My bags went to Mumbasa without me!

Jambo!
The kids have been trying to teach me Swahili since I got here and all I can say is Jambo...I know, I'm pathetic!

Well, the weather is absolutely beautiful here. I would say 80s with a cold breeze, it can't get better than that! Turns out the bite on my ankle is not a mosquito bite, it's a spider bite and now my entire ankel is swollen. I took two benadryl last night and that seemed to help the swelling a little bit and I can still move my toes so these are all good things!

Yesterday was such an intense day and I know it was a preview for many rough days to come. The morning was slow but we painted their library in the afternoon and then got the chance to play volleyball with some of the kids and their teachers. Let's just say that Kenyans are a little intense with their volleyball but regardless it was so much fun! After I played volleyball I went down by chapel and found Hannah teaching the kids how to do the Souja(sp) Boy dance, it was hilarious. Then one of the little girls who I had met grabbed my hand and took me up on a hill away from every one. Her name is Yvonne and she seemed relatively quiet but not now. She told me her story about how she got to Huruma and it took everything in me not to cry. I just kept telling myself that she has found God here at Huruma and nothing else could be greater than that. Plus, she has a family here who loves her. She told me that everyone has an enemy because "they had to, there are always some people who are going to hate you". But then she went on to say that she loved this girl who was mean to her and prayed for her. That astonished me. This 11 year old orphan is telling me how she loves her enemies. I know grown American Christians who do not understand this concept but here is this precious little child who lives it out daily. This girl who has every reason to turn from God and be bitter with the world for what she has been through understands how to love like Christ. I only pray that she would rub off on me a little bit. She also told me, "when my mother gave birth to me she was HIV+ so I am HIV+. I sleep in the same bed as my best friend and eat and drink with her and she cannot even get it". I confirmed that and told her that there were only a few ways that HIV could be transmitted. She told me that she had to take 4 or 5 medicines every morning and I asked if they tasted yucky. "Yes, but they are necessary" was how she respond. I was blown away by her maturity level. I told her that she was strong and beautiful and she blushed. I think Yvonne and I will become very close friends and I look forward to that.

Today we went to Nairobi to go to the airport to look for my bag. We found Shauna's within 5 minutes but after about an hour of looking, we gave up on finding mine. Momma Zipporah (the lady who runs the orphanage) was waiting outside the doors for me so when we walked back with the man who couldn't find my bag she started yelling at him to pay me for my trouble. He said alright and walked me back to the baggage counter where I signed a piece of paper and he gave me $80 out of his own wallet. Strangest thing I have ever seen but I was not complaining! The day was long after that because we had to drive to the hospital to visit Zapporah. This 11 year old girl has been sick the past few days. At first they thought it was meningitis, which would be horrible, but luckily that is not the case. The hospital was unlike anything I have seen but it didn't really surprise me. It is actually very beautiful, a brick building covered in vines and filled with gardens. There were more people there than I could have imagined. Some just sitting in the grass, some walking the halls, all with sullen faces. I can't think of anything to describe how the rooms in the hospital smelled besides sterile death. I'm not sure if you can imagine what that smells like but let's just say it was not a pleasant smell. When we found Zapproah she looked so thin and momma asked me to pray over her. After I did we left to head back into town. On the way home the car broke down in the middle of the road (which is an extremely narrow dirt path) and the people behind us were less than excited about that. We only sat there no more than a minute when someone pulled over to help us. Turns out he is a skilled runner and has been to the United States numerous times to compete. Him and his friend were so kind and called over three more of their friends and before you knew it we were on the road again. Papa Isaac (momma's husband) and Papa Sweet (Dave) came to our rescue also so we got home safe and sound. Also, on the way home we got a call from the airport and they said they found my bag but it is in Mumbasa which just so happens to be 8 hours away and right next to the beach. I'm a little irritated my bag got to see the beach without me! Momma's response was, "And now you have 80 dollar!" haha I love it! :) I was about to get extremely frustrated about my bag being lost but throughout the 3 hours we spent at the airport I just prayed that God would bring me peace about it. I know that my other suitcase would bring me comfort here but when I started thinking about what was in it I laughed. The funny thing is that we started moving things around in my bags right before I left so that they would fit the weight requirement. One of the things that got moved into my bag was the photo book that my mom made me and I knew right then that God did that for a reason so I unclinched a little bit and told God that it was in His hands. I am confident that He will provide and take care of me.

I feel like I have so much more to tell but it is time for evening prayers! I miss everyone back home so much and think about you daily. I love you all so much and couldn't be here without your prayers so thank you for that!