Journey Home!

Kirsten and I took a bus the next morning from Rwanda to Kampala. It was a long bus ride, but again I had some time to reflect, appreciate, and just stare out the window. I still can’t believe that I just travelled through Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. It was an incredible experience that I am just so thankful for.

We spent that night in Kampala and went to dinner. This was Kirsten’s last night in Africa. It was so nice to be able to spend it with her. It was weird to think that her trip was ending, and mine was just beginning. I feel like such a different person already, and I still have over a month to spend here! The next morning, I got on a bus to Kisumu to see my friend Julia from high school. Julia is working in Kisumu and it was her birthday!!! It worked out so well that I was able to give her a birthday hug! When I finally found Julia in Kisumu, it was just so crazy. I just casually showed up on her birthday halfway around the world! Julia and I kept staring at each other and repeating “We are in Kenya right now!” to remind ourselves of how crazy the whole thing was.

My time with Julia was incredible. I am so incredibly proud of her and the work she and her friend Patricia are doing. It was awesome to walk around her work and meet all the people and see all the places that mean so much to her. All of the people Julia works with are incredible. We even had the opportunity to eat dinner with 4 Dominican Sisters who are just amazing! In true Michelle fashion, I of course was only able to stay for a few hours so we jammed all of these experiences into one afternoon and then I got on a bus back to Nairobi.

I spent that next day in Nairobi just processing everything that I had experienced—all the people I met, all the things I learned, all the stories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I also was able to see some of my friends in Nairobi. The tour guides that Kirsten and I had met—Freddy, Frankie, and Richard—introduced me to a bunch of their friends and it was awesome to hang out with everyone.

Finally, it was time for me to get on a bus back to Kajiado. I felt like I had been gone for months. I also felt like I was going HOME! I was so excited to see Lucy and Emily and continue my work with MGEF. I was also excited to see the children again and share my journey with them. It is crazy that a place I had only lived in for about two weeks could feel like home to me…but I am so thankful for the amazing community of people I have been blessed with in Kajiado.