Nairobi and Kenya

To all who are interested: Our trip these past 2 weeks have been incredible and unbelievable. We seens sights and learned so much that it is almost impossible to describe.Arrived in Nairobi running as we were met by President and Sister Barger, the mission president and wife. We traveled to Chulu, Kenya frist which I'll never forget. We traveled by car leaving at 5:30 AM. It took 4 hours of hilarious driving....first crowded streets with millions of cars driving on the wrong side of the road, with people selling everything they could as they approached our window when we stopped for lights...if we stopped for lights. About 2 hours out the highway became very rough and narrow and it got worse as we approached our destination.. We found ourselves on a red dirst narrow lane with people walking on either side of the car...some on bicycles with live chickens on the back or a person or water....many ealking were carrying water or children or bundles of sticks on their heads or bananas or something. we also shared the road with many goats and even one pig...the people waved a smiled as we drove by ....mud huts were spaced among the thistled trees with wash hanging on makeshift lines and women bending over washing in tubs....either their clothes or their children. the road often became river beds and our teeth were about jarred out but we loved seeing the sights....out of the blue we rounded the corner and out of nowhere we saw a beautiful little brick chapel, with a wall around it and gates and beautiful grass and a few flowers. It was like an oasis in the desert....which it was....Did basic auxiliary training with a translator (have a presidency meeting, be on time, start with prayer, have FHE...here are some ideas), 12 were there when meeting started.....about 25 by the end....they all walked....Then went into the district conference....it was right after as people couldn't go home and come back....ABout 650 saints were there. ....as we sat on the stand we looked out the window and saw 2 trucks arrive with people smashed together standing in the back of the truck....they had come to conference....the branch had hired the cattle looking trucks so the saints could come....it was a sight that brought tears to our eyes as they came in ...some in bright traditional dress and some in modern dress.....all looking clean which was amazing as they also came over the dusty red dirt road...Everything was translated for us so we didn't say much. I told the children I wanted to say something to them....I said, "watcha" in sort of the whisper I had learned and they replied, "ahhhh" in a whisper which is sort of a respectful hello to their elders. I then asked them to stand and sing "I'm a Child of God" with me....just the children. I couldn't sing because of the tears that flowed. They couldn't speak english but they knew every word of tht song in english. I will never forget them or their smiles or the smiles of their parents as they sang. That night we stayed int game reserve because that was the only place to stay....It was right by a watering hole and becasue of the drought the animals never stopped coming....elephants, zebras, giraffes, baboon, wildebeasts, gazelle, hyenas, warthogs and others. It was sight to behold....all day and all night. We kept looking all night to see what was there. We also went to a river and saw Hippos. We then traveled to Uganda and also did a mission tour their a fireside and a district conference....a different landscape...very tropical and lush....best pineapple in the world...missionaries are incrdible....very few from north america...the most amazing thing is that 95% of missionaries are converts of 1,2 3 or more years. They are first generation members and are so good a faithfu.....many never recieve letters from family....they sing like angels as all the people do......their skin is all variety of black from light brown to very very black....they are beautiful. i love the missionaries...One commented that their chldren will be the first to be born under the covenant.....the missionary couple are amazing and are crucial to the church...some are on humanitarian missions and are out in the boonies looking for place to dig wells, or are doing things about eyes or prenatal care or are in the office, taking care of missionaries.....just serving and loving it....they touched our hearts....We then went to Tanzania, where again the landscape was different....more humid as we were right on the Indian Ocean....we have been eating fish like crzy....from there, from Lake Victoria and even from the Nile. We slept rigth next to the Nile in Uganda. In Tan. we trained agian ina little more advaned way than Chulu and had conference and firesides again....had that in each place...so we are talked out and handshake out, but we loved it. i've held beautiufl black babies and watched the mothers as they showed me how they warp their babies to carry them on their back. We have felt very safe, butwe are careful...always locking cars, always locking doors...watching our things which aren't much but we are careful There are guards at every airport, every gate, every branch, everyhome we have been in. The church buildings have gates and bars on the windows and the libraries have steel doors and combination locks to protect their hymn books and maybe a manual or two. We love the people...they are so hapy to see us....a little shy but wonderful....They have a grasp of the Gospel which is wonderful to see. We are so blessed to be here. Bill and I still love being together .....we l great. My energy is amazing. We are back to our "HOME" in Joberg and it is good to drink the water and to feel relaxed and clean. This is a small summary of the last 2 weeks. Hope you are not bored with it all. This is an experience of a lifetime and we feel so blessed to be a part of it. We love the people we have met here...the Snows are across the hall and are great....we feel safe....you have to pass guards and 2 security fences and we have grills on all of windows...the view is beautiufl and the temple is a 2 minute walk right behind us. We are going for the first time tomorrow night. We love you and want to hear from you. We miss you. Love Mom and Dad Ps I will not proof read this...I am too tired.