Day 1 - Kenya Journal

I'll be posting my journal notes from our Kenya trip over the next couple of days.  These notes were compiled at the end of each day.  I tried to capture what we did, but did not write a lot about how I felt during the trip.  I am still processing through those complex emotions.  Instead, this journal was meant to capture the day to day activities to be used to jog my memory about the things that we did.  Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of pictures as I didn't take many...I was too busy trying to experience everything in real time, and less interested in worrying about getting the photo.

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Katito journal - 06 May 2012

We arrived in Kisumu today.  The flight from DFW to London was horrible as Josh accidentally moved his seat and we were jammed into a 767.  Ultimately, we arrived and I got a couple of hours of sleep.  We went into London to see parliament and Big Ben, but the underground was running very slow and we ended up only having 20 minutes in the city.  At least we had a good meal of fish and chips at the airport.  This, following our meal at Reata Grill makes me think that this team can really eat.  Our flight from London to Nairobi was much better, as it was a half filled triple-7.  I had an entire row to myself and was able to lie down and get a few hours sleep.

Nairobi was as expected, and we walked from the international terminal to the domestic, like how you have to in Delhi.  The domestic terminal was spartan, but we had a group of us, so our multi-hour layover went quickly.  We met Justus here, as well.

Our flight to Kisumu was fine...short.  Kisumu is beautiful.  It is green, mountainous, near Lake Victoria and just wonderful.  We had lunch at the hotel - a run down affair, not the guest house I had expected - and went shopping at the market.  After doing my version of the haggle, I had completed my souvenir shopping.  We also took a drive to a beach area near the lake.  Seeing the fishing boats and all of the kids stands out to me.  I love getting waved at with that big smile that the kids have.  The adults don't share their enthusiasm, but we are getting stared at, A LOT.  We even had at least on child announce 'Mzunga' (white man) as we drove past.

We had dinner at the hotel and our security briefing.  We also got our agendas for the trip.  We meet our sponsored children tomorrow..I am so enthusiastically nervous about that.  I hope it goes well and that the kids enjoy it.

I also learned that we would have an opportunity to experience hauling water, like many of the kids do...I am looking forward to that.  I pray that I get out of tomorrow what God wants me to get out of it, and that the same happens for everyone I come across tomorrow.

SL