A few weeks ago, I made a decision to extend my time in
Kenya and stay at First Love for two weeks after the rest of my study abroad group
would go home. I decided to stay longer mainly because the Baraka Women’s
Center graduation is next week which I would have missed if I had left on the
originally planned date. I am also quite in love with First Love and the people
here, and I was simply not ready to leave these kids...I don’t think I’ll ever feel
ready to leave them, but I will return to graduate!
As I was thinking and
praying about this decision when I was trying to make it, I didn’t realize just
how difficult the staying later would be. When I decided to stay, I was
overjoyed to have two extra weeks with the people I’ve come to love and
consider a second family. I did not think about the fact that my study abroad
group which has been a huge support system in my life would be leaving without
me.
Last night we went out for a delicious “last supper” as a
group (it was not without a few tears). There were “most likely to…” awards and
good conversation and constant laughter. Here are the awards for your
enjoyment:
Jeff DeKock, most likely to….be readjusting his hair
Asaaska Labarawke-DeKock, most likely to…want to stay out
all night
Leila DeKock, most likely to….say NO!
Kirk Belmont, most likely to…ingest wildlife
Makenzy Zaborowski, most likely to…be the first up a
mountain
Brittany Homan, most likely to…order chips masala
Rochelle Burks, most likely to…make friends wherever we go
Ellie Staricka, most likely to…play with fire
Tyler Minnesma, most likely to…B.S. everyone and be believed
Katie Simmon, most likely to…laugh until she cries
Anna Wessley, most likely to…smile through any illness or
injury
Maina, most likely to…pretend to know little English so he
doesn’t have to talk to us
Ishmael, most likely to…always be laughing or smiling
What a wonderful note
to end on. At midnight we all piled in the big van together for the last time
and Maina pretended to be a flight attendant…hilarious.
We got to the airport, unloaded our caravan of
luggage/people cars, I hugged everyone goodbye (some more than once) and unsuccessfully
tried to hold back the tears. And then that was it. Our semester together was over.
There were times throughout this semester (many times) when
things in our group were pretty rough and we just did not get along. There were
times (many of them) that our group was declared a “dud” by some of us. But
somewhere along the way, in these past few weeks we have finally become a group
and what a fun thing that was while it lasted. We have camped, white water
rafted, sang the praises of naan bread, kissed/seen/selfied with tons of
different animals, hiked, visited the hospital, bartered, broken school rules,
sat around campfires, zip-lined, piled on boda bodas, watched movies, danced,
peed in nature, practiced our Swahili, swam, shooed away cats, joked, played games,
and done life together for four months.
I love that God is in the business of surprising us. What we
had all declared a lost cause (this group) turned into one big teary goodbye. I
only wish I could have completed the journey back to the U.S. with these dear
friends, but I know I will be seeing them again.
Miss you crazy kids.
