| ABOUT OUR FAMILY |
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I met Seth in 2006 through the Onyango family. In early 2007, he and I
spent almost every day volunteering together at Kiwanis, which is how our
relationship began. We decided to get married and had been planning on
a family wedding in July 2008, but when the post-election violence erupted
that year, we instead had a simple civil ceremony in January 2008. We
were extremely blessed with the birth of our daughter, Sophia Imara
Okumu, on September 25, 2008. Three months later (December 2008),
we traveled home to visit my family in the Pacific Northwest. Seth has a
degree in Public Health and is employed by APHIA II Nyanza, a
USAID-funded health organization.
spent almost every day volunteering together at Kiwanis, which is how our
relationship began. We decided to get married and had been planning on
a family wedding in July 2008, but when the post-election violence erupted
that year, we instead had a simple civil ceremony in January 2008. We
were extremely blessed with the birth of our daughter, Sophia Imara
Okumu, on September 25, 2008. Three months later (December 2008),
we traveled home to visit my family in the Pacific Northwest. Seth has a
degree in Public Health and is employed by APHIA II Nyanza, a
USAID-funded health organization.
Seth's dala (Luo rural homestead). Seth's family comes from the rural area of
Seme, which is twenty minutes drive outside of Kisumu along Lake Victoria. His
father and mother are retired primary school teachers who now spend their time
farming and raising livestock. Seth is the middle child of ten children - the oldest is
36 (and our Kiwanis President, Benson), and the youngest is 16.
The cement house in the upper photo is Seth's parents' house. Below is a photo of
Seth's traditional mud house. Every son in a family is expected to build a
semi-permanent house on his dala - the oldest son builds to the right, the next son
builds to the left, and so it continues. The house must be built even if the son does
not live in it. Eventually, each son is expected to build a new house for his own family
on different land - sometimes close to the dala, sometimes far away. Although Seth
and I live with our children in Kisumu, we frequently visit the dala in Seme, which is
twenty-five minutes away.
Seme, which is twenty minutes drive outside of Kisumu along Lake Victoria. His
father and mother are retired primary school teachers who now spend their time
farming and raising livestock. Seth is the middle child of ten children - the oldest is
36 (and our Kiwanis President, Benson), and the youngest is 16.
The cement house in the upper photo is Seth's parents' house. Below is a photo of
Seth's traditional mud house. Every son in a family is expected to build a
semi-permanent house on his dala - the oldest son builds to the right, the next son
builds to the left, and so it continues. The house must be built even if the son does
not live in it. Eventually, each son is expected to build a new house for his own family
on different land - sometimes close to the dala, sometimes far away. Although Seth
and I live with our children in Kisumu, we frequently visit the dala in Seme, which is
twenty-five minutes away.
| Photos are thumbnails - Click image to enlarge - Use arrows to navigate |
Zawadi Akoth ("Gift...born in the rain"). Zawa came into my life in
October 2005, when she was 10 months old weighing only seven
pounds. Since I began taking care of her, she has blossomed into a
beautiful, active, and very precocious child. She is now 4 years old and
a baby class student at Kiwanis Junior Academy. Seth and I are
communicating with her father's family about adoption - the process is
slow, but we see some light at the end of the tunnel!
To read more about Zawa, click the link below.
October 2005, when she was 10 months old weighing only seven
pounds. Since I began taking care of her, she has blossomed into a
beautiful, active, and very precocious child. She is now 4 years old and
a baby class student at Kiwanis Junior Academy. Seth and I are
communicating with her father's family about adoption - the process is
slow, but we see some light at the end of the tunnel!
To read more about Zawa, click the link below.
| Seth, Zawa, and I are thrilled to announce the newest member of our family..... Sophia Imara Okumu Click here for information and photos |
Our daughter Sophia Imara Okumu, born September 25, 2008
| Seth's Parents |