Home...well, our Calgary home

Hi all. Well, the great Kenya adventure has ended for us, at least in terms of our physical presence there. We know that the adventure and connection to all of our new and old friends in Najile will continue for a long time, and we are so very grateful for that.

We left Najile on Wednesday, November 11. It was a very tearful goodbye with Joseph's family. Joseph is a remarkable person, who lives and works with a profound sense of humility, grace, integrity and joy. We (Byron, me, Anne and Henry) lived with his family during our time in Najile, and we now know why Joseph is who he is. His biological mom, Elizabeth, his dad, Jeremiah, and his step mom's, Esther and Marissa, are all amazing people, who live in the same way that Joseph does, and with a deep Christian faith and commitment to the church and the community. His siblings are all mini-Joseph's, who in their own ways will impact their community and beyond. Each morning and evening that we were there, we enjoyed visits late into the evening...often, as Joseph's mom would say...feeling like we were talking to the walls, because we could not understand each other, but the laughter and sense of acceptance was more than enough to help us through those moments of confusion. Each morning we were served the best chai I have ever tasted! Made with fresh goat milk! And chipati's. So good! And then we would set off for the 5 km walk to Najile town.

It all feels a bit like a dream now that we are home. Electricity, running water, toilets...what luxuries! But the things that we missed while we were gone, now seem small and of little consequence when we compare them to our very rich experience and to the relationships we formed. There are many differences between Calgary and Najile...but also some similarities...in both places it's not a great idea to go walking on your own when it's dark, though in Najile it's because of the leopards and hyenas. The church community at Foothills and in Najile are both strong, and celebrating together is important...in Najile it's done with four hour church services, and then five hours of choir singing. Though food in Najile is scarce for so many, the goats and rice and cabbage and beans become plentiful when there is a celebration happening.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop. It's so hard to describe our time and our experiences and to do it justice. We are all so grateful for the opportunity to have gone, and for the incredible support we have been given. Thank you to everyone for your interest in this trip. We hope that we can share more stories and pictures in the coming weeks.

As Joseph says, "God is good. All the time."

Kim