Simba means... & Uzima children's home

Lion! Yes the Lion King movie can teach me a few necessities but I wouldn't use it to learn proper Kiswahili for sure!

And it's Sunday already!! This week flew by it seemed! The majority of it was language studying with and without my tutor. I also went to a game/worship/fellowship night on Tuesday, took my first trip to the main grocery Uchumi, and studied a lot! I baked a delicious pan of snickerdoodle blondies of which I have to admit I ate too many of them. A few hours of badminton was played and lots of just getting used to being here. I sincerely love it and it still hits me quite frequently that I can't believe I actually get to be here. Here's a bit more about my language lessons & also my Saturday spent at the Uzima Children's home.

Language Lessons
On Tuesday morning my amazing language tutor came to my house prepared to take on the challenge. I was so impressed! I knew I was in good hands when I met her. Her name is Wambui and she is seriously a saint!

Tuesday I learned the Swahili names for 24 animals. I also was given 10 new verbs and I listened to her tell a story using 3 story pictures and then pointing as she quizzed me on how well I understood what was going on in the picture. ("Mboi ananoosa nyama" the dog smells the meat) Most of this last week was not speaking, but rather listening and comprehending what she was saying.

Each day we added up to 20 new objects in Swahili (things in the living room, body parts, and kitchen things). She introduced me to at least 10-20 new verbs each day and by doing so she would say the action and then do the action. ("simama" stand up, "tenganeza" to fix, "ruka" to jump)...aka language lessons also involved a bit of exercise...but not near enough to make up for the amount of baking I've done/eaten this last week!

It's so fun to begin to get it! This next week I get to begin to speak a bit more, eek! Thanks so much for praying for me during this process. I know it is only through God's power that language will be acquired as needed. And I'm sure more baking will happen and it wouldn't be the worst thing if exercise happened a bit more as well!

Uzima Children's home
I got asked to go about 30 minutes away out of Nairobi to a children's home to hang out with some kids for the day. Best decision I've made! Here are a few pictures from the day.

Doing what I love to do, projects with kids! It opened the door for some great
conversations and getting to meet these precious kiddos.

Cheka was the youngest and she was very entertaining. She loved to be held and give hugs!

Faith was my buddy for most the day and loved to hold my hand & sit on my lap.
She was quiet at first but had the most amazing smile! 

Stacy, myself and Faith out playing on the field. 

Stacy, Destiny, myself & Faith. One of my favorites from the day!

She found a "kijiko" (spoon) for eating and thanks to my Friday language lessons
I understood what she was saying!

Myself & Jessica with Cheka, Faith and Teddy. Of course none of them were looking.
Jess is my roommate while I'm in Nairobi and it has been great fun getting to know
her and spending these few weeks with her.