Children Capture our Hearts on Valentine's Day

Sa Sa! (This means What’s up in Sheng which is a slang version of Swahili)

This is Lauren. There is so much to tell you all from today that I don’t even know where to begin. I feel like we’ve been here for at least 5 days because of all the people we’ve met and things we’ve done. But, this is only the end of day 2.
Today was Valentine’s Day as you all know and I’d like to share with you how Royce, Pat and myself spent our day.

The first major thing we did today was meet with a man named William Eyika. He is a graduate of Daystar University and is doing many good things for his community. Twenty years ago he started a school for children ages 4 through about 18 in a slum area of Nairobi. There is a separate school for the Elementary students and High School students.

One of the things that I noticed about all of the students at both elementary level and high school level is they are very respectful and very curious.


I think the thing that was hardest for me about this visit was that they treated us like we were kings and queens. We drove into the school in a car, in a place where there were so very few. When we would get out of the car the students would stare. The principal would introduce us as very special guests and told the students to sing for us and clap. It was a wonderful and warm welcome but the thing I struggled with is the fact that they treated us so highly and said it was an honor when really the honor was for us. We were so blessed to see these students, get to peek in on their daily school life, answer questions for them and take pictures with them. It’s life changing. It’s not the kind of school life we see in the U.S.
We are so very fortunate to have the kind of money and freedoms we do in America. I loved these kids and could have spent all day talking to them about their passions and dreams and answering all of their questions about the U.S.

Later this evening we went to a place called Java House. I hear it’s one of the most American type restaurants/coffee houses in Nairobi. And, there are several of them all over. We went to this restaurant with a Daystar graduate named Eric Kadenge and his wife Winnie. It was the perfect way to end an evening. We talked to them about a lot of Kenyan culture including wedding customs, beauty, fashion, and wild life in Kenya and daily life. Winnie is expecting her first child in 4 months. When asked how long she would be out from work she said 4 months. Women who give birth give a very nice maternity leave as opposed to Americans who get about 6 weeks. She also told us that children couldn’t enter daycare until they are 2 ½ or 3 years old.
I really wish in the U.S we gave women/mothers longer time to spend with their newborn children. I think that is very important.

Asante (this means thank you in Swahili). I am thanking you all for taking interest in our journey and for your prayers. I feel blessed to be here right now.

I have many photos and videos to share with all of you but will have to upload them when I return. They take up too much Internet data here. For now, I will post a couple pictures with each post.

We have lots of exciting things ahead.
Love and God Bless,
Lauren