“We are in Washington DC!” I barely heard through my cell phone. “We made it! And we have already seen many wonders!” Emmanuel, coming from Kenya with our Kenya Keys founder and director Joseph Mwengea, was traveling from Kenya to the U.S. From the bush of Kenya, they traveled to Nairobi to catch their first-ever flight, for their first-ever trip out of Kenya. They were breathless with the shock and excitement of it all.“Everything is so organized!” I pictured the seemingly random chaos of Nairobi or Mombasa, smelled the street smells, and heard the blaring cacophony of sounds. I could see why the polished organization of the Washington DC airport was the first thing that dumbfounded them.Seven hours later, heart pounding, I waited to see them emerge from the disembarking crowd at the Portland, Oregon airport. I thought of Joseph, as I knew him in the bush. The tall, elegant presence of him, as regal as a giraffe, presiding as schoolmaster over his village school. He’d come to be so much more than a schoolmaster. With the growth of Kenya Keys, the demands on his life have exploded. And at last, he achieved his dream of coming to the U.S. to meet the sponsors that changed the landscape of his world. Having known him for seven years in his world, I simply couldn’t picture him emerging into mine.But there he was, indeed, almost unrecognizable. In hopes of blending in, he donned a baseball cap, jeans and tennis shoes. He didn’t tower above people, as I had imagined. He and Emmanuel looked both numb and ecstatic, and also very, very relieved to see some familiar faces; though we somehow looked as different to them as they did to us, framed in this new context.So began our five weeks together. Each day was full of fresh amazement. Despite the fact that they had both attended university in Nairobi, the capitol of Kenya, they had never experienced a temperature-controlled room, seen a vending machine, or a fire hydrant, a convertible, a symphony orchestra, an amusement ride, a museum, to name just a few shocking wonders. To experience snow with them for the first time was unforgettable! To think that they had never really experienced COLD, or touched ice, or the white stuff they had heard about! When we drove them to the top of Mt. Hood to experience it for the first time, Joseph looked up with wonder and said, “Hah! These pieces of white falling from the sky…. Is this the process you call snow?”When we pulled into Costco they asked if it was a university. When we went on the freeway, they were dumbfounded by the “flyovers” (overpasses). When we turned on the vacuum they stared with awe; “No wonder things are so clean here!”Woven around the cultural exploration, there were countless talks and presentations, large and small. They met over 200 of the sponsors that send their generosity across the world to educate their respective students. They attended dinners with donors and spoke at assemblies, college classes, and were keynote speakers at the Hunger Banquet at Weber State University. In all, they addressed over 4,700 students. They traveled to four states to meet donors and reunite with interns. They became increasing articulate, confident, and comfortable. They tried countless new foods, marveled at the infinite number of options we have in every realm of life, and they grew increasingly homesick. Their keen minds, open hearts, and their humorous, genuine way of expressing themselves touched the lives of many. They left behind an indelible impression, their humility and very presence igniting respect in all who met them. Sponsorships and donations soared after their visit, a tribute to their dedication, hard work, and authenticity.And what were their final observations? They were deeply touched by the outpouring of love. They were grateful beyond words for all they experienced and learned. They shared their observations in poignant, powerful ways. People assumed they must have been captivated by our world of excess and options, and that it would be painfully hard for them to return to Kenya. I knew better. I knew how deeply they loved the familiarity of their world—a world we would call deprived.And I knew how rooted they were to community, culture and family—just like we are.  They are not the kind of men that would be lured by opulence and ease.Perhaps it could be summed up with Joseph’s insightful comment: “I can see that when you have too much, you lose the taste of life.” So wise. So true. Kenya Keys and the U.S. was richly blessed by your visit.Click here to see Joseph and Emmanuel talk about their visit in this video produced by Zions Bank.