Kenya {Day 1 & 2} - Travel Days

Two short days after my sister's wedding, I was all packed and ready to go on my first mission trip (and international trip!) to Kitale, Kenya.  After months and months of team meetings, shopping for necessary medicines and snacks, packing two weeks worth of clothes, and multiple rounds of immunizations, I could not believe that this much anticipated trip (maybe even for years) was finally here. 

I was told to be prepared for the worst so I had quite the supply of ointments, hand sanitizers, protein-filled snacks, bug spray, and unscented bath products so that I wasn't a magnet for mosquitos (at the recommendation of a team member).  It wasn't until after I had purchased most of what I might need that I was told that the location where we were staying in Kenya was at a high altitude and we probably would not have to be concerned about bugs/malaria.  Let's just say that I was teased just a little for my unscented soap and unscented sunscreen and unscented shampoo and unscented hand sanitizer. I may have been clean after I bathed but I didn't smell very good!

Thankfully, we each took an additional duffle bag on the trip to fill with supplies/gifts for the children and families at Mattaw.  I managed to squeeze my snacks in the duffle as well because there certainly was not an extra inch of space in my large suitcase or backpack for the drug store that I had purchased below.     

Mom and Dad both took me to the Chapel mid-morning on Monday, August 13th, to meet up with the rest of the team and have a wonderful send off by family, friends, and the Chapel staff. As we stood in a large circle and were prayed over before heading out, it all became real at that moment.  After multiple times of opening myself up to going on a mission trip and the trips falling through, I could now see how God had brought me to this point, planned my steps, and had given me the opportunity to go with this wonderful team to Kenya at just the right time. I felt incredibly blessed, a little nervous, and so excited!

A picture of the whole team before loading up the Chapel buses to head to Dulles where we would depart later that evening...

 When we arrived at Dulles, we found ourselves in the most ridiculously long line. There were a few hundred people ahead of us leaving on huge plane to Europe.  They took priority so we just had to wait...and wait...and wait. Checking in and getting to the gate took every bit of the 2+ hours we had allowed before our departure time. I started to feel anxious (even more than I usually do in airports) because I usually need a little time to sit and relax before I board a plane (to prepare myself!).  By the time we made it to the gate, there was hardly time to run to the bathroom before boarding. In the end, I think it actually helped that I didn't have time to think too much about being nervous to fly (or say too many goodbyes on the phone) before getting on the plane.

En route to Amsterdam...

Our fearless leader and me waiting in Amsterdam to board our next leg to Nairobi.

Late Tuesday night (after two 7-8 hour flights and about 30 hours of total travel time)...we arrived safely in Nairobi, AFRICA!

It took awhile to collect the 20+ bags we checked but they all made it!

I was so thankful and relieved by the smooth and easy flights that the marathon day(s) of travel didn't even seem to wear on me.  Plus, I was pretty excited to land on African soil.

Because we arrived so late, we stayed in Nairobi for the night (or for a short nap) before heading up to Kitale early the next morning. Our accommodations weren't too shabby...and Jordan and I ended up in one of the few rooms with mosquito nets...so, of course, we had to use them! 

My super fun roomie, Jordan, already journaling about our adventures. I was thankful she stayed with me so that I wasn't all alone in a very new and interesting place (and in case a lizard decided to jump in my bed). It felt so good to finally lay my head on a pillow...even if it was only for 4 short hours before boarding another plane.