Our first days

Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day!  Although this will not be posted until a later date (we need to add more minutes to the Internet card)

We are at the close of our fourth day in Kenya – it has been an amazing experience thus far.  I will try to give you some details about the past four days (while also being mindful that I should not publish a novel right now).

First of all, I have been keeping a time journal.  This is a practice I learned from a friend on a trip to Sierra Leone, Africa in 2008.  It isn't inclusive of every detail by any means – instead, it is more just highlights throughout the day.  For example:

Our first full day in Kenya (May 29, 2010)

7am- wandered down to Breakfast area at Methodist Guest House in Nairobi, Kenya.  For breakfast had passion fruit juice, tea (with cream and sugar), croissant, toast &jam, DELICIOUS bananas, pineapple, and beef sausage

9am- toured Kazuri beads and bought some earrings (check out kazuri.com)!!

10:51 – slathered on some spf…the sun is SHINNING!

11am – I pet a baby elephant at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trusts' Orphan Project and saw some wild hogs.  Also pet a hyrax (and then applied hand sanitizer)

12:05pm – sighted wild baboons running/skipping alongside the major highway.  This then inspired me to look for Rafiki (from the Lion King) in every Acacia tree that we passed.

12:48 – Got up close and personal with a giraffe.  What does this mean?  Our team (minus Sanetta, she did not take the opportunity) got a kiss from a giraffe.  A KISS?  Yes, a good ol' lick on the cheek, chin, and/or lips by a giraffe.  Also, met a giraffe named Laura!  She was prego (a giraffe's gestation is 15 months…so glad I'm not a giraffe).  WHO SAID MINISTRY WAS NOT WILD!?!

 

The rest of the day was not as fun – we waited in the Nairobi airport for couple of hours as or flight to Kisumu was delayed.  Finally at 8pm we made it to St. Anna's Guest house in Kisumu and had dinner at 8:15.  That's 1:15pm North Carolina/Indiana time.  Wow, what a day.

 

On Sunday we split up and went to different churches – I want to write about this experience too.  However, due to my previous goal of not creating a novel, I will give the briefest highlights.

Kathy and I went to the African Inland Church.  The service was similar to mine back home in that there were hymns sung (we even sang a familiar song in the native tongue "To God Be the Glory"), prayer, scripture, a sermon, the Apostles' Creed, and the Lord's Prayer.  It was different in that the sermon was 50 minutes long, there was a large wasp nest above my head, and about 7 or 8 scripture passages were used (however, I guess if you're going to preach for 50 minutes you'll need more than just the lectionary text, ha).  The sermon was mostly in the native tongue, minus a few stories the preacher wanted to tell us because the congregation laughed when he told it to them.  The service was about 2.5 hours long – and equally great was the congregation's warm welcome for us.  We hated to rush out after the service, but we had another meeting to attend (this included a feast at the Catholic Church that Brandon and Ellen attended).

 

Monday (TODAY, May 31, 2010)

Today was a jammed-packed day.  Yesterday we all attended churches that are partners of the GIP-Chulaimbo (the Kenya side of the partnership of the Umoja Project).  Today we visited three schools that receive support in one way or another (for example, they might receive support for lunch program, for school uniforms, or Umoja might sponsor a specific secondary school student and pay for tuition).  We also visited a fourth school that will host Brandon next week that is currently not supported by Umoja. 

I feel like I have a zillion stories from today – about 500 words per each school could maybe justify our experience of what we saw and heard.  Yet, I do not have adequate words to express the gratitude and hospitality that we received today from the schools. 

To all those persons that are reading this that are connected to the Umoja project:  I have been honored today to receive this gratitude in your place.  I wish every single one of you could know just how appreciative the students, teachers, and other administrators are for the work you have done to raise funds and for you generous giving.  Long story short, YOU ARE CHANGING LIVES HERE IN KENYA!  I don't know how many times today I heard of something along the lines of: "the food you have given us has helped us because our children are fed and can concentrate in school" or, "By sponsoring this child you have kept him/her in school and they work hard which will increase their opportunities after secondary school." – By uniting with the schools and congregation here in Kenya you are truly making a difference.  One student we met, Samwel Oguna is the 2^nd highest grade student in his class (all grades are posted publicly at the school).  I did not get the chance to read the grades at all the schools we visited though – but I'm sure the Umoja scholars are in the top percent.

One highlight of the day: 

After meeting with Lisuka Primary School's administration and guardians (similar I think to our PTA in the US, yet due to the reason that many children have lost parents here they are given the title "guardians")à one of the guardians gave us a gift: A chicken that was still ALIVE (STILL BREATHING, SQUAKING, ETC.)!  As I mentioned before, we are lucky enough to be the recipients of the gratitude of the local schools and churches ;)  The chicken is being passed along to Joseph, the Umoja Project Director here in Kenya.  Receiving a chicken…that is definitely a first for me!

 

TIME JOURNAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM TODAY:

9:46am – developing motherly instincts…saving Ellen during abrupt stops in the van (there are no working seat belts so today I used the motherly arm across the chest move to hold her in place in her seat)

10:55am- missed road to Lisuka Primary (drove down a country road for a little bit)

11:10am- arrived at Lisuka Primary School

12:42- Ellen receives special thank you dance from the elders – She is highly regarded

2:27pm – at lunch at Lisuka…avoided spooning out the fish head from the fish stew – and ate some DELICIOUS tilapia!  YUMMY.  Also avoided eating fried chicken claw (maybe by the end of the summer I will brave it up and try the claw)

2:57pm- put live chicken (a gift) in grocery bad and placed on the floor in the van as we set out to travel to another school

4:38pm- had second coke of the day (offered in hospitality by our hosts) at Father Caroly's house.  Thank goodness for some caffeine.  Is it the heat or jet lag that is getting to me?

 

 

On a much heavier note:  alongside receiving the gracious hospitality and warm thankful hearts of the Kenyans, we have also received many sad stories today.  As we met with the elders, they requested more help for the children.  Many guardians are elderly and responsible sometimes for 4-5 grandchildren.  The schools were underdeveloped;  Ongalo Secondary school (where Samwel attends) does not have a single book in their library.  Students who do not receive government support for university school (after secondary school) cannot afford university.  One year for University = 70,000 KSH (less than 1,000 USDollar).  Even with government funds it is still 20,000 KSH (267 USD)!

 

Thus, I end the day with two things to ponder:

1)      How can I express to you how thankful the Kenyans are for your support/why am I so lucky to get to be the recipient?

2)      What else can we do?…we heard suggestions from the school administration and the elders.  What is the capacity of the Umoja project? 

More to come later – but with four school visits today I am wornout.

Peace and grace,

Laura