Discovering more Athi River Campus

Hey Everyone!

It's 3:47 PM Kenyan time and about 6: 47 AM Minnesota time. It is almost half way through my BIRTHDAY. Yes, today is my birthday!! I will write all about what we have done today, but I have a little break in the day so I wanted to share a bit about what our day was like yesterday.

I left off telling you all that I went to sleep because I felt a little ill...but had a full first day at Athi River Campus of Daystar University. I woke up yesterday morning and went to eat a wonderful waffle breakfast at Dr. Masso's (a daystar faculty's) house right off campus. Most of the roads around campus are dirt, and since it had rained the night before, a lot of roads became like a mudslide. I heard that before Royce and I came to Kenya there had been a long drought and it was very dry and hot. The last three days we have been here it has rained...so it has been very nice.


I met a student at Daystar University, communications major named Winnie. While Royce sat in on a Homiletics class Winnie showed me around campus. We went through the library, on site dorms, gardens, and all classroom areas. It is one of the most beautiful scenic campus’ I have ever seen. Royce and I were astounded by the geckos and lizards. I have pictures! Birds fly around the campus everywhere and they aren’t the kind I’m used to seeing in Minnesota. They’re all brand new. High Rocks are another animal we were amazed by. Look them up! They look like giant squirrels without a tail! About 5 times the size of the average squirrel, groundhog size.

Next, we met with a group of scholarship students from Daystar. These students were all those who received aid scholarships from the U.S. These students were probably all in their 20’s and 30’s and when asked to share what their goal’s and dreams were after graduation they all had absolutely HUGE dreams. When they were speaking I was just so amazed at the honesty, dedication and respect they sounded to have for their education and country. I feel as though most American 20 year olds…you ask them their dreams and goals and they will tell you they want to get a job after they graduate. Not, I want to help orphan children, or start a school for the uneducated, poverty stricken people of my country. These students had PASSION. It was very inspiring.

On our ride home from Athi River, we picked up about 7 staff members from Daystar who got stranded because their bus broke down on the way back.

By the time we got home I was exhausted. But, I had a young woman waiting here for me. We talked about the “beauty culture” in Kenya. It was very interesting and beneficial for me. I think you will all enjoy hearing about it and I will share that in another post. I will try to post later tonight about what I did on my birthday in Kenya!

LOVE,

Lauren
http://www.lovelo.wordpress.com