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Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Hakuna Matata: No Worries
Hakuna Matata = not just a song from one of our favorite Disney movies! Yes, it means no worries, but here in Kenya, Hakuna Matata is a way of life. We learned this the very first day when it took us way longer than expected to travel from Nairobi to Karogoto and have been trying to live with no worries ever since.
Today was an incredible, laid back day spent in the community. Our group spent time between construction at the new knitting facility and bonding with our friends working at the old knitting facility. We placed a rather large order so we could take their homemade scarves back to our loved ones and when we arrived they were very hard at work. What would have been a very stressful task to most of us was just another joyful day for them.
After a picnic lunch, we took a hike up Tumutumu hill with the town pastors to take in the beautiful view, meditate, and pray for this small community we've come to love so much. It was a very spiritual moment for everyone and a great way to end this portion of our trip.
We have become so attached to the children of Karogoto that we made one final stop to the school to say farewell. When they saw our bus, the kids came running and screaming out of their classrooms - we felt like rockstars. We hugged, sang, and took tons of pics so we could always remember them. After the school visit, it was back to the community to say our last goodbyes. We couldn't believe our time with them was over, but we know that we'll be back again some day. After a few teary hugs, it was back on the bus to head to our hotel and prep for the next leg of our journey: SAFARI.
Today was an incredible, laid back day spent in the community. Our group spent time between construction at the new knitting facility and bonding with our friends working at the old knitting facility. We placed a rather large order so we could take their homemade scarves back to our loved ones and when we arrived they were very hard at work. What would have been a very stressful task to most of us was just another joyful day for them.
After a picnic lunch, we took a hike up Tumutumu hill with the town pastors to take in the beautiful view, meditate, and pray for this small community we've come to love so much. It was a very spiritual moment for everyone and a great way to end this portion of our trip.
We have become so attached to the children of Karogoto that we made one final stop to the school to say farewell. When they saw our bus, the kids came running and screaming out of their classrooms - we felt like rockstars. We hugged, sang, and took tons of pics so we could always remember them. After the school visit, it was back to the community to say our last goodbyes. We couldn't believe our time with them was over, but we know that we'll be back again some day. After a few teary hugs, it was back on the bus to head to our hotel and prep for the next leg of our journey: SAFARI.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Rafiki: Friend
Another amazing day is complete! Today we really focused on building relationships with the people of the community-- & while that has always been our main priority as well as 410 Bridge's mission, today was a day dedicated to spending time with the people of Karogoto.
Some of us helped with the construction of the new knitting facility, others learned from & helped the women in the knitting factory as we all placed orders this morning for various items. A group even had the chance to meet with the head choir instructor, who in his 63 years has traveled & studied all over the world & shared stories of his travels.
After lunch we all got together and played volleyball while some of the community members, chatted with children, etc. In the afternoon we headed down to one of the local schools for an awesome experience of playing games & getting to know over 200 students! They were such a treat to be around, singing, playing soccer, dancing, & playing games.
Such a fun day making new friends!
Some of us helped with the construction of the new knitting facility, others learned from & helped the women in the knitting factory as we all placed orders this morning for various items. A group even had the chance to meet with the head choir instructor, who in his 63 years has traveled & studied all over the world & shared stories of his travels.
After lunch we all got together and played volleyball while some of the community members, chatted with children, etc. In the afternoon we headed down to one of the local schools for an awesome experience of playing games & getting to know over 200 students! They were such a treat to be around, singing, playing soccer, dancing, & playing games.
Such a fun day making new friends!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Nyumbani: Home
Another incredible day in our journey... We were given the unique opportunity to 'live a day in the life' with the people of Karogoto. We were split back up in our 5 groups of three and each taken to a different home within the community to experience their daily tasks, meals, habits, chores, & surroundings. We all had the same feeling of, 'this is unbelievable'. Not only was it unbelievable to us that there are people in the world who live in these types of conditions but it was also unbelievable that they would invite us into their homes, so eager to share their lives with us.
Here are some of the tasks many of us took part in:
Gardening
Feeding livestock
Milking cows
Washing clothes
Preparing traditional meals
Drinking chai tea
Chopping wood / leaves
Gathering fruit
Visiting local schools
Visiting the local coffee factory
Bathing babies
Washing dishes
& the list goes on....
We all had parallel experiences & interactions with our individual families. When we came back together after the day only one thing was left for debate, "Who had the most amazing day?" We could have each argued our point for hours but we all knew that our personal experiences were special to us & that those we had the privilege of 'living' with that day have left imprints on our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Yu mwema: God is Good
Today we had the privilege of attending five Kenyan churches. We divided ourselves into
groups of 3 & each had different but equally moving experiences. Some of us
attended Swahili language services, some were translated in English, some
congregations were large, others were much smaller. However, the common thread
of each church service was the presence of extreme joy. Inhibitions were thrown
to the wind as we danced in the aisles, sang at the top of our lungs &
smiled until our cheeks hurt while we continued to get to know our Kenyan
brothers & sisters. Some of the members of our group had the opportunity to
lead parts of their service by sharing anecdotes, Bible verses, & songs. It.was.incredible.
After taking a short break for lunch, we then split up into
3 groups for ministry with women, men & children. We heard in our debrief
tonight that the men of Kenya are concerned with their future as there is a
lack of employment opportunities for them. The men in our group encouraged them
to be leaders for their family & to have faith. Those who were partnered
with the women’s group found that our lives as women have many more parallels than
we had expected. They were able to talk through the struggles of being a
working woman & how to prioritize family & faith over daily
distractions. We then had four brave souls who volunteered to minister the
youth – which ended up being over 60 children. They played multiple games, made
cards for their loved ones, sang songs & played soccer in the middle of the
community.
We all left today in awe of how amazing this experience
truly has been & will continue to be for all of us. No language barrier was
strong enough to take precedence over the connections & bonds we all made
today.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Karibo: Welcome
Hello friends, family, & loyal customers! We are having some difficulty uploading pictures onto blogger, so if you would like to see some of the pictures we've taken thus far, be sure to check out our Facebook album :)
We woke up this morning at the West Breeze hotel and had a delicious breakfast of mangos, pancakes, & coffee, prior to heading to Karogoto. Just when we think we're out of Atlanta & away from crazy traffic, we find ourselves gridlocked in the Nairobi streets. What was expected to be a 2 hour transit, quickly turned into a 4 hour one, when one of the main roads was under construction. Because of the detour we had an awesome experience of driving through what Ally calls the "Hollywood Hills of Kenya". While we were able to see some amazing properties interlaced in the beautiful landscape, the backdrop suddenly changed. These areas quickly turned into much more impoverished areas but the common thread was the smiles of the Kenyan people welcoming us.
When we arrived in Karogoto we were greeted with open arms & big hearts. Pastor James introduced us to the women who work in the knitting factory, where we were privileged to knitting lessons & getting to know the women. When it came down to formal introductions we realized that were missing a member of our group, Jamey. We continued with our fellowship while Cameron went on a search for Jamey. A few minutes later, the two of them came back with children draped over their bodies. The little boys of the village instantly fell in love with them -- it was a precious site & a prelude for what the rest of our afternoon would be like.
A local Pastor, Steven, took us on a tour of how 410 Bridge has helped the community ameliorate their water resources. We went on a walk down to a waterfall where we were explained how they collect water & how they will be able to provide plumbing to the new knitting facility that is still being built. We were able to go check out the progress of the new factory & get a great glimpse of what this village has to look forward to.
Shortly thereafter, we said our goodbyes to everyone for the day we realized how excited we are to spend the rest of the week with by far the most gracious & welcoming group of individuals. Although we're physically exhausted, our minds are raising at the thought of what's to come this week!
We woke up this morning at the West Breeze hotel and had a delicious breakfast of mangos, pancakes, & coffee, prior to heading to Karogoto. Just when we think we're out of Atlanta & away from crazy traffic, we find ourselves gridlocked in the Nairobi streets. What was expected to be a 2 hour transit, quickly turned into a 4 hour one, when one of the main roads was under construction. Because of the detour we had an awesome experience of driving through what Ally calls the "Hollywood Hills of Kenya". While we were able to see some amazing properties interlaced in the beautiful landscape, the backdrop suddenly changed. These areas quickly turned into much more impoverished areas but the common thread was the smiles of the Kenyan people welcoming us.
When we arrived in Karogoto we were greeted with open arms & big hearts. Pastor James introduced us to the women who work in the knitting factory, where we were privileged to knitting lessons & getting to know the women. When it came down to formal introductions we realized that were missing a member of our group, Jamey. We continued with our fellowship while Cameron went on a search for Jamey. A few minutes later, the two of them came back with children draped over their bodies. The little boys of the village instantly fell in love with them -- it was a precious site & a prelude for what the rest of our afternoon would be like.
A local Pastor, Steven, took us on a tour of how 410 Bridge has helped the community ameliorate their water resources. We went on a walk down to a waterfall where we were explained how they collect water & how they will be able to provide plumbing to the new knitting facility that is still being built. We were able to go check out the progress of the new factory & get a great glimpse of what this village has to look forward to.
Shortly thereafter, we said our goodbyes to everyone for the day we realized how excited we are to spend the rest of the week with by far the most gracious & welcoming group of individuals. Although we're physically exhausted, our minds are raising at the thought of what's to come this week!
Friday, February 1, 2013
Safe & Sound
Our team has made it safely to Nairobi, Kenya!
We are safe & sound after their long trip! We couldn't be more excited to drive into Karogoto tomorrow & finally be a part of the community!
Thank you to all of you who are praying for us & thinking about us! We are so blessed to have this opportunity & can't wait to share our journey with you!
xoxo
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| Checking in: Atlanta airport |
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| Snack in Amsterdam airport |
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| Snack in Amsterdam airport |
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| Ally & her new Kenyan friend, Steve |
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| Our plane to Nairobi |
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| Nairobi airport |
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| Cameron & Angelo getting their paperwork squared away! |
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Our ride for the week!
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