Subways are not for caring luggage!!!

On the way home from our trip from Nairobi, Kenya we had the opportunity to spend 3 nights in Paris, France. We landed via London Heathrow around lunch time on Aug 13th. We were hoping that to hop the subway and zip right to our hotel similar to the way we did in London in June. After spending an hour trying to figure out the french and get on the right train we get all 11 of our 50lb bags drug onto the correct train. What we didn't realize when we decided to take the train was that we were going to have to make 3 interchanges and drag the bags 6 blocks to our hotel.

Luckily the interchanges we made had elevators, but the waiting at the airport put us on the downtown streets of Paris at 5 pm. So as the four of us walked with 11 suit cases down the street there were thousands of people walking past us packing the sidewalks. It was one of the most embarrassing and exhausting moments of our trip. Finally we made it to our hotel room after another day of 24 hour travel. We took a brief nap and headed out to the streets of Paris a little lighter and happier this time.

That evening we didn't want to go to a sit down restaurant for dinner, so we stopped in to a local Monoprix, a grocery store, and grabbed a baguette, a block of Parmesan cheese, and some ham, then headed on the subway to the Eiffel tower. We brought our African conga's to use as blankets to sit on and had our first meal at the base of the Eiffel tower. The Eiffel tower is one of the largest tourist attractions in the world. You could simply sit, watch, and listen and hear more languages in 10 minutes then any of us had heard in our entire lives. The tower was bustling and beautiful. Once the sun set the tower would like up with sparkling lights and you could feel the electricity in the air.

During the days we toured the city, visiting the Louvre, seeing the Mona Lisa, Notre Dame, Mon Marte, and Moulon Rouge. We visited local shop vendors and had numerous picnics all around the city. Our favorite food in Paris was the Croissants. They were melt in your mouth good, you couldn't help but eat another one.

Even though we didn't speak any French we managed to get around just fine. The French were very kind to us and would help in whatever English they knew.

My favorite memory of the trip came the last night we were in Paris. Jen and I left the other girls after dinner and bought a bottle of white wine. We took our wine down to the Seine river and walked. We walked nearly two miles on the brick walkways along the river, reflecting on our time in Paris and in Kenya. The evening's best sight was watching the sun set on the Eiffel Tower. That night was an excellent cap to our summer and made us wonder why we were heading home, back to busy work schedules and long days.

After traveling to 5 countries and 3 continents in a matter of 2 months we are so excited to do it again! Seeing the world and interacting with people different that yourself is a growing experience that can't be matched by staying in one place.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

I know, I know, it is nearly 2 months since our last post.....wow 2 months since we left Kenya! Time is definitely slower there......

2  months removed from our experience I would like to reflect on some of the things I miss most.

Time

Time has always been such a strange thing to me. Even growing up, as my parents can tell you, I have really been obsessed with the time. Keeping things running on schedule. Making sure I make it from point A to point B. I've noticed since we've gotten home that even though I can complete so much more in 24 hours in the US I get so much less of it. When we were in Kenya, Jen and I had what seemed like an infinite amount of time. We woke up together, ate together, experienced Kenya together. I found myself coming home and being frustrated that she didn't already know the back story of all of my experiences for that day. Quality time is definitely something that all Americans lack. I wonder what Americans would do if we had more time..... although I suppose I already know. Everything is on schedule, rain or shine. You can time your commute to the minute and baring some sort of alien attack or simultaneous accidents on every route to your place of work you will make it on time. For example, my days now are planned to the minute. Nothing ever changes so you can squeeze the "goody" out of every minute. Even if that "goody" isn't even what you want most. As anyone looking at my schedule can tell, I was an American when I left and an American when I returned, but America's obsession over time will always confuse me.

Friends

I think time and friends are directly related. Everyone you met in Africa could make time to build a friendship. There are genuine people in the US that I want to build a friendship with, but physically can't make the time to build it. Even if I made the time to build that friendship, chances are they wouldn't have the time to build it either. I don't necessarily think that the US is lacking genuine people, it's just the fact that all of the genuine people are doing genuine things and have a hard time running into each other.

Coca Cola and Sugar Cane

All of the soda in Kenya is made with locally grown sugar cane. I came home and tasted a soda and almost poured it out. I couldn't believe how awful it tasted. Sugar cane is sold on the side of the road in Kenya, so you just have the guy selling it chop it into bite sized pieces and you have a delicious snack for your walk home.

The Kids

You will never find a more loving person than someone in need. Even those kids just desperate for attention scream out for help. They changed my outlook on the world, and laid a burden on my heart that will never go away.


With all of those things I am still glad to be home. Our house, our routine, and our food are all American things that Americans love and I don't think any length of time away could change those. Our trip was the trip of a life time, but we have to assure you it won't be our last.

Korongocho

In the week leading up to our departure from Nairobi to Europe, we have had the opportunity to do a lot of things that we have been hearing about and wanting to do all summer. This included learning about Kenyan sign language and deaf education, eating at our favorite restaurants, visiting some friends for the last time, and seeing Korongocho.

Korongocho, literal translation from Swahili to English is trash. Korongocho is a slum area very close to where we have been working all summer. Some of our students even live in this slum that neighbors Dandora and Methare Valley. Korongocho isn’t as old as some of the slums that neighbor it. It began when Nairobi started a landfill in that area. When people came to Nairobi in seek of work and didn’t find any they saw the dump as a viable option for sustaining their family.

Today, 5,000 people live within the dump. They don’t have homes, the families simply burrow a hole in the trash and surround themselves with used plastic sacks for protection at night. During the day they spend the day scavenging for food and used plastics sacks without holes. Once they collect as many bags as they can hold they take them to the open sewage river and wash them. Then they dry them in the sun. They take these “recycled” bags to the fruit and vegetable market in the Korongocho slums and sell 10 bags to the vendors for 1 Kenyan Shilling. That is approximately $0.02 USD. Keep in mind the bare minimum to feed a family in the slums in Kenya for a day is 50 Shillings.

There is a man by the name of Pastor Joseph Kariuki who has made it his dream to educate the children of these families and give them an opportunity to leave the slums. He started a school named The Refuge. He raised money in his church to buy a small piece of land and is in the process of building a few classrooms, small dormitories, and a kitchen. He wants to be capable of housing 36 orphans and have at least 150 primary students. He has big hopes and dreams for the place, but we know that he is completeing the Lords will, and we ask for continued prayer towards his cause.

While we visited Korongocho we received a tour of the facilities and got to give some small toys away to the children. We played with balloons, beach balls, and noise makers. The light that those children bring into your life is something that I will never forget, and those smiles make it so much more difficult to travel home. 

Everybody Has a Story

We are quickly approaching our departure date. The past two weeks were very busy between closing our program at MCDC, visiting Kenya’s Kids for the second time, and speaking at Teen Challenge. The remainder of our stay will be less chaotic, but hopefully just as fulfilling.

A week ago last Friday, Ryan and I had the opportunity to speak at a men’s substance abuse recovery center, Teen Challenge. We were asked to share our testimony and how we have gotten to where we are today. The men in the recovery program were very welcoming and attentive to our stories. They seem surprised that American’s face similar struggles as they do and that being a “missionary” doesn’t mean that you were perfect all of your life. Before we left they wanted to present a song for us. The song they sang was titled “Everybody Has a Story”. As I sat there listening to the lyrics, I realized that everyone does have a story, making them who they are. This journey is our most recent chapter, but our stories would not be what they are without each preceding chapter.

The following day we made our second trip to Kenya’s Kids. We stayed one night instead of two this time, and it was much more manageable. We spent some time playing with the kids and catching up on the events over the past few weeks. Our main activity for the weekend was to split the kids into 4 groups: older girls, younger girls, older boys, and younger boys. Ryan worked with the boys and Chrissy and I worked with the girls. We gave each group paper and instructed them to write any questions they may have about relationships, sex, their bodies changing, marriage, family, etc.  After reviewing the questions and preparing what approach to take when answering them, we sat down and discussed each of the subjects with the kids. We realized that these kids don’t have mother or fathers to sit down and have “the talk” with them. They don’t have anyone to ask these difficult questions to. Chrissy and I felt like we became mother to about 23 young girls that day. It was wonderful getting to be a role model for these impressionable children that are so desperate for knowledge and understanding.

 Later that night we handed out the Bibles and Verse Books that were sent over by the Hollenbeck family. Before bringing the Bibles out, we asked each student to stand by their bunk bed. When they got the first glance at what we were about to give them, they became so excited. The whispers, giggles, and anxiousness spread throughout the room. Each Bible had their name in it and was presented to them one-by-one. There are no words to express how excited they were, but the photos show a glimpse.

Auntie, the woman that is the closest thing they have to a mother, was very interested in the Bibles. We had handed all of the Bibles out to the girls and did not have one to give her. Ryan had one extra so we brought it over and presented it to her. Tears came to her eyes as she opened it page by page and admired “her very own Bible.”

The night ended with my favorite part of the trip, lines of kids waiting for their good night hugs, “sleep good”, “see you in the morning”, and “don’t let the bed bugs bite”. It’s the little things like this that we remember so much as children that they don’t ever get to enjoy.

We are anxiously awaiting our third and final trip to visit the kids this Friday.  

Full Size Video Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rlt-rqqEvoQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtTZFH9oBto

Our First Goodbyes

This week has been the best and most difficult week since we left home. MCDC closed school for August Holiday on Wednesday. We spent full days at MCDC Monday-Wednesday getting every last possible minute with our students. The relationships we have been able to build have been amazing, and the Lord has allowed a lot of healing to take place since we arrived in June.

On Monday a few of our students invited us to visit their homes and families. The first home we visited was Hillary’s home. He lives in his corrugated metal house with his Aunt and two younger sisters. We left MCDC and walked to his house. The walk was about 10 minutes and his home was directly next to a metal working factory that emits black pollution 24 hours a day.

          

As far as slums go, he had very nice living arrangements. He lived in a small fenced community with about 10 homes. This community houses roughly 30 people that all share one common toilet and shower. The home was split into two rooms about 8 foot square and was built with 2 x 4 and corrugated metal. It had two wooden benches and a small counter to prepare food. They cook all of their food on a small coal stove.

We were greeted by Hillary’s Aunt, Jane. As soon as we came into the home and sat down she handed Hillary 110 Ksh and told him to go and buy 2 L of soda. 110 Ksh is approximately 1.25 USD, but it is enough to feed a small family for one day in Kenya. When Hillary returned with the soda, Jane poured all of us a small glass while she was nursing her symptoms of Malaria. We had an opportunity to visit about where Jane was from and how she came to raising Hillary and his sisters. We were so thankful for the soda and the opportunity to visit with such a kind family.

After Hillary’s home we headed to Eric Ochieng’s home. His home is located directly across the street from MCDC and in a small apartment complex. It is a one room apartment that he shares with his two older brothers. The room was about 10’ x 6’. They had a bed and a little cabinet with some dishes and cooking utensils. As soon as we arrived Eric pulled out 2 L of soda from the cabinet and served us as well. In African culture they assume that you want a drink and never ask what you would like. It is also rude to refuse the offering, even if you really don’t want anything to drink.

Eric’s brothers were extremely kind and welcoming, and having an opportunity to walk in their shoes really opened our eyes to what their everyday life is like. After we had seen the students’ homes we wanted to see what mass slums looked like. On Tuesday we met up with Peter Njoki, he is one of the first students to ever graduate from MCDC. He started in the program in 1995 when Jane Nuthu started the program by bringing in street children and feeding them and preaching to them on Saturdays. He showed us the New Methare Kenya Assemblies of God church and the primary MCDC campus.

  

Following the tour of the church we headed from the church into the slums by foot. The slums in Nairobi began popping up in the 80’s and 90’s when there was mass urbanization in Kenya. Everyone was flooding the cities looking for work. When none was to be found people just started squatting on the outskirts of town and building shanty towns. Eventually, they became established with roads, bus stops, markets, and barren apartment complexes. Most of the occupants still live in 8’ square shanties that just butt up next to each other for miles. These shanties form little alley ways that double as a walking paths and sewage drains. The homes have no cooking or bathing facilities so all of that happens just outside the home, on top of or next to the sewage run off. When the homes were first built there was no electricity run to them. Since that time, people have tried to run electricity to the homes. They do this by stringing wire from house to house. Most of the times the wire isn’t even covered by any plastic or rubber insulation, simply bare wire feeding electricity.

 

The most surprising thing about this shanty town was the children. We saw children as young as 2-3 wandering around these alley ways alone. No parents, no shoes, some with barely any clothing. Peter took us to the home he grew up in. He said he was born in that home and stayed there until he went to the boarding high school at MCDC. He navigated the alley ways the way someone navigates any city they have known for years. He knew all of the neighbors and was happy to trade smiles and handshakes as we traveled through.

 

Having the opportunity to travel through the slums answered a lot of questions for us. We began to understand a lot of the cultural differences. We now see why cramming 15 people into a matatu is just a regular thing and the kitchens at MCDC are pristine and the cleanest food the students will eat. To them, there is nothing wrong with having to sit on a 5 gallon bucket all day at school because, at least, they have a seat. It also drastically changed my definition of poverty. “Poverty in America” is something my generation has never truly known.

The slums also left us with a lot of questions. Why don’t these people travel back to their homeland, where their parents were raised? Why haven’t these slums been cleaned up, they have been present for 30 years? How can the corruption of police and politicians be ended in Africa? How can this change? How is it that two children can be born on the same day, in two different locations, and their lives look so drastically different?

We left MCDC today with sad hearts and many hugs. Our time in Africa is quickly slipping away and it is the most bittersweet feeling Jen or I have ever felt. When you are here every day you are reminded of how fortunate we really are. This experience has changed us for the better, and we are left wondering if our normal lives in Springfield are going to bring us the same fulfillment and satisfaction we feel every day here in Kenya. 

Links to full size videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UgpNq-WAK8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtxYs1n_EPY

Daily Duties

The past two weeks have been amazing, but routine. I decided that since I don’t have many new experiences to share I would try to describe the day to day events in our Kenya house. We have all learned to do things that we didn’t anticipate doing:

Cooking- The grocery store that we shop at has a great variety of food. The one significant difference is that they have very few processed foods available. Meals in a box are not an option here. Everything you make starts with its original contents. For example, we were really craving Hamburger Helper. Well that is unheard of here so we created our own with noodles, minced meat, random spices, and fresh cheese. It turned out great but I guess I had just never considered doing that at home.

Baking- Baking has become my newest hobby. During my free time I try new recipes from scratch: chocolate cake, strawberry muffins, mango muffins, apple and brown sugar muffins, banana bread, snicker doodle cookies, peanut butter cookies, and anything else I can think of. Ryan has really been enjoying this new hobby but it is starting to but a kink in my summer diet.

Sleeping- This is something that I’m going to miss so much. In Nairobi there is exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. It gets dark around 6:30 here so our daily activities end early. Since we can’t drive and public transportation is unsafe at night, we are restricted to our small houses from 6:30 on. Preparing and eating dinner takes about an hour, so from about 7:30 on we are free to do whatever we please. With no TV, speratic internet connections, and unpredictable electricity we find ourselves going to bed early. For a couple of hours each night, the three of us usually spend time visiting, playing cards, or obsessing over the game “Super Jewel Quest” on our $15 phones.

Sewing-This is something that I wasn’t good at before coming here and won’t be good at after coming here, but it is something we are forced to do to get by. Chrissy and I both had the straps to our dressed rip. So instead of calling Mom or taking it back to the store, we found a needle and thread and fixed them as best as we could.

Walking-As mentioned in earlier posts we do a lot of walking each day, a total of about 5 miles. All I have to say is that my idea of “walking distance” has significantly changed. When we leave, we know we won’t be back for several house so we carry everything with us, like pack horses.

Reading-The Kindle was a purchase that has definitely paid off. Ryan and I have both read several books since we left the states. For me personally, I have leisurely read more in the last 2 months that I have in the past 2 years combined.

As much as these things feel like an inconvenience while we are experiencing them, they have really made this experience as memorable as it has been. We have spent so much more quality time together and gotten to hear stories that would not have otherwise been shared. Each time we start to complain about something we just look out and see what the majority of the population lives like in Nairobi and we immediately thank God for what he has blessed us with here and back at home.

Blessing or Curse…….That's All a Matter of Perspective

While it is still a full month before we arrive back in Springfield, Missouri, it feels as though things are on the downward slide here. MCDC closes for August Holiday on July 31^st so we only have two more weeks to work with those students. We are taking a long layover in Paris on the way home and travel eats two days. So we will be leaving Africa in 3 weeks. Our thoughts are starting to turn to how home plays into how we have grown here.

Today we made our journey to MCDC as usual. We walked 1.5 miles to the bus stop. We crammed in the bus as usual with 4 more people than seats. At the first stop we bought our morning chipati(African tortilla), fried right on the side of the road. Then we went to our next bus and arrived at MCDC no worse for wear and ready for the day to begin.

Shortly after arrival we made a realization. None of us had commented on the length of the walk, the herd of goats that impeded traffic, or the hogs and homeless men rummaging through the trash. We realized that our two hour journey has become normal. The things we see, the people we interact with, and riding in clown cars has become normal. Then we started to think about what it will be like when we go home; people obeying traffic laws, no one walking on the road, driving in our cars and traveling ALONE.

All of this made me think. Our biggest concern coming to Kenya was transportation. We didn’t know how to get anywhere or how long it would take. When we thought of riding matatus and walking we thought about how inconvenient it was to not have our own car. Then I thought about how lonely my car will be when I’m driving home from work down Chestnut expressway with no one to share the thoughts of my day with.

What we thought was going to be our biggest inconvenience has turned into our biggest blessing. Sure it would be easier and more “convenient” to jump in our car, pull out of our “garage” and drive to MCDC every day. It would take 25 minutes and we wouldn’t have to rub elbows with anyone. But the most exciting, enjoyable and cultural experiences on this trip have come while we were walking or riding matatus. This time allows us to share what happens with our interactions with kids, brain storm and give suggestions on possible strategies on how to approach those kids the next day. We get to discuss cultural differences with Kate and the other Kenyans that travel with us. We get to interact with the locals by buying their homemade goods. I wouldn't ever want to travel in Nairobi any other way!

We still don’t have the answer to the question, “How does this trip play into our everyday lives in Springfield, Missouri,” but we do know that part of our heart will always be In Kenya!

“The dust of Africa will never leave the soles of your feet.”

-Dusty Feet

Too much Culture for one evening…..

Saturday, July 9^th was my 24^th birthday. Since we are here in Kenya, and we have no car of our own we are always at the mercy of our friends. One of our good friends, Maina, was throwing a surprise graduation party for his father who was graduating with a BA in Theology. Our initial feelings were of hesitation, we didn’t know what graduation parties were like here, and we didn’t know what kind of food would be served, and so on. Maina told us he would pick us up 4 and we would go to the party that started at 6.

Well true to Kenyan form, Maina arrived to pick us up at 5:15 pm for the 6 pm party where he was scheduled to be the MC for the evening. We were not the only guests he was carrying either. We rushed to his aunt’s house to pick up his aunt and two cousins and by this time it was nearly six. Then came Maina’s famous last words, “Lord willing if there are no accidents and no traffic we will make it on time.”

As we were driving through an open market type area Maina was driving slow and was carrying a conversation with Jen, who was sitting in the back seat. He continued to drive while he turned around and visited with Jen. I was riding in the passenger seat; I have become accustomed to close calls in the car by this point and didn’t think to warn Maina about the middle age woman directly in his path until she was jumping up on the hood of the car! By that point I yelled, “Maina!” and pointed at the woman, he stopped immediately then rolled down the window to apologize. No one was hurt, but that was the first time I had ever seen that happen.

Following hitting a woman, Maina was determined to get there on time. We came to one of the infamous Nairobi roundabouts and he was passing a large city bus on the left. In Nairobi the driver sits on the right, we were in a little Toyota car, and long story short, the bus tried to push us out of the intersection, wrecking the rear right quarter panel and pushing us into the curb. The accident happened at 5:55 pm.

The main sources of Nairobi traffic jams are car accidents, and last night we found out why. At the time of the accident both vehicles were moving about 10 miles per hour, they hit, then stopped immediately directly in the entrance into the roundabout. No one was injured, the accident was obviously the busses fault, but they didn’t move. In Nairobi, you are not allowed to move the vehicles after an accident until the police come to write their report. On the weekends the police aren’t in any hurry, so it could take them almost 3 hours before they report to the scene. We continued to sit blocking the intersection and causing a major jam behind us for nearly 45 minutes. Finally someone else from the party came to pick us up while Maina waited for the police.

Arriving at the party only added to our cultural immersion. All of Maina’s family was attending, there were to be food and speeches and fellowship. Our only connection to the party was Maina, we had not been introduced to any of the rest of his family, and Maina was still tied up with the accident. So now we are three foreigners walking into a graduation party for someone we haven’t even met. Luckily, we had met Maina’s girlfriend who was already present at the party, but this was her opportunity to become acquainted with the family as well. We were directed to sit down, then to go and get our food as the party started without Maina.

Traditional Kenyan staples were served. They had rice, vegetables, boiled greens, chipati, ugali, roasted chicken, beef stew, roasted goat, mashed potatoes mixed with maize, and fruits. By now we know not to expect anything to taste like home. The meat all tastes different as the animals don’t have the similar diet to those in the states, similarly, ugali, chipati, and maize can’t be compared to things in America either, but all in all the food was delicious and filling. Shortly after the meal was finished Maina arrived to the party and informed us that the accident was the other guys fault and that insurance would take care of it from there.

After Maina arrived we began the ceremony, this ceremony consisted of all of the family members coming to the front to speak, everyone presented a gift in front of all of the guests, and a vocal worship time led by Maina’s sister, Ann, in three different languages: English, Swahili, and Kikuyu (a Kenyan tribal language). By the time the ceremony was complete and we made our journey back home, it was almost midnight.

The experiences of frustration and awkwardness were overshadowed by the love that was shown from everyone that was at the party. Everyone had amazing things to say about Maina’s father and family. The events of the evening made it one I will never forget. 

True to Kenyan Form

The past week at MCDC has truly been wonderful! We started our group sessions on Monday. We all three went in anticipating that the first week would be a challenge, yet once again they have proven us wrong.  The organization was slightly chaotic but that’s how things tend to be here in Kenya. Once the students arrived, about 20 minutes late, the sessions went very well. I had a group of students that had lost both their mother and their father. No one in the group knew the topic of discussion or that they all shared this commonality. One of the most powerful moments thus far was when I asked everyone who has lost their mother to stand up. All at once, the entire group of 15 students stood from their chairs. Then I said if you have lost your father please remain standing, no one moved. I wish I could have captured the looks on each students face. As they looked around at their friends and classmates that they have know for months and years, they began to realize that they weren’t alone in this challenging world. I had one student tell be he was very surprised and that he felt encouragement and comfort for the first time since his mother died.

Ryan and I have both already made strong connections with the students. We have had many students ask to speak with us one on one, and many try to show up for the group session every day, when they are only assigned to once a week. Ryan has amazed me at his way with the kids. I knew that he was a WONDERFUL teacher but he has blown me away with his mentorship and counseling skills. God has been working in both of us so much and we have found skills that we didn’t realize we had.

Our Fourth of July holiday was much different than what we normally have in the states. We spent the day working at MCDC and it didn’t sink in that it was Independence Day until later that night. It was sad knowing that all of our family and friends were together and that we were not a part of it. We enjoyed Skyping with everyone but it just made us miss home that much more. That morning we spent 2 hours traveling to MCDC and 2 hours counseling at MCDC. Some of our Kenyan friends knew that we needed to buy butter on our way home to make cookies for a fourth of July party we were having with the local Missionaries. They offered to take us into town to pick up butter and then take us right home. “We have plenty of time to make it back before the party.” Yea those were our famous last words! The ride into town took an hour and then Maina took us to his uncle’s butcher shop, Kate took us to her brother’s jewelry store, they wanted to stop for us to buy a fruit salad, and 2 hours later we made it to the store to buy the butter. Well that put us right at rush hour, trying to find a matatu. We waited for 45 minutes to catch a ride and then sat in traffic for an hour to get to the matatu stop closest to our home. We still had a 30 minute walk from there. The cookies were not yet made and we were already 3 hours late for the party. Our friends told us that being late for a party is no problem in Kenya. It wasn’t until we told them that it was an American party that they understood why we were feeling so rushed. Everything worked out and all of the missionaries understood why we were late when we told them we were with two locals. We were served hamburgers, salads, chips, pie, and ice cream. The food was a great taste from home and the firework show really made the holiday feel official. We are so thankful for the missionaries that have welcomed us into their homes and have become our families away from home.   

We spent some time this week attempting to document our travels to MCDC. It is impossible to fully document the experience but we gave it our best attempt through the video that is attached. Every morning and every afternoon we walk approximately 1 hour each way. The total travel time is about 2 hours and we are located only 7 miles away from the school. We won’t know what to think when we get back to the states and can jump in our car to be somewhere 7 miles away in 10 minutes. View the full size video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zSn40PWz6M

 We have been told that we are officially Kenyan because we eat their food, travel by Matatu, and show up late to everything.       

Home Sweet Kenya

Here are a few video tours of our compound and our home! If you would like to see the videos full screen search "abumandafish" on youtube.

"Africa Time"

Friday morning we went to the teen challenge center. The center is less than a mile from our compound and its establishment was headed by John and Annie Martin, Kenya Assemblies of God missionaries. Teen Challenge is a worldwide initiative to open drug rehabilitation centers. This particular center is a men’s center that services men from age 20 and up who live in the Nairobi area. We were invited to be the keynote speakers at their weekly chapel service. Chrissy Young stepped forward and shared a moving message from her life proving the power of prayer and forgiveness. The men took a particular liking to message as they feel as though they have burned many bridges and hurt many of the people that they love. It gave them hope that those relationships can be restored and that Jesus is powerful to mend all hearts.

“Africa Time,” what does it mean?

We were scheduled to be picked up to go to Teen Challenge at 8 am and to speak at 8:30. Well our ride showed up at 8:20 and we spoke at 8:40. We were scheduled to leave teen challenge at 10 am and we left at 11:30 am. Our next ride was scheduled to arrive at 10:30, he showed at 11:45, and our lunch date met up with us at approximately 2:30.  Nothing stays on schedule!

I am not sure if the time moves faster, or if people aren’t really hung up on the time in Kenya. Part of the problem is every time you leave the house the length of your trip is different. For example, on our matatu rides to MCDC when we leave the house we have a 1.5 mile walk to the bus stop. That walk could be altered by traffic, masses of people, or cattle. When we arrive to the bus stop, there is no  bus schedule, the matatus are privately owned so the drivers stick to the routes that have the most customers. You could wait 5 minutes, or 45; your wait time simply depends on:

• Number of people waiting with you
• Number of people on the previous stops
• The weather
• The time of day
• The temperament of the driver
• Peak hours
• Off hours
• Traffic

And all of those factors come into play each and every time you change between matatus. Our journey from home to MCDC requires 3 exchanges, each route costs a different amount and has its own unique qualities. All in our entire journey from home to MCDC, on average, requires 2 hours each way. The distance of our journey to MCDC is roughly 10 miles.

In addition to extra transport time everything seems to take longer. I don’t know if we are just starting to adjust to “Africa Time,” but anything you try to do seems to take all day. After Teen Challenge today we planned to meet a friend for lunch then pick up a few things at the market; two very simple endeavors. We arrived at Village Market (A shopping complex with a food court, specialty shops, and Nakumat) at 12:30. Our friend arrived around 2:30 and we didn’t get to Nakumat to shop until 4:00! It took us 2 hours to shop and we didn’t arrive home until 6:30. Kenya is directly on the equator so we get exactly 12 hours of sunlight. It is not safe to be out after dark so your day ends at 6:45 with night fall. So what would take a few hours of your afternoon in America takes nearly a full day in Africa.

“Africa Time” is just one of the cultural differences we are attempting to adapt to. It is one that allows for more personal relationships and a relatively less stressful life style. It is easy to get into the groove and pace of things here. We hope to continue to learn and adapt to our new environment for the next 6 weeks! And when we get home we will have to be allowed a little bit of slack as we adjust back to our two job, full time lives!

Tender Hearts, Calloused Hands

The last week has been a whirlwind. We are finally settled in Nairobi and the last week has been spent planning, meeting with all of our contacts, and beginning our work. Our main form of transportation is public transformation. The this looks slightly different than in London, here we ride Matatus. 

These small vans are our only mode of travel. They are privately owned, but incredibly inexpensive to get around on. One ride is 30 Ksh which is roughly 35 cents. They play loud music and run strobe lights and when you interchange at a competitive stop the drivers fight for your business, sometimes even pulling you in the direction of their Matatu. The convenience of having a car all to myself in America is something I have never cherished so much.

This past weekend we spent two nights and three days at Kenya's Kids, a rehabilitation center for abandoned street children from the Nairobi area. They currently have 52 orphans at their center. We slept where they sleep and ate what they eat. It was one of the most challenging weekends we have ever faced. 

To start off, these kids know how to work.....HARD. They have an acre of garden that must be watered by hand every morning and evening. They have 3 milk cows that are milked morning and evening, they also have an operating pig, rabbit, and chicken farm that they breed and sell year round. They extract the methane from cow and pig manure as bio gas to boil drinking water and make the morning porridge The children wash all of their clothes by hand and cook nearly all of their food over open fire. As if that wasn't enough, they mop every indoor floor surface every day by dumping water on the floor and then skweegeeing it off by bending over and dragging towels across the floor. They wake at 6 a.m. every morning and have to fit in all of these chores and participate in one of the most demanding education systems in the world before 7 p.m. At that time they have a one hour child led praise and worship service in their dormitories, then they have a one hour study hall from 8 to 9 before going to bed at 9 p.m. It didn't matter how hard the beds were when our heads hit the pillow on Friday night, we wanted to sleep.

With all of that work and study these kids need a lot of food, and unfortunately they don't get everything they need.

The meal you see above is Ugali, local boiled spinach, and warm fresh milk. Ugali is difficult to describe, it is made with corn meal, flour and water, and it tastes about as appetizing as it sounds. The consistency is similar to dried up cream of wheat cereal, but it is spongy and you can break off chunks to eat. This was dinner Friday evening. The children had put in a full day of manual labor and study and this is what they had to eat. On Saturday we had porridge for breakfast and a plate of rice for lunch. The only protein we ate all weekend was the very small chicken thigh on Saturday night. We would finish eating and I would look at my watch an hour later when my stomach would growl and wonder when the next meal was coming. Even under those circumstances we never heard the words, "I am hungry." Not once! 

The children are truly thankful for what they are given, they understand that without parents in Kenya it is nearly impossible to get an education, a home, or eat. They willingly go about their work and they study hard to be successful. They have huge aspirations and goals for their life and know that without Kenya's Kids they would likely be without what little they do have. 

During their study hall I had an opportunity to tutor some of the boys above. They are 16 or 17 years old, they only have an 8th grade education, but their math capabilities are comparable to that of an average U.S. university student. Every student who graduates from secondary school in Kenya completes the equivalent of Calculus I. It is amazing how proud, hard working, and devoted to the lord these kids are.  

The children had so many questions about us, about America, and they longed for affirmation of their hopes and dreams. They wanted to show us everything they had to their name, it all fit in a little trunk they kept under their beds. They wanted to show us how they did their chores and how they played basketball and soccer on their dirt fields. Jen and I even got to celebrate our first wedding anniversary with them on Sunday.

Though our impact can't be measured we hope that it will be felt by the children for days and years to come. We are planning on going back to Kenya's Kids sometime in July or August with a donated shipment of bibles to hand out. Wile the weekend was no doubt challenging, physically and mentally, it was one of the most rewarding experiences we have ever had.

The Hearts of Africa

Over the past several days we have settled into Nairobi quite nicely. Right when we think we are stocked up on food and supplies we realize something that we have forgotten to pick up. Considering the position we are currently in, we can’t just jump in the car and run to Wal-Mart. We have to wait until a nearby missionary is planning a trip to the market and invites us to ride along. Fortunately, we have not had to go more than a few days without the opportunity to catch a ride.

Over the past week we have met many of the local missionaries and their families. It is amazing how they become family to each other and how welcoming they are to the three of us. We have been invited over for dinners and even an upcoming 4^th of July celebration. It is clear that everyone understands the trials that we face being away from friends, family, and everything that is familiar to us. They have gone out of their way to make us comfortable and ensure we have what we need.

A group of four guys from ICC (International Christian Center) came for a meeting to discuss possible modes of transportation for us while we work in two different schools around Nairobi. It was our first time to entertain guests in our new home. Ironically, it was also our first time to cook a full meal in our kitchen. Similar to everything else, cooking in Africa is NOTHING like cooking in America. It was a fun experience and it gave them the opportunity to taste something they had never eaten before.

The best part of the entire night was the genuine relationships that we developed with these four young men. Ryan and I contemplated the best way to describe the hearts of these people and we basically decided that there is no way to fully explain it. We invited them over for the opportunity to ask their advice on the best form of transportation, and they arrived offering much more. Prior to their visit Joseph and the pastor at the church he attends arranged a team of young adults that will travel to and from the schools with us each day. When we acted surprised and so appreciative they responded with bewilderment. They acted as if they would have it no other way. We told them that we had a meeting with the principal of one schools scheduled within the next 2 days each of them picked up the phone and started making contacts to find someone that would ride the matatu (bus) across town to pick us up and ride back to the other side of town to take us to the school. This could take them up to two hours one way. It was within in minutes that they found someone that was willing to spend their entire day just helping us get to a meeting. Then we told them that we were scheduled to spend the weekend at an orphanage that is located out of town. One of the guys at dinner made arrangements to borrow a car to drive us to the school, potentially a 3 hour drive one way, depending on traffic. When trying to express our gratitude and feelings of guilt for “putting them out” Elias stopped me and said, “Let me explain, in our culture you do not feel guilty for us offering to help you. We are honored to help and the best way to show your appreciation is to accept what is offered.” That is just one example of the many ways they showed how big their hearts really are. They were a direct answer the prayers the three of us have been praying since we started this adventure. 

We look forward to continuing to develop these relationships and hopefully begin developing new relationships. The Lord continues to bless us in many ways, further affirming our presence here in Africa. 

The road less traveled…….kind of

Our time in Tanzania was well spent. We stopped in at Mavuno Village outside of Mwanza, Tanzania and met Dan Tanner. He is a man who was raised in Tanzania. His vision for his orphanage is to raise Christian, hardworking Tanzanians. The living conditions in Tanzania are pretty rough and that unfortunately isn’t going to change any time soon. Dan has seen generations of missionaries come to East Africa and set up orphanages for abandoned children, but these orphanages are furnished with comfortable furniture, western kitchens and bathrooms, free meals, and technology that isn’t available to the average Tanzanian. When these children grow up they are not ready for the conditions that most Tanzanians must live in. These children usually turn to crime, drugs, or prostitution to continue getting their “free lunch,” thus continuing the cycle of poverty that plagues these third world nations.

Dan’s goal is to build an orphanage around the family unit. A mother and father will be given a home, a plot of land to raise their own fruits and vegetables, and means to earn their own income. In return they must “foster” 8-10 children. These children have chores for the family and the orphanage and see that nothing they receive is “free lunch.” They will have a school onsite and the parents and children will maintain the grounds. He allows each family to maintain their own garden and record their sales at the local markets, creating motivation through competition to work more efficiently.  This place creates an opportunity for adults to have a safe place to live and work while simultaneously giving back to members of their community. Also producing hardworking, skilled, and educated Tanzanians who are ready for the conditions they must live.

 

Dan is also opening the doors of his orphanage to house Albinos. African Albinos are sought after for their body parts by witch doctors. The youth are targeted and especially vulnerable, his security and proximity to Mwanza create a good safe haven for Albino orphans. We had an opportunity to meet and play with Helena. She was abandoned by her mother at the age of 2. Many parents are embarrassed and shamed by their community when they have an Albino child. She spoke Swahili and English and was just as rambunctious as her 8 “brothers and sisters.” We loved the opportunity to see this man’s dream becoming a reality and seeing how happy these children were to have a home with a mother and a father.

Our time in Tanzania was short and we have been talking about our drive to Nairobi for quite a few months. When we first decided that the car would be our method of transportation from Mwanza, Tanzania to Nairobi, Kenya I didn’t even give it a second thought. I thought, well I have driven thousands of miles in the states visiting family and friends and I can handle one 400 mile drive in Africa. Well famous last words. I think the one 400 mile, 10 hour drive is honestly equivalent to a drive from the Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles to Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida. I know you think I am exaggerating, but seriously it’s that bad. In Africa, there is not a lot of law enforcement so there aren’t very many officers sitting behind the trees with the radar gun, one might thing that would great, you can drive as fast as you would like. Well, when people started being run over by speeding cars the government had to step in, their solution, speed bumps. Not just American parking lot speed bumps, but the kind of speed bumps that if you are driving faster than 10 miles per hour your passengers in the back hit their head on the roof of the car. These speed bumps come on average 3 per mile. So on a 400 mile journey you can plan on hitting over 1,000 of these things. Now you were only lucky enough to have the speed bumps when the road is paved. Over the course of the trip you can plan on over 30 miles of the trip to be dirt road. Now think of the worst dirt road you have ever driven on, then make the ruts cut from the monsoon type rains 18” to 24” deep. Then add the crazy drivers and the herds of cattle, sheep,  goats, or monkeys and it makes the 400 miles through the mountains and tea fields from Mwanza to Nairobi very exhausting.

While we are settling in Nairobi we are meeting new people and finding that our friends from previous trips are offering to help us in every way possible. We are excited about our possibilities to impact people in Nairobi. We will keep you posted in the coming days as our plans for the summer solidify. 

When we thought it couldn't get any better..........

     The past two days have been amazing, but in totally different ways. Each day held great emotion and was a demonstration of how great God truly is. Sunday we visited a Bible School and attended the morning church service. The praise and worship was all in Swahili but we have never felt so moved in our lives. The African people have a love for life and an even greater love for God. This love pours out through every song they sing and every step they dance. They have so few things and so many worries, yet they are more thankful and grateful than anyone we have met before. The entire congregation was singing and dancing along with the speakers and music provided. Without notice the electricity went out and without missing a beat they continued to worship as thought nothing had happened. This simple example is a pure demonstration of how little value they put on material things and what great value they put on the love of God.

      Today we were provided with the opportunity of taking a safari through the Serengeti. Little did we know that this time of year happens to be during the Great Migration. Minutes after entering the game reserve we spotted hundreds of thousands of Wilda-beast and Zebra. They covered the hills like cattle in Texas. We drove upon several families of giraffe, totaling about 20. We desperately wanted to see an elephant and we were blessed with finding two small families and one large heard with approximately 10 large and small elephants. Right as we were about to give up on spotting a lion, between two trees we found a female lion. She walked right toward our car and around the back. We had several minutes of gazing at her when we noticed she kept looking back at the trees behind her. We turned that direction to see what she was protecting and spotted a large male lion. He walked down to the nearby stream to get a drink and laid down to rest. We were within 5 feet of the female lion and 15 feel of the male lion. For everyone that wants to witness our safari, don't worry we took over 600 pictures and 3 hours of video.    

First Taste of Africa

Our time in London was exactly what we had hoped for; an interesting hostel stay, a lot of sight seeing, and an opportunity to taste an international community before jumping into the culture shock of Kenya.

The flights from London to Tanzania were much different than the flights to London. We arrived into Dar es Salam, Tanzania after an all night 10 hour flight from London. The Dar es Salam airport is an open air airport on the banks of the Indian ocean. You can imagine how much fun waiting in line for our visas and customs was. After Leaving security we had to get new tickets and recheck in on a different airline. They would only allow us 1 checked bag each! Between the 4 of us we had 13 pieces of luggage. This flight costed the group 240,000 TSH. I'll let you work the conversion rate on that! After mutliple trips to the banco de conversion we ran to our terminal and arrived in Mwanza, Tanzania where Tim Jarvis, Sarah's father, was there ready to pick us up from the Mwanza airport. 

The Mwanza airport was smaller than the average American home. It contained a few rooms and the "baggage claim" was a number of African men running from the belly of the plane then coming and asking you if the bag belonged to you.

We have only been in the Jarvis home for about 24 hours, but they are already making us feel at home with delicious cooking and amazing stories from 15 years of Tanzanian Missions. We are truly blessed to have an opportunity to visit this country and be treated to such great company.

In the next week we plan to spend time at the a few Albino orphanages including, Jellies, visit a local open air market in Mwanza, have a full day Safari in the Serengeti Game Reserve, tour the Nile Perch store, eat Nile Perch, play with the local children, and drive to Nairobi Kenya.