just breathe.

so i kind of feel like i got the wind knocked out of me. i have experienced so many emotions and thoughts today, it's overwhelming. yesterday's encounter with serious poverty combined with today's journey into nairobi's slums mixed with the serious joy these people have has totally messed me up and leaves me completely humbled.

we visited two church services this morning. the first was at calvary christian church, which is the host church and building to calvary christian school which we've been supporting through ellie's run the past few years. it was great to be there, even surreal. we left our welcome early to catch the last half of the emmanuel church's service. emmanuel church is the host church behind emmanuel vocational school, which we have recently started supporting and helped to finish building. i talked with grace and naomi today, two of the ladies that go to the church and i asked them the story about rebuilding the vocational school. after the presidential election in 2007, there was an outbreak of voilence and kibera felt the brunt of it. the vocational school and pastor's home were set on fire and the church building was damaged. there were many things stolen. thankfully, no one was at the church at the time and no one was hurt. this was both a political, tribal and religious ordeal.

i met tito today, the director for african leadership in sudan, and hearing him talk about the challenges and starvation his family and community are facing blows me away. this is real. it's really real. and i'm the closest i've ever been to it. i've read and researched and poured the stats about all of these stories that take place in faraway lands, and now i'm looking at it, smelling it, holding it, conversing with it.

i don't understand many things. i don't understand slums or poverty. i don't understand near starvation. i don't know how anyone can justify war when you see the effects violence has on people. i don't understand how people with nothing have so much joy. it totally baffles me. not only do they have nothing, but they continually have more taken from them each day - that's the most mind-blowing part of it all. yet they still sing songs of thanksgiving and praise and thanks to Jesus. having nothing but Jesus = true happiness. a simple sunday school lesson, but it's hard to digest in real life. i love Jesus. i love how he is contrary to everything this world offers. America tells me to want more, to have more, to strive for more. Jesus tells me to drop my nets and follow Him. leave everything. have nothing. and even when it's taken from me, i praise him anyhow.

the kenyans have a simple phrase they quote often, regardless of where we go, "God is good all the time and all the time God is good, for that is his nature."

wow.

jambo!

greetings from nairobi! it is such a thrilling feeling to be here and to be (finally!) writing you all.

after 24+ hours of traveling, we finally made it to nairobi, friday night, without harldy any hiccups. we ended up having to stand in customs for a verrry long time, but we considered that initiation into african time and pace of life. annnd i got a pretty cool stamp in my passport...sweet!

this morning we went to kitui. kitui is a village about 3.5 hours southeast (?) from nairobi. on our trek there and back we were able to see much of the kenyan countryside which is really beautiful. kitui has a little bit different scenery, not because it's supposed to, but because they have had a drought for the past 3 years. earlier this year, african leadership did an emergency food distribution to over 1,000 families because no one could grow food and people were literally starving to death. we visited with 21 orphans that are currently cared for by extended family, beautiful african couple, and finances from african leadership and mocha club. i was told that the parents of these children most likely died of HIV or AIDS. we pulled up in our vans and the children greeted us with songs and of course i was choking up already. we immediately started introducing ourselves to these new friends, pulled out the soccer balls and played for the day. we threw them a birthday party, complete with streamers, pin the tail on the donkey and face painting. i hope they felt loved today.

not only were the children there, but many older people, the community's pastor and other beneficiaries of the food distribution earlier this year. so many old, wrinkled faces that were completely beautiful to me. many of the elderly people and the children didn't know much english, but we had a great time and hugs are universal, so i gave lots of them away.

i was struck by how close i am to everything i've been reading about for years. as i ate my lunch i was struck that starvation is such a real issue for these people. and despite their hardships, suffering and challenges, they are so joyful! i have heard that so much, but it's so true, at least of the people i met in kitui. they don't know what they will do if the rains do not come in november, but in the same breath they praise God and give him thanks for everything, and i am completely humbled, inspired, and bewildered by our God who loves us so much, yet allows his people to face such trials. i am sure He welcomes such questions and contemplation and i know i am not done processing all i have seen and experienced today as well as the days to come.

i wish i could post pictures! ack....hopefully soon enough! nairobi is such a great mixture of the old and new, modern and kenyan tradition. i saw camels for sale and a billboard for the new 3G iphone...and i am listening to africans singing beegees karoake somewhere in our guest house...i think i will try to find them and join in.

good night and much love from kenya.

love is moving you now.

Me = Super Excited

7/9 - 7/19 Nairobi/Kibera, Kenya
7/19 - 9/7 Addis Ababa/Nazaret, Ethiopia
9/8 - 9/24 Cape Town/Durban, South Africa
9/25 - 9/26 London
9/26 HOME