I can't believe almost a month has gone by since I've posted anything! So sorry, sometimes I don't know where time goes.
What have I been up to???

Well the Worship team from Pomona came in about 2 weeks ago. It was really good to see some old faces. Terry Butler (Pomona Worship Leader) his niece Carrie and Chris Davis (Pomona Drummer and old friend) came for the national worship conference. We spent the week with Kenyans from all over the nation! Lots of dancing and good music.
One night Carrie, Chris and I talked til 3:30 in the morning about life, beliefs, the church today and all that good stuff. It was really awesome to be able to connect and I couldn't help but think THIS is what the church should be like.



The conference kick started my next project, my global study project. Basically what I am doing is conducting research and interviewing people on the affects of Westernization on the African church focused in the area of worship. The conference was great because I got people from all over the country in one spot, it simplified my life alot. The results from my interviews really surprised me but I'm finding God usually works that way, breaking down all our assumption and presuppositions.

Finally on to the last part of the last few weeks, safari #2! Saw pretty much everything. We prayed and I think God rewarded us for our hard work in the previous week. I now have seen all of the big five: lion, elephant, water buffalo, rhino, and leopard. The most exciting thing for me has got to be the lions. No matter how many times I have seen them I am never cease to be amazed at their size. It's also crazy to be so close with nothing but glass standing between you and those teeth. Talk about accelerated heart rate!


Hippo River with Dad

The Crew



Lastly I have to mention I am super excited about the arrival of Julia this week! Julia was was my roommate for LA Term and she is wonderful. Over the last year she has become one of my best friends. It is gonna be so nice to have someone here who really understands everything there is to process when living in a place very different from home.
Although it's been a rough road (been here for 3 months now) I think it was a process I had to do on my own. For lack of a better term, I've "grown up" alot.
love love love
a

Coming, but mostly goings...

These are some pictures from our day trip to Nakuru National Park. One of Kelsey's last days in Kenya...



Nakuru is famous for its 1.5 million flamingos

Were going to have lunch until this guy decided he would like to join us, baboons are not known for their table manners.



sigh.
Baby sister went home earlier this week. It was so nice to have a piece of home around for a while. Went back to Nkita's crazy household and found everyone else moving out. Nkita left for Mombasa early this morning. Agnus went upcountry to visit her family. Christian is moving back to school campus tomorrow. And that leave me! In a big house, alone!
Thankfully Annabelle (another Day star student) is moving in. It's been a trying week, filled with frustrations (about school and graduating on time) and feeling of loneliness with everyone going. I've been thinking about how funny life is and how it never goes the way we expect it to or plan it to be. Yet it somehow works out anyway. So I'm holding onto that.
This month is also vacation for the kids of Mahali. They had their last day Friday and I made them a special treat, fruit salad! (3 guys on the matatu asked me if they could have some, LOL) My focus is now switching from the kids to my new project for the month which is the affects of westernization on the African church, specifically in the area of worship. Next week we have worship leaders from all across Kenya (and some flying in from the States) coming here! So I have to rush around to get all my interviews in before they leave.
Yesterday I went to a soccer game, Kenya vs. Brazil. Total madness but awesome. Met some new friends, got stranded for a while, went to a random graduation party, met some more new friends, finally got home, ate some chicken, and went to sleep! Busy day.
Nairobi is beginning to become more familiar than ever. The weather is FINALLY starting to warm! And I'm relaxed.
a