I've made it back, safe and sound, nostalgic but grateful. I'm uploading all my pics to the computer and I'll paste links in each blog entry to the right album. It's much easier than putting the actual pictures in. If you go back through all the old entries there are links to the right places, or you can just go look at everything all at once here: http://picasaweb.google.com/passionflower24
I had some old notes and reports so I'll just paste them in.
Cell phones in Kenya are a BIG deal. They almost convey your worth as a person, and people like to buy accessories and flash them around so that everyone knows what type they have. Some of the clothing even has little appique cell phones! You can buy fake flip phones on the street so that it looks like you have a prestigious phone! This even trickled down to the kids, as they loved to draw pictures of cell phones, and write NOKIA on their sponsor letters. I even found my little Akileng carrying around a hand-made cell phone. He had taken a block of wood and colored little squares and numbers on it. He even had listed names on the screen of other kids; his address book of people to call! Kukat is another very gifted boy who makes these fabulous cars out of the trash in the rubbish bin. The wheels are tops of jars and tubs, and the body is fashioned out of wire and other objects.
12/14/07 Last night I taught Noryu, Chepkopus, and a few other girls how to play "Thumb Wars". We sat on the porch after dinner and I taught them the count-off and how to play. THey thought it was great. There was a lot of giggling as I feigned weakness and let them all win against me a couple of times. Then I started trying to win...these chicks are strong! Soon they were beating me with their eyes closed. I set up a tournament structure, and the littlest one ended up beating us all! I encouraged them to teach the other kids, since it's good for counting and also just a lot of fun.
12/15/07 I noticed 2 kids today asking me to go to the hospital, which I find quite odd considering that usually equals a painful injection. I finally figured it out as little Akileng looked at me with hopeful eyes and said "hospital?" that the word had probably spread about our post-clinic treats. I just feel so bad when they get the shots, what can I say, I'm a total softie. So I'm glad that the soda or biscuits or fruit we get on our walk home are making them feel better! 12/16/07 It's really amazing how much the little ones respect and listen to the older children. Today, a few older ones headed off to church and the whole orphanage wanted to follow them. It reminded me of how much influence the older kids have. We rely on them so often to help translate and guide the little ones; it would be downright impossible to maintain any semblance of order without their help. Sometimes I forget that they're kids too because they are so responsible and mature and wise. They are so selfless and helpful and often put their own needs aside to help out the younger kids. They don't abuse their position of power either, which I find amazing because I've never really seen teenagers act this way before.
12/17/07-12/20/07 Trip to Bungoma!
12/21/07 I was welcomed home by the children today one by one. It was so cute; they all came up and greeted me and hugged me. The staff all did as well, and everyone said they didn't want me to leave again which was pretty painful considering I only have 5 more days here in Kenya. I don't want to leave either.
12/22/07 It never hurts to get in good with the cook. Our local kitchen Mummy Pauline has been hooking me up and showing me the love lately. We have a mutually beneficial relationship where I bring her biscuits (cookies) and treats when I go into town, and she saves me my favorite dishes like githeri and green grams. Lately, she's even been trying to push extra servings of meat and chipatis on me which is kinda funny being that I am by far the "healthiest" person here. The kids think it's hilarious how fat I am, and love to come up and put their fingers around my arms and say "big" and poke and prod at me. It's amazing how much they eat and still stay so slender, which may be worms but I think has a lot to do with genetics also. Some of the kids who are only 1/2 Pokot are markedly thicker and heavier but most all of the kids are so so slight, which sort of makes them all look like beautiful little adults, especially the girls who all look wise beyond their years (but are just as goofy and silly as little kids should be).
12/23/07 The election campaigns are in full swing here. One of the major contenders, Raila Odinga, has appealed to the poor and working class segment of Kenyans, and the Pokots seem to really be on board with him (his tribe is Luo). Since our orphanage is in the slums of Nakuru in an area called Githima, there is also support for him here even though Nakuru is mostly a "Kibaki zone" (this is the incumbent running for re-election). Today a big orange truck came down our road spouting out the usual slogans and rallying support. All the kids flocked to the fence and started shouting "Raila, Raila!". It was fun to see them get so excited about politics because I had no idea they were so informed. But since the rest of the country is in such an uproar, it was great that they got to participate too. Today was finally the day we had all the class lists together and the children assembled to take pictures for the web. Laura had drawn up a lovely sign on our new chalkboard, and Festus was helping get all the kids into class groups for pictures. However, they had all come from the preschool where Cassidy was leading them in sponsor-letters. This meant they all had access to the new markers I brought for Christmas. Everyone had some sort of decoration on their face; pictures and makeup and all kinds of pseudo-black eyes. Some of the kids, bless their hearts, looked like mini drag queens. It was quite hilarious, but not the picture we thought should go on the web. So we gave them an hour or so in masquerade, then everyone washed up and went in for their photos.
12/25/07 All the volunteers worked into the night to make sure we had stuffed all the needed stockings for the kids. Laura made a wonderful Santa Claus, and definately wins the award for holiday cheer! We cleaned up the new preschool room, hung balloons and decorations, and strung the 83 fat little stockings across the room. On Christmas morning, we had a special breakfast of hot chocolate and rice pudding, and fretted about keeping the party room a surprise. Well, we had absolutely no cause for concern because the kids didn't suspect a thing. When it was finally TIME, we first brought the sick kids and blind Kamama in. It was so sweet, because they were so shocked that they had no idea what was going on. We had to lead them to the stocking with their name on it and convince them it was all for them. They very mindfully poked through it, and as soon as they really believed what was happening, started to smile and giggle. It was beautiful to see children actually appreciate and enjoy the wonderment of a Christmas morning instead of tearing through expensive presents like maniacs on a mission (this has been my own experience in the states). Because they didn't expect anything, they were truly surprised and happy and it was heartwarming to see them so happy.
My time in Johannesburg, South Africa was amazing. I was met at the airport by Sunny Boy, perfectly according to plans. He was there with a friend of his, a native of Soweto. They were ready to party, and took me to a local pub called a shebeen. The music was PUMPING. People were dancing; the whole atmosphere was electric. It was totally impossible to have a conversation. We ate a delicious snace of traditional barbequed meat called braai. The first bite instantly converted me (via a culinary religious experience) back to a bonified carnivore. I'm not kidding. The stuff was simply that divine.
Lolo's guest house was amazing, and I'd recommend it wholeheartedly. I slept on a beautiful bed with CLEAN SHEETS. Then I woke up and had a shower with warm and continuous running water (first time in a month). Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I went into the dining room and found a beautiful breakfast waiting for me...it was all there, down to the hot dog (???) and fresh guava juice. I felt like a princess.
At 10:00 Sunny and I left the house and began our tour of Soweto. Sunny was a very informative guide who was actually trained at University to give tours. I learned so much that I can't possible remember it all, but here's a few factoids:
-Soweto is the largest township in Africa, yes the whole continent, with approximately 4.5 million residents. It's hard to get an accurate number because the last census in 2001 included it in the city of Johannesburg. Also there's tons of illegal immigrants and "informal settlements" that throw the numbers off. It's comprised of 34 different suburbs.
-Soweto has just ONE hospital for the entire township; can you imagine how huge it is for all those people? It takes up blocks and blocks, and is the largest hospital in the ENTIRE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.
-We visited an "informal settlement" and I was given a quick tour by a local resident named Eric. It was pretty neat, but also a bit upsetting when Eric started laughing about how drunk his 1 1/2 yr old son was (and I don't think he was joking). I even got to go inside one of the homes, which are all constructed out of materials like corrogated tin and cardboard. The homes have no electricity or running water; the entire neighborhood shares a communal taps. An amazing fact is that South Africa is one of only 12 countries in the world that has 100% safe drinking water, straight from the tap. There are parts of these areas where residents pirate electricity from light poles on the main roads. Sunny showed me where they hack the leads off and prop them up with makeshift poles made of twigs and stuff. He said they hook the supply wire up at night, using hundreds of feet of wire, and then disconnect them during daylight hours to avoid detection. The government finally installed pit latrines in this settlement this past April. Up until that point, residents were sharing chemical toilets that were only cleaned once weekly.
-We visited a large Catholic church which has been nicknamed "The Soweto Parlaiment" because during the 1976 uprisings, this is where students convened to hold secret rallies to protest Afrikaans being taught in the schools. The police were informed via spies though, and busted into the chapel with rubber bullets and tear gas. You can still see evidence of the chaos as it has been purposefully left to remind people of the struggle. There are bullet holes in the ceiling and still a broken altar and statue of Jesus that was toppled in the raid.
-Another huge Jozi tourist attraction is "The Only Street in the World Where 2 Nobel Peace Prize Winners Have Lived". I actually went inside the former home of Nelson Mandela, which has been converted into a small museum. It was very emotional, and I got the chills several times realizing that I was in such a sacred space. Down the street is the current home of Desmond Tutu, who spends a lot of time in Capetown but still maintains his residence in Soweto. Also in the same neighborhood is the home of Winnie Mandela. She has been divorced from Nelson for a few years and he lives with his new wife in downtown Johannesburg.
-The Apartheid Museum. Whoa. No words for this one. Check it out here: http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/. Probably the best cultural museum I've ever been to. It was very powerful and well done and I cried quite a bit. I was only got through about 1/3 of it really well in the 2 1/2 hours I was there since it was so huge and full of alot of information.
I feel somewhat trite trying to describe how incredible this trip was. Words really cannot do it justice. I am so hesitant to do a "wrap up"; it's like I don't want to defile it by reducing this amazing experience to a journal entry in a travelogue. BUT for the sake of posterity...
I'm scared to go back to my busy life. I don't want to get wrapped up in details like tax evasion, vacuuming the carpet, and spin class. I want to remember the deeper sense of purpose and mindfulness I've felt over this past month with the children and other volunteers. In one sense I feel relieved to have found a calling, and I'm happy that I didn't sweat the small (or big) stuff to the point wehre it distracted me from the good stuff. On the other hand, I'm anxious about HOW exactly to make this calling manifest in my life. I want to get a job, make a lot of money, and travel to IHF centers for years on end. But I'm also scared to get caught back up in the rat-race. I need to remember that God is totally in control. Up until this point I have been shown my path and been kept safe, so it only makes sense to keep the faith and the Universe will continue to provide direction on what my next step will be.
I met so many great people and I want to help them all so much, I just get worried about money. Poor Carol must feel like this all the time. I'll have to be very clear with how much I aid I can offer to the Ouma/Khisa family and remember that they have means to provide form themselves whereas the children literally don't have anything.
One of the coolest things was getting a chance to know the other volunteers, who were all from different countries so it was a cultural learning experience in it's own right. I feel very close to Laura in particular and am SO grateful to have had her there. Juan was also a really awesome guy. We've made a semi-serious pact to meet up at the Thailand IHF center next Christmas since that's where he'll be volunteering. I am praying that this reuinion will be a reality!
I want to learn Kiswahili. I love chipati but I was OVERJOYED to get my raw vegetarian meal on the first flight. I met my Christmas dinner before I ate it this year ( a goat donated by IHF Kenyan lawyer, Juma). I am SO my mother's daughter (diagnosing, overmedicating, hypochondriacking, caretaking, kid-loving, comfort-giving). I enjoy being clean more than I ever realized.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Bungoma and Back!
Oh so much to catch up on and so little time...
Right now we're all smack dab in the middle of Christmas preparations for the kids. A few people donated funds so that we could shop for them all, get them stockings, and throw a little party (complete with a goat slaughter/roast. Wow.). I'm so excited, more so than I have been about Christmas for years!
No luck on extending my trip; I tried everything I could but I've finally resolved myself to return to CA and my "real life". However, now I'm motivated to get a real job, earn some real money, and plan a trip of significant length for next year.
I haven't really mentioned the elections, but there's an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation throughout the whole country...the actual voting takes place on the 27th so I'll JUST miss it. Politics are like sports here, with everyone rooting for their favorite candidate by wearing a certain color, and dancing in the street, and it's all anyone is talking about. I got a great low-down on the current administration (Kibaki) from Jeff Ouma, husband of my friend Liz Khisa whom I stayed with in Bungoma. There's a radical progressive candidate named Raila Odinga whom all the folks I know are rallying for. He wants to re-write the constitution and clear out all corruption from the top.
I took a bumpy, long ride to Bungoma last Monday to stay with my friend Liz and her family. I took a bus that should have been called QueasyCoach instead of EasyCoach...I thought I was just being a weenie until the girl in front of me puked. I have never ever ever been on a road this rough. My insides felt like jello by the time we made our first pit-stop in Eldoret, where I got the most delicious mango I've ever tasted in my life. The road in Kenya is notoriously bad (another reason citizens are mad at the incumbent), and I think this stretch is one of the worst. At one point we were stopped for an hour at a standstill. When it was all said and done, it took nearly 8 hours to travel 119.1 miles. Abysmal! But I was given such a warm reception by Liz at the station that I didn't even mind. We hopped on the back of bora-bora's which are the local form of bike transportation here, and I got to drink in the cool evening breeze on the ride to her house. Bungoma is hot! And humid, and has more mesquitoes. We arrived at her home and were met by her husband Jeff and oldest son Dan. The littlest ones, Abby and Meshack, were already sleeping. I got to play santa and hand out all the things I had brought from home, which was great fun.
The next day I found out how difficult it is to be a housewife in Kenya! I offered to help with the chores; oh my goodness what a job! We washed clothes BY HAND, did dishes IN A SINK, and mopped the floor WITH A TOWEL. It was exhausting! I actually took a nap after all that. We had a mellow night and just chatted and discussed what we would do the next day.
We went to town on Tuesday and bought groceries and more antihistimines for me (my allergies are still in mega-high gear). We had a special dinner, my favorite which are these tortilla-like things called chipati. Yum.
On Wednesday, we planned a trip to the city of Kisumu. The matatu ride there was super-interesting and totally shady. They tried to cheat us out of an entire fare, and we saw how they must have bribed the police at the checkpoints because we were literally overflowing with people which is technically illegal. Other vehicles were pulled over and they were forcing people to de-board, but not us...we only had 20 people in a 14 passenger van, no big deal!
Kisumu was not as friendly as Nakuru...I was the only westerner I saw except for at the museum so I don't think it's as tourist-oriented. The first cab driver ripped us off, and Liz started to realize that being seen with me is sort of a liability. We took a boat around Lake Victoria (just the shore) with the remote possiblity of sighting a hippo, but our tour guides told us it was probably too late and they were snoozing at the bottom of the lake. Dan had a lot of fun taking pictures of all the birds though.
Dan and Liz met up with her sister-in-law who lives in Kisumu. They went shopping and visited Jeff's dad while I hit the museum, which was really cool. We headed back after a long day totally exhausted.
Thursday Liz took me to the rural Western Kenya town of Wubuye. It was beautiful. We climbed a huge rock and looked at a 360 view of all the farms and villages. Then we went down and spent some time with more of her extended family, who live at the base.
Quickie culture shocks:
1. In Kenya it is not considered rude to pick your nose in public or during a conversation
2. The first floor here is what we consider the second floor in the US; all numbers are shifted down one digit. This led me to a wild elevator ride looking for an internet cafe I was sure was 4 flights of stairs up. But on the 3rd floor. Hmm.
I've got to run because it's almost dark and I still have to get to the supermarket. Tomorrow us volunteers are getting OUR chance to see Lake Nakuru on a private safari.
Ciao,
A
Right now we're all smack dab in the middle of Christmas preparations for the kids. A few people donated funds so that we could shop for them all, get them stockings, and throw a little party (complete with a goat slaughter/roast. Wow.). I'm so excited, more so than I have been about Christmas for years!
No luck on extending my trip; I tried everything I could but I've finally resolved myself to return to CA and my "real life". However, now I'm motivated to get a real job, earn some real money, and plan a trip of significant length for next year.
I haven't really mentioned the elections, but there's an overwhelming sense of excitement and anticipation throughout the whole country...the actual voting takes place on the 27th so I'll JUST miss it. Politics are like sports here, with everyone rooting for their favorite candidate by wearing a certain color, and dancing in the street, and it's all anyone is talking about. I got a great low-down on the current administration (Kibaki) from Jeff Ouma, husband of my friend Liz Khisa whom I stayed with in Bungoma. There's a radical progressive candidate named Raila Odinga whom all the folks I know are rallying for. He wants to re-write the constitution and clear out all corruption from the top.
I took a bumpy, long ride to Bungoma last Monday to stay with my friend Liz and her family. I took a bus that should have been called QueasyCoach instead of EasyCoach...I thought I was just being a weenie until the girl in front of me puked. I have never ever ever been on a road this rough. My insides felt like jello by the time we made our first pit-stop in Eldoret, where I got the most delicious mango I've ever tasted in my life. The road in Kenya is notoriously bad (another reason citizens are mad at the incumbent), and I think this stretch is one of the worst. At one point we were stopped for an hour at a standstill. When it was all said and done, it took nearly 8 hours to travel 119.1 miles. Abysmal! But I was given such a warm reception by Liz at the station that I didn't even mind. We hopped on the back of bora-bora's which are the local form of bike transportation here, and I got to drink in the cool evening breeze on the ride to her house. Bungoma is hot! And humid, and has more mesquitoes. We arrived at her home and were met by her husband Jeff and oldest son Dan. The littlest ones, Abby and Meshack, were already sleeping. I got to play santa and hand out all the things I had brought from home, which was great fun.
The next day I found out how difficult it is to be a housewife in Kenya! I offered to help with the chores; oh my goodness what a job! We washed clothes BY HAND, did dishes IN A SINK, and mopped the floor WITH A TOWEL. It was exhausting! I actually took a nap after all that. We had a mellow night and just chatted and discussed what we would do the next day.
We went to town on Tuesday and bought groceries and more antihistimines for me (my allergies are still in mega-high gear). We had a special dinner, my favorite which are these tortilla-like things called chipati. Yum.
On Wednesday, we planned a trip to the city of Kisumu. The matatu ride there was super-interesting and totally shady. They tried to cheat us out of an entire fare, and we saw how they must have bribed the police at the checkpoints because we were literally overflowing with people which is technically illegal. Other vehicles were pulled over and they were forcing people to de-board, but not us...we only had 20 people in a 14 passenger van, no big deal!
Kisumu was not as friendly as Nakuru...I was the only westerner I saw except for at the museum so I don't think it's as tourist-oriented. The first cab driver ripped us off, and Liz started to realize that being seen with me is sort of a liability. We took a boat around Lake Victoria (just the shore) with the remote possiblity of sighting a hippo, but our tour guides told us it was probably too late and they were snoozing at the bottom of the lake. Dan had a lot of fun taking pictures of all the birds though.
Dan and Liz met up with her sister-in-law who lives in Kisumu. They went shopping and visited Jeff's dad while I hit the museum, which was really cool. We headed back after a long day totally exhausted.
Thursday Liz took me to the rural Western Kenya town of Wubuye. It was beautiful. We climbed a huge rock and looked at a 360 view of all the farms and villages. Then we went down and spent some time with more of her extended family, who live at the base.
Quickie culture shocks:
1. In Kenya it is not considered rude to pick your nose in public or during a conversation
2. The first floor here is what we consider the second floor in the US; all numbers are shifted down one digit. This led me to a wild elevator ride looking for an internet cafe I was sure was 4 flights of stairs up. But on the 3rd floor. Hmm.
I've got to run because it's almost dark and I still have to get to the supermarket. Tomorrow us volunteers are getting OUR chance to see Lake Nakuru on a private safari.
Ciao,
A
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Back at last!
Well, long time no write...I wasn't able to get to town cuz I felt yukky and was so busy at the center. Here's my daily reports though to keep y'all up to date:
12/8/07: Early this morning I woke up and got a bunch of stuff done which was really satisfying. I was still sitting in bed when I heard a familiar little chirp...Kiptoo had come in to wake us up. He jumped in my lap and we cuddled for a bit as I finished up my writing. He was so curious as to what I was doing, so we exchanged words back and forth in English, Kiswahili, and Pokot for things like "sun", "look", and "pen". He is such a little cuddle bug! I was giving him kisses and telling him how much I loved him when all of the sudden he looked me in the eyes and said very clearly, "I love you!". I was so touched I almost teared up. But he was off and moving and more interested in my headlamp almost immediately : )
12/9/07: My co-volunteer/Center Director Juan is a great guy for many reasons, but I didn't know chicken-wrangling was one of his many talents.Last night we discovered a chicken in the girl's toilet and he and I ushered it out onto the porch. Well, more accurately he scooped it up in a bucket and tossed it out. This chicken was not ready to stay out for the night though and fluttered into the other girls dorm where all the children were gathered for movie night. What a ruckus! The children found it thoroughly entertaining to watch Juan chase this chicken around the dark room. They were hooting and hollering and carrying on like they were at the rodeo. Finally Juan got a hold of the bird and took it outside and everyone cheered and resumed watching the video. It was one of the funniest things I ever witnessed (and I think the kids thought so too).
12/9/07: I went to the clinic with a child for the first time today, and by chance, it happened to be my sponsee Lomurion. He is a sweet, delightful, considerate boy. I think due to the language barrier, up until this point he had been very shy with me. We had a bit of a wait in the lobby, so I pulled out my headphones and decided to give him a listen to some of the music I had on my MP3 player. Wow did that kid come alive! He was hopping and bopping all the way into the exam room, and didn't even flinch when he received an injection. Lomurion has the most beautiful smile and it was very inspirational to see this kid beaming ear to ear, even though he didn't feel very well. When we returned home, he found me several times throughout the evening and did a bit of sign-language asking for the headphones again. It was really neat to finally be able to communicate with him on a universal level through music.
12/10/07: Today we accompanied Elijah and others to the ACK (Anglican Church of Kenya). We thought the service would be in English, but it was in Kiswahili. There was some singing, but for the most part, mostly preaching. Quite honestly it was one of the most formal and stiff services I have ever attended, much different from the singing and dancing and clapping that goes on in many of the churches here. The service was 2 hours long, and by the end, I was pinching myself to stay awake. I was so embarrassed! Our kids were putting me to shame. Even though I know for a fact that a few of them don't know much Kiswahili, they sat there like perfect angels through the entire service. No fidgeting, or talking, or sleeping...I couldn't believe how well-behaved they were (even compared to the other kids in church). After the service, the visiting pastor came up and introduced himself since we were new faces in the crowd. I was so proud to tell him we "belonged" to all the IHF kids. I feel so much pride and joy when people in the community recognize me as part of the IHF center, because it really is an honor to be associated with these little people who are so full of life and vigor.
12/11/07: Today I was sick in bed most of the day, and only ventured out for more tissue and to use the restroom. Here I was, down for the count with bad allergies and asthma and I was simply FLOORED. I know kids running around with typhoid and malaria who haven't complained once about not feeling well! The pain tolerance of these children is really amazing. Even when getting painful IM penicillin injections, they don't flinch. I was very touched by how concerned the staff and kids were. Countless people came up to me with such a genuine look of worry on their face, asking if I was okay. Everytime I coughed, someone was quick to offer a "pole, pole". I felt very loved and nursed back to health and inspired to be strong, brave, and positive when I don't feel well. And my role models are 1/4 of my age!
Last night we watched Ken (Pauline's son) put on a one man show...he was simultaneously stuffing ugali in his mouth and falling asleep. We were cracking up watching it, and everytime we laughed, his eyes would pop open and he'd give us this sleepy smile and grab another huge handful of food. Then, in about 30 seconds, his eyes would start to flutter and he'd start swaying and almost hit the floor (chewing the whole time). It was simply unbelievable. Ken is a notorious little ham, I think he'd make a great actor. He's always keeping us volunteers and the other children thouroughly entertained. He and his siblings Steve and Mary, have blended in with all the kids and so staff, kids, and volunteers are all just one big happy family.
12/12/07: Oh my gosh, where to start with today...since it was a public holiday (Kenya Independance day) we took the kids to Lake Nakuru National Game Park. When we told them the news after breakfast, they started jumping up and down and yelling, they were SOO excited.
We loaded them up onto 3 matatus and headed for the carpark to catch the bus into the preserve. We had 3 hours to kill there while waiting for a bus large enough for our group, so we all camped out in the railroad station. It was so much fun, just like camp. We packed a lunch and we ate there in our "teams": we split all the kids up into 3 groups so we could keep track of them easily. I headed up the "Tigers", Cassidy and Sam had the "Elephants" and Juan rounded out the bunch with the "Buffaloes".
Finally after some soccer games and a bunch of playing, the bus arrived and we piled on. There was misunderstanding about pricing, so all us volunteers didn't go on the tour, but I gave Elijah my camera to take pictures for me. 3 hours later we heard a bus full of angelic voices...the kids were back and they were singing! They were so happy to tell us about the rhinos, zebra, gazelles, and even a lioness that they saw on their safari. Once again I was SO proud to be a part of these beautiful little people's lives.
As for NOW, I feel good today and I'm trying my best to extend my trip....I don't want to come home (but still love and miss you very much my darling Johnnie : )). Hopefully more in the next few days!
Love,
A
12/8/07: Early this morning I woke up and got a bunch of stuff done which was really satisfying. I was still sitting in bed when I heard a familiar little chirp...Kiptoo had come in to wake us up. He jumped in my lap and we cuddled for a bit as I finished up my writing. He was so curious as to what I was doing, so we exchanged words back and forth in English, Kiswahili, and Pokot for things like "sun", "look", and "pen". He is such a little cuddle bug! I was giving him kisses and telling him how much I loved him when all of the sudden he looked me in the eyes and said very clearly, "I love you!". I was so touched I almost teared up. But he was off and moving and more interested in my headlamp almost immediately : )
12/9/07: My co-volunteer/Center Director Juan is a great guy for many reasons, but I didn't know chicken-wrangling was one of his many talents.Last night we discovered a chicken in the girl's toilet and he and I ushered it out onto the porch. Well, more accurately he scooped it up in a bucket and tossed it out. This chicken was not ready to stay out for the night though and fluttered into the other girls dorm where all the children were gathered for movie night. What a ruckus! The children found it thoroughly entertaining to watch Juan chase this chicken around the dark room. They were hooting and hollering and carrying on like they were at the rodeo. Finally Juan got a hold of the bird and took it outside and everyone cheered and resumed watching the video. It was one of the funniest things I ever witnessed (and I think the kids thought so too).
12/9/07: I went to the clinic with a child for the first time today, and by chance, it happened to be my sponsee Lomurion. He is a sweet, delightful, considerate boy. I think due to the language barrier, up until this point he had been very shy with me. We had a bit of a wait in the lobby, so I pulled out my headphones and decided to give him a listen to some of the music I had on my MP3 player. Wow did that kid come alive! He was hopping and bopping all the way into the exam room, and didn't even flinch when he received an injection. Lomurion has the most beautiful smile and it was very inspirational to see this kid beaming ear to ear, even though he didn't feel very well. When we returned home, he found me several times throughout the evening and did a bit of sign-language asking for the headphones again. It was really neat to finally be able to communicate with him on a universal level through music.
12/10/07: Today we accompanied Elijah and others to the ACK (Anglican Church of Kenya). We thought the service would be in English, but it was in Kiswahili. There was some singing, but for the most part, mostly preaching. Quite honestly it was one of the most formal and stiff services I have ever attended, much different from the singing and dancing and clapping that goes on in many of the churches here. The service was 2 hours long, and by the end, I was pinching myself to stay awake. I was so embarrassed! Our kids were putting me to shame. Even though I know for a fact that a few of them don't know much Kiswahili, they sat there like perfect angels through the entire service. No fidgeting, or talking, or sleeping...I couldn't believe how well-behaved they were (even compared to the other kids in church). After the service, the visiting pastor came up and introduced himself since we were new faces in the crowd. I was so proud to tell him we "belonged" to all the IHF kids. I feel so much pride and joy when people in the community recognize me as part of the IHF center, because it really is an honor to be associated with these little people who are so full of life and vigor.
12/11/07: Today I was sick in bed most of the day, and only ventured out for more tissue and to use the restroom. Here I was, down for the count with bad allergies and asthma and I was simply FLOORED. I know kids running around with typhoid and malaria who haven't complained once about not feeling well! The pain tolerance of these children is really amazing. Even when getting painful IM penicillin injections, they don't flinch. I was very touched by how concerned the staff and kids were. Countless people came up to me with such a genuine look of worry on their face, asking if I was okay. Everytime I coughed, someone was quick to offer a "pole, pole". I felt very loved and nursed back to health and inspired to be strong, brave, and positive when I don't feel well. And my role models are 1/4 of my age!
Last night we watched Ken (Pauline's son) put on a one man show...he was simultaneously stuffing ugali in his mouth and falling asleep. We were cracking up watching it, and everytime we laughed, his eyes would pop open and he'd give us this sleepy smile and grab another huge handful of food. Then, in about 30 seconds, his eyes would start to flutter and he'd start swaying and almost hit the floor (chewing the whole time). It was simply unbelievable. Ken is a notorious little ham, I think he'd make a great actor. He's always keeping us volunteers and the other children thouroughly entertained. He and his siblings Steve and Mary, have blended in with all the kids and so staff, kids, and volunteers are all just one big happy family.
12/12/07: Oh my gosh, where to start with today...since it was a public holiday (Kenya Independance day) we took the kids to Lake Nakuru National Game Park. When we told them the news after breakfast, they started jumping up and down and yelling, they were SOO excited.
We loaded them up onto 3 matatus and headed for the carpark to catch the bus into the preserve. We had 3 hours to kill there while waiting for a bus large enough for our group, so we all camped out in the railroad station. It was so much fun, just like camp. We packed a lunch and we ate there in our "teams": we split all the kids up into 3 groups so we could keep track of them easily. I headed up the "Tigers", Cassidy and Sam had the "Elephants" and Juan rounded out the bunch with the "Buffaloes".
Finally after some soccer games and a bunch of playing, the bus arrived and we piled on. There was misunderstanding about pricing, so all us volunteers didn't go on the tour, but I gave Elijah my camera to take pictures for me. 3 hours later we heard a bus full of angelic voices...the kids were back and they were singing! They were so happy to tell us about the rhinos, zebra, gazelles, and even a lioness that they saw on their safari. Once again I was SO proud to be a part of these beautiful little people's lives.
As for NOW, I feel good today and I'm trying my best to extend my trip....I don't want to come home (but still love and miss you very much my darling Johnnie : )). Hopefully more in the next few days!
Love,
A
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Now I'm happy I have a mullet
I took my first "shower" yesterday since the YMCA in Nairobi and I must admit, it would have been really difficult with all that hair I was so discombobulated about chopping off. Basically, I just filled a 3-4 gallon tub with water (some of it warm from an electric tea kettle) and stood in the non-functional bathtub in the girls dorm and doused myself cup-by-cup. Those of you that know me well will find this pretty interesting: I've decided I really really really like western showers.
We had another really big scare yesterday. The child I sponsor, Lomurion, started having difficulty breathing and was unable to talk...it almost looked like he was having seizures. The older kids called me over (I'm sort of the pseudo-nurse here) and as soon as I saw him I knew he was in bad shape and I started screaming at them to "Get Mummy (Carol) right away, hurry hurry" And she came running down and the Pokot chief happened to be visiting so the 2 of them hauled him out of bed and out into the road. Since we don't have our own transport, we were relying on a passing matatu to stop...it was very tense, 2 men carrying this kid up the road who's basically choking to death and Carol running up and down the street trying to find a taxi...I just heard her say over and over, "I don't want to lose another one, I can't lose another of my kids". Finally they got a matatu to stop and all piled in. They were gone for several hours at the public hospital, where they wanted to keep him overnight in the same bed with kids who were vomiting all over the place. Carol refused and brought him back home, still unable to get a diagnosis or treatment because they lost the labs twice. Early this morning she took him to the private hospital so hopefully he is getting better care now. It was so so so scary to realize how life and death every single second is here...when Chief Isaac came yesterday he also brought 15 more kids, most of whom are in terrible shape and will also fall ill soon. Plans are in the works to hire a nurse full time who would live at the center and I am working on the emergency contingency plan so that this type of situation doesn't happen again.
On a happier note, we've started classes for the primary and secondary kids at the center since they are on holiday from school. It's been so fun to help teach these kids who really really want to learn. All 5 of us current volunteers are also busy with trying to develop a community outreach program so that we can get people in town more involved with the kids. It's all about networking...for example I had a talk with our preschool teacher about how we wanted to take the kids on an outing to Lake Nakuru. Her husband has friends who work at the park and are going to help us arrange for everyone to go down on a public holiday for free admission!
We had to move the volunteer dorm down to another building last night because of all the new kids. Kenya is extremely fundamentalist Christian, and we've already had rumors in town swirling around about how males and females sleep in the same building. The dorm we're in now has no electricity or plumbing but hopefully we'll get that sorted out in the next week. It's like camping. With killer mesquitos. I got bitten for the first time last night because my net was all askew, but I've been taking my malarial prophylactics quite faithfully so I should be fine. I also woke up with my right eye swollen shut and I have no idea what that's about cuz it doesn't itch or hurt or tear up or anything. Being that I have that going on as well as the start of a cold (which ALL the kids have) I think I'll try to stay in bed as much as possible today. My asthma is in high gear here with all the dust and smoke from cooking and trash burning.
More later,
Angela
We had another really big scare yesterday. The child I sponsor, Lomurion, started having difficulty breathing and was unable to talk...it almost looked like he was having seizures. The older kids called me over (I'm sort of the pseudo-nurse here) and as soon as I saw him I knew he was in bad shape and I started screaming at them to "Get Mummy (Carol) right away, hurry hurry" And she came running down and the Pokot chief happened to be visiting so the 2 of them hauled him out of bed and out into the road. Since we don't have our own transport, we were relying on a passing matatu to stop...it was very tense, 2 men carrying this kid up the road who's basically choking to death and Carol running up and down the street trying to find a taxi...I just heard her say over and over, "I don't want to lose another one, I can't lose another of my kids". Finally they got a matatu to stop and all piled in. They were gone for several hours at the public hospital, where they wanted to keep him overnight in the same bed with kids who were vomiting all over the place. Carol refused and brought him back home, still unable to get a diagnosis or treatment because they lost the labs twice. Early this morning she took him to the private hospital so hopefully he is getting better care now. It was so so so scary to realize how life and death every single second is here...when Chief Isaac came yesterday he also brought 15 more kids, most of whom are in terrible shape and will also fall ill soon. Plans are in the works to hire a nurse full time who would live at the center and I am working on the emergency contingency plan so that this type of situation doesn't happen again.
On a happier note, we've started classes for the primary and secondary kids at the center since they are on holiday from school. It's been so fun to help teach these kids who really really want to learn. All 5 of us current volunteers are also busy with trying to develop a community outreach program so that we can get people in town more involved with the kids. It's all about networking...for example I had a talk with our preschool teacher about how we wanted to take the kids on an outing to Lake Nakuru. Her husband has friends who work at the park and are going to help us arrange for everyone to go down on a public holiday for free admission!
We had to move the volunteer dorm down to another building last night because of all the new kids. Kenya is extremely fundamentalist Christian, and we've already had rumors in town swirling around about how males and females sleep in the same building. The dorm we're in now has no electricity or plumbing but hopefully we'll get that sorted out in the next week. It's like camping. With killer mesquitos. I got bitten for the first time last night because my net was all askew, but I've been taking my malarial prophylactics quite faithfully so I should be fine. I also woke up with my right eye swollen shut and I have no idea what that's about cuz it doesn't itch or hurt or tear up or anything. Being that I have that going on as well as the start of a cold (which ALL the kids have) I think I'll try to stay in bed as much as possible today. My asthma is in high gear here with all the dust and smoke from cooking and trash burning.
More later,
Angela
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Still no pics
I can't upload at this internet cafe, but I'll put them on a fellow volunteer's laptop and have him email them to me. The truth is I've been having way too much fun to take pictures anyways. I need to take more but I hate whipping out a camera and looking like a spectator. But I'll get over it cuz this is stuff I never want to forget.
We didn't get to go to Pokot after all. We were all really bummed, especially Carol who really wanted us to experience it. We'll do another trip around Christmas, but it won't be on a famine feed day so we won't meet the remote families that live way way out in the bush. The reason we couldn't be there is that we didn't have transportation, which is a MAJOR problem for the center. They own a van, but it's totalled because it got swept away in a flood earlier this year. We were ready to pay the exorbitant fee to have someone drive us out to the site, but we still relied on a matatu to bring us past Lake Barringo. Well, matatus don't run on Sundays. We found this out at the 11th hour.
The kids watched The Jungle Book last night and were absolutely hypnotized. It was adorable to hear them hoot and holler and chatter away in Pokot. Their joy is just infectious!!! Considering the hell they have been through it's amazing they are so happy. Carol brought me to a little girl named Caroline that had fallen asleep despite all the excitement. She was one of the newest arrivals from far out in East Pokot. She is severely underweight, malnourished, and had chronic diarrhea and malaise. Carol told me straight out that this kid might not make it and she had seen several like her in the past year die just like this. Heavy duty stuff. So she gave me strict instructions not to let her eat too much at once (this was making her sick) and to get her to a private hospital ASAP in the morning.
This morning we cooked breakfast for the kids and staff. Well, that's actually a misnomer because no one in their right mind would trust 5 westerners cooking on an outdoor open flame for 80 people. So we buttered and jammed bread and passed it out with a Chai tea that the Pokot mummies had prepared. Even though the mummies knew about Caroline, I saw her with 3 pieces of bread and a full cup of tea. I ran over and (gently) wrenched the remaining piece away and told an older kid to let her know I'd give it back in a few hours. In 10 minutes she came into our dorm looking really really rough. She was in a lot of pain and started crying and was all listless and it was heart-wrenching and I just kept remembering Carol saying she could die any minute. And there was no money to take her to the hospital! All we needed was the equivalent of $10.00 US, and it wasn't available. Finally we scraped it together and she was off to the doctor. I did get her to smile finally by making a couple calls to the states, my friend Jillian told her hello and she loved it.
Me and another volunteer went to our cook Pauline's church this morning. The whole thing was in Kikiyu (a tribal dialect) but the dancing and singing was great. Then she invited us back for a special dish at her home that was really delicious; potatoes and chipati (a flat bread) and beef stew of sorts.
We returned to the orphanage and lo and behold we had a new kid...Caroline! She was back from the doctor and literally, a different kid. She was smiling and laughing and running oh my gosh it is amazing. Apparently she just got a vitamin and worming treatment, along with antibiotics and perked right up. Yay! I will definately get you before and after pictures so you can see the transformation. She's not up yet, but you can check out some of the kids and their stories here: http://ihfonline.org/DisplayOrphans.php . Scroll to the bottom, then select the Nakuru "Orphanage or Education Center" from the dropdown bar (If I mention them I'll try and spell their names right!).
Now I'm off to the store to pick up some stuff (like shoes for Ruben and meds for Patrick) and then I'll head back to the center. Hopefully I'll be able write fairly often since the phone thing is patchy at best.
p.s. I am in love. His name is Kiptoo and he's 5.
We didn't get to go to Pokot after all. We were all really bummed, especially Carol who really wanted us to experience it. We'll do another trip around Christmas, but it won't be on a famine feed day so we won't meet the remote families that live way way out in the bush. The reason we couldn't be there is that we didn't have transportation, which is a MAJOR problem for the center. They own a van, but it's totalled because it got swept away in a flood earlier this year. We were ready to pay the exorbitant fee to have someone drive us out to the site, but we still relied on a matatu to bring us past Lake Barringo. Well, matatus don't run on Sundays. We found this out at the 11th hour.
The kids watched The Jungle Book last night and were absolutely hypnotized. It was adorable to hear them hoot and holler and chatter away in Pokot. Their joy is just infectious!!! Considering the hell they have been through it's amazing they are so happy. Carol brought me to a little girl named Caroline that had fallen asleep despite all the excitement. She was one of the newest arrivals from far out in East Pokot. She is severely underweight, malnourished, and had chronic diarrhea and malaise. Carol told me straight out that this kid might not make it and she had seen several like her in the past year die just like this. Heavy duty stuff. So she gave me strict instructions not to let her eat too much at once (this was making her sick) and to get her to a private hospital ASAP in the morning.
This morning we cooked breakfast for the kids and staff. Well, that's actually a misnomer because no one in their right mind would trust 5 westerners cooking on an outdoor open flame for 80 people. So we buttered and jammed bread and passed it out with a Chai tea that the Pokot mummies had prepared. Even though the mummies knew about Caroline, I saw her with 3 pieces of bread and a full cup of tea. I ran over and (gently) wrenched the remaining piece away and told an older kid to let her know I'd give it back in a few hours. In 10 minutes she came into our dorm looking really really rough. She was in a lot of pain and started crying and was all listless and it was heart-wrenching and I just kept remembering Carol saying she could die any minute. And there was no money to take her to the hospital! All we needed was the equivalent of $10.00 US, and it wasn't available. Finally we scraped it together and she was off to the doctor. I did get her to smile finally by making a couple calls to the states, my friend Jillian told her hello and she loved it.
Me and another volunteer went to our cook Pauline's church this morning. The whole thing was in Kikiyu (a tribal dialect) but the dancing and singing was great. Then she invited us back for a special dish at her home that was really delicious; potatoes and chipati (a flat bread) and beef stew of sorts.
We returned to the orphanage and lo and behold we had a new kid...Caroline! She was back from the doctor and literally, a different kid. She was smiling and laughing and running oh my gosh it is amazing. Apparently she just got a vitamin and worming treatment, along with antibiotics and perked right up. Yay! I will definately get you before and after pictures so you can see the transformation. She's not up yet, but you can check out some of the kids and their stories here: http://ihfonline.org/DisplayOrphans.php . Scroll to the bottom, then select the Nakuru "Orphanage or Education Center" from the dropdown bar (If I mention them I'll try and spell their names right!).
Now I'm off to the store to pick up some stuff (like shoes for Ruben and meds for Patrick) and then I'll head back to the center. Hopefully I'll be able write fairly often since the phone thing is patchy at best.
p.s. I am in love. His name is Kiptoo and he's 5.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
I am now officially intercontinental
I'm HERE! I'm at an Internet cafe in Nakuru, Kenya typing away, kicking myself for not bringing my camera with me to upload pictures but hey, more to come later.
The trip over was fabulous. Swiss Air is the best airline ever...not only because they give you chocolate or super-good vegetarian food...but they're nice and tri-lingual and DIDN'T GIVE ME ONE HASSLE about all the overweight cargo I was bringing. They didn't even charge me the standard excess baggage fee! I was so thankful to land in Nairobi and see everything in one piece (thanks again Mom).
Zurich was fairly uneventful but I had a great time riding the buses and trains around (this was my first time in Europe). I poked around at the grocery store and found all kinds of weird stuff...more on this later. The hotel I was at was great and I was the only one there. The chilly weather was great for walking and I did as much as I could so that I would get tired enough to sleep. http://picasaweb.google.com/passionflower24/IAmNowOfficiallyIntercontinental
James and Charles were the 2 Pokots that met me at the airport in Kenya. They are both students at a Christian university in Nairobi and volunteer for IHF. They arranged a cab and after wrestling all 3 of us plus driver plus 2 humongous boxes into a Toyota Corolla we were off to the YMCA for the night. There, we met up with Clarrisson who is Director of the Nakuru IHF center. We walked into town for dinner since the restaurant was closed at the hostel and I got to see downtown Nairobi at night. It was fairly late so most of the bustle died down, but there were still several people out and about. We tried 3 different places to eat, but for various reasons, they weren't what we were looking for. I was happy cuz it meant more exploring time. Finally they guys settled on a chicken and chips place. I went for it and ate the fried chicken and potatoes that they ordered from me cuz hey when in Rome...it was actually really good. http://picasaweb.google.com/passionflower24/Nairobi
The next morning we all had breakfast and then bid adieu to Charles and James. Clarrisson and I grabbed a cab and headed for the matatu depot. Matatus are the primary mode of transport here; they're usually Toyota or Nissan passenger vans that are like multi-people taxis. After some waiting around and haggling, we decided that all my stuff would definitely not fit in one. So plan #2 was a bus ride on a larger, tourist-style vehicle. Clarrisson got another taxi and we went to the bus depot. After unloading again, we found out there were no available seats to Nakuru. Hmm. Plan #3 was with a different matatu company which charged us for 2 extra seats to accommodate our parcels. Thankfully, Clarrisson found a man with a hand-cart to help us bring them down to that boarding area. So, around noon, we were finally on our way!
The road was paved and fast for the most part, except sections where construction was being performed. It was quite bumpy and dusty but that really didn't slow our driver down or prevent him from passing on hills, curves, shoulders, etc. Quite an adventure. The countryside was really beautiful, as it had rained the night before. Everything looks like it does in the movies! At one point, I closed my eyes for a few minutes and Clarrisson tapped me on the shoulder. Baboons and baby baboons right on the side of the road! He said they regularly waited there for scraps thrown from passing autos.
After a refreshment stop we pulled into the center. All the kids crowded around me (they are 70-something in number now!!!) and each one made a point of giving me a hug and looking me in the eyes and greeting me. It was really cool. Carol and the other 4 volunteers were all out doing errands and Clarrisson had to head back to town, so it was just me and the staff and the kids all afternoon. Two of the older boys, Patrick and Newton, gave me a tour of the grounds. It's a really cool piece of property that Carol acquired from former President Moi. There are 4 buildings and 15 acres with plans to plant and grow crops for the center as well as the monthly famine feeds that are carried out in East Pokot. Right now, massive improvements are being made to the property including installing running water and bathrooms, new beds, and a complete kitchen renovation. It's pretty extraordinary.
I'm just trying to catch up and learn every one's names and personalities...the other volunteers have a 1 week head-start on me. The other snag is that hardly any of the kids speak English. They are fluent in their native Pokot tongue and also know Swahili, but until they go to school they are not introduced to English. They are just the most adorable, loving, sweet kids ever. It's really touching to see how they all take care of each other. When a young one starts crying, everyone crowds around him to try and console him.
The plan is to go to East Pokot tomorrow for the famine feed. This is a monthly project IHF carries out in the remote villages of the Pokot people. These areas are extremely arid and they have very little to eat. Food is loaded up in Nakuru and dropped at specific rendevoux points for tribal leaders to distribute among families to supplement whatever they may be able to grow. Tomorrow's journey will be a really special look into this culture which not many people know much about. Carol has really grown close to these people and knows so many of their customs and traditions, I'm really excited to experience it with her there.
Kwaherini (goodbye) for now!
The trip over was fabulous. Swiss Air is the best airline ever...not only because they give you chocolate or super-good vegetarian food...but they're nice and tri-lingual and DIDN'T GIVE ME ONE HASSLE about all the overweight cargo I was bringing. They didn't even charge me the standard excess baggage fee! I was so thankful to land in Nairobi and see everything in one piece (thanks again Mom).
Zurich was fairly uneventful but I had a great time riding the buses and trains around (this was my first time in Europe). I poked around at the grocery store and found all kinds of weird stuff...more on this later. The hotel I was at was great and I was the only one there. The chilly weather was great for walking and I did as much as I could so that I would get tired enough to sleep. http://picasaweb.google.com/passionflower24/IAmNowOfficiallyIntercontinental
James and Charles were the 2 Pokots that met me at the airport in Kenya. They are both students at a Christian university in Nairobi and volunteer for IHF. They arranged a cab and after wrestling all 3 of us plus driver plus 2 humongous boxes into a Toyota Corolla we were off to the YMCA for the night. There, we met up with Clarrisson who is Director of the Nakuru IHF center. We walked into town for dinner since the restaurant was closed at the hostel and I got to see downtown Nairobi at night. It was fairly late so most of the bustle died down, but there were still several people out and about. We tried 3 different places to eat, but for various reasons, they weren't what we were looking for. I was happy cuz it meant more exploring time. Finally they guys settled on a chicken and chips place. I went for it and ate the fried chicken and potatoes that they ordered from me cuz hey when in Rome...it was actually really good. http://picasaweb.google.com/passionflower24/Nairobi
The next morning we all had breakfast and then bid adieu to Charles and James. Clarrisson and I grabbed a cab and headed for the matatu depot. Matatus are the primary mode of transport here; they're usually Toyota or Nissan passenger vans that are like multi-people taxis. After some waiting around and haggling, we decided that all my stuff would definitely not fit in one. So plan #2 was a bus ride on a larger, tourist-style vehicle. Clarrisson got another taxi and we went to the bus depot. After unloading again, we found out there were no available seats to Nakuru. Hmm. Plan #3 was with a different matatu company which charged us for 2 extra seats to accommodate our parcels. Thankfully, Clarrisson found a man with a hand-cart to help us bring them down to that boarding area. So, around noon, we were finally on our way!
The road was paved and fast for the most part, except sections where construction was being performed. It was quite bumpy and dusty but that really didn't slow our driver down or prevent him from passing on hills, curves, shoulders, etc. Quite an adventure. The countryside was really beautiful, as it had rained the night before. Everything looks like it does in the movies! At one point, I closed my eyes for a few minutes and Clarrisson tapped me on the shoulder. Baboons and baby baboons right on the side of the road! He said they regularly waited there for scraps thrown from passing autos.
After a refreshment stop we pulled into the center. All the kids crowded around me (they are 70-something in number now!!!) and each one made a point of giving me a hug and looking me in the eyes and greeting me. It was really cool. Carol and the other 4 volunteers were all out doing errands and Clarrisson had to head back to town, so it was just me and the staff and the kids all afternoon. Two of the older boys, Patrick and Newton, gave me a tour of the grounds. It's a really cool piece of property that Carol acquired from former President Moi. There are 4 buildings and 15 acres with plans to plant and grow crops for the center as well as the monthly famine feeds that are carried out in East Pokot. Right now, massive improvements are being made to the property including installing running water and bathrooms, new beds, and a complete kitchen renovation. It's pretty extraordinary.
I'm just trying to catch up and learn every one's names and personalities...the other volunteers have a 1 week head-start on me. The other snag is that hardly any of the kids speak English. They are fluent in their native Pokot tongue and also know Swahili, but until they go to school they are not introduced to English. They are just the most adorable, loving, sweet kids ever. It's really touching to see how they all take care of each other. When a young one starts crying, everyone crowds around him to try and console him.
The plan is to go to East Pokot tomorrow for the famine feed. This is a monthly project IHF carries out in the remote villages of the Pokot people. These areas are extremely arid and they have very little to eat. Food is loaded up in Nakuru and dropped at specific rendevoux points for tribal leaders to distribute among families to supplement whatever they may be able to grow. Tomorrow's journey will be a really special look into this culture which not many people know much about. Carol has really grown close to these people and knows so many of their customs and traditions, I'm really excited to experience it with her there.
Kwaherini (goodbye) for now!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Ms.Culture Maven
So I bought a cheap portable DVD player for the trip and a bunch of movies second-hand. I've assumed that certain entertainment favorites of my own are totally needed. Here's a sample population:
-The Princess Bride (bringing the book as well)
-The Jungle Book
-Whale Rider
-Star Wars Episodes 5, 6, & 7
-Muppets from Space
-The Secret of NIMH
I found myself in the typical Angela-esque state of hyperanalysis concerning what types of American pop culture Kenyans would be interested in....and/or what would be appropriate for orphans or people that aren't used to a culture based on consumerism and luxury spending. I didn't want them to feel badly about seeing all white, affluent people living great (fake) lives so I tried to stick to animal-based or multi-cultural themes. I had the same concerns when picking out books...would my childhood favorites be relevant to these kids? Would they understand stories with American racial overtones (like Maniac McGee, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and Sounder)? Could kids raised in the bush with no electricity or water appreciate camping out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (one of my faves, The Secret Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler)? Eventually I decided that I'd have to try and pick things that have such universal themes that they transcend all these differences:
-The Phantom Tollbooth
-A Wrinkle in Time
-Strega Nona (who can't relate to wanting a neverending pasta pot??)
-Spot Goes to School (for the littlest ones)
-Doctor Doolittle
-Island of the Blue Dolphins
I'm also bringing a copy of Roots but I'll probably check with Carol before giving that one over. I'm not sure what the perception of American slavery or African Americans is there, but I found it to be an immensly powerful book.
Below are some pictures of my Mad Science kids at Starview Elementary in Midway City, CA. I told them I wanted to send their greetings over to the kids in Nakuru, and I'd bring back pics for them next semester.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Closer and closer!
My mom is coming in tonight and I couldn't be more excited. I think we'll go to Tijuana on Wednesday (hopefully holiday traffic won't be super bad early in the morning) and shop for all the prescription medication I'm going to bring over to the kids. I'm still not sure if we're going to drive across the border or walk...each have their pros and cons. Basically I'm going to bring all the prescription pill bottles I have, a letter from IHF, and my plane ticket. As I understand it, as long as you declare all the medication you're bringing across is for "personal use" there won't be a problem. Again, crossed fingers would be appreciated : )
The flute project is a bust so far. Making them turned out to be far more difficult and time-consuming than either Johnny or I had patience for. Of course, there's still one more week and I'm hoping we can at least bring a few over.
I've also put together an itinerary. Note that all times are local...Kenya is PST + 14 hours:
11/27/07: 7:35 pm depart from LAX on Swiss Air flight #41
11/28/07: 4:00 pm arrive in Zurich, Switzerland. Will spend night at Kafischnaps
(http://www.kafischnaps.ch/zimm.php)
11/29/07: 9:45 am depart from Zurich on Swiss Air flight #292
11/29/07: 7:15 pm arrive in Nairobi, Kenya. Will be met at airport by IHF staff, and will
Spend night at Nairobi YMCA (http://pages.intnet.mu/servas/Nairobi.htm).
11/30/07: Will make journey to IHF center in Nakuru, Kenya. Mailing address is P.O.
Box 3137 Nakuru Kenya-NBO. Director of the center is James Tikonin:
jamestikonin@yahoo.com; phone: +254-722750309. IHF director is Carol
Sasaki, who can be reached on her blackberry pretty much 24/7 at
carolmsasaki@gmail.com.
12/17/07: Making trip to Bungoma, Kenya to stay with Elizabeth and Jeff Ouma.
Mailing address is Box 67508 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Her mobile number is
+254-734886676.
12/24/07: Returning to IHF orphanage to spend Christmas with the children
12/26/07: 3:55 pm departing from Nairobi on South African Airlines flight #183.
12/26/07: 7:15 pm arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa. Will be met at airport by Sunny
Boy (011-27-72-524-7015), son of Mrs. Lolo Mabitsela. Will stay evening at
Lolo’s Guest House: 1320 Diepkloof
Ext Diepkloof Phase 3
Soweto, 1800
Johannesburg, South Africa
011-27-11-985-9183, lolosbb@mweb. co.za
12/27/07: 6:15 pm depart Johannesburg, South Africa on South African Airlines flight #207
12/28/07: 6:07 am arrive IAD, Washington DC, USA
12/28/07: 9:30 am depart IAD, Washington DC on United flight #205
11:58 am arrive LAX, Los Angeles, CA
Okay, hopefully more later this week as things start to come together!
The flute project is a bust so far. Making them turned out to be far more difficult and time-consuming than either Johnny or I had patience for. Of course, there's still one more week and I'm hoping we can at least bring a few over.
I've also put together an itinerary. Note that all times are local...Kenya is PST + 14 hours:
11/27/07: 7:35 pm depart from LAX on Swiss Air flight #41
11/28/07: 4:00 pm arrive in Zurich, Switzerland. Will spend night at Kafischnaps
(http://www.kafischnaps.ch/zimm.php)
11/29/07: 9:45 am depart from Zurich on Swiss Air flight #292
11/29/07: 7:15 pm arrive in Nairobi, Kenya. Will be met at airport by IHF staff, and will
Spend night at Nairobi YMCA (http://pages.intnet.mu/servas/Nairobi.htm).
11/30/07: Will make journey to IHF center in Nakuru, Kenya. Mailing address is P.O.
Box 3137 Nakuru Kenya-NBO. Director of the center is James Tikonin:
jamestikonin@yahoo.com; phone: +254-722750309. IHF director is Carol
Sasaki, who can be reached on her blackberry pretty much 24/7 at
carolmsasaki@gmail.com.
12/17/07: Making trip to Bungoma, Kenya to stay with Elizabeth and Jeff Ouma.
Mailing address is Box 67508 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Her mobile number is
+254-734886676.
12/24/07: Returning to IHF orphanage to spend Christmas with the children
12/26/07: 3:55 pm departing from Nairobi on South African Airlines flight #183.
12/26/07: 7:15 pm arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa. Will be met at airport by Sunny
Boy (011-27-72-524-7015), son of Mrs. Lolo Mabitsela. Will stay evening at
Lolo’s Guest House: 1320 Diepkloof
Ext Diepkloof Phase 3
Soweto, 1800
Johannesburg, South Africa
011-27-11-985-9183, lolosbb@mweb. co.za
12/27/07: 6:15 pm depart Johannesburg, South Africa on South African Airlines flight #207
12/28/07: 6:07 am arrive IAD, Washington DC, USA
12/28/07: 9:30 am depart IAD, Washington DC on United flight #205
11:58 am arrive LAX, Los Angeles, CA
Okay, hopefully more later this week as things start to come together!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Preparing...
I'm getting so nervous. And excited. Every day I vow to work on my packing list but it never quite happens...I'll probably just do it how I know best...power out the last few days before I leave. Thankfully I'll have my mom here to help. Since she's more fastidious than I, things should actually make it overseas in one piece : )
Ah forgive me. This is my first foray into the world of blogging. I should probably start at the beginning:
I'm going to Africa!
I've worked with a wonderful volunteer organization for the past year called International Humanity Foundation. Check out the website at http://www.ihfonline.org/. They do fabulous work all over the world for the poorest of the poor children in Thailand, Bali, Indonesia, and Kenya. I'll be travelling to Nakuru, Kenya on the 27th to work with the IHF children. There's an orphanage and school for 48 kids from the East Pokot region of Kenya. They've recently been relocated to the Nakuru area which is sort of good news for me because that means I'll have constant electricity and internet/telephone access. The climate is also more temperate; the permanent IHF center in East Pokot experiences temperatures in excess of 115 degrees. Eey yey yey.
Right now I'm gathering donations to bring over. So far I've got 2 iMac computers and plans to bring 50 PVC flutes. I just finished a Native American flute class at the community center and got an (overly optimistic???) idea to bring these to the kids. Cross your fingers that LAX security buys this explanation...it will look like I'm bringing 50 pipe bombs on an international flight. My next plan is to hit up some yard sales and ask for their leftovers; Carol (the founder of IHF) has specifically asked for CD players and cell phones for the kids. I also want to bring clothing, toys, and school supplies. If anyone has any resources or supplies contact me and let me know!
Ah forgive me. This is my first foray into the world of blogging. I should probably start at the beginning:
I'm going to Africa!
I've worked with a wonderful volunteer organization for the past year called International Humanity Foundation. Check out the website at http://www.ihfonline.org/. They do fabulous work all over the world for the poorest of the poor children in Thailand, Bali, Indonesia, and Kenya. I'll be travelling to Nakuru, Kenya on the 27th to work with the IHF children. There's an orphanage and school for 48 kids from the East Pokot region of Kenya. They've recently been relocated to the Nakuru area which is sort of good news for me because that means I'll have constant electricity and internet/telephone access. The climate is also more temperate; the permanent IHF center in East Pokot experiences temperatures in excess of 115 degrees. Eey yey yey.
Right now I'm gathering donations to bring over. So far I've got 2 iMac computers and plans to bring 50 PVC flutes. I just finished a Native American flute class at the community center and got an (overly optimistic???) idea to bring these to the kids. Cross your fingers that LAX security buys this explanation...it will look like I'm bringing 50 pipe bombs on an international flight. My next plan is to hit up some yard sales and ask for their leftovers; Carol (the founder of IHF) has specifically asked for CD players and cell phones for the kids. I also want to bring clothing, toys, and school supplies. If anyone has any resources or supplies contact me and let me know!
Saturday, November 3, 2007
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