Safari Park Nairobi

... fell asleep to hyenas and lions all around us. Our first day, we all awoke early to head out for a game drive. The big truck was a little difficult for our driver to maneuver on the dirt paths, but the elevated level of the windows allowed for great viewing. We were able to see 4 of the big 5 including leopards, lions, elephants, and buffalos, with only the rhino eluding us. The number of lions was amazing as we must have seen at least 10 different ...

... support. It would cost her so much money to a) find the father, b) prove he is the father, c) file the necessary papers to try to get money. And if she did someone complete all three, chances are he wouldn't have any money to give. I know this is just hearsay from the women in Kibera, but the men don't really work. It's the women who are in the market place, running the little stands, caring for their children, cooking the dinner, and paying the rent. You know how many men I've seen ...

... just surprise at the vast extent of the Kenyan hospitality.

As Jackie and I laid in the guest bed that night, I remembered last year when Patrick drove me to the airport. I was mesmerized by the full moon that night too and did not really register one of Patrick’s statements. “When you come again to Kenya, you will stay with me and my family.” Patrick is definitely a man of his word. On that last night in Africa, I went to sleep feeling exhausted but blessed.

... br>
Vickie: founder/director of HEART

Kerri: the intern coordinator

Tina: another intern

My mom

Me. 

In total there are 3 interns: Me; Tina, who is 23 and from Germany, but who lives in Texas, where she just finished college; and Ashley, who graduated from Princeton and just finished her first year of med school at Northwestern.

Driving through Nairobi was kind of surreal because it was as if I was taking part in some of ...

... things for the youth to engage in. After the riots and violence that took over Kibera in 2008, the youth have been lost. He helped them start gardening in the day, to give them something to do and to help them make money. He is a special man, who deeply cares about his community.

While walking we passed many schools, all the children would run out to us and hold our hands and say “How are you? I’m fine”. They wanted to touch us ...

... was decorated with fresh pink flowers and they had made coconut rice, fresh red snapper fish cooked over an open fire with cut up tomatoes, onions, avocados, mangos and bananas. It tasted so good!! We all chatted over dinner and David and Jesus shared with us how hard life can get for them, especially during low tourist season. Many of the locals in this area rely on tourists to buy their handicrafts, food or tours and without this income life can get very difficult ...