Smiles of Joy

We arrived in Kenya battered and broken. India took it out of us and we had traveled 24 hours by train, taxi and plane by the time we arrived at First Love orphanage outside Nairobi. We were greeted with vibrant blue skies, green trees and warm, joyful smiles. All the smog from our last stop has cleared, and we are in bright and beautiful Africa.

My mom has led mission trips to First Love for many years and my parents are sponsors to a boy here, Richard. He is 10 and Luke has picked out gifts for him. His photo is in our kitchen. So to meet him face to face, hug and talk to him has been such a wonderful gift for us. He has 95 brothers and sisters who live here with him in a beautiful compound with colorful, native landscaping, large grassy playgrounds and dorms for boys and girls that remind me of Young Life camp. Their hearts are full and each one knows their Father even if their earthly parents are gone.

We have the pleasure of playing with these children for 10 days, pushing them on the swings, holding their jump rope, singing and dancing during daily devotion, helping with homework and playing board games. Despite so many children being here, it’s a remarkably quiet and peaceful place. They are so well behaved, independent and well mannered, I just hope some of it rubs off on Luke!

I could go on and on, but their faces say it all. We are blessed to be here with them.