Finally here!

Hi all,

We have just finished our first day playing with beautiful babies in the Kilimani New Life Home Orphanage. Our trip got off to a rocky start when our flight was cancelled 2 hours before we were to depart, so we hastily made plans to connect in Atlanta and then Amsterdam and after almost two days of airplane food, connecting flights, and no showering- we are here safely! (As well as ALL of our luggage!)

We are staying in the Natural Oaks Apartments extending the lease of someone who is coming to work in the orphanage in late June. We started the day by going to the Ya Ya (the center of commerce, similar to our mall) to buy groceries and water. You can't drink the water here so we're having to be really conscious to use it for brushing our teeth and washing our face. After our grocery store trip, we went to the orphanage which is about half a block from where we are staying. We lugged three full rolling suitcases down the dirt road to the orphanage for the director to sort through. We had clothes, books, markers, maps, toiletries, you name it- it was donated.

As soon as we got there we were given a tour of the orphanage and instructed on the admission process of babies and how they are organized within the home. The babies all nap from 1-2 so we went back to our apartment/hotel and then went back at 2. Once there, we met with the head social worker who met with us and explained the entire adoption process and why it is so expensive and lengthy. It was really interesting to learn that the foundation starting off with 90% of its adoptions being international and now the numbers have completely reversed as the babies are mostly adopted by Kenyans. The reason for this is that adoption programs require the adopting parents to live in Kenya for 6 months before they can even begin to apply for adoption. She said she would love our help in some of the field work required for adoption such as gathering forms and organizing the ridiculous amount of paperwork required.

After we met with her, we were sent to the yard where all of the babies were playing. We spent the majority of the afternoon chasing them down, feeding them, changing them- essentially, assisting the nurses/sitters wherever necessary! We stayed at the orphange until about 6 p.m. when all of the babies are put to sleep!

It's been a long day but a really interesting one to learn the adoption process and see the kids, they are absolutely precious. We will be staying with the Kilimani New Life Home in Nairobi for one more week before we are needed at the Kisumu New Life Home about three hours away by land.

Just for fun, I compiled a list of the things I learned/witnessed today:

1. there are 3 million people in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya
2. it is completely normal for grown men to hold hands in a platonic demonstration of friendship
3. kenyans are huge fans of "drinkable chocolate" (whatever that might be...)
4. there are no stoplights in Nairobi (or at least the parts I've seen thus far)
5. showers are uncommon, most people takes baths on a regular basis
6. in Holland, your carry-on cannot be more than 10 kilograms/ the flight attendents are slightly grumpy...

Love,
Coty