Kenya Recap from Leah Patzig

" Dad and I are home from an amazing trip to Meru, Kenya. After three grueling days of travel, we had an amazing week! Even with the jetlag, weird food, and cool weather we managed to get accustomed to the African ways of living, eating, and worshipping. (We ate trout, which unfortunately for me, still had its face on it, like eye balls and everything. Can you say eww?!?!? – Dad loved it. We also had Ox-tail soup and drank Goat’s Milk every morning with curdled chunks floating in it.)

On Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday we drove to a compound where we fed street children [the majority of them boys] and ministered by sharing the love of Christ through a teaching as well as fun and games. Although there were up to 130 boys, the average number of girls that attended was between 6 and 9, and I had a great time with the few that came. (Unfortunately most of the girls are “working” in prostitution.) They were fascinated with my “smooth” white skin and blonde hair, and I had a great time playing with them each day as we began to build a relationship. I taught them the chicken dance and in return they braided my hair. :)

On Sunday we attended Church in a small, dirt floor, chicken house. The praise was amazing with their dancing and clapping and although the service was almost three hours long, we “mzungu” [white people] really enjoyed the experience. It was neat to see such normally quiet and reserved people shouting and praising the Lord. Their praise was so heartfelt and energetic you could actually hear it driving up the road. They even managed to cram 50 or so people in this small space with plastic lawn chairs for seating. It is amazing that despite the conditions the Kenyan people are grateful for the opportunity to attend Church and praise God at all!

Monday we returned to the compound and the guys on our team, along with the staff in Meru, built a goat shed. The American team from our church consisted of seven people total, and since I was the only girl, they decided to name the goat Leah, which I was honored to hear. (Not everyone can say they have a goat in Africa named after them). :)

Each day we shared morning praise and devotions with the staff, it was a special and amazing time! Throughout the week we toured Kenya University and visited several schools in which the ministry we were a part of [Bridges International] sponsored several girls. We also visited the different homes where the younger children they sponsor live and are provided daily care. We visited a rescue center. This orphanage housed 35 babies all under the age of three with only 4 nannies per shift. We had a great time playing with all the little kids and it was funny to watch their reaction to seeing “white people” for the first time. It only took about half an hour for them to stop crying because they were all freaked out at the strange white people trying to hold them.

We ended our trip with an African safari at a Game reserve in Samburu. We were in open vans and the animals were so curious (and close) that we could have touched them. We saw many giraffes and zebras and were nearly charged by an elephant. We also interrupted a lioness eating a water buck and another stalking an antelope. "

Sounds like they had a great time -- everybody ask them about it next Sunday! I'm sure they'll love to share.