THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS A BRIEF LISTING OF BUSINESSES STARTED BY KENYAN COMMUNITIES AFTER RECEIVING THE VCI OPOS (OUTCOMES, PRACTICES AND OPEN SPACE) TRAINING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
MICRO FINANCE - This is a business which was started by a group from a village called KADIBO under the management of BETHZATHA ORPHANAGE in Kisumu after attending VCI trainings in 2008. The group started what they called Village Bank by starting to bring their funds together on a monthly saving basis. The fund is being given to Widows and Orphans care takers as a loan to start small businesses so that they can be able to support themselves and the orphans under their care. The recipients of the funds are supposed to pay back the money on the agreed term with the interest of 5%. The main interest of this group is not the refunding of the loan or the interest paid, but the well being of widows, orphans and the Vulnerable Children. Members are doing business such as farming, selling corn meal, small restaurant, selling rice, selling parafin oil, selling fish, etc.
CRAFTS - This includes making of baskets, mats, making of different things crafts from woods and sewing of clothes, this is mainly done by the group called ORONGO ORPHANS and WIDOWS GROUP in Kolwa village. They started the program back in 2008 after attending VCI trainings in Kisumu. The group uses the funds out of this business to provide School Uniforms to the orphans as well as paying their school fees.
POULTRY FARMING - This is being done by RABUOR ORPHANS RESOURCE CENTRE started by a group of widows, in Kisumu, YOUNG GENERATION CHILDREN HOMES in Kisumu and NOBLE CHARITY HOME FOR DESTITUTE in Kibos, both RABUOR ORPHANS RESOURCE CENTRE and NOBLE CHARITY HOME FOR THE DESTITUTES keeps local breeds , when the chickens increased through hatching, they gives out the small ones to widows and care takers according to the numbers of orphans in each house, the recipients have to keep the chicken and leave them to multiply as a source of their income, the business is to help them support the the children who are under their care by selling some and keep some for breeding while YOUNG GENERATION CHILDREN HOME keeps grade breeds for meet, they sell the chickens to the local restaurant for meet and support the orphans out of the profit
SOAP AND BODY OIL - This is being done by a group called MIGOSI VILLAGE CARE in Kisumu, they sell soap and body oil to the community around, the fund is used to support orphans and Vulnerable children within the community, they also train widows in different villages on how to make soap and body oil for business, most of these widows no longer spend money on buying soap and body oil for their families as long as they can get the detergents.
DAIRY GOAT - This is being done by a group called Kibos Village Care in Kisumu, it is dairy goat mainly for Milk, this group are selling milk to their community as well as giving milk free to widows and orphans who are HIV positive after learning that goat milk is good in building immune system of the body due to herbs which goats are feeding on. They are also selling goats to other interested groups and individuals as they teach people the importance of goat milk on sick people. In future they have a plan of giving goats to the widows and care takers freely so they will not need to supply them with milk. Widows and care takers will also be required to have this as a business. One dairy goat is being sold at $ 100.
FISH FARMING - This is being done by two groups, AMIYO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS GROUP in Holo and NOBLE CHARITY HOME FOR THE DESTITUTES in Kibos. The fish farming is mainly to sell fish for meat to the community around, out of this business widows, orphans and the aged are being supported.
TREE AND FRUIT NURSERY - This is being done by AMIYO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS GROUP in Holo, they sell both plants to the community, the fund support orphans in providing school uniforms, books and clothes.
WATER SUPPLY - This being done by a group called NYABONDO WE GOT GROUP in Holo, this group realized that water is a big problem in their community, most women and children were spending their whole day in searching for water, they decided to save their funds together on weekly basis after which they were able to drill a bore-hole, they are selling water to the community at affordable price as part of their business, the group is comprised of majority of women.
RABBIT KEEPING - This is being done by different groups in OLKALOU for meat, the Rabbit meat is being sold in most restaurants in Coastal region of Kenya, it is very marketable there, the region of coast is a tourist zone, most of these groups supports many orphans within the community out of the business.
PIGGERY - This is being done by AMIYO WIDOWS AND ORPHANS GROUP in Holo. One pig gives birth to almost eight piglets, A big pig can be sold at almost $150, the group uses the fund to support the orphans in education.
CROP FARMING - This is being done by SALEM ORPHANAGE as a way to get food from the farm and save what could have been used to buy food for the orphans, Salem also sells some of the harvest to enable them meet some cost towards the orphans.
NB: All these group have attended OUTCOMES (OPOS) training done by Village Care, it is out of these training they came up with the above businesses as a way of income to support the orphans and Vulnerable Children.
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Friday, August 13, 2010
JULY 2010 KISUMU TEAM REPORTS
THE FOLLOWING IS A COMPILATION OF THE DAILY TEAM REPORTS FOR THE VCI JULY 2010 KISUMU KENYA TEAM
July 2010 Kisumu, Kenya Team Reports (consolidated)
July 17, 2010 – Chris Espedal (team leader and VCI Board Member) and Anya Truscott were transported to Sac Metro Airport by chauffeur, Larry Espedal with co-pilot, Aimee Scott. Larry prayed for our team and time in Kenya. Arrival time at airport was 9:15 a.m. Check in was smooth after a slight glitch with Anya’s boarding passes leaving her in Belgium.
Spoke with Cara Cooney; she spent her morning vomiting following Doxycycline on an empty stomach. She was at LAX waiting on her flight and feeling better by 9:30 a.m. Lesson learned …..eat before taking malaria medication.
Spoke with Andrew Mott, he had cleared security in Ohio and was waiting at his gate to board. Left a message for Pastor Willy letting him know the team is anxious to meet him. Andrew will call when he and Willy meet in Washington, DC.
Received an email from Cissy Maxwell who has been in Zimbabwe for the past week. She had a wonderful time but is looking forward to meeting the team in Nairobi and working with Village Care.
Everyone is in good spirits and excited about what God has planned for our time in Kenya.
Flight from Chicago to Brussels was uneventful; not much sleep but a few good movies. We had to run to our gate as the flight was boarding as our plane was landing. We were welcomed by Andrew and Willy at our gate and began the flight to Burundi on Brussels Air. No movies on this flight, very few screens and that made the trip LONG. Unloading some passengers in Burundi was a bit chaotic and time consuming. It’s late and we are all looking forward to some sleep in Nairobi.
July 18, 2010 - Retrieved our luggage at the airport with no problems, praise God. Peter, our driver was there to greet us and drive us directly to the Chak Guest House. Our rooms were nice and the hot showers were so wonderful. We went directly to bed but sleep was hard to come by. About 1:30 a.m we were all finally settled into bed under our mosquito nets and got some shut eye.
July 19, 2010 – the alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. and we began our day. Cissy Maxwell was introduced to the team at breakfast and Willy shared from Mark 2: 1-2, 11-12. He encouraged us with the challenge to “continue the journey” with the points being, 1) unity of the team, 2) action with faith and 3) sacrifice (getting out of our comfort zone). We are to be lights amongst the people of Kisumu! “The journey of 1000 miles (from US to Africa) can only begin when we take the first step” – the message Willy received from God prompting him to search for a mission team that would lead him to Africa; he found Village Care online.
8:00 a.m. Peter arrived to load the van and we set off for Nakumatt (similar to a Walmart) to shop for snacks, exchange our money for Kenyan schillings and of course, to enjoy a cup of coffee from the Java House. We were soon on the road to Kisumu. The weather is cool with some clouds, a nice breeze and the sun shining through.
We paused at the top of the Rift Valley to take in the incredible view. Two baboons were the first wild life spotted along the road. Just outside of Nakuru we spotted a herd of zebra. The roads were new and so much smoother than my first ride to Kisumu several years ago. The team slept off and on in between enjoying the beauty of this country.
Willy completed the team report for July 19, 2010:
We arrived in Kisumu at the home of Jack Mila, wife Evelyn and their children. The VCI Kisumu Resource Center will be our home for our time here. We had some time to unpack and settle in before going out to dinner at a restaurant near Nakumatt. We were thankful for dinner.
Willy noted that he was surprised by the beauty of Africa, the goodness of the people and the needs physically and spiritually of the people. He was impressed by Pastor Jack, “a servant of God who kept the calling of God in his heart”. Pastor Jack shared his story with the team and Willy enjoyed meeting his family and seeing their involvement with God’s work.
Willy noted that he could see the poverty in the area of Kisumu but the children around Jack’s home are smiling, laughing and happy. The children are wonderful but are in need of help, per Willy. We did not observe the Village Care practices today as it was a travel day.
July 20, 2010 – The morning began with an exercise session in the back yard. The rooster that crowed throughout the night watched perched on the wall.
Cara led devotions this morning and shared from a book she is reading, 90 Minutes in Heaven. Cara commented that the lesson in the story is that the man recovering from an accident was finding it difficult to receive the love and care of the people around him. She related that not allowing the African people to bless us, like bringing hot water, takes a blessing from them. Jack commented that they “enjoy” bringing the water for us so please ask for it. Cara encouraged us to look for the blessings while we are here, as well as, blessing the people by letting them serve us. Cara led us in Worship singing and prayer.
Breakfast was sausage and bread and juice. It was a bit sparse, like many African meals, but our snacks rounded out the meal.
Cara Cooney reporting for the team:
We visited St. Elizabeth’s and Ring Road Orphanages today. Both of the orphanages were in Kisumu. Both visits provided us with a lot of information about how the orphans come to live there and how they operate. At St. Elizabeth’s we did follow up health checks from the October team. We also added new children to the progress reports and took their photos. Most children were very healthy but there were a few that needed medical attention due to malaria, fever, persistent coughs, etc. One young girl was really sick with fever, diarrhea and vomiting. We left 2,000 ksh to take the children to the clinic. Jack facilitated the money exchange and clinic visits. Four children had died of malaria since the October team was here. We were able to do the checks and then spend some time playing with the children afterwards. It was so great to see all of their smiling faces playing soccer and being so excited with Andrew’s frisbee!
At Ring Road there were more than 300 children so we didn’t have time to do assessments. We visited each grade classroom and spent time with the kids. They sang for us and we told them facts about America and let them ask questions. It was surprising to hear some of the very smart questions the children asked. They were very interested in our government and education systems. I was completely impressed with the questions they came up with and how intuitive they were,
We also had time to visit Lake Victoria on our way back to Jack’s house. It was beautiful and a nice place to rest.
This being my second time in Africa, I realized that the teachers and caretakers may not necessarily live in the “slums” where the orphanages might be but they are choosing to work there to help the children. It’s pretty amazing what these people do for their children.
We were able to see and hear about their nutrition. We had stopped at the market early this morning and picked up beans and rice to leave at each orphanage. Seeing the children unload the food was heartwarming. At Ring Road it was great to see that they had a medical clinic on site and we toured it learning of all the services available to the community. There is a lot of HIV awareness and testing offered. The clinic is preparing to do a mobile clinic throughout the slum areas.
Great day overall and we can’t wait for what tomorrow brings!
July 21, 2010 - The morning devotion was led by Anya Truscott. She encouraged us to be thankful for the many blessing that we have. Seeing the poverty and conditions in Kisumu was a reminder of all that we have in America. Anya said that so often we take for granted the simple things in life and here in Kenya everything requires effort.
The team discussed the challenges, surprises and opportunities of the previous day.
Anya Truscott reporting for the team: The team visited two different villages today.....Kadawa and Seme. Pastor Jack Mila had previously introduced the Village Care program in both villages. Our visit served as a follow up to his initial training. Anya states, "I learned that the people here do everything for themselves. This group of widows had built a farm, planted trees, dug a pond to raise fish and were raising cows, chickens, pigs and goats." I was surprised that the women are so strong physically. The women are able to do work that men would usually do. The women were older and yet worked with the energy of young women. I was impressed with so many of the women; they do so much for their villages and caring for the orphans in the village."
During the visit to the second village, the women were very shy in front of the wazungu (white people). They seemed to be disorganized but we learned that they were scared to speak in front of us. My perspective was changed when I realized they were scared us. We saw the practice of nutrition, education and economic security in the visits today. The children all roam the land, but seem very happy. Some were sick with colds and runny noses. Most of the children go to school.
Team Debriefing July 21, 2010 - The team was excited about today’s visits to the village. There was a lot of discussion about the second village visited. We were seated in the place of honor on chairs in front of the women, while they sat on the ground. Once Chris left her chair and asked the team to join her on the grass with the women, the spirit of the visit changed....we went from being guests to being friends. The true vision and mission of Village Care was evident in today's visits. The projects were well developed and it was obvious that their efforts were not in vain. The team LOVED the time in the village and wished for more time in them. Being in a rural area gave them a different view of Kenya. Since we are staying in the slums, it was nice to see open land. There was enthusiastic conversation when recapping today's activities. The team also expressed a desire to "live" in the village during their stay.
July 22, 2010 - Morning devotions were led by Andrew Mott. Andrew shared from James 1 - "Consider it all joy brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of you faith produces endurance". Andrew shared with the team that he has seen tests that seem insurmountable here in Kenya, and yet the people choose joy. His encouragement was for the team to choose joy when facing challenges.
Andrew Mott reporting for the team:
Today following devotions and another wonderful breakfast of sausage and peanut butter and jam sandwiches we visited both Obunga slum and Salem Primary school. When Jack told us that we would be going into a different slum area I believe we all expected to find much of what we have been living next to for the past 4 days. However, when we arrived in Obunga we were all taken back. Taken back by the smell of fresh sewage flowing freely through the dirt and around mud structures, or better known as people’s homes. We spent many hours walking from one home to another visiting the family within. Situations were found that were beyond belief. The living conditions were, by our perspective, unlivable however these families were doing whatever they could to get by. Through talking with them we heard many heart wrenching stories of struggle, grief, but through it all saw insurmountable faith in our Savior. From these slums we went back to our Slum for a relaxing evening of fellowship within our team.
July 23, 2010
What a wonderful day we had. Our breakfast of one hard-boiled egg and bread was served following our morning devotion. We are thankful for the fresh juice served with our meal. Our first stop was a short walk across the yard to the Early Childhood Development Center here in the slum where we are staying. What a delight it was to distribute the Cliff Bars for Kids that Cara received from her Triathlete Team Sponsor Cliff/Luna Bars. The children’s faces lit up to receive such a treat.
Loading into the van, our driver, Peter took us to our regular “drive by” Nakumatt to purchase the rice, flour and oil to be delivered to the orphanages.
Our visit to Rabour Orphan Center kept us busy doing health assessments of the 50 children who attend school there. Many of the children are “total orphans” meaning both mother and father have died (usually due to AIDS) but are living in the village with a grandmother, relative or friend. This was the first Health Assessment recorded for this school and it will prove to be valuable in the future for follow up teams. Anya served as a great photographer getting the children to smile and pose for their chart picture. Cara, Andrew and I did “Head to Toe” assessments of the children while Cissy scribed and Willy entertained the waiting children. We identified one VERY sick child who needed immediate attention. Lavinda looked to be about 3 years old. We were tuned in to her initially as she was squatted alongside the building suffering with severe diarrhea, all alone and unable to make it to the pit latrines. The sweet angel stood bare naked waiting for someone to care for her and finally, once changed, laid down on the cool cement and fell sound asleep. Our hearts broke for her.
After assessments, we spent time sitting in the grass with the children singing songs, playing jump rope and enjoying the sweet sound of laughter from the children. Does it get any better than this? The answer is YES!
Lunch is not served to us (the school has no money for such an expenditure) and we survive on Clif Bars, peanuts and saltine crackers. But we have food – we are not complaining! Fatigue had set in, but we were quickly rejuvenated by our next visit which was to the Vision and Passion School and Orphanage. We were greeted with a warm welcome of song by all of the children…..”Welcome nice visitors, we are happy to see you today”. Our hearts dropped as the youngest of children sang a selected song with the words, “Have joy, before you die”. There are 350 students with 17 teachers for ages 3 – 13. There is a high school for older children in a different area of the village. We toured the facility viewing the dorms where 35 orphans who have no relatives to live with, make this their home. The children are all tested for HIV and many are positive. Three to four children daily are sent to the clinic and test positive for malaria. Severe headaches and fever are usually how the children present initially. If left untreated, vomiting and diarrhea follow the headache and fever causing dehydration and inevitable death if left untreated. We saw the dorm rooms and bunks where two children share one small bed. Many of the mosquito nets were torn and tattered rendering them ineffective. One young child lay alone on a bed with the words “Jesus died for you, have you shown any interest?” painted on the wall above his head.
All 350 students receive tea and porridge for breakfast and we witnessed the long lines of the students waiting for the ugali (similar to very thick grits) with broth-like soup poured over it. The food is eaten with their hands and the children are taught to wash them prior to eating (kudos to the Village Care OPOS trainers!).
The highlight of the day was spending time playing and talking with the children. Anya and Cara were encircled with boys and girls all curious to know about life in America. Questions such as, “how does your tax system work?” and “what is your education system?”, “how many dollars did it cost for you to travel to Kenya?” created engaging conversation that lasted for hours. Willy and Cissy performed a skit for the children bringing laughter and applause. Andrew tried to keep up with kids in an active game of soccer. Chris reviewed the Health Records of the School and was pleased to see the majority of the children remain in good health. The Village Care records were clear and concise and obviously essential tools for the school. The director of the school, Pamela has a very sick child that we transported to the Clinic at the day’s end. We are praying there are good results from the clinic visit and the child will recover quickly.
The road back to our home here in the slum is filled with sewage, garbage and ruts in the road. Children jump out of the way as our van passes, roosters crow, cattle lull and goats scamper. “Mzungu (white person), mzungu!” are the welcoming chants ringing out. The sounds can be deafening as the dinner hour is near and locals are squatted outside their homes preparing their meals. Goods are being sold in the dirt and life is being lived. As I type, Cara and Cissy are learning the African way of preparing meals.The rest of the team is sharing life stories and deepening our bond. We are looking forward to another GREAT meal but it will be hard to top the chipati (like thick tortillas) served last night. Deeeeelicous!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Willy read from Galatians 6 encouraging us to “keep doing the good work”. We spent time in prayer and enjoyed a later breakfast (9 a.m.) of sausage and bread. Cissy woke up not feeling well but did not want to miss the day, so joined us anyway.
Our first stop was at Bethzatha Orphanage (name derived from the book of John – healing water). The orphanage is located in a rural area with open fields. The children greeted us, the boys dressed in their long pants and matching shirts and the girls dressed in their skirts of beautiful, traditional fabric. The school has a seamstress on staff who sews the uniforms. She will sew for others in the community to generate income. We were entertained by their songs of praise, “Everything is possible before the Lord” and a traditional African song and dance. There were 32 children – 16 boys and 16 girls. The children were joyful, healthy and well equipped spiritually. All 32 children have been at Bethzatha since its beginning, with only one child dying of malaria. We conducted Health Assessments and found one child living with sickle cell anemia and one who was treated three days earlier for malaria. He was still running a fever but seemed to be improving according to the staff. Unfortunately, the director of Bethzatha was also stricken with malaria and unable to meet with us this day. Three of the girls complained of epistaxis (bloody noses) frequently.
As a whole, these children were healthy, happy, behaving well and attending school. Beans, rice and cooking oil were presented to the site. While Chris and Andrew conducted Health Assessments, Cara and Cissy scribed and Anya photographed each child. Willy used this time to encourage the children to “mount up with wings of eagles” and press on through hard times. The children listened intently, with purpose and interest.
The children attend school locally and return to the home in the evening. The Orphanage adopted the Village Care philosophy and has conducted training of Outcomes and Practices. They currently follow 271 orphans in the surrounding village who are being cared for by relatives or widows. Their project is a bore hole with water that they hope to bottle and sell. Once water is in place, they hope to plant and farm. A chicken coop is in place and they are raising chickens to help feed the children. The dorm rooms and latrines were very clean. They were proud of the blankets on the metal bunk beds that were donated by Auburn California’s “Sewers and Rippers” through Village Care. The staff of social workers at the home does periodic follow up visits with the orphans in the village, checking in on their well being.
Our next visit was to Salem Orphanage run by Phoebe Onyango. The orphanage is part of a group of places Phoebe runs that also includes a high school, a church and a local clinic. The children did not look as healthy or clean here but were happy and ready to play. Michael showed us the farming that was in place and we watched the older women shuck corn, separate the chaff and prepare for it grinding. The corn is grown on the high school campus and transported here for preparation. The orphanage produces its own corn to prepare ugali for the children. Eight huge sacks, per month are required to feed hungry mouths. As well, crops of kale and mango are produced.
There were very young children at this orphanage, including a nursery with double-decker cribs housing infants. The workers seemed busy but attentive to the children. We delivered corn, beans and oil to the site.
Our final visit was to Cherry Brierley Children’s Home. This site is sponsored by a group from England and is very upscale comparatively speaking. The site was immaculate with nice buildings, water tanks, decorated dorm rooms and a chapel. A group from England was visiting the school and working on mural paintings on the walls, touching up painting around the grounds, and on a playground project.
The team agreed that our first stop was the most productive and impacting. Cara and Anya had the children playing ball in the field following Health Assessments while the operations of the Village Care plan was discussed amongst the staff and Chris. Anya commented that the staff of Bethzatha is obviously proud of their work and spoke at length about it. A gift of soda was offered to us and we enjoyed drinking it as we were updated. The other visits of the day were not as moving as days past, but definitely worth seeing. Cissy was not feeling well and began running a fever. She opted out of the last two visits and rested in the van.
The weather was much warmer today and we were thankful for any chance of shade. We have been here one week now and can hardly believe how quickly the time is passing.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Chris shared from Philipians 1 – “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”. The encouragement was to take joy in the process of God’s work in our lives. The team spent time in prayer preparing for the church service.
Breakfast was bread and hard boiled eggs. Andrew is a pro at spreading the peanut butter to cover every inch of his bread. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have become the mainstay of breakfast. Cara and Anya got Andrew hooked on the Cadbury chocolate for hot chocolate. Cissy is feeling better but not 100% yet. Cara’s has some body aches today, but no one is complaining.
A quick stop at Nakumatt to refill our water and we were on our way to the Christian Family Church. Our new friend Rogers has joined us for the day. As is custom, we were escorted to the front of the church. Praise and worship was in process and we were eager to join in. Pastor Selene welcomed and introduced the team from Village Care. She and her husband care for the local community of believers as well as running the Noble Home for the Destitute.
Cara sang “God of the City” acapella until the keyboard musician attempted to join in with his interpretation of the song. Cara didn’t miss a beat as she sang the words, “You’re the God of this City, you’re the God of the nation, you’re the king of these people, you are!” Cara shared that she had sung this song at her church in the USA six months prior to this trip and was moved by it, causing her to think of Africa. Today she shares it in Africa in this church in the slums of Kisumu, Kenya. Pastor Selene is seated beside me and comments, “the words are perfect for my people, the song is beautiful that she sings”.
Chris introduced the team and each team member greeted the congregation. We were welcomed warmly and enthusiastically. Pastor Willy was introduced and began his sermon capturing the hearts of the people. Willy shared Mark 5: 21-43 and the “amens”, “bring it Pastor” and “groans” were audible. At the conclusion of the sermon people were called forward for prayer and healing. The church was filled with commotion, noise, wailing, prayer, song, praise and celebration. Anya was moved to tears (and she commented that she NEVER cries). She was surprised at the emotion of the service and the freedom to worship God without restrictions. Pastor Jack Mila challenged the congregation to “give”. God is a giving God and a spiritual man must be a “giver”. More singing and praise and worship followed bringing the service to a conclusion.
We left the church service and made our way to the Noble Home for Destitute Women. We were greeted by elderly women dressed in colorful clothing, singing and chanting a welcome. There must be a story behind each of the smiles that greet us. Hugs are free and the tradition of kissing each cheek is not spared on us. One by one the deep creased faces captured our attention and requested our hand in welcome. Faces …..colors…..stories….
There was a woman laying in a bed in a dark and dirty room living out her 105th year. ……the elderly left to fend for themselves in a country where children die before their parents; husbands before their wives leaving a population of widows aging and tired; hungry and homeless. The orphans in this place come with their grandmothers seeking refuge. The Noble Home was founded by Pastor Selene and her husband and they work hard to maintain it. Andrew, Cara and Anya chased the bulls, cow and goats capturing pictures to treasure. They are growing bananas and raising chickens to help feed the women and orphans. The aged widows are making purses out of straw to supplement income and Cissy and I are humbled as we are presented with a gift of one. The widows care for the orphans wondering where the next meals will come from. These grandmothers are elderly, worn and tired and yet muster the energy to serve the children. Provisions are scarce, but faith is not. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and HE will make your paths straight”.
Back in the van, and now loaded down with several extra passengers, we make our way to the home of Pastor Selene and her family. We are served cold beans and corn which we are to eat with our hands (cleaned of course by the pouring of water over our soapy hands in a basin provided by our hostess). A special treat of orange Fanta and cCoca-Cola is presented. Biscuits and something resembling a cupcake are offered as well. A time of respite is enjoyed by all. A sad farewell to our new friends and we were heading home.
As I type, the thunder rolls and the rain pours down. Andrew, Cara and Anya are soaked to the skin as they stand outside with arms raised to the sky receiving the downpour. Lightning strikes and lights up the village and a clap of thunder is heard. Evelyn served us cups of warm porridge, an African treat. We each had different reactions to the taste, but so appreciated the effort. The sound of the rain on the metal roof makes conversation difficult to hear and children scamper to their homes to seek shelter. A few kids are soaping up, naked in the rain to bathe. Now the dirt roads, littered with garbage and debris will be sloppy to travel upon. It is good that we are secure for the night, home to stay. Tomorrow is our last day of work here in the Nyalenda slum, it is a bittersweet thought to think of packing up. We have made “rafiki” (friends) for life here in this village and will leave a piece of our hearts here with them. As well, we know that eventually, we will leave Andrew and Willy, too, who will live amongst them through October.
For now, we will enjoy the rain…. wait for dinner….and rest and think of all of you at home. We are, as always grateful for your love and support. Good night wazungu!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Happy 56th Birthday to Cissy! Cissy awoke feeling well – yahoo! We surprised her with a birthday celebration at breakfast, complete with a gift, card, party hats, kazoos and a birthday banner. I think we woke the whole village with our birthday song. Sausage and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast and we were on our way to spend the final day here in Nyalenda.
Our first stop was at the St. Luke’s School located right here in the slum. We were overwhelmed by the amount of children – 988 children who live in the area. The average income of the people here is equivalent to $1 per day. The school works to provide a happy and safe environment for the children, along with an education. Their goal is to have a school in the slum, but not have the slum in the school. We toured the facility and were shocked by the overcrowded classrooms – 83 children in one class with one teacher. The place was buzzing with activity as the children ran to greet the wazungu. The rain from last night muddied the yards and the dirty classrooms were littered with paper, dirt and more. We presented new school uniforms to 20 children who arrived in tattered and torn clothes. The ceremonial event required photos and cheers. A need for a kitchen to help supplement food is evident. Willy and Andrew hope to help with that project while they are here. The children swarmed us, grabbing and groping, hoping to catch a glimpse of the photographs we captured. We made our way back through the muddy roads to our van where our awesome driver, Peter, awaited our arrival.
Our next and final stop was at Migosi Orphanage. This was my (Chris) second trip to this orphanage (my first one 2 years ago) and I found it in the same state…..lacking electricity due to an unpaid bill; lacking water due to the lack of electricity and a huge 30 ft deep well hole in the middle of the children’s dorm. The head master stated that they have had children fall into the well in the past. The mud walls and overcrowded conditions did not keep smiles from the children’s faces. We enjoyed a day of games, song and playtime. Andrew and Anya were covered by children, at one point, and the laughter was contagious. This tiny orphanage has mud walls and dark rooms. Boys and girls are crowded into small spaces sharing bunk beds with broken springs and torn bed mats. Mosquito nets hang from some of the walls, but not enough to cover each orphan. Dirt caked faces and muddied feet chased us around the yard protected only by a battered, barbed wire fence. One old woman was thrilled to see me again and remembered my prior visit. The return visit was evidence of my love for the Kenyans, she said. Delivery of bags of rice and beans, and some cooking oil completed our time here and we loaded our dirty, tired bodies back into the van for our trip home.
One final family meal at the restaurant near Nakumatt ended the birthday celebration for Cissy. What a group we were with Jack & Evelyn, and their children Lillian, Justus, Isaac, Timothy, Margaret and Junior. Rogers and Peter are part of the family now, too. Pizza in Kisumu is delicious! Andrew’s hamburger was great too. Hostess gifts were presented to each family member and they were blessed and pleased to receive them. We could not convey our thanks adequately as our time here has been so blessed. We all agree that we would love to return one day, Lord willing.
Good-byes were said to Rogers and he left with a heavy heart. What a brilliant young man of 23 with only two years of high school under his belt. He is praying to return to school and further his education. He will be a great friend to Pastor Willy and Andrew while they are here.
The floor of thje guest house, our home, is littered with clothes, Clif bars, granola and shoes. Suitcases are open and waiting to be packed. Tomorrow we begin our safari (which is the Swahili word for journey) to Masai Mara, and the Mara West Lodge. It will be a long, dusty, BUMPY six hour ride. We will be happy to rest and review our week here in Kisumu. We have had so many experiences, so many challenges, so many heartbreaks and so many blessings. Pictures won’t do this time justice, but it will serve as an aid to “capture” our time.
We must roll at 7 a.m., breakfast at 6:30 and we will be on our way.
Side note - Cara will celebrate her 8th wedding anniversary in one of the most romantic ways ever – a safari in Africa BUT…….she is here and her husband Shaun is thousands of miles across the ocean. Such a sacrifice.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Rise and shine came at 5 a.m. to gather for our final breakfast with Jack and Evelyn. Jack expressed his pleasure in hosting this team. He commented that he saw a genuine love and compassion on our team. He was happy to host us and wanted us all to feel at home any time we desire to return. The good-byes were tearful and Evelyn continued her wave until we made our final turn on the muddy road out of Nyalenda. We all leave praying to return some day, God willing.
Peter was anxious to “roll” and get on the road for the long drive to Masai Mara and the Mara West Lodge. We were loaded down with snacks and goodies to enjoy along the way. Everyone was tired and attempted to catch moments of sleep when the road allowed. We bumped along the way stopping only once in a bustling town (Kiligoris) in the middle of nowhere. Life was busy, streets were crowded and life was being lived in this rural community.
The first four hours passed quickly according to most of the team, but the final hours were rugged. The bumps and ruts in the dirt road rocked the van furiously from side to side. We all “held ourselves” per Peter’s request hoping to keep from toppling over on one another. The unkept dirt roads were strewn with boulders, rocks and ruts that were as deep as the wheel wells in spots. We spotted camels, donkeys, oxen, cattle, goats and kukus along the way but were delighted to spot our first zebra just outside of town. Our next spotting was a giraffe stretching his neck to graze on the beautiful acacia trees that are scattered along the plains. We were pleased to see a DEAD black mamba snake, so glad that someone had killed it before we passed.
We arrived safely at Mara West and were escorted to our tents, pleased to have a moment to unpack and relax. A huge lunch was served and all of us were excited to eat traditional food, as we know it. Peter was anxious to “roll” on our first game drive. To our delight, the entire passenger section, top of the van pops up allowing us to stand as we drive and watch the animals. The warm breeze blows our hair, the canopy offers shade and the scent and sounds of the landscape are easily enjoyed. We were excited to load up and head into the Mara to see God’s creativity in His creation. We were not disappointed when we came upon elephants, giraffe, wildebeest (it is the migration of the wildebeest from north to south in the Serengeti and Masai Mara). We also encountered zebra, water buck, buffalo, wart hogs, antelope and more. One VERY large male elephant forced us to move out of his path and Peter quickly complied with the elephants warning. We returned to the lodge at dusk and enjoyed a fabulous meal of beef kabobs, rice and vegetables. A torrential downpour preceded our warm showers (we have to walk a bit to the bathrooms, but hey, they are clean, WARM and welcomed). We retired early amazed to be in this beautiful place and exhausted from a long day of travel.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
“Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory” was our alarm song sung by Cara outside our tent at 6 a.m. Those that woke during the night and had to make the trek to the bathroom were frightened by the sounds of the jungle. A delicious breakfast of fruit, eggs, oatmeal, granola and juice was waiting for us in the main dining room. Peter was there waiting to “pick” us for our game drive.
The bumpy roads leading into the Mara reminded us that our bones are sore and weary from yesterday’s drive, but our enthusiasm won out and we had cameras ready to capture photos of the game. This day allowed us to step into Tanzania. We took pictures of ourselves with one hand in TZ and one in Kenya. We toured the Masai Mara and the Serengeti – such a privilege.
Today’s drive was beyond our wildest hopes and dreams. We saw so many animals, it will be hard to include them all, but we’ll give it a go. Water buck, zebra, buffalo, elephants, impala, monkeys, lions, mongoose, bat eared fox, birds of many species with beautiful colors, vultures, crocodile, hippos, giraffe, ostrich, caribou, monitor lizards, hyena, deer of many sizes, shapes and horns, and more.
The highlights of our day-long drive include the sighting of two female lions on their morning walk. We hoped for a sighting of the male lion and were not disappointed; we saw several males stretching, yawning, walking and one actually roared several times for us. A herd of elephants made their way down a steep, rock cliff to drink and cool off. The huge mama elephants cared for the babies as they wandered to the waters edge. It was mating season for the hyenas and a territorial male protected his mate from three curious on-lookers. They cackled, shrieked and “laughed” trying to distract the male, but he was intent on the task at hand. They moved on to a watering hole and the activities continued.
Cissy was reminded of a roll over collision, that she was involved in twelve years ago, when our van nearly toppled over going through a river bed. We actually tried to return the same route and were nearly stuck in the steep, rocky bank of the riverbed. We ended up having to back out through the muddied river and take a detour around the river.
We had a picnic lunch near the Mara River and enjoyed seeing the hippos laze in the water. We were joined by monkeys (who stole Willy’s sandwich), with mongoose and lizards running all over us. Lunch was delicious and Andrew enjoyed his FIRST picnic (ever!).
By 4:00 p.m. we headed back to the Lodge and the clouds unleashed another downpour. We had beautiful weather all day and even got some color in our cheeks. At 5:00 we were shopping under the grass roof where the Masai had set up shop on their shukas (blankets). The handmade jewelry, knifes, clubs, blankets and more were fun to peruse and buy.
Warm showers and exfoliating our skin was a wonderful conclusion to the day. We are now, seated in the lodge reliving the day, laughing, talking and watching Cara sing rap with a water bottle and no music. She continues to entertain us. We smell dinner cooking and are looking forward to another great meal.
Our time here at Mara West has allowed us to reflect on the things we experienced in Kisumu and we have talked at length about the things we saw and did. This time of respite is necessary….to put into perspective, to capture it all in our memory and to process. The team debriefed the entire trip in preparation for the return home and to “real life”. Sometimes the transition can be so difficult, but this time in the Mara has allowed many of us to process our thoughts and feelings to a degree that helps us return home with nothing but love and appreciation for what we’ve seen, heard, smelled, tasted and done here during our time in Kenya.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Last night’s rain soaked the dusty plains of Masai Mara and our journey out of the area began following breakfast. As a team, we voted to visit a Masai village just outside Mara West. For 1,000 Kenya schillings each (about $12.50 USD), we were given a full tour of the village, by our guides Peter and Andrew (not exactly Masai names). The women of the village, dressed in their Masai garb, greeted us with song and dance encouraging us to dance along with them. We were adorned with beads, necklaces and shukas. We began with the “pepper tree” used by the village Medicine man and Mid-wife. We sampled the herb and were surprised by the hot flavor of it (Cara and Andrew took the whole leaf and popped it in their mouth – we all got a good laugh out of their response). This herb is used for malaria, teeth brushing and other medicinal purposes. Peter commented that the fruit of this tree causes elephants to become intoxicated and when this happens their antics keep lions from entering the village, thus serving as security guards (big ones).
The village is hidden amongst the thorny bushes surrounding it. There is a special corral for the cattle to keep them protected at night. We were escorted into one of the huts constructed of manure, mud and twigs with thatched roofs. We were surprised by how roomy it was….maybe 200 square feet. We were allowed to take pictures inside and out and will be happy to share them all with you. A fire is kept burning inside the hut all day and night. It is used for cooking and to keep mosquitos away. The husband and wife share an area of the hut sleeping on the skin of a cow. A mud wall separates the children who all sleep together on the floor. The goats, sheep and chicken share another room, yes, inside the hut. If you can imagine there were millions of flies inside and out. We are quite sure we drove the rest of the day with a few Masai flies.
We had a demonstration of how fire is started with hard wood and soft wood using friction. We were invited to shop in the market place where many of the Masai women were waiting with jewelry, walking sticks, carvings and more. Children ran free, babies slept under makeshift tables and business was conducted. Bargaining was brutal – they share their income with six villages and count on the tourism to sustain them. Our appreciation of this culture grew by leaps and bounds.
Willy had an opportunity to share with some of the men we concluded our time there hand in hand in a circle of prayer.
The ride from Mara to Nairobi was long, dusty and difficult. This is part of life in Kenya. The dust was suffocating at times and the bumps were painful. The roads are nearly impassable but our trusty driver saw us through and we arrived back at the Chak Guest House where our journey began. We will have dinner soon before heading to bed for a much needed rest.
Tomorrow we will visit the Nairobi Giraffe Center and then spend some time shopping. Our day will conclude at the Mathari Slum where we will be reminded of why we are here with a visit at the Good Samaritan Home, run by a most wonderful woman named Mercy. She takes in any child in need from her slum and provides a home and the best possible conditions she can provide. She is an amazing woman who deserves so much more support than she is getting. We will treasure this time with her and offer what little support we can provide on this day.
Our flights to Belgium are at 10 pm but we must first bid a sad farewell to Andrew and Willy as they fly back to Kisumu for their long stay. Our bond is tight and we will miss them so much, but will wait anxiously for their updates and will hold them up in prayer.
Thank you for being patient with the long updates, but we have so much to share and have been so blessed together as a team.
Thank you all for your love, support and prayers.
Kwaheri (Good-bye) for now.
Chris, Cara, Andrew, Anya, Willy and Cissy
Village Care July 2010 Kisumu Team
July 2010 Kisumu, Kenya Team Reports (consolidated)
July 17, 2010 – Chris Espedal (team leader and VCI Board Member) and Anya Truscott were transported to Sac Metro Airport by chauffeur, Larry Espedal with co-pilot, Aimee Scott. Larry prayed for our team and time in Kenya. Arrival time at airport was 9:15 a.m. Check in was smooth after a slight glitch with Anya’s boarding passes leaving her in Belgium.
Spoke with Cara Cooney; she spent her morning vomiting following Doxycycline on an empty stomach. She was at LAX waiting on her flight and feeling better by 9:30 a.m. Lesson learned …..eat before taking malaria medication.
Spoke with Andrew Mott, he had cleared security in Ohio and was waiting at his gate to board. Left a message for Pastor Willy letting him know the team is anxious to meet him. Andrew will call when he and Willy meet in Washington, DC.
Received an email from Cissy Maxwell who has been in Zimbabwe for the past week. She had a wonderful time but is looking forward to meeting the team in Nairobi and working with Village Care.
Everyone is in good spirits and excited about what God has planned for our time in Kenya.
Flight from Chicago to Brussels was uneventful; not much sleep but a few good movies. We had to run to our gate as the flight was boarding as our plane was landing. We were welcomed by Andrew and Willy at our gate and began the flight to Burundi on Brussels Air. No movies on this flight, very few screens and that made the trip LONG. Unloading some passengers in Burundi was a bit chaotic and time consuming. It’s late and we are all looking forward to some sleep in Nairobi.
July 18, 2010 - Retrieved our luggage at the airport with no problems, praise God. Peter, our driver was there to greet us and drive us directly to the Chak Guest House. Our rooms were nice and the hot showers were so wonderful. We went directly to bed but sleep was hard to come by. About 1:30 a.m we were all finally settled into bed under our mosquito nets and got some shut eye.
July 19, 2010 – the alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. and we began our day. Cissy Maxwell was introduced to the team at breakfast and Willy shared from Mark 2: 1-2, 11-12. He encouraged us with the challenge to “continue the journey” with the points being, 1) unity of the team, 2) action with faith and 3) sacrifice (getting out of our comfort zone). We are to be lights amongst the people of Kisumu! “The journey of 1000 miles (from US to Africa) can only begin when we take the first step” – the message Willy received from God prompting him to search for a mission team that would lead him to Africa; he found Village Care online.
8:00 a.m. Peter arrived to load the van and we set off for Nakumatt (similar to a Walmart) to shop for snacks, exchange our money for Kenyan schillings and of course, to enjoy a cup of coffee from the Java House. We were soon on the road to Kisumu. The weather is cool with some clouds, a nice breeze and the sun shining through.
We paused at the top of the Rift Valley to take in the incredible view. Two baboons were the first wild life spotted along the road. Just outside of Nakuru we spotted a herd of zebra. The roads were new and so much smoother than my first ride to Kisumu several years ago. The team slept off and on in between enjoying the beauty of this country.
Willy completed the team report for July 19, 2010:
We arrived in Kisumu at the home of Jack Mila, wife Evelyn and their children. The VCI Kisumu Resource Center will be our home for our time here. We had some time to unpack and settle in before going out to dinner at a restaurant near Nakumatt. We were thankful for dinner.
Willy noted that he was surprised by the beauty of Africa, the goodness of the people and the needs physically and spiritually of the people. He was impressed by Pastor Jack, “a servant of God who kept the calling of God in his heart”. Pastor Jack shared his story with the team and Willy enjoyed meeting his family and seeing their involvement with God’s work.
Willy noted that he could see the poverty in the area of Kisumu but the children around Jack’s home are smiling, laughing and happy. The children are wonderful but are in need of help, per Willy. We did not observe the Village Care practices today as it was a travel day.
July 20, 2010 – The morning began with an exercise session in the back yard. The rooster that crowed throughout the night watched perched on the wall.
Cara led devotions this morning and shared from a book she is reading, 90 Minutes in Heaven. Cara commented that the lesson in the story is that the man recovering from an accident was finding it difficult to receive the love and care of the people around him. She related that not allowing the African people to bless us, like bringing hot water, takes a blessing from them. Jack commented that they “enjoy” bringing the water for us so please ask for it. Cara encouraged us to look for the blessings while we are here, as well as, blessing the people by letting them serve us. Cara led us in Worship singing and prayer.
Breakfast was sausage and bread and juice. It was a bit sparse, like many African meals, but our snacks rounded out the meal.
Cara Cooney reporting for the team:
We visited St. Elizabeth’s and Ring Road Orphanages today. Both of the orphanages were in Kisumu. Both visits provided us with a lot of information about how the orphans come to live there and how they operate. At St. Elizabeth’s we did follow up health checks from the October team. We also added new children to the progress reports and took their photos. Most children were very healthy but there were a few that needed medical attention due to malaria, fever, persistent coughs, etc. One young girl was really sick with fever, diarrhea and vomiting. We left 2,000 ksh to take the children to the clinic. Jack facilitated the money exchange and clinic visits. Four children had died of malaria since the October team was here. We were able to do the checks and then spend some time playing with the children afterwards. It was so great to see all of their smiling faces playing soccer and being so excited with Andrew’s frisbee!
At Ring Road there were more than 300 children so we didn’t have time to do assessments. We visited each grade classroom and spent time with the kids. They sang for us and we told them facts about America and let them ask questions. It was surprising to hear some of the very smart questions the children asked. They were very interested in our government and education systems. I was completely impressed with the questions they came up with and how intuitive they were,
We also had time to visit Lake Victoria on our way back to Jack’s house. It was beautiful and a nice place to rest.
This being my second time in Africa, I realized that the teachers and caretakers may not necessarily live in the “slums” where the orphanages might be but they are choosing to work there to help the children. It’s pretty amazing what these people do for their children.
We were able to see and hear about their nutrition. We had stopped at the market early this morning and picked up beans and rice to leave at each orphanage. Seeing the children unload the food was heartwarming. At Ring Road it was great to see that they had a medical clinic on site and we toured it learning of all the services available to the community. There is a lot of HIV awareness and testing offered. The clinic is preparing to do a mobile clinic throughout the slum areas.
Great day overall and we can’t wait for what tomorrow brings!
July 21, 2010 - The morning devotion was led by Anya Truscott. She encouraged us to be thankful for the many blessing that we have. Seeing the poverty and conditions in Kisumu was a reminder of all that we have in America. Anya said that so often we take for granted the simple things in life and here in Kenya everything requires effort.
The team discussed the challenges, surprises and opportunities of the previous day.
Anya Truscott reporting for the team: The team visited two different villages today.....Kadawa and Seme. Pastor Jack Mila had previously introduced the Village Care program in both villages. Our visit served as a follow up to his initial training. Anya states, "I learned that the people here do everything for themselves. This group of widows had built a farm, planted trees, dug a pond to raise fish and were raising cows, chickens, pigs and goats." I was surprised that the women are so strong physically. The women are able to do work that men would usually do. The women were older and yet worked with the energy of young women. I was impressed with so many of the women; they do so much for their villages and caring for the orphans in the village."
During the visit to the second village, the women were very shy in front of the wazungu (white people). They seemed to be disorganized but we learned that they were scared to speak in front of us. My perspective was changed when I realized they were scared us. We saw the practice of nutrition, education and economic security in the visits today. The children all roam the land, but seem very happy. Some were sick with colds and runny noses. Most of the children go to school.
Team Debriefing July 21, 2010 - The team was excited about today’s visits to the village. There was a lot of discussion about the second village visited. We were seated in the place of honor on chairs in front of the women, while they sat on the ground. Once Chris left her chair and asked the team to join her on the grass with the women, the spirit of the visit changed....we went from being guests to being friends. The true vision and mission of Village Care was evident in today's visits. The projects were well developed and it was obvious that their efforts were not in vain. The team LOVED the time in the village and wished for more time in them. Being in a rural area gave them a different view of Kenya. Since we are staying in the slums, it was nice to see open land. There was enthusiastic conversation when recapping today's activities. The team also expressed a desire to "live" in the village during their stay.
July 22, 2010 - Morning devotions were led by Andrew Mott. Andrew shared from James 1 - "Consider it all joy brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of you faith produces endurance". Andrew shared with the team that he has seen tests that seem insurmountable here in Kenya, and yet the people choose joy. His encouragement was for the team to choose joy when facing challenges.
Andrew Mott reporting for the team:
Today following devotions and another wonderful breakfast of sausage and peanut butter and jam sandwiches we visited both Obunga slum and Salem Primary school. When Jack told us that we would be going into a different slum area I believe we all expected to find much of what we have been living next to for the past 4 days. However, when we arrived in Obunga we were all taken back. Taken back by the smell of fresh sewage flowing freely through the dirt and around mud structures, or better known as people’s homes. We spent many hours walking from one home to another visiting the family within. Situations were found that were beyond belief. The living conditions were, by our perspective, unlivable however these families were doing whatever they could to get by. Through talking with them we heard many heart wrenching stories of struggle, grief, but through it all saw insurmountable faith in our Savior. From these slums we went back to our Slum for a relaxing evening of fellowship within our team.
July 23, 2010
What a wonderful day we had. Our breakfast of one hard-boiled egg and bread was served following our morning devotion. We are thankful for the fresh juice served with our meal. Our first stop was a short walk across the yard to the Early Childhood Development Center here in the slum where we are staying. What a delight it was to distribute the Cliff Bars for Kids that Cara received from her Triathlete Team Sponsor Cliff/Luna Bars. The children’s faces lit up to receive such a treat.
Loading into the van, our driver, Peter took us to our regular “drive by” Nakumatt to purchase the rice, flour and oil to be delivered to the orphanages.
Our visit to Rabour Orphan Center kept us busy doing health assessments of the 50 children who attend school there. Many of the children are “total orphans” meaning both mother and father have died (usually due to AIDS) but are living in the village with a grandmother, relative or friend. This was the first Health Assessment recorded for this school and it will prove to be valuable in the future for follow up teams. Anya served as a great photographer getting the children to smile and pose for their chart picture. Cara, Andrew and I did “Head to Toe” assessments of the children while Cissy scribed and Willy entertained the waiting children. We identified one VERY sick child who needed immediate attention. Lavinda looked to be about 3 years old. We were tuned in to her initially as she was squatted alongside the building suffering with severe diarrhea, all alone and unable to make it to the pit latrines. The sweet angel stood bare naked waiting for someone to care for her and finally, once changed, laid down on the cool cement and fell sound asleep. Our hearts broke for her.
After assessments, we spent time sitting in the grass with the children singing songs, playing jump rope and enjoying the sweet sound of laughter from the children. Does it get any better than this? The answer is YES!
Lunch is not served to us (the school has no money for such an expenditure) and we survive on Clif Bars, peanuts and saltine crackers. But we have food – we are not complaining! Fatigue had set in, but we were quickly rejuvenated by our next visit which was to the Vision and Passion School and Orphanage. We were greeted with a warm welcome of song by all of the children…..”Welcome nice visitors, we are happy to see you today”. Our hearts dropped as the youngest of children sang a selected song with the words, “Have joy, before you die”. There are 350 students with 17 teachers for ages 3 – 13. There is a high school for older children in a different area of the village. We toured the facility viewing the dorms where 35 orphans who have no relatives to live with, make this their home. The children are all tested for HIV and many are positive. Three to four children daily are sent to the clinic and test positive for malaria. Severe headaches and fever are usually how the children present initially. If left untreated, vomiting and diarrhea follow the headache and fever causing dehydration and inevitable death if left untreated. We saw the dorm rooms and bunks where two children share one small bed. Many of the mosquito nets were torn and tattered rendering them ineffective. One young child lay alone on a bed with the words “Jesus died for you, have you shown any interest?” painted on the wall above his head.
All 350 students receive tea and porridge for breakfast and we witnessed the long lines of the students waiting for the ugali (similar to very thick grits) with broth-like soup poured over it. The food is eaten with their hands and the children are taught to wash them prior to eating (kudos to the Village Care OPOS trainers!).
The highlight of the day was spending time playing and talking with the children. Anya and Cara were encircled with boys and girls all curious to know about life in America. Questions such as, “how does your tax system work?” and “what is your education system?”, “how many dollars did it cost for you to travel to Kenya?” created engaging conversation that lasted for hours. Willy and Cissy performed a skit for the children bringing laughter and applause. Andrew tried to keep up with kids in an active game of soccer. Chris reviewed the Health Records of the School and was pleased to see the majority of the children remain in good health. The Village Care records were clear and concise and obviously essential tools for the school. The director of the school, Pamela has a very sick child that we transported to the Clinic at the day’s end. We are praying there are good results from the clinic visit and the child will recover quickly.
The road back to our home here in the slum is filled with sewage, garbage and ruts in the road. Children jump out of the way as our van passes, roosters crow, cattle lull and goats scamper. “Mzungu (white person), mzungu!” are the welcoming chants ringing out. The sounds can be deafening as the dinner hour is near and locals are squatted outside their homes preparing their meals. Goods are being sold in the dirt and life is being lived. As I type, Cara and Cissy are learning the African way of preparing meals.The rest of the team is sharing life stories and deepening our bond. We are looking forward to another GREAT meal but it will be hard to top the chipati (like thick tortillas) served last night. Deeeeelicous!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Willy read from Galatians 6 encouraging us to “keep doing the good work”. We spent time in prayer and enjoyed a later breakfast (9 a.m.) of sausage and bread. Cissy woke up not feeling well but did not want to miss the day, so joined us anyway.
Our first stop was at Bethzatha Orphanage (name derived from the book of John – healing water). The orphanage is located in a rural area with open fields. The children greeted us, the boys dressed in their long pants and matching shirts and the girls dressed in their skirts of beautiful, traditional fabric. The school has a seamstress on staff who sews the uniforms. She will sew for others in the community to generate income. We were entertained by their songs of praise, “Everything is possible before the Lord” and a traditional African song and dance. There were 32 children – 16 boys and 16 girls. The children were joyful, healthy and well equipped spiritually. All 32 children have been at Bethzatha since its beginning, with only one child dying of malaria. We conducted Health Assessments and found one child living with sickle cell anemia and one who was treated three days earlier for malaria. He was still running a fever but seemed to be improving according to the staff. Unfortunately, the director of Bethzatha was also stricken with malaria and unable to meet with us this day. Three of the girls complained of epistaxis (bloody noses) frequently.
As a whole, these children were healthy, happy, behaving well and attending school. Beans, rice and cooking oil were presented to the site. While Chris and Andrew conducted Health Assessments, Cara and Cissy scribed and Anya photographed each child. Willy used this time to encourage the children to “mount up with wings of eagles” and press on through hard times. The children listened intently, with purpose and interest.
The children attend school locally and return to the home in the evening. The Orphanage adopted the Village Care philosophy and has conducted training of Outcomes and Practices. They currently follow 271 orphans in the surrounding village who are being cared for by relatives or widows. Their project is a bore hole with water that they hope to bottle and sell. Once water is in place, they hope to plant and farm. A chicken coop is in place and they are raising chickens to help feed the children. The dorm rooms and latrines were very clean. They were proud of the blankets on the metal bunk beds that were donated by Auburn California’s “Sewers and Rippers” through Village Care. The staff of social workers at the home does periodic follow up visits with the orphans in the village, checking in on their well being.
Our next visit was to Salem Orphanage run by Phoebe Onyango. The orphanage is part of a group of places Phoebe runs that also includes a high school, a church and a local clinic. The children did not look as healthy or clean here but were happy and ready to play. Michael showed us the farming that was in place and we watched the older women shuck corn, separate the chaff and prepare for it grinding. The corn is grown on the high school campus and transported here for preparation. The orphanage produces its own corn to prepare ugali for the children. Eight huge sacks, per month are required to feed hungry mouths. As well, crops of kale and mango are produced.
There were very young children at this orphanage, including a nursery with double-decker cribs housing infants. The workers seemed busy but attentive to the children. We delivered corn, beans and oil to the site.
Our final visit was to Cherry Brierley Children’s Home. This site is sponsored by a group from England and is very upscale comparatively speaking. The site was immaculate with nice buildings, water tanks, decorated dorm rooms and a chapel. A group from England was visiting the school and working on mural paintings on the walls, touching up painting around the grounds, and on a playground project.
The team agreed that our first stop was the most productive and impacting. Cara and Anya had the children playing ball in the field following Health Assessments while the operations of the Village Care plan was discussed amongst the staff and Chris. Anya commented that the staff of Bethzatha is obviously proud of their work and spoke at length about it. A gift of soda was offered to us and we enjoyed drinking it as we were updated. The other visits of the day were not as moving as days past, but definitely worth seeing. Cissy was not feeling well and began running a fever. She opted out of the last two visits and rested in the van.
The weather was much warmer today and we were thankful for any chance of shade. We have been here one week now and can hardly believe how quickly the time is passing.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Chris shared from Philipians 1 – “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”. The encouragement was to take joy in the process of God’s work in our lives. The team spent time in prayer preparing for the church service.
Breakfast was bread and hard boiled eggs. Andrew is a pro at spreading the peanut butter to cover every inch of his bread. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches have become the mainstay of breakfast. Cara and Anya got Andrew hooked on the Cadbury chocolate for hot chocolate. Cissy is feeling better but not 100% yet. Cara’s has some body aches today, but no one is complaining.
A quick stop at Nakumatt to refill our water and we were on our way to the Christian Family Church. Our new friend Rogers has joined us for the day. As is custom, we were escorted to the front of the church. Praise and worship was in process and we were eager to join in. Pastor Selene welcomed and introduced the team from Village Care. She and her husband care for the local community of believers as well as running the Noble Home for the Destitute.
Cara sang “God of the City” acapella until the keyboard musician attempted to join in with his interpretation of the song. Cara didn’t miss a beat as she sang the words, “You’re the God of this City, you’re the God of the nation, you’re the king of these people, you are!” Cara shared that she had sung this song at her church in the USA six months prior to this trip and was moved by it, causing her to think of Africa. Today she shares it in Africa in this church in the slums of Kisumu, Kenya. Pastor Selene is seated beside me and comments, “the words are perfect for my people, the song is beautiful that she sings”.
Chris introduced the team and each team member greeted the congregation. We were welcomed warmly and enthusiastically. Pastor Willy was introduced and began his sermon capturing the hearts of the people. Willy shared Mark 5: 21-43 and the “amens”, “bring it Pastor” and “groans” were audible. At the conclusion of the sermon people were called forward for prayer and healing. The church was filled with commotion, noise, wailing, prayer, song, praise and celebration. Anya was moved to tears (and she commented that she NEVER cries). She was surprised at the emotion of the service and the freedom to worship God without restrictions. Pastor Jack Mila challenged the congregation to “give”. God is a giving God and a spiritual man must be a “giver”. More singing and praise and worship followed bringing the service to a conclusion.
We left the church service and made our way to the Noble Home for Destitute Women. We were greeted by elderly women dressed in colorful clothing, singing and chanting a welcome. There must be a story behind each of the smiles that greet us. Hugs are free and the tradition of kissing each cheek is not spared on us. One by one the deep creased faces captured our attention and requested our hand in welcome. Faces …..colors…..stories….
There was a woman laying in a bed in a dark and dirty room living out her 105th year. ……the elderly left to fend for themselves in a country where children die before their parents; husbands before their wives leaving a population of widows aging and tired; hungry and homeless. The orphans in this place come with their grandmothers seeking refuge. The Noble Home was founded by Pastor Selene and her husband and they work hard to maintain it. Andrew, Cara and Anya chased the bulls, cow and goats capturing pictures to treasure. They are growing bananas and raising chickens to help feed the women and orphans. The aged widows are making purses out of straw to supplement income and Cissy and I are humbled as we are presented with a gift of one. The widows care for the orphans wondering where the next meals will come from. These grandmothers are elderly, worn and tired and yet muster the energy to serve the children. Provisions are scarce, but faith is not. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and HE will make your paths straight”.
Back in the van, and now loaded down with several extra passengers, we make our way to the home of Pastor Selene and her family. We are served cold beans and corn which we are to eat with our hands (cleaned of course by the pouring of water over our soapy hands in a basin provided by our hostess). A special treat of orange Fanta and cCoca-Cola is presented. Biscuits and something resembling a cupcake are offered as well. A time of respite is enjoyed by all. A sad farewell to our new friends and we were heading home.
As I type, the thunder rolls and the rain pours down. Andrew, Cara and Anya are soaked to the skin as they stand outside with arms raised to the sky receiving the downpour. Lightning strikes and lights up the village and a clap of thunder is heard. Evelyn served us cups of warm porridge, an African treat. We each had different reactions to the taste, but so appreciated the effort. The sound of the rain on the metal roof makes conversation difficult to hear and children scamper to their homes to seek shelter. A few kids are soaping up, naked in the rain to bathe. Now the dirt roads, littered with garbage and debris will be sloppy to travel upon. It is good that we are secure for the night, home to stay. Tomorrow is our last day of work here in the Nyalenda slum, it is a bittersweet thought to think of packing up. We have made “rafiki” (friends) for life here in this village and will leave a piece of our hearts here with them. As well, we know that eventually, we will leave Andrew and Willy, too, who will live amongst them through October.
For now, we will enjoy the rain…. wait for dinner….and rest and think of all of you at home. We are, as always grateful for your love and support. Good night wazungu!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Happy 56th Birthday to Cissy! Cissy awoke feeling well – yahoo! We surprised her with a birthday celebration at breakfast, complete with a gift, card, party hats, kazoos and a birthday banner. I think we woke the whole village with our birthday song. Sausage and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast and we were on our way to spend the final day here in Nyalenda.
Our first stop was at the St. Luke’s School located right here in the slum. We were overwhelmed by the amount of children – 988 children who live in the area. The average income of the people here is equivalent to $1 per day. The school works to provide a happy and safe environment for the children, along with an education. Their goal is to have a school in the slum, but not have the slum in the school. We toured the facility and were shocked by the overcrowded classrooms – 83 children in one class with one teacher. The place was buzzing with activity as the children ran to greet the wazungu. The rain from last night muddied the yards and the dirty classrooms were littered with paper, dirt and more. We presented new school uniforms to 20 children who arrived in tattered and torn clothes. The ceremonial event required photos and cheers. A need for a kitchen to help supplement food is evident. Willy and Andrew hope to help with that project while they are here. The children swarmed us, grabbing and groping, hoping to catch a glimpse of the photographs we captured. We made our way back through the muddy roads to our van where our awesome driver, Peter, awaited our arrival.
Our next and final stop was at Migosi Orphanage. This was my (Chris) second trip to this orphanage (my first one 2 years ago) and I found it in the same state…..lacking electricity due to an unpaid bill; lacking water due to the lack of electricity and a huge 30 ft deep well hole in the middle of the children’s dorm. The head master stated that they have had children fall into the well in the past. The mud walls and overcrowded conditions did not keep smiles from the children’s faces. We enjoyed a day of games, song and playtime. Andrew and Anya were covered by children, at one point, and the laughter was contagious. This tiny orphanage has mud walls and dark rooms. Boys and girls are crowded into small spaces sharing bunk beds with broken springs and torn bed mats. Mosquito nets hang from some of the walls, but not enough to cover each orphan. Dirt caked faces and muddied feet chased us around the yard protected only by a battered, barbed wire fence. One old woman was thrilled to see me again and remembered my prior visit. The return visit was evidence of my love for the Kenyans, she said. Delivery of bags of rice and beans, and some cooking oil completed our time here and we loaded our dirty, tired bodies back into the van for our trip home.
One final family meal at the restaurant near Nakumatt ended the birthday celebration for Cissy. What a group we were with Jack & Evelyn, and their children Lillian, Justus, Isaac, Timothy, Margaret and Junior. Rogers and Peter are part of the family now, too. Pizza in Kisumu is delicious! Andrew’s hamburger was great too. Hostess gifts were presented to each family member and they were blessed and pleased to receive them. We could not convey our thanks adequately as our time here has been so blessed. We all agree that we would love to return one day, Lord willing.
Good-byes were said to Rogers and he left with a heavy heart. What a brilliant young man of 23 with only two years of high school under his belt. He is praying to return to school and further his education. He will be a great friend to Pastor Willy and Andrew while they are here.
The floor of thje guest house, our home, is littered with clothes, Clif bars, granola and shoes. Suitcases are open and waiting to be packed. Tomorrow we begin our safari (which is the Swahili word for journey) to Masai Mara, and the Mara West Lodge. It will be a long, dusty, BUMPY six hour ride. We will be happy to rest and review our week here in Kisumu. We have had so many experiences, so many challenges, so many heartbreaks and so many blessings. Pictures won’t do this time justice, but it will serve as an aid to “capture” our time.
We must roll at 7 a.m., breakfast at 6:30 and we will be on our way.
Side note - Cara will celebrate her 8th wedding anniversary in one of the most romantic ways ever – a safari in Africa BUT…….she is here and her husband Shaun is thousands of miles across the ocean. Such a sacrifice.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Rise and shine came at 5 a.m. to gather for our final breakfast with Jack and Evelyn. Jack expressed his pleasure in hosting this team. He commented that he saw a genuine love and compassion on our team. He was happy to host us and wanted us all to feel at home any time we desire to return. The good-byes were tearful and Evelyn continued her wave until we made our final turn on the muddy road out of Nyalenda. We all leave praying to return some day, God willing.
Peter was anxious to “roll” and get on the road for the long drive to Masai Mara and the Mara West Lodge. We were loaded down with snacks and goodies to enjoy along the way. Everyone was tired and attempted to catch moments of sleep when the road allowed. We bumped along the way stopping only once in a bustling town (Kiligoris) in the middle of nowhere. Life was busy, streets were crowded and life was being lived in this rural community.
The first four hours passed quickly according to most of the team, but the final hours were rugged. The bumps and ruts in the dirt road rocked the van furiously from side to side. We all “held ourselves” per Peter’s request hoping to keep from toppling over on one another. The unkept dirt roads were strewn with boulders, rocks and ruts that were as deep as the wheel wells in spots. We spotted camels, donkeys, oxen, cattle, goats and kukus along the way but were delighted to spot our first zebra just outside of town. Our next spotting was a giraffe stretching his neck to graze on the beautiful acacia trees that are scattered along the plains. We were pleased to see a DEAD black mamba snake, so glad that someone had killed it before we passed.
We arrived safely at Mara West and were escorted to our tents, pleased to have a moment to unpack and relax. A huge lunch was served and all of us were excited to eat traditional food, as we know it. Peter was anxious to “roll” on our first game drive. To our delight, the entire passenger section, top of the van pops up allowing us to stand as we drive and watch the animals. The warm breeze blows our hair, the canopy offers shade and the scent and sounds of the landscape are easily enjoyed. We were excited to load up and head into the Mara to see God’s creativity in His creation. We were not disappointed when we came upon elephants, giraffe, wildebeest (it is the migration of the wildebeest from north to south in the Serengeti and Masai Mara). We also encountered zebra, water buck, buffalo, wart hogs, antelope and more. One VERY large male elephant forced us to move out of his path and Peter quickly complied with the elephants warning. We returned to the lodge at dusk and enjoyed a fabulous meal of beef kabobs, rice and vegetables. A torrential downpour preceded our warm showers (we have to walk a bit to the bathrooms, but hey, they are clean, WARM and welcomed). We retired early amazed to be in this beautiful place and exhausted from a long day of travel.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
“Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory” was our alarm song sung by Cara outside our tent at 6 a.m. Those that woke during the night and had to make the trek to the bathroom were frightened by the sounds of the jungle. A delicious breakfast of fruit, eggs, oatmeal, granola and juice was waiting for us in the main dining room. Peter was there waiting to “pick” us for our game drive.
The bumpy roads leading into the Mara reminded us that our bones are sore and weary from yesterday’s drive, but our enthusiasm won out and we had cameras ready to capture photos of the game. This day allowed us to step into Tanzania. We took pictures of ourselves with one hand in TZ and one in Kenya. We toured the Masai Mara and the Serengeti – such a privilege.
Today’s drive was beyond our wildest hopes and dreams. We saw so many animals, it will be hard to include them all, but we’ll give it a go. Water buck, zebra, buffalo, elephants, impala, monkeys, lions, mongoose, bat eared fox, birds of many species with beautiful colors, vultures, crocodile, hippos, giraffe, ostrich, caribou, monitor lizards, hyena, deer of many sizes, shapes and horns, and more.
The highlights of our day-long drive include the sighting of two female lions on their morning walk. We hoped for a sighting of the male lion and were not disappointed; we saw several males stretching, yawning, walking and one actually roared several times for us. A herd of elephants made their way down a steep, rock cliff to drink and cool off. The huge mama elephants cared for the babies as they wandered to the waters edge. It was mating season for the hyenas and a territorial male protected his mate from three curious on-lookers. They cackled, shrieked and “laughed” trying to distract the male, but he was intent on the task at hand. They moved on to a watering hole and the activities continued.
Cissy was reminded of a roll over collision, that she was involved in twelve years ago, when our van nearly toppled over going through a river bed. We actually tried to return the same route and were nearly stuck in the steep, rocky bank of the riverbed. We ended up having to back out through the muddied river and take a detour around the river.
We had a picnic lunch near the Mara River and enjoyed seeing the hippos laze in the water. We were joined by monkeys (who stole Willy’s sandwich), with mongoose and lizards running all over us. Lunch was delicious and Andrew enjoyed his FIRST picnic (ever!).
By 4:00 p.m. we headed back to the Lodge and the clouds unleashed another downpour. We had beautiful weather all day and even got some color in our cheeks. At 5:00 we were shopping under the grass roof where the Masai had set up shop on their shukas (blankets). The handmade jewelry, knifes, clubs, blankets and more were fun to peruse and buy.
Warm showers and exfoliating our skin was a wonderful conclusion to the day. We are now, seated in the lodge reliving the day, laughing, talking and watching Cara sing rap with a water bottle and no music. She continues to entertain us. We smell dinner cooking and are looking forward to another great meal.
Our time here at Mara West has allowed us to reflect on the things we experienced in Kisumu and we have talked at length about the things we saw and did. This time of respite is necessary….to put into perspective, to capture it all in our memory and to process. The team debriefed the entire trip in preparation for the return home and to “real life”. Sometimes the transition can be so difficult, but this time in the Mara has allowed many of us to process our thoughts and feelings to a degree that helps us return home with nothing but love and appreciation for what we’ve seen, heard, smelled, tasted and done here during our time in Kenya.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Last night’s rain soaked the dusty plains of Masai Mara and our journey out of the area began following breakfast. As a team, we voted to visit a Masai village just outside Mara West. For 1,000 Kenya schillings each (about $12.50 USD), we were given a full tour of the village, by our guides Peter and Andrew (not exactly Masai names). The women of the village, dressed in their Masai garb, greeted us with song and dance encouraging us to dance along with them. We were adorned with beads, necklaces and shukas. We began with the “pepper tree” used by the village Medicine man and Mid-wife. We sampled the herb and were surprised by the hot flavor of it (Cara and Andrew took the whole leaf and popped it in their mouth – we all got a good laugh out of their response). This herb is used for malaria, teeth brushing and other medicinal purposes. Peter commented that the fruit of this tree causes elephants to become intoxicated and when this happens their antics keep lions from entering the village, thus serving as security guards (big ones).
The village is hidden amongst the thorny bushes surrounding it. There is a special corral for the cattle to keep them protected at night. We were escorted into one of the huts constructed of manure, mud and twigs with thatched roofs. We were surprised by how roomy it was….maybe 200 square feet. We were allowed to take pictures inside and out and will be happy to share them all with you. A fire is kept burning inside the hut all day and night. It is used for cooking and to keep mosquitos away. The husband and wife share an area of the hut sleeping on the skin of a cow. A mud wall separates the children who all sleep together on the floor. The goats, sheep and chicken share another room, yes, inside the hut. If you can imagine there were millions of flies inside and out. We are quite sure we drove the rest of the day with a few Masai flies.
We had a demonstration of how fire is started with hard wood and soft wood using friction. We were invited to shop in the market place where many of the Masai women were waiting with jewelry, walking sticks, carvings and more. Children ran free, babies slept under makeshift tables and business was conducted. Bargaining was brutal – they share their income with six villages and count on the tourism to sustain them. Our appreciation of this culture grew by leaps and bounds.
Willy had an opportunity to share with some of the men we concluded our time there hand in hand in a circle of prayer.
The ride from Mara to Nairobi was long, dusty and difficult. This is part of life in Kenya. The dust was suffocating at times and the bumps were painful. The roads are nearly impassable but our trusty driver saw us through and we arrived back at the Chak Guest House where our journey began. We will have dinner soon before heading to bed for a much needed rest.
Tomorrow we will visit the Nairobi Giraffe Center and then spend some time shopping. Our day will conclude at the Mathari Slum where we will be reminded of why we are here with a visit at the Good Samaritan Home, run by a most wonderful woman named Mercy. She takes in any child in need from her slum and provides a home and the best possible conditions she can provide. She is an amazing woman who deserves so much more support than she is getting. We will treasure this time with her and offer what little support we can provide on this day.
Our flights to Belgium are at 10 pm but we must first bid a sad farewell to Andrew and Willy as they fly back to Kisumu for their long stay. Our bond is tight and we will miss them so much, but will wait anxiously for their updates and will hold them up in prayer.
Thank you for being patient with the long updates, but we have so much to share and have been so blessed together as a team.
Thank you all for your love, support and prayers.
Kwaheri (Good-bye) for now.
Chris, Cara, Andrew, Anya, Willy and Cissy
Village Care July 2010 Kisumu Team
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