God Willing, I Return

Yesterday was hard.

It was our last day at the BCC. The kids were taking their mid-term exams, so it didn't make too much sense to linger the entire day when we couldn't spend it with them and make the goodbyes that much harder. So we went with the band-aid mentality: Rip it off fast so it doesn't hurt too bad.  But it still hurt.  A lot.

We started off at the kitchen, as the staff requested. We went in to say hey and let them know we were around. "D" got teary-eyed, and we all started getting weepy, so we promised to come back around and take tea with them before we left.  We said goodbye to the Buckner/BCC staff and gave them small gifts, stopped into our respective classrooms to tell the kids goodbye and how very much they are loved and prayed for, then went by the medical clinic. The woman that runs it has absolutely fallen in love with Kenda (she is headed to pharmacy school, so worked there on Thursdays). She is about to have a baby at any moment now and has told us that she is trying to come up with a name with all of our initials in it because if it is a girl she wants to name her after us - Whaaaaaat?!?! Crazy! I truly think God only knows the outcome of our stay - He has worked in so many big ways, quiet ways, and unknown ways.

At this point in our day, we are miserable. Our hearts are breaking and we do not want to leave. We went to say goodbye to the T.E.C. girls. This goodbye and the goodbye to the kitchen staff were the ones we anticipated to be the hardest. But - again, the T.E.C. girls surprised us.  As soon as we walked in, they greeted us with smiles, hugs, and pure excitement. They had finished our skirts. They had worked all last week on making us each a skirt from some of the fabric we brought them. We tried them on and had a mini fashion show for them. They were delighted that we LOVED them and ensured them that every time we wore them, we would remember them and pray for them.  We spent some time taking photos with all of the girls and the instructors and hearing so much laughter and seeing beautiful smiles on these young women we have come to love so. We left, saying goodbye, but with much lighter hearts.

That classroom is where God had intended us to be - it was obvious. We love those girls; they love us. Each one told us that they are praying that we will be able to return - God willing. A few of them seemed certain of the fact that God has a place for us in Kenya. And it's pretty hard for me to argue with them.

We trekked back up to the kitchen to spend some time with the staff there.  When we walked in, it was the quietest I had ever heard that kitchen.  There was no singing, no dancing or laughing. It was somber; quite unlike them.  The air was heavy with the acknowledgment that we were leaving.  "D", in true form, made us plates of omelets, ugali, and cabbage. And of course, he made us tea. We gave our gifts to the staff, took photos, and said pretty tearful goodbyes. The sweet "Mom" of the kitchen, let us know that she will miss us everyday, "A" hugged us so hard and told me that he wants to come to the U.S. more than ever now, and "D" just wiped the tears off my face and laughed - even though he had tears of his own.

I do hope that I will be able to return some day.  Buckner's work in this country is amazing, and makes me desire even more to partner with them in ministering to these beautiful, beloved people.  God willing.

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Last night, to try to cheer us up, we had an exotic dinner at Carnivore - a restaurant in Nairobi. We ate camel, ostrich, and crocodile! oh my.


Today, our in-country Buckner contact took us to visit other ministries Buckner supports in Nairobi - we visited a school in the Korogocho slum and the New Life Home Trust - a baby rescue home that particularly serves abandoned babies that are HIV positive.

The New Life Home Trust was amazing. It was heartwrenching to hear the statistics surrounding the children they receive, but at the same time, encouraging.  It was incredible to see the Lord's hand in this ministry.  90% of the babies they receive that test HIV positive at birth, become HIV negative before their second birthday as a result of the incredible care given to them.  We saw pictures of babies that were severely malnourished when they arrived, then looking happy and healthy just weeks after being at New Life.  A vast majority of the babies that come through New Life are eventually adopted! Yay adoption!  I asked about the number of babies adopted domestically vs. internationally.  The staff member told me that historically it ran about 20% for Kenyan families that adopted and 80% foreign families. She told me that the Kenyan peoples' hearts are started to be stirred toward their own country's needs and this past year is was 50-50! She told me she prays that in the years to come that 80% of the adoptions would be in-country.

After touring the facilities, we were allowed to feed the babies/play with them for a while.  I was assigned to the crawlers/toddlers. What precious, precious children! When I entered the playroom, I had a little one attach himself to my leg! Oh, my heart!  We ended up getting to take them outside for play time and we had so much fun loving on these babies.  I am happy to say that there were many volunteers at the Home and the babies were very much cared for and content.  I have a feeling that one of these precious children belong to my family in the years to come. =)

It has been an emotional ending to our stay here in Kenya, but a satisfying one. To God be the glory for anything accomplished while we were here.

The next two days will be strictly fun - a blessing from Buckner before we leave. We are going on a safari! Whoop!  We leave tomorrow and will return on Thursday. I will try to blog about it on Friday.  Then, Friday night we start the journey back home!

So please pray for us as we travel, come home, then make the adjustments of returning.

God willing, I will return to Kenya. A piece of my heart will be here forever.