KENYA
My first time in Kenya. I'm still speechless. What I witnessed was a community surrounded by one another constantly, with plenty of music, food, dancing, and smiles. My family and I were thankful enough to be welcomed into this constant flow and ebb of community emotions, particularly given the reason we were there.
Originally we went to spend time with family friends and start the foundations of my mother and grandfather's primary school. Our closest family friend, Thomas, is a pastor who used our arrival to also celebrate being ordained to a bishop. This was incredibly elaborate and so lucky for us! Then, we thought, why not get my mom ordained as a pastor? Cue the prep for even more dancing and visitors I've never met in my life, yet were so happy to be there! THEN, the mother of Thomas' wife thought, why not use this time as a chance for Thomas and my daughter to have a real wedding in a church? Cue the last minute wedding dress hunt and cutting windows in the walls of the church for ventilation (see the last photo).
This culminated in an event which began with a decorated convoy driving through the village and turned into a full day with at least 300 people from all over Kenya. I've never sat in a church that long in my whole life, and once I thought it was over, it wasn't! Basically, it was the event of all events.
Originally we went to spend time with family friends and start the foundations of my mother and grandfather's primary school. Our closest family friend, Thomas, is a pastor who used our arrival to also celebrate being ordained to a bishop. This was incredibly elaborate and so lucky for us! Then, we thought, why not get my mom ordained as a pastor? Cue the prep for even more dancing and visitors I've never met in my life, yet were so happy to be there! THEN, the mother of Thomas' wife thought, why not use this time as a chance for Thomas and my daughter to have a real wedding in a church? Cue the last minute wedding dress hunt and cutting windows in the walls of the church for ventilation (see the last photo).
This culminated in an event which began with a decorated convoy driving through the village and turned into a full day with at least 300 people from all over Kenya. I've never sat in a church that long in my whole life, and once I thought it was over, it wasn't! Basically, it was the event of all events.