2 months!

I was just thinking about Kenya today...well, everyday, but especially today. I am so excited to return in just two months! I've been praying for our summer team, that God would create a sense of community and unity amongst us, and he would use me in whatever way he wants. I've been praying for a servants heart and that I would be prepared for the 8 weeks we'll spend there.

Last day at Oasis...

Today was my last day teaching at Oasis of Hope. I was just telling Allison that I'm so so happy that I ended up helping Leyla teach everyday. It really helped make up a huge part of my experience here. I wasn't expecting to do that everyday, but I'm so glad that's where God put me. I'm having trouble putting my thoughts into words tonight. I've written about ten sentences...only to erase each one because it didn't come out the way I wanted it to. I am so grateful for my class, knowing their faces, learning their names, and spending 6 consistent weeks with them. Since I'm short on words tonight, I've just decided to post a lot of photos...

Joel wearing Jordan's glasses

Cleophas- I know I already posted this picture...but

tell me you don't want to see this outfit again?

The next 3 pics are hairstyles that I have been given here...

Amlango doing my hair

Tonight...at the girls house...

Amlango doing my hair again, Janet on the right

Peter and sister Lucy

Tonight was SO great! We had dinner at the girl's house. There were 28 of us in total! Rebecca made chipati, rice, green grams, meat and potatoes. She was so laid back about

preparing dinner for us all. Allison and I were talking tonight about how selfless

and greatRebecca is...she's wonderful!

Allison & Alfayo (nicknamed "King of Shimo" by the last Saddleback team)

Me and Dorcas being weird

Eso and me

Me carrying Jennifer with Isaiah on my left

Yesterday we went to the boys house. The 8th graders just finished taking their KCPE test and we celebrated with dancing and sodas and a lot of laughter :)

Jose, Edwin, Pato (in the back), Moses, Martin and Steward in front of him, Shaban (with just his head & shins showing, and Stone being held by them all...

Shaban, Moses and Allison

Me and Moses hanging upside-down

Me and Moses with our new glasses

Oasis pictures...

Emanuel, Sarah, Me and Dan with his face 1/2 cut off

Sarah, David, Kevin, and Emanuel (taken in my class)

Today was my last day teaching at Oasis and I wanted to do something different

and fun. I decided to have the class use watercolors because Leyla said most

of them have probably never used them before. It was a success!

Right: Bevin, Sarah, David, Dan, Emanuel. Left: Brian, Peter, David, and Dan

Here are the 5 siblings who I've blogged about many times...Pato, Ajix, Amlango, Irene and Lucy...they also have 2 younger siblings...Erica and Peter

Art project from my class

My class (w/their finished water-colored projects)

Oasis of Hope kids outside for the flag ceremony before class

Sisters -Alodi and Dorcas

Last Sunday at the girl's house...

Amlango doing dishes

Rebecca taught me how to use a non-electric sewing machine at the girl's house last Sunday. You know, the kind where you have to use both of your feet for the petal. I sewed this apron all on my own! I've been so proud of it, I even dreamt that I was wearing it to sleep last week.

Nancy, me, Lucy, Jordan and Allison dancing/singing to "All the Single Ladies"

Guess what I saw today?

At 3:00 today I saw a Black Mamba outside the boys house (House 2)!

Of all the African snakes the Black Mamba is the most feared and is known for being aggressive when agitated or confronted and will strike with deadly precision. A single bite can have enough venom to kill anywhere from 20-40 grown men. They tend to become extremely aggressive and will readily attack, especially if they can not escape. Many snake experts have cited the black mamba as the world's most aggressive snake, being actively aggressive and attacking without provocation. If confronted by a large threat, such as a human, the Black Mamba will aggressively defend its territory. When in the striking position, the mamba flattens its neck, hisses very loudly and displays its inky black mouth and deadly fangs. It can rear up around one-third of its body from the ground which puts it at about four feet high. When warding off a threat, the black mamba delivers multiple strikes, injecting large amounts of potent neuro- and cardiotoxin with each strike, often landing bites on the body or head, unlike other snakes. The average length of a specimen varies between 2 to 2.5 metres but an exceptional case was recorded of 4.5 meters.

P.S. It was already dead.

November 8

On Friday night we went over to the boy's house (House 3) and just hung out. Allison and I helped Anthony prepare dinner while the boys played Uno, danced and took a ton of pictures in their new sunglasses and hat:) It's been so great just going over to their home and spending time with them.

House 3 pics...

Allison giving Ovi a "zerbert" (Her word not mine)

Isaiah and me

Allison & I. This is my first time firing chipati. I burnt my ankle from hot

oil splattering, my fingertips were super sore by the end of the night, but it

all helped in contributing to my sense of accomplishment

Here is Juliet (from Rwanda & who also lives on our compound), Anthony

(who watches over the Boys at House 3) and Dan our favorite taxi driver

Kamau

Isaiah

Wiki

Ovi

Jon

On Friday morning/afternoon we went with all the Oasis kids to "The Show." "The Show" is sort of like the OC Fair, but with only 3 rides, A TON of agriculture, and a camel ride instead of an elephant.

Pics from "The Show"

Jordan, Allison and me

Joel & Collins (Collins is one of the boys in class)

Etau and Joel (I think the tallest & shortest of Oasis)

Emanuel & Kamua

Sisters-Jennifer & Ester

Sarah, me, and Rael (Sarah is also in my class...I just love her)

Sisters-Ajix and Lucy

Jennifer in front, Simon on the left, Wendy, Joanne, and Celine (and Ellie behind her)

Best agriculture at the show

Me and Sarah

The following pics are misc. that I just want to share...

Lucy and Ester

Me & Steward (holding a stick that Jeffery gave me & I've carried in my backpack for the past 3 weeks...the stick has gone missing & I joking told the boys that there is a $ reward if its found)

This is the road we walk down everyday to and from Oasis...isn't it just so beautiful? Allison took this pic while Jordan and I are racing some kids from Oasis down the street

Clockwise-Me, Cleophas (our night guard...who is SO happy & cheery all the time), Jordan, Emanuel, Hannah and Juliet. Here we are waiting for Dan to pick us up. It's raining outside so 7 of us (Allison is taking the pic) all crammed in this little guard house...about 3 ft x 3 ft in size. At one point, I rapped Fergie while everyone danced. Right now there is this dance club at "The Show" called "Omega 1" (the music is so loud the entire town can hear it and it goes on till about 6 am! ) Allison called our dance party "Omega 2!"

Allison, me and Cleophas

Cleophas in my favorite outfit of his! I just laughed out loud

for like the tenth time looking at this picture

Below are some pics of the 7 boys who attend & sleep at Oasis of Hope. The center just bought them little mattresses this past week. We had dinner with them on Thursday night at Oasis. That night really affected me. We walked into the classroom I teach in everyday to see 7 beds set up. I was so stunned. I knew they stayed at Oasis but I guess I didn't really think through the reality of it. And to think, just 2 days prior they were sleeping right on the concrete floor really just made me so sad. But the boys are wonderful and funny and we had a great time! They gave Jordan, Allison and me nicknames. Jordan is Moses, Allison is the virgin Mary, and I am Princess (hmm...not sure why they have Biblical names and I don't...) Jeffery has called me Princess all week...you are more than welcome to do the same...haha...I just made myself laugh out loud again.

Pics of Oasis of Hope Boys...

The boys getting their mattresses for the first time

Michael carrying his new mattress and me. Michael is also in my class.

Here is a pic of our dinner (french fries and chicken) and sodas taken in my classroom.

P.I.G. (Stands for Peter is Great), Emanuel, Etau, and Ero

Me, Michael, and Paul

Charles, Jackson, and Emanuel

On Thursday we went to a prayer meeting at Kitale Forest for the 8th grade boys who will soon be taking their KCPE test. It was so fun because we were able to watch the boys from House 2 perform a dance! Then we had lunch with the 8th grade class. I said I felt like a proud mother with how many pictures I was taking of the boys that afternoon.

I know this is tiny, BUT I had to include this pic of me and the entire

graduating 8th grade class at Kitale Forest.

Allison, Steward, and me

Here are the boys dancing...So funny...Moses started teaching me the dance last week...I'm terrible at it, but it consisted of a lot of laughing...so it was worth it

Okay...so these two boys (complete strangers) came up to me (Princess) at Kitale Forest and asked to take a picture with me. I felt famous and awesome for a brief moment!

Paul, Jose, Pato, Steward, me, and Moses