First Impressions

On our way home from the Mombasa airport, Hunter's boss, Jason, pointed out that just over the hill which was blocking our view of the right side of the highway, was the city dump and a bunch of little shacks built along it. A moment before, I had wondered why a woman with a pail in one hand and a child's hand in the other, was walking from that direction in between the lanes of this pretty busy highway. I realized that she had likely just finished picking through the garbage for food and things she needed.

My thought process the whole drive home went something like this: "Wow. I am in a foreign country--a really foreign country"…."This is AWESOME!"….. and then, I'm afraid to admit, a "Holy [expletive]!". I was literally seeing things like African women walking along the dirt side of the road with huge bundles on their heads. Only the bundles weren't beautiful baskets and bags like I had seen in paintings, but dirty 10 gallon buckets, worn down burlap bags, or bundles of sticks.

So many people were out on the streets just walking or standing around. I've since realized that people are out roaming the streets all day because a) their homes are too small to just hang out in, and b) many are unemployed. My eyes are beginning to see how blessed I've been.