Travel.... Kenya Part 1

Hey everyone!

Here is Part One about the missions trip to Kenya!  Today we are just going to cover traveling there, I know everyone is anxious to see pictures of Kenya, and I can't wait to share them, but there are some neat stories from traveling too, so I hope you enjoy this post!

We left Friday evening and flew to Atlanta where we would board our international flight to London.  Below is a picture I snapped as our plane was taking off, it would be my last sunset in America for two weeks and it was beautiful!  Our first flight was quite short and I really enjoyed it.  I had not been flying since I was nine and it was like flying for the first time all over again since I had not flown for so long. 

Once we arrived in Atlanta we headed for the international terminal where we had dinner while waiting for our next flight.  I was excited to get to eat at Varsity since I had just read about it in one of my books that took place in Atlanta, so it was kind of like getting to step into the book for a few minutes.  :)

Finally it was time to board our flight that would take us to London.  It was late and I was beginning to get tired and was planning on falling asleep as swiftly as possible so as to begin to adjust to the new time zone.... hopefully.  However, once the flight was up in the air I found that I just couldn't fall asleep and was wishing I could sleep as well as the man sitting next to me who was already asleep before I boarded.  Anyways, I finally gave up and began to look through the movies hoping that once I found one to watch I would maybe fall asleep while watching it.  As I was scrolling through the man next to me woke up and it turned out Milia was a movie buff and started telling me about the different movies.  We talked for sometime about the movies, then we began to talk about ourselves and before too long where we were going.  He was going to visit his family and I told him why I was going to Kenya, which lead to a conversation about God.  It was amazing, as anyone who knows me knows, after around 10:30 or 11:00 my brain literally shuts down from exhaustion, but throughout our whole conversation it was as if God was somehow keeping me awake, because I was fully awake.  We spent nearly the whole flight discussing God.  Milia had so many questions, he knew God was real, but he doesn't believe that the whole Bible is true.  He told me that he has decided what parts of the Bible he wants to believe in and which he doesn't and has invented his own God.  We talked through the night about how the whole Bible is the truth and discussed different scripture passages.  I don't know how many times I wished that someone wiser than me had been there to answer his questions better, but I know that God placed him next to me for a reason and I have to trust that God will send others to continue telling Milia about him.  Milia didn't come to know Christ on the plane, but he was truly searching and I believe that God will continue to send people to keep answering his questions.  Would you please join me in praying for him?

We arrived in London at noon and I sadly told Milia goodbye.  Now it was time to go through customs and go sightseeing.  We made it through customs and I was still wide awake, but sometime between customs and making it to the tube (the subway system)  exhaustion hit me and I was ready to drop after pulling an all-nighter.  I made it to the tube, but once we boarded I was out.  Below is a picture where you can see me sleeping in the background. 

Bryan and Anita with me sleeping against dad in the back. 

By time we reached downtown London I had slept enough to be able to enjoy seeing London.  Our first stop was to see Buckingham Palace, and guess what!  The flag was up which means that the queen was home! 

In front of Buckingham Palace

Our incredible leader Tom on the left and Bryan on the right in front of the palace.

L to R: Aubrey, Jake and Bryan

Buckingham Palace

We saw these bushes shaped like the crown in the Queen's Gardens.  It was incredible!

The London Eye, we were not able to ride it, but it was real neat to be able to see it from a distance!

Jake and Aubrey with a telephone booth, you don't see these in midwest America!

Big Ben

Bryan, Jake, Aubrey and me in front of Thames River and Parliament

At the subway ready to go back to Heathrow Airport to board our flight to Kenya!

 Seeing London was so much fun, but it was only the beginning as we boarded our flight to Kenya. Sorry I am so late in getting this up, hopefully I will be able to upload part two soon!
Blessings,
Michelle