On Saturday , we met with Leah Bennett of Friends of Kakamega and finished final preparations. On Sunday morning, we caught a shuttle at school, and rode to JFK. We had some time to kill before our 14-hour direct flight from JFK to Nairobi, which the girls skillfully filled with Jamba Juice and other airport delicacies.
Our flight was long, and though Kenya Airways’ new 787 was wonderfully comfortable, I think that by our arrival on Saturday morning we had all decided enough was enough when it came to airplanes!
Once we arrived in Kenya, we met the smiling face of Ida Nelson, the director of the Kakamega Care Center, and he led us to another shuttle.
Our driver, Nick, who is a “very good driver” according to Ida and frequently drives for him, dropped us off at our hotel in Nairobi, the Kenya Comfort Hotel. The rooms were nice and modern, and we unpacked and got settled into our rooms.
On our first day in Kenya, we had a bit more time than expected, and we walked to the IKCC (International Kenya Conference Center) to check out the view of Nairobi from the 105-meter helipad on top.
After the IKCC, we all got back to the hotel and went to bed early.
This morning, Tuesday, we all got up, had breakfast, and boarded our stuff onto a shuttle to take to Kakamega, the town where the Care Center is located.
The drive to the Care Center took about 7 hours, and we passed through many different human and natural environments on the way. We stopped several times, including at the Great Rift Valley and at the equator.
At the end of our drive, we were greeted at the Care Center by Pastor Ida and the kids singing and dancing welcoming us. We feasted on a meal of welcome, and met a lot of really cool staff members and great kids! At the end of the day, Leah led us in unpacking the experience so far, and the girls are proving to be a reflective and open group.
Can’t wait for the rest of the trip!
Mr. LaFave
A World Awaits You! 