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I am home by the time you read this, but I decided I might give you some of the information I have in the Eastside Senior Trip Kenya 2026. In case you have been following the Safari photos, this puts it in perspective for me and maybe you too. If TMI, just skip down.
Methare is just outside the capital city of Nairobi in Kenya, which is a country East Africa. It is situated on the equator on Africa's east coast, bordering the Indian Ocean in the south east, neighboring countries Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania,and Uganda. Kenya has been described as "the cradle of humanity". With an area of 580,000 km, the country is somewhat larger than Metropolitan France or twice the size of Nevada. Kenya has a population of 38.6 million people (2009 census). The total area is 224,961 square miles. The capitol and largest city in Kenya is Nairobi with 3.1 million. Second largest in the chief port, Mombasa. Spoken languages are Swahili and English (both official) and numerous indigenous languages, mainly Kikuyu and Luhya. Religion: 40% Protestant, 30% Roman Catholic, 20% Muslim, 10% Indigenous beliefs. Literacy rate is 59% in English.
The Mission of Hope International (MOHI) serves just outside the city of Nairobi, in Methare/ The Methare slum is home to 1 million who live on less than $2. a day and is known for some of the poorest living conditions. MOHI serves 16,000 children in multiple schools with Christian education, daily meals and social services that care for these children and their families as well. Eastside also serves along side MOHI in the community with supporting the local church, medical and dental care, nutrition, solar energy, children's education and programming.
On a personal note, About 8 years ago at church, they had pictures of children available for adoption through Missions of Hope International, an organization founded in 2000 starting with 50 kindergarten students. Through partners sponsorship the ministry has now grown to 25,000 students in 35 centers. Bassel and Erin adopted three for their own three children. I wasn't going to, it requires a reasonable support payment monthly, but then I saw MaryAnn Akoth Otieno and I adopted her. I pay $38 each month to provide for her, she was 5 at the time and is now a teenager. A few times a year I get a letter from her. I am on a fixed budget, but after this afar, I am considering adopting a second child, probably the best use of $38.
MISSIONS OF HOPE INTERNATIONAL 844-568-6644 AZ
orn in California's San Joaquin Valley, Marie Wilcox grew up speaking Wukchumni, an Indigenous language of the Yokuts people. Over the years, as elders passed away and younger generations were pushed toward English, the language nearly vanished. Eventually, Marie realized she had become the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni, a language once spoken across her community.
Determined not to let her people's words disappear with her, Marie began writing down every Wukchumni word and phrase she could remember. Starting with notes scribbled on scraps of paper and envelopes, she later taught herself to use a computer in her eighties so she could organize the language properly. Over the course of more than seven years, she painstakingly compiled a dictionary containing roughly 6,000 words, preserving the language's vocabulary, pronunciation, and meaning for future generations.
Her work became the foundation of efforts to revive Wukchumni. The dictionary inspired language classes, educational programs, and a documentary titled Marie's Dictionary. What began as one woman's determination to save her ancestors' voice became a powerful example of cultural preservation. Thanks to Marie's dedication, the Wukchumni language was given a chance to survive beyond the lifetime of its last fluent speaker.
A 4 minute video, Theodore, here.
Just because ...
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Friday's Smiles ...
Hoping you feel all the good things in your day.
