Safari

Hey everyone! We have made it back from Masai Mara and we had an fabulous time! It was quite a long drive to get there, but absolutely worth it! Seth did not mention how nice the place was that we were staying so all of us were pleasantly surprised. It was a very nice resort which had a great view of the game park. We were able to go on safari three different times and saw a lot of animals up close on personal. We did have some free time to just relax by the pool and Seth and Adrian even got massages. The food was great and we are refreshed. We can't wait to share our pictures and videos! Tomorrow we will be going to church and then some of the members of St. Andrews Church will be taking us shopping at the market. Love all of you! We will be home soon! This is probably the last time we will update the blog so we will talk to you when we get home! Kwaheri!

Back from Mashuru

Hello family and friends! We have had a busy and exciting few days! On Sunday after church we went to Tumaini which is a home for orphan children who have HIV. There were eleven kids that we got to see. All were girls except for one boy. We were able to spend a little bit of time interacting with them. We brought some toys and candy for them and enjoyed playing with them. Even in their situation they are so full of life and joy. It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with them. It was a mix of emotions for all of us knowing their situation, yet being happy that they have a safe place to grow up with loving people who are taking care of them each day.
We left for Mashuru on Monday to visit a Masai tribe in the bush. This gave us more of a taste of the Africa we had all imagined. We even saw a few giraffe on the side of the road! When we arrived we were greeted by Masai women in authentic tribal clothing with the colorful beaded necklaces and large holes in their ears. These people were so hospitable, just as we have found all the Kenyans we have met so far, to be. One of the days we were there we helped to make bricks and move them. It was good to be able to do some manual labor and bond with the people that way. At night time we would sit around the fire and the people from the church in Nairobi that accompanied us out there would sing songs and dance. They are a very fun and energetic people. We also visited two primary schools and one all girls high school in Mashuru. This was an awesome experience. They all did songs and dances for us. The students seem shy until they start singing. We tried to do some of the dancing which made all the kids start laughing hysterically. We're white...what can we say?!At the girls high school, one of the girls fell in love with Danielle and asked for her address. Another exciting event that took place in Mashuru was the sheep roast. Adrian was actually the one who slaughtered the sheep while a Masai warrior and some others did the skinning and dismembering of the sheep. The last thing we did was to go on a hike up a hill. It was pretty tiring, but good to get some exercise before our long and bumpy bus ride back to Nairobi. While we were all out of breath, a couple of the Kenyans were running of the mountain.
This evening we had the wonderful and much needed opportunity of going to a couple who are Sterling alumni for dinner. Andy and Lisa Brown had us over for a spaghetti dinner. After all the strange food, this was much appreciated and we all scarfed down at least two plate fulls plus chocolate cake. :) It was a blessing to spend time with some Americans and eat familiar food.
Tomorrow we will be leaving for Masai Mara for the safari. We are not sure if they will have internet there or not so it could be another couple of days before we update. Also, on the way home our flights are so close together that we may not be able to make the one in London and Washington, D.C., so do not worry if you don't hear from us. We will call the families as you as soon as we make it back to the states. Love you all and miss you! We can't wait to share the pictures and videos we've taken with you!

Day 2

Hi everyone! It is now day two and we are feeling refreshed. We were able to sleep for about ten hours last night after having dinner at St. Andrews Church and meeting some amazing people. Today we participated in a 6 mile fundraising walk for the church which was great being able to see more of Nairobi and get some excercise. During the walk we went passed the president's house and no photographs are allowed of any part of the facility. Mariah and Shannon were trying to take a picture of some flowers outside the gates, not even thinking that that was considered part of the compound, but were soon beckoned by one of the guards and had to delete the photo. Luckily, they did not have to go to prison. :) After the walk they had some snacks and drinks for us. There was a group of boys kicking a soccer ball around in a circle and we joined them. They were pretty entertained because none of us really have good soccer skills. This afternoon we will be taking a tour to see the Great Rift Valley, some tea farms, and whatever else they wish to show us. Tomorrow we will be attending three church services at St. Andrews then we will head out to Tumaini Children's Home which is an AID's orphanage. On Monday we will be heading to Mashuru for a couple of days so this may be the last update until we get back from there. We are having a great time and meeting lots of wonderful people. We appreciate all your prayers!

We Made It!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update and let everyone know we made it to Kenya safely and with all our luggage! Praise the Lord! Today we are just able to relax and get ready for the rest of the trip. Sorry this post isn't too long, but we only have a limited time at the internet cafe we are at! We will update as soon as possible! We love and miss all of you!

The Artist

JoAnna Hockersmith is now a recent Sterling College graduate with an art degree, a farming background, a passion for sushi, and a present career in nursing. She loves to serve and to invest in others and to spend her time discovering God. This will be her first overseas mission trip thanks to so many loving and supportive people in her life. She's eager to find what God's prepared for her in Kenya.

The Track Star

My name is Danielle Jones and I just finished my freshman year at Sterling College. I run track and I just recently declared communications as my major... and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet! I am living at home working as of now for the summer and am extremely excited about this trip to Kenya! I have always wanted to go to Africa and this trip really called to my heart. I love the group I'm going with and think that we are going to do awesome things with God's amazing love:)

The Future Mrs. Schneider!

Hi!! My name is Mariah Smith. I just graduated from Sterling College in April with a degree in Business Administration. I am currently working at Sterling Services as the Joel Osteen project manager!! This will be my first trip to another country and I am so excited that it is to Kenya. I am also VERY excited that I will be getting married about a month after I get back from Kenya on July 26th to Brent Schneider! Kenya is going to be an AWESOME and life changing experience and I feel so blessed with this opportunity!