Um, yeah, hello again. It’s been a while hasn’t it? Reasons being…

(1) The laptop we would’ve been able to use has been out of service for a good week & a half now.

(2) There’s just been so much going on that there hasn’t been enough time to update about it all!

This past weekend was our last one in Kapsowar! & quite full on — so it was quite bittersweet.

On Saturday morning, Kim & I woke up at 5:30am for a 6:30am start to climb Kipkinur, which is a 4.5 mile hike up to 10,500 feet, or 3,000 feet above the town of Kapsowar. It took us 3 hours to climb up – and UP it was. There were some uphill climbs that I’m pretty sure were at a 60 degree incline. If it weren’t for our fearless leader Mama Brian, and our friends Bruto, Festus, Jacob & Violah, no way Kim & I would’ve made it up. As for me it was my first hike ever (that I’d consider a REAL hike) and this is definitely not one for amateurs, so I feel quite accomplished & proud of myself. The view at the top was breath-taking & alive & all worth it of course, and we spent an hour on the rocky look-out, taking in the sight of the forests & hills & valleys & towns afar, singing hymns, eating mangoes & chips, and goofing around, taking photos. It was spectacular.

We climbed back down in 2 hours, & got back right before 2pm, took quick COLD showers (’cause we didn’t have time to wait for the hot water tank to heat up) & then headed over to Michal’s house for some fresh mango&papaya juice while we discussed how best to get to Chebiemet to visit the children’s home there.

So that’s how I got my first ride in a real matatu, while Kim had her first picky-picky (motorcycle) ride. A matatu is basically any vehicle you can get a ride in & stuff as many people as possible in. Drew, the surgical resident, counted 26 in his matatu to Eldoret. He’s also the owner of a picky-picky (made in China), which Kim rode on the back of to get to the children’s home.

The building we stepped into in the village of Chebiemet is home to children with disabilities — from clubbed feet, to missing limbs, to congenital hip dislocations. Four wheelchairs are needed, but only 2 of the children actually are sitting in wheelchairs — actually, one of the “wheelchairs” is a plastic lawn chair attached to 4 metal wheels. This is just ONE of the needs.

I deeply wish I could share phtoos of all of these places & people with you all. It’s been such a RICH and FULL time, and words only say so much.

One thing I’ll leave you with is to please pray for Kim & I as we decide which needs to financially contribute to before we leave Kapsowar this Friday. Now I’m off to get my first lesson on how to make ugali & sukuma wiki!

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