Kenya Trip - Post 1: Something new (May 30-31)

EMI'ers from two teams, ready to depart from DIA

This trip had a different feel from the outset. Having Alisha join me isn’t just a nice perk, but rather, more of a realization of a long desire to do this work together. It’s not that I can’t do these trips without her – I’ve proved that 19 other times! But I really don’t *want* to do them without her. Of course we don’t always get the things we want, but oftentimes if we’re patient, God does give us a few of those perks eventually.

So the normal pre-trip depression and anxiety that has become a very predictable part of our lives (i.e. dad starts getting very irritable leading up to project trips!) didn’t happen. In fact, it was almost the opposite feeling this time, as I seemed more and more calm as the trip approached.

Dropping the boys off at their gate at the Denver airport was another ‘new’ feeling. Brodie is 14 now, and though we still see a lot of the ‘little boy’ in him, we know that he (like every other little boy that’s ever lived) is not going to move towards manhood without either some gentle pushes from us or some opportunities for him to grow. This was one of those, as we made a point of putting him in charge between the time when we dropped them off until they met up with their grandparents in Oakland. Needless to say, Jonah and Graysen were dissenting votes on the matter!

They did great, and as soon as we saw the plane taxi out of sight, we could begin to think about what lay ahead…

One last hug from mom...

Down the jetway they went...

And pulling out from the gate for 15 days of being spolied by
their grandparents in California and Oregon!

Denver to Chicago, Chicago to London, and London to Nairobi…and for the first time since 2010, Alisha was back in Africa! After landing and getting through immigration and baggage retrieval (funny how easy that sounds, but it actually took over 3 hours!), we had a short drive to our hotel and we all finally enjoyed what the first class passengers had enjoyed on the flight – the privilege of laying down! I hope that doesn’t sound too bitter ;).

Alisha and Jordan, our 'adopted' niece. Jordan was an intern with
us in the UK and is now a long term volunteer architect in the
office in Colorado. She made it possible for me to lead this trip
as she's taking over finishing the project after we return home.

Interns Shannon and Marisa, on the ground in Nairobi

In case you never make it to Kenya, this is what Jomo Kenyatta
Int'l Airport looks like outside the arrivals hall, at night.

Me with longtime EMI'er and friend Gary MacPhee.
Gary was co-leading the other EMI trip in Kenya,
and we all stayed at the same hotel the first night.

Outside our hotel room in Nairobi - it's always interesting to see
the mix of city and village life side by side in most African cities.

Arriving on our site, about 1 1/2 hours from Nairobi.

The IAA site - where children homes, ag land, farm animals, a
small church and a playground all co-exist.