Blog 13

Tuesday, July 1

This last portion of the blog is being written after the fact. We are
back in the States, trying to adjust to CDT but still feeling on
occasion that we are on Kenya time.

Tuesday was market day and Chuck was right -- we should have waited to
make any and all purchases here. Items we thought we would never see
again while on our journey are right across the street from our hotel
in Nairobi in numbers you cannot imagine and at prices beyond compare!

Some members of our group, mostly the men, are not the least bit
interested in this phase of the journey. While it appears to be a
shopper's paradise, the Maasai Market in somewhat daunting. Hundreds
of venders have spread their wares on blankets along two hillsides/
curbsides of a very busy city street. Narrow paths allow shoppers
minimal room to meander and be encouraged by vendors to shop their
stores.

Br. Chuck and the three sisters are the first to head to market and
will make several trips throughout the day. They are amazing shoppers!

Four of us less stalwart shoppers (Liz, Pete, Lois and I) head over
together and discover that two-by-two is more efficient. We make the
purchases we need rather quickly and head back to the hotel to
recuperate. A second trip yields a few more items and some photos,
which I will include.

Lois did not go back for a second trip. One item she had been seeking
was a back-scratcher, but we did not see one on our first trip
through. As Liz, Pete and I were heading out of the market, I remarked
that Lois would like a back-scratcher, and a salesman with astute
hearing said, "I have one," and scrambled up to some bags of treasures
and came up with one.

Here is our exchange:
How much? "For you, mama, 1,500 shillings!" Oh, no -- way too much.
"How much will you pay?" 300 shillings "Oh, no, mama. I can't do
that." Okay, thanks. "Wait, mama, 1,000 shillings?" 300 is all I have.
Bye. "Okay, 300."

Lois has a backscratcher -- and a bargain at that! It took me this
long to learn the art of the Kenyan deal.

Br. Chuck amasses a stash of items for his charity work back in the
States. I will also include a picture of that treasure trove.

The day progresses rather slowly as we await our trip to the airport
and the long flights back. Dinner is scheduled at the hotel for 6 p.m.

This is our last meal as a group in Kenya (airplane meals don't
count.) We are joined by Br. Francis, Br. Michael and two other guests
whose names I will have to verify later. One Brother, however, is the
"head guy" for the Brothers in Africa.

The Williams sisters, accompanied by percussionists on Kenyan
instruments, present two songs that sum up our trip. They are received
with rousing laughter and cheers. Pete will be posting the lyrics to
the blog. Sisters JoEllen, Teddy and Kathy sing another song of
farewell. We hope to have those lyrics posted also.

After dinner, it is off to load the bus with ever-expanding baggage, a
slow trip to the airport in heavy out-going traffic, and the arrival
at the airport for the first leg of our flight home. The Brussels
flight is shorter this time because it is non-stop. We have a short
layover in Brussels and then a LONG flight to Chicago where we will
part ways with our fellow travelers, with the promise, of course, to
establish correspondence, and to perhaps plan for a reunion next
summer in Chicago.

Wednesday, July 2
The six of us awaiting our flight to KC face (you guessed it) a delay,
then a waiting line for take-off, then a storm over KC that has us
circling for an hour and then bouncing through thunder and lightning
to land (at last)! We were supposed to arrive around 7 p.m. but we
only got into the airport at 9 p.m. Gathering bags and making the
drive home got us in the house at 10 -- around 35 hours after leaving
the hotel in Nairobi.

Br. Chuck stayed in Lenexa rather than driving home to O'Hara.

Thursday, July 3

In the morning we awake to find that Br. Chuck has laid out his store
of goodies on the pool table. His sales will certainly benefit the
schools we visited.

Our purchases, miniscule in comparison, will be distributed to friends
and family.

The journey of a lifetime has come to an end. I venture to say that
none of us has come away without being affected by what we have seen
and done. We have a greater understanding of nature, a greater empathy
for the plight of the impoverished, and certainly a greater
appreciation for the life we lead. How appropriate to have the July
4th celebration upon our return.

We are back in Kansas and can definitely say, "THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE
HOME!"

K