Because it is always good to be home.

Home at last. It is always good to get home after being gone for five weeks. I have spent the last few days recovering from the trip and spending time with Andrew and Luke.

I recieved an e-mail from Daniel last night and he says they have found a house for the Street Girls and will have three girls off the street in the next month. If you would like to keep up with what is happening in Kenya you can follow Daniel's blogs at dlipparelli.blogspot.com. Larry has also posted some pictures and blogs about Kenya at convictionsofthingsnotseen.blogspot.com. He also has a flicker account where you can see the picutres from our trip.

In the next few days I will post more pictures and tell more stories from my trip.

Because it is the Soweto Slums

We got to visit one of the slums yesterday in Nairobi. TI has a project feeding children in a school there. For many of these children this is the only meal they will recieve.

I also had the honor of being there when TI started their project helping women start a micro business. They are making paper bead necklaces to sell in Nairobi, as well as ship them to Reno. Robert came and taught the ladies how to make the beads and we spent all day around a table practicing making the beads. It was the best day for me! I really feel that my heart is to help women and be with them. These women are mostly widows with young children. One is HIV positive, one a prostitute, one out of the home because her husband beat her. All poor. Poor meaning they having NO money at all and NO job or hope for one. What they do is dig through the dump hoping to find food for their family for that day and maybe something to sell. That is it!!

Now they have hope. Not many people know how to make the paper beads. They have not arrived in Nairobi yet so the market is very good. Daniel and Robert talked to them about keeping the secret on how to make the beads and how important it is for them to learn to save their profit and how to also budget for more supplies. TI bought the first set of supplies and now they must figure out how to get them again when they run out. I sat most of the day trying to master the process. I must admit that Robert spent most of the day correcting what I had done and encouraging me to try again. He said I was improving but I know it was only slowly!! The women worked all day and they were doing a great job. Most caught on quickly. They are excited and now have hope. Robert said to them "In one day your life has changed". It is true. Their lives have changed. What an honor for me to be part of it!!

Because it's Market Day in Webuye

The other day when we were in Webuye they had market day! Market day is usually once a week in a community and that is where you can buy what ever you need for the next week. People come and sale everything from fruits and vegetables to underwear.

People put out plastic and than their goods sit on them. It is a giant flee market. I could go and buy material to make a dress, than pick up some soap, some used shirts and trousers, jewelry, eggs, a chicken, wash basin, some rope and some potatoes for dinner.


It is a wonderful place and I am always overwhelmed.
I love to walk through it looking for a bargain, enjoying the vendors yelling prices and items in Swahili over a cheap amplifier, and watching the ladies work and care for their babies. It is very much a part of this culture and something I always enjoy.

Because it is an Oasis

We went to visit a place called Oasis of Hope today. This place is a drop in center for street children. Instead of begging for food on the streets they can come to Oasis for two meals a day.

In order to receive the meals they have to leave their glue outside the gates and they have to attend the school there. The school teaches the basics and only lasts a few hours. The have a choice everyday whether to come or not. When Transformed International sees street children who are asking for food they tell them to go to Oasis of Hope and they will get two meals a day. But many of the street children don't go. They prefer to stay on the street, sniff glue, and not have any structure in their lives. The director of Oasis of Hope told me that the street is addictive. It is a sad thing. But the good thing is there are 50 to 75 children a day who show up at Oasis of Hope.

They are successful in educating the children and helping them get off the glue. When they have proven themselves they can go to a group home where there is one mother per 6 to 8 children and they begin to attend regular schools. Oasis of Hope is a great program that is meeting the basic needs of these children. They feed them and give them a place to go where they know someone cares for them.

Because it is hard to understand!

There are many things in Kenya I don’t understand. Why does the Matatus wait forever for people to load up but as soon as the last person has their foot partly in the door they take off? Why don’t bikes and cars stop for pedestrians? Why do they shove the daily paper in your face and not say anything to you until you buy the paper or tell them no? Why don’t Kenyan’s look you in the eye when they shake your hand? And the list could go on and on. But one thing I am struggling with is why do Kenyans have their children go to boarding schools? Granted most are in the 8^th grade when they go but still. They condition their children to feel it is a privilege to get to go to boarding school and the children are excited to go. Or are they? Those of you who know me, know how protective of my kids I have been. I home schooled them through high school and would have ripped anyone a new one if they hurt my kids’ feelings. Today was a unique experience. Through a group in Canada, Transformed supports 40 deaf children. We went an hour drive to Webuye where there is a deaf school. We were to meet a man there who was bringing some of the children to the school to pay the school fees. Today is the day that most children report back to school in Kenya. The Transformed social worker had also found another child who was deaf and he was coming to the school for the first time. They met us in town and journeyed with us to Webuye. This boy is about 12 and has never been to school and has only communicated with his aunt and cousins. I am unsure what happened to his parents. He knows no sign language. Here he is with five white people and a woman he has met a few times going away from home the first time to a strange place with strange people and has no way to express himself. We stop first at the market to get the supplies he will need for school. He is only coming with the clothes on his back! For school one needs a uniform, extra clothing, socks, underwear, a mattress, soap and two rolls of toilet paper. Why two rolls I don’t know because they are there for three months!! All of it goes into a blue metal box with a lock on it. The one we found at the market had a marijuana leaf stenciled on it?!?!?!?! Now this boy seemed to be excited and unfrightened. All day long I kept looking at him wondering what he was thinking. Was he excited to have all the new things in his own blue box? This is probably more than he has ever owned. Did he understand he was going somewhere where everyone else was like him? Was he excited to know that he would be able to learn to communicate? And read? And Write? When two boys took him with all his stuff to his room he was smiling and swinging his arms. Yes, he was happy! But why wasn’t he scared? He had to be! We watched from afar as he got his lunch and than walked slowly trying to figure out what to do next. He followed the other children reluctantly, not being able to ask them what to do next or where to go. When some one in our group looked into the lunchroom he was crying. My heart breaks for this little guy. I understand that he is getting an opportunity that will help him grow in many ways. I understand he has been isolated his whole life. I understand this was a good thing. But who would let their child go to a strange place, with strangers and not even know where to sit for lunch.

Because it was so interesting

One of my favorite parts about going to Kisii was being able to see how the soapstone is produced and carved! Because the home parties are really my heart it was great to be there with Robert and also to be able to talk to him about all the other crafts and to get our next shipment ready. Now I can answer all the questions you have when I have a party.

It is amazing what goes into the soapstone. It has to be mined by hand and than hauled up out of the hole.

It must be cut into pieces that can be carved.

It is crudely carved and than sanded and washed.

To make one item it may take days for one person to complete the process. In Kisii this is what they mainly do. Everywhere there are shops trying to sell their products. After the elections and political unrest the tourism is down so there is no outlet to sale the soapstone. Robert has bought some land and built a structure on it. He plans to have soapstone carved at this location and to hire widows to do the carvings. This would allow them to support themselves. We would in turn use this as our main source of soapstone products.

I also discovered while there that the Kisii women make baskets out of “wimby”. The wimby is used to make bread but the stalks are used to make the baskets. This is the only place in Kenya the baskets are made. They are woven so tightly that water will not leak through them. His mother gave me a basket as a gift when I left. I have ordered more baskets to be made and sent to me so I can sell them. I am very excited about them!

I loved being with Robert and his family. Learning about this beautiful little village they live in and feeling so welcome.

Pictures are coming. Thanks Faith for posting my pictures for me!!!

Because it is Kenya

The power has flickered on and off for the past few days and the internet at the house has been off all weekend. It hasn’t rained for a while so some are running out of water. But . . it rained tonight which gave us another day of water and I guess “they” flick the switch tomorrow at 8:30 am and it restarts the internet. All the luxuries of Kenya and I whine when I don’t have them for a few days.

It is interesting to long to be somewhere for two years and than feel homesick when I get over here. I am not sure why I have missed home the last few days but I have. Maybe it was the long trip to Kisii. Seems to have taken a lot out of me. We have been very busy since we have gotten here and I am tired. This is our last full week in Kitale before we head to Nairobi and than to Paris for a few days. Transformed International got an intern from the UK this past weekend so that has added some additional interest to the mix. Tim is a welcome addition and has fit into the mix quit well. I am enjoying him being here and wish more interns had been here during our visit. It is so fun to meet new people.

With our last week here we have made the plans for the week and it will be busy as well. Not only are we seeing more projects but we are having a worship night here on Tuesday night and a huge BBQ on Thursday night. Sigh . . . maybe I am just getting old.

Preachers, Poultry, Potions, and Puke

You will never know what it is like to travel on public transportation in a third world until you have experienced yourself!!

I will attempt to give you a picture of the last three days on public transportation. I truly have no idea how far anything is in this country. It doesn’t matter how far it is because it will always take you a long time to get there no matter what. Our journey the last three days has also taken us on a Piai Pia (three seater “thing” that is run by a scooter, a truck that has seats in the back, a bus, boda boda (bike), matatu (mini van that they can put 26 people in but should only have 14) and a taxi (nothing like our taxi’s).

We started in Kitale with no problems. In Eldoret Robert had bought our seats ahead of time knowing they would want to charge us more when they saw we were white. Sure enough the conductor (man who takes the money and gets people to ride his matatu) wanted more money and an argument started until Robert produced his receipt for what he had paid. This did not make the conductor or the driver very happy. Now as soon as they are full they take off. Robert says Matatu means “always room for one more”. We would think the van was full but not Kenyans they pick up people along the way so now you are squished, people are sitting on laps and standing up and when you think they could not add another they do. It is crazy and really one of my favorite parts of Kenya. Maybe because it is just so unreal!! The roads are unbelievable here and make my neck all uptight. There are huge potholes in the roads and I wonder how the vehicles can stay together. Some people fill the potholes with dirt and ask for money from the drivers for doing it. AND the drivers give them money.

On one of our Matatu drives they overloaded it and a man sat on the floor. It was a long ride and doesn’t help when things are crowded. At one point I smelled an odor I couldn’t quite place. I looked at Meredith and said, what is that odor. She said, I think someone threw up. Meredith and I are hanging our head out the widow trying not to smell it and also trying not to laugh because it is so unbelievable. We are thinking that one of Roberts children who is traveling with us has gotten sick especially after Larry asks us to pass back the wet wipes. At one point, Larry taps us on the back and says, “put you feet up it is coming your way” which of course makes us giggle even more. We did not know until our journey was over that it was the man that was sitting on the floor was the one who threw up and he threw up on Daniel’s foot. If we had known I am sure we would have been uncontrollable teenagers!!

Now a bus ride is a whole different experience. We get our own seats and it appears we will not pick up people. But I am wrong. We do pick up people and they share seats (not mine!) and stand in the aisles. And why is it that the people who get on and stand in the aisles have chickens with them? If we go by a police check they all duck so the police won’t see them. What a country! And the good thing about the bus is you get entertainment. We had a preacher part of our trip.

He stood in front of the bus and went through the motions of the traditional church. He greeted us, (like we had a choice to be there), he prayed (people actually bowed their heads while he prayed), he had us greet one another (no joke, people shook their neighbors hands), he gave a sermon (at one point stopping to tell us white people that he was preaching), and he took a collection (in a “Cars” gift bag). After he was done he prayed with some people in the back of the bus and got off on his stop. He wore a pin that said, “Great Evangelist Crusade – Pastor- Jesus Lives. After he got off a man selling herbs (potions) started in. His voice was loud and shrill and so annoying. When he came around to see if people wanted to buy them Larry told him how annoying he was!!!

Larry says a good ride on public transportation in Kenya is when you have half a seat and no ones children on your lap. It is true!

Because it is Kisii

We went to a small town called Kisii that last few days. Robert wanted us to visit his family for a couple of days and we have been planning on doing this for a while. He was so excited to have us come to his home and we were a bit anxious about it knowing we would be staying in a village with a Kenyan family. His parents don't speak English and very little Swahili so we knew that language would also be a challenge. They also so have no electricity or running water so we would get the "real" experience. But who could pass up the opportunity to go. Not us!!! So off we went to stay two nights with them. It took all day to get there but we arrived while it was still light. His family(parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins) were thrilled to see us. We felt so welcomed and so comfortable in their home, it was amazing.

Kisii is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It has rolling hills all planted with coffee, tea, and maze and things grow without fertilizer. I couldn't believe how many shades of green there. I could look for miles and see grass and metal roofs dotting the landscape and it is so peaceful. If I lived in Kisii I would spend all my time sitting and looking. I would never get anything done and I would never read because the landscape is so amazing.

One day while I was taking an African bath (a bucket of water and a cup) the rain began to fall on the metal roof of the shower room and I thought, "I can't believe I am here!!" I was so thrilled to think I got to be staying in a village experiencing what I was experiencing. It is such a privilege to have this opportunity. The privilege that most will never get. And I was filled with such gratitude for the chance to be here.