A Kenyan Club sandwich: not what you'd expect

How many people enjoy oreos? Perhaps a peanut-butter sandwich is more your style. But in either case, the important part is not necessarily the cookies or the bread -its the center that counts!!! How many people get excited over two crispy "cocoa wafers" or two slices of bread? None.

So why is it, that in our life, we remember the beginning and the end much more clearly? The beginning and end are more like appetizers anyway. Why is that all the juicy middle portion gets reduced to some blurish motion that can only be described as a connection point from A to B with a few major highlights!

I don't want to reduce this mission trip by any portion. Personally I would love to think of my time in kenya as a decked-out club turkey sandwich on whole grain bread. Why? Lets break it down.

Whole grain bread: I think we can all agree that whole grain is healthy. It may not be what you grew up with, but it is a change for the best. So was my decision to come to Kenya. I took a chance on something new, and I have been enriched in so many ways.

Hummus spread: First off -yum! When hummus is on your sandwich you can't always detect the source of deliciousness, but without it, each bite would be dryer, less flavorful, and overall not quite as fulfilling. In the same way Julie and Audery were my hummus. My experience here would have been much dryer without them. They were the base layer that enriched every experience in Kenya. They were the spice -the excitement.

Cheese: Not just any cheese, but smoked gouda. You don't need much of this, just a little for flavor. I would liken the cheese to clean-up days. I love them, but it isn't wise to go over board; a little goes a long way.

Turkey: The main part of the whole sandwich! It needs to be thinly sliced, layered high, and moist. Don't give me any of that dried out turkey. This would be the health education. It has taken up the majority of my time here in Kenya. I think my turkey may be peppered turkey, because although its been sweet, its also got a bit of a kick. There have been some set-backs in the educational process, but overall, its been fresh!

Lettuce: I want it crisp; just like medical camps. Refreshing, crisp, and absolutely necessary.

Tomato: It needs to be ripe, firm but sweet. Kind of like the people I work with. Ok, call it corny, but the people that i work with are always cheery, and they are "ripe" in the sense that whatever they say, it is said at just the right time. They are firm in their beliefs which makes them endearingly sweet.

Cucumbers: Cucumbers are crisp -just like the morning runs here in Kenya.

Banana Peppers: They need to be sweet and not spicy; just like the kids that sing "how are you?"

Olives: I hate olives, and generally I would pick them off. I could call Matatus Kenyan olives. They are salty, and i don't like them. Sure, they serve some purpose, but life would be much better if they weren't on my sandwich.

Mustard: Mustard originates from a tiny seed. But eventually it grows and is processed into this condiment that permeates the entire sandwich. I want to plant a mustard seed. This seed will be in the form of a medical fund. It shall be planted in a bank, grow interest, and then be processed so that while it grows, it can be cultivated and then processed to affect hundreds of lives.

Second slice of whole wheat bread: Whole wheat is made with whole grains -its retains the fiber and nutrients that are essential to proper nutrition. Kenya has been like a spiritual nutritional revival. I have been well fed, and I know the vitamins and minerals (lessons and experiences I have had) will continue to enrich my life.

Finally, we need a tooth-pick to hold this monsterous sandwich together. The tooth-pick is of course the love of God, shown both through his quiet whispers and the incredibly inspirational people he has put in my life. They keep me together when I think all of my insides are going to fall out!