Thursday, April 3, 2008

Africa!!







What an amazing experience! I wish I could pack you all up and take you back there. These pictures are of when we first arrived at one of the schools. We were mobbed by children. You can see as we had barely gotten out of the truck they came running to greet and hug us. Jumbo! (Hello) Most of them could say "What is your name?" And understood simple phrases, like "how are you?" (Habari) and you would respond with "muzuri san," (very fine). We stayed at the school for a couple of hours, just playing and talking to the kids and looking at their classrooms and their work. They teach them English starting in primary school, plus they know their tribal language, like Masai or Kipsiki, and then they teach them Swahili, which is the universal Kenyan language. The sweater you see them wearing are school uniforms. For most of them, it's the only clothes they have. Most of them were barefoot. They don't have any shoes. I felt really bad because I kept stepping on their toes with my hiking boots. But they didn't seem to mind.
They like to touch our hair and skin and hold our hands and follow us around. When Lynn would go to take their picture, they would all jump in front of him and then run to see their picture behind the lens and giggle. We have many pictures and experiences we would like to share with you all, so I will post more when I have time. Lynn took over 1500 pictures, so if you have a couple of hours, come on over and we would be happy to re-live those experiences with you!

3 comments:

Jesson and Storme Hoopes said...

i love it. i am so glad that you finally changed your blog. the looks on their faces look so happy. i can only imagine the feeling that was there when you where getting all of those hugs. i would love to go back with you any time.

Spence said...

I love these pictures! I've downloaded all of my pictures on my laptop and take it everywhere I go forcing people to sit down and look with me. Ha got to get the word out somehow!

virginia said...

I, too, pack the laptop and force others to watch. It's off to Areva's tomorrow, laptop in tow. I still marvel at what a fantastic experience that we all shared.