It’s hard to believe that I leave in just 4 days – this Friday. At the same time, it feels like I’ve spent all of July just waiting to go. (The cool and wet weather hasn’t helped much I suppose.) I’ve never been ready for anything quite this far ahead before. My clothes are in a pile on the chair, my carry-on bag is out of the crawlspace, even my American money is tucked safely away.
But, more importantly, my brain is already beginning to switch over. As I’ve been going through the week – grocery shopping, going to church, clothes shopping (did I tell you how much I hate shopping?!) – I keep thinking – doing this in Kenya will be VERY different…! I’m sure I’ll have amazing stories and pictures to share when I return.
Today I head to Cayuga (about an hour away) to see Aase, my traveling partner, so we can pack our bags together. My room is full of clothing, books and gifts to take to the people we’ll be working with. Aase is staying for several months so I’m sure she has similar looking piles. We have a limit of two bags each, 50 pounds per bag, so it will take some careful weighing and creative arranging to get everything to fit.
Taking things with us is a bit of a dilemma for me. And Dale and Aase have been there many times before so it is something we have talked about quite a bit already. It is not our intention to come as “the people with everything”. But from their experience they know that there are items from Canada that the people we meet and work with need and would appreciate having. My prayer is that we will be remembered not as ‘the mizungas who came to bring us things’ but as ‘the mizungas who became our good friends’. Besides, I have a strong feeling that what I will receive from them will be more valuable and lasting than anything I could ever stuff into a hockey bag.
But, regardless, I can’t wait to see the smiles that these 6 atlases, 36 bottles of bubbles, 5 soccer balls and 14 pairs of donated crocs – among a host of other things – will bring. (Wish us luck as we go through customs!)
Until the next time …
Cathy
