Whenever you have an international trip, there is always one incident that makes you remember it; it happened when we went through security in Nairobi. JT’s carry-on was his saxophone, and when they opened it up, there was an interesting conversation:

Security: What is this?
JT: It is a saxophone.
Security: What is a saxophone?
JT: It is a musical instrument.
Security: You must play it in order for us to believe you.

So at ten o’clock in the evening, JT did a song for the security agents. I suspect they knew what it was, but they were looking for some entertainment. JT got into it; it was fun to see him get into the spirit of it. He is a different kid than he was three years ago.

The only thing that connected with Katie about what we told her about America was that there were nice people who you could call on the phone and they would bring pizza to your house. It is a long flight; almost 24 hours of travel and you begin at 10:30 in the evening, so we were tired when we finally arrived.

We ordered a pizza, and I wish you could have seen her face when a nice man came and left us pizza. For the next three days, when someone used the phone, Katie would come running and yell `Pizza!’

After a day or so, we ventured out to a grocery store. Matthew yelled and we all came running. `Oreos! Double-stuff Oreos! Green Oreos! Fudge covered Oreos! Vanilla Oreos!’ And as he continued down his list, JT started shoveling them into the cart. If you ever saw this many kinds of Oreos in Kenya, you would buy them, because they wouldn’t be there next time. We explained they would still be there next week, and we realized that there would be some readjustment issues this time around.

Or just plain adjustment issues. Ben and Kate were fascinated with doorbells and ceiling fans and carpet and just about everything. One day the three of us were out for a walk and a fire engine went by. They started crying and wanted to be held; it took me awhile to remember that they had never heard a siren or seen a fire engine before. Now it is one of their favorite things, but it took awhile.

Brief updates on all of us:

Nancy: Nancy had been sick for five months in Kenya. She didn’t get better for the first month we were back, so we had her tested for TB. We were so glad when she tested negative, and that some concentrated rest has her feeling more like herself. She is almost all the way back. She went up to Chicago last week because her father went into the hospital. Despite his being in the hospital they had some great one on one time with him. We are grateful that he is doing better.

JT: JT is playing football after three years of playing rugby. He has access to a great weight room and coach, so he is getting bigger and taller. Both he and Matthew have been blessed by the ability to return to the school they grew up in. It has made the adjustment so much easier. Besides football, he is in a band called No Zebra, which consists of three guitars, a drummer, a saxophone and..

a tuba.

Matthew: Matthew loved swimming in July and August. He is continuing piano lessons and started drum lessons. He is hoping to make the basketball team. He loves riding his bike on flat smooth roads.

Katie and Ben: They are fascinated by America; by all the driving, by garage trucks, by the wonder of McDonalds. We went to a Mexican restaurant, and Ben stood up with both hands clutching chips, almost overcome by the thrill of all the food. Katie was at swimming lessons, and afterwards was using the hand dryer. Ben told her that her hands were already dry, and she informed him that she was trying to get the wrinkles out.

Me: I had a great fear of coming back and someone saying something ugly to the twins. The twins and I were at a hardware store, and some big redneck looking guy in a bib overall kept looking at us. He came over, and I had my hand on a wrench, and I was going to hit him if he said something unkind to my babies. He looked at me and looked at them and said `Ain’t them cute?’

I’m working for a consulting company for the smartest human on the planet, which has been intimidating and inspiring in equal measures. I’m taking several classes to get certified in college counseling. I’ve gotten to speak in Houston and Connecticut trying to increase funding for the computer centers and the feeding program.

The saying among missionaries in Africa is when Kenyan ice cream starts to taste good to you, it’s time to go on furlough. I am eating far too much of it, as you can tell if you see me.

I think it was the master, Neil Diamond, who said:

LA’s fine, the sun shines most the time
And the feeling is laid back
Palm trees grow and the rents are low but you know I keep thinking about
Making my way back
I’m New York City born and raised but now days I live between two shores
LA’s fine but it ain’t home
New York’s home but it ain’t mine no mo

We can forget about the rest of the song when Neil talks to chairs and frogs and focus on the feeling that we don’t quite fit in anymore. We’re grateful to be back for a year, but it has been a challenge in some ways.

We went by the cemetery, and stood by the gravesite. Stephen would have been six, and you wonder what would have happened if he had lived. And as we wondered, Ben and Katie sat by his gravestone.

It was one of the most bittersweet moments in our lives.

We are back until August. We would love to hear from you, and we would appreciate it if you updated your mailing addresses. We had computer blues in Kenya, and have had to recreate lots of our list.

Thanks for all your kindness to us. May He bless you.

Your pal

Steve