And joyous it certainly was as I reunited with the family. Seeing Pastor Lawrence, Mama Lawrence, Junior, Jemima, Raymond, Emanuel, and so many others again…I cannot put in to words how special it was for me. And they remembered me by name! It felt like being home.
When we arrived, we got to take a look at the greenhouse. It looked like it was doing very successfully, as it was filled with nyanya (tomato) plants. We also enjoyed some chai and a short walk to a field where some kids were playing soccer. I was in awe that I was taking a similar stroll that I took with Isaac (my Kenyan brother) last year. After I spent some time exchanging glances and holding the hand of a new young child around Pastor Lawrence’s home, we enjoyed a filling and delicious dinner, followed by some dancing with the kids. My heart bubbled with joy as the family and I reflected on sweet memories from last year and exchanged new dance moves. My personal favorite was the “praying mantis.” (You’ll have to give a personal request if you ever want to see that one.) Hahah…I am laughing out loud just thinking about it. That was fun.
The next morning we headed to four different schools to interview girls under the Freedom For Girls project to analyze the successes and challenges while implementing the project. This was actually a challenge because of communication issues. The girls understood few English words, and let’s just say…I am not yet fluent in Swahili (Maybe one day!). It was a long day and a bit exhausting, but we were all having a blast simply being upcountry and learning one step at a time.
That night we headed to Madokas’ home in Upper Taita, which was nothing like any upcountry home I have seen. This home belonged to an ex-member of Parliament in Kenya, and I was shocked to pull up to a beautifully arched home, surrounded by the most spectacular garden. We walked in to cozy couches and a fire burning in the fireplace, with chai sitting on the table ready to warm our cool and exhausted bodies. I felt like a Kenyan princess. The interns and Lydiah (HEART Staff) and I enjoyed laughing and giggling together about the exquisite accommodations. We were thrilled to have a cozy place to stay…not to mention….with a breathtaking view.
The next day we visited four more schools—this time in Upper Taita. We approached this day with a different “plan of attack” in that we had Lydiah read the questions in English and Swahili and the girls fill out the forms on their own. This proved much more effective as the girls were free to write in whatever language they were most comfortable in—whether English or Swahili. Because of that, we received more honest, thorough, and confident answers from the girls when reading them later.
We spent another last night at Madokas, cozying up by the fire and exchanging stories, laughter, and reflections on the day before we headed back to Nariobi. I was so sad to leave, but something in me is convinced I’ll be back again. God was faithful to let me return to Taita once already…why not again?
