ROAD TRIP!!!

11th of November, 2009

The residents of Cheryl's and the children in the foster program that attend high school all go to boarding schools in various parts of the country. When it is time for the holidays, most of them put themselves on a Matatu heading back to Nairobi leaving most of their belongings in a trunk at the school to wait for their return after the break. Those few who are leaving high school forever (YAY!!) must bring those trunks and all their belongings home with them. Since that would be incredibly difficult on a 3 hour bus ride, Someone needs to go and get them when they are finished with their exams, this time I was able to tag along!
The ride is long, but its amazing to drive through Kenya and see more of the country and the difference in landscape once you leave the city. On this gorgeous Tuesday morning we headed down a road that was familiar to me, as it is the same one taken to the Mara and the IDP camps. Its familiarity did not lessen its beauty. We drove past the great Rift Valley look out points, fields, forests, slums, farms and in the distance, Mburuku IDP camp with its new chickens and precious dust babies to to farthest from Nairobi I had ever been. We reached the small city of Nakuru and did a little shopping for Mary (our social worker) and her family as well as purchasing treats for the kids who were unfortunate enough to not be graduating and so had another few weeks of school left. As we left Nakuru, it felt like we were leaving Kenya, it was so different from Nairobi. Everything was green, and quiet in a calm, comforting sort of way. There were trees and shambas (farms) and children running around and waving at us as we drove past. It was so beautiful and peaceful, and here, tucked behind some trees and a few bushes was the house where Mary grew up and where her children still live with their grandmother. It was a small place, but comfortable and peaceful. A lovely place to spend the morning, retirement, your life....
After visiting with Mary's family for a bit we headed off to pick up James and Maria, who had been waiting for us all day. It was great to see some of the kids whom I had not seen since I first arrived in Kenya right before they started their term. The girls were happy to see us and thankful for the treats we had brought. They laughed and chatted with us as their school mates looked on and wondered what the Mazungus were doing there. One girl, Rhoda, I had never met before but she walked right up to me and hugged me and hung on me the whole time we were at the school. The boys, when we went to their school, were much more reserved but equally happy to see us. I realized how much I missed having them around and my excitement for the end of the term and their return home grew as we hung out with them for a bit before we left.
The drive home was fun, not lacking in laughter and chatter and singing. We arrived back at the home late, but happy. Two more members of our family were home and more would be following shortly.
Coming home is always a good day.