Right off the bat, it was a good experience coming home. Thankfully my family and friends understood that I would want (and even need) to tell them a lot about the summer, and more than just the "How was your summer? Did you see any animals?" kind of talking. As such, I was privileged to be able to talk to them for a few hours over dinner that night. Really wonderful!
Although it's been a good week, though, I really feel like I haven't had the time I need to really process what's happened or to try to integrate my experience with my life back at home. I've been so busy trying to catch up, trying to hang out with friends that will soon be going back to school, trying to prepare for the IV internship, that I haven't really had the luxury of time to think. As a result, I think that some things I'm just accepting out of habit, and other things I'm getting a little frustrated with out of hand. Nothing big, but it's weird to see people leave water running or have lights on in an empty room. Food is thrown away. People have short conversations that seem to avoid most of the substantial questions. It can be hard at times to not be a little jarred by the sudden differences again, but then I notice myself doing the same things as well. As we always said during the project, though, "It's not right or wrong, it's just different."
Next week I will be in Colorado for a staff retreat for InterVarsity, marking one of the first things I do as an IV intern! I get to go up with Hans Schenk and his family, who were all with me in Kenya, so this will be a really good time. (Hans is also the staff worker at UNM, so we'll be coworkers as well, yay!) It's crazy that this has all come up so quickly. Thankfully, I'm already just over 50% funding, which is the goal for allowing me to actually start my work on campus. However, in the coming weeks, I will need to raise the remaining 50%, about $7000. It's a hefty amount, but I trust that God wants me on campus at UNM, so He'll be providing that money somehow.
I know that I promised a kind of summer summary post, and that will be forthcoming. In fact, I'll try to get it out before I leave on Sunday. As of right now, I am posting my pictures on Facebook, but I don't have a way for all of you to see them readily. I'll try to post a few here, but there are far too many to put them all up in blog posts. I'll see what I can do, though.
Please continue to pray for the whole team as we deal with reentry into American culture and try to relate our experience this summer to those around us. I also need prayer as I prepare to start my internship in a few weeks, especially that I would have the necessary prayer and financial support. Also, please pray for the retreat next week. I'm hoping that it will be an opportunity for me to reflect a bit and also to prepare for the work ahead. Finally, thank God that I have such great support here at home, that everyone on the team was able to get back home safely, and that I have the pledges I need to at least start working at UNM.
"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 1:4-6
Orientation Week Photos
The conference room of Watakatifu Wote Senta, where we stayed for orientation.
The team ready for a session.
Hanging out in the dining area one night.
Hans and his son Liam travel the road from the center to nearby Ngong town.
Ngong town, complete with a donkey searching for some food.
hey, try flicker for the photos
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