So, We got on the bus and and drove to the hotel we would be staying in for the night The Samara Guest House. We met with Geoffrey and discussed what we would be doing the next day. We were exhausted and hungry! We had our first taste of Kenyan food that night. I was really hesitant because we were basically told not to eat anything there because it could make us really sick. Well, everyone else dug in and so did I, and it was GOOODDD!!!! : )

After dinner it was FINALLY time for a shower and sleep. The men that worked at the hotel carried our luggage all the way up the three flights of stairs to our door. They were so welcoming there! May I say I didn't see one woman working in this hotel. Our room was really nice, and our shower was WARM! It was the only warm shower for the rest of the trip until we got to the national park. I really didn't sleep well that night with all of the excitement and being in a new unfamiliar place.

Don and Geoffrey at dinner.

Our room at the Samara Guest House.

The next morning we had breakfast at 7:00am. Don and Andy were late. Just to let you know. ; )
After we ate and finished packing the men of the hotel brought our luggage downstairs and loaded it on the bus! We didn't have to lift a finger! While we were waiting to leave Jen, Franny, Leslie and I went with the hotel manager/owner to the roof top to see Nairobi. The men that worked at the hotel were up there hand washing ALL of the laundry and hanging it out to dry. I was amazed at the amount of work they did. The view of the city from the roof top was so surreal. It was hard to believe that I was really there. I was finally in the place I have dreamed of being able to serve, and I could not take it in.

The Samara Guest House

Us minus Jen on the roof top.


The laundry...



The market...

We headed out on our two hour drive to Ngaamba. On the way we took in the land, blew up the kick balls, soccer balls, football, and I did my best to get used to the way the drove. They drive on the wrong side of the car and road with no speed limit and no lines on the highway! REALLY? Yes. There are a lot of motorcycle "gangs" out there. We had our first "African" experience and saw giraffe's on the side of the road eating! WILD giraffe's can you believe it!??!??! WOW...

We made a stop at the gas station to potty and wait on the other team that was going to Ngaamba North. Ok, so our first bathroom experience wasn't in a hole...but I'm about to get graphic. So, skip ahead if you have a weak tummy. So, my Dr. is amazing and knew I would be peeing in a hole all week, so she gave me this thing called The Whiz. It pretty much allows you to pee like a boy. I THOUGHT this was GERAT!!!! I was super super super excited about it! It was going to make my life so much easier in Kenya. As we got to the bathroom it looked normal aside from the ID's that were hanging from the ladies Wash Room sign. That kinda freaked me out...why were they there? I could only think the worst. Anywho, I wasn't the first to go in the bathroom, and I could hear the other girls talking. I stepped in and immediately stepped out! It was soooo smelly. I guess the toilets didn't flush. Kelly was gagging. Jess was extremely grossed out and trying to get thr courage to pick a stall and just go! Kelly and Jess found a few stalls that were worthy and went. I placed my TP over my mouth and nose under my sunglasses thanked the Lord for the The Whiz and took my shot! Little did I know...when you pee like a boy you have too LOOK at what your SMELLING! I had to close my eyes and do my best. I gagged, and I'm not one to have a weak stomach. Needless to say it was one experience I WILL NEVER EVER forget. wow. After that I chose not to use The Whiz the rest of the trip.

Andy with his handy hand held pump!

THE ROADS!

Sweet reminder of home. I love bikes.


Really? Is that creepy or is it just me?

What you'll do in times of desperation.

: )

Kelly-gagging. It was hilarious though. If you look close you can see The Whiz in my hand! It was pretty much a purple funnel.

Two Days Travel to My Personal Paradise

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

June 12th 2010-

I love the book of Psalms. The Lord has romanced me with it this year. This is the verse that is typed on the page of my journal that I started writing in on my journey to Kenya. Yesterday and the day before were packed with travel. We left Atlanta at 2:00pm because our flight was delayed. Well, let me start from very beginning...

I had arranged to have my roommate drive me to the airport. She was packing to move out the same week I was gone, and my new roommate (a friend of current roomie) was to move in while we were out of town this week. My current roommate had a great opportunity to serve in the Bahama's for three months, and then she would be moving back home to Florida. At about 10:30 the night before I left she realized my luggage and myself would not fit in her car! ha! So, luckily during my little freak out moment my roomie and my wonderful small group girls reassured me that I would get to the airport tomorrow morning. So, thankfully one of my small group members was able to drive me.

This entire week and the week of my return the Lord has shown me nothing but the simple face that I CAN and SHOULD rely on him no matter what! I have been given great peace in this. : ) So, my friend drove me to the airport, and went a different way than I normally would. I didn't say anything...I just went along for the ride-anxiously. When I saw the sign for Camp Creek I was relieved. That's when I mentioned to my friend how nervous I was that she went a different way, but I was confident in her. Her way was actually faster!!! Note to self for future drives to the airport.

We arrived at the airport at 10:15. Of course, Andy and Don were fashionably late. It wouldn't be like Don not to be! It's become the tradition on the trip for the boys the be the last to arrive. Delta opened a line for us at the check in because there were four teams going to Nairobi with the 410 Bridge from Atlanta. So, there was a total of about 35 of us traveling together the entire way. So, we headed to our gate for our 1st flight to Detroit, got some Great Wraps (YUMMIE IN MY TUMMY!!), and waited.... That's when the rumor started. Our flight was delayed until 6:00. That meant we would miss our connecting flights! AND not only our team but the other 27 people traveling with us on the same route! Needless to say our team gathered in prayer right then and there. In the middle of our prayer the intercom came on and announced that our flight was delayed until 2:15 and the gate was changed. : ) We said "Amen" and made our way to the other side of the Atlanta airport. If you are familiar with the Atlanta airport....you know that's a long way!

Waiting on the Boys in the airport...

We made it to Detroit, and there was a kids store with an obnoxious fake bird in it that you could hear chirping throughout the entire airport. There was also a big fountain, a Harley Davidson store and a train that went right over our heads!!! Then, we were on to our 7.5 hour flight to Amsterdam. I sat with Andy, Franny, and Leslie. Praise God that we had personal T.V.'s on this flight. I think I watched 3 movies because I couldn't sleep. I played some bejeweled too. lol. Everyone else TRIED to sleep. It's really hard to get comfortable on a plane....if your average size ; ). Thank you Lord that I am little and can manage to get into a somewhat comfortable ball. However, any sleep I did get wouldn't have happened without my travel pillow and "SpongeBob", my blanket, to make me feel at home. I adopted the nickname SpongeBob on the trip because I didn't realize how big "he" made me strapped to my backpack, so I kept hitting people.

On our way to Amsterdam!

The aiport in Amsterdam felt like home-BIG. Again, our flight was moved to another gate. They had orange toilet paper!!!! Must have been to celebrate the World Cup. The bathrooms were completely closed in each stall. There weren't even mirrors over the sinks. There was one wall with a large mirror and I guess what would be considered a vanity counter. Security was a little different. We had to go through it at the gate. This trip made me realize how well protected we are in Atlanta. The security is WAY more tight in Atlanta than anywhere else we went. On the last leg of our trip from Amsterdam to Nairobi (another 7.5-9 hours) I was knocked out before we even took off. The closest person to me on this flight was Jen. She was in the seat right behind me. I sat with two people who were headed to South Africa to stay for a month for the World Cup! I didn't find this out until we landed because I was asleep the entire flight...except for when they came around with food. PS. KLM has amazing foooodddd!

We finally landed in Nairobi two days later at around 10:00pm. We had to exchange our money, get our visa's and find our guide. Our guide for the trip was Geoffrey. We were his 2nd team, and we couldn't be more excited to share our first experience in Kenya with him as our guide! We went out to our bus where we met our driver for the week, David. They were both super cool, and took GREAT care of us! As soon as we got on the bus Franny pulled out her iphone and we practice Our God by Chris Tomlin. We were planning on singing it for the kids in our welcoming ceremony. Geoffrey and David loved it!! They were rockin' out with us. It was so neat because I was not expecting that!

Finally in Nairobi!!! (Notice how HUGE my backpack is...with SpongeBob safely strapped on) : )

Franny holding up the iphone so that we all could hear and sing to it.