenge yourself to have faith.  And, you will be changed.  Whether you make 1 trip or 7...you will be changed.  As for my friends with younger kids, you will be amazed by your children.  To watch them run and play with kids who are different from them, to see that in some ways all kids are the same, it's truly overwhelming.

So, yes...all of that stuff did happen to us, but in hindsight, I'm thankful for the lessons we learned.  (*UPDATE: Apparently the only thing going on with our current driver's health is the malaria. They adjusted his meds today, so we are hoping for a speedy recovery!  And our first driver called us today to explain his story. We think it is possible he wants to be our driver again, but we do not know...certainly not on this trip.)

And please people...enjoy the entertainment of my stories, but don't let them put you in panic mode!  I'd hate to have to start writing boring blog posts just to keep everyone calm...

Have a GREAT night and Lala salama!