Another Morning Stars visit

This past weekend we again visited the Morning Stars children’s home and had another good time. We arrived at lunchtime – a big mistake. Many Kenyans eat their meal with the fingers/hand. That day lunch happened to be kusimo(?) (a favorite Kikuyu dish made of corn meal, potatos, a local green spinach-like vegetable, and other bits of vegetable – all mashed together) - topped with a sort of “bean medley” and avocado pieces on the side. All nice and squishy. As a result when we got out of the car 50 children were waiting to shake our hand, with their dirty “bean medley/avocado” hands - an interesting slithery sensation!

Actually we are now in the hugging stages with some of the older kids. Kenyan friends also greet one another European style with a touching of cheeks on both sides. It’s nice to be seen as their friends.

Next we ate some kusimo - not about to become a favorite. Then we told the kids some stories we had brought (having honed our skills at story telling during our time in Campbell River). It was a good time. I did a couple of finger rhymes, a felt story and then a great story called “Going on a Bear Hunt (with Judy leading the actions). Judy then read a Bible story. Some of the kids were a little old we thought for the stories, but they all joined in and we had fun. No one had ever told them stories before.

Then they sang, we played some games on the grass and they danced for us. Singing and dancing are of course, their favorite pastimes.

We ended the afternoon by going to fetch water with some of the girls. I carried a bucket of water up the hill “Kenyan style”, using a scarf tied around the forehead and then to the bucket which hangs on the back.. (One of the girls slung the scarf and bucket over her shoulder. The other balanced it on her head.) I learned just how hard this work is for young kids.

Philip then drove us home. It’s been a hard couple of weeks for him. We weren’t aware of his financial problems but apparently he wasn’t able to afford gas for his car last wek and food is running low. The problem is that he gets most of his food by way of donations from stores, businesses and churches in Kenya. With the political crises here however these donors are giving what they have to the Red Cross for the displaced people – leaving Philip in a tough situation. I don’t want these posts to become ongoing appeals for money, but if anyone would like to help Philip, please let us know. We helped him a bit, but he (and his kids will need more to get through February).

Morning Stars

January 20th, 2008

Most of you reading this blog know of Philip Githaiga, and how some years ago he began Stars for Jesus, a home and rehabilitation centre for street children . The “Stars” now number about 50 boys and Philip is the chief cook and bottle washer along with 2 or 3 staff. It really is his one man ministry, although he has a board of Directors and is a registered charity in Kenya. There are about 30 “Stars” who go to Stema School which is why we decided to volunteer there. The boys call Philip their "father".

Many of you also know that about 6 months ago, Philip was called to help 50 children, boys and girls ranging in age from 2 years to their mid teens. They had been living in a room with the older children providing for their daily needs. One day their slum landlord threw them out. To that time, Philip had been hoping to slow down. Stars was managing well day to day, and he wanted to find a wife and settle down to a more ordinary existence. But he couldn’t ignore the need of these little ones, and so he took them in and started to establish a home for them.

We visited the new home, called “Morning Stars”, with Philip, a little over a week ago. The memory brings a lump to my throat even as a write this. As our car drove into the entrance of the property we were met by about 30 of the children. They were singing to us – a song of welcome. We got out of the car and were swarmed. 2 and 3 children each grabbed a finger of each of my hands (and Judy's) or a pant leg and wouldn’t let go. We were taken on a tour by the 2 "mommas", walked through gates and through the small acreage with its garden and fruit trees, then through the house where the dorm rooms are, looking at all their crowded (but neat and clean) bunks. They were so proud. And throughout this time the kids still held on to our fingers and stroked the hair on our arms or touched our skin or heads. They liked my ponytail!We clambered through doorways 3 kids first, followed by 3 more kids, all hanging on. You feel pretty special when people will not let you go. Too bad we don’t act like this in our adult relationships!


Finally we were taken to their little office where we were given tea, and then 2 or 3 of the older children asked us to take off our shoes so they could wash and oil our feet. I declined this time (I did take a rain check), but Judy’s were washed and rubbed with a salve. After tea I played lawn games with about 30 of the smaller kids while Judy talked with a group of teen girls. I doubt we will ever forget our visit.

Both Stars for Jesus and Morning Stars are worthy projects. These kids live so simply but are so happy and doing so well physically and mentally. Morning Stars are hoping to have chickens, rabbits and a cow or two for the meat, eggs and milk, to eat and to sell. About 30 were to start public school this week. To do this they needed school uniforms ($20.00 each), a desk ($20.00 each) and school supplies. They hadn't the funds to buy the uniforms but were allowed to begin. We have some money from friends and some of our own, but have felt obliged to see first if the school we are at has a need. There are needs all around us and we have been waiting and watching. If nothing seems right in the next month or so we would help the "Stars" and "Morning "Stars. Maybe you would like to help them as well. Let us know.

Getting Better

Well, a week has passed and things feel better than when I last wrote. We are settled in our flat and while all of the annoyances remain we are becoming used to most of them. Routines help pass the time although the evenings are boring. One can only read or listen to the rotating BBC radio programming for so long.

School was to begin this past Monday (Jan. 7th), then was delayed another week because of the electoral violence.The extra time for lesson planning has been welcome. I will teach Grades 6,7 and 8 – teaching each class twice a day. It’s a manageable amount of teaching. I’m a little disappointed not to be teaching the younger grades as mentally that was what I was preparing for. It would have been fun and quite a learning experience. I sure enjoyed the little kids at CRCS. There are 2 concerns with the teaching however – textbooks with unreasonable expectations and full of awkward English, and the expectation that teachers to be at school at 7 a.m. (African time of course, which means I will be the only one to show up on time.)

The school is ramshackle, and poorly kept as it appears in the picture that I posted earlier. It does have electricity, but not all rooms have light bulbs. There are no resources although I asked for and was provided with chalk and a homemade brush. There are not enough English student workbooks for all the students and they share. (We will purchase textbooks for all the students although it breaks my heart to buy such poor quality texts.) It is easy to be judgmental about the school and the Kenyan education system, but I am doing my best to hold my tongue. At times this is hard however because it is people like Stephen and Mary who could improve the system, but they don’t seem to think anything is out of the ordinary. And so you know that things will not change. I wonder in view of this what we should do to try and provide any long-term help. At this point we simply serve.

Aweek ago, on Monday we walked to Stars for Jesus (about 25 minutes or so). Then last Wednesday we drove with Philip to the new orphans home called Morning Stars. It was a beautiful and touching visit. We’ll write about the visit next time.

And most importantly, on Sunday we found a restaurant/bar which sell samosas (50 cents each), although we must have a ride to reach the place. We love samosas, and as a bonus there is live entertainment Sunday afternoons – assuming that a Swahili rendition of “You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille” is in fact “entertainment”.

Blessings, ‘til next time.

Help!

Help!

(I wrote this post shortly after we first moved to the place we will live for the next few months. We didn’t have internet and so couldn’t put it in the blog until now. It records our first impressions. Fortunately things have become easier since then as the next post tells.

January 5th, 2008

When we were thinking of using a weblog to chronicle our trip and work in Kenya, our intention was to let our experience encourage others to try a similar volunteer opportunity. So we named the blog “wecanyoucan” with the expectation that the posts would be positive and motivating. Also, we expected to have challenges and so the blog was also intended to keep those who were interested in what we are doing informed of our needs. Unfortunately this initial impression of our situation will not be positive and motivating, but we think we need to be honest about what our feelings and responses are to our new environment.

First, I (Howard) wonder if I had a certain amount of pride in making this trip, and if, somewhere in the subconscious there is the idea that a trip like we are taking is exotic in some way. If so, I have been disabused of both notions.

We were picked up yesterday by Philip (of the orphanage “Stars for Jesus”) and by Stephen of Stema school and driven to our apartment. The flat and school are in an urban area, with houses and businesses fronting the one-lane dirt road which runs past the school and our place. We next met Stephen’s wife Mary (hence “Stema”). They all did their best to make us feel wanted and welcome. We saw our apartment and then were taken shopping to buy our household needs- a bed, blanket, water purifier, kitchen and table things and the like. On returning to our place and now alone we are struck by our new situation.

Our ground floor apartment is almost directly across the road from the school. The road is the main thoroughfare for the community. Our front room and bedroom window are about 20 feet from the road. The road intersects at the entrance to our place and at the intersection there are a couple of fruit/vegetable stands and an assortment of other small, poor businesses, including unfortunately for us, a bar. There is fairly constant local foot and vehicle traffic, and noise. Last night neighborhood dogs barked more or less constantly. (Thankfully - we brought earplugs!) This morning there is the noise of roosters crowing, cows bawling, a donkey braying, a far-away ghetto blaster playing Kenyan pop music, car noises, babies crying or screaming, children playing and people talking and laughing. Judy and I love our privacy and peace and quiet and in our Campbell River condo often were annoyed by parking lot and occasional neighbor noise. This new situation is about 10 X worse and will require a big adjustment for us.

A further concern is the lack of security. We were told there was a guard at the gate 24/7. This is not really the case and we need to deal emotionally with our concern for our safety. We have ordered an iron safety door for our main entry door.

In spite of the closeness of people however, the worst feeling is of being so entirely alone. There is nothing exotic about urban Kenya – just the opposite. As the recent riots have shown the people are generally poor, occasionally lawless and mostly ignorant of the rest of the world. We are the only white people in the area and we are stared at by everyone. There is no one to really talk to about life as we have known it or are experiencing it now. Some local people may speak basic English, although in our area most speak the tribal language Kikuyu. There is no entertainment or diversions within walking distance. The nearest shopping area, a crowded dirty strip of highway is about a 25 minute walk. It has numerous small shops catering to local needs. There are no things such as theatre, museums or galleries, or even interesting window-shopping to be had. We have no vehicle to allow us to travel anywhere, although we will in time learn to use the primitive “matatu” (mini bus) system which serves as public transportation here. We have no mission organization to call on for support. We feel quite overwhelmed.

Intellectually of course we knew all this beforehand, but when you are finally here, and your hosts have left for their own homes, and you lay in bed the first night, the full impact of your situation hits you. And our initial thoughts are to wonder if it is possible to live like this, or if we have made a serious mistake of judgment and should start to plan to leave.

The next morning we know we can’t opt for running away and we decide to persevere, at least for the time being. We have made a commitment that we can’t give up on so soon. Today we will go walking and try to discover our area. We will arrange for a cell phone working and internet access. Judy reminded me of a relevant verse that is helping us to adjust to our situation. “unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Our challenge is to die for a time to those things we enjoyed and our false expectations. But this will not be easy and we would appreciate your prayers.

Patience!

This is just a quick note from a local internet cafe. We are having real trouble getting decent internet service where we are. I have a couple updates ready to put on the blog, but need to be able to do this at home since it takes quite a while to prepare and post them If you are checking on our blog, don't give up. We are still well. Our biggest issue is dealing with the isolation and culture shock. Had a real nice visit to Stars and Morning Stars the other day. Will write more about it soon.

Thanks for your recent note Peter. Glad to see somebody is reading!

Smile!

“Smile! You’re in Kenya”

So reads the sign as you leave customs and enter the general area at Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi. From the airport you then travel a potted asphalt road, which would not be tolerated in North America, and drive similar roads into and throughout Nairobi. Our first impression is that little has changed in the 3-4 years since we were here. And presently of course rival tribes are killing one another over rigged elections by corrupt politicians. Such is Africa. Great promise, and great failure. It makes you want to cry, rather than smile.

It is easy to get discouraged, but so far we do not feel that way. Firstly, we remember the children whom we are to serve. The unrest reminds us that perhaps our small contribution can help them acquire the understanding they need to act wisely when they are adults in their country.

As well, we are safe and sound at an AIM Guest House. The streets are very quiet and most businesses in the city are closed. The police have roadblocks on many of the major roads. There was to be a major rally yesterday by a political party in a nearby park and so we could hear the occasional round of tear gas being fired and occasional multiple rifle bursts. Another rally is said to be planned for today. Possibly we will travel to northeast Nairobi with Philip of Stars for Jesus. He tells us that the area has not suffered violence.

We will see.