Mercy

We spent our final day at the Mercy Children's Centre on tuesday and headed to Nairobi to pick up our new passports before heading east to Tanzania. When we weren't dodging luggage flying off the overhead racks as we maneuvered the road between Kenya and Tanzania (for some reason I thought this route would amount to more than a dirt track...) the many, many, many hours on busses afforded us the opportunity to reflect on our time in Kenya.

We got our hands dirty (and not just with fingerpaint). Troy got his hands dirty practicing his cement mixing techniques as he helped with on-site construction.

And I got my hands dirty (and blistered if you can believe it!) removing maize from the cobb. It is funny how relationships are often fostered in the most unlikely ways. It was sitting on the floor, ankle deep in maize that I got to know the Class 4 students.

We explored artistic abilities with song, dance, art, and even culinary skills!

We rolled on the floor and played with stuffed animals, Troy called this session First Aid. Catchy title.

We ran during Phys. Ed. (I mostly just tried to keep up…), and cooled off with a dip in the river.

We marvelled at the football skills and gave them some pointers ‘American’-style.


We even made some mistakes.... We taught The Macarena....‘nuf said.

We were watched and studied by this small community and greeted at every turn. In turn, we also did our share of watching, especially on market days. Children carrying chickens in their arms or dangling them precariously by their feet, one in each hand, women carrying produce in huge baskets on their heads, and cyclists trying to keep their balance with their cargo of hog-tied goats attemptng to stand up in their baskets...

A colorful experience and time well spent.