Beaming...

...maybe even brighter than the sun!
   This last week in Ngong town has gone by so fast. Having more responsibilities is a little trying for an introvert who needs her space. However, I have truly enjoyed being here and getting to know everyone on my team and supporting them in any way I can.
   I was feeling ill for three days and still have some symptoms now - weakness, headache, and dizziness. Thankfully it hasn't been a stomach thing, and I don't think it is altitude sickness, but I have had to stay back from some activities to rest. It has been humbling because I tend to take some pride in my health... God always knows what I need. Don't worry, Mom, I've been drinking water.
  Aside from that, there have been some wonderful surprises for me! My friend, Sammyh, and I were on the trip in 2011 together as he was a Kenyan student on the team. I found myself on Sunday morning sitting on the steps of the Senta talking with some students, and I see someone coming up to me. Out of habit, I get up to greet him with a handshake and a "habari", when I suddenly realize it was Sammyh! I cannot express how joyful I felt to see a dear friend from a trip that meant so much to me. I had forgotten how much I missed him and the other Kenyan students. You never know when you will get to go back to Kenya, and when you do you feel blessed beyond words to see friends. I was beaming head to toe.
  Then I was able to say "hi" to Nams, the Kenyan who used to help direct the trip in 2011. It was so wonderful to see familiar faces of people I would consider another part of my family.
  Last, but the most important, I was able to hug my host pastor from my last trip. Yesterday morning I was having devotionals in my room and realized that I left my pen in the dining hall. Walking quickly in the the room, I hardly stopped to really look at the man drinking chai and reading a newspaper until he looked straight at me. Again, my face was beaming and my heart was overflowing with joy! He received me as his daughter with a hug and looked just as pleased to see me. Bwana asifiwe (praise God) for His goodness! I skipped a meeting to have chai with him and get caught up. He sends his greetings and I gave him all of yours (greetings are very important in this beautiful culture).
All of the hosts are in Ngong to come and pick us up to take each team for their ministry assignment, and I knew Pastor Felix would be there, I just didn't know when. He will be taking two of my teammates to Kwale for three weeks and I will visit him and his family when I am in Mombasa towards the end of my stay.
Speaking of assignments, me and the staff announced the teams and the places yesterday - we are all paired (or thrice) up to spend three weeks away from the team to do ministry. I and two other girls (from Montana and Arizona) will be traveling to Port Victoria in the morning with our host Mama Rosemary. Port is a town on Lake Victoria - the highest HIV and malaria infected area in the world. We will be teaching at a preschool in the mornings and doing some door to door evangelism in the afternoon. I have already met Mama Rosemary and she is just bubbly and wonderful and like a big mama.
Please be praying for me and the girls on assignment. I will need to be reminded that I don't have to be the "strong one" all the time. Also pray for our health and safety, our reliance on God, and the ministry there.
I will be challenged and I am so thankful to be working with children again!
Mungu akubariki (God bless you)!
Missy
   

Smile. You're in Kenya.

It feels like home.
Waiting to step out of the plane when it landed at Nairobi airport was short of excruciating, but my face was beaming sunshine! My excitement was a little over the top, I'll admit, but after two 8 hour plane rides I was done with travel. It was all familiar; the smell, the air, and the wonderful, relational people! Four of our Kenyan teammates met us before we dragged all of our luggage to the buses - they will be joining us (Little America) for the summer as a part of our team. I have become close to them already!
We are now staying in Ngong town, an hour outside of Nairobi. So far we've had some cultural training, an some experience in both Ngong town and Nairobi. It is pretty fun to see how the students react to the culture and see them struggle with it like I did two years ago. Granted, this is still the honeymoon stage, and I'll still experience culture shock, but I cannot tell you how much I love being here again. It does feel like home.
The other staff members and I are getting to know the students as we begin deciding everyone's ministry assignments. They are a great group so far...a lot of brokenness, so I am interested in what God will be doing in their lives this summer.
Obviously, I am alive and well. Thank you for your love and support!  Please keep us in your prayers:
    Health
    Community
    Safety
    Wisdom as us staff are making decisions
    and that I will stay in the moment and not compare this experience with my trip two years ago

Baraka,
Missy

P.S. Dad, I forgot. Please pay my July student loan and I'll pay you back. :)