Kenya Day Two

Saturday morning, this was the view from our hotel room in Maua.  

 

 

 

We were on the 3rd floor of the hotel and this was the interior corridor. The blue tape at the end was the hotel's elevator which was being installed the whole week we were there. Saturday morning our time with Zoe really began in Kenya. We first had a briefing meeting with the Zoe staff at our hotel and we worshipped a bit together too. 

 

Then we headed off to visit a third year group that is getting ready to graduate at the end of the year. This particular group was sponsored by some people from First UMC Lakeland in honor of Rev. David McEntire who retired a few years ago. His daughter Molly McEntire was the leader of our expedition; she is also the Conference Director of Connectional Ministries. Our team included 7 United Methodists from Florida and 3 United Methodists from Texas. 

The teenagers greeted us with singing and dancing. 

 

Their program facilitator helped translate for those who didn't speak English (or in our case Swahili). 

 

 The kids wanted us to help work together to make the afternoon meal, so they had us helping to roll out the dough for the bread, chapatis. 

 

 

Then they wanted us to play this balloon game with them where we popped the balloons to represent their joy at having us visit and how they couldn't contain it. 

Then we went inside the Methodist Church of Kenya where the group meets weekly to sit and talk about the kids and their progress as business owners and community leaders. 

 

 

 

Then they let us talk as the visitors to greet them. 

 

And we did some more singing and dancing and they presented Molly with the gift of a drum to take home to the rest of her family. 

 

Next up was eating lunch 

 

Then we took pictures out in the yard. They were super excited for selfies! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we got the chance to visit a couple of the kids businesses. This student has started their own convenience shop. 

 

 

 

And this student has become a tailor. 

 

 

 

We also visited this student's new home, which they were so proud of. The old teeny tiny shack they slept in was nearby. 

 

 

When we got back to the hotel several of the Zoe graduates had brought things to sell. We had fun shopping for souvenirs to bring back. This is Sarah, one of the Zoe grads that I purchased a number of items from including this skirt.