Jambo everyone! Habari yako? All is well here in Kenya and my first week at Tumaini has come and gone. What a wonderful journey so far. So sorry it has taken me so long to post. After multiple attempts to get the Internet set up on my computer, I have yet to find success in this task. Hopefully I will have it worked out by the end of the month. Until then I will continue to use Rose’s computer. So you may be wondering… How in the world is AW doing in Kenya? What is it like at Tumaini? What is she doing right now? How’s the weather? Etc. Well AW is doing well and loving all the time I’ve had to get to know all the wonderful staff and children at Tumaini. Many are familiar faces and some are new, but all are so welcoming and helpful. I am thankful for God’s provision in bringing me to Tumaini and I pray that this adventure brings Him glory!!

I decided that since I have so much to write about I will do this in a FAQ format… that way people can read what they are most interested in  ENJOY and be Blessed!!! FYI: If I do not address your question in this blog and you have a question just shoot me an email: awsmiles4hope@gmail.com

How long did it take AW to make it to Tumaini:

I left Knoxville Wednesday at noon. When I arrived at the airport the airline told me that my flight was cancelled. I was like great this is an awesome way to start the trip. I expected the worst but they said we can get you and the rest of your party on an earlier flight out of Knoxville and the rest of your itinerary will stay the same. (THIS NEVER HAPPENS WITH CANCELLED FLIGHTS!) Note they said the rest of your party. I said I’m sorry I am traveling alone. They said well that’s funny because there are several other passengers with your exact same itinerary all the way to Nairobi… All I can say is that I was instantly relieved to hear this. Praise God I would not be traveling alone and we all know I have no problem making friends. This team would be working just outside Nairobi doing a film about one of the slum areas there. One girl was from Corbin, KY and another was a 2010 UC prospective student (Chris if you are reading this she was yours!) Anyway it was a major relief to know that I would be traveling around the world with members of God’s family. What an awesome gift from God and such an encouragement. Talk about encouragement… My dear friend Lisa met me in the O’Hare airport for a quick pre-departure lunch. Yes that’s right she flew to Chicago only to have lunch with me at the airport and then return to N. KY. It was a short visit but I am forever thankful for that time of encouragement during my layover. My flight left Chicago Wednesday evening headed for London and arrived at 5:00 am. I had about a 5 hour layover and then it was off to Nairobi. On this flight I sat next to a wonderful pastor from Florida. He was on his way to do a conference in Tanzania. He was also an encouragement and he prayed for me just before landing. Again, can we say, God’s provision!!!!! I arrived in Nairobi at 9:00 pm on Thursday night, got my visa and ALL my bags… yes they made it . Some were a little tattered and torn but they made it!!!! WOOT! As I walked through the gate to exit the airport I saw a familiar face… Alex our safari driver from last year. He took me to my lodging for the night. The Hampton House was very nice and clean. Friday morning I woke up and took one last shower for a while. Unfortunately I slipped on the mat and now have a huge bruise on my knee. (SEE PHOTO) Oh, and I forgot to mention…. It was my BIRTHDAY. Friday would prove to be one of the most memorable birthdays to date. My driver David picked me up at the Hampton house with a gift of chocolate in tote from my Kenyan travel agent Eva! She also called me to wish me a happy birthday, as did Alex. David took me back to the airport. The flight from Nairobi to Kisumu was delayed about an hour and we were informed that our luggage might not make it one the plane. Well, mine did make it to Kisumu and I was so happy to see Rose 2 waiting on me there. We loaded all my stuff in the car and away we went in route to Tumaini. This was supposed to be a 2-hour ride. All was well and we were about 5 miles from Tumaini when we had a left rear tire blowout. We stood on the side of the road while our driver and a few other guys who stopped to help fixed the tire. Thank goodness for the chocolate from Eva!!!! So I finally arrived at Tumaini at about 5:00 pm on Friday June 18, 2010. It was there that I received one of the best Birthday presents of all time… the beautiful faces of Tumaini Children’s Home singing with their angelic voices… Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to Tumaini Today, followed by a very special rendition of Happy Birthday. I went in to the Guest Home which by the way was built with the very bricks that we made and carried during my last brief stay at Tumaini, and unpacked my things. Finally Home away from Home… Glory be to God!

What does your room look like:






I will let the pictures do most of the talking  Here lets go on a tour: This didn't upload like I had hoped but you can at least seem my room and bathroom and a few other things from Tumaini..


What are your responsibilities:

I wake up at about 6:45 am and have some tea and bread during my morning quiet time. (Currently working on Philippians) At 7:30am I go to the Children’s Home and bathe, feed, and love on baby Joshua. After I put him down for his nap, I help with other chores at the orphanage. So far I have learned to prepare porridge (well I am still working on this one), clean the common room, hand mop the floors, wash mass amounts of clothes, and the list goes on. At about 9:30 am I go to the school for my daily teaching responsibilities. Currently I am teaching Physical Education and English Dictation and Creative Writing. The kids really seem to love it. In the late afternoons I’ve been hanging out with Rose’s house assistants… Roselyn, Doreen, Hesbon 1, Hesbon 2, and Dennis. I’ve had the best time just getting to know them and learning to live in community with them. In the evening I hang out with the kids from the home… always a joy and pleasure.

What do you do for fun:

Well all you have to do is look at a child and smile and it is instant fun and laughter, so of course I play games with the kids.

Again getting to know the people I am sharing a living space with is super fun. As a matter of fact we are sitting around watching the World Cup as we speak… we do this every night at 9:30 pm. Yes we have a generator and the TV works well. Last night we watched a movie in the kitchen (Sister ACT II) It’s just fun living together. We dance, laugh, play games and my most recent fun activity: Language learning!!!

What do you miss most from the US?

For those of you who know me well this one is a no brainer: and yes my prediction was correct…. I miss my hairdryer!!!

This next thing came as a complete surprise to me: I miss my southern accent… It’s gone, I am now British 

I also miss my friends and family… well all of you reading this, much more than I thought. So any of you that have not yet planned to visit, you must consider adding it to your calendar.

What do you miss least:

Surprisingly I don’t really miss the food as much as I thought. I have a new found love for cabbage, greens, rice, and a new smaller waistline… yes already. (it’s the difference between living to eat and eating to live… I really like the later)

Are you able to communicate with people in the US?

Yes, the service is not always the best and sometimes it’s hard to get through if I am in the house (must be the tin roof) but I’ve talked on the phone to several people so far. If you are interested in this you can get a Kenya calling card at www.telephonekenya.com and calls are like 10 cents a minute for you and I have free incoming calls from anywhere in the world. Woot!

I have skype… which they video and audio are not yet working but the chat works well…

I can also facebook chat which is nice.

How is your health?

All is well. I’ve seen very few mosquitoes and or bugs. On Tuesday night I couldn’t sleep for dreaming in Kiswahili and woke up the next morning very nauseous. My stomach was a wreck all day long, but after taking a break from the Kenyan food on Wednesday and sticking with the traditional P B and J I felt much better. Other than that and falling in the shower the first day I am FINE!!! I am getting a lot of rest and exercise. It’s been refreshing!

What’s the most touching thing you’ve seen so far:

WOW this is a tough one for there are so many moments… let me just share a few!

1. I was rocking baby Joshua to sleep today and I was singing to him and thinking… how could anyone leave such a precious little one in a riverbed to die. It just hit me hard and I am so thankful to the staff here for giving so much love to these kids everyday. They work so hard and truly love looking after orphans. It’s not easy but they are so faithful!

2. One day we had popcorn at the Children’s home (the Utah ladies team made it) I have never seen such popcorn eating in all my life. Baby Ruth was especially cute… she had it running down her elbows!

3. After church on Sunday I asked Silva (one of the girls I sponsor) as we were walking away from the church and toward the orphanage, where are we going now? She looked at me with her huge smile, and said HOME… These kids really do have a home in Tumaini !

4. I had a very encouraging conversation with Rose (the director of Tumaini) on Monday just before I went to check out the school and my responsibilities there. I was a bit overwhelmed and still adjusting to this time and place, and she just took the time to encourage me with the Word and with the vision God has given her for the future of Tumaini.

How can we be praying for You?

Please continue to pray for the children, for their health and their willingness to learn. Pray for the staff and teachers here, that they will continue to pour out their hearts in love to the future generation.

Pray for me that I would be resistant to major sickness ( so far so good) and that I would be able to focus on building significant relationships here. Pray that I may cling less and less to what is comfortable and more and more to stepping out and trusting God with the details. Pray that I am able to manage my time will, giving the first fruits to God and others, while also making time for myself. Pray that I will continue to work on my language skills. Pray most of all for God to be glorified in and through this adventure.


Philippians 1:3-5 Namshukuru Mungu wangu kila ninapowakumbukeni; na kila ninapowaombeeni nyote, nasali kwa furaha kwa sababu ya junsi mlivyonisaidia katika kazi ya injili tangu siku ile ya kwanza mpaka leo.

So the last few weeks have been super busy. Making last minute preparations to leave the country is tough. So many things to think about... did I pack my toothbrush, does that really matter, better yet how many toothbrushes should I pack? I've also been trying to visit with all the people I care about.... making time to ensure all the important people in my life truly understand how much I value and love them!

In the few moments I've had to spend by myself my mind had been filled with thoughts of anticipation and excitement. I think the time has come to GO and I couldn't be any more ready for the adventure that lies ahead. I find myself looking at my current surroundings and appreciating them all the more. It's the little things like refrigerators, traffic lights, the vast expanse of WalMart and the mall that look so much different today, knowing that soon they will be things of the past... at least for the next few months. In the past I may have looked at these things as necessities, but today I see them as just things. Things I am ready, and even looking forward to leaving behind in order to embrace a new culture and share with the people of that culture the love of Christ!

The party is over, and oh what a party is was. Lots of fun, food, friends, and family at the Walton house. It was a perfect day to celebrate this upcoming adventure and all the wonderful people in my life that have influenced me along the way. Now that the party's over and the final preparations begin, I hold tight to what I know as true: the unfailing love of a Savior who has a plan for me in Kenya. I can't wait to see what He has in store. The Party is just beginning!!!!