sweetly broken

i went to Africa and part of me never returned. when i breathe, i tend to breathe in deep; to take the places in life that i go with me and to leave pieces of myself along the way. when i returned home i realized that i had done just that. Kenya captured me and there parts of myself will always remain. i unpacked my bags, cleaned off my clothes, and realized that Kenyan dirt had seeped deep into my soul.

these people are strong. stronger than i will ever be. one day in their lives doesn't make sense in my western mind. and their beauty radiates through their strength. not in spite of it, but because of it.

i'm not sure at what point Kenya captured me. it wasn't until i stopped looking at all that wasn't there and started seeing what was. and as the pieces of America started to washed away, the beauty of Kenya came rushing through.

in their laughter. in their pain. in their hope. in their heartache. in their perseverance and their strength. in their brokenness and their joy.

in these faces. i lost myself. and found them...