Thankful.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born". -Anais Nin 

My time in Kenya has almost come to an end and it is bittersweet. Bitter because, even after a lifetime of practice, good-byes don't get any easier. Sweet because I know that this is just the beginning of what will be a lifelong relationship with East Africa and the people I have come to love. 

The office is always full of laughter

I look back on the past two and a half months and I am humbled. 

I am humbled because of how intimately God knows me. Each of my experiences was so perfectly tailored for me, down to the smallest detail, that it gives me goosebumps when I think about it. I felt as though God had put me in a time machine to show me a glimpse of what my future could look like. 

Thumbs up! With Chris' children Asher, Abijah, and Hadassah

I am humbled because the reluctant, half-hearted trust I had put in God pales against His incredible faithfulness. My mind drifts to early May when I was still in the process of sending out my first support letters and trying to figure out practical necessities for this trip. I was almost convinced that I would never be able to make it to Kenya. In fact, I had a whole list of reasons why this trip was not going to happen - finances being on the top of the list. Two and a half months down the line, I have not only completed my internship, but have experienced things beyond my imagination. 

With Lily, Anita, Catherine, and Chris

I arrived in Kenya with an uncertainty about my future after college. Each time I talked to someone about future plans and grad school, there was a suffocating heaviness in my heart that weighed me down. Although the situation hasn't changed and I still cannot see what the future holds, my understanding of God's abilities and power has. I have also learnt that working with communities and doing Public Health programs and medical work within those communities gives me so much joy and life. I have felt more alive than ever over the past few months because I believe God was showing me that this is the kind of work He is calling me to do. I leave Kenya excited to see what He can do in my future. 

A weekend with these three cuties; Rebecca, Charity and Grace. 

Baking M&M cookies with Nema's girls

As a missionary kid who has constantly moved around, the phrase "home is where the heart is" holds a lot of truth for me. It's hard to explain just how much care and love my supervisors, colleagues, and their families poured out on me. I am infinitely grateful that I now have another "home" and family in Kenya.

After eating chicken curry with Chris' family

A Sunday morning with my lovely sisters and Auntie Beth

I leave Kenya more whole that I arrived, and yet I leave behind a significant portion of my heart with the people I have grown to love dearly.