Things I Miss The Most

So I've decided I need to blog more, I think it's mostly going to be pictures.
I actually think I just want to post a picture a day of something, anything, hopefully containing beauty...

Im going to start with some of the people, places, and things I miss the most, and that filled my heart with the most joy...
Thanks for reading..

Possible Outlet?

I feel adjusted, I think I'm adjusted to being back in America. But I slowly Ive come to realize Im far from it.
I don't think I ever got to process everything after I got back from the first trip, and then I went on the road for about 2 months before turning right around and hoping on a plane back to Africa.

Since I've been back, I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I could snap out of it long enough to see and catch up with friends, but there was and still is this underlying discontentment and unhappiness.

I think that living in Africa, as crazy as it would get sometimes, gave me a sense of stability and normalcy that I've never had before. I miss it. I miss the peace, I miss the contentment that I felt, and what makes it so difficult is not knowing how to make that my life here. Or even a piece of it, I don't need the whole thing.

I struggle with knowing what that looks like. All I can do is pray and take baby steps in the hopes that God has a plan for this time and where He's trying to take me.

My other goal is to post about all the things we did in Ethiopia in July and August with Mocha Club since I couldn't update my blog from there. So that will hopefully come soon.

Thanks to whoever took the time to read this. I appreciate you letting me vent and begin the processing.

Some of the things I miss

Ambo street boys who now have a home. Last year there were only 4, now there's 11!


My little man Elia


The Oasis kids in Kenya





My favorite person in the world, my munchkin


Some of the street boys we worked with in Ambo, Ethiopia through Mocha Club


Mocha Club One Month Team

Tonight, we went to house 1 for dinner. Normally it's reserved for friday nights, but since Im only here for a short time, the house dad's have thankfully made an exception.
We brought along my friend Emmanuel from Rwanda and my friend Jacinta's 3 boys, Charles, Thomas, and Joseph.

Jacinta and Joseph


Moses working hard on the chipati. While we were in the kitchen, Stone, Moses, and I swapped some great stories and just had some great conversation. I've really missed those times the most.


Charles, Thomas, and Joseph


Cassie's slowly becoming Kenyan, she's practicing her balancing skills, starting with a wide cup.


This baby randomly walked in the front door and made itself at home. Her mom came in to take her home and she won't go...She even ate our chipati...Look at those eyes, she even looks like a thief.


Mose and Paul sitting on top of their well

Saturday

Yesterday, Cassie and I joined Torie, Delia, Sammy, Kylee and Ashley at the Kitale Club to take some of the girls from Discover to Recover swimming. It was so much fun, but I dont have any pictures because theyre all on Kylees camera. Trust me it was really fun. Most of the girls didnt know how to swim, but it didnt stop them from jumping off the diving board.
They had a lot of fun and it was great to see them having so much fun

After the pool, we went to Lydia's house with all the house kids to just hang out and play games and sports and watch Michael Jackson videos for a while...


Steward and Joseph


Moses can slam dunk, no surprise with those long legs







Martin was trying to balance the ball on his head


Kamau sees the tree...


Kamau in the tree


"Football"


Evani


Little Alice, the ball was bigger than her whole body


I hurt my back so i wasn't so active, but I loved just sitting outside and watching the kids play. Kitale is one of the most beautiful places I've seen, and I'm always so content here. It's tough to leave. I'm really excited to go to Ethiopia, because I have missed it and I'm meeting up with a great team, it's just hard to leave a place I feel has become my home and people that are true friends.

Sister Freda's

On thursday night we went to Sister Freda's for dinner. She hosted all 18 of us from our house plus a bunch from the hospital. There were so many people!
It was just a great night for community and to spend time outside of "work"

Moses used to live at the hospital but recently moved to Freda's and now shares a room with Davis, whom I love.


I love this one of cassie, i was trying to take a picture of Freda and Richard's backyard and Cassie jumped in front


DAVIS!!! Ive missed hanging out and running around with him. He doesnt talk much, but when he does he likes to correct me in english...


Cassie loves the little kittens, they fall asleep in her lap.



Freda's granddaughter Gail


Davis had some stellar overalls and no teeth

Catching up pt. 2

We've done so much this week, i can't keep up with the days so im just going to blog about it all as if it were wone big day...plus cassie's camera keeps dying so we dont get to take as many pictures....


One day Freda was having another medical clinic in Kipsongo. I really wanted Cassie to see it after my first experience with it about a year ago. I thought we were only going to get to be around the medical clinic, but we were fortunate enough to get to walk into the village so she could meet some of the people who live there and see their homes.

This little one kept poking his head in through the whole in the clinic


Good ole' Richard, a favorite of mine


Freda put cassie to work pouring syrups and labeling bottles


Earlier in the week we went to a primary school down the road called Shimo La Tewa Primary...which Steve originally told us meant "The Snake Pit" but later found out it means something serene like, "the bridge over the valley"...
There is a water pump that is one of the only fresh water pumps in the area, but it has been dry lately because there has been almost no rain....



Then as if an answer to prayer, this huge storm rolled in and dumped a bunch of rain on Kitale


Theres definitely more updates to come, i just can't stay awake.

catching up

So theres quite a bit to get caught up on and im not really sure where to start...the last thing I remember not blogging about was our dinner with the house boys last sunday, so i guess Ill start there...
we went over Sunday evening and helped the boys make dinner and watched a movie, plus the usual running around that comes with it all...



Martin in a goofy mood


Joseph and his fake diamond earring...


Paul



Steward has a new hat


Pato made some good chipati


Stone's faces only get better with age




Apparently the boys wrestled a bit while the rest of us were in the kitchen working


Steward



Cassie and I both agree, one of our favorite things is the house dinners, and there will definitely need to be a few more before we go.