Going to Kenya

 I'm off to Kenya to spend a week volunteering for Kenya Keys.  My focus on the board is libraries so I've been researching and buying books for weeks.  Amazon lost 4 huge boxes of books, refunded my money,  allowed me to reorder, paid the expedited shipping so that I would get them before I left. Then surprisingly the 'lost' boxes were found and the books delivered.  About $700 of books from a canceled, refunded order.  Guess what they did?  They told me I could keep the books - ALL THE BOOKS - as a gift from the company!  Isn't that wonderful!  Talk about good customer service!  Many of the books will be taken by the large intern teams going this summer but I managed to pack 70 pounds of books into my 3 bags.  I'm lucky this year to have a 3 bag allowance and I have 3 - 50 pounders!  At this point when it was all spread out on my bed I had my doubts that it would all fit.

It isn't easy to pack that many books into suitcases but I did it. Three HEAVY bags!

One stuffed carryon bag!  And my favorite 'personal item bag' and I'm ready to go.

Kenya here I come!  I'm often asked how long it takes to get there.  Well...10 hours and 20 minutes to Amsterdam; 3 hours in Amsterdam and then 8 hours and 5 minutes to Nairobi,  Kenya.  We'll spend the night there and then take the new Nairobi-Mombasa train to Taru village.  

I'm happy to say that a driver is going to take all those heavy bags so that we don't have to haul them on the train.  Yep, it is a LONG trip but so worth it to see the wonderful work being done by Kenya Keys. I'm proud to be a part of it all! Check them out http://kenyakeys.org

Scott Goes to Puerto Rico

Scott had quite the adventure in January when he headed off to Puerto Rico and Anguilla with his friend Logan.  Logan lived on the island for a time while he played professional soccer. These two friends collected soccer equipment to donate and set up some soccer clinics.  They wanted to share their love of the game with kids on the island whose lives had been turned upside down by the recent hurricane.  I know that they made some people very happy. 

In Scott's words, "A picture that will always give me joy. This is a young boy from Anguilla with pure love for soccer, who had the biggest smile whenever we would pass with him. And even though he’s not smiling in this shot, he was so excited to receive this jersey... and it made this whole trip worth it just to see him put it on. Go on little man, I expect big things from you!"

Scott enjoyed playing with groups of kids who love the game like he does! 

And I love seeing our son step out of his comfort zone to think of the happiness of others.

Naturally they didn't spend every moment on the soccer field!  Ahh, that beautiful beach! 

I'll use Scott's words to describe this photo. 

"What an eye opening trip. We were lucky enough to get in contact with a great photographer David  to meet a couple who lost their home. The man on the left is Jorge, and he embodies everything that is good in this world. Even after he and his wife lost their roof and most of the house, his first action was to drive an hour and a half away to help build a roof at an orphanage. It was an absolute honor to meet him and his family."

Scott described the island this way 
What a beautiful island filled with wonderful people! Amazing to see so many smiles after such devastation. 

Scott describes the trip as the 'perfect way to start 2018'.   I'd have to agree!

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