In Between

I’m writing this post from the Amsterdam airport. Although it was fitful, I did get a bit of sleep on our 8-hour flight from Nairobi. We somehow ended up sitting in the very last seat on the plane, which do not recline all the way. Poor Doug didn’t get much sleep at all (he’s currently in a lounge spread out on a few chairs attempting to rest up before our next leg). Somehow I’m fairly awake and I feel great, maybe the bright lights and the vibrant décor are helping out.

I’m sitting here tucked behind a tiny little “museum” next to the baby care lounge and the casino (this place has everything), and I’m just overflowing with gratitude, having spent the past 6 months working in Kenya empowering leaders to bring clean water and sanitation practices to their community, laying the groundwork for Nuru’s Water/Sanitation (WatSan) program, doing what I always dreamed of…

As I left Kuria, Kenya rooftop rainwater catchment devices were being constructed on homes by the WatSan representatives themselves, and we’re getting ready to drill deep wells in locations throughout the community that desperately need clean water. It’s amazing to see all the plans I made and partnerships I fostered actually get implemented!

I feel sad to leave Kenya and my position as WatSan Program Manager, yet I’m excited about my new position as Director of Partnerships. I’m looking forward to setting up a home again in Chicago (Wicker Park!) with Doug, a sweet place for us since it was where we dated and had our very first apartment. I’m also grateful to have a little break before we hit the ground running for our new positions. We both really gave this last run in Kenya all we had, and we’re a bit worn out.

I’m glad to have some time to process all that I’ve learned about the plight of the poor- girls kept out of school because of water collection, hungry children forced to care for younger siblings, early and senseless deaths of family members, women abused and shunned…
and all the striking beauty I’ve seen- spectacular sunsets, layers upon layers of constellations, brilliant lightning storms, rolling green hills covered in banana trees and endless farms, deep valleys with trickling springs and the songs of exotic birds, warm enthusiastic greetings at every turn, a community of courageous individuals learning and laboring together…
I’ll deeply miss my wonderful Kenyan friends, especially Lucas, my partner in this crazy adventure. I was grateful to be able to visit Lucas and his entire family in their home the day before I left Kuria. His wife, Christine prepared a delicious snack for us and we sat together with all their precious children (Monica, Veronica, Gabrielle, Elizabeth and Florence) and ate and drank fanta, soaking up our last moments together. Lucas shared some words that will stay with me forever- about the respect we have for each other, the work we did together and the solid foundation that was laid. He vowed to continue in the same determined spirit, and we spoke of the day when the community will be transformed, when they will lift themselves out of extreme poverty.
So, here I am in Amsterdam, between Kenya and the U.S. I’m grateful for this “in-between” time, not yet fully gone, not yet fully home. For the next few hours I’ll remain here both physically and in my heart, fighting to hang on to every moment I experienced, to recall every face, every story…