Where I'm From

I am from tall Maple trees changing colors in the fall;
From hand-tied rope hammocks and grass blade whistles

I am from multiple moves across state lines
And from the Midwest where I call home

I am from homemade sweet pickles and cheesy garlic grits;
From long family roadtrips, counting cows, and license plate games

I am from parents who fell in love and got engaged two weeks after meeting
And who fell in love with Jesus some ten years later

I am from traditions and heirlooms and family trees;
From farmers in the South and a doctor on the Mayflower

I am from tea and coffee and fluffy pancake breakfasts,
From omelets and biscuits, even sometimes for dinner

I am from tent camping and bonfires and roasting marshmallows over amber coals;
From stargazing and canoeing in an ancient aluminum canoe

I am from scientists and teachers and musicians and artists and farmers;
From neighbors and friends and jacks-of-all-trades

I am from shoulders to cry on and words that encourage;
From parents who love me and support me in all things

I am from black and white movies and British miniseries;
From family game nights and jokes that are punny

I am from backyard parties for everyone we love;
From steaks on the grill and vegetables from the garden

I am from neighborhood sports leagues and summer swim meets;
From fireworks and sparklers and bikes decorated with streamers

I am from beach houses and sandcastles and sunburns in summer;
From pounds of steamed shrimp and catching crabs in the surf

I am from laughter and tears and learning and growing;
From love and joy and following Jesus together

::

So tell me...from where do you come?

::

This poem was inspired by a writing prompt on theHighCalling.org.

Foreign languages make me happy

What if speaking another language was more than just an occasional, brief diversion? What if it was my everyday?

My "work best friend" and I started a new workplace diversion activity today: "language phrase of the day." It will involve me writing a phrase in a foreign language on a post-it note with its English equivalent. We'll probably stick with Italian and French, but you never know what might pop into my head.

Which leads me here... I just find it so amazing that there are these little bits of strange languages hibernating in my brain. They lie dormant and peaceful for days or weeks until suddenly a single word or phrase will just leap up and into and out of my mouth. Well, sometimes I keep them in and try to make them stay quiet. But that often leads to more of their friends waking up and throwing a foreign language party in my head. It can be very distracting.

I digress.



"Jambo Kenya!"


I had the privilege of studying French in school in the US and practicing it in Guadeloupe and Canada and France. Studying and speaking Italian in Italy. Studying and attempting to speak Khmer in Cambodia. Learning and practicing bits of Hungarian in Hungary. Spanish in Nicaragua. German in Germany. Hindi in India. Thai in Thailand. Swahili in Kenya... Whenever I'm in a place where they speak something other than English, I want to participate! I. Love. Languages.

I feel kind of guilty when someone asks me if I'm fluent in French. I studied it for so many years; I should be, right? Unfortunately, when you don't use a second or third language on a regular basis it goes to that hibernating place in the language center of the brain. And it gets lazy. Well, it's probably a mutual thing. I have to practice if I want to retain any sort of fluency, any sort of ease of conversation. I find that it's almost always easier to understand someone speaking in French or Italian, but I struggle to create a response that isn't full of poor conjugation and weak pronunciation. Nonetheless, I try my best to just jump right in and engage in conversation and hope that some of those phrases and words (that come to mind so easily when I don't need them) will help me when I really need them.

Just a few weeks ago I had a "red letter day" that started when I diverged from my daily routine. (Sometimes I need to mix things up for a little adventure.) Instead of stopping at Starbucks on my way to work, I drove directly to my parking lot...and walked to the Starbucks on the Circle. I know. I am wild. I love working downtown and walking to get lunch or coffee is one of the reason I love it. Wide sidewalks. People bustling around, heading to work. Feeling connected to others.

That morning I noticed that the two men ordering their lattes before me at Starbucks were definitely not on their way to work in downtown Indianapolis. They were carrying backpacks. They had accents. And they spoke to each in French! I was then on a mission: I had to talk them before they left the cafe!

I was excited. But, then I was faced with a great challenge: What do I say??? French, French, French...Come on, brain! Think of something? How about..."Are you French?" Well, okay, that works. (Thankfully, it sounds so much better in French: "Vous êtes français?") He seemed pleasantly surprised by my question and was quite patient with me as we spoke in French for a few moments. I learned that he was traveling with his son and they were doing a tour of the U.S., passing through Indianapolis on their way to Chicago. So fun! I wished them a "Bon Voyage" and continued on to work, as they went to catch a bus. I couldn't stop smiling as I walked to my building. I'm sure some people that I passed must have wondered what I was so happy about on a Tuesday at 8 o'clock in the morning!

Whenever I get the chance to practice a foreign language (and wake up those phrases so comfortably hibernating in my head!), it always makes my day! Which makes me wonder…perhaps I should find a way to speak French (or Italian!) everyday? What if I had a job that allowed me every day to do something that makes me happy? I should probably look into that…

to market, to market

Voulez-vous aller à Paris avec moi? Who wouldn't want to go to Paris?!

A few weeks A couple of months ago (this post has been in draft mode for quite some time!) my friend Eve came downtown to join me for lunch. She picked me up and we drove over to the Indianapolis City Market. The Market has really grown and developed over the past several years. Almost all of the vendor areas are full, and selling everything from bug jewelry (Eve is a science teacher and commented that her students would think this was cool) to antique jewelry (that I can't wait to go back to and shop!) and lots and lots of yummy food!

Eve had a Groupon for a place called "3 Days in Paris"--a veritable crêperie! I first had a taste of their delicious crêpes last summer on a Wednesday--when the City Market vendors take to the street. I couldn't wait to go back! I had the "Black and Blue Moo" filled with roast beef, blue cheese, dried cranberries, spinach, and raspberry chipotle sauce. Yum.

It was one of those extra hot summer days (of which there has been an abundance this summer in Indiana), so we opted to stay inside to eat. We climbed the wrought iron stairs to the upper level that overlooks the vendors and found a little table for two next to the inside railing. It was open and spacious and just a bit noisy--perfect for "what's been going in your life for the past year" conversation. (Eve and I don't get to hang out often enough!) The market was busy with people on their lunch breaks, moms and kids meetings dads for lunch, police officers taking a break from policing--everyone together made it feel alive and fun...and good.

Since then, the City Market, and especially 3 Days in Paris, is my go-to place for lunch with friends from work. I could eat there everyday!

::

What exactly is a crêpe? I'm so glad you asked?

[A crêpe (English pronunciation: /ˈkrɛp/,[1] French: [kʁɛp]) is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled." While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France and they are considered a national dish. In Brittany, crêpes are traditionally served with cider. Crêpes are served with a variety of fillings, from the most simple with only sugar to flambéed crêpes Suzette or elaborate savoury fillings.]
Thank you, Wikipedia.



God's Love is Strong

This song is just what I needed to hear this morning...



Heavenly Father
You always amaze me
Let your kingdom come
In my world and in my life
You give me the food I need
To live through the day
And forgive me as I forgive
The people that wronged me
Lead me far from temptation
Deliver me from the evil one


I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place
I look at the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day


So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need


Your love is
Your love is
Your love is strong


The kingdom of the heavens
Is now advancing
Invade my heart
Invade this broken town
The kingdom of the heavens
Is buried treasure
Will you sell yourself
To buy the one you've found?


Two things you told me
That you are strong
And you love me
Yes, you love me


Our God in heaven
Hallowed be
Thy name above all names
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
Forgive us wicked sinners
Lead us far away from our vices
And deliver us from these prisons

--"Your Love Is Strong", Jon Foreman

wait quietly

Trust and wait are still my theme words for this season and I get excited when I see that God has provided me with a new resource to consider more deeply these words and their application in my life. Currently the sermon series at church is on the Psalms. The Psalm writers often talk about trusting in the Lord and waiting on Him, so it's no surprise that the sermons preached on Psalm 78 and Psalm 23 touched on these topics. I was challenged to consider some familiar words of scripture in new ways and encouraged by the Truth that our Heavenly Father is completely worthing of my trusting and waiting. He is in fact a very good Shepherd. If  you would like to listen to either sermon, go here.

Each morning in my inbox is a daily devotional written by Elisabeth Elliot. Ms. Elliot has been one of my favorite Christian writers since high school. She's real and honest about her walk with the Lord, her own struggles, and the truth of God's Word. God has used her books and devotionals to teach me so much about His love and what it means to be a woman of God. This is what she challenged me with recently...

Wait Quietly

Few of us enjoy having to wait for something we want. It is human nature to desire instant gratification, and it is divine nature to do many things very, very slowly. Growth is always imperceptible. But the farmer exercises long patience in waiting for his crop. He has done his work and is assured of the result, hence he waits quietly. He is at rest because the outcome (barring disastrous "acts of God") is certain. If we could simply remember that this is true of everything--that God's purposes are slowly being worked out for his glory and our good--we would, like the farmer, keep faith and wait quietly.


Lord, take from us all fretting and hurrying and teach us to rest our hearts in the "ultimate certainty" (Jas 5:7 JBP). 
 
Author: Elisabeth Elliot
Source: A Lamp For My Feet

Scripture Reference: James 5:7

What is God asking you to wait quietly for?

Welcome to the Rainy Season

As I was working on posts last week I came across this one, patiently waiting in a state of "draft" since March. Wow. Has it really been 3 months since my trip to Kenya? This year is moving by much too quickly! Finding this post made me realize that I kind of failed at documenting our trip. Oh well. Maybe I'll get around to getting the rest of the stories up. Maybe. Let's not get our hopes up. This post, however, does document a pretty notable day--the one where we all got soaked. Enjoy reminiscing with me!

Hell's Gate National Park
Monday, March 14

After the lake tour and walking safari we headed to the lodge to check in, eat lunch, and change into shorts for our tour of Hell’s Gate National Park. Just before the entrance to the park, we stopped at little shop and each paid 500 ksh to rent bikes that we would ride into and through the park! We had been planning this part of the trip since the beginning and we were pretty excited. The excitement, however, dwindled slightly as I struggled to ride my well-worn bike uphill to the park entrance. I would like to blame some of the challenge to the high altitude, but it was also due in part to the misappropriate gear that my bike was stuck in. At the gate, while I was seriously reconsidering this whole “bike through the park” plan, Eustace got my gears adjusted and I felt a little better about it all. (It turns out that each one of us was wondering at that point if we should have just ridden in the van rather than taking the bikes, but we stuck it out.) Hell’s Gate is a beautiful park and it was fun just ride the dirt roads and see zebra and gazelles as I went.

Our destination for our biking tour was the gorge in Hell’s Gate where there is a fabulous view of the area. As we approached the entrance to the gorge, a herd of cape buffalo decided that would a good time to cross the road—and they took their time doing so. Cape buffalo are massive animals and can be fierce (and charge) if you get too close. So, we kept our distance. As we waited for them to cross, the rain that had recently started as a sprinkle began to pick up. As our time at the park was running out, it became clear that the rain wasn’t stopping anytime soon and the buffalo weren’t going to move out of our way.

Enjoying the ride and the view -- before the rain!

We decided to forgo the gorge and ride back to the entrance to the park. Just minutes into our return ride the thunder started and then the downpour and then the hail! As pea sized hail began pelting our arms and legs and faces, we pulled over to the side of the road and took cover under a tree (or tried too). The trees in the park weren’t made for rain cover! As we huddled together in the cold rain (so cold!) we couldn’t help but laugh together—what an adventure our bike ride through the park had become!

We were very, very cold. But still managed to smile!

Unfortunately, the storm was just beginning. We stood under that leafless tree for probably half an hour before deciding that enough of the storm had passed over us and we had to just ride back. So, we did. The rain kept pouring down and the hail kept stinging our legs, but we pressed on. As we reached the entrance to the park, the storm let up. Our driver started laughing when we saw us all soaking wet and exhausted—they didn’t have any rain at the gate or any idea that a storm had gone through the park! While we never ended up seeing the beautiful gorge of Hell’s Gate, we definitely had a memorable experience and we have a great story to tell! (We look forward to seeing Rose’s pictures of the gorge, from a previous visit, at a later date.)

Shivering, we rode back to the lodge in the warm van and then took some much needed showers. Clean and warmer, we ate a lovely dinner (the first of many international buffets) and then went to bed quite early. We had a very tiring day!

Our hotel room: four rooms are inside these Africa meets England cottages.

Classic tourist photo in front of the lodge.

Pure Joy

Jubilee is a time of rejoicing and celebration. Kate means pure.

Jubilee Kate McNeilly was born at 7:46 a.m. on June 22, 2011 to proud parents: Dani (my little sister) and Alex McNeilly. She weighed a healthy 8 lbs 11 oz. Not anywhere close to her aunt, uncle, and mommy in weight, but she was right on time (and we were all at least 2 weeks late!).

My dad picked me up from work yesterday afternoon and we drove down to Bloomington together. My mom and Alex's mom (the two Nana's!) had been at the hospital since the early morning. Little Jubilee had to spend her first day in the nursery as she had a little meconium in her lungs. She was on oxygen and monitors, but by this morning she was free from the machine and with her mommy and daddy!

I had the privilege of being one of the first people to hold her! And photograph her! I took just a few (well, over 100) pictures and here are some of my favorites...

She is

Pure

Joy.



Happy every-holiday-for-the-next-year to me!

Friday, June 17, 2011 was a special day. Yes, it was my parents' 33rd wedding anniversary. And my friends Kristen and Roger's 5th anniversary. (It's hard to believe that it's been five years since I flew home from Italy for a week to be in their wedding!)

Five years ago was also probably the time that I stopped using one of my best high school graduation gifts (yes, from 2000): my Pentax 35mm SLR camera. It used film. (This my be foreign subject matter for people born after the mid-1990s.) I was SO excited about that camera. I still love it. And, even though it's basically worth nothing (and it's too expensive to use it/develop film), I can't bring myself even try and sell it--or give it away. But maybe someday my kids will take photography class at school, and maybe, just maybe, they will have an old-school teacher who will make them use 35mm cameras and film. And then, they will be so excited to use their mom's old camera. Right? I mean, that was me back in 1998. I got to learn with my mom's Canon. sigh.

I've gotten off track.

This past Friday was a special day because I bought a present for myself; a present that brings me quite up to date with current photographic technology. I am now the proud owner of a Digital SLR camera. It's beautiful. It's fast. It's shiny and new. I love the sound of the shutter when I press the release. I love the quality of the images. I love holding the camera up to my eye--like I'm using my mom's old Canon, or my old Pentax! It even takes video. I'm clearly in a new league. I've been researching DSLRs forever. I wavered over the Nikon v. Canon decision. (I went with Nikon. Mostly because I like how the camera felt in my hands.) I did the math and, well, I did the math. This is not cheap present.

So why now? Why did I leave work a little early on Friday and go to the camera store downtown (where the salesman probably thought I was a little bit crazy) and walk out less than an hour later with a new camera? Well, the timing was greatly motivated by the quickly approaching birth of my new niece. She is due any day now (maybe tonight!) and she really needs to be well-photographed! I mean, she is going to be super cute. My almost 2 year old niece, Mia, and her little brother (coming in September) give me even more inspiration to take our family memory keeping to the next level.

There will be many photos making their way to the blog. I started using Picnik to edit and play and I'm having way too much fun. And I've been carrying my camera almost everywhere I go...in the cutest camera bag ever! It's called "The Bowler" and its sporty-ness has produced comments such as "Cute purse!"...from men! I'm almost positive that I've never had a guy compliment my purse (or undercover camera bag) as "cute" or at all. Love it.

trust & wait

Please join me for a short English language lesson...

trust
[truhst]
–verb (used with object)
1. to have trust or confidence in; rely or depend on.
2. to believe.
3. to expect confidently; hope (usually followed by a clause or infinitive as object): trusting the job would soon be finished; trusting to find oil on the land.

wait
[weyt]
–verb (used without object)
1. to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens (often followed by for, till, or until ): to wait for the bus to arrive.

I don't usually find themes or single words to describe a season in my life. However, this past weekend God was making it really clear to me that 1) I need to TRUST Him more (and with everything) and 2) I need to wait. Wait for what? Well, I think I'm supposed to trust God and see. Funny how that works.

I've always loved words and their meanings. I had a little set of reference books when I was young. They were black faux-leather with gold lettering on the covers. There were several books, but the dictionary and the thesaurus were my favorites. I would use them when writing papers for school (before I had to type everything in Word). Sometimes I would just read them. Nerdy, I know. My love for words is one of the reasons I get excited about Study Bibles and concordances and notes and cross-referencing. When I learn more about what a single word means in the Bible, in its context and compared with other references, it helps me gain a better understanding of the whole picture--and it gives that word power and substance to teach and change me.

These two words--trust and wait--keep coming up in my personal Bible study, Sunday morning sermons, conversations, prayer with friends, and in my email devotionals. So, I looked them up. And I love these definitions! They fit so well with applying the two verbs to my relationship with the Lord. I want to have more confidence in God, to rely and depend on Him. He is trustworthy! And while I'm not "trusting to find oil in the land," I am trusting to find God moving in my life and providing for my needs and guiding my steps. I believe in the Lord; I trust Him.

Do I trust Him enough to wait? And wait patiently? I find the definition for "wait" more challenging than "trust." To wait is "to remain inactive or in a state of repose, as until something expected happens." Hmm... I do not believe that waiting on God should be inactive. While it may be tempting to sit and do nothing until I get some big, message in the sky, type of direction, I truly believe that God has purpose in my present position--and I need to make the most of it. I must keep serving Him and seeking to glorify Him in my now. No, waiting on God is not "inactive." So, I looked up repose and I found these words: being at rest, peace, tranquility, calm. Yes, that is the kind of waiting I want to do. Especially if I am waiting for "something expected" as the definition says. Or perhaps, it will be unexpected? I do expect that whatever it is that my Lord has for me will be good--the Romans 8:28 kind of good. The making me more like Jesus kind of good. The definitely worth waiting for kind of good.

And so I pray that I would TRUST Jesus more each day. With open hands and an open heart, I trust. And I pray that I would WAIT on Jesus with peace and tranquility in my heart; expecting Him to lead me and direct me when I need it; knowing that it is for my good and for His glory.

Will you trust and wait with me?

Welcome, Summer

I’m glad you’re here!

This past weekend really felt like summer! For me this meant a mix of being outside, visiting graduation open houses, buying new SPF 30 sunblock, and eating anything cooked on a grill. Combine that with 90 degree weather and a power-outing thunderstorm and it’s definitely June in Indiana. Even though my fun weekend made it hard go back to work this morning, I am very excited for the months to come. Much of that excitement is due to my current housing location. I’ve been living in Broad Ripple since January and now I finally get to enjoy all that the area has to offer. My condo is right on the Monon—and by “right on” I mean you walk just 20 steps from the front door and you’re on the trail! I love it! One of my goals this summer is to take full advantage of my proximity to the Monon and Broad Ripple. Indianapolis has so many locally owned restaurants and shops, especially in BR, and I want to visit them all! This past weekend got things off to a great start.

Zest!
Much of my super hot Saturday was spent with my dear friend, Rose. She’s currently living in Kenya (I visited her there in March), but is home for a brief visit. She worked a shift at the hospital Friday night, which meant that she was free to hang out with me on Saturday! After some pool time in the morning (another reason I love where I live!), we hit the Monon trail for a leisurely 1.8 mile walk to Zest! Exciting Food Creations. Zest! was celebrating their 5 year anniversary, so we took advantage of their delicious Crème Brûlée French Toast on special for only $5. Rose and I split the French toast (it’s super yummy, but very rich) and it made the perfect dessert for our “breakfast for lunch” meal. We had the Stuffed Tortilla and a side of seasonal berries for a well rounded and filling meal. The atmosphere was fun and friendly, the service was great, and I loved the neighborhood vibe. The Reese Art Fair was taking place along 54th Street and right outside of Zest! The street fair was just one more sign that summer had arrived! We browsed for a bit after lunch, but the hot sun quickly drove us to the shade of the Monon and we made our way back home. This was only my second visit to Zest! and I will definitely be going back.

 
BRICS
I was delighted that Sunday evening included another stroll around BR! After an overcast and humid afternoon, the evening turned out quite nice—perfect weather for shorts and flip flops…and ice cream! My friend Jen met me at my condo and we took to the trail. This time, however, we stayed around Broad Ripple Ave and just made a big loop. Minutes into our walk, we passed by BRICS (Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station). The deck was full of people enjoying what looked like really good ice cream. We kept walking, enjoying the sights and sounds of BR, which was quite busy for being a Sunday evening. After making our loop, Jen and I were on the same page: we needed to see what the crowd at BRICS was all about. Stepping inside, we were met with the always welcoming smell of freshly baked waffle cones! The place was packed! We took a number and peered through the glass at the large selection of flavors while waiting our turn to order. How would we ever decide? I overheard someone ask for a “split scoop” and my flavor dilemma was solved! On a sugar cone, I opted for Chocolate Choo Choo (extra dark chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge chunks) and Broad Ripple Blackberry (blackberry ice cream with blackberry swirl). It was pretty much the perfect combo. My “one scoop” of ice cream was enormous! And at $3.10 I felt like I got my money’s worth. Jen and I enjoyed the hospitality of a couple on the deck who invited us to share their table (it was crowded!). We chatted about our jobs, traveling, Butler, living in Indy, AA, and Jesus. It was quite a conversation. The combination of delicious ice cream, sitting outside, and meeting new people made for a perfect end to the day and the weekend. At 0.3 miles from my condo, BRICS might become a hazard to my health (in the most scrumptious way possible). I’ll just have walk a mile or two each time I stop for ice cream!

BRICS on the Monon. (Photo courtesy of brics.)

 

I hope you are enjoying Summer wherever you are!

Walking with the Animals

Lake Navaisha - Monday, March 14

We reached Lake Navaisha in the late morning, which gave us time for a little safari adventure before checking in to our lodge. So, we drove to the lake for a boat tour to see hippos! The lake was beautiful, the sky was clear, and the hippos were easy to spot (with the help of our boat tour guide). He drove us around the lake, pointing out various kinds of birds and the families of hippopotamus hanging out among the reeds in the middle of the lake. We saw some baby hippos (the first of many baby animals we would see on safari) and some very, very large daddy hippos. They were mostly submerged in the cool lake water, with just the tops of their heads (with knobby ears, eyes, and nose) and their wide backs sticking out above. It was my first taste of seeing one of God’s amazing wild animals so up close and it was thrilling. I was also quite thankful for the great zoom lens that allowed me to capture the beauty!



Hippo staying cool in Lake Navaisha.



An unexpected addition to the morning hippo tour was a walking safari through a park that bordered the lake. Our guide took us across the lake, showing us more exotic birds along the way. We were met by another guide when we got of our boat lakeside. It was just a few steps into the park and we were literally walking among the animals. I was mere yards away from zebras (and baby zebras!), wildebeests (and their very awkward babies), giraffes (so graceful), and waterbuck. It was amazing! And it was the just the beginning an adventurous day... 




Yes, I'm walking around with Zebras!

 



Just a stroll with the wildebeests.





The most beautiful giraffe!



Meet me at the Equator

Monday, March 14

We left Eldoret early Monday morning in the hands of Eustace, our very likable and capable driver and guide. (For anyone planning a safari adventure, the name of the company is Big Five Tours—I highly recommend them.) Our first destinations were Lake Navaisha and Hell’s Gate National Park. It was about a 3 hour drive east from Eldoret on surprisingly good (and recently redone) highway roads. I sat upfront (long van trips and foreign roads are not a good combo for me) and enjoyed a great view of the changing scenery as we drove along. The highlight of our drive was a stop at the EQUATOR! The equatorial line runs right through Kenya and we drove over it! Eustace knew we would want to stop there. It was a great photo op and a chance to stretch our legs. There were two little “curio shops” set up by the giant sign indicating the equator mark. Rose changed exchanged some Kenyan schillings for US dollars for one of the vendors and we both found little souvenirs to remember our equator crossing experience.





It may look strange, but these are really good roads in Kenya.

 


Morning mist over a few huts.

 


We are at the equator!

  


Painted stone mini globes.

 


The curio shop and its owner, with her baby on her back.



Just a teaser...

I have heard from several people (thanks for checking the blog!) that they were disappointed in the lack of blogs during the last week of my trip. I'm so sorry! One of the challenges of traveling is that you never quite know if you'll have Internet access and what the quality of the connection may be. Unfortunately, the first safari lodge had free wi-fi, but it wasn't working while we there. The next lodge was in the middle of nowhere and didn't have access. And the beach resort charged for their wi-fi. I took the opportunity to free myself from technology for a bit and I enjoyed it! I did try to keep up with writing and I'll get some posts up in the next couple of days. I will also be uploading photos to Picasa so that you can really see what we saw! Here's the first link...it's mostly us hanging out in the Amsterdam airport (which is nice but just an airport).

Kenya 2011 Part 1

Again, sorry to keep you in suspense! Thanks for your prayers while I was traveling. In summary, the trip was amazing. Kenya is beautiful. The people are wonderful. And my favorite part of the trip? Going on safari and seeing so many incredible animals in real life. It was the first time I've ever done anything like it, so I pick that as my favorite thing.

To the Field and Up the Mountain

I’m sitting at the dining room table across from Rose enjoying a restful evening at home. I went to bed a little late last night as I tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to get photos to load to my blog post. I’m thankful for a little down time today to catch up on writing and get those pictures to upload! Hopefully this post will include more than one since I am taking a rather large number of photos each day. I believe that my total from yesterday came to 203 (after editing). I have always loved photography and this trip is a great opportunity to sharpen my skills. I owe many thanks to my friends Jamie and Will—they generously loaned me their Canon Rebel and three lenses! It’s a great camera and very fun to use. As soon I can (bandwidth permitting), I will upload many photos to my Picasa web albums. For now, my goal is get a few on the blog each time I post.

I set my sights a little high when I starting writing last night. There is no way I could have put my first two days in Eldoret into one blog post—it would have been unmanageably long and no one would have wanted to read it. I have always been a “wordy” writer (all of my English teachers thought so) and while I want to be concise, I love to include the details! It’s the little things—the food, the transportation, and the cultural lessons—that make each day unique and help me see how different each place is from my own home. This is why I love to travel. So, let me tell you about our second day in Eldoret…



A group shot (me, Rose, Amie, Charity) after lunch at Kerio View overlooking the Rift Valley.



Eldoret, Day 2…

Tumaini outreach, walking along Eldoret roads, lunch at Kerio View, swimming at Iten, dinner at an Indian restaurant

Saturday morning I woke up refreshed and excited to for my second day in Eldoret. Again, the day was well planned out and we were not going to be bored! After a breakfast of international, generic Smacks with boxed milk and toast with Nutella (both brought back memories of living overseas), we put on our walking shoes and sunscreen and hit the road. Rose led us down some more dusty roads, this time away from the city center. The pace was much slower and we could enjoy the walk and the surroundings rather than dodging cars and other pedestrians. She only had to ask for directions a couple of times to find the soccer field—our destination for the morning’s activity. We met up with the Tumaini’s Saturday morning soccer outreach. Tumaini means “hope” in Kiswahili. The full name of the organization is Tumaini Children’s Drop In Center and most of their work is done at the center in Eldoret. Their mission is this: “The Tumaini Children's Drop In Center seeks to improve the lives of street children in Eldoret, Kenya by empowering them with hope, knowledge, skills, opportunities and resources necessary for them to find a healthy alternative to street life.” On Saturday’s the outreach staff have organized a time for the kids to come together, play soccer, have fun, and also receive a lunch. We got to meet and talk with the girls and those not playing soccer. Rose had asked for jump ropes from home and they were a huge hit with everyone. Rose had written on her blog about the street children, which did help me prepare a little bit for the time with them. They are sweet kids; it made me sad to think about the fact they have no place to live and no regular meals. They scavenge, they beg, they pick-pocket. Tumaini offers them a way out and hope for a life off of the streets. I pray that the kids that come to Tumaini may not only find a better life in Eldoret, but that they would find true hope—that comes only in a relationship with Christ. I am glad that street children in Eldoret, Kenya have a chance to just play and be kids on Saturday mornings—hopefully they can forget a little bit of the pain of the their day-to-day life and just enjoy the simplicity of soccer and jump ropes.



Me with Elizabeth, one of the street kids.



Some of the street boys playing soccer at the Tumaini outreach. Notice the yellow Butler shirt on the left?



Amie and Charity with one of the kids.



The jump ropes were a hit and the kids were really good!



Rose with two of the girls: Cecilia and Elizabeth.



The hot Kenyan sun was high in sky when we left the soccer field to walk back to Rose’s house. I washed my feet (a frequent activity—but I think they already have a permanent tinge of orange) and threw my swimsuit, towel, and sunscreen (a necessity!) into my little backpack. The taxi driver was waiting outside to take us to Iten, about 30 minutes northeast of Eldoret, for the afternoon. Iten is home to the High Altitude Training Center frequented by many serious athletes. (While we were boarding our small plane to Eldoret we met four guys from England who were heading to the training center—they looked liked runners.) We had lunch at Kerio View, a restaurant up on the mountain that overlooks the Rift Valley. The view was AMAZING! We had some time to walk around while we waited for our food (it was very good, but kind of slow) and just enjoyed being outside surrounded by the lush, green landscape. 

The view from our table at Kerio View restaurant.

Rose, taking in the view of Rift Valley.

Looking down on Rift Valley. Beautiful.

After lunch (which I think was around 3pm) we drove to the training center to hang out at the pool. Several other girls from IU House were there, so we pulled up lounge chairs next to them. The facility was very nice and it only cost about $3 to use the pool. After spending two days in the sun (and getting my first bits of sunburn) I was so ready for some time in the water! I even got to borrow some goggles from one of the girls and do some laps. I went swimming in a pool, on a mountain, in Kenya. Wow. This has already been a fabulous vacation! We topped off the day with dinner at Sikh Union, an Indian restaurant in Eldoret that is one of Rose’s favorites. The food was delicious. Back at the house that evening, we ate ice cream and looked at the 200-some photos I took that day. So fun.

The entrance to the High Altitude Training Center at Iten.

First Days in Kenya

*Updated on Sunday with photos!!!*

As I finally sit down to write this post it is almost bedtime on Saturday. I can hardly believe that this is the end of my second full day in Kenya. (I tried to stay up and write yesterday, but I kept falling asleep!) Thankfully, jet-lag is not keeping me down. Rose has kept us busy and we have already gotten to do and see so many things in Eldoret. We arrived in Eldoret on Friday morning and will stay here until Monday morning—then we go on our first safari! Last night I had my first full night’s sleep in days—and I slept all through the night, which I hope I can do again. These two have been so fun and so full. I know that I can’t share all the details, so I may fill in with other posts later. And I’ll post pictures too—as soon as I can get the internet connection to speed up a bit…

Arriving in Nairobi...

Our travel went smoothly and we arrived in Nairobi Thursday evening. A very kind driver named Peter was waiting for us outside of baggage pickup, holding a sign with our names on it! He loaded our bags into his van and drove us about 20 min to our hotel. There was a slight mix-up at the hotel and they had only one room (with one bed) reserved for us (three people). It was no problem—they had a room with two beds at their sister hotel next door. Could the three of us stay in the room with two beds? No, the hotel has a strict policy that a room for two people has only two people. Sigh. We split up and made plans to meet in the morning. When Charity and I arrived at our room with two beds we saw that the beds were not your typical American double/queen beds, but rather something just larger than a twin. We showered off almost 24 hours on international travel and got a good five hours of sleep—we still had one more flight to Eldoret!

Eldoret, Day 1…

Hospital tour, lunch at Cool Stream, grocery store, travel agent, Imani Workshop, traditional Kenyan dinner

Rose (and a driver from the IU house) picked us up at the airport in Eldoret just after 9 a.m. on Friday morning. We had made it to our destination! I was so happy to see Rose! We loaded up our bags one more time and hit the ground running! We first went to Rose’s house, called Hilltop, which is located just down the street from the IU House (the home base of the Indiana University partnership in Kenya). We got a tour and settled into our rooms. (Thankfully there were no issues with our reservations here!) We put on our walking shoes and made our way down the dusty roads to Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital, where Rose works in Casualty (Emergency department). She gave us a fabulous tour of the hospital and we got to meet many of her co-workers and fellow IU medical staff along the way. It was difficult to see the cramped wards and people lining the halls, waiting to be seen. It is standard for patients to share a hospital bed with another patient—or even two. (If there are 3 to a bed, then someone sits in a chair near the bed and they take turns in the bed.) It was good to see what Rose’s work is like and see where she spends most of her time here in Kenya.

After the tour we walked behind the hospital to a restaurant called Cool Stream where we ate our first Kenyan meal! We all went with Rose’s suggestion: grilled chicken (on the bone), rice, green, and chapatti (flat bread, like a fat tortilla or Indian nan). It was wonderful! The restaurant is set up under a thatched roof, so there was a nice breeze and I even saw a humming bird flying around the ceiling. After yummy food and lots of water we were ready for an afternoon in the city.

The view from the median as we waited to cross a main road in Eldoret, Kenya.

We walked from the hospital to the city center of Eldoret. Is a busy, bustling place! There is lots of traffic—made up of cars, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, and pedestrians. They drive on the left side of the road in Kenya, which means that when walking on the sidewalk (or path next to the road) one should “keep left”, which was challenging for us to get used to. After daringly crossing the streets a couple of times, we reached the travel agent’s office. It was closed—they were probably on lunch. So, we went down the street a little farther to the grocery store, which was amazing! It had everything—and it was air conditioned. This was a very modern grocery store. We picked up some snacks and headed back to the travel office. They were open now and we each paid for our trip. It was so nice to have someone local plan everything for our travel within Kenya, our hotels, and safaris.

We took a taxi to our next stop, Imani Workshops, part of the IU-Kenya Partnership. Imani means “hope” in Kiswahili and hope is what Imani Workshops seeks to offer to those with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. We got to visit and tour the actual workshop where women and men were making fabric bags, paper, and jewelry. Please visit the Imani webpage to learn more about the project. While at Imani, we also got to shop (the money goes right back into Imani)—and you can too! Imani Workshops products are sold at Global Gifts in Indianapolis and other stores around the US.

Charity, Rose, and Amie learn about the products at Imani from our fantastic guide.

An Imani Workshops artisan making paper from papyrus.

Earrings made from bottlecaps - at Imani Workshops.

Back at the house we had some time to wash our feet (the roads are very dusty!) and rest just a little. Then, it was off to join a big group of IU staff for a traditional Kenyan meal: nyoma choma! Nyoma choma means “roasted meat”. At the restaurant a few people from the group went up and selected our meat for the evening: 5kg of goat (a Kenyan delicacy) and 2 chickens. We also had ugali (a dense, bland starchy substance that tastes really good mixed with everything else), a potato dish, cabbage, greens, tomatoes, and onions. We had plenty of food and had a very fun evening getting to know everyone.

Are you tired? I was! That was my first day in Kenya. And now it’s time for my second day to end. I’m off to bed. But, I’ll be back soon!

Let the Adventure Begin!

*I started writing this post on the Flight #1: from Indianapolis to Detroit on Wed, Mar 9*

The day has finally arrived. This past week has been filled with anticipation, excitement, and preparation. I can hardly believe that today is March 9, 2011 and I am on my way to Kenya!

A couple of weeks ago I made what I consider to be the “best packing list ever” and I made shopping lists and to-do lists. I pulled out my container full of “Africa” clothes that I had packed away at the end of last summer. My goals for packing were to 1) pack light and 2) be prepared. In my experience it is a challenge to meet both goals! In my desire to meet #2, I usually end up tossing items into my bag that are not on my list. And I love to be prepared (you should see my purse—it sometimes gets mistaken for a small suitcase). So, that’s why I made The List with great attention to detail, like numbers next to clothing items to indicate how many of each should be packed. I even put asterisks next to things that would go in my carry-on or that would be worn on the plane. Yes, I’m crazy like that. However, last night when I had everything spread out on the living room couches, I needed that list! I looked at the list, looked around the room, checked inside my little Clinique bags (that are holding everything from toiletries to medicine to computer cords and chargers!), and looked at the list again. After a few calls and texts to my mom this morning—Did she know where the ponchos were?—I was ready to go! And my bag only weighed 20 lbs!

I do have a confession to make…I was trying to be so good about taking clothes and things that I already had on hand—and had survived 8 months in Cambodia a couple of years ago. However, as I was putting my outfits together for the trip (and only taking 5 days worth), I realized that I didn’t have capris or shorts. Seriously? Now, there is a possibility that when I pull my summer clothes out of storage in a few months I will find a pair of capris or shorts that would have been perfect for this trip. But rather than venture into my parents’ attic, I went to the mall. Last night! And after that I really was ready.

*I picked up again in the airport in Amsterdam on Thur, Mar 10*

I met up with Amie and Charity on Wednesday morning around 11am. My mom drove us to the airport through the cold and dreary rain of March in Indiana. That definitely made me even more excited about the warm Kenyan air that would greet us in just a few long plane rides! More rain greeted us in Detroit. After an easy 2.5 hour layover, we boarded a completely full plane to Amsterdam! There were several other groups heading to Africa and I enjoyed talking to them about our upcoming adventure and swapping travel stories.

Now we’re halfway there. And in Amsterdam! Again, we have a relatively short layover (~3 hours) before we board for the flight to Nairobi! Currently we are thoroughly enjoying comfy chairs and free wi-fi at the airport. Obtaining some strong coffee is next on our itinerary. The flight to Kenya is about 8 hours, so I’m hoping to get some stretch time during this layover.

Here's a little group shot--and after 12 hours of travel! (Amie, Me, Charity)