Coming to a Close

Our time here in Kenya is quickly coming to an end. I'm not exactly sure where the time has gone. It has been a busy two and a half weeks since the first team left. Last Monday we hit the road for Tanzania. There is a language school in Morogoro, Tanzania that Clayton will be attending next summer. He wanted to visit and so seven of us took public transit to Tanzania. After crossing the border and making several stops, we completed the all day trip to Morogoro. Tuesday we visited with a teacher from the school and went into town that afternoon to do some touristy things. The language school was located at the foothills of a beautiful mountain range. The scenery was breathtaking. I almost wish that I could enroll in the school next summer with Clayton. On Wednesday, we started our trip home at 5:00 A.M. and completed our 17 hour trip late that night. Tanzania was a beautiful place and had a very different feel from Kenya. In Kenya, tribalism is still very important to citizens. Tanzanians have more of a sense of national pride and were extremely kind to us as visitors. 

Thursday was the 4th of July. Six or seven American missionary families that live near the coast of Kenya came and spent a day or two with us to celebrate the 4th of July. It was a blast getting to hang out with some Americans and celebrate by grilling hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, and much more. Most of them left on Friday, while one family stayed until Monday to have to family vacation time. 

July 2nd was Brittany and my's 3 year anniversary. Because we were in Tanzania, we weren't able to do much to celebrate. Saturday night we decided to go out for a nice dinner. James and Kenya told me about a place called Driftwood that is a buffet basically on the beach. I had no idea how nice it was going to be before we arrived. We had a good time having some time away and to ourselves for our 3 year anniversary. 

This week was spent getting ready for the team, which arrives today. Monday we went to Miritini (the village where we are doing the basketball camp) and put two poles in the ground so we can attach basketball goals. On our way back, we stopped in Mombasa and watched Monsters University in 3D. Tuesday and Wednesday we spent most of our time getting tents and sleeping bags ready and finishing anything else before the team arrives. Thursday was our last day off before the team comes. We had decided that we wanted to go to Gertrude's home. Gertrude is the lady who teaches our Swahili classes. She is a member of the church in Malindi but can only come occasionally because she lives outside of town. We spent all day at her home looking at her farm and just enjoying her company. She is a very sweet lady and we loved visiting her home. Thursday night was our nice dinner out with the Taylors. We went to a restaurant called I Love Pizza. It was a great night for us before the team arrives and everything gets crazy. Each of the Taylor kids made a card for each of us interns, as did James and Kenya. They are all incredible people and it will be hard to leave a week from Monday. The next week and a half will fly by, especially with the team being here. We will spend 4 days in the village, show the Jesus Film twice, go snorkeling, and go to a game park. It will be a wild ride, but I can't wait. After that, we come home. It's exciting but at the same time very bittersweet.