You name it, we brought it. And then we played. We taught them the hokey-pokey, we did animals imitations and learned the Swahili words for warthogs and leopards. They called out English words infrequently because they were often stumped by our poor rendition of a lion roar or zebra call. There simply was no hope for any semblance of recognition between our animal calls and the real animals. I thought our Maasai guide may have wet his pants he laughed so hard.

All in good fun coming together like a big family that we are. For all that we brought with us and all that we gave, we went home laden with treasures: smiles, laughter, silliness and the knowing that we had made a difference in the world. And for all who donated their used shoes and more back in the states, they too were filled with gratitude and love.

How blessed we are. — Christel

Team Kenya 2015! Thank you for sharing your smiles on our extraordinary Safari of a lifetime with famed guide, Jackson Looseyia, and my extreme gratitude for helping the children in Kenya! -Christel and Rebecca.

It’s a treat to visit Jackson in his “office” in the middle of the Mara, and an amazing feeling to meet the children who readily share smiles, jokes and dancing with us. They taught us the Swahili word for zebra and showed us their school with pride and excitement. We brought them some gently used sneakers, art supplies and of course some outdoor toys for play. What a gift we received in sharing their joy. –Christel