GUILT TRIP

So, i've come to realize why people go to africa (or other 3rd world countries) and then come back home and get rid of EVERYTHING! give their clothes to the goodwill, eat macaroni for months, sell their apartment and move into a cardboard box...its that DAMN thing called GUILT!

my most recent bout of guilt was today at dinner when the kids ask me a jillion questions (as usual) and  they wanted to know what we've done the past couple of weekends! As i went back and explained safari, and the market, tea farm, the malls etc...they looked at me with curiosity as they havent been able to experience these aspects of kenya for themselves. So as i told them about the greatest things Kenya has to offer i became saddened by the fact that i'v seen more in 6 and a half weeks then they've seen in their lifetime here. i became angry!

I mean, i get it, there are 99 kids, it was be ridiculously expensive and hard to get them all to safari (or anywhere really). and i get that part of my trip isn't just being at Rafiki, its seeing the environment around me, experiencing the culture. but i still cant help but flip the situation in my head...if one of them came to visit me in Tacoma/Seattle, i'd be able to show them the coolest things, because i'v been! i guess it just sorta ruffled my feathers...and what it made me really want to do was send a video to Oprah or Bill Gates....someone with a ton of money, lol...to get these kids and mamas on a plane so they could eat dicks, and ride the duck, try some real chai, experience a blizzard,...walk around a city without garbage everywhere, see a different part of the world, expand their horizons! (whether or not that would actually be good for them, i have no idea...but i couldn't help but think about how cool it would be to see their faces as they boarded a plane! none have ever been on one!)

But then i also realized that i shouldn't get too discouraged because maybe thats part of my job...to expand their horizons to the best of my ability...to plant seeds of knowledge that there are different people and cultures out there and to encourage them, that when they are able, to explore the unknown! Maybe its my job,and my duty, to expose them to a tiny piece of "different" that they have graciously shown me!

but still...if anyone has any connections with Bill...you should hook me up! haha

anyways, here are a few photo updates:

(Christopher:community student and David)

(clint with the lollipop i gave him as his reward for doing so well in tutoring...a method i got in trouble for later that day...i guess 8 year olds aren't the best at keeping secrets!)

(james...we think we could be a j.crew model or something)

fine God, you win...

So this weekend, as i was looking forward to leavin the compound walls, seein the cites and kissin some giraffes my body decided to punish me for...well, it could be a million things (im a sinner! haha) but i woke up early friday morning not feelin my best! i missed school friday, and am now going on hour 37 of watching my mosquito net sway as i lay in my rock hard bed.
If this doesn't make someone miss home...being in a house alone, eating food that doesn't sound good anyways, let alone when your sick, no one to scratch your back (one of the favorite things my mom does!) well then i dont know what will!
and for a moment today i got down in the dumps about it...feeling sorry for myself!
my conversation with God went something a little like this:

"ummmm, God, im not really understanding why im being punished for coming to AFRICA to do your work! and now, on the rare occasions i have for fun with my team and to see the city, im SICK! YOU SUCK!"

And after another 2 or 3 mins of some real choice words, i sat and cried (which if u know me is not uncommon, haha) and then i apologized! i decided i better shape up and use what was left of the day to redeem myself...and to simply have some fun for the sake of my sanity! so after watching legally blonde (such a classic) i sat and read, did some journaling, went for a short walk in the sun,which i think actually did my body (and spirit) some good!
What i was reminded of through all this is that life really is what you make it. it sounds cliche; its corny and its obvious, but sometimes i need a good slap in the face to remember the important things!
the other thing i felt really convicted of was the thought that went through my mind..that because i came to Kenya i should not only be free of pain or trouble, but that i deserve some sort of reward.


ummmm, kate, how about going to Kenya because its the right thing to do?
how about going because thats where u felt called? (yes, i actually talk to myself!)


so im having a new perspective not only on this trip...but a on this idea we call "deservedness" and after a lot of reflecting today, i was reminded (for i think i figured this same lesson out a couple years back) that i dont deserve diddly squat...in fact if i deserve anything, then i got it friday morning when i crawled to the bathroom!)


SO heres what i know: i only have 12 days left here (can you believe it!) and by golly, im gonna make them good ones...because A. i can and B. i dont deserve them but god has given them to me as a gift and i dont intend to throw that away!


p.s. for the concerned readers out there: prayers would be great, but im already feeling tons better!!!

its all fun and games...

last week i got to witness one of the funniest..most awkward experiences of my time here. it was kinda the special olympics meets cool runnings...meets "swahili for dummies"! It was employee games at Rafiki. This means school gets out early and the kids get to watch their teachers, mamas, the cooking team, the security team, the maintenance team (EVERYONE who helps run this place) participate in some very high class..high intensity games!

on the list of activities and events:

dancing chairs (musical chairs)

racing

carrott eating on a string

tug-a-war

egg balancing

shoe tying

and the list continues!

Before the games even started, one of the greatest things to witness was the reactions of the kids as everyone came out in "normal" clothes. You would have thought the men had come on the field with skirts and lipstick and the women were wearing only their underpants! The kids were hysterical! you have to understand that the kids (even the rest of the staff) only see the men in suits and the women in full length skirts and very unrevealing tops...so to see a mama or worker in tight yoga pants and a plane white tee (that didn't leave much room for imagination) may have very well been their equivalent to underpants!
The kids began to laugh harder when the staff began to engage in any of the games...they got to see mamas falling off chairs, the maintenance men push each other over in a game of tag and they got to see the kitchen staff try to scarf down carrots on a string. i still dont know which was more fun for me...watching the staff make fools of themselves or watching the kids watch the staff make fools of themselves! Either way, it was fun to have a light hearted afternoon...no tuition, no discipline, just fun and laughter...lots and lots of laughter!

(janet-our house keeper doin the egg walk!)

dancing chairs! this was one of my favorite things to watch!

auntie lydia doin work on the carrot contest!

IM ENGAGED!!!

ok i lied, im not engaged, but this man (David) proposed today while we were at the market!

He's been there the last 2 times we've gone and so i guess we was waiting a respectable time before he popped the question! He didn't give me a ring, but he offered me some pretty nice deals with all my souvenirs. And for the things i wanted that his shop didn't have, he'd follow me around and tell his friends, that were also sellers, that i was his sweetheart and that they should give me a good deal!

After i left i couldn't help but think..."what would it be like to get married to a kenyan and live here"

and NO mom and dad, im not considering it, havent even entertain the idea...but its funny to think sometimes about how your life could go. I think its givin me a new perspective of what it means to truly put yourself in someone elses shoes...i can see the poverty, the different culture, the corruption...and i can empathize and imagine how difficult some aspects of kenyan life must be...i can even come to kenya for 2 months and serve at an orphanage, see the sites and experience the culture...and even if certain aspects resonate with me, it is not my own. I have begun to really respect those people who really "get into" whatever they're doing; those who not only serve the hungry, but become hungry themselves to know how it feels.

Now im not saying thats what everyone should do...i think there is a purpose of privilege, but thats another conversation. im just saying that as i left the market today wondering..what if i took Davids proposal seriously? how would my life change? i became extremely grateful for my reality back home! i guess it was just one of those funny God moments!

The "S" word

another funny anecdote for you all:
Today at dinner i sat with Canaan, which contains some of the liveliest, goofiest, most energetic boys you'll ever meet. I sat on the end of the table, all the way across from Davis, which is a treat because he is SO fun to look at! (i understand that may sound a little creepy but he is beautiful beyond words!) To my left is a boy named Dennis and to my right, Andrew.
Dennis strolled in with lime green shades, the kind that have a rainbow reflection! He's one of those kids that is always in trouble...either being detained in school or missing meals or activities outside of school but i kinda have a heart for the kid because i cant help but think of friends that are JUST like him, always in trouble but have the biggest hearts or the greatest sense of humor! Andrew on the other hand would seem to have the opposite appearance. He wears glasses that dont quite fit his face and while he has one of the biggest smiles around, his front incisors couldn't be more crooked. He's the leader in boy scouts and seems to have a permanent march to his step. (he's what we'd call a nerd back home, but is one of the sweetest boys in school!)
After noticing that Dennis had collected 2 extra eggs, i asked how he's accomplished such a feat! (giving away and getting food in the dining hall requires much skill!) he sarcastically told me God had sent them. (i couldn't help but wish God would similarly swipe the rest of my food off my plate) and then out of nowhere Dennis looks at me and sings, "im sexy and i know it!" (click here for a taste of the original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx6JDQCslE)
I instantly burst into tears! "where did you hear that song?" i asked. he calmly replied..."the radio." and then Andrew chimes in..."grab somebody sexy tell em hey!"(a clip from a pitbull/neyo song called "give me everything!) again i keeled over and laughed until my face was red and i could no longer breathe! Andrew leaned closer to me and whispered...i know why you're laughing! i replied, "is that so?" he said "yes, its cause we're using the "S" word!"
all i could muster through my guffaws (which i was getting glared at for letting out) was "yup....that darn "S" word!"
these kids, im tellin ya!

MAMAS

    As i filled you all in on each cottage and how devotions are run, i left out a MAJOR piece of the story! The reason devotions are one of my favorite aspects of my time here is because of the MAMAS!!!
I have yet to learn all the individual stories of each mama, but so far, from what i gather, each has come from a trail of ups and downs, trials and tribulation, twists and turns that some of us could never imagine! and its not as if once they got here their lives became a breeze...their job here seems extremely difficult and exhausting! they are each in a cottage with 12 children (ages ranging anywhere from 3-14). 
     As i tutor children one on one i continue to realize the immense challenge it must be to be in charge of, look after and love 12 kids at the same time...all with different learning styles, processing mechanisms, insecurities, questions etc...But its been really fun to join the cottages for devotion or meals and work more and more with the kids because you get to see how the spirit of the mamas is reflected in each kid.

    Like mama esther LOVES to sing and you can almost tell which kids are hers because they too are always singing! She is also such a gentle spirit and her boys carry that same trait with them! Mama mary is interactive...during devotions she constantly stops throughout the story to ask questions or tie the lesson or theme into life. She seems to fuel her girls curiosity as they constantly ask questions or want clarification. Mama Lydia is funny (sometimes sarcastic) and it trickles down to her boys who are constantly laughing or joking around (sometimes getting in trouble for it). Auntie Lydia is a ray of sunshine, she is welcoming and inviting, always smiling! Likewise, her boys have that same warm disposition!

    These mamas not only put in time and work (although those tangible things are very important) they feed and grow their kids spirits! They fill a void that i feel no child should have...a hole in their lives where their parents should be. And normally that hole would be so gaping and destructing, but the mama's step in and begin to fill that hole. They are a constant source of love and support, security, hope and comfort to the kids who need it most. And while their job is in my opinion the MOST important here, i also believe it is also often the job most overlooked.

(the beautiful and magnificent mama Esther!)

devotions

I've mentioned cottage devotions a couple times, but havent informed you all on the nuts and bolts...so i thought now would be a good time to do that!

there are 8 cottages:
joppa-mama esther
bethel-auntie joyce
bethany-mama miriam
bethsaida-auntie lydia
canaan- mama lydia
ebenezer-mama mary
shalom-mama rosylnn
nazareth- mama winnie
They have devotions every night at 7:30 but we only go tuesday and friday evenings...and switch off so that we go to each cottage fairly equally!

now, they all do devotions a little differently, but for the most part they all follow the some structure.
they are opened with a couple hymns, which the children sing beautifully, but which are usually butchered by me! then they read a story from the bible and are then required to share something they learned from the story, sometimes its more theme based and other times they are quizzed on the specifics (towns, names etc...) then the mamas usually give a little blurp on the lesson and then there's usually time for the kids to ask questions to the guest (me!).

without fail, EVERY single cottage asks about my diabetes (even if they asked about it the previous time)- the phrase "is it pain?" rings in my ear as i walk home. I've also been asked questions (and thoroughly interrogated) about my family, university, planes, food, president obama, our prison system...as you can see it really varies and sometimes i can't help but laugh as i think "what kinda kids wanna know about politics?"

Devotions are probably my favorite part of the week because its the time i get to be with the kids and mama alone, and thats actually pretty rare around here! i usually walk in to each cottage to find them all  (ages 3-12) sitting criss-cross apple sauce on the floor in matching flannel pajamas and i just melt! When i leave kids are hanging all over me, asking me to stay...sometimes the whole cottage will have a good night song to sing me. i always leave feeling like im the coolest person in the world and dont stop smiling til i lay my head on my pillow...its quite the confidence booster!

the girls at Ebenezer!

Some of my favorite boys at Bethsaida (and of course auntie lydia is a GEM!)

Mama Mary and i...we share our common love for tube socks!

TUITION

so tutoring here is known as tuition, and it is the job i am engaged in most throughout the week, so i thought it was about darn time i filled you all in on exactly what it is that i do here!!!
SOOOO, monday-friday there is school and i am the 1st and 2nd grade aid, so apart from making awesome posters, covering books and making copies for the teachers, who are very sweet and kind...i work one on one with students through out the day, as well as after school. The students i work with after school happen to be the same hooligans i see during the day, so we've started to form quite a bond!
After the school assembly (which is every morning at 7:50) my team switches off reading to the preschoolers (its my favorite time of day!) then i take clint or benard (we switch off every day-they are both in class 2) for reading for about an hour. After tea, i help Kilonzi (also class 2) with math. (Sadly the subtraction and addition flash cards are also a great refresher of my own math skills!) After lunch i work on reading with Susan, one of the sweetest, quietest girls in first grade. And then i finish up the day with random jobs from teachers or other staff...and sometimes if im lucky, get the chance to take a quick nap!
What im having a hard time with as i work with these kids is creativity! I'v always known that kids (people for that matter) learn so differently and what works for one student might not work for another but after so many different methods of adding and subtracting i sometimes get discouraged! and reading!!!..how do i teach a kid to read other than the old fashioned "sound it out!" so im trying to be creative; for the readers, trying to bring the stories to life...experience what it is they're reading about so they understand that words have meaning! and for math...i've started a hands on approach where i make Kilonzi physically add or subtract things from a pile...some days its books, others its pieces of paper. And even still, after days and days of review i sometimes fail to see them making connections! i am not mentioning this to say they are dumb...far from it (in fact if anything im only pointing out the areas where my teaching skills could improve!) but its made me extremely grateful for good teachers and has even softened my heart towards bad ones (because im afraid i might be put in that category if there's a master list somewhere!) and a quick shout out: Its made me extremely grateful and proud of my mom (who's a fabulous 3rd grade teacher) and although i've ALWAYS looked up to her, her heroism has reached new heights in my mind...i work with 4 students...most often 1 on 1...she works with 20 somethin kids who all have different needs, different deficiencies etc..and then comes home to take care of her crazy family! (i love you mom, you're great!)
so anyways...if anyone out there reading this is a teacher, or has a passion for learning and you have advice on how to teach so that kids actually absorb what you're teaching, any thoughts or pieces of advice are much appreciated! (im also in the business of praying...and am thankful for anyone who wants to take part in praying for me and the students!)
                                     (its become tradition to take a picture everyday after tutoring
                 so the next couple are of me, benard and clint doin our usual after school shenanigans!)

 and i can't load the video of kilonzi, but i will try to get something up soon!!!

TEA FARM!

This last weekend we traveled about an hour outside of the compound to a tea farm...you would think we flew to england because this place was the cutest, most quaint place i'v ever stepped foot into! There were rolling hills (35 acres worth) of tea all around us! I wanted to steal the woman who owned it...her name is fiona, she has a british accent and was the dearest soul i've ever met! (for those that are familiar with the movie Hook...she kinda reminded me of the grandma!) anyways, she LOVES tea, and its nearly impossible to not join in on her love by the time you leave! We spent the first 45 mins or so talking about tea, how its planted, picked, sold...whats good tea, whats bad tea etc...(so if you need some tea advice, holler at me, im now quite the expert!) then we took a small walking tour of some of the grounds-saw how the tea is picked as well as traveled into a small part of their forest where we learned about which trees are used for medicinal purposes and what not! Our guide Julius was the man! (he carried a sword to ward off trespassers!) and as i would kinda tease him about certain things, he shot right back and stumped me a few times, needless to say he earned my highest respect!
                                                        (becky, anna, myself and carson!)

FIONA!!!

PLEASE, NO MORE FOOD!!!

with the permission from my roommate, i have to share another funny food story!
So there are 8 mamas, some of which let us serve ourselves dinner (or at least ask how much we would like) but the majority serve you (and because its a cultural thing and they are trying to be generous they give you SO MUCH FOOD!) if you read the last blog about food, you may think im over-exaggerating, but im hoping this story will help you to realize, i am most certainly not!
so one of the mamas either loves us SO much or hates us SO much cuz she's known for her huge helpings...so we're walking home from dinner and i ask carson, how was your dinner? and i notice tears starting to well up in her eyes...before i can ask whats wrong she says-now sobbing- "she gave me SOO much food...im sooo full!!!" immediately me, anna and becky drop to the floor crying! perhaps not the most sensitive reaction, but we couldn't help it (in fact i think a piece of all of us wanted to cry with her-knowing her pain!)

Amen

i've decided to talk a bit about our prayer life here at Rafiki because it is something that comes up often...yes, prayers themselves (we pray a lot as a group, in our devotions, at staff meetings) but its been a huge part of my teams dialogue and discussion as we sift through our thoughts on prayer and personal faith. Seems by doing this i run the risk of sharing too much, in that case i pray that my words are read with the understanding that these are simply personal convictions and thoughts...that i am processing, as i write, how i feel about the prayer culture here and the struggles (as well as the benefits that have surfaced) that i face.

Lets start with quantity, amount, numbers,lol...i pray here more than i ever have in my whole life...it feels like we are ALWAYS praying! haha! we have morning devotions, school assembly, meals, cottage devotions and staff devotions; all of which we open and close in prayer!

now onto the subject of quality(for lack of a better word and in effort to continue with my math anology)...the prayers here have a structure to be followed (ACTS), they start in a salutation , Addressing God for who he is "Prince of Peace" "Alpha and Omega""Great Redeemer" are ones that are commonly used. Next, Confession...(sometimes we are asked to admit our wrong doings out loud) but most often there is a time and space for personal confession. Next is prayers of Thanksgiving and lastly Supplications, taking time to ask God for personal matters, prayer for the country, for family etc...now i am in no place to judge another persons prayer disingenuous or any less valid than someone else's...but after praying day in and day out for the same things, in the same way i cant help but hear insincerity (as well as speak it myself as i begin to say words just to fill the space).
I would like to think prayer is one of my more spiritual gifts...but i have realized while being here that maybe i do not pray enough...and at the same time can't help but question (and feeling somewhat ashamed and embarrassed while i ask it) is there such thing as too much prayer?!? 

Perhaps it's not the amount as much as the type of prayer...i like to feel lead into prayer, for the spirit to initiate something in me that makes it nearly impossible for me to NOT pray! i like my prayers to be organic; to stem from a place where my feelings, my convictions and my thoughts all jumble into one big cloud and i am left trying to articulate them to God in prayer! How then do i do this in such a strict, structured way...how do i feel like im communicating with God when it seems like we're speaking 2 different languages?!?

This is, as i mentioned, something that all 4 of us here are struggling with in some form or fashion...whether its how often we pray, how we pray, how long we pray, what we pray for...we feel we've had change the way we do things in order to fill some kind of mold that has been laid before us...one that we havent chosen for ourselves...but then it occurred to me, since when do i pick the molds that are laid before me? "molds" have been placed in front of me since i can remember...some easier to shape myself into than others, and what i continue to realize is that there is a beauty to these molds outside of the mold itself (what or where the situation might be). 

First, they teach me HOW to be molded...how to not be so rigid and set in my ways that i can no longer transform into something different or greater. Secondly, they grow me. As i experience the difficulty of each mold i am forced to reflect on why certain aspects are so difficult (which usually brings to the surface huge faults and weaknesses on my part). Third, they cultivate in me an appreciation for the molds that i am comfortable in (family, home, friends) as well as admiration for the ones i am not.

a wise woman once prayed for me: "i pray that you trust in God with all your heart and lean not on what YOU know, but rather what HE knows and that in leaning, you find more and more moments of peace..."

i guess through all of this that is the best way to articulate what im learning...im learning that i know very little, haha...but i gain peace, comfort, knowledge and confidence when i allow myself to experience His truth. This is the prayer i hold onto as i struggle with my prayer life here...that while i might LIKE or WANT a certain thing, that doesn't make it RIGHT or BEST for me. Only God knows whats best or right for me, and i can only learn those things by experiencing them...and so for providing a place and facilitating the conversations that continue to shape me, i am forever grateful to Rafiki.

4th of July

i dont know why, but i guess i expected the 4th of july to be celebrated everywhere so it came as a sad surprise that there was going to be no bonfire, no fireworks, no red, white and blue anything! so me and the girls decided to throw our own little shin-dig! we bought some weenies to roast and stuff for s'mores! (although the marshmellows were a little iffy!)
it was such a treat, not only because it was nice to have a change in our diet but because we invited one of the staff members julie, to dine with us! we ended up talking for hours after dinner and it was the first time i didn't feel i had to sensor myself (in fact im pretty sure my language slipped a few times, oops!) We got to ask honest questions and seemed to get honest, genuine answers! It was also one of the funniest nights i'v had in a while, felt so good to just laugh! It reinforced to me the importance of being present here...getting to really know the people im working alongside, sharing life and sharing stories...because although sometimes it means putting in extra effort, it seems to always result in some sort of mutual respect or deep admiration..and in this case both occurred as me and julie bonded over the fact that Jane Eyre is the best novel in the universe! (maybe an over-exageration, but as soon as she told me it was one of her favorites, i knew we'd formed an unbreakable bond! haha)
still, its times like these where those cliche sayings are SO true! "its not where you are but who you're with" i LOVE the girls im here with, but its different than the usual family traditions and im realizing how important those holidays are...not always because of the actual holiday, but because of the memories and traditions that are forged when everyones together!

So family, if you're reading this...know that i would love to be with you all, roastin mallows and whoopin ya'all in a game of nerts! LOVE and MISS you guys! light a sparkler for me!

caged!

well this last weekend we had the home office staff from florida visit so we didn't get to travel out and about..which at first seemed kinda nice! i thought it would be relaxing to do nothing and watch movies all weekend but by saturday afternoon we started to go a little stir-crazy! Which i think has honestly been the hardest thing for me here...i feel a little bit like a caged bird! we live in such wonderful houses, get fed 3 times a day, work with the nicest staff and are surrounded by the coolest kids, but we can never leave! Part of the problem for me isn't even that i dont leave this 5 acre plot, its that i dont have the option to leave even if i wanted to.
and if you all know me, you know i LOVE to walk and often at home i'll charge up my ipod and walk for hours, exploring new streets and observing life around me...well here the path i have to walk on is about the size of a tennis court (which gets old after about 2 go-arounds) and there are walls around the whole compound so i can't see out...its driving me CRAZY! haha!
and even when we do get to leave its a planned trip..every minute of it...we hire a driver and tell him our plans..to this market, than this mall, then this restaurant...and the plans are made in advance. Im more a fly by the seat of your pants girl, so again, im havin a bit of a hard time. But, trying to look on the bright side, it has given me a lot of insight on A. how a lot of people have to live B. how blessed i am to live in a country, in a city and around people who i dont have to fear when i leave my house and can go nearly anywhere whenever i want C. it also makes me think of some of the things i could work on..like being a bit more organized with my time and D. it makes me extremely grateful for random, spontaneous way God seems to work and i'v been more sensitive to those moments while being here!
as you can see, god continues to use this place to reveal himself and the many things i can work on...although sometimes i wish i would wake up and he'd say, "you've figured it all kate, nothing to work on today!" learning quickly that that day will never come, haha!

SAFARI

    I'm skipping through our second week here...it was not much different from the first: played with the kids and did some odd jobs around the compound! but on friday morning we got to take a trip to do a safari! we took a little plane further east to the masai mara national reserve. (you literally land on a strip of gravel in the middle of this wild life park, its amazing!) Right after landing we met our driver, Jackson, who's a complete gem and went straight into our first "Game ride." When we were done they showed us to our rooms...we stayed in tents, but were in no way roughin it! And the meals were amazing...multiple courses of gourmet meals (and no ugali!). The next morning we woke up early and went on a game drive,this was by far my favorite drive! for one thing, we had been traveling with two guys from rafiki, who are GREAT, but they had decided to go on a hot air balloon safari, so it was kinda nice to ride with just the girls! second, Jackson was in his best form...we felt like we were jurassic park or riding a roller coaster-we were bouncin all over the place in a huge jeep, no seat belts, no sides! (in fact there was a point in the trip where the road got soo rough, and i was in the back getting the worst of each bump, that i literealy flew out of my sit and hit my head on the top of the car, when i landed my pants split nearly all the way from top to bottom! haha)

   the reason for this crazy adventure, jackson explained, was that there had been a siting of a pride of lions and he wanted to catch them before they left...well we caught them alright...we were literally right in front of them, 5 feet away, as they passed by our jeep! im not usually one for going on and on about scenary or nature, but you would never believe how majestically these lions walked or how beautiful they were!

    came back for breakfast then went on a walking tour of one of the masai villages! We got to dance with the masai warriors (which ended up being mostly us just hunched over laughing out of embarassment!) we also got to sing with the women of the village and tour a hut.

     This is where the tour became an eye opener...the hut couldnt have been much bigger than an average persons bathroom. it had 2 beds (one for kids, one for the parents) that were made of sticks covered with some kind of hyde. the walls of the hut were made with sticks and cow dung and were not high enough to stand up completely straight. Other than the beds, there was only a bench along the wall and a small fire pit between the beds....no bathroom, no kitchen...no anything!

while sitting with our tour guide, julius, we began to ask him questions about living in a masai tribe...his insight astonished us! he told us that they ate milk, blood and meat (although meat was a rare occasion) and that if they got hungry they'd eat these little berries that he claims were very filling, but tasted to us like cotton! He also said that the masai men are allowed many wives...and that usually the more cattle you have, the more wives you have. He went on to explain that the jumping incorporated into the masai warriors dance also determined parts of their love life, saying that the higher one can jump, the more girlfriends he has. i wanted to clarify "so you can have multiple wives and multiple girlfriends...all at the same time?" he laughed and assured me i had heard correctly.

In all honesty, i wasn't judging them from a biblical standpoint...or even a legal one, but the hopeless romantic in me couldn't help but wonder...do they know what it feels like to be in love with someone? it made me sad thinking that they might not!

After the village tour, we ate lunch, took a nap then went on our evening game ride which was beautiful...even if we hadn't seen any animals, the scenery would have been enough!

so the next morning we had our last game drive and said our goodbyes to jackson!

this is my FAVORITE video from the trip...we were trying to teach him the Hakuna Matata song from the lion king (it became our trip theme song) and so we'de randomly hear jackson sing snippets (in the wrong tune or with the wrong words) but it was the sweetest thing EVER!