Jet Lag

As I've watched Gary trying to "aclimatize" back to North American weather, time zone and all around hectic pace of life, I wonder how the kids will fair when it is their turn.
I've been watching Kijabe weather for the last couple of months. It has been cool, usually between 16- 18 C. It will be the rainy season when we are there. Kijabe is quite high up. We will need to take warm clothes especially for the evenings. One bonus from the altitude though is that we won't have to take malaria pills while in Kijabe- no risk from the mosquitoes way up there I guess!!
We had gone and gotten some long skirts for Carly to wear while there. I will need to buy a few long light weight skirts as well and some good shoes to wear. Ones that will both go with skirts and that I can walk in quite a bit. If I don't find anything, I guess it will be runners! The boys are fortunate - they can wear almost anything. I remember the red dirt getting on everything, so will try to stay away from white!
I was just looking over the last bit of consent forms etc. that we need to send back. All of our passports were still good, so thankfully that was one less thing to get done.
We saw some more pictures of Gary's trip to Zambia today when Mark and Tami were over. What a beautiful country that is!
It rained alot while he was there. And the heat came with the rain!
Our music teachers have been so good about us being away from lessons for awhile. Brett's guitar teacher will let him come twice a week after we get back. Some of the other homeschooling families are going to pick up some of our missed violin lessons and I found out that there are practice rooms at Rift Valley Academy, so I may even throw in some piano books. Wouldn't want those piano fingers too get too stiff!!!!

Preparations Underway

Our trip is still 2 months away, but the kids have started their immunization schedule. It's difficult to decide what actually they really need and what they don't really need as far as immunization coverage. Thankfully, Gary has just spent a month with Dr. Karen (Infectious Disease Dr. ) in Zambia and has been able to get her expert opinion on some of these things.
The kids are quite excited already. Last week we went to the library and got some videos on Africa to watch. Before Christmas, Gary and I pulled out our slides and video of when we had been in Kenya 16 years ago. The kids were a little unsure as we really had been out in the "boonies?" on that last trip to Kenya. But then Samaratin's Purse sent a beautiful DVD of the compound and living quarters at Kijabe and the kids were impressed. It really does look beautiful. Brett is still a little leary of the thought of snakes and scorpions though!!
Gary's recent pictures from Zambia were helpful too, to give them an idea of what to expect when we get there.
I got a phone number from a friend of someone who had spent a year in Kijabe with small kids. It was helpful to talk to her as we haven't been on missions with the kids yet. She gave me alot of good ideas for packing and cooking while we are there. On all the other missions we have been on, I have never had to cook in the country we worked in. Wasn't that fortunate? But this time around, I think I will do all of the cooking. Kenya is such a fertile country that there will be plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. I told the kids that I was going to feed them rice and beans once a day, every day like the more fortunate Kenyans.
They didn't know if I was telling the truth or not......Lucky for them that they like rice and beans!!!!

The jouney begins ...

Welcome to our blog...

We will be traveling to Africa in April and wanted to share some of our preparation and plans for the trip. We will all travel to Kijabe, Kenya for 5 weeks this spring on a project coordinated through Samaritan's Purse.