baula

This is our little pastor of Kenya. Once he put on a blazer and told Kaleigh that he was a pastor. So accordingly Kaleigh asked him to pray for her. He put his hands on her head and said, "hummma hummma hummma Amen." Now we ask him to pray for us all the time. It is so funny. 

Kaleigh and I both swear that his huge head is way too big for his little body. He is a bean pole. 

He is in class 3. He is always so freaking happy and has this infectious laugh. He loves to teach Kaleigh and I by taking us into the classes and having us read the posters in on the walls. He tries to speak English but honestly does not know that much but it is so cute when he tries. 

Kaleigh says that he is, "freaking hilarious " He loves to be in pictures and loves to be tortured because he always comes back for more. 

Baula was definitely a street kid because the first year I was here we always caught him in our house stealing things like bread. He doesn't do that anymore. He also was super annoying the first year but over time we have learned to love each other so much. 

We love it when Baula wants to play with us. He always makes us laugh. He is super gentle and I just love him. How can you not?

flip master

Kaleigh tried to surprise me with Oscar coming to the center. I told her I would believe it when I see it due to the fact this was the 3rd time he said he would come. 

The brother kept to his word and was in Thika town the next morning for us to pick him up. We got him, biscuits, yogurt and juice and headed home. 

The boys love and adore Oscar. I tell them everyday that Oscar is a mbaya rafaki (bad friend) but they are just not catching onto the idea. The always get mad and tell me that he is poa rafaki. (good friend) One day they will believe me or just agree with me to give me a confidence boost. 

Oscar just walked in the gate of our compound and the boys were so excited. They surrounded him and started asking him all sorts of questions. They wanted him to start doing flips for them right away. They wanted to know when he was going to come back again. They just wanted to be around him. They love him.

We went into my house and ate yogurt. Kaleigh and Oscar put the new light bulbs up in our house and I went and played with the boys. Earlier that day I dyed the ugi (porridge) to green. I made sure we were there to watch them drink it. I asked Peter what was going on with the ugi. He said, "It looks like sewage!" These boys are so funny. 

After ugi we went to the dorms and put up lights there too. Kaleigh and I bought them. The boys literally only had 3 lights for a dorm that requires 12 or more. The boys cheered and were so excited for every light that went up and worked. I loved it. 

While the lights were being put up by Babu... Oscar and I snuck outside and he finally did his first flip. It left the boys speechless for a half second before they broke out in cries for more and more and more. The boys would do a few flips and then Oscar would do one. The highlight for the boys was when Oscar did 3 back flips right in a row. The boys are still trying to figure out how to do that. 

After mastering the tire and showing all the flips you can do there and Oscar teaching a few new tricks we moved to the stones. Oscar had never done flips off a stone. The boys got to teach him. He was super impressed by their skills and was too scared to do some of the tricks the boys did. 

We got interrupted to help carry in wood into the kitchen. I got the duty of carrying the heaviest logs. Oscar got the duty of chucking the wood into the old fridge and Kaleigh got the duty of loading people up. It took forever but I was happy to help. 

We served lunch. The boys ate. We went to Naivas to get food for lunch. Hamburgers it was. Kaleigh cooked while I played. Toto called me a useless pumpkin after I did a cartwheel. We ate. 

Now it was time for a soccer game. Of course I talked to the boys ahead of time and stacked my team with all the best players because Kaleigh said she got Oscar. My team won even though half of us left early to help serve dinner. 

And that was basically the day. We took Oscar back into Thika and sent the brother on his way home. It was so much fun. The boys need good role models and they just take to Oscar like a bee to honey. 

Everyone loves it when Oscar comes around. The boys continually ask us when he is coming back and are still practicing their triple back flips... which end up to become a triple cartwheel. 

change of pace

Kenya just recently elected their new president. Uhuru won. Because of the elections we were advised to flee the country due to the chance there might be an out break of violence. Obviously there was little to barely any but we still took it as an opportunity to visit Ethiopia. 

I have been told multiple times that Ethiopia is an incredible country that I need to go to. I was all about it. I have been ready to go there for years and just needed the excuse. Kaleigh really wanted to go south to Tanzania but she didn't fight or talk loud enough and we got our tickets to Ethiopia. 

The plane left at 5 in the morning. We got to the airport at 3. I am so thankful for the Abilla family being willing to let us stay at their house even with all these crazy times. 

Luckily we have a distant relative that lives in Ethiopia that was SO gracious to let us stay at their not so humble abode for the week. 

We get to the Ethiopia airport with no Birr or Dollars. All we have is Shillings. In Ethiopia they don't exchange Shillings. Luckily Kaleigh was in the right place at the right time and someone heard her plea. A random lady gave Kaleigh enough dollars to buy a visa for the two of us. That was a tender mercy.

My Aunt Tammy's niece's husband picked us up at the airport. We get to Ethiopia just in time for the end of sacrament meeting. Church is all in English and Amharic. Church is held in a house. We went to primary with Nadine. After church we came home and fell asleep. Nadine made pizza. It was so delicious. They had a get together of all the white Mormons in Addis and that was our Sunday. Lots of sugary treats. It was great. 

The next day we woke up early. Took a hot shower and Jeru was there to take us on our first adventure. I made a list of all the things you can do in Addis Ababa. Jeru was our personal tour guide and translator for the week. She is a YSA from the ward that Nadine and Warren hooked us up with. We hit the street. I don't remember the order of everything we did but we went to a bunch of museums, the American embassy and the lion park. We saw Lucy... the oldest person ever. That was sweet. We also learned a lot about the history of the Rastafarian king that ruled Ethiopia that people believe is the rasta god because he brought rain to Jamaica. Sweet? Yes. We saw a lot of lions too. Their roars are so cool. Also... how can you go to Ethiopia and not eat injera. I had it for lunch. 

That night we met up at the church with a bunch of the YSA and the elders for an FHE. Someone shared the spiritual thought and all the sudden I was in charge of the game. We played two rounds of telestraions. Let's just talk about the awkward elder next to me that thought "ven diagram" was a good idea of something to draw. I doubt "ven diagram" even translates into Amharic. It was so much fun. The highlight of the day. At the end of this day we had already done almost everything on the list that I made of things to do in Addis.

Tuesday we woke up. Jeru met up with us at the mansion again. We went to Entoto. This is a huge hill where a church is at the top. I guess it used to be the capitol of Ethiopia. There is also an old palace. At the bottom of the hill there is a lot of touristy shops. We went to the top first and then made our way down. At the church there was a museum. We had a tour guide. He was speaking English but I could not understand a word he said. 

Trying to bargain for things was so hard. Ethiopians are not aggressive like Kenyans and Jeru felt so awkward asking for a lower price. We had to have a translator do it for us because no one speaks English. Kaleigh and I refuse to pay the "white price." We could tell Jeru hated bargaining. And of course we had more injera for lunch. 

We went home and it was a day. 

The next day we woke up and went to church. We went to the Saint Trinity Church. 

It was incredibly beautiful. Because we are white the unlocked the doors and let us inside. This cute old priest took us on a tour of the inside. This is where the rasta king's tomb is located. 

That is all we did that day in town because we needed to head back early to make Kenyan food for 16 people. It was a success but it took forever to crank out that many chapatis. 

On Thursday we woke up and went to work with Nadine. She works at an international preschool. It was really fun and it was weird to be surrounded by so many tiny kids who spoke English. We went back to the house. Jeru met us up there. We went to a couple of bazaars and called it a day. 

On Friday Jeru came to the house. We went to the Mercato. It is a huge open air market in Ethiopia. We got two things and walked a lot of it. I loved it. Ethiopia is a lot more expensive compared to Kenya. It was just hard to spend money there except when it came to getting things for other people. After that we called it day. Kaleigh and I came home and washed all our clothes and started packing. Warren took us to the airport and we got to Kenya at 1:30 in the morning. 

When we got the the airport we were asked for our yellow fever cards. Of course we do not have them. The person I had to talk to about it behind the counter would talk to me in between falling asleep. She threatened to keep us in the airport until 8 and have to get the shot in the airport clinic but then fell asleep again and said we could just pass through but bring it with us next time. I was so nervous. 

We took a taxi to the Abilla's house and got there around 2:30 am. We were home and safe.

We stayed with Nadine and Warren. Warren works for the embassy. The government house they live in was a mansion. It was 5 stories, 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. It was so different then the view we saw out of the window. Nadine and Warren were so nice and I am so grateful for their generousness to let us stay with them. 

Ethiopia was so different from Kenya. The people are lighter skinned. Their hair is different. There are beggars everywhere. No one speaks English. The food is different. I love Kenya so much. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I had to travel to Ethiopia and the experiences I had there. 

francis

Francis annoyed the crap out of me the first two years I was here but I think with time we have grown quite fond of each other. Kaleigh says that he get annoying sometimes but I haven't seen that side of him yet this year. 

He is in the middle. 

In the mornings they always get ready for the day in full uniform which includes a sweater. By lunch time it is hot and the sweater is unless. Francis, everyday, takes his sweater and wraps it on his head like a turban until school is finished. I love it. He is the only one that does that. 

Francis has huge burn scars down the right side of his whole body. Because he is growing up so fast... he is growing out of his scars and making them stretch and bleed which creates new scars on his old scars. His burn came from his former life. Most likely someone set him on fire and threw him in the trash to die but someone came along and saved him. As sad as it is, these are normal stories of the boys. 

Last year we super glued his foot to his shoe by accident. He handled that like a champion. He was in my 'family' the first year I was here. I just feel an attachment to him because of that. 

In class he always knows what is going on even though we speak mostly English. Like Gachia when his English fails he will speak to me in the Swahili he knows I understand. If he doesn't know what to say he will say, "Nene? Nene? Nene?" a bunch. That means "What? What? What?" It is his way of thinking out loud. 

And that is Francis. 

toto

And the award for the most sexy voice at the center goes to: 

TOTO! 

For reals. I tell him daily but I just don't think he understands. 

It is so deep and raspy. It is going to win himself a woman one day. 

The first time Allynne and I met Toto, three years ago, he was wearing these nasty old pink sweat pants that had a huge stain on the buttox. We called him the poopy pants boy until we knew his name. I have fond memories of Toto. 

Toto in Swahili means child.

Toto is a super independent soul and has a hot voice... like I said. I love talking to him. He always has an avocado in his pocket to eat during class when the teacher is not around. He is SO smart. I think he is the smartest in his class. He is in class 3. 

He can climb a tree like no one's business and will swing in it by one arm. This boy is fearless. It makes Megan really nervous seeing him so high hanging on by one limb but I let the brother do his thang. 

I love being around this child. I bet you think I am going to say that about every boy... but just wait. The nastier children will come in due time. 

I am pretty sure that Toto makes fun of the other kids a lot because you can find him pointing and laughing. Just imagine his raspy little laugh. I love it when he laughs. 

And that is Toto. He is quite the character. He currently has new pink sweats that he wears all the time. Sadly, there is no poop stain.

ainea

Let's just start by saying... This boy is our friend Gabby's doppelganger. I swear he is what Gabby looked like as a child. 

Ainea is a skinny child with wicked dance moves. He has more personality then his body can hold. He is a boy that I wish came around more often. He is super funny and you will always be laughing around him. You might catch him mimicking Kaleigh or I if we are doing something funny. 

He keeps to himself most of the time and doesn't really seek attention. He is very smart. He is in class 3. His age? This is also unknown. He is never in trouble. 

I love this child. I don't really know what to say other then that. He is so fabulous. 

If you have the chance to meet him one day I know you would feel the same way. 

Ainea is incredible. 

kelvin gachia

I really want to do a post about each of the boys at the center. I know you are wanting to hear about Ethiopia but we are currently having camera problems. That post will come later. 

Gachia is such a cute boy. There are boys that get annoying and boys that you wish came around more often. He is a boy that you wish came around more often. 

He is in class one. His age? No one knows. He is incredible at doing tire flips, stone flips, back flips and basically any flips. Because of his mad flip skills the older boys have totally accepted and include him in anything. 

He has the cutest laugh and tries his hardest to speak to me in all the English he knows. When his English skills fail he switches to Swahili that he knows I understand. I love that. 

He has a lot of scars on his face from his former life. 

I have an extremely better picture but with our camera issues... I can't use it right now. 

He is honestly such a joy. 

Today he taught me how to walk on a old cement planter cylinder and he always encourages me to keep up my cartwheeling. He is a part of my cheering section.

 Everyone loves Gachia... including me.