28 Jan Reflecting on our Christmas Trip Together
Like all of us, our children and staff look forward to Christmas celebrations every year. It is the time of the year when we come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus, share our love, and experience the warmth of the holiday season. This year, we did something different. Our Christmas plans took all our children by surprise, and they were so excited about the holidays. If you’ve kept up with updates about our holiday plans, you’re probably already aware of how we celebrated Christmas by bringing our two homes together.
Let’s take the time to rewind and reflect on some of our Christmas trip highlights…
Forming Friendships and Bonds
One of the biggest highlights from our trip was the sense of family and togetherness it brought. We feel so blessed to have been able to unite all our children and staff together in one home. Not only did the children meet some of their brothers and sisters for the first time, but they also formed bonds and memories that they will cherish forever.
The older children, who had visited each other in the past, were excited and surprised to see how much their brothers and sisters had grown over the years and were delighted to spend time with them again during Christmas break. Laughter filled the room as our children shared stories about their school life, interests, and experiences with each other, while the younger children were excited to have new playmates to share their toys with.
Our dedicated staff members spent time catching up with each other and going over the schedule and itinerary to make sure everything was organized properly. It was a real joy to see everyone get along and bond together on such a deep level.
Budding Leaders
Our newly admitted college students, Dennis Maina, Margaret Wangare, Dennis Mwangi, and Freddy Okango came home for the holidays to spend time with their brothers and sisters. Our hearts were filled with pride when we saw them take leadership and act as mentors to our children. Freddy enjoyed taking pictures and capturing some of the moments our children spent together during this trip. He created a slideshow to share with our family here. We are so grateful for all the memories made and the experiences shared.
Making Memories
With the grace of God and the shared values our homes live by, it was heartwarming to see how welcoming, accepting, and open all our children were with each other.
Our children spent most of their free time together. From enjoying some friendly competition in soccer, volleyball, and racing, our children had a blast playing basketball and table tennis together. The children woke up early every morning so that they could finish their chores for the day together, from cleaning up their rooms to working in the kitchen. This freed up the rest of their day for them to take part in all the fun activities that were planned. God was smiling upon us, and we felt eternally blessed to see all our children getting along and forming life-long friendships.
Festivities and Food
The aunties, uncles, cooks, and staff worked incredibly hard to make the Christmas trip an enjoyable and memorable one for all our children. Planning started weeks in advance. The cooks had meetings over the phone to plan out meals and discuss how they would carry out their tasks while also ensuring they got time to take part in the festivities.
Our menus were exquisite. Breakfast was a Kenyan staple; freshly brewed chai (tea) with bread, eggs, and arrowroots, while lunch included rice and beans with aromatic stews and Ugali, a type of maize flour porridge. Dinner had a delicious spread of chapati (type of flatbread) or rice with beef/chicken stew. On Christmas day, the home hosted an elaborate festive lunch with roasted goat meat, chapati, vegetable stew, and soda beverages. They also served a delicacy, the omena, fried fingerlings with Ugali.
Activities and Sight-Seeing
Our children thoroughly enjoyed the activities and sightseeing trips we planned for them. They experienced what it was like to hike the Ngong Hills, play in the Gikambura Soccer Field, and explore the city of Nairobi.
Ngong Hills
Our older children spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve exploring the Ngong Hills. Our Kitalale children were excited to hike these hills for the first time. Our Kikuyu children were equally delighted to show their brothers and sisters around. It was a very joyful experience.
Gikambura Soccer Field
Our children were over the moon to experience what it was like playing on a professional field used for big sporting events. Having only seen it on TV before, our Kitatale children were extremely delighted to be able to play on the field. Both homes formed teams and we had some friendly competition. All our children thoroughly enjoyed their time there.
A Night Trip in Nairobi City
One of the most enjoyable highlights of our trip, the Nairobi city tour, was a favorite among our children. We drove around the famous Two Rivers Mall to see the Christmas lights and decorations, all the way to the Nairobi Eye, a beautifully lit giant Ferris Wheel.
Holiday Highlights from Our Children
Our children thoroughly enjoyed their time in Nairobi. They were all smiles by the end of the trip. Here’s what they had to say about it.
“I loved seeing the city of Nairobi; it was as if I was dreaming,” said Praise from our Kitalale home.
Amos from our Kikuyu home said, “that was the best Christmas ever, and I enjoyed winning the races and having plenty of friends to play with.”
Our uncles and aunties were equally excited to have spent the Christmas season together as a happy family.
Uncle Sam, the housefather at Kikuyu, said, “The energy and warmth we felt during the trip was unbelievable, and I was thrilled to see my boys mingle with Kitalale boys so well.”
This trip would not have been possible without your constant care and support. We are eternally thankful for having you become a part of our community.