Mary arrived in Nairobi, for a visit on March 10th, our 37th wedding anniversary. She and Katja’s husband Pierre, from South Africa, where waiting at the roadside, as our convoy finished up the days ride. It was a nightmare affair, riding into Nairobi, as the traffic was indifferent to our presence and the diesel fumes choked everyone into submission.

At camp, we said our good byes to my fellow riders and scurried off to a outstanding hotel, near the Nairobi airport, called the Ole Sereni.

The next day were flew to Eldoret and were greeted by Juli McGowan and her husband Titus at the airport. Juli is the amazing founder and director of The Living Room, the organization that operates the Kimbilio Hospice, (“Kimbilio” means “refuge” in Swahili). We were greeted at the hospice by a large group of workers, locals and visitors that sang a heart warming and moving Swahili welcoming song. There was one primary gentleman that sang the verses and everyone joined in on the chorus. We sang and danced our way around greeting everyone and then the entourage finished up at a tree planting ceremony. The avocado tree was to commemorate our visit and the many donors that are supporting the hospice encouraged by my cycling journey. The ceremony and reception brought Mary and I both to tears. We toured the facility and then enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of Juli, Titus, Allison, David and their families. The commitment and love these people have for their fellow man is evident in everything they do. Truly doing God’s work.

The next day, we lounged around and shared breakfast and lunch with our most gracious hosts. Then Titus drove us to Eldoret to visit the new site that will be the home for the “Eldoret Care Center.” The property just exuded peace and tranquility and will be a wonderful location for their new 60 bed hospice, a funeral home, a health and education center and a welcoming facility. Juli and her team need to raise $2,000,000 to complete this multi phase project. We hope that many of you find the goodness in your heart to support this collaborative enterprise.

Mary and I then made our way to the Maasai Mara for three nights of fun and relaxation. Our first ever safari will be a blast.

I’ll be back in the saddle March 17th, as I join back up with my cycling group in Arusha, Tanzania. There’ll be two months remaining and about 6,000 km, before we make it to our destination of Cape Town, South Africa.

Ciao
Easy Rider