Preparing for departure

Dear Friends,

Thanks for all your emails, phone calls, contributions, etc.  Knowing that we have your concerns and prayers supports our decision to take on this venture. 

We are in the final stages of packing and find ourselves wondering what important items we will be leaving behind.  This is important as we are 100 K from Nairobi with no nearby Radio Shacks, WalMarts, etc.  Since we are paying $250 for transportation to the Mulli Children’s Foundation in Ndalini, we will not be returning to “civilization” until our departure in December. 

Note picture of Anne (below).  The suitcase in the foreground is her’s.  You will note it is FULL, and she hasn’t finished packing.

 

In order to decide what clothing to take, we emailed MCF to find out what they do about laundry.  The response was:  “We don’t have a washing machine, but we will supply you with buckets and basins.  We will also supply your detergent.”  Can you imagine the six hundred children at the Ndalini orphanage washing their clothes every night in buckets and basins?  I wonder what other surprises about approaching daily life we will discover.

We depart for the Grand Rapids airport Sunday AM.  We switch planes in Detroit and arrive in Amsterdam Monday AM.  After a four hour lay over, we head on to Nairobi, Kenya, a total of 24 hours from departure to arrival.  Can anyone calculate or suggest how we can compensate for the jet lag (or maybe there won't be any)?

Redempter (a female) from MCF, will pick us up at the airport (she is supposed to have a sign with our name… I hope).  She will take us to the Mennonite Guest House to stay for the night.   Denis from Musix in Nairobi will personally deliver to us the 4 guitars and keyboard we will be taking to the orphanage (these have been provided as a contribution by the Ada Bible Church… we thank them for this gift to assist us in teaching music at MCF).

Tuesday morning, Redempter will pick us up and help us purchase a cell phone and a modem to access satellite Internet.  Then it is off 100 K to the NE of Nairobi to our destination and home for 2 months, Ndalini.

I am left wondering what other pieces and experiences will occur during the two days between our arrival in Nairobi and then in Ndalini.  Join us again via this blog next Wednesday to discover the details. 

Oh, and for those of you who have expressed your concern about Bridget during our absence, our daughter, Jenn and her family will be here caring for Erholengsland, Bridget, and all the other animals who “live” here. 

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