Wednesday, July 9, 2008 - SAFARI!
Day 26 in Kenya
We woke up at 5:30 a.m. for 6:00 a.m. breakfast and 6:30 a.m. morning game drive. It was so cold! But we saw the sunrise behind the hills, and it was awesome. We saw lions, ten feet from our van, eating a zebra. We saw hippos. They look so mean. The morning was great (game drive and breakfast). The ride back was awfully long, bumpy, hot, and uncomfortable. We made several stops along the way. Finally, we got back around 4:45 p.m. and rested a bit.
I went to Maisha, and Leah showed me the upstairs area for the high school girls. It was so cool! They have a sweet space. Leah and I had some great conversation. She wants to be a nurse or doctor and go to university in the U.S. However, she absolutely loves acting and “dramatizing to music,” as she says, so she was so excited to learn that she could study theater there. I told her about Jackie. She would like to meet her. I’m going to try to find a show we can all go to when she and Beatrice come to the
U.S. in December.
After having dinner in Maisha and hanging out with Edith, Flo, and some of the other girls, I chatted with Mr. Maranga and Sr. Uche outside about single parents/mothers and what’s happening to the family unit. Later, I talked with Mum Gladys in Amani, regarding a problem with Sara and Emily spending so much time with Michael. Also, we talked about some of my questions, particularly relating to the girls. She mentioned Ann specifically, saying that Ann would be very open to telling me about her life before Hekima Place and that Ann has been through counseling and went through a period where she felt like nobody loved her. Gladys said it was very sad. I am so sorry that I did not know it was okay to ask her before. We’ve had so many opportunities!
(This part added later.) I had a hard time not crying last night when I entered Baraka. I am sad to leave in a few days. I helped the girls with some things and mostly just hung out while they finished homework/ before they went to bed. I hugged Ann and thanked her for her card. She was happy that I liked the stickers! J She said goodnight before going to bed. Some of the other girls and I hung out and had a good time together.
After my shower, I called Jackie to try to get hold of Mom. I frightened her, which I’m sorry about, but I needed to talk about my sadness about leaving and my confusion about the struggles these young women at have been through. After talking with Mom, Mom sent me a comforting e-mail. I read and chose writing contest winners, prayed, and went to bed.
Hekima Place
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