Well it's great to be back! I do love Austin, and it's heartwarming to be reunited with family, friends, and church community. It's now one week since I set foot on American soil, and I'm still pondering how Rafiki Kenya has changed me. Below are some of the most common questions that I've been asked this week, and my unhesitating responses:
1. "Did you like it over there?" I LOVED IT!
2. "Would you go back anytime soon?" ASAP!
3. "Would you go back with Rafiki?" ABSOLUTELY!
4. "Would you still consider becoming a long-term missionary?" SIGN ME UP!
5. "What is the best thing about Africa?" THE PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN, THE ANIMALS, THE MUSIC, THE DANCING, THE ART, THE LANDSCAPE, THE SHOPPING, THE LOVE!
Some ask, "How do you feel about being back?" The answer is that I feel great about it, for now. I never knew I could totally love two places so much, but my pastor Jeff says he believes it's possible. It must be.
Below I have listed the things I appreciate more than ever about this place, Austin.
1. Family and Friends
2. My church community--FEFC (First Evangelical Free Church)
3. Paved roads--everywhere!
4. Freedom to go anywhere I want, whenever I want.
5. My own wheels (good ole soccer/cheer mom minivan- 2000 toyota sienna with 173K miles) and my own "modern" 2001 PC!!!
6. Austin hills, lakes, and sunsets
7. My apartment and my favorite bed
8. Pets (other people's, as mine are farmed out)
9. Entertainment and abundant culture--music, dancing, art, comedy
10. No curfew
11. Clean air and water
12. Escape from Nairobi traffic and dust
And now, the things I miss the most about my stay there:
1. My 96 adopted children from infants to 20-somethings
2. The Kenyan adult friends that I made, and the friendliest staff ever at the tourist resorts!
3. The abundant tropical birds and flowers--the sights, sounds, and fragrances, especially of plumeria and bouganvilla, and the silly Ibis birds that cawed like roosters crowing to announce the dawn, and the precious family of Egyptian geese with their 8 baby goslings, all honking at once!
4. The safaris--both walking and driving, and all those huggable African animals! Love'em!!!
5. The beauty of the Great Rift Valley, and the road to Naivasha and Limuru
6. The beauty of the Indian Ocean and neon tropical fish
7. The warmth of all the people, and their sense of humor--Kenyan, British, American, Indian, Russian, Asian...
8. The rich cultural and international diversity, and the charm of the British influence
9. The many, many national churches and their music and dancing, especially in Kibera!
10. The African skies--rain or shine! Absolutely Gorgeous!
11. The crisp, cool (high altitude) morning and evening air..
12. Escape from Austin traffic and rapid pace of life
Feel free to shoot me anymore questions you might be wanting to ask. Also, I hope you enjoy the photos, mostly Anna, Laney, and Ellie's pics of our wonderful lodge, Ol Tukai. You can see that it was a beautiful, romantic setting. Although it set me back about twice what I thought safari was going to cost, it was worth every bit. Let's just say this was one of the reasons I had to come back earlier to find work, LOL!
Ciaou!
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