"Are you happy?"

It was just a question to the children as they walked through our gate.

"I'm so happy!" one of the boy's replied.

I wondered why.

"I'm happy because there was no fighting!"

He ran and joined the crowd of children vying for a place to sit on our patio.

They had so much to tell me.

"We're happy that Ruto won!

We were outside dancing and screaming 'Ruto! Ruto!'"

They didn't have to tell me.

We could hear more than just their commotion last night.

I asked them if they thought everyone was rejoicing.

They knew.

Not everyone in Kenya was celebrating by blowing horns and shouting last night.

The 6 p.m. declaration that William Ruto will be the next president spawned an angry uproar in more than one place.

We had tracked the events of yesterday in

suspense-filled concern.

It was such a close race.

There's deep-rooted tribalism pervading elections here that doesn't make sense to the casual observer.

The fights we saw as we watched the politicians and officials gathered for the presidential announcement didn't make sense to us either.

********************

The night of riots and protesting in places like Kisumu and Nairobi gave way to an uneasy calm this morning.

Everyone was waiting for the next words from the Opposition Party.

They say "it's not over till it's over" and have declared the election results are "null and void."

The seven-day legal countdown has begun as the country waits for their petition to be filed in the courts.

And for now the loyal followers are heeding their leader's call for calm.

********************

"We're going back to school.

We're tired of just being at home."

Thankfully it looks like children across the country will return to school on Thursday.

The children in my neighborhood aren't the only ones in Kenya that are praising God they can once again go on with their lives.

I wonder what the coming days will bring?

I don't think I am alone.

I'm remembering the boy who told me he was so relieved there had been no fighting.

"We're just happy that there's peace."

He echoed the voices of the other children.

"For now."

(A special thank you for the pictures

that were shared by locals from Kisumu.)

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