Nairobi was a quick but very full two day stop. We stayed with wonderful friends, the Davii, who welcomed us in with great food, a super-comfortable bedroom and total care. What a gift our time with them was. I knew it was going to be a good stay when Jess stated frankly during one of our first talks together: “This is a safe place, don’t feel afraid to say anything you need to say. We’re not here to judge, we’re here to listen.” The mission field has taught them to be better listeners than judgers, to see more grey than black and white, to realize that who Jesus is is far more complicated than we normally realize. For me especially, their willingness to listen, to emphathize, to hear our hearts, was a great gift.

Kyle’s love language must be acts of service because that guy served us non-stop our entire time. Laying aside a full-time ministry and a half-finished master’s degree program, he chauffered us around Nairobi, made room for long talks, shopping and making me breakfast cappaccino! The driving was no small gift. The Davii live in an area just outside of Nairobi but it took us over four hours through incredible Nairobi traffic to reach their home from the airport. That would have been one expensive taxi ride!

Most special of all was watching N and Q reconnect with Lexi and Beckett. We met the Davis family at our five week missions training in Colorado back in 2006. Two years and many hard experiences later our children reconnected over their shared lives as mission kids in East Africa. As we entered Jomo Kenyatta Airport and prepared to meet up with the Davii, Quinn had to ask, ” Mom, does Beckett speak English?” Two years away was too long for a good memory of his friend. But indeed, Beckett speaks English, has shared the proximity to violence and the watching of suffering. Knows what it’s like to change everything about life multiple times in the transitions to and from America. Has friends of every shade and many languages. These four are TCK’s – Third Culture Kids – and they re-bonded instantly. Lexi and Naomi played Petshop for hours while Q and Beckett fought with light sabers up and down the stairs.
Meanwhile I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with some experts at Tumani Counseling Center, an AIM-sponsored ministry to missionaries, to talk about the experiences of the last year, life stress and the idea of adding adopted children to our family. Through a “coincidence” the woman I happened to meet with has a specialty in cross-cultural adoption. Having this woman listen to me and affirm my journey through life in many ways was like having truth breathed into my heart and soul. I am still amazed at how God met me in her office.

After this sweet and relaxing two days Kyle dropped us at the Nairobi train station for the next leg of our journey- Mombossa!