The days at work are a mixture of a strange, surrealistic funk - coupled with a tremendous amount of work yet to do as things wind down. My replacement came to visit - which is a good thing for all but I was not prepared for the feelings that are accompanying turning things over to someone else, not just temporarily, but forever. It wasn't particularly sad, not particularly happy - just plain weird. I am sure my replacement will experience similar emotions at his end and at his place.
So - now if God is leading us, which I am convinced He is - then I need to stay in the Flow and continue to be taken along in this breeze of the Spirit and trust. The condo needs to go and my car lease is up in June. Once those things are taken care of I can relax and concentrate on the next steps of preparing to move after the summer. There is no fear in heading for Kenya, only a worry about those I leave here. I am glad that the length of my stays there will be relatively short and I can have time to process, re-choose and connect often with home. Kitui does not have Internet access yet - but there is some cell connections which I will investigate. This would keep my connected with the states and with Nairobi. There will also be opportunities for me to come into Nairobi and the orphanage.
Sr. Julie writes about things at Nyumbani Children's Home. Mungai is getting continued care on a Cochlear Implant he received in the states. Kabena, my little artist friend is being examined for possible surgery to straighten a deformed leg (either in the states or in Nairobi). Some fo the older orphans are moving into the new "dorm-style" residences, making room for more AIDS orphans who are dying and need a spot at the orphanage. Life goes on. There were even some televised spots on Kibera on American Idol - Simon goes to Kenya! It was moving to see these places on TV that I had walked and where I have longed to work. The world becomes smaller and smaller.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
The Village in Kitui
The Nyumbani Village is a creative and somewhat open environment, as it is still being created. I could work in one the following areas:Agriculture:
1. Kitchen Gardens (Shambas) Participate in a developing program which focuses on the creation of small kitchen gardens and 1/2 acre homestead agricultural plots for each home in the Village.
2. Sustainability/Agro-forestry/Reforestation/Perma-culture Many acres have been planted with indigenous and fruit tree seedlings with the intention of growing food, fodder and fuel crops beneath the trees.
3. Herbalism/Medicinal Plant Cultivation Sadly, the Village herbalist passed away earlier in the year and the Village is in need of individuals with knowledge and experience in the field of indigenous medicines.
4. Honey Bees The Village has purchased their first 10 hives with a plan to expand this number to 6000 hives. Volunteers are welcome to come and work with the Apiary consultant that visits once or twice a week.
5. Land survey/ Naturalist Individuals with knowledge of indigenous species are needed to identify and catalog plant varieties currently growing wind on the premises.
6. Water Systems A water system has been installed at the Village and provides water for domestic use as well as irrigation. The water system at the Village is currently provided through the use of bore holes, dams and wells.Continued assistance and expertise is needed in this area.
7. Energy systems The Village wishes to explore several means of generating electricity including, solar, wind, bio-gas and any other energy systems.
8. Village Preparation and Village Life A) Homes B) School/civic C) Laboratory/Medical
These areas have been constructed and will need setup and preparation. Educators, Medical Volunteers, and Social Workers are needed now that residents are arriving. A school for "The Standard Eight" has been constructed and set to open in May. We shall see.
http://www.evworld.com/evworld_audio/fr_dagostino.mp3
The Nyumbani Village
http://www.dioceseofkitui.org/
http://www.cdkitui.org/
http://kitui.com/home.htm
Saturday, April 21, 2007
I emailed Kenya
After some days of reflection and writing, I finally emailed Nyumbani, Sr. Mary and Sr. Julie with some options I had been pondering.
Option #1 included working three days a week in Kibera and two days on the shamba near the orphanage. (I could live at the orphanage)
Option #2 involved living and working in the village at Kitui, about three hours from Nairobi. There is much to do there, including opening a school.
Option #3 would be to follow the regular track for volunteers - a little of this and a little of that.
Sr. wrote back encouraging me to look at Option #2 - a place where my gifts could really be used and where I would experience Africa in the most real sense. Of course I wrote back and told them I would look forward to working in Kitui - set me up and let me know when I can come. While the area is remote, rural and on the edge of the bush country - they do have cell phone access (even if there is no Internet yet). Now it is a time of waiting for more direction, dates. The usual length of stay is three months - which is how I would begin. If things work out and everything is good back home and in Kenya, I would re-up. There are also so many connections made and to be made with other groups and organizations. This seems to be a terrific place to begin and with a great organization and great people. There are some visa issues to deal with after 6 months. I still need to sell my condo and make the arrangements needed at home with work and family. God has been faithful through these months. There is no need to doubt God now. More soon.
Option #1 included working three days a week in Kibera and two days on the shamba near the orphanage. (I could live at the orphanage)
Option #2 involved living and working in the village at Kitui, about three hours from Nairobi. There is much to do there, including opening a school.
Option #3 would be to follow the regular track for volunteers - a little of this and a little of that.
Sr. wrote back encouraging me to look at Option #2 - a place where my gifts could really be used and where I would experience Africa in the most real sense. Of course I wrote back and told them I would look forward to working in Kitui - set me up and let me know when I can come. While the area is remote, rural and on the edge of the bush country - they do have cell phone access (even if there is no Internet yet). Now it is a time of waiting for more direction, dates. The usual length of stay is three months - which is how I would begin. If things work out and everything is good back home and in Kenya, I would re-up. There are also so many connections made and to be made with other groups and organizations. This seems to be a terrific place to begin and with a great organization and great people. There are some visa issues to deal with after 6 months. I still need to sell my condo and make the arrangements needed at home with work and family. God has been faithful through these months. There is no need to doubt God now. More soon.
Looking Back - Palm Sunday
I was fortunate to be able to be present at the Nyumbani Children's Home for the Palm Sunday celebration. We began outside, after the children has swept the drive area. The palms were blessed and we processed into the daycare, where liturgy was held. Great singing, the children did the readings. I was introduced at the end of the mass as a headmaster of a huge school in the United States. I was welcomed to return for a longer visit. After mass, a young Kenyan woman set up some speakers and a CD player. The music begins and about 20 children dance to contemporary Christian music. Very cool. One song I caught and dance along with them "God's given me a window and I'm beginning to see the light!" How true. I ordered the CD when I returned to the states. The music and dancing continued all afternoon. It was then that I met Simon, a pilot from British Air who would "bump me up to 1st Class" on my return flight from Nairobi to London. Very nice. Bristish Airway does a lot of volunteer work at Nyumbani. In fact, some of the flight attendants and crew had spent time volunteering there on one of their layovers. Simon, who lives in London, goes to Nyumbani quite often.
That evening I met once more with Sr. Mary who cautioned me not to make any decisions until I returned home and got some space from Kenya. She then headed off to an 8 day retreat. I said my goodbyes and was driven to the airport. Interesting how sad I was to leave. Good people, good place. I will return soon.
That evening I met once more with Sr. Mary who cautioned me not to make any decisions until I returned home and got some space from Kenya. She then headed off to an 8 day retreat. I said my goodbyes and was driven to the airport. Interesting how sad I was to leave. Good people, good place. I will return soon.
Looking Back - The Shamba
After a day at Kibera and visiting the program there and some of the people helped by Lea Toto, Sr. Little and I rode to the shamba (or farm) located in Karen, about 5 or 6 miles from the Children's Home. There we met a couple of guys working this 5 acre piece of land. The land was given to Nyumbani as 10 acres but there remains a discrepancy. Sr. and I walked through the plantings and she showed me around the property. Banana trees, corn, peppers and so much more. She then showed me the tumeric plants she has carried from India and planted. We spent some time digging up and re-rooting the plants. We gathered about 5 kilos on this spice/root. She will boil the root, dry it and grind it into a fine spice for use at the Children's home and the convent. I met a young man working on the shamba whom sister would like to send to the Don Bosco trade school in January but she hasn't the money yet. "How much?" I asked. About $350 American for the year! I can handle that. We worked in the dirt for a while, waited out the rain and began a long walk home to the orphanage.Along the way we came to a nicely landscaped home with a wall surrounding the house and property. Planted along the walls were plants that reminded me of cannas. There were seed pods remaining where flowers had been. Sister suggested we take some of the pods to plant back at the orphanage. She insisted we gather each and every one and when I would drop one, she would quickly gather it up and place it in her bag. Eventually she confessed. "Ed, I lied. We are not going to plant them when we get home." Then she reached for her rosary and showed it to me. The women in Kibera make rosaries from the seeds of these plants. Our bag will make many rosaries!
We continued a long walk home, talking about our lives - hers in India, mine in the US. I told her that my story back home will read that we walked ten miles and carried twenty pounds of tumeric and seeds! Almost arriving home from our walk, a Nyumbani car stopped to pick us up. Good timing. Sr. was probably tired!
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Looking Back Day 5 . . . . Kibera: I can't cry hard enough
Friday March 30
One of the most difficult days to write about, not just because of the devastating impact of a slum, but the difficulty one has in describing such conditions. I had read about the area, the feel, the smell, the sadness, the disease, but I could never have prepared myself for what I was going to experience. I remain, even through the sadness and all, extremely grateful for this life changing experience.
I was back at the orphanage for about an hour after Kibera. I showered right away yet I could still smell the smells. I put my muddy clothes and boots
outside, not knowing how to adequately clean them. I can still see the faces, the houses, the mud and grime. I was grateful to have spent the day with Sr. Teresa Little. She is an Indian sister and one of nine children from southern India. Sr. Little is a scavenger. She is a saint. She is hard. She is prayerful and lovingly funny. I don’t know how I was so fortunate to spend so much time with her. Because of our time and an unplanned 5KM walk home, we got to talk a lot about our lives and our work. You could sense her frustrations at time. If she was frustrated or angry, it was for her people. I was also able to go to mass at her little convent chapel before we left.
We left for Kibera early in the morning. Like most days, we had a driver to drive us to the slums. It was a short 15 minute trip from Nyumbani Children’s Home to Kibera. We passed polo grounds and a fairground. Such wealth juxtaposed against the largest slum in Africa. We turned the car onto Kibera Road and there is was before us. We got a glimpse of the sea of rusted metal roofs, houses packed into a space about the size of NYC Central Park. We drove closes to see the piles of trash, plastic and junk. Little children scavenging through the trash. Then came the smell. The smell of red dirt, rot, mildew, sewage, kerosene, charcoal smoke – the smells I had been told about – Kibera. We drove past hundreds of people walking somewhere, nowhere. We passed dilapidated kiosks which looked abandoned but were not. We drove past sheds selling various wares until we turned and came to a dead end at a run down school site.
To the left was the entrance to Lea Toto, the outreach program for AIDS children operated by Sr. Little and Nyumbani. A couple of things have changed life somewhat in Kenya. First, those with HIV or AIDS are now permitted to attend public school. Second, there has been the advent of ARVs or antiretroviral medications. Leo Toto attempts to care for those children with AIDS by getting them the needed ARVs and food nutrients necessary to allow the meds to work. Lea Toto program is funded now by USAID.
We met many Lea Toto moms (HIV+) in the program with their children. They make money by making some crafts and bead work. They are given counseling as well as meds and food. We toured the main “clinic” rooms and a nearby daycare operation. I was able to meet with a man who was not an MD but close. He spoke of his daily schedule and his work. Many come to the “clinic” for HIV testing, which can be sent back to Nyumbani or on to the hospital for more involved testing. There are other handicaps – not just HIV and AIDS. Many in Kibera have TB or measles, malaria, yellow fever and more. Health care in the slums is not a priority in the lives of the extreme poor. Sadly he tells us of women who sell the ARVs for food money, sacrificing the sick child. Some receive food for the HIV child but, of course, must distribute that food to the entire family. The sick child does not get all the nourishment necessary. In some cases, the children seem disposable, some are left to die or are abandoned either by choice or because the parents are too sick to care for them or have died in the home. Children are confused and don’t understand the whys or whats of the disease. Prostitution is another problem in the area. The spread of disease, whether through prostitution or ignorance continues. There are estimates that one fourth of the AIDS sufferers in Nairobi live in Kibera. Anywhere from 25% – 50% of its residents are HIV+. Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
With the disease so common, one would think that there would not be the stigma we might find in the US. But there continues to be strong denial and rejection of the disease. This seemed to be more the issue with the men of Kibera. Many will not be tested, but they are obviously sick.
Two women who lived in Kibera were trained as “social workers” and do home visits took us into the main district of the slums to make about seven home visits or calls. Sr. Little went with us and we started out, probably looking like an interesting group. There seemed to be no other mzungus in the area. I took off my UK hat to reduce attention. Of course I got sunburned! Every child we would pass would yell “How are yyyyoooouuuu?” and grab my hand. We walked through garbage, mud, human waste. We passed children and adults who were obviously sick or on glue. Some were washing clothes in buckets, some cooking in charcoal fires. We walked small hills of metal shacks in which we would not house our dogs. We would not allow our children around the rusted, jagged metal, let alone the crap in the alleyways. We would not allow our children to view such sad situations.
And then we entered a “house” of one room, maybe 10’ x 10’ The walls were metal drums, pounded flat, covered with old calendars, posters, some lace material. There was not electric and the most difficult adjustment was to the lack of light; There was no light. It was so dark that your eyes had to adjust to see the black faces of those in the room. Inside the houses, women burn charcoal grills or kerosene to cook what food they could procure. The roof was metal and burned my hand to the touch from the suns heat. The woman in the house said she had been in that house for three years with 7 or 8 others. She had wanted to start selling fish but didn’t have the capital to get started. The people rented these shacks from landlords – some for about 10 bucks American each month. We visited woman after woman, shack after shack hearing the same story. Most we had talked to had lived in Kibera for years. Sometimes they were evicted and the place torn down to be rebuilt by the next tenant. There was some electric for an additional price. Most did not have electric and used candles to see. The noises, the dark, the smell, the fear. Children walked the alleys with no shoes, no life in their eyes. We held one child who had respiratory problems, perhaps TB. Sr. Little tapped her back to break stuff up. One woman talked of the death of her child. One talked about her husband who refused to be tested, even after coming close to death from his last bout of sickness. Mom is getting ARVs and feels good. The father refuses to admit the possibilities. We met a man who was watching his sister's children. It was unclear where his sister had gone. He was obviously sick, yellow, bloodshot, lifeless eyes. He was slow in movement and speech, emotionally worn out, physically ill. Still, he refused to get tested and get treatment. I am afraid I stared at him for a long time – trying to see the eyes of Jesus in His. I could.
Mothers die alone in these shacks. Babies dies in a pile of rags in the corner of the house. They cant afford to bury their children or relatives. It’s hard to gauge the sadness. It is always sad. We met a woman who makes candles and sells them. She also shared some of her bead work. One of her children had died. She had three others and extended family members in the house. Her husband does “casual work” somewhere. He was sick and close to death recently.
I asked Sr. Little if it would be appropriate to ask the woman about her faith. Sr. said she doesn’t discuss it. She says there are so many church groups coming through looking to convert people. She doesn’t talk about it. She just loves and the love is the witness. She asked the woman and she said "I am Christian." Sr. Little said that means she is not Muslim.
We visited home after home. I feel like I am in a dream. It is surrealistic and I can’t believe that I am able to spend the day like this. I can’t reflect on it now. I can’t understand the complexity of it all now. We finally return to the Center to wait for our ride home. I get a little physical space from the woman and from sister and can only then allow myself to think of Rachel, Zac, Jonah when they were infants and growing up. I can’t hold back the tears any longer. But I can’t cry long and I can’t cry hard enough. It starts to rain and I cry with God.
One of the most difficult days to write about, not just because of the devastating impact of a slum, but the difficulty one has in describing such conditions. I had read about the area, the feel, the smell, the sadness, the disease, but I could never have prepared myself for what I was going to experience. I remain, even through the sadness and all, extremely grateful for this life changing experience.I was back at the orphanage for about an hour after Kibera. I showered right away yet I could still smell the smells. I put my muddy clothes and boots
outside, not knowing how to adequately clean them. I can still see the faces, the houses, the mud and grime. I was grateful to have spent the day with Sr. Teresa Little. She is an Indian sister and one of nine children from southern India. Sr. Little is a scavenger. She is a saint. She is hard. She is prayerful and lovingly funny. I don’t know how I was so fortunate to spend so much time with her. Because of our time and an unplanned 5KM walk home, we got to talk a lot about our lives and our work. You could sense her frustrations at time. If she was frustrated or angry, it was for her people. I was also able to go to mass at her little convent chapel before we left.We left for Kibera early in the morning. Like most days, we had a driver to drive us to the slums. It was a short 15 minute trip from Nyumbani Children’s Home to Kibera. We passed polo grounds and a fairground. Such wealth juxtaposed against the largest slum in Africa. We turned the car onto Kibera Road and there is was before us. We got a glimpse of the sea of rusted metal roofs, houses packed into a space about the size of NYC Central Park. We drove closes to see the piles of trash, plastic and junk. Little children scavenging through the trash. Then came the smell. The smell of red dirt, rot, mildew, sewage, kerosene, charcoal smoke – the smells I had been told about – Kibera. We drove past hundreds of people walking somewhere, nowhere. We passed dilapidated kiosks which looked abandoned but were not. We drove past sheds selling various wares until we turned and came to a dead end at a run down school site.
To the left was the entrance to Lea Toto, the outreach program for AIDS children operated by Sr. Little and Nyumbani. A couple of things have changed life somewhat in Kenya. First, those with HIV or AIDS are now permitted to attend public school. Second, there has been the advent of ARVs or antiretroviral medications. Leo Toto attempts to care for those children with AIDS by getting them the needed ARVs and food nutrients necessary to allow the meds to work. Lea Toto program is funded now by USAID.We met many Lea Toto moms (HIV+) in the program with their children. They make money by making some crafts and bead work. They are given counseling as well as meds and food. We toured the main “clinic” rooms and a nearby daycare operation. I was able to meet with a man who was not an MD but close. He spoke of his daily schedule and his work. Many come to the “clinic” for HIV testing, which can be sent back to Nyumbani or on to the hospital for more involved testing. There are other handicaps – not just HIV and AIDS. Many in Kibera have TB or measles, malaria, yellow fever and more. Health care in the slums is not a priority in the lives of the extreme poor. Sadly he tells us of women who sell the ARVs for food money, sacrificing the sick child. Some receive food for the HIV child but, of course, must distribute that food to the entire family. The sick child does not get all the nourishment necessary. In some cases, the children seem disposable, some are left to die or are abandoned either by choice or because the parents are too sick to care for them or have died in the home. Children are confused and don’t understand the whys or whats of the disease. Prostitution is another problem in the area. The spread of disease, whether through prostitution or ignorance continues. There are estimates that one fourth of the AIDS sufferers in Nairobi live in Kibera. Anywhere from 25% – 50% of its residents are HIV+. Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
With the disease so common, one would think that there would not be the stigma we might find in the US. But there continues to be strong denial and rejection of the disease. This seemed to be more the issue with the men of Kibera. Many will not be tested, but they are obviously sick.
Two women who lived in Kibera were trained as “social workers” and do home visits took us into the main district of the slums to make about seven home visits or calls. Sr. Little went with us and we started out, probably looking like an interesting group. There seemed to be no other mzungus in the area. I took off my UK hat to reduce attention. Of course I got sunburned! Every child we would pass would yell “How are yyyyoooouuuu?” and grab my hand. We walked through garbage, mud, human waste. We passed children and adults who were obviously sick or on glue. Some were washing clothes in buckets, some cooking in charcoal fires. We walked small hills of metal shacks in which we would not house our dogs. We would not allow our children around the rusted, jagged metal, let alone the crap in the alleyways. We would not allow our children to view such sad situations.
And then we entered a “house” of one room, maybe 10’ x 10’ The walls were metal drums, pounded flat, covered with old calendars, posters, some lace material. There was not electric and the most difficult adjustment was to the lack of light; There was no light. It was so dark that your eyes had to adjust to see the black faces of those in the room. Inside the houses, women burn charcoal grills or kerosene to cook what food they could procure. The roof was metal and burned my hand to the touch from the suns heat. The woman in the house said she had been in that house for three years with 7 or 8 others. She had wanted to start selling fish but didn’t have the capital to get started. The people rented these shacks from landlords – some for about 10 bucks American each month. We visited woman after woman, shack after shack hearing the same story. Most we had talked to had lived in Kibera for years. Sometimes they were evicted and the place torn down to be rebuilt by the next tenant. There was some electric for an additional price. Most did not have electric and used candles to see. The noises, the dark, the smell, the fear. Children walked the alleys with no shoes, no life in their eyes. We held one child who had respiratory problems, perhaps TB. Sr. Little tapped her back to break stuff up. One woman talked of the death of her child. One talked about her husband who refused to be tested, even after coming close to death from his last bout of sickness. Mom is getting ARVs and feels good. The father refuses to admit the possibilities. We met a man who was watching his sister's children. It was unclear where his sister had gone. He was obviously sick, yellow, bloodshot, lifeless eyes. He was slow in movement and speech, emotionally worn out, physically ill. Still, he refused to get tested and get treatment. I am afraid I stared at him for a long time – trying to see the eyes of Jesus in His. I could.
Mothers die alone in these shacks. Babies dies in a pile of rags in the corner of the house. They cant afford to bury their children or relatives. It’s hard to gauge the sadness. It is always sad. We met a woman who makes candles and sells them. She also shared some of her bead work. One of her children had died. She had three others and extended family members in the house. Her husband does “casual work” somewhere. He was sick and close to death recently.
I asked Sr. Little if it would be appropriate to ask the woman about her faith. Sr. said she doesn’t discuss it. She says there are so many church groups coming through looking to convert people. She doesn’t talk about it. She just loves and the love is the witness. She asked the woman and she said "I am Christian." Sr. Little said that means she is not Muslim.
We visited home after home. I feel like I am in a dream. It is surrealistic and I can’t believe that I am able to spend the day like this. I can’t reflect on it now. I can’t understand the complexity of it all now. We finally return to the Center to wait for our ride home. I get a little physical space from the woman and from sister and can only then allow myself to think of Rachel, Zac, Jonah when they were infants and growing up. I can’t hold back the tears any longer. But I can’t cry long and I can’t cry hard enough. It starts to rain and I cry with God.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Broken, shared, given away
Taking a break from my remembering my Africa trip, I have to comment on my two favorite days in the church year - more than Easter, more than Christmas. Holy Thursday is a day (actually the night is more to my liking) when I do remember all the great people in my life, past and present. It is easy to recall and thank those close to me now - my own small family - mom and kids, Chris and Diane who have become good sounding boards as well as loving, supportive friends, the school colleagues who have allowed me the luxury of leaving on a trip like this and supported me emotionally for years. There are many, many good people I have met and grown to love through school. But Holy Thursday is also a time to remember those at a distance and those who are not here any longer. Holy Thursday was a night for Richard, John, Fred and I to recount our blessings, drink to our heroes and break bread together. John, my best friend, died unexpectedly years ago on Loveland bike trail. Richard is in New Mexico and Fred remains close but has a family of his own. But we can never forget these Holy nights spent together and the power of our friendship and love over the years. It has been a gift from God. It was in the breaking of the bread that we knew God and what would become the patterns for our lives, my life. My theology is more simple now. What is asked of me? To follow Jesus. What did Jesus do? He gave His life away, piece by piece - knowing that He would be filled again by His father. So what should I do? Give my life away - piece by piece - and trust that someone will take it. So it was at that Last Supper that I get a clue of the meaning of Eucharist - remembering my brother/hero and being broken, shared and given away. It makes sense to me. And to the degree that my life is broken, shared and given away - I understand liturgy and the Last Supper.
My friend Richard gives this image of Christ on the cross on Good Friday - of Jesus saying with His body "Stop it." He doesn't get angry. He doesn't crucify back - although we would think He has the right. He just takes it and holds the pain and the violence inside His body and says "Stop it." "The violence, the killing, the hurt and anger stops with Me." And He refuses to pass on the violence. In that way, He truly saves me, saves us. Not in the traditional way of atonement, but in the way he teaches us to live and to love. That is what really "saves" us.
And so these two days are holy for me. Easter is good - Alleluia. But I have learned more from pain, suffering, mistakes and tragedy than from all my Easter Sundays.
My friend Richard gives this image of Christ on the cross on Good Friday - of Jesus saying with His body "Stop it." He doesn't get angry. He doesn't crucify back - although we would think He has the right. He just takes it and holds the pain and the violence inside His body and says "Stop it." "The violence, the killing, the hurt and anger stops with Me." And He refuses to pass on the violence. In that way, He truly saves me, saves us. Not in the traditional way of atonement, but in the way he teaches us to live and to love. That is what really "saves" us.
And so these two days are holy for me. Easter is good - Alleluia. But I have learned more from pain, suffering, mistakes and tragedy than from all my Easter Sundays.
Looking Back - Day 4
Thursday March 29
About Kitui and the Nyumbani Village - Kitui District is one of the nine districts in the Eastern Province of Kenya, 170 kilometers (107 Miles) east of Nairobi. It has an area of 31,099 square kilometers, with a population of 370,000 approximately 21 people per square kilometer. Kitui is home to the Kamba speaking Bantu who are also in Machakos, Makueni and Mwingi districts. The district is divided into several administrative Divisions: Central, Mutito, Mutomo and West(Matinyani).
The district is semi-arid and only the Central Division, with a maximum rainfall of 1270mm per year, is classified as having a high agricultural potential. The remainder, around 98% of the land in Kitui, is subject to drought. Crop failures and food shortages are common, and around 85% of the population has no source of potable water within 8 kilometers of their homes. This often times means having to walk 8 kilometer(5 Miles) to fetch water from a local river. This is done by either using donkeys or women and small children to carry water on their back using plastic containers for the entire distance.
Like most parts of Kenya, Kitui has not been spared HIV/AIDS. The effect of this disease is being felt in all corners of the district. The number of orphaned children is increasing at an alarming rate. One thousand acres of land, located 3 hours east of Nairobi, was donated by the Kitui District County Council to be used for the Nyumbani Village. The site is within the poorest division in the Kitui District and has the highest number of AIDS orphans and HIV/AIDS cases. There will be 100 dwelling units each with a grandmother/caretaker to look after 7 to 10 children. Also included in the Village will be:• A Community Center, which will act as the Village central meeting and celebration place.• A Health Centre containing all the necessary facilities to deal with medical emergencies.• A Nursery and Primary School for the very young children, with the older children attending surrounding schools.• A Technical Training Unit intended to be a self-sustaining polytechnic in which learning, apprenticeship and industrial production shall take place.• An Administrative Police Post to establish a security presence in the area.• Staff Housing to accommodate a maximum of 4 staff members. •
A Guest House to accommodate visitors and volunteers. It is the Village project’s principal to use locally available resources. With the exception of steel sheets used for roofing and glass for windows, the materials used for construction are locally sourced and manufactured on site by local labor. This has led to creation of employment, transferring of technology, instilling a feeling of achievement and fueling the local economy.The concept of training initially unskilled local people to perform the Village construction (versus bringing skilled masons from outside) has created a sense of pride and ownership in the local community. Amazingly, only 6 of all the people working on this complex project are not from the immediate locale. When the project is complete, virtually everyone who has worked here will have a skilled trade to offer. This will enable them to get decent jobs as masons, block makers, surveyors, etc. This concept may be as important as providing orphans with homes. In addition to offering some solution to the serious orphan problem, the project as designed will have income generating components such as food crop farming under irrigation (from wells and two boreholes), dairy farming under zero grazing, a major forest that will be used for bee keeping and hand crafted items.
Coming soon - the trip to Kibera
About Kitui and the Nyumbani Village - Kitui District is one of the nine districts in the Eastern Province of Kenya, 170 kilometers (107 Miles) east of Nairobi. It has an area of 31,099 square kilometers, with a population of 370,000 approximately 21 people per square kilometer. Kitui is home to the Kamba speaking Bantu who are also in Machakos, Makueni and Mwingi districts. The district is divided into several administrative Divisions: Central, Mutito, Mutomo and West(Matinyani).The district is semi-arid and only the Central Division, with a maximum rainfall of 1270mm per year, is classified as having a high agricultural potential. The remainder, around 98% of the land in Kitui, is subject to drought. Crop failures and food shortages are common, and around 85% of the population has no source of potable water within 8 kilometers of their homes. This often times means having to walk 8 kilometer(5 Miles) to fetch water from a local river. This is done by either using donkeys or women and small children to carry water on their back using plastic containers for the entire distance.
Like most parts of Kenya, Kitui has not been spared HIV/AIDS. The effect of this disease is being felt in all corners of the district. The number of orphaned children is increasing at an alarming rate. One thousand acres of land, located 3 hours east of Nairobi, was donated by the Kitui District County Council to be used for the Nyumbani Village. The site is within the poorest division in the Kitui District and has the highest number of AIDS orphans and HIV/AIDS cases. There will be 100 dwelling units each with a grandmother/caretaker to look after 7 to 10 children. Also included in the Village will be:• A Community Center, which will act as the Village central meeting and celebration place.• A Health Centre containing all the necessary facilities to deal with medical emergencies.• A Nursery and Primary School for the very young children, with the older children attending surrounding schools.• A Technical Training Unit intended to be a self-sustaining polytechnic in which learning, apprenticeship and industrial production shall take place.• An Administrative Police Post to establish a security presence in the area.• Staff Housing to accommodate a maximum of 4 staff members. •
A Guest House to accommodate visitors and volunteers. It is the Village project’s principal to use locally available resources. With the exception of steel sheets used for roofing and glass for windows, the materials used for construction are locally sourced and manufactured on site by local labor. This has led to creation of employment, transferring of technology, instilling a feeling of achievement and fueling the local economy.The concept of training initially unskilled local people to perform the Village construction (versus bringing skilled masons from outside) has created a sense of pride and ownership in the local community. Amazingly, only 6 of all the people working on this complex project are not from the immediate locale. When the project is complete, virtually everyone who has worked here will have a skilled trade to offer. This will enable them to get decent jobs as masons, block makers, surveyors, etc. This concept may be as important as providing orphans with homes. In addition to offering some solution to the serious orphan problem, the project as designed will have income generating components such as food crop farming under irrigation (from wells and two boreholes), dairy farming under zero grazing, a major forest that will be used for bee keeping and hand crafted items.So – back to my journey to Kitui and the Nyumbani Village. I met Protus at his car at 5:30 a.m. We head out down the road, passing the usual walkers along and in the middle of the road. Protus drives me to a drop off location where I meet Joseph, standing outside a guard house by a local shopping center. The shopping center is gated and has electrified fencing. It opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 8:00 p.m. Protus assures me that Joseph will keep me safe. So he and I struggle through language barriers and wait for Sr. Mary’s car. Joseph will be our driver for the bumpy three hour drive to Kitui. Lots of stares and people coming up to us. I stay close to Joseph. I was the only “mzungu” in the area. So many “Matatus” or transport vans loaded with travelers or workers headed into town. Finally Sr. Mary arrives with a gentleman from PACT. PACT is an International NGO that is looking at the management styles and systems of Nyumbani. As I understand things, the representative will travel with us and do some interviews with staff in Kitui. He will make recommendations and develop strategies for improving the management systems in all aspects of Nyumbani organization. The gentleman is well-traveled and his wife works for the State Department in Nairobi. So we jump in the car attempting to travel early enough to miss some of the Nairobi traffic. It is hazy and you can barely make out the walkers and bike riders along the road and the side paths. Already things are crazy and traffic is a mess. The ride to Kitui is long and bumpy. The roads are terrible yet there is promise of new roads going from Nairobi to the port of Mombasa. There are many, many trucks. Vans and other vehicles haul students to the many schools along the way. There are students walking, many carrying their shoes. Some carry plastic water jugs to be filled at the river on the way to school and then again on the return home. On the drive, Sr. Mary talks about the the little villages we pass. Some are known for their artisans. Some have no local income. We pass ox carts, donkeys, goats, dead chickens being hoisted on top of the buses. We finally arrive at one of the larger towns, Muchakos. We stop at a local restaurant for simoses (sp) deep fried triangular dough filled with meat and onions and spices. Sister Mary buys a bunch and we eat them for breakfast along the way. The last hour of travel was the most bumpy. We travel over dirt roads, passing locals hauling water. They head for a river bed and dig in the sand until the water comes out. The water is not good for us to drink. Locals drink it but it is filled with fluoride and saline.
After passing more oxcarts and animals, more winding dirt roads we come upon the entrance to Nyumbani Village. We drove past clusters of buildings and a large “community center / worship space” to the main office. There we met Nicholas, the village project manager and Philip who was in charge of sustainability of the village. Sr. Mary, the PACT man and Nicholas were to meet and Philip toured me around almost every inch of the site. The Nyumbani Village will be a self-sustaining community to serve orphans and elders who have been left behind by the “lost generation” of the AIDS pandemic. Through group homes and community institutions, the Village will create new blended families that foster healing, hope and opportunity. The goal is to provide compassion and service to all affected by AIDS, so that they will rise up to lead productive, safe and comfortable lives. The Village provides a family-like setting for orphaned children under the stewardship of elderly adults and ensures that the community-based clients and Village residents will receive love, sustenance, health-care and education, aiming at their physical and spiritual development. With an ample area of tillable land, the occupants will sustain themselves through agriculture, poultry, dairy projects as well as handicrafts and external services. The adolescents will benefit from the knowledge of the elderly occupants, who in turn will benefit from the support of the younger population. Vocational opportunity in the form of training, tools, and start up financing for trades, cottage industry and agricultural endeavors will be provided with the goal of self-sustaining independence, financial security and stability for residents, particularly maturing young people. It will be a model for Africa.
Everything done must be able to be duplicated in neighboring villages. It may be easy to drive a big John Deere into the place, but that cannot be replicated in the neighboring village or farm. We visited a number of various locations: the worship building, a building for harvesting corn etc., a site for the extraction of castor oil and jetropa. There is also a building for extracting essential oils, oils which pay good money. There is a building for woodworking and other trades.
There is a school, set to open in May, but I have my doubts. There are eight classrooms for the Standard Eight and an office and latrine area. The hope is to begin with grades 1-4. I think there will be difficulty in finding teachers in this remote area. It will be a public school. At this point, the children of the village are going to “nearby” schools. 
We walked to see the series of six sand damns, meant to raise the level of the water table. Instead of the rains just rushing by, they are trapped and held by the dams, making the area more fertile. The dams will be raised as needed.
The village is to duplicate a traditionally African way of raising children, with elders, family, extended family. The housing is built in quadrants around a center water and washing source. There is also a shamba (farm) and nursery for cultivating plants and a reforesting project associated with the farming. The land has been stripped of trees for fuels etc. Volunteers work with seedlings, and (with little success) raising chickens and cattle – newly purchased on the day I was visiting. There is a medical clinic and police station for security. As of now, men patrol the area at night with bows and arrows. There can be found cobras, puff adders and mambas. I also heard there are baboons in the trees, though I didn’t see any.
After passing more oxcarts and animals, more winding dirt roads we come upon the entrance to Nyumbani Village. We drove past clusters of buildings and a large “community center / worship space” to the main office. There we met Nicholas, the village project manager and Philip who was in charge of sustainability of the village. Sr. Mary, the PACT man and Nicholas were to meet and Philip toured me around almost every inch of the site. The Nyumbani Village will be a self-sustaining community to serve orphans and elders who have been left behind by the “lost generation” of the AIDS pandemic. Through group homes and community institutions, the Village will create new blended families that foster healing, hope and opportunity. The goal is to provide compassion and service to all affected by AIDS, so that they will rise up to lead productive, safe and comfortable lives. The Village provides a family-like setting for orphaned children under the stewardship of elderly adults and ensures that the community-based clients and Village residents will receive love, sustenance, health-care and education, aiming at their physical and spiritual development. With an ample area of tillable land, the occupants will sustain themselves through agriculture, poultry, dairy projects as well as handicrafts and external services. The adolescents will benefit from the knowledge of the elderly occupants, who in turn will benefit from the support of the younger population. Vocational opportunity in the form of training, tools, and start up financing for trades, cottage industry and agricultural endeavors will be provided with the goal of self-sustaining independence, financial security and stability for residents, particularly maturing young people. It will be a model for Africa.Everything done must be able to be duplicated in neighboring villages. It may be easy to drive a big John Deere into the place, but that cannot be replicated in the neighboring village or farm. We visited a number of various locations: the worship building, a building for harvesting corn etc., a site for the extraction of castor oil and jetropa. There is also a building for extracting essential oils, oils which pay good money. There is a building for woodworking and other trades.
There is a school, set to open in May, but I have my doubts. There are eight classrooms for the Standard Eight and an office and latrine area. The hope is to begin with grades 1-4. I think there will be difficulty in finding teachers in this remote area. It will be a public school. At this point, the children of the village are going to “nearby” schools. 
We walked to see the series of six sand damns, meant to raise the level of the water table. Instead of the rains just rushing by, they are trapped and held by the dams, making the area more fertile. The dams will be raised as needed.The village is to duplicate a traditionally African way of raising children, with elders, family, extended family. The housing is built in quadrants around a center water and washing source. There is also a shamba (farm) and nursery for cultivating plants and a reforesting project associated with the farming. The land has been stripped of trees for fuels etc. Volunteers work with seedlings, and (with little success) raising chickens and cattle – newly purchased on the day I was visiting. There is a medical clinic and police station for security. As of now, men patrol the area at night with bows and arrows. There can be found cobras, puff adders and mambas. I also heard there are baboons in the trees, though I didn’t see any.
We eat lunch with the volunteers and check out a most interesting squat toilet that looks like a cross one might find in a modern church. I'll show you a picture sometime! We then make the long drive back to Nairobi. Sr. Mary has a meeting a Maryknoll and we need to be back. You can't imagine how grateful I am to spend this amount of quality time with Sr. Mary, the Director and heart of the entire operation. How did I get to be so lucky.
Coming soon - the trip to Kibera
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Looking Back - Day 3
Wednesday March 28
I could sleep a little over night to Nairobi and once on the ground at 7:00 a.m. began the long wait to get my Visa. $50.00 American and you are all set. I walked from the lines to see my name on a card “Welcome Ed” and met my driver, Gabriel. He had been waiting for quite a while and took me to his old van for the 45 minute ride to Nyumbani. At once I was struck with the hundreds of Africans walking along the roads, in the roads. It was the rush hour and many were headed to work. They followed dirt paths along the road. We past through a couple of checkpoints with armed soldiers and stop-spikes diverting traffic and slowing it.
We traveled past the outskirts of Karen, a more wealthy area of walled properties, until we got to Nyumbani. The place was like a small compound, again with a guard at the gate to let us in. Everyone has security. It seems that most white folks have drivers. I was greeted on the driveway by Sr. Julie, a Franciscan sister from Philly. She directed us around to Noel House, rooms for volunteers. Sr. Julie was very kind and introduced me to Jim, a volunteer and my roommate for the days I would be at Nyumbani. Jim is a retired Hospital guy, not sure if he is a nurse, although I think so. He is in his 60s. I also met Protus, a Kenyan and Director of the Children’s Home. He is very friendly, charismatic and grateful for my visit. I met all kinds of staff, secretaries, Sr. Teresa Little (Sr. Little) who runs the Leatoto program.
I then made the walk up the hill to meet Sr. Mary Owens, BVMI. Sr. Mary is the Director of all Nyumbani operations. With the death of Fr. D’Agostino in November, Sister Mary took over as director. She has been with Nyumbani since the beginning, was instrumental in its founding and I believe is more of the nuts and bolts, practical side to Fr. D’Ag's visionary gifts. Sr. Mary sat down and talked to me a little of my trip and let me know that I would be able to meet with her later at 4:00. She insisted that I sleep. It was 9:30 a.m.
I headed back to the guest house and took a cold shower, not knowing that the solar panels won’t heat the water enough til the afternoon. I didn’t think I was tired but closed my eyes and slept for three hours. When I woke up, Sr. Julie was waiting to take me on a tour of the place. We visited the cottages, 8 of them surrounding a playground in a “village setting” We met one of the “mom’s” who care for the 96 children when they arrive home from school. They all attend public school. Some of the older children are being transferred to one of the newer buildings, more suitable for teens and adolescents. They are just about complete but there is some talk of the change in the dynamics of the cottages, once the older children leave. It is very African for the older children to help with the younger. This changes things a bit.
We went to the infirmary to meet Moses, the nurse/physician at the clinic. This is a well-equipped blood lab/clinic which is also open to the public for HIV testing etc. We met Ken, a young boy who came to Nyumbani in January. He was not responding well to treatment and had an IG tube recently inserted for nourishment. He looked more typical of AIDS children you would see on TV. He was frail, weak, looked malnourished. He was laying quietly, covered up. I saw him later, sitting outside, wrapped up in the sun, silent, big dark eyes.
We took a walk to the cemetery. There have been close to 69 deaths at the orphanage over the years. Many fewer lately due to the advent of ARVs (Antiretroviral drugs - medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. Different classes of antiretroviral drugs act at different stages of the HIV life cycle. Combination of several (typically three or four) antiretroviral drugs is known as Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART).
USAID now provides ARVs to people needing these medications in Kenya. In fact USAID funds the Lea toto outreach program of Nyumbani. We’ll talk about that later. With the coming of ARVs, the children in Nyumbani can, with a good regimen of drugs, good nutrition and care, live long productive lives. Once off the medications, the virus quickly reappears. I witnessed the children all wearing sweaters and sweatshirts, some coughing and dealing with respiratory
issues. So there have been close to 69 deaths over the years at Nyumbani, sometimes as many as three a month. We passed a little shamba (garden) pigs, roosters, and a trash burning incinerator smoking up the place!
Most of these children were abandoned, left for dead, sick and nameless. Their parents may have died, their parents may have left them to fend for themselves. I was interested in their names (Lazusus, Moses, Joseph, Mercy, Faith, Mohammed!) We stopped in to check out the preschool / daycare and blow bubbles with the children. They were great fun but you could see that they looked much younger than their cronological age. The disease and their environment sets most of the students back about 5 years developmentally. Some children who you would guess were about 10 or 11, were actually 15 or older. They all seemed the same size!
We returned to the buildings for lunch at 1:00. A mix of beans, rice, corn carrots and a little gravel thrown in! It was sort of a soupy stew. The African staff took huge helpings. Sr. said a few volunteered daily so they would have at least one meal. The cooking staff, I will learn, is great fun.
The children start returning from various schools around 1:30. After changing out of their school uniforms, the kids play for a while and then have tutoring and chores. Each afternoon they hand wash their uniforms and shine their shoes for the next day. Everything is orderly and cleanliness is of great value and stressed. There is always sweeping and scrubbing floors and walks. The “moms” take pride in the area around the cottages and children are sometimes seen picking up individual fallen leaves outside. The children haul big tubs with wet clothes to be hung on clothes lines. There are approximately 14 children per cottage. Various ages and cottages A and B (All Boys) are all boys. Food is cooked at the main kitchen and the “moms” or a child goes and picks up the bowls or pots and brings the food to the cottage. The utensils, plates etc. are all there and the dishes are done there. Volunteers go to the cottages to spend time with the children after dinner. Homework time, stories and chores.
I met with Sr. Mary again at 4:00. we talk about each program and my expectations. I will be fortunate to spend the next day with her from very early – as we will drive to Nyumbani Village in Kitui the next morning.
I could sleep a little over night to Nairobi and once on the ground at 7:00 a.m. began the long wait to get my Visa. $50.00 American and you are all set. I walked from the lines to see my name on a card “Welcome Ed” and met my driver, Gabriel. He had been waiting for quite a while and took me to his old van for the 45 minute ride to Nyumbani. At once I was struck with the hundreds of Africans walking along the roads, in the roads. It was the rush hour and many were headed to work. They followed dirt paths along the road. We past through a couple of checkpoints with armed soldiers and stop-spikes diverting traffic and slowing it.
We traveled past the outskirts of Karen, a more wealthy area of walled properties, until we got to Nyumbani. The place was like a small compound, again with a guard at the gate to let us in. Everyone has security. It seems that most white folks have drivers. I was greeted on the driveway by Sr. Julie, a Franciscan sister from Philly. She directed us around to Noel House, rooms for volunteers. Sr. Julie was very kind and introduced me to Jim, a volunteer and my roommate for the days I would be at Nyumbani. Jim is a retired Hospital guy, not sure if he is a nurse, although I think so. He is in his 60s. I also met Protus, a Kenyan and Director of the Children’s Home. He is very friendly, charismatic and grateful for my visit. I met all kinds of staff, secretaries, Sr. Teresa Little (Sr. Little) who runs the Leatoto program.
I then made the walk up the hill to meet Sr. Mary Owens, BVMI. Sr. Mary is the Director of all Nyumbani operations. With the death of Fr. D’Agostino in November, Sister Mary took over as director. She has been with Nyumbani since the beginning, was instrumental in its founding and I believe is more of the nuts and bolts, practical side to Fr. D’Ag's visionary gifts. Sr. Mary sat down and talked to me a little of my trip and let me know that I would be able to meet with her later at 4:00. She insisted that I sleep. It was 9:30 a.m.
I headed back to the guest house and took a cold shower, not knowing that the solar panels won’t heat the water enough til the afternoon. I didn’t think I was tired but closed my eyes and slept for three hours. When I woke up, Sr. Julie was waiting to take me on a tour of the place. We visited the cottages, 8 of them surrounding a playground in a “village setting” We met one of the “mom’s” who care for the 96 children when they arrive home from school. They all attend public school. Some of the older children are being transferred to one of the newer buildings, more suitable for teens and adolescents. They are just about complete but there is some talk of the change in the dynamics of the cottages, once the older children leave. It is very African for the older children to help with the younger. This changes things a bit.We went to the infirmary to meet Moses, the nurse/physician at the clinic. This is a well-equipped blood lab/clinic which is also open to the public for HIV testing etc. We met Ken, a young boy who came to Nyumbani in January. He was not responding well to treatment and had an IG tube recently inserted for nourishment. He looked more typical of AIDS children you would see on TV. He was frail, weak, looked malnourished. He was laying quietly, covered up. I saw him later, sitting outside, wrapped up in the sun, silent, big dark eyes.
We took a walk to the cemetery. There have been close to 69 deaths at the orphanage over the years. Many fewer lately due to the advent of ARVs (Antiretroviral drugs - medications for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. Different classes of antiretroviral drugs act at different stages of the HIV life cycle. Combination of several (typically three or four) antiretroviral drugs is known as Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART).
USAID now provides ARVs to people needing these medications in Kenya. In fact USAID funds the Lea toto outreach program of Nyumbani. We’ll talk about that later. With the coming of ARVs, the children in Nyumbani can, with a good regimen of drugs, good nutrition and care, live long productive lives. Once off the medications, the virus quickly reappears. I witnessed the children all wearing sweaters and sweatshirts, some coughing and dealing with respiratory
issues. So there have been close to 69 deaths over the years at Nyumbani, sometimes as many as three a month. We passed a little shamba (garden) pigs, roosters, and a trash burning incinerator smoking up the place!Most of these children were abandoned, left for dead, sick and nameless. Their parents may have died, their parents may have left them to fend for themselves. I was interested in their names (Lazusus, Moses, Joseph, Mercy, Faith, Mohammed!) We stopped in to check out the preschool / daycare and blow bubbles with the children. They were great fun but you could see that they looked much younger than their cronological age. The disease and their environment sets most of the students back about 5 years developmentally. Some children who you would guess were about 10 or 11, were actually 15 or older. They all seemed the same size!
We returned to the buildings for lunch at 1:00. A mix of beans, rice, corn carrots and a little gravel thrown in! It was sort of a soupy stew. The African staff took huge helpings. Sr. said a few volunteered daily so they would have at least one meal. The cooking staff, I will learn, is great fun.
The children start returning from various schools around 1:30. After changing out of their school uniforms, the kids play for a while and then have tutoring and chores. Each afternoon they hand wash their uniforms and shine their shoes for the next day. Everything is orderly and cleanliness is of great value and stressed. There is always sweeping and scrubbing floors and walks. The “moms” take pride in the area around the cottages and children are sometimes seen picking up individual fallen leaves outside. The children haul big tubs with wet clothes to be hung on clothes lines. There are approximately 14 children per cottage. Various ages and cottages A and B (All Boys) are all boys. Food is cooked at the main kitchen and the “moms” or a child goes and picks up the bowls or pots and brings the food to the cottage. The utensils, plates etc. are all there and the dishes are done there. Volunteers go to the cottages to spend time with the children after dinner. Homework time, stories and chores.
I met with Sr. Mary again at 4:00. we talk about each program and my expectations. I will be fortunate to spend the next day with her from very early – as we will drive to Nyumbani Village in Kitui the next morning.
Looking Back - Day 2
Tuesday March 27
I arrived at Gatwick in the morning, got through Customs and got my bags. Then it was on the train to Victoria to store my suitcase for the day so I would be free to roam around. I headed for Buckingham Palace. For all my visits to London, I had never witnessed the changing of the guard. Today I did. I also walked around the West End theatre district to see what was playing. I’ll look for tickets on my return. I also headed for the British Museum of Art. They had an exhibit of modern painters – Seurat, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and more. I saw so many of the paintings we have as prints for Fine Arts Week, including the Sunflowers, Picasso’s Child and Dove, The Chair, Seurat Water scenes, and more. It was a great surprise. I hit the Internet Café and shot home some emails to Chris and kids.
I had never flown through Heathrow. I took the Tube to the airport and waited at a coffee shop until my line was called. Lots and lots of impatient people waiting for their planes and connections. It was hot and dirty and late. On the British Airways (BA) plane I sat next to Paul, a Kenyan and pastor who was returning from Washington state. We was a Pentecostal preacher who had once worked for CitiBank and given it up to “preach the Gospel” We talked about the works of the Spirit and his journey. We exchanged emails. He wants to keep in touch and help me out when I am in Kenya, He was an interesting man, flashy suit and two-tones pointy shoes. Nice guy, Paul. How do I end up in these places with thoughtful people like Paul? I figure out that God is guiding this adventure.
I arrived at Gatwick in the morning, got through Customs and got my bags. Then it was on the train to Victoria to store my suitcase for the day so I would be free to roam around. I headed for Buckingham Palace. For all my visits to London, I had never witnessed the changing of the guard. Today I did. I also walked around the West End theatre district to see what was playing. I’ll look for tickets on my return. I also headed for the British Museum of Art. They had an exhibit of modern painters – Seurat, Picasso, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh and more. I saw so many of the paintings we have as prints for Fine Arts Week, including the Sunflowers, Picasso’s Child and Dove, The Chair, Seurat Water scenes, and more. It was a great surprise. I hit the Internet Café and shot home some emails to Chris and kids.
I had never flown through Heathrow. I took the Tube to the airport and waited at a coffee shop until my line was called. Lots and lots of impatient people waiting for their planes and connections. It was hot and dirty and late. On the British Airways (BA) plane I sat next to Paul, a Kenyan and pastor who was returning from Washington state. We was a Pentecostal preacher who had once worked for CitiBank and given it up to “preach the Gospel” We talked about the works of the Spirit and his journey. We exchanged emails. He wants to keep in touch and help me out when I am in Kenya, He was an interesting man, flashy suit and two-tones pointy shoes. Nice guy, Paul. How do I end up in these places with thoughtful people like Paul? I figure out that God is guiding this adventure.
Looking Back - Day 1
From Monday March 26, 2007
To London - I can’t believe the ease with which this trip has come together. It was an expensive trip but fortunately, due to some good friends, I was moved to Business Class, which means I can sleep on the way to London.
I have few expectations, I hope to only find love and to see Jesus in the faces of those I meet. I want to know God in a meaningful way. I do hope to get into Kibera Slums and to get a taste of the daily operations of Nyumbani and the children in the home.
I have a cracked tooth that bothers me. I called my Dr. to prescribe some Penicillin for it, just in case it goes bad on the trip. That, along with Cipro should handle anything I can come up with. I need to go to the Dr. and Dentist before my insurance runs out in July.
I wrote a number of questions for Sr. Mary, the Director of the entire Nyumbani operation. I have over a dozen and am hoping for some time to just talk with her.
To London - I can’t believe the ease with which this trip has come together. It was an expensive trip but fortunately, due to some good friends, I was moved to Business Class, which means I can sleep on the way to London.
I have few expectations, I hope to only find love and to see Jesus in the faces of those I meet. I want to know God in a meaningful way. I do hope to get into Kibera Slums and to get a taste of the daily operations of Nyumbani and the children in the home.
I have a cracked tooth that bothers me. I called my Dr. to prescribe some Penicillin for it, just in case it goes bad on the trip. That, along with Cipro should handle anything I can come up with. I need to go to the Dr. and Dentist before my insurance runs out in July.
I wrote a number of questions for Sr. Mary, the Director of the entire Nyumbani operation. I have over a dozen and am hoping for some time to just talk with her.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
In remembrance
A cold London morning, my last full day here. I am staying in Earl's Court, a place with which I am familiar and near the Tube Station and massive Internet and phone cafe. I picked up a little bug and have been dealing with it since Sunday. Probably a cold or jet lag or something. Today I promised myself I would head to the Thames and check out the walk along the river but it is fairly chilly and windy, not good for the cold or jet lag or something. I have visited most of the major sites on other visits so I am happy to sit in a pub or coffeehouse and read and write. Gone are the days of trying to jam in as many sites and sounds of London as I can before I leave. I am more relaxed and thoughtful about where and when to go. I have a day pass for the Tube and a ticket for the theatre tonight. Last night I saw The History Boys, a good play in the West End. Cheap seats in the nosebleed section but good enough. I also had the opportunity to call home and talk to mom. All is well and she was happy to hear from me, although she has been keeping up with my emails to Rachel. I also got to chat with Zac and Jonah online. I wish they were here to see some football or some shows from the local bands. They would thrive here.
I have purposely disconnected from my experience in Kenya, especially Kibera. There will be time for that later. I can't deal with that experience while trying to enter into the life here in the UK for a couple of days. I wrote tons yesterday while waiting for things to open up. The plane had landed very early from Nairobi and the Tube ride from Heathrow was very quick to Earl's Court. So I had the chance to sit for an hour in Starbucks yesterday and at least sketch out some notes so I wouldn't forget. (like I could ever forget)
I look forward to being home for Holy Thursday. Traditionally, this night has been the most powerful of all the church holidays and we (some old friends and I) have had a tradition of remembering our heroes on this night. We would drink toasts and recall their goodness, their lives and their love. It would always end up with the final cup or toast to Jesus - my hero and guide.
And so the Holy Week is even more Holy this year. So many memories, so many more heroes.
Until later. Cheers
I have purposely disconnected from my experience in Kenya, especially Kibera. There will be time for that later. I can't deal with that experience while trying to enter into the life here in the UK for a couple of days. I wrote tons yesterday while waiting for things to open up. The plane had landed very early from Nairobi and the Tube ride from Heathrow was very quick to Earl's Court. So I had the chance to sit for an hour in Starbucks yesterday and at least sketch out some notes so I wouldn't forget. (like I could ever forget)
I look forward to being home for Holy Thursday. Traditionally, this night has been the most powerful of all the church holidays and we (some old friends and I) have had a tradition of remembering our heroes on this night. We would drink toasts and recall their goodness, their lives and their love. It would always end up with the final cup or toast to Jesus - my hero and guide.
And so the Holy Week is even more Holy this year. So many memories, so many more heroes.
Until later. Cheers
Monday, April 2, 2007
Becoming a fan of British Air
I left Nyumbani last night. A driver took me to the airport and I sat for hours. Nairobi Airport is not that cool. Hot, dirty, smoky but once on the plane I got bumped to 1st Class! Long story that I'll share sometime. Just know that BA (British Air) is a good friend of Nyumbani and I got hooked up with one of the pilots at the Children's home. Glad to have yet another airline friend!
I arrived in London about 5:30 a.m. and took the tube to Earls Court. My room won't be ready til two so went to Starbucks (I know - it ain't the slums) and may head to the Tate Modern or some other locations downtown. I got to the British Museum when I came through on the way to Kenya and saw some great works in a special exhibit (Monet, Picasso, Seurat, Manet, Cezanne and more!) We have many of these works as prints. I wanted to take photos of them but it was frowned upon!
So . . . not sure what to share regarding the trip so far. I have written tons and will do more today since it is a beautiful, though brisk day. I'll head to the river to write. Sr. Mary, the Director of Nyumbani, suggested that I not make any decisions about where to land until I get some space, some distance from the whole experience. I have lots of thoughts but will take here advice. I know I will return to Kenya and Nyumbani, just not sure what area in particular or when. Lots depends on what is happening at home, family, condo.
Hey I met the previous Ambassador from Kenya to the United States. A great man, impressive, who is now on the board of directors since his retirement. I also have to say that I started Holy Week right with a procession and singing at the Children's Home. I also danced. "God's given me a window, and I'm beginning to see the light." I must find this song.
I already miss Kevin, Winnie, Lazurus, Moses and Kabena - all the kids I met. I will share a little sad news I discovered. Many of us (you) watched the little video clip of Nyumbani. Interviewed was a little boy convinced that he got AIDS from sniffing the glue. He could not handle believing that he contracted the disease via his mother and refused his ARV meds and nourishment. He died because of his refusal or inability to cope. I met others from the video clip who are thriving as most are at Nyumbani. It is a great place. I am sad to leave Kenya - truly but happy to be coming home. God has given me a grateful heart - so full. So good.
Peace
I arrived in London about 5:30 a.m. and took the tube to Earls Court. My room won't be ready til two so went to Starbucks (I know - it ain't the slums) and may head to the Tate Modern or some other locations downtown. I got to the British Museum when I came through on the way to Kenya and saw some great works in a special exhibit (Monet, Picasso, Seurat, Manet, Cezanne and more!) We have many of these works as prints. I wanted to take photos of them but it was frowned upon!
So . . . not sure what to share regarding the trip so far. I have written tons and will do more today since it is a beautiful, though brisk day. I'll head to the river to write. Sr. Mary, the Director of Nyumbani, suggested that I not make any decisions about where to land until I get some space, some distance from the whole experience. I have lots of thoughts but will take here advice. I know I will return to Kenya and Nyumbani, just not sure what area in particular or when. Lots depends on what is happening at home, family, condo.
Hey I met the previous Ambassador from Kenya to the United States. A great man, impressive, who is now on the board of directors since his retirement. I also have to say that I started Holy Week right with a procession and singing at the Children's Home. I also danced. "God's given me a window, and I'm beginning to see the light." I must find this song.
I already miss Kevin, Winnie, Lazurus, Moses and Kabena - all the kids I met. I will share a little sad news I discovered. Many of us (you) watched the little video clip of Nyumbani. Interviewed was a little boy convinced that he got AIDS from sniffing the glue. He could not handle believing that he contracted the disease via his mother and refused his ARV meds and nourishment. He died because of his refusal or inability to cope. I met others from the video clip who are thriving as most are at Nyumbani. It is a great place. I am sad to leave Kenya - truly but happy to be coming home. God has given me a grateful heart - so full. So good.
Peace
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