Now that we've been home for a few days, it's been interesting to reflect a bit. I'm not really given to online, or even outloud reflection, but here's a couple things that have rattled about a bit.
I've mentioned to many who've asked the regular "how was it?" question (and really don't want the long version) that it was more and less than expected. The overall experience was incredible... visiting Joseph and his community, learning about MCC's HIV/AIDS work, hanging out with Matt and Stephanie, visiting the Mennos in Kisumu, safari, visiting the coast, hearing/seeing the various choirs, and doing all this with my family and numerous new friends...
I've also mentioned that I was hoping we'd have gotten more done in the musical collaboration department... That sentiment still stands because my hopes weren't entirely realized, but as I've pondered this, I have developed a pretty substantial list of things that made it amazing we got much done at all... like in no particular order: wacky electricity; no lights in the church so no work after 6:00pm; and it's not like these (mostly) mothers would want to walk the back and forth hours in the dark; most of the singers don't speak or read English; time and attendence are somewhat more, well, relaxed than we're used to; the wind starts blowing through the spaces between the walls and roof of the church by noon causing the mics to overload and the roof panels to bang; a regular gallery of onlookers in the church that don't really get why they should be quiet during recording; rain on a tin roof; cows sticking their heads in the door and more.... not a bad list, eh?
Anyway, the pluses wildly outweigh the minuses. I'd go back tomorrow if I could. Stay tuned to this space. I'm going to post a few video clips soon.
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