A group of Americans came to visit us last week. They came to see the authentic “Horn of Africa” and make connections with the local people. Our trip out country would be my last excursion to the countryside. I will be moving back to America in 2 weeks time. One of the visitors asked me, “Do you just love it here?” Well, first off, that is a crazy question. It’s difficult, it’s frustrating, it’s beautiful, it’s different. But I was surprised by my answer – “It’s home.” Somehow in my 2 years here, this place has become a home to me. I think I feel this most when I am outside of the city. The countryside is so majestic and so endless. Sometimes I think about how this may be the birth place of humanity – and if that is the case, why wouldn’t I feel at home here.?
Visiting people in the countryside is my favorite thing. The people are genuine and welcoming for the most part – very different from the “Money, Money, Money!” I hear everyday walking around the city. In the countryside, they feed you what they can and offer you the story of their life. In return they listen to our stories. And in the end, the only thing they usually ask us is for medical advice or help because it is so hard for them to travel to a clinic. So here are a few snapshots of my last out country trip and the lovely faces I saw.