Today, our team visited Happy Life Children's Home in Nairobi. I knew before we arrived that the children there had difficult beginnings, but nothing could have prepared me for what I would feel when I actually met them. Happy Life cares for babies and young children who have been abandoned. Some were found in ditches. Some were found in forests. Others were left on the streets. The youngest baby currently at Happy Life is only one week old. So young!  I cannot imagine how anyone could leave a newborn baby alone like that. I don't understand how someone could look at such a tiny, helpless child and walk away. It is heartbreaking to think that these little ones—these beautiful children—were abandoned when they had done absolutely nothing wrong. And yet, when I walked into the room, what I experienced wasn't a room filled with sadness. It was filled with children. The toddlers were so excited to see visitors. They ran up to us, wanting to touch my hair and my ski...

I have been told that I know a lot of useless (or useful, depending on when you need it) information. So I would like to share some of the things I have learned so far with all of you. 1. We all know that Giraffes are cute and adorable with their long necks and markings. Did you know there are 3 types of giraffes, Rothschild, Maasai, and Reticulated? They are all native to different parts of Africa and their markings is how you tell them apart. They will crossbreed given the opportunity and those giraffes are then considered a crossbreed, not part of one of the three types. 2. The Giraffe Centre in Nairobi only houses Rothschild giraffes and are working on increasing their population in the wild. When the center was started in the 1970s, there were only about 130 Rothschild giraffes remaining. Through their conservation efforts they have increased this number significantly. At the center they house one male alpha, females, and babies. When young males reach around 2-3 years...

Kenya is a country with unemployment at around 40%. So far we have seen no manufacturing facilities, only construction jobs, service jobs, security services, and the like. I wonder how people can live with no job and no income? We see market stands along many roads.  How does one break the cycle? In the next couple days, I hope to find some answers.   - Steve