Karibu!

Karibu is Swahili for "welcome," and let me tell you, I have never
felt more welcome in my entire trip than I have here in Kisumu. When
I first got here, I was feeling kind of anxious, to be honest. I was
alone again and the stress of my flight/making sure my enormous
suitcase didn't get lost/finding my taxi driver made me really worried
that I would sink back to where I was at the beginning of the trip.

I couldn't have been more wrong! I got to the Kisumu home around 9
and was given a quick tour before being left to play with 20 or o
babies. The home is a little bit smaller than the one in Nairobi, but
there are more babies here. There's also a special needs wing (the
Amani Cottage), which is home to about 7 kids, and a unit for older
kids (the Simon Newberry Cottage). Altogether, the home has 44 kids.

Shorty after I began playing with the babies, a group of about 10 or
so Americans came in to help out as well. I met a girl named Megan
who is here with her mom and older sister. They invited me over for
lunch and dinner after being shocked that I was an 18-year old white
girl in Kenya alone for a month. I gladly accepted their invitation
only to find out that they are staying with a couple from
Texas, Wayne and Mary Lynn. I had heard about Wayne and Mary Lynn and
their amazing food from Morgan and Hilary. Apparently, they were well
taken care of by this incredible couple during their time in Kisumu.

I cannot express how great their hospitality was. Not only did they
serve me ( and several other guests) lunch and a Thanksgiving-themed
dinner, but Wayne also chauffeured me around so I could take care of
some errands. They truly have a heart for God and for the people of
Kisumu. I think they've been here since about last November and are
in the process of moving into a home of their own (they are renting a
flat right now, I think) so they can live here permanently. They are
a great witness to the people of Kisumu, as they share a Jesus video
in local slums and prisons. I also met a really cool girl, Katie, who
has been living alone on Kenya for the past 6 months, so she can
definitely sympathize with me! Their warmth and generosity is also a
huge blessing to me and I can already tell it's something I'm going to
greatly miss when I leave Kisumu on Friday.

It's incredible how much God has blessed me during this trip,
especially with the people I've met. I leave in just a week and I
know He's still got a lot in store for me! Thanks so much for your
continuous prayers and support!

love,

emily