It's the People

 What a marvelous team we had this year.  It was great to have a wonderful mix of returning members and newbies.  Everyone pitched in and we took good care of each other through our many trials of severe colds, back aches, lost luggage, missing ministry bags, forgotten trunks, organizing mounds of medicines, matching ministry bags to students and families, setting up clinics, producing programs, teaching teachers, making water runs, packing and re-packing, and re-packing some more, sharing team phones, sharing snacks, sharing shillings, and sharing Kenya's version of DayQuill, called "Day Nurse."   

At the end of the day, we can safely say we had each other.  It's relationships that count, and even if what we did may seem to some as only a drop in the bucket, it is, as Miriam, says the "gift of presence. that is felt and appreciated the most by our friends in Kenya.  

Goodbye for now Kenya.  We will miss all of you.

Amboseli

Our overnight to Amboseli National Park and Serena lodge is always a highlight and provides some much needed R & R for our tired team.  Sometimes we feel a little guilty indulging in a quick safari, but Miriam considers it supporting the local economies (so who are we to disagree.)  Because of the recent turmoil in Kenya as well as other parts of Africa, plus the outbreak of the Ebola virus, there have been lots of cancellations and tourism in general is down at least 30%.  Many local businesses are hurting.  Wachira, our driver, will be letting his safari license laps after our group leaves.  With so many cancellations, he cannot afford the extra fees for operating safari tours.  He will continue his driver business, but even this part of his business has been suffering.  The little we did to provide him with some business was welcomed. 

Sanna and I at the entrance to Amboseli.  We were mobbed by the Masai selling their trinkets and wares.  Several of us gave in and bought a few more gifts for back home. 

The girls Kaelynn and Kelsy Jo were so excited for their first safari.  Hans is now old hat at this safari stuff. 

This patriarchal baboon seemed to be old hat at this safari stuff, too.  He didn't flinch as we slowly passed by him perched right at the side of the road.  No relation to Hans intented.  Sort of. 

The scenery at Amboseli is of course beautiful.  Many opportunities for photos of acacia trees. 

Our first afternoon we were on the hunt for lions, so were all the other safari vans.  No lions, but what we did discover was not one but FIVE cheetahs!  All sunning themselves and relaxing in a bushy area.  A little too far for great pictures, but close enough for the binoculars.  My first cheetah sighting and we see five.  

The animals graze in the plains during the day, but around five o'clock in the evening, they return to the shelter of the foothills, needing to cross many of the roads on their way.  Wachira was able to position our van right in front of the elephants' path.  This was amazing. We watched a number of herds cross right in front of us. 

On the way back to the lodge, we caught the zebras crossing a different road.  

Frequently you find wildebeast hanging out with the zebras, along with many Thompson gazelles.  

Sunset over Amboseli. 

In the evening the Masai come to perform at the lodge.  Basma and Rachel had a great time learning to dance with the women and their Masai collars.  

Sunrise is usually the best time to catch a glimpse of Kilimanjaro, when the extensive cloud cover lifts just a bit. Five minutes later, it was covered again. 

Observation Hill overlooking Amboseli and the marsh. 

Our morning safari did not disappoint with this close up encounter with another elephant and her baby who was hiding in the bushes nearby.  

More acacia trees and some waterbucks, which I had never seen before.  

Still no lions this trip, but as we were leaving the park it seemed like every other animal was out to say goodbye.  We saw giraffe, gazelle, zebra, wildebeast, flamingo, crested cranes, ostrich, and even this close up hippo! 

Giraffe Park!

My new favorite place!  We took the Form 4 (Senior Class) New Dawn students on a field trip as a graduation gift to them.  First to the Giraffe Center and then out for a nice lunch at a guest house nearby, which took us forever to find.  That was a hoot watching 3 vans and a full bus going down one street after another, then trying to all turn around, going in circles, making phone calls, getting wrong directions....what was supposed to be 5 minutes away turned into 30 minutes.  

Several of us got to feed the giraffes.  Incredible.  These giraffes at the center are the Rothschild giraffes, which are endangered.  They have a breeding program here and are releasing giraffes into the wild, trying to enlarge the population of this particular specie.  There are nine species of giraffe.  Who knew?

  At the guest house we handed out ministry bags to the students with clothes and shoes.  Then gathered at outside tables for lunch.  Halima, Joanne, and Vivianne below were part of my art group during our arts camp.  Before lunch they took me aside and presented me with a Kenyan wrap/scarf as a gift.  I was floored.  We had a wonderful visit.  All three of them in fact have been coming to the arts camps each of my three years.  They are now graduating.  I will miss them next year.

Show Time!

Day three at New Dawn means our presentation to each other and to the New Dawn teaching staff.  Judy was our producer/director extrodinaire and helped our team create a fabulous program incorporating all the wonderful work the students did over the last 2 days.  

Ken started us out again with a devotion about Hagar the outcast , and the God who sees us, which was our the theme for the week.  

Early in the presentation, my art students gave an explanation of the tree of life painting that we created together.  

Two students spoke about the tree while the others held up their individual tree of life drawings. 

This is Pauline sharing about the tree.  She had these enormous eyes.  She was incredible sweet and hung on every word when I was teaching about how one could use art to address emotion and pain in life.   I frequently caught her staring off into the distance with this sorrowful look in those beautiful eyes.  

After the presentation of the painting there was a wonderful variety of poetry created by Ann and Nina's group of students mixed with  songs created by the students in Lance and Sanna's group.  

Keissie, who I have been connected to since my first year at New Dawn, recited and sang this incredible poem that she had created with Ann and Nina.  She spoke of both the abuse she has suffered in the past from her uncle, and of breaking through to choosing love.  Many of us were in tears. 

Judy's group prepared a play about Hagar.  It was very well done, though she will report that it felt like pulling teeth at the beginning. They pulled it off!

We even had a rapper!

Lance and Sanna did an amazing job leading the students and encouraging their gifts of music. 

After the presentation we had our certificate ceremony and then the teachers, who were just blown away by the performance each stood up to encourage the students and to thank our team for coming to New Dawn. 

After that we presented our gifts to the school to Pastor Sammy.  Judy donated her guitar that Sanna and Lance used.

Lance donated the tambourines and shakers on behalf of our church. 

I donated the paint and brushes and supplies.  The art students were so excited. 

I was also able to donate Greg's old laptop to Joseph, who was so incredibly thrilled.  He wanted to be sure we took a picture to show Greg.