Maggie,

I am happy to hear that you are enjoying your new family. Nothing like a little religious fervor to get your adreneline pumping. Please be careful with your travel plans and use good judgement with your time away from Nairobi. What an amazing experience, despite all the termoil. An adventure like this truly puts everything in our comfortable way of life into the proper perspective.

Love, Dad

Maggie,It sounds like you are having a very interesting time. Hopefully you can take the good with the bad and realize what a unique perspective this will give you. The church experience sounds like a real eye opener, but it is very sad that people are deceived into thinking they no longer have AIDS, which is why it continues to be spread rampantly. Hopefully you get to travel some and still have fun.

Matt

Dear Maggie,

It is so wonderful to be able to read your blog and know how you are. Everyday I go online to see what is happening in Kenya. You are such a wonderful writer, everything you write about is so descriptive, interesting and filled with your fun humor. You are an AMAZING, COURAGEOUS,and VERY LOVABLE person! Just want you to know that you are very much in my thoughts and prayers. I hope you are feeling much better and that the new family you will be with, will give you comfort and joy. Grandma and Grandpa send their love to you. Next time Grandma is at my house she wants to write you a message. What a life changing experience you are having, it is remarkable how you handle things....I'm so proud of my special niece. Even though you are far away, you are close in spirit. It was so heart warming to hear about the children you were playing with. Maggie, your writing means so much to me. Take care and know how much you are loved.

MAGZILLA YOU TRULY ARE AN INSPIRATION! i am SOSOSOSOSOSOS THRILLED FOR YOU I COULD CRY. but i cant... because im at work in the presidents office and that would be awkard as hell...

golly we miss you! and we know we suck bc we havent shared that enough with you. andie is back and cant stop saying "i still keep thinging mags is going to come out from her room." but no... :-( not for a while.

HONESTLY I AM SOSOSOSO HAPPY YOU ARE SO HAPPY! but dont forget your old life! if you forget it you cant compare it to how amazing this new one is! and that would just suck!

ELON UPDATE: and i like how your parents read this blog... but mary beth has been a fantastic influence. as have crystal and mkenna :-D classes are just starting and life is about to sock me in the face. took on a new job, now im not home as often but i need that. i can see myself really slackng this semester and i need some quiet office time. my mom and i went to cancun after bid day, it was a blast and a half. cant tell you how many coronas i drank. almost chipped my tooth watching the super bowl. got a photo with the official youth soccer team of mexico. got a little sun, jacqui has some competition :-D so... in a nut shell... station = fantastic but is missing that maginesque edge. seriously, you were my rock. miss you telling me straight. poor decisions spring 2008 are headed my way, and ill have no one to knock me upside the head and say NO... or encourage me with a rousing HELL YES! oh and a group of boys are moving in next door in the fall. poor decisoins spring 2009... you better watch yo self.

GLAD YOU ARE SAFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! muah muah muah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What an incredible posting of your amazing experiences. Thx for keeping us updated M!

I've been keeping an eye on the Kenyan troubles, & hope things reverse course very very soon. As of this week, the enormity of K's accelerating ethnic strife seems to have evoked a sort of denial mechanism among Kenya's leaders: they continue to act as if matters were under control. I hope the trajectory reverses course before the present "lack of govt" [control] devolves into a state of ungovernability ... which could spread from west to east. Sorry to be over-protective! ... am concerned this morning because of the speed with which this type of ethnic conflict can overtake the protective assumptions of the human imagination & weak governmental structures.

I'm always optimistic where you are concerned, however, and know you have excellent judgment.... Also hope that your stomach is beginning to settle down!

Sorry for the overly paternalistic message. Please forgive ... Love, love!

Thanks for the great post! Excellent to read that you're off to a good start... that you're happy with the people and program. So much to be thankful for!

...a winter storm in Cambridge today, which provided a perfect excuse to catch up on events in Kenya via Internet/ UK ch 4, etc. It seems to me that the tipping point in the crisis is rapidly approaching, and am cautiously optimistic. I know Secretary Annan from the old days, and he is both wise and skilled. As long as you're already at the monastery, it wouldn't hurt to say a prayer for those who seek and work for peace.... Love, love!

yayyy! sounds so great there!! :) i think about you everyday, ma'm.much love.

I'm really excited that this has all worked out for you. It wouldn't be your life without some drama, right?! I expect to read some great things on this blog.

Ahhhh, I'm so excited you are doing this :) I will be an avid reader of your blog -- can't wait to see what you get into. Be safe and obviously, most importantly, HAVE A BLAST!

we love you!!!