-July 10, Friday
Kisumu, Kenya-

Today we decided to have our drivers drop us off at a five or ten minute walk away from the school, right in the middle of the slums, so that we could get a full understanding of the area in which these people live. People beamed and waved at us, shouting out, "How are you? How are you?" and never, "Hello." If I ever tell a Kenyan, "Hello," the automatic response is, "Fine." I think it is because the Swahili word for hello- jambo- technically translates into, "How are you?"

The slums are in such horrible condition. We went down one road, literally holding our breath because of the overwhelming stench of both animal and human feces on the ground. Animals wander about freely, eating and pooping wherever they like.

At the school, I took pictures of the teachers and then went into town with James, Audie, and Chase to buy paint supplies. We went to the Nacumatt and two hardware stores. While in the city, one elderly lady came to me, asking for money, so I gave her my empty glass coke bottle. Chase ended up giving her his as well. The bottles can be exchanged for a few shillings apiece.

We returned to the school, and I helped with Vacation Bible School for a while. The children are all so eager to learn about the Lord.

Earlier in the day, when the children were still in their school classes, I made a guest appearance to a few of the classrooms and taught spelling (beautiful, salvation, and baptize), science (the metamorphosis of a butterfly), and mathematics (the nine times table.) The children were all so excited, and listened attentively, no matter what silliness I taught them.

Lavin follows me wherever I go, and every time I catch her eye, she beams with joy. She is precious. She loves the song in Swahili that I taught them- Yesu ni Bwana- and she sings it all the time.

The children all had prepared songs and poems to recite for me today. Each child is so talented, and AIDS has affected them so much. I gave every one of the performers a colorful bracelet.

Lunch was disgusting- salty beans and maize mixed together with onions and cabbage on the side. I hated it. The server spooned a ton onto my plate and expected me to eat it all, watching me eagerly the entire time. It was all I could do not to throw up.

After VBS, we went to go watch the students play futbol. We walked through the slums to the soccer field and sat on the sidelines, eager to watch the school team play. I got out my journal and began to teach the children surrounding me how to play Tick-Tack-Toe, and then Puppet, which is less morbid term for Hangman. They would have played it forever if I had allowed it. They truly are bright little children.

After we played, we sat down and sang songs until the games were over. Everyone's favorite was Yesu ni Bwana. One little girl named Sarah said, "We will sing this song every day, and every time we sing it, we will think of you, Emily." Lavin stayed by my side the entire time, singing the loudest of all.

We finally got up to leave, and Lavin took my hand. I took the hand of another girl, and then there was a great line of us, holding hands and walking through the slums ahead of everyone else, taking detours and shortcuts, and loudly singing, "Jesus loves me, Jesus loves you... Yesu ni Bwana..." (and yes, I realize that it does not translate into the same thing.) Everyone stared at us as we skipped past them. It was wonderful.

I told my dear new friends that Sunday would be my last day at Ring Road, and one girl said, "We will never forget your face." Lavin said goodbye over and over again, holding me close. I could not help but feel pangs of sadness wash through my chest every time I saw her tattered shoes. I cannot wait to give her my sneakers.

We got onto our matatus and went to the hotel for dinner. We ate with Thomas (the Kenyan Thomas) and his family.

Tomorrow we are going to Lake Victoria to hang out with the hippos. It should be an interesting experience.

-July 9, Thursday
Kisumu, Kenya-

Today, as planned, we went to Ring Road School. Whenever we ride through the slums, the children watch us with wide eyes, pointing and shouting, "Mzungu, mzungu!"

Dory, Rose, and the others were waiting excitedly for me when I arrived. When Lavin saw me, she came running and wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. I secretly gave her a small purse that held two necklaces and a bracelet. Lavin proudly carried the purse with her for the rest of the day.

The children were all playing a game when we arrived at the school. I quickly joined in, asking them to teach me how to play. The game- which I have christened "Squares"- was surprisingly difficult. There were sixteen squares, and two to four players at a time. They would begin at opposite corners and begin to hop four squares right and then four squares left, and then move up one. This seems easy, but then they go backwards and sideways and add more people... it is too hard to explain. It took me a long time to figure the game out, and it was quite tiring. The children thought my poor skills were hilarious. Lavin and I played the game together, and all of the children would laugh whenever I messed up, which was quite often.

I played the squares game with the children, and then we gathered around and sang a few songs that everyone knew, such as Deep and Wide. We also sang songs that the children did not know yet, but enjoyed all the same, such as The Lord's Army. These children love anything with a tune and some hand motions.

Directly in the middle of a song, I heard a boy say, "Excuse me, madam." I turned around expectantly, and he said, "We are requesting that you take tea."

This is the Kenyan custom. No matter what you are doing or where you are doing it, you are required to stop at that exact moment, sit down, and have a cup of tea and maybe a mandazi or two. The children with whom I had been singing urged me on as if taking tea in the middle of singing a song was completely normal, and it was... for them.

I took my tea and then went back outside. We played clapping games and jump rope. I taught the children how to play Limbo, and that was a huge hit, bigger than the Hokey Pokey, even. I brought out my camera and we made "movies," talking about their sponsors and discussing the biggest needs at Ring Road School.

"What does your school need the most?" I asked seriously.

"Emily forever!" one girl shouted.

I ask them what the biggest need is for their school, and they tell me that they want me to stay with them forever. I wish I could.

The children began reciting stories. Dory stood up and recited a poem that she had written about AIDS. It was fantastic. I am astonished by the brilliance of these children- children who literally have little to no opportunity for a decent future.

For lunch, Barbie and James and I went to the Nacumatt, which is probably the same quality as a small-town Texas mall... smaller than my town, small. We ate at the upstairs version of a food court, which consisted of three or four little restaurants. Barbie chose to have Chinese food, and I ordered a pizza. Both meals were weird and African-tasting, but they were better than eating the same food for lunch that we had eaten for three meals a day over the past week, which is what the others in our team was eating.

We went to various nursery schools, secondary schools, and universities to visit with sponsored children and photograph them. We even went to a medical school. Everyone here wears uniforms to school, even at college. At Ring Road, when asked if my school wears uniforms, I replied that we did not, and one little girl asked, "If you are killed, then how will they know where to take your body?" The life these children live is another world apart from our own.

Everywhere I go, I hear shouts of, "Mzungu, mzungu!" I am not simply a minority over here- I am a rarity. It makes me empathize with celebrities; no matter where I go, people are staring and shouting and waving. Barbie says, "Don't you just feel like Princess Diana, visiting the people?"

We went to the hotel and rested awhile before boarding our matatus and going to Jared's house. It was fairly nice in comparison with all of the houses we have seen so far, and it was in a much better neighborhood. We sat outside in lawn chairs and had a delicious meal of chipati, fish, chicken, cake, rice, and mango juice. It was the best meal I've had since I have been here.

We met four little children: Milton Jr., Julie Jr., Sandra, and Duane. Milton and Julie were named after Milton and Julie. They were all so precious and sweet.

The meal was very satisfying and we enjoyed examining the stars that quivered above us. They were so different from our own in the Northern hemisphere. It felt otherworldly to not be able to find the Big Dipper or any of the familiar paintings of the sky. We made up our own constellations, creating images of animals, such as a giant giraffe.

We finally arrived back at the hotel. It was after dark and we were exhausted, but happy, and very much ready for bed.

I must go now, because it is later at night than I thought it was, but I will write more tomorrow.