Christmas 2010

We were able to spend our first Christmas in Kenya with our daughters. Andrea and her friend, Melissa flew in from New York and Katrina from Nigeria. We were able to spend a little more than two weeks together. It was Andrea and Melissa’s first visit to Kenya so everything was a new experience for them.

Together we had a nice mix of tourist activities and family time at home. While in Nairobi we visited the David Shedrock Animal Orphanage to see the baby elephants, the Giraffe Center where we fed the giraffes, and had lunch at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden. Then we traveled to the best and most well known national reserve Maasai Mara for a safari. We weren’t disappointed as we saw four of the Big Five animals. Driving back to Kitale we went through tea plantations and then sugar plantations. It was a beautiful drive home.

At home we found a branch of a cypress tree that was quite suitable for our Christmas tree. We made decorations and cooked some of our favorite foods. Melissa smuggled some fresh cranberries in her bag, so we all enjoyed the cranberry sauce and cranberry muffins a couple of days later. Katrina completed a jigsaw puzzle as is her Christmas tradition. I’m afraid we don’t provide all that much help but offer plenty of encouragement.

We attended Christmas Eve Mass only to discover it was in Kiswahali. Although we didn’t understand most of what was said, the service was the traditional Mass. Christmas day was celebrated with our fellow Maryknoll Lay Missioners in Kitale: Russ, Kathy, Pat and Ilona and our own family.

A couple of days later, we spent a day hiking with a guide in the Cherangani Hills. Katrina proved to be in the best shape far outdistancing us all. We went to several viewing spots that provided beautiful panoramas.


It was a wonderful Christmas in a tropical environment. Family time is such a blessing.

Click here to view some additional photos we took during the girls visit.