Headed Home....to Kenya

I'm finally going back to Kenya today!! Woo hoo! In 36 hours, I will be home!

I'm all packed and ready to go!


My crates are PACKED full!! And just for the record, they are NOT full of my personal stuff.


I cannot wait to get there, and especially to see my boys! I have missed Kenya.

Updates

I have updated the current status of my fund raising and added pictures....to the left. :-)

God's Sweet Gifts

The Lord continues to bless my heart. Thanks to the Quilters Caring Hands of First Baptist of Midland, each of my little boys at Haven on the Hill will get their very own quilt to cuddle with. Ms Carolyn Sowell delivered them and told the stories of how the group acquired the material used to make the quilts. John, Kelvin, Joshua, Godfrey and James are truly blessed to be loved like this.

Good Ole Houston

It probably has not mentioned on the national media, but around Houston, many have commented on how great it has been to see the communities pull together and help each other. Unlike some other major US cities who have experienced the wrath of Mother Nature, the people of Houston have NOT been sitting idly by waiting for the government to come clean things up and get things going again. It is been utterly amazing to see neighbors help neighbors. In most areas, the streets are clear and trees and brush has been, or is being, cleaned up. MANY are still without electricity, but that has not stopped them from working, taking care of their home and property.

This is a "before" picture from last Saturday morning.

Again, (like the last post) there are much better pictures out there, but these are from around our neighborhood.

Notice how nice and neat people clear and stack the brush. I'm proud to be a TEXAN!!

One Week Later...

Well, Ike came and went. He wasn't very nice to the Houston/Galveston area. There are thousands of appalling pictures all over the internet, but here are some from my neighborhood...the same area as the "before" pictures below.































Power went out at Kris's house at 9:00pm, before the storm even hit. So, needless to say, Saturday was a humid, hot, sticky day. But, we are blessed! God protected us. There are SO many who are less fortunate, still suffering.

We "set up camp" in the front driveway of Kris's house....along with the all the other neighbors. It was actually kind of fun....for awhile. We eventually went to Austin to enjoy some air conditioning at our friends, Dave & Bev's, house.















We had quite a system. The dogs hung out in the back of Kris's Trailblazer. The neighbors let us borrow a little TV that we hooked up to the car battery. When it was not raining, we were outside. When it did rain, we turned the car and sat in the garage.

in Texas...Pre-Ike

Wow....it's been over a month since I posted! Guess I'm feeling so disconnected from home.

I've been crazy busy since I've been back. I will be here for about 2 more weeks before returning to Kenya.

But....I'm so glad I'm still here for the Ike drama! I may not feel the same when I'm awake and taking shelter in the small bathroom with Kris and my tow yellow labs!!

I have a whole new respect for the people of Florida and other places who live through hurricanes multiple times a year. It's a crazy feeling to see people boarding up in my own home neighborhood!!















I am staying with Kris. She and I were roommates for several years before I bought my house a few blocks away. Hurricane Ike is huge, and although we are far inland, we are in the direct path of the eye of the hurricane. I am so glad I'm not a home-owner now!

But, we're prepared! We're all set...complete with the inside bathroom set up with our tornado preparedness kit! Radio, extra batteries, candles, lighter, water, granola bars & peanut butter crackers...

And not to forget the blanket (notice that it matches my shower curtain), cushions, water for the dogs, and even a comfort "baby" for Tag....