Three pictures

I will try to update the daily blog early next week at the latest. Meanwhile, here are a few pictures.
This is Gail doing a little computing early in the morning. Below are the peanuts that were harvested. We have not tasted them yet. They are drying.

New Pictures

In the Picasa album

Wednesday, May 27, Musinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST)

Wednesday morning, Herb fired up the electric burner, scrounged up a frying pan, and used real butter to make toast. We also brewed coffee. The rest of the morning was spent on three projects: setting up Quicken to do the financial reports, organizing the books in the library, and investigating why one of the pumps in the water system does not seem to do anything.

Water is collected from the roof and stored in 3 tanks at ground level. There are pumps to move the water from these tanks to the water tower. However, one of the tanks which has its own pump does not empty, no matter how long the pump runs. We chiseled away some of the concrete surrounding the plumbing and exposed the problem. The way the pipes were connected, the pump pumped the water in a circle, but none went to the water tower. Now that we know the problem, we can get someone to correct it. It is a little amusing that when they discovered the pump was ineffective, and the storage tank always remaind full of water that could not be used, rather than finding the real problem and fixing it, they simply added an outdoor faucet (sticking right out of the ground) that could be used to get water from the lower storage tank.

Hopefully this can be fixed soon. We also need to rig some sort of water level indicator so they know when to run the pumps. I would like to put in an automatic pump control system, but the expense may be prohibitive as the pumps are located pretty far apart.

After lunch, Gail, Evey, and I went to Masinde Muliro University to meet with Juma Kilwake, Chair of the Department of Computer Science. Charles drove us. We stopped on the way to see Jackie at her stand in Kakamega. She wanted to take us to meet some people that operate an organization to aid women. In addition to educational programs, they organize special projects. One of the current projects is weaving. Gail and Evey each bought one of the handmade scarves. Hopefully we can visit them again before we leave.

At MMUST, Juma was tied up in a meeting, and we were met by Mr Rotich (the chico man) whose office is next door to Mr Kilwake's. He told us a little about the university, and then Juma appeared. We went into his office and talked about potential collaboration. He invited me to give a seminar for the faculty on Tuesday next. Juma has 5 children, and he had to pick them up from school on the way to drop us off. When his 4 year old was coming out to the car, he said the tire needs pressure. Sure enough, the tire was pretty low. We stopped at a petrol station, but there was a tractor filling one of its BIG tires from the little electric pump. When it finished, we backed up to the hose, and the attendants filled the tire and checked for a puncture.

When we got to MTTF, we drove into the compound, and Juma and his children got to see the orphanage, meet our children, and greet some of the people here. It was nice to meet him in the context of family rather than just an academic contact.

After supper, homework, cards, and fellowship closed out the night. Now I have to work on a sermon and music and a seminar on assembly language.

Tuesday, May 26, A day with no agenda,

Today we started out washing clothes. There are clotheslines for all of our clothes at one time. Wow. Omo was the detergent of choice.

Breakfast was roasted peanuts (still warm), bread with jelly, honey, Blue Band (margarine), and peanuts (well, I had a peanut-margarine sandwich). There was also tea and chai.

After breakfast, I fixed a clock. The first problem was the battery had been replaced with a small lizard. It ran out of the battery compartment onto my arm, and then under a couch. The second problem was a bent minute hand and torn cardboard face. We got it all running with some duct tape and a fresh battery. You just cannot count on a lizard to keep pedaling at the right speed to keep accurate time.

We headed downtown to the Internet, checked email, and bought water. We headed home, taking the shortcut that Herb had recommended: go straight down this road til it dead-ends, turn right, and that will bring you out on the road in front of the orphanage. Hah! We went straight until we were almost in someone's yard, turned right, and went until the road ended at the edge of a deep valley and a line of trees. We turned around to retrace our steps. A man was standing a few houses back up the path by his house. He asked if we needed help. It turned out his name was Moses, and he offered to lead us the way we had been going to get home.

We walked through a gate into someone's back yard, followed a footpath to the bottom of the ravine, jumped across two or three streams, passed a group of women washing clothes, followed the stream a little ways, then started up a narrow and steep path that lead through a common graveyard, for those with no family. We passed a grazing cow, and finally reached the top of the hill, right behind the Mission to the Fatherless compound.

We bid goodbye to Moses, who had lead us through the wilderness to the promised land. He also had 8 children, however two have died. One of his daughters is studying to be a nurse, another is in college in Massachusets. I gave him my email, and he said he would contact me when we returned to the States. I like it when a wrong turn has positive consequences.

Home in time for lunch, well, at least for the leftovers. We had not-so-sweet-potatoes. The sweet potatoes here are not as sweet as the ones we are used to at home, but they are really tasty with a little honey. After lunch, Gail and Kayla went in town to browse through shops. Evey and I went back to the Internet to finish her blog. It was threatening to rain, but, fortunately for us, held off.

When we returned, there was a mountain of peanut plants on the kitchen floor. A crowd of people were standing all around, pulling peanuts off the plants, throwing them in baskets, and discarding the greens. Soon we will have fresh peanuts... maybe some peanut butter. We will also use the discarded plants to make mulch. The peanut plants were transported in the Mission to the Fatherless van. Now it needs a good interior cleaning.

I telephoned the chairman of the Computer Science Department, Juma Kilwake, at Masinde Muliro University, and we set up a meeting for Wednesday (tomorrow) afternoon at three. Charles had met Mr Kilwake earlier today when he inquired of Mr. Rotich (their offices are adjacent) when the chico construction might begin (he was told, perhaps on Monday).

The rest of the day was just spent relaxing and talking. Herb bought ice cream for all of the children which they enjoyed after a short praise and prayer time. Then Sarah and Lisa and I helped some children with homework; David and Kayla played with those that were done already.

P.S. The wheelchair arrived today! Now we have to get it to Naomy Ruth.

Monday, May 25, Kisumu and the clinic

Naomy had to leave early for work in the morning but my adventure was about to begin for the day. Evey had still not gotten her traveler’s checks cashed and Gambogi is closer to Kisumu than Kakamega, so we arranged with Pastor Timothy to go to Kisumu, stop at the bank, and then check out a clinic on the outskirts of the city. We took a matatu (12 passenger van with 20 some people in it). After going to three different places Evey finally got the travelers checks cashed. We then took another matatu to get closer to the clinic. We had to rent motorcycles to get to the clinic. My brothers would have loved the ride through narrow lanes dividing the fields with the mountains visible in the distance.

We reversed the process to get back to the main part of town. We sat in the market behind Christine’s mom’s stand to rest a few minutes before walking to the matatu stop and haggling so we didn’t pay twice as much for the ride home as everyone else.

We got to Gambogi and had tea with Timothy and Christine. Timothy flagged down a Matatu. The driver was his friend and drove the whole group up to Naomy’s gate while we ran into the house and got out bags. We ran out and hopped in. We got to Kakamaga safe and sound.

Saturday, the Women’s Conference

The meeting went wonderfully. There were over 40 women that attended. There were several groups of women: the physically disabled, the blind, and the deaf. There were also some parents of children with disabilities and two health care workers.

After the formalities of the Kenyan opening greetings, we divided into 3 groups to complete a survey which hopefully will bring about some global awareness of the situation of the women with disabilities in Kenya. Evey is hopeful that the results of her study can be published.

The survey was followed by a break with tomato sandwiches and water. Next Evey presented a short talk then the women formed two groups. Evey taught one group while I taught the other. I spoke about labor and delivery and some of the issues faced by Kenyan women when they get pregnant. I found everyone very open and they asked a lot of good questions. Evey and I switched places and taught the opposite groups so the participants did not have to go to the trouble of moving around.

We served mandazies and soda for lunch along with an orange. In the afternoon we passed out books and little gifts to each of the women. The love notes inside the books from the women of Beth Tikkun were very much appreciated. There was the Kenyan closing ceremony then each participant was given money to pay for the transportation to and from the meeting.

My friend Christine, Pastor Timothy’s wife, signed throughout the conference for the women who were deaf. I was communicating a bit with them too, with my limited sign language. There is definitetly a place for people who can sign to minister to those in Kenya. Child birth educators, doulas, people who have time to sit down and visit would also be welcomed. There is even a place for those who like to talk. Conversation with someone who has respect for the women would help to build self worth and help with loneliness.

Handicap accessible, in Kenya, means the destination is only a short distance along a rough path and a couple of steps that can be maneuvered by hanging on to anything they can reach while the crutches and canes dangle and hopefully get to the top step about the same time as the person. One enterprising woman made a front pack for her baby so she could ride boarda-boardas (bicycle with a board on the back wheel for a seat) and bring her child along safely. The baby could eat on the way if it was a long distance.

After the meeting we drove back to Gambogi where Naomy Ruth lives. The next morning we went to church, and then had an interview with a woman confined to a wheel chair in the back of her shop. One of the women from Timothy’s church was also part of the interview. She was blind.

Next we went back to Naomy’s where we ate and relaxed for a bit. In the evening we debriefed.

Friday, May 22, Conference Preparations

Friday-While the rest of my family was in Oyugis, I went to Mmbale to help with the workshop for the women with disabilities. Pastor Timothy came by Mission to the Fatherless around 8:00 in the morning. He helped us find our way around town. First we went to a couple of banks to cash Evey’s traveler’s checks. Please take note not to bring traveler’s checks to Kenya. It took 5 banks and a money exchange over the course of 4 days (ran into the weekend) before Evey got her money. Next we went to the cyber café. Most of the supplies for the meeting were purchased at Mama Watoto’s shop. Naomy Ruth picked us up after work and we bought tomatoes and water then we were on our way. Evey and I spent the night at Naomy Ruth’s house, and then left early to set up for the meeting in Mmbale.

Monday, May 25, Return to Kakamega

We had breakfast at Oyugis, and then left for Kakamega around 10 AM. The trip was uneventful. We did stop for fuel. The van runs on deisel, which is cheaper here than unleaded.

David's hair was bothering him, so the girls began removing all of the extensions while we were in the van.

When we reached Kakamega, Charles stopped at the GS4 office (a security courier terminal) and asked about the wheelchair. Of course, no one knew anything about it. After a little insistence, they checked records and discovered it had been delivered to Mission to the Fatherless earlier that morning. Unfortunately, it was to the old address. So, we left that for another time.

When we got back to the new compound, we washed up a bit, the girls finished David's hair, and then we all went in to town to buy chairs and use the Internet. Several of the wooden chairs here are in need of repair. When we got to the chair shop, it was closed for lunch. Charles, John, Herb, and Wendy sat down in some of the chairs to wait. Sarah, Lisa, David, Kayla, and I set off on our own to the Internet.

We found it with no trouble and after checking email and writing a few quick notes, we set off back through town. Kayla bought a shawl in one of the shops. When we reached the gate to Mission to the Fatherless, Sarah reached through the little door to unlatch it. The guard also reached for it, and brushed her hand which gave her a slight fright.

A little bit later, Gail, Evey, and Pastor Timothy arrived, so we all had a happy reunion and shared little bits of each group's experiences.

After supper, Sarah and Lisa helped some of the children with homework. We went to bed, glad to be back at Mission to the Fatherless, Kakamega. Our weekend experiences reminded us just how blessed the children and workers here are. The new orphanage compound is really nice compared to what others have.

Sunday, Oyugis Church

Douglas, director of Mission to the Fatherless, Oyugis, is pastor of a church that grew out of the orphanage ministry. It is located in the bush, about 6 km from the orphanage. The roads were surprisingly good. Some bumps, but nothing like the "paved" road to Lake Victoria. We went in two Toyota vans. I was unable to count how many in all, but there are over twenty kids at this orphanage, and 9 of us.

The church is a rectangular brick structure. The walls are 2 ft high; the floor is red dirt. Poles reach the rest of the way to support the corrugated metal roof. Plastic patio chairs were available for the guests, plain wooden benches filled the back part of the church. It was a beautiful place to worship. You might say that the "view from the pew" was amazing (except there were no real pews). There were goats grazing past the front of the church (no stained glass to get in the way), and a cow was mooing somewhere behind. Chickens roamed about freely. About 60 people were in attendance; our vans were the only vehicles.

After some teaching and singing, the group from Kakamega (and America) were asked to present their numbers. David, Kayla, and I played "We Delight in Your Shabbat." People sang along on the chorus. Then the rest of our group joined us and we sang "How Deep the Father's Love For Us," and "Open the Eyes of My Heart." On the last Holy, Holy, ... Holy, I want to see You, we sang in Swahili: mtaka tifu, nataka kuona. It was great fun, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Herb preached. He also gave some money to the widows in the church after the service ended.

After the service, people wanted to play David's dulcimer. Then we were invited to have lunch at Monica's home nearby. They had chicken, rice, greens, and the biggest mountain of ugali I have ever seen. Mangos from the trees around the church were available for dessert.

On the way home, one of the widows from the church flagged down our van. She gave us a huge basket of avocados, about 40 of them. Large ripe ones, not like the ones we get at Acme. In Kenya, the poorest people are often the most generous. The rest of the trip was filled with singing children. They had latched onto the We Delight in Your Shabbat chorus, but they all really liked the last word, Shabbat, so it was pretty much shouted.

Almost everyone took a nap when we got back. Some of our group went to town. I stayed behind and played guitar and sang in front of the home. It attracted quite a crowd of children. The kids at the school next door were peering through the barbed wire fence as well. I sang for about 2 hours, stopping to talk about what some of the songs meant, or teach a few Hebrew words.

After supper, Sarah and Lisa taught the children some songs, and they shared some of their traditional Luo songs and dances. They also had arm wrestling matches.

Tomorrow we return to Kakamega. On the way, we hope to claim the wheelchair that was lost baggage on Evey's flight. It was sent to Mission to the Fatherless by courier service, and should be at an office that Charles knows in Kakamega.

Saturday, May 23: Oyugis

The orphanage in Oyugis is off the main road, down a very narrow path (just wide enough for the Toyota van). There is no running water. The children carry water from the river, which is behind the orphanage, down in a fairly large valley. This means that there are no flush toilets either. The outhouses are concrete cubicles with a rectangular hole in the ground and steel roof. There is a slightly raised place on each side of the hole where you put your feet. This helps with aiming.

After breakfast, Sarah, Lisa, David and Kayla walked into town with a few of the children. They visited a few shops and the Post Office. When they returned, we all got in the van to take a ride to Lake Victoria. The road to the lake is about 6 km (under 4 miles), but it is one of the worst roads we have been on in Kenya. It is quite wide (most places) but all dirt and extremely bumpy. Officially it is tarmac (paved), but to me it is all dirt and rock. A few years ago, the government decided to pave this road. They spent billions of shillings on it. According to the official records, the project was completed and the road is now paved. Someone pocketed the money.

One of the reasons the road is not frequently repaired, is that you cannot easily justify using a road grader on a paved road. So the bumps just keep getting worse. At one point, we were passed by a very large truck. It was driving faster than it should have been doing. Just after passing us, it came upon a construction crew. They were filling in a washed out portion with dirt. They maintained a single lane of traffic. This helped pack down the dirt that was being dumped. All of the work was being done by hand. Well, the truck was being flagged down by a worker, but it bullied its way onto the single lane area. Unfortunately, a small car had already started in on the other end. It swerved to avoid the truck, but the truck ran over its back fender. Douglas went over and persuaded the two drivers to move their vehicles so others could pass. After about 15 minutes, they agreed and we were able to continue on our way.

We reached the lake at a small fishing village situated on a small inlet of water. There were cows, goats, birds, and lots of dead fish. Scattered here and there were women sitting on the ground cleaning a batch of fish. There were large Mudfish (some about 2 feet long), Tilapia (up to about 16 inches), and others. About 20 boats lined the edge of the very narrow inlet; some fishermen were busy with sails and nets, others were busy watching us. We took some pictures, talked to a few people, and then headed back to the orphanage.

On the return, we saw that bully truck coming toward us, down a hill. We gave it plenty of room to pass. I am sure the driver was pretty angry about the delay. We reached the orphanage in mid afternoon. Beatrice had lunch ready for us and we were hungry.

After lunch, I was sitting outside. Beatrice was hurrying by, and then she stopped and came over to me. She was looking for someone to speak to the kids at a meeting that was just organizing. The meeting was in a small room, and attended by the kids from the orphanage and some neighbors. I estimated about 40 children. They sang some songs and gave testimonies, and then I talked to them about names. I shared from Paul's first letter to Timothy, one of my favorites because it is addressed to me. Some of the children have names from the Bible; I had met two of them earlier in the day, Michael and Ezekiel.

The rest of the day was spent doing whatever we wanted. Sarah and Lisa passed out frisbees and jump ropes that we had brought along. The children all had fun playing. Later in the evening, those of us from Kakamega practiced a few songs to sing at the church service the next day. We will see how that goes. One last trip to the bathroom before bed. I hope I don't drop the flashlight.

Ugh! There were 4 roaches on the walls of the toilet, each about 2 inches long. The children squash them with their hands, but I was not so brave. I kept the flashlight off and hoped they would not notice me. Squatting in a confined space with giant insects will stimulate your prayer life.

Friday, Trip to Oyugis

Friday morning we woke up in the new Mission to the Fatherless facility, Kakamega. Mr. Rotich, from Musinde Muliro University, Engineering Department, was here to discuss installing "chicos" in the cooking area. These would replace the open fires that are currently being used. The chicos can burn firewood or charcoal. They will be more efficient and reduce the amount of smoke the cooks are exposed to. I think the project will start Tuesday.

Geofrey Ondanga and his wife, Rose, the artists Gail met on her previous visits, stopped by with a collection of banana leaf pictures. He was able to sign the prints of his drawing, "Infected," that we had made in Akron to sell. Geofrey's prints are for sale on the Mission to the Fatherless website. Part of the profits will go to support the orphans.

After breakfast, we loaded up the van with luggage and people, and headed south to Ouygis, where the second Mission to the Fatherless orphanage is located. The road from Kakamega is very rough, but Charles did a good job avoiding the holes, speed bumps, and oncoming traffic. We stopped in Kisumu to change money and decided to have lunch at the Imperial Hotel. Wendy was so excited, as Tilapia was on the menu. Kisumu is located on Lake Victoria which is famous for Tilapia. She decided on the buffet, and got a head and middle section of the fish. Fish is usually served whole in Kenya. The eyes are considered a delicacy, or at least that is what we were told. Wendy looked at the fish, and the fish looked back at Wendy, but she persevered and ate that eyeball. Her expression was all I needed to tell me she did not consider it a delicacy. I ordered a tomato and cucumber sandwich.

The two-lane road from Kisumu to Oyugis was very smooth, a superhighway by Kenyan standards. We arrived at the home in the middle of a heavy downpour and were greeted by enthusiastic children and Douglas and Beatrice. Supposedly it rarely rains in Oyugis. Well, we are rarely in Oyugis, so I suppose that is why it rained.

After supper, we got out the guitars and dulcimer and played a couple of songs for the children. We were all crammed into a small living/dining room, twnety some kids, the 9 of us, and a few more. The kids started singing and dancing to Hava Nagila, using traditional Luo dances. They caught on to the first phrase, hava nagila, and used it throughout the song, at full volume. It was accompanied by screaming and whistling as well. Then the children sang some songs for us, and recited some poetry. It was a great time for all.

Afterwards, Sarah and Lisa got out some beads they had brought along and involved all of the children in a beading activity. Everyone had a new necklace or bracelet when bedtime came. Time to rest. After all, it is Shabbat!

Epilogue: Around 11:30, I had just turned out the light, arranged my mosquito net, pulled up the covers, and closed my eyes, when the building began to shake. I have been in a few earthquakes, so I recognized the signs. I did not move, wondering if this was going to be strong enough to do any damage, if if it would be a gentle shake that ended quickly. Fortunately, it ended after about 10 or 15 seconds. Earthquakes are quite common in this area.

Note to self: investigate the appropriate course of action when feeling the signs of an earthquake.

Thursday, May 21, Kakamega or Bust

Thursday we rose at 4:30 AM, loaded the luggage in a van and a car and then headed for the airport. There were 7 of us, and we had a lot of luggage (despite getting rid of some things in Nairobi). We got through the security checkpoint and headed to the baggage counter. Our ten suitcases were mostly overweight, but a phone call from Joan the day before had paved the way for a smooth check in. No extra luggage charges, and we were on our way to the waiting room. Thank you Joan and Raphael.

The plane was a twin turboprop; we walked across the tarmac and climbed the stairs with our guitars, dulcimer, and assorted carry-ons. The guitars went into coat closets at the back of the plane and the dulcimer just fit in the overhead. About 45 minutes later we were on the ground in Kisumu. Herb, Wendy, and Charles greeted us. Herb is a co-founder of Mission to the Fatherless. Wendy is our friend from Akron who arrived at MTTF a week earlier. Charles, or Pastor Charles, is the director of MTTF in Kakamega. We packed all the stuff into one van this time, and headed down the road.

About half way we heard a loud pop - blowout! Off to the side of the road, unload people, unload bags, unload spare, jack up, change tire, repack stuff and people, strategize how to safely get back on the road (the roads often have a jagged shoulder that drops off 6-9 inches), and we were back on track.

Kakamega finally came into view (it took a little longer as Charles took a shortcut on a new road that was started 3 years ago and he thought might be finished... not). We stopped for water and candy, then drove around the corner to the new MTTF compound.

We had just settled the luggage into rooms when Pastor Timothy and his wife Christine appeared. Soon we were joined by Naomy Ruth (although she had to sit in her taxi for 15 minutes til the rain stopped). Naomy, Timothy, Christine, Gail, and Evey have been planning a womens' meeting, and this was the time to finalize details.

The kids played; the children of MTTF came home from school; the children all played; we had supper and a presentation (singing and a very demonstrative and silly welcome speech) and then I went to bed. Tomorrow we leave for Oyugis (except for Gail and Evey who are involved in a weekend of ministry in Gambogi).

Wednesday, Last day in Nairobi

Wednesday, Evey and Lisa arrive. Sarah and I got up at 6 AM and Bovince, the driver for Eshel Gardens, drove us to the airport. The trip to the airport took only about 45 minutes. When we arrived at the airport, we spotted Evey and Lisa at the baggage conveyor. They had a very short delay for their visa and customs. Evey was talking to someone who was pointing off to the side of the room, in the same direction I had to go when the airline misplaced one of our bags. Sure enough, Evey had brought a wheelchair along for someone in Kakamega, and it was misplaced. Hopefully we can get it tomorrow when we depart for Kisumu at 6:45 AM.

Our drive back to Eshel Gardens took a bit longer (about 1 1/2 hours). There was a lot of traffic. Breakfast was waiting when we arrived. David and Kayla were sporting new hairdos. Christine and Eileen braided both of their heads last night. They are still working on them this morning.

Mary and Matthew and Mary's friend Patricia cam over to visit for a while in the afternoon. While Matthew had his hair braided, David, Kayla, Sarah, and Lisa went to the Maasai Market with Eileen via matatu. Most matatus are minivans (mostly foreign, like a Toyota) holding up to 14 passengers; they run regular routes like busses. They have a driver and a conductor. The conductor hangs out the side door and allows people to jump in or out (even if the matatu is still moving). He also collects the correct fee. The driver tries to complete his route as quickly and with as many passengers as possible. It sounds like it would make a good video game.

This was a nice day of relaxation and reflection over the events of the week. I definitely appreciated having a slower day before heading out to Kakamega. Gail and Mary and I had a chance to talk about what worked well this week, what did not, and what other activities might be good to investigate. Mary wants to offer "safaris" to homeschooing families in the United States (and other countries) to visit Nairobi. By the way, safari here means vacation. There are opportunities to go on what I would call a safari, but her vision is to plan mini-vacations that would allow for a cultural exchange between Kenyans and Americans. Our visit has helped her solidify her thinking about this venture. Hopefully other families will follow to experience this unique culture.

The children were delayed returning from the Maasai market, and we were a little concerned, however they did show up safe and sound with several treasures that they successfully purchased. Tonight we pack so we can leave for the airport at 5 AM (ugh).

Tuesday, May 19, Haruma

Today was the day to visit Haruma. Haruma is one of 4 slums in Starehe Constituency of Nairobi. We previously visited Kibera, which is in Langata Constituency. We were invited to meet with an organization called Ongoza Njia (Lead the Way). The director, Calvin, shared what this organization is trying to do across all 4 slums in this area. They have partnered with 140 community groups to implement a variety of programs. Also present was Ojiayo, leader of Bunge La Wananchi (The Peoples Parliment). At a recent meeting of this body, they heard from Mary about the benefits of home education, and were so excited they adopted a resolution to implement some form of homeschooling in the slums. Although Kenya offers free education, in fact the fees to access that education cannot be afforded by many in the slums. Many children raom the streets instead of attending school.

Today, Ojiayo, Calvin and some of his staff, Mary, Gail, and I dialoged more about how to apply home education concepts in their situation. Already, Calvin has in place several resources that might be adapted to support home education efforts: practical training in a variety of trades, a computer center where people learn computing skills, and a network throughout the slums in the form of the 140 community organizations. The challenge is educating the parents about the possibilities and opportunities that this new approach might hold for their children. Hopefully, dialogs will continue as they attempt to ignite support at the grassroots level.

Next we went to another area of the slum to meet the Queen of the Slums. Lucy is the director of Little Bees School, a school for children in Haruma through grade 6. Lucy's son, Victor, rode in the boot to show us the way. I doubt that we could have found it without help.

Lucy has a small compound for Little Bees School with classrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, and some storage. They have over 100 children attending. The facility is in the midst of construction; not all of the floors and walls are in place. Lucy struggles with getting finances for her work.

Lucy is known as Queen of the Slums for her efforts to make a difference. About 9 years ago, Lucy started a program to replace the "flying toilets." When people needed to go to the bathroom, they would go on a piece of paper, then fold it slightly and simply throw it far into the air. It could land anywhere. Lucy built a toilet facility, charging a small fee to use it. The project was replicated throughout the slum and has dramatically improved the living conditions there. Lucy also has a small garden planted on an area that was once a garbage dump.

The children of Little Bees School met us on the road, and welcomed us with songs and placed frilly boas around our necks. Later we each received a badge that said Honored Guest. The songs were very nice. We toured the school facilities, and then David played a few songs on the hammer dulcimer for the children. We got some of the teachers to dance to Hava Nagila.

After the children went back to their studies, we went through some very narrow passages between homes in Haruma to see Lucy's home. Lucy has about three rooms, but these are used to house some children she rescues from a variety of horrible conditions. We also looked at her garden, and listened to her tell how she stood up to a gang of thugs that exacted tolls (sometimes lives) at a bridge below her area. Through some tough talk, she has managed to get them to do useful things in the area. Lucy truly is Queen of the Slums.

We stopped at the Internet on the way home. Supper at Eshel Gardens consisted of hamburgers and lasagna. Christine, our cook, is wearing her chef's jacket. She is a great cook, and really looks the part. We learned that she and her family live in Haruma.

Pictures

There should be updated pictures... we stopped at a cyber cafe that let me plug in my laptop.

Monday, Kibera

Monday started off with breakfast and laundry. We begged some soap from Jenny, and then washed clothes in a bucket. A fence served for a clothesline. About 9:30, a "taxi" arrived to take us to Linda's home in the South C section of Nairobi. Linda is a homeschooling mom of 4 children. She has been homeschooling about 5 years. She uses the Bible and a smattering of other books for curriculum. Homeschooling materials are difficult to get in Kenya; shipping is prohibitive and there are no resources available within the country.

We participated in a Hebrew lesson, and then watched as the children worked on a few other subjects. We took a break for tea, and later, lunch. After lunch we headed out to Kibera.

Kibera is one of the largest slums in the world. There are over 1 million people living in this 600 acre area in Nairobi. They live in makeshift cubicles constructed out of scraps of lumber and corroguated metal. The average person lives on under $1 per day. Water is dispensed from large tanks, and toilets or shower are available, all for a fee.

We visited Ken, who directs a ministry called Center for Viable Development, Research, Innovation, and Intervention, or CVD for short. CVD has a small office space inside the edge of Kibera, and provides counseling and training for people in the slum. They are trying to encourage people to move out of the city and farm the plots of land that is theirs by tribal rights. Rather than live a subsistence life style in cramped and unsanitary conditions, they could begin to provide from themselves through farming and earn money providing food to others. Nairobi attracts people from the countryside who are looking for a path to economic success. Unfortunately most become trapped in a lifestyle that is worse than what they left behind.

One encouraging aspect to the conversation is that Sadili Oval Club (see earlier post) is on the edge of Kibera, and there may be a possibility of collaboration between the CVD and Liz, the director of Sadili Oval Club, that would benefit both groups of people.

After leaving Kibera, we visited a cyber cafe to check for urgent email messages, then Gail, Sarah, and Kayla were dropped off at Jenny's house (a different Jenny from the one staying with us at Eshel Gardens) to meet with a group of women to talk about home birth. David and I continued on home to a good supper. Afterwards, I was sitting in the living room, waiting for the others to return, when I noticed a few large flying insects. I chased them out the door, and closed it. About that time a swarm of them came under the crack at the bottom of the door. There was no keeping them out. It was obvious they were being attracted by the light, so I turned it out and opened the door. In just a few minutes, they had all left the room and were swarming around the front door (white) and porch light. Eileen came in, and said, Oh! Termites. Then she started gathering them up in her hand. When she got a handful, she said her daughter loves them. She offered to fry me some, but I declined. About an hour later, they were all gone, and we did not see another the whole night, except for when Gail picked up Kayla's jacket and one flew out.

Sunday, May 17, Reuben's House

Sunday, May 17

This morning we headed out to the estate of Reuben Matthews. His business is drilling bore holes (i.e. wells). He has the best reputation for bore hole digging in the country and is very influential in the development and planning of water supplies throughout Kenya. He volunteered to look at the well at the Vijiji home (see previous post) and said he would look at it and see what happens!

Reuben has been studying Hebrew with Yeshaia for a while. Reuben is from the United States. His family is Hebrew, and came to the United States in New Orleans in the 1800's. Originally his name was Dijong, but when the slaves were freed, his family took on the name of their last owner, which was Matthews.

Reuben's father was a Rabbi, one of the first Black Rabbi's in New York, NY, according to Reuben. One of Reuben's brothers was killed by the KKK in North Carolina. Reuben moved to Kenya in the 1980's.

For the Hebrew class, Yeshaia taught a little about the history of pronounciations of the tetragrammaton, and then Reuben talked to us for a little while, telling about his family history. Reuben has 8 sons and 8 daughters and 3 wives. The most recent daughter was born a week ago; they named her Kenya. They also have 4 grandchildren.

Reuben provided a scrumptious meal of goat, beef, and chicken (from his own animals) along with fruit, beans, rice, and chapates. Delicious. David, Kayla, and I played some music after dinner, and then we headed back towards Nairobi.

On the way home we stopped at Patricias's house in Rongai. It is a new house, and Patricia and her husband, Bob, are still finishing parts of it. It was a long drive up very rough dirt roads to get there, but our quest ended on a beautiful hill overlooking a lush valley. The trip home was equally bumpy, but we finally arrived back at home for supper and sleep.

Friday, Sadili Oval Club

Friday we were picked up by Yeshaia and driven to Salidi Oval Club. This is an Educational Trust organization that provides sports training and an education for talented Kenyans, many of them orphans. The director, Liz, has opened the facility for a homeschooling group, Elimu Nyumbani (Swahili for home education), allowing them to use a meeting room, the field, and swimming pool. We had a long conversation with her about home schooling, and she was excited about how some of the homeschooling concepts might be applied to the children she works with.

The homeschooling group invited us to share about our experiences, and then asked a few questions. After that they reviewed Hebrew vocabulary. This was followed by an exercise class outside on the football field. Swimming was then available. After lunch, David, Kayla and I played some music and taught them a few songs. Although most of them belong to a Messianic fellowship, none knew anything about Hebraic dance. Gail taught them the steps to Hava Nagila, and they had a great time as we increased the tempo to a furious pace.

Afterwards we went to Java House for coffee and snacks and Internet, however the Internet was so slow, it took several minutes for each page load. We then returned home and had supper and some conversation. Time for sleep. Tomorrow we visit Yeshaia’s Tanakh Assembly.

Saturday 16 MAY, Vijiji Home of Light

Saturday, May 16, 2009 we went to Shabbat service in the morning. We were late due to very heavy traffic and a fund-raising walk for operating rooms for children. The service was held at a very nice club, in a meeting room surrounded with windows opening onto a park-like setting. Gail and I had the opportunity to share with the fellowship why we are in Kenya, a little about homeschooling, and also about home birth. This group of people is interested in learning Hebrew so they have the tools to study the Tanakh in the original language. They are also advocates of home education. The music was a mixture of English and Swahili and Hebrew.

After the service we went to an Ethiopian restaurant, Smart Village, in a large “hut.” We sat on couches around low tables. The food was brought in pots and served on a circle of njira (fermented rice tortilla, we think) covering a large platter shared by 3-4 people. We ate with our fingers. It was very good.

Our afternoon activity took us to an orphanage in Mwimuto, Kenya, called Vijiji Home of Light. Vijiji means village. The home was started by John Mwasi, his mother, and others. The home is largely supported by donations from the United States, but those have dwindled with our economic problems. There are about 30 children there, most under the age of 12. The facility is a three bedroom house. The well for the house no longer works so a truck brings water once a week. John and the “teacher,” Lucy, were interested in the possibility of schooling the children in the home rather than sending them off to school. Gail and Mary spent quite a bit of time talking with John and Lucy about the possibilities and providing encouragement. John and his wife would also like to homeschool their own daughter, and I had the opportunity to share with him some things I learned about being the dad in a homeschooling family.

Mwimuto is a mixture of poor and rich like much of Kenya. After driving past some very large estates, we turned off the main road onto a dirt area that opened into a small market. At the end of that we turned left between two stores and then proceeded up a long lane just wide enough for our car and a person (in some places). This is when it felt good to be in a Land Rover. I have no idea how a water truck gets up this lane. At one point we came upon another car. Fortunately it was pointed in the same direction we were. Unfortunately, it was reversing (Kenyan for backing up). It backed into a small lane that led up to a fenced property, and we were able to pass.

I am still amazed as to how traffic actually flows in Nairobi. I actually saw three traffic lights and one stop sign today (during 2 hours of travel). Traffic flow is like molten lava. It merges and divides in a sort of slow motion. If you squint just a little, the cars actually look like lava, and the smoke from the exhaust just completes the effect. It is incredible that there are so few collisions. Twice today we encountered gridlock as one of the four cars stuck in a mosaic pattern in the middle of an intersection, each blocking the others as some wanted to turn. Yeshaia said this is very common and he has had to get out and direct traffic on some occasions. Things do not move until someone finds a way to back up (oops, reverse) and give way to one of the other cars.

We went past a crosswalk painted on the pavement, and I asked if drivers need to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Yeshaia, our driver, looked at me and laughed. The important thing is not to hit someone, but there is very little yielding in Nairobi. An ambulance with siren and lights passed going in the other direction. They did not appear to have any advantage in the traffic over any of the other cars or busses.

Home in time for supper. Yum!

Pictures

Pictures can be viewed at our Picasa album

Thursday, Baptist Mission of Kenya

This is a picture of the outside of the building where we are staying. Gail and I are downstairs, the children upstairs.

Thursday started out very pleasant with breakfast, then David and Kayla were hit with upset tummies. Kayla’s turned into jet lag, and she and Sarah stayed home to rest. David and Gail and I went with Mary to visit the homeschool group that she is part of. This was for a Hebrew class. The leader asked Michelle, Mary’s 17 year old daughter, to explain Hebrew. About 30 minutes later we had heard the alephbet, all of the basic grammar rules, and examined the historical forms of the Hebrew letters. Then Yeshaia, the leader, shared some of his history and a few things he had learned.

Next, they asked us to share about ourselves and how homeschooling works in the United States. We did our best to represent the varieties of approaches, and then shared songs with them. David played his hammer dulcimer, and I played guitar.

After class, we went with Mary through Nairobi to visit a homeschool resource center at the Baptist Mission of Kenya compound. Traffic was bad. When we go into the city, we encountered a burning tire and large rocks blocking the way. Crowds of people were pointing and looking, then they started running. All the cars in front turned around (we did too) and went around a round-about to get away from the action. We passed police in riot gear, and as we slowly left the area, heard tear gas being shot into the area we had left.

We think the incident was the police discouraging hawkers from selling their wares in front of the shops. This has apparently become a problem and the police are attempting to get them to move away from the storefronts.

The detour caused a lengthy delay, but we did arrive at the Baptist Mission of Kenya center. David and Kayla had a chance to play football with a fairly large group of homeschooled youth. The resource center was opened to homeschoolers for a while, but currently they are not accepting additional members as their primary purpose is to serve missionary families in this area.

The ride home was traffic riddled, but otherwise uneventful. Still no Internet, so we are going to Java House tomorrow.

PS - Internet on :)
We will still go to Java House - we hear they have good brownies and coffee.

Wednesday, Kazuri Bead

Wednesday breakfast, sausage, eggs, and fruit, was served at 7 AM. At breakfast we met Jenny, a woman from Lancaster county, PA, who is trying to get a work permit to teach and live in Kenya. She is also staying at the guest house for a few weeks. It is amazing who you might meet when traveling.

After breakfast, Kayla received instruction about how to clean a carpet manually (without a vacuum cleaner). She made friends with the women who cook and clean. Later we went to the market and got a few essentials, then toured Kazuri Bead facility. This is a business that produces custom clay beads and jewelry. It is staffed by single mothers. It also provides a medical clinic that meets most of the medical needs of the employees. The clay is prepared, beads or figurines or other pottery items fashioned, fired, hand painted and glazed, and then sold Internationally to benefit the women in this community.

The evening was spent visiting with Mary and her children, Michelle and Matthew. A wild game of spoons (played with checkers) ensued among the children.

Afterward, we visited with Abraham, our host. His wife, Diane, is from Archbold, OH, right near where Gail grew up. Just as I was going to go online to post this, the power went out. Oh well…

Travel to Nairobi

May 13

We arrived in Nairobi Tuesday night after an 8 hour flight from Amsterdam. As we prepared to leave the plane, an announcement listed our name along with a few others as having a message. As we left the airport, no one could tell us what the message might be and referred us to someone else. Finally, were told to just go on to the baggage claim and ask there.

Before we could claim our baggage, we needed visas (entry passes, not credit cards). Since we wasted time trying to get our message, we found ourselves at the end of a very long line. While waiting, we were given a fourth form to fill out (we had already filled out three forms while on the airplane). Once we got to the counter, the visas were processed fairly quickly (about 3-4 minutes each). Customs went fast – probably the agent was tired after all the others went through. Then we looked for our ten bags on the conveyor. Only nine appeared, and after checking at the baggage desk, I found out that the message was that one of our bags had not been put on the plane and would arrive the next day.

We all crowded into a Land Rover, and Yeshaia drove us to our lodgings, Eshel Garden Guest house. We got there around 10 PM. We had tea, conversation with a few members of another group staying over also, and then settled in for a good night’s sleep.

Packing, packing, packing... less than one day to go. Checked in with the airline online, then found out we could not print boarding passes - probably something to do with International flights and ID's.

The kids are packed (pretty much); we have lots of 'stuff' packed (mostly Gail's doing) to take along as gifts. Clothes will be the last thing. I hope to get to that tonight :)

We are all excited, and looking forward to the flight(s). We will meet up with Herb Veith (and 2 fellow travelers) in Amsterdam. They booked a different path to that point, but we are all on the same plane to Nairobi.

Future posts should be more interesting. I am just trying to get into the habit of updating the blog right now. Back to packing...

4 more days

Cleaning, packing, shopping, mowing, scrounging, sewing (recycling old jeans), ..., in addition to the usual day to day stuff.

We got donations of lotions and assorted skin care products to give to Bishop Peter James Onguko's high school girls.

We had hoped to take David's hammer dulcimer, but it is pretty bulky and we have no good case to transport it in. Reluctantly we decided to take a smaller one that we can carry on the plane. It has fewer strings, so limits the variations that you can play.

We are also taking our two guitars. Kayla's did not have a good case, so I was looking around at music stores today... none would fit (it is an Ovation Adamas, shallow depth rounded back)... then I remembered that Stephanie has the exact case we need and her guitar can live at home without a case for a while. I called her and she said her case needed a vacation, so she is bringing it over...problem solved.

Got Kenyan shillings in the mail today... so we don't have to change currency when we get there. Did you know that 500 shillings costs $6.97?

Sleep....