Friday: Kilimani and a dash to the airport

Friday was our last day in Kenya.  You know how the last day of a great trip feels:  Midway through the trip it felt as if you still had forever to take it all in, but now it’s come to a screeching halt, and you know it will end in a mad dash to the airport because there’s still so much to do.

Kyeni (pronounced Chenny) talks about the changing

demographics of adoption in Kenya.  Single mothers

lead the way and may account for 50% in 2012. 

First off was a meeting with Guy Bastable and Kyeni Muema on communication and branding for New Life Homes, specifically in the U.S.  Guy is a co-director for the Kilimani home in Nairobi, along with his wife Susanna.  He also serves as Manager of Partner Relations for the New Life Home Trust.  Kyeni is Director of Public Relations for New Life Homes, and she is fresh off a successful Open Day, the adoptive families’ reunion that we attended earlier last Saturday.  Guy and Kyeni seem to be spread thin in their responsibilities, but they clearly see Amani as a partner who can help them serve the babies.

The Kilimani home in Nairbobi.

Kilimani is headquarters for New Life Homes, located in a nice residential area in the western suburbs of Narobi.  Like all the other homes, it is an impressive piece of property.  It’s a short walk from Natural Oaks, our condo, so it served as a sort of refuge throughout our stay in Nairobi – warm, friendly and secure.  It also serves as home to Guy and Susanna Bastable and their sons Gero and Levi, and to New Life founders and directors Clive and Mary Beckenham.

Clive and Mary Beckenham.

Guy & Susanna Bastable.

 Next stop after our meeting with Guy and Kyeni was a sit-down meeting with Raymond Goez of Kazuri at the Java House at The Junction.  Jane and Raymond had a good meeting about the business relationship between Amani and Kazuri.  Java House is a Friday’s with great milkshakes.  They’re all over Nairobi and they’re a frequent stop for Amani trips.

By now, as you’d guess, we’re running out of day, and it’s time for some last-minute packing before we head off to the airport.  As always, the packing is harder than expected.  It takes some shuffling of goods to make sure all of our bags are under the 24-kilo Delta Airlines limit, and each contains what’s needed for Amani sales in Winston-Salem, Indianapolis and Cleveland.

We made it through customs and check-in in Nairobi -- just barely; they had to extend the time to get us all through -- and again through customs in Detroit.  I’m now posting this last blog on Sunday night, at home with Lannie and the Oscars Red-Carpet show on TV.  We had a fun Saturday night at Daddy Jack's, celebrating Marianne Townley's birthday, but my eyes were slamming shut by the end of the night, after a day-long trip home and an 8-hour time change.  Believe it or not, I’m looking forward to work tomorrow and a return to everyday life.  But I have a feeling that "everyday life" will be different now.  It will be hard to keep my mind off Kenya and the babies.

With Daisy & Cedric in Nakuru.

Lance & his pals in Nakuru.



Bethel House, Nakuru.

Wilson and Joyce at The Bethel House, Nakuru.



The kids at Bethel House give us a big "Good-by."



On the playground in Nakuru.

Amara Maimuna, Kisumu



Guy Hubiri, Kisumu

Mary McNamara (aka Mary Mac)
and Jane on Kiboko Bay, Lake
Victoria, Kisumu.

Mary Mac and Rachel at the Kazuri Bead Factory.

Suburban Nyeri.

Jane and Grace Pendu, Nyeri.

Joel Mutharimi, Nyeri.

Ginny and Jessica, Kisumu.

Achieng Oyoo, housekeeper, Kisumu

Maggie Wangui and kids at Nyeri.

Maggie and Osteen, Nyrei.

Briana Kerembo, Nyeri.

Osteen Mwamba, Nyeri.

Rachel, Mary Anne, Ginny & Jane, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Headed home!



Jayden and Lance, Nakuru.



Kiboko Bay, Lake Victoria, Kisumu