Joseph, the Kenyan director of Kenya Keys and his nephew Emmanuel have been here in Oregon visiting for a couple of weeks. This is their very first time out of Kenya and very first time on an airplane. Can you imagine that 20+ hour flight being your first airplane experience?
Joseph is an amazing man. He works tirelessly for the children of not only the large elementary school where he is the principal but for the children of the entire district. Often parents walk for miles to talk to him with the hope of attaining a Kenya Keys sponsorship for one of their children. I've blogged about this before in another post but I'll share again. Education is free until 8th grade. High school is $375 a year. That doesn't sound like much but it is simply out of the realm of possibility for the majority of parents in the Taru, Kenya area. Kenya Keys helps bright and exceptionally needy students fulfill their dreams of a high school and possibly a college or university education. You can learn more about this very wonderful organization at kenyakeys.org
Emmanuel was one of the first Kenya Keys sponsored high school students. Without help he would not have been able to continue to high school. With a sponsorship and because of his exceptional grades he was able to attend a very prestigious secondary school and continue onto the University of Nairobi where he recently obtained a degree in pharmacology. Now he mentors younger students and has the ability to support his family. I smile when I write about his family because his wife gave birth to their first child, a son named Ryan, while Emmanuel was here in Oregon. When I questioned him about this he said that he and his wife decided that a chance to visit America was so important that he could miss the birth of their child. She sounds like quite a woman!
"So many choices" is the phrase they use frequently when talking about America. Choices like controlling the temperature in a room, so many varieties of food, vending machines, drive through banking, recreational opportunities all around, books & books & books - Powells Bookstore completely blew them away!
I had the fun of taking them to Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
We toured the submarine, checked out all the fun exhibits, and saw the I-max movie "Into the Arctic." I doubt that they had ever been into a movie theatre of any kind much less an I-max. As we walked in I explained that sometimes I felt a bit sick in these theaters and if they started feeling it to just close their eyes. Emmanuel looked at me and said "Now I'm scared." But they loved it. When I told them that there was a REAL polar bear at the Oregon Zoo, they immediately started trying to figure a time when we could visit.....and visit it we did! Fun even though the polar bear was asleep the whole time we were there!
As we left OMSI I made a little detour to take them through the drive through at Burgerville. We ordered milk shakes (the first they'd ever had), sweet potato fries, and regular fries. I love that as we pulled away, junk food in hand, Emmanuel said, "Who wouldn't love America?"
I do love America and I loved the opportunity to share it with two such amazingly wonderful men! Today they are at Disneyland! Can't wait to hear their reaction to the "Happiest Place on Earth!"
Joseph is an amazing man. He works tirelessly for the children of not only the large elementary school where he is the principal but for the children of the entire district. Often parents walk for miles to talk to him with the hope of attaining a Kenya Keys sponsorship for one of their children. I've blogged about this before in another post but I'll share again. Education is free until 8th grade. High school is $375 a year. That doesn't sound like much but it is simply out of the realm of possibility for the majority of parents in the Taru, Kenya area. Kenya Keys helps bright and exceptionally needy students fulfill their dreams of a high school and possibly a college or university education. You can learn more about this very wonderful organization at kenyakeys.org
I had the fun of taking them to Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
We toured the submarine, checked out all the fun exhibits, and saw the I-max movie "Into the Arctic." I doubt that they had ever been into a movie theatre of any kind much less an I-max. As we walked in I explained that sometimes I felt a bit sick in these theaters and if they started feeling it to just close their eyes. Emmanuel looked at me and said "Now I'm scared." But they loved it. When I told them that there was a REAL polar bear at the Oregon Zoo, they immediately started trying to figure a time when we could visit.....and visit it we did! Fun even though the polar bear was asleep the whole time we were there!
I do love America and I loved the opportunity to share it with two such amazingly wonderful men! Today they are at Disneyland! Can't wait to hear their reaction to the "Happiest Place on Earth!"
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