I am going to give a very brief overall summary of our rest week here in Nairobi.
Monday: prayer and fasting in the LIA Kenya office, so great.
Tuesday: Holly Garrett arrive back to our team safe and sound and we had our mid-term debrief. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT IS MIDTERM ALREADY, SERIOUSLY!
Wednesday: BABIES, the team visited the New Life Home in Nairobi and we were all so impressed with the facility. It was super modern and had the ability to see to the health needs of so many orphan children. Also we learned that the U.S. and U.K. are now allowed to adopt from Kenya which like two weeks ago was not an option. EXCITING! Also the love that these orphans receive is unbelievable, they have committed volunteers that come in everyday! We were able to spend some time playing and feed the little ones, so fun but also so heart breaking because you know these kids don't have parents. Afternoon time we just chilled and relaxed, some of us ventured on a walk around Nairobi. A dreams of ours was to be able to walk down the street in Kenya and see people we know-- dream come true we saw 2 different LIA people driving so cool.
Thursday: In the morning we went to visit a ministry that teaches and helps develop the skills of Somalian refugees. They make some really cool stuff from aprons, to bags, to backpacks that look so cool. In the afternoon we experienced some african time, before we had a meeting with a man from Life Ministries (same as campus crusades state side)
Friday: Chill morning for most of us, I went to Java to get some school work done and enjoy a cup of tea. In the afternoon we ventured with Jakes to visit baby/ orphan animals. It was so cool, except they we in cages, but still we saw african animals in actual africa. We also witnessed a little baby (3 days old) try to figure out how to walk, so tender (molly Russell's word). We saw some simba's get fed and Nicole got attacked by a monkey. We also drove through Kibera and felt very American because we were not walking, weird feeling. The girls also ventured out to Java for Shakes to celebrate Holly Garrett safe return.
Saturday: Well the previous Sunday at church we were invited to attend a fellowship event of "going on a little hike" to Mount Longonot. If a Kenyan EVER tells you to join on a little hike, remember a little hike is a straight up climb, hike, crawl, sweat more than ever in your life, fall more times than you can count, laugh so hard you can't breath even more because you already couldn't breath, use muscles you probably have never used in your life. So around 17 people made up of Kenyans and Mazungos climbed this mountain. Some facts about Mount Longonot and Kenyans that are interesting:
1: It costs foreigners (aka us) 20 U.S. dollars, it costs Kenyans approximately $2.27. haha, they really know how to capitalize on foreigners.
2: 5:30 a.m. is early now matter where you are in the world. (thats the time we woke up to go to the mountain)
3: Bring food, you'll need because Mount L will take all your energy before you even start climbing.
4.This park bears the privilege of being the host of the highest volcanic mountain in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, rising from the shores of Lake Naivasha up to 9108 ft above sea level. Mount Longonot is the most recent and one of the youngest volcanoes in the world, making Longonot National park the ‘hotKenya Vacations’ of all the parks in the Rift valley. The scenic beauties in the area are astounding both in length and breadth, making a concoction of many features of the Rift Valley basin. ( http://www.enhols.com/kenya_safari/mount-longonot/default.aspx)
9108 ft! Rift Valley! Best Day Ever, most painful but Best!
3 miles up, 6 miles around the rim, 3 miles down in four hours, less for commander, rayray and holly, and Mr. G who went around the whole thing crazy fast.
5. Commander Ponton, Rayray, and The Lovely Holly Garrett definitely have competition in there top ten strengths. Sam definitely does not.
6. I was told to use every adjective I could think of to describe the beauty of the masters hand's we saw on Mount Longonot. Here goes, it was beautiful, breathtaking (literally we couldn't breath at some points), wonderful, awe-inspiring, incomparable, gorgeous, fantastic, phenomenal. Some other words could be used to describe the experience are painful, Colorado ain't got nothin on Mount Longonot, very dirty, most difficult physical challenge many of us have ever been apart of, I will never wear chacos hiking ever again, bare feet hiking is the best, rain on the top of the mountain is also epic. Reaching the top of the summit is the best feeling ever and finally walking down the mountain is probably the most painful walk i have ever experienced.
7. Kenyans know how to barbecue, for real. Many interns tried lamb intestine, liver, kidney and the normal stuff too. It was delicious, I wasn't so keen on the liver or kidney though, I liked the intestine taste like chicken.
8. I will never forget seeing Pastor yell back to his wife who was like a mile away saying, "I am so proud of you", and "keep going baby, you got this". And then to see his wife make it all the way around the mountain was the coolest thing ever.
9. It now almost Tuesday and I am still sore.
10. Words cannot seriously describe or detail the experience, what I have said does not do it justice. I just don't know how you can look down on the rift valley and not be struck by the thought that "man, God is so good, look at the detail he puts into everything, this was not world was not just an accident", that is just my opinion though, I hope one day you can climb a mountain too and tell me all about your experience.
Sunday: Went to innkeeper fellowship, the church we enjoy attending in Nairobi. And then it stormed all day. Me and Austin had quite an adventure walking home in the downpour. People and rain in Kenya is just so funny to witness.
With love and a lot of respect for babies, backpacks and back breaking mountains I wish all who read this blessings.
Mungu Akubariki
K. Sawyer
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