I am back from Kenya and can't really put into words the feelings going through my mind right now. It was an experience that I will never forget. Being in a third world country so far away from everything I know was a bit scary at times. Thankfully, everyone on the trip was amazing and made it a lot easier to adjust to life there.
One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in Kenya was how friendly everyone was to us and to each other. You can't walk down the street without someone saying hello to you. You actually notice other people around you and want to interact with them.
It was really hard for me to see how people live in Kibera and Maai Mahiu. I tried to tell myself that it was all they knew, so maybe it wasn't bad for them. The fact is - no human should have to live that way. We should all be able to walk around in a pair of shoes, breath safe air, eat a healthy meal, and have the ability to work to sustain ourselves.
Every night for 2 weeks we had a prayer service and reflection of our day. I was moved to tears almost every night over the experiences that we shared, the personal discoveries that we made, and the feeling of focusing on things that really matter. I have never been a religious or spiritual person. I feel like I have led a very fear-based life because I don't really have the faith that many others have. During the time I spent in Kenya, many things happened that made me want to have a closer relationship with God. I have never experienced anything like it. It was really the only thing I had left - the only thing to make me feel safe and feel like everything would be okay.
My trip to Kenya has definitely changed me and I am still trying to figure out exactly how. Since I have been back, I haven't really had the desire to talk to or be around anyone. Its hard to be around people right away who haven't just gone through an experience like that. Its even harder to come back to people who don't really get what I actually went through - those people who continue to only talk about themselves and the meaningless things that they did while I was away. I just can't do it. I need time to put things in order and figure out what I am supposed to do next.
