Here and Yonder

Tammy let me venture out into Kisumu alone for a little while yesterday.  The first few pictures are from around town, mostly near Agape.

Kids at another post office

The Lucky Butchery

Plastic Bottles...my whole view of trash (rubbish) is forever altered.

Homes near Agape

For those of you following "operation tooth extraction", Samuel still has all of his baby teeth.

Our families were spread all over Kenya today.  The older boys, Jonathan and Sutton, went out into the rural areas with their dads.  Hannah and Connor went to Agape this morning to tutor with me, and Tammy watched the younger kids.  She also took Samuel and Seth for a walk today down Ring Road.  They ended up at Mega City, a shopping center where the Nakumatt is located.  Her photos of the boys interacting with others on the street are better than mine at showing the welcoming, playful nature of the people here.  It will be hard to pass someone in a shopping center back home and not speak to strangers constantly.  I believe I may go through shaking hands withdrawal.

Kate and Chris KJ tutoring this morning

Hannah drilling subtraction flash cards

Reading table

Kate and Emmanuel

This is the beginning of Tammy's walk with Seth and Samuel.  The boys really liked the animals, but this cow didn't want them much closer for the photo.

Tammy said they liked the goats.

I can just hear one of them saying, "c'mon brother" to the other.

Outside of a barber shop

Looking for a good deal at this shop

At a different butchery

Wishing Tammy was beside me to explain the photos to me.  This one seems to speak for itself.

Boys will be boys

Samuel enjoys "greeting" everyone.

Budding politician??

More hand shaking...

New friends

"Take a photo, please"

Samuel's first Tuk Tuk ride...he said, "it was fun and bumpy".

Tammy bought the boys matching shirts at the Nak...

...and hats.

Tuk Tuk home...

This begins the photos of the boys day out in the rural area.  All of the photos were taken by Nick Kjeldgaard.  Check out his blog at http://towheadedrambler.weebly.com/.

Thanks so much for the pics, Nick!

This is Jacktone.  He was very happy to have a visit from the group today, and will be back on campus in a couple of weeks.  The guys found that the home was less than ideal and has a leaky roof.  Please pray for wisdom for Chris and others at Agape when looking into these home situations and making decisions that will have such a lasting affect on each boy's life. 

Here, the guys are crossing a bridge over a rather large river (that is usually a small creek).  There is mud and flooding everywhere during the rainy season, but I definitely think I'll take mud (not the flooding) over dry, hot and dusty!!

A Tea Farm

The guys dropped a boy named Samuel off at his uncle's house today.  The uncle was appreciative and offered the group some avocados.  Jonathan, Jr. climbed the tree to pick the gift and tossed them down to those on the ground.

He'll never forget this day.

Wish I knew everything that goes on in that precious head of his.  

A photo of the difficult roads in the rural areas

The boys standing on the Equator :-)

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and encouraging words.  It means so much to our family!!