Unlikely Things

I have now been home for 24 hours and finally feel that I may be able to write coherently!  My summary of the previous 36 hours of travel: Kenya is a LONG way away!  But 4 plane rides later -- it was worth it! :)

                             Safari Plane

 African Sunset

But back to the traffic jam on the Rift Valley!  We eventually arrived in Nairobi where we stayed for two days and on Tuesday morning left for Masai Mara, a famous safari land in the middle of Kenya.  We departed from a a little airport and flew in an even smaller airplane to the middle of, well, it seemed like the middle of nowhere and landed on a dirt landing strip.  From the plane window we could see herds of zebras and I even spotted a lion!  The only building in sight was a small stone pavilion and next to it, a forest green jeep.  We were greeted by the driver Tony and his helper Daniel dressed in full traditional Masai-wear.  It didn't take long to feel like we were in the "Lion King", as on the 45 minute drive to the campsite we passed giraffes, buffalo, and impalas.  Upon arriving we were shown to our tent.  Now when I think "tent", I generally think "roughing it"…but this tent had hardwood floors and a nicer shower than I have at home!  The camp was definitely targeted at tourists.  I just wanted to put everyone on a bus, express them to Busia and say, "this is the other half of Kenya you're not seeing!"  But we spent the afternoon driving around the savannah and observed zebras, hippos, cheetahs, birds, and elephants.  We even woke a sleeping lion!  We saw both the sunset and the sunrise; an African sunset is truly something to behold.  I think we probably were Tony's first group to ever stand up in the jeep, the wind whipping around us, and belt Meredith Andrew's "Open Up the Heavens"…it definitely ranked high on my list of "favorite places to sing"!

                                  Richard

On Wednesday afternoon we flew back to Nairobi and drove to the international airport.  It was there we had to say "farewell" to our driver Richard.  Richard was the same driver who had picked us up 31 days earlier, driven us all the way to Busia, written us pages of "Swahili" to "English" translations, faithfully took us all of over the Kenyan countryside (even after Gladys and I diagnosed him with malaria), kept us safe, and gave us "free massages".  Yes - whenever the road was extremely bumpy (which was quite often), Richard would yell, "Free massage!!"  He is the man who should write the Kenyan version of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" because with 5 minutes and a bottle of Coke, that man can become best friends with anyone!  I tried not to cry as we said bye to Richard.  And then we began the long journey home. 

There was some confusion at London Heathrow as Taylor, Susan, and Ashley were already half way through security when we learned I must go my separate way.  After giving them 2-second hugs, I headed for Terminal 3 and sat in the London airport alone, waiting to board another 8 hour flight.  I began skimming through my pictures, starting from day
one -- from orientation in Dallas all the way to Masai Mara.  When gazing across the savannah, I couldn't help but remember a Bible verse on a wall decoration my grandmother once gave me, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever".  Whenever the Bible, especially Psalms, describes the beauty of creation, I've always had the image of freshly-fallen snow or an Iowan corn field in my head.  But now my mind is full of different images -- of an African sunrise, a sleeping lion, or elephants in the sunset.  But also of children in dirty uniforms playing in a school yard with old tires and deflated balls, yet beaming, contagious smiles.  I hope that this blog has been a testament to the fact that no matter where, no matter the circumstances, the word of the Lord is powerful and it stands, unshakeable, forever.

It's good to be home, and it was awesome to see my mom waiting for me through the EXIT
security doors at the Minneapolis airport.  My SUBWAY sandwich piled with fresh veggies and bacon on the drive home was great too!  But it's sad to want to be in 2 places at once and know it's simply impossible!  We called Ann and Peter before our flight left Kenya, and they informed me that Abigael was back in school on Monday.  The medicine worked quickly and she is back to good health.  I can only pray that God will send another person, in the season He has ordained in their life, to watch out for little Abigael.  

As I ponder the last month, sitting in my kitchen with a cup of Kenyan tea I just unpacked, I can't help but smile.  When I told my group members I had never left the country or gone on a mission trip before, it was evident they thought I was crazy.  And beforehand, it was obvious a lot of other people thought so too.  And looking back, I was!  But back in my kitchen, I can only chuckle and marvel at God and His ways.  Sometimes he really does use the most unlikely things!  And this time, that unlikely thing was me.  1 month later, after reluctantly leaving the place where I have been most humbled, completely amazed, and utterly blessed, I sadly close this chapter.  But it's comforting that with every closing chapter, another one opens.  And after this, I can only say that God's plans are unfathomable.  So dear friend, faithfully wait and listen.  Because who knows where God will take you.