On Safari in Kenya: Part 2

After spending two days at Masai Mara, we knew without a doubt, that we had arrived in Africa. Our next stop was in a town on the western border of Kenya known as Amagoro. Here we stayed with our Anglican priest friend, Zak Epusi and his wife Catherine. They helped acquaint us with the African way of doing things, which we were most grateful for.

Four happy Hatfield children
get silly after a 10 hour van
ride from Nairobi to Amagoro.

Lucia preparing the mosquito
nets that she affectionately
refers to as "princess beds."

Fr. Zak took us to see two schools in Amagoro. The first one was the public school, Amagoro Primary School. The students were very curious, as were our children.

Girls drawing a cho-cho-di
board in the dirt. (hopscotch)

Lucia makes a friend at
 Amagoro Primary School.

Fr. Zak then took us to Amagoro Junior Academy, the private school started by the Anglican Church in Amagoro out of a necessity to meet the needs of the poorer students. These families cannot afford to buy the public school uniforms. We were greeted warmly by staff and students alike.

The students come out to greet us.

Andy carries a backpack full of
school supplies for the students.

Lucia, Ania and Lucy Amanda
becoming friends.

 Six year old Philip tells the boys
 about his plane ride to Kenya.

Some girls performing their
winning entry in an oral
verse competition.

Kevin handing out school
supplies as rewards.

Little boy at recess.

Bob Garrett teaching everyone
 the Glory Shout.**

God blessed our time in Amagoro as we witnessed how much people can do with so little resources. We can learn so much by their determination to educate their children under such impoverished circumstances. Our children were touched by the way the students welcomed them into their classes, and described their experience as "feeling like royalty." They connected with these precious Kenyan children in such a short period of time.

There is an organization called the Elewana Education Project that is striving to connect western children with East African children in a way that broadens the awareness of  cultural differences by creating "partner schools." To learn more about their mission, visit them at www.elewana.org.

**Glory Shout -- was first introduced by Gary Garner, a member of Alleluia Community. You bend over at the waist reaching your fingers toward your toes. You begin to "stir up the glory" just as you would stir up old paint that has separated from sitting too long. As you stir you begin straightening up while shouting G-L-O-R-Y! You end with your hands above your head, feeling refreshed, invigorated, and standing in THE GLORY!

Next stop.......Rongai.