Warning! This post may make you want to buy a plane ticket to Kenya.

Where do I begin? I feel like so much has happened in the past week! I spent the last five days at the DIGUNA station in Ngechek. At this station they have three completed homes for children with HIV/AIDS. I wanted to go to Ngechek to see how they run this ministry because it is something that I am very interested in for my future. I underestimated the effect that the people at Ngechek would have on my life. I think the easiest way to tell about my trip is day-by-day!

Monday: Wow, wow, wow! I had NO idea the journey that I would have to take to get to Ngechek! It all started at 8:30 going into the city to catch a matatu (9 to 15 passenger van) to Ngechek with my new friend and escort Guchu. An hour later we were finally settled on a matatu ready to go. Six hours and a lunch stop later we finally arrived in Eldorat where I was being passed onto another escort, Amos. Amos is the station leader at Ngechek and met us after he finished class for another hour of traveling. We drove for thirty minutes in a very small 15 passenger van that ended up holding over 20 people! We got out of the van at the end of a dirt road with nothing but motorcycles sitting around...for several seconds I was very confused. Amos cleared things up very quickly, we were taking motorcycles for the last thirty minute leg of the journey. At that point in time I started breathing faster and I could feel my chest tightening up...I think you can call that a mini panic attack! The driver tied my luggage to his motorcycle/taxi and we took off. To make matters worse the dirt road was crowded with people shouting "mzungu" (white person) and pointing. It was all I could do to smile and attempt a wave!

Tuesday: On Tuesday morning I was introduced to the home parents at Royal Totos. After two hours of talking and chai, I was overwhelmed with their faithfulness to God and their willingness to give of themselves. I was overwhelmed with the planning that has to go into any ministry with people who are dealing with HIV. Mainly the fact that the subject of death has to be handled in a very honest and upfront manner, even with children. The Royal Toto Children's Home is only five years old and in their five short years they have already seen the death of two of their children.

Wednesday and Thursday: I was quickly put to work in the kitchen when the "kitchen mama" found out I was there. I learned how to add carrots into every dish you cook...I think I am turning orange from all of the carrots I ate in the last five days! I also realized that Kenyans have the art of comfortable silence figured out. They can sit for ten minutes and not say anything, then someone will talk, and then back to silence. They value fellowship though, when you walk somewhere together they walk slow so you can talk more. I did have quite an experience Wednesday night. Germany played Ghana in the World Cup and I was lucky enough to get asked to watch the game. There was plenty of competitiveness to go around being that half of the missionaries at DIGUNA are German and the other half are Kenyan. Fifteen minutes into the game I made the mistake of asking how much time was left! They thought it was funny when they told me games are 90 minutes long! After 90 very long minutes, only one goal was scored by Germany! One goal...that was it! I was invited to Kids' Fellowship Wednesday afternoon and I was blown away at the amount of joy that the kids have. They sang songs and worshipped the Lord with everything they have. I just kept thinking to myself that these kids are going to die from a disease that they did nothing to get and they know it, yet they worship the Lord with everything they have. And then I have the nerve to be temperamental in my walk with God when things in my spoiled life go wrong according to me. A lesson that I will surely remember forever.

Friday: I was able to visit the school on property Friday. They took exams every other day of the week so they wanted me to wait until they were done testing. I got asked to teach a social studies class which turned into a question/answer time. One of the first questions was "Why is America in a war with Iraq" and I thought well okay then, here we go! They asked a lot of hard questions about America and our politics. Later that day I got to sit with the teachers and compare Kenya's education system to America's. It was interesting to learn that teachers in Kenya have not been paid in months. The government is holding the money and this is nothing unusual.

Saturday: I am glad to say that today was much less eventful than my journey to Ngechek. I actually was able to take a plane back to Nairobi. What took nine hours Monday took fifty minutes today! I am thankful for the exciting journey Monday, it did make for a good story!

Something that the Lord has been showing me this last week is that He does nothing in vain. He doesn't send us on vain trips or ask us to do vain tasks. I was reminded of this through Esther's life and her wise Uncle Mordecai (Also with a little help from my friend Beth Moore!). Mordecai told Esther "And who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this!" (Esther 4:14). We may not have to face a challenge of saving a people group like Esther or be in a royal position, but God has you where you are "for such a time as this". As I learned from the kids at Royal Toto, no matter what is involved in your time, there is always time to love the Lord. Thank you for your prayers! Trust me, I saw the results of them in the past five days as the Lord was revealing things to me. I cannot wait to see what else happens in the next two weeks!