Day 10 “Workshops galore….”

                Thankfully we had not been woken up by the rooster or the call to prayer like usual but still work up early at 7am. Due to our time constraints we were all on our own for breakfast eating cereal. We all packed into the 9 passenger van and two other cars to head to Pastor John Muwenge’s church where the workshops were to take place. Our several travels to Mukuru had prepared us; however, this time was different it was raining severely.  The roads were very bad because they had been washed away and the open sewage had spilled over but we hiked into Mukuru with our stuff for the workshops. Many people were there waiting but also many trickled in due to the weather. Also, the Daystar students arrived thankfully despite the difficulties. With them came Lucas and Laura both students that we met. Laura is from Michigan and had been helping Elijah at the orphanage in Muchakos on her 10 month stay thus far. Lucas is a student that is affiliated with Afrizo (a choir that has traveled to the United States) and is very musically talented. The workshops were a great success we discussed First Aid, Sanitation, Clean water technology, Suturing, and Child and Maternity health maintenance. The workshops went on for more than 4 hours with some food and refreshments at the end. The refreshments included: samosas, chips (French fries), and sausages.  We were able to get to know a lot of the community workers and children in Mukuru.

After our long sessions and long day the team that was left: Josiah, Julie, Rachel, Lucas, Laura, Dr. Laura, Jillo, Faria, Amanda, Alyssa, Dr. Furaha, and I. Unfortunately, when we finally got back to Lancaster around 7pm we realized that Lance had the keys and he was no where to be found. So we decided to walk once again to the Nakumatt to get dinner while we waited for Lance and the other team to get back.  We went to the restaurants at the Nakumatt and had a great meal with everyone. Then, we got a hold of Lance so they came to pick us up instead of us taking a Citi Hoppa back to Lancaster. Sadly, they only had a 5 passenger car so we had to take 3 trips back and fourth to get everyone home. The reason that they insisted we take the car back was they had heard some people napping around the area and didn’t want us out at night. On one of the trips back from the Nakumatt the car did get pulled over by the police. They took the people from the car and brought them into the alley and tried to say they were going to take them to jail because they didn’t have a seat belt on; however; the matatu’s have 10+ people in them without any seatbelts. We realized that it was a scam to get money to bribe the police men.  We did not give them any money despite the many tactics they used; thankfully Duncan had been driving because he was able to convince them otherwise. Eventually, we all got home safely with some a little shaken up.  As we wound down for the night a discussed our plans for the medical camp we continue to pack medications that would be used at the medical camp pharmacy. We didn’t get to bed once again till 2 am and with an early morning we were all excited but exhausted.

Day 9 “A day in Mukuru Slums”

We woke up early to a delicious French toast breakfast made by Amanda and Alyssa. It was nice to sit down and eat a meal. We had 21 bags of supplies and donated items we had to go through. One bag got lost at the airport and we were all guessing what could be in it. Many of the team had a hard time sleeping due to jet lag. We left at 9 am to go to the medicine warehouse and looked through their pricing book to find out what meds we needed. Laura was able to come up with a list of meds we needed and we waited while they got it from the warehouse. Mary Walugha, Mary Mambo, Sammie and Angelina met us there. After we loaded the van with antibiotics and enough de-worming medicine to de-worm a few thousand men, women and children, we headed to Mary Mambo’s clinic, orphanage, school and church in the Mukuru slums.
Mary and her husband Joseph are two very amazing people with big hearts. We went into each classroom and handed out jolly ranchers as well as spoke to the students. We toured the school during their lunch and the children volunteered to share their lunch with us, perhaps their only meal of the day. We then went outside to play with the children, which was so much fun! While we were playing with the children on the streets, we heard Joseph preaching and stepped into the church (the children followed) and the children fought for to sit on our laps. Not one of our laps was empty. We had to stand up during church and introduce the team and received a warm Kenyan welcome. Many of the children wore ragged clothes and when we accidently dropped some candy in the mud, they scooped it up and ate it. Many of the children we met were orphans or had at least one parent who died from AIDS and the other parent dying from the same dreadful disease that plagues Kenya. We then visited the clinic where they do 4-5 deliveries a day. There was one woman there in her last stage of labor-most of the women are HIV positive. Mary and her staff showed us around and we gave them the supplies that had been donated for her clinic. She was very grateful and especially loved the clamps we brought, which she uses for cutting the umbilical cord. Also, she really liked the newborn packs we made that included a hat, a blanket and one outfit to send the newborns home with. After we gave her the supplies, we went over to the school once again and delivered the many donated items to the school. Some items included: chalk, stickers, division/subtraction/addition cards, puzzles, coloring books, crayons, markers, toys and other useful supplies for the children and teachers. They were very excited about all of the new items and couldn’t wait to distribute them amongst the classrooms. Lastly, we all went into the child’s home were Mary and Joseph Mambo house up to 22 young orphaned girls ages 5-17 that have been sexually abused by their guardians. The conditions were probably much better than the children were used to but still in dire straits. All the children slept in one room where there were several bunk beds stacked together. Mary explained that there is a long waiting list of children that they know are being sexually abused but they do not have any room for them at this time. She also explained that one girl had just showed up and used one of the other girl’s uniform and said she was staying and that she couldn’t go home. One of the girls staying at the center stated that she could sleep in her bed and share her food and clothes. Mary said she didn’t have the heart to turn her away but stated it is frustrating to know of girls that are being abused without the ability to help them. We then gave her the items that have been donated such as: hair ties, burettes, combs, Vaseline, bubbles, friendship bracelet materials and other items for the orphanage. It was hard to leave but we had to visit Mary Walugha’s clinic further down in the Mukuru slums. We said good bye and gave many hugs to both the Mambos and also the children.
We traveled to Mary Walugha’s clinic in Mukuru, upon arrival we saw the amazing things that they have already done in this community. They had 3 acres of land that housed their semi-permanent clinical structure. They had a laboratory, clinic with 2 exam rooms, and a pharmacy. The great thing about what they are doing is that they had a small fee for laboratory tests and also medications. This has allowed them to be self-sustaining for more than 6 years. The problem they have been facing recently is the need in this community has outweighed their funds. This was one of the many reasons we decided to sponsor a medical camp on Saturday, so that we could help in one day the amount of people it would take months for then to see and treat. Lance, Duncan and Michael arrived so while they continue to meet about the details of the medical camp, the rest of the team headed back to Lancaster.
The rest of the team made spaghetti and started to pack the many medications that we had brought and purchased for the medical camp. While we did this, the rest of them picked up Dr. Furaha from the airport. She is a Doctor from Tanzania that came to help with the workshops and medical camp. She was a very nice woman and didn’t hesitate to help us pack the medications and talked about what she does in Tanzania. We didn’t go to bed till late (as usual) around midnight, but thankfully we got a lot done.

Day 8 “A little R&R for some of the team”

Lance, Julie, Duncan and Jillo left early in the morning (530am) with Francis Omondi to go to Garissa. Unfortunately, due to some violence that had erupted near Garissa, Faria was not able to go because the trip had become a little more dangerous. Rachel and I woke up at 9am (the latest we had since we got here) and because the team looked so peaceful sleeping we made eggs and pancakes till we finally woke them up at 1030am. Laura and I were supposed to wait for Mary Walugha in order to go to the Pharmacy to purchase some medications for the medical camp on Saturday. However, it was 1230pm and they still weren’t here. So, we asked Naomi to stay and wait at Lancaster while the rest of us went to the bank to change out our money. We decided to walk to the bank; one because we didn’t have a car, but the other was because we wanted the team to get their first taste of Kenya. The bank took some time with all 8 of us changing money but when we arrived back home, it was 230pm and still no Mary. Therefore, Laura and I waited with Naomi (and Doug was napping) while the rest of the team walked with Rachel to the Hurlingham market.
Finally at 330pm Mary Walugha, Sammie, Angelina arrived and we discussed our budget for medications and also the protocol for the pharmacy here in Kenya. However, because the meeting had occurred so late in the day, the Pharmacy closed at 430pm and with Kenyan traffic jams so recurrent, we were told that we should not purchase medications until tomorrow. Laura and I then went to meet the team at the market but didn’t make it far because they were on their way back home. It was 500pm by this time so we taught them the Kenyan card game, “pick” to pass some time till we went to dinner.
We were all very hungry so we walked to the Nakumatt to take them to the restaurants that we knew they would like. Once we arrived after our 10 minute walk through Nairobi, they looked at all the dinner options and decided to just eat at Zincs. This is the restaurant that we had eaten at before so we knew it was good and everyone would like it. As we ate we talked and talked about the plans for the trip and their travels here. Finally, when we finished eating, all of us decided to get some gelato at a place called Rendezvous. They had so many flavors from passion fruit to straccatello. It was very good and hit the spot after the long walk in the hot weather. We then took a Citi Hoppa home. It was an interesting ride with the music blaring and Christian quotes all around. It was nice though because it was quick and accommodated us all. We then jumped off and arrived home at Daystar University.
As we arrived it was late around 9pm; however, Lance, Julie, Duncan and Jillo had not returned yet. We had been communicating with them all day via cell phone and knew that they would not arrive till late, so we passed our time playing “pick.” Once again the teacher (me) had lost the game and they dominated me even though they had just learned how to play. They loved the game and we played till Lance, Jillo, Duncan and Julie arrived back at midnight. They looked exhausted after a 12 hour ride there and back through pot-holed roads and road blocks guarded by armed guards. However, they were very excited about the things that were going on in Garissa. It is truly amazing about what they are doing with so little and how much more they could do if they had funding. They have a clinic and school and a missionary training center as well as a boarding school. The team who traveled to Garissa enjoyed a wonderful Kenyan meal and had a great time getting to know the Omondis’. On the way home (in the dark) Julie developed gastroenteritis and by the light of the moon, used what we call “bush toilets” (bushes by the side of the road). We forgot to bring a flashlight, so she got stuck in the thorn bushes and still has a thorn in her finger for a souvenir. Francis Omondi and his family truly have a heart for the people who are suffering and have been in Garissa for 22 years. After a quick team meeting about what the plan was for the next day we finally went to bed around 130am, excited for the next day of workshops.

Day 7 “The rest of the team finally arrives!”

We woke up early as usual and had some cereal and toast, the showers had been great the water was hot and felt good! Lance, Michael and Kuria went to meetings all day with the NGO counsel and also went to solidify some of our plans for when the team arrived. Rachel, Jillo (finally spelling it right, sorry!), Duncan and I decided to go to Kibera to the orphanage that Pastor John has been running. So, we took a ride to the slums. On our way over you could definitely tell that you were going into the slums. The smell changed, the atmosphere changed and the people changed. One thing that separates most slums from African slums is the abundance of open sewage, this is due to their lack of sanitation control and no sewer systems. The children were running by the car yelling, “hello, how are you?” That is a phrase that the children learn in school. So we responded, “Habari Yako?” which is the same in Swahili. I did notice that despite the need in the slums, the community seemed very dependent on each other and tightly woven. They all made sure to see who was coming into their community and interested to see what we were doing there.
We met Pastor John and Deacon Bernard on the side of the main road so that they could lead us to Exodus church/school/orphanage that they run which they claim 45 children ages 2-16. We jumped over sewage and under drying clothes till we arrived at the location. As soon as we arrived the children noticed us from their classroom and all smiled at us. We entered and they sang us two songs while we returned the favor with two songs. One of the oldest girls, Loren (age 9), also gave us a poem that she did about how she was orphaned, it was very touching. They wanted us to physically assess the children that were in the classroom, so being a nurse I did with the help of Rachel (a nursing student). We found that 3 children may need follow-up when the medications arrived with the rest of the team so we got their names. Then, we helped feed them all lunch of rice and red beans. After we had fed all the children, youngest to oldest, the teachers and pastor gave us rice and red beans and also hot tea as we talked. Once we had finished the hot food and hot tea, we needed to get some fresh air and wanted to play with the children. We all went outside and played with the children and has so much fun getting to hang out with them, teaching them hand games and some english words. Mary then invited us into her office and showed us some jewlery and bead work that the older children and her do in order to feed and clothe the children. They were beautiful so we bought many items mainy to support their mission but also because they were amazing. Afterwards, we all gathered our things and headed back to Lancaster.
Shortly after we arrived back home, Pastor John and Deacon Bernard arrived with a couple of his fellow co-workers to speak with Lance regarding a proposal for expansion of their current Children’s Orphanage and also school. They wanted to teach children skills in order to start microenterprises that allow self-sustainablility for not only Exodus but also for the future of the children. Lance and the rest of the team had not arrived yet so we discussed the details so that we could relay them to the rest of the team when the arrived. We made a copy and said farwell for now to them. After they left a Daystar student Diana came to suggest that we create certificates for the many student volunteers that we had enlisted so that they could add some achievements to their scholastic careers. We then waited for a while for the rest of the team and with limited cell phone abilities we just had to wait till we saw them come home.
After they arrived, around 630pm we were told that we had to meet Francis Osmondi at his house prior to picking up the rest of the team at the airport. It was dark by the time we left and we got lost heading to his house so we arrived at 730pm. We finally met with him and discussed his mission called Sheepfold Ministries. He was very passionate about his work and a very nice man. We discussed details for the rest of the team to depart to Garissa in the morning and also the plans once they arrived there. After we had finished we rushed to the airport to receive our tired and traveled team.
We waited for quite some time, as the plane was a little late, but we then saw the team excited but visibly tired. We waited while they gathered the luggage (all 21 bags with only 1 lost bag). The team that arrived was: Julie, Josiah, Amanda, Alyssa, Doug, Laura and Faria. We hugged everyone and escorted them to the cars to get them to their resting place, Lancaster 4. They were excited to talk about their 16 hour trip here and we were excited to tell them what we had been doing prior to their arrival. We didn’t get home till 11pm and because we had not gotten groceries yet, due to lack of car, Josiah, Faria, Rachel, Duncan and I went to the Nakumatt (24hr grocery store) to get what we needed. I posted the blog that I had finished at that time.( Unfortunately, access to the internet has been very hard so I do apologize for the late entries.) We then returned home and didn’t get to bed till 2 am!

Day 6 “How many people does it take to make cool aid?”

We tried once again to sleep in; however, the rooster thought otherwise and the Muslim call to prayer at 6 am kept us up. Breakfast was cereal and tea, one that we have gotten used to. We had many house guests as we have had throughout our stay here and decided to discuss our schedule for the day. Our house guests included: Duncan, Michael, Kuria, Naomi, Peter, Gilo, and our team of Lance, Rachel and I. Then, Pastor John from the Kibera slums came to see when we would be able to see his 45 orphans that he takes care of. Lance explained that I would do a physical assessment on all 45 children while Rachel helped keep them entertained. Then, Coretta, Jackie and Jan (Head of Daystar U.S. scholarships) came over to discuss our future plans. They took Lance to their office while Rachel and I went to the bank exchange our dollars to schillings so Duncan was kind enough to take us.
After we had all convened back at Lancaster we took the 1.5hr drive to in 2 cars to Athi River Daystar Campus to speak with the students at that campus about our student community development chapter and how to apply for the proposals. On the ride up we stopped to get some sugar cane on the side of the road while we waited in traffic. You chew it and it was sweet but very hard. As usually half way through the car ride plans changed and we switched cars so that Rachel, Naomi and I could get to Athi River Campus on time while the others went to look at an agriculture project nearby. We rushed to get water to make cool aid to go along with our cookies and popcorn for the students. We got to Athi River with just enough time to make the cool aid and set up. One thing we did not consider is how much work it takes to make cool aid here in Africa. We had to buy large filtered water and then pour it into a larger container to mix it up and then pour it back into the original container. It took us a lot longer than we thought and we ended up with red and orange stained hands.

The students had registration that day for classes so it was very busy on campus and because we had to change the day that we came to Athi River not many students were there at first. Therefore, Peter, Nadia (a student we met), and I went around campus and invited people to attend while meeting much of the student body. Thankfully, we got many students to attend the meeting and Rachel and I ran the meeting while Lance and rest of the group came 1.5 hours later. Then were in time to address the students and had a long, insightful meeting. Afterwards many of the students stuck around to play Frisbee and discuss future proposals and projects with our team. It was nice to meet all the new faces and see some old ones as well. Elijah also came to meet with us; he is one of Daystars Alumni who we are working with an Orphanage in Muchakos.

Once we had finished meeting with the students we were told Rachel, Naomi, Gilo, Peter and I had to catch the student bus back to Lancaster because Lance and the rest of the team had to gather sand and gravel for the bio-sand water filters. So we boarded the bus back and after the beautiful views and a much smoother ride back we returned to Lancaster. Naomi decided that tonight we were going to cook for the group instead of eat out. So Lance and the team brought back minced meat, rice, potatoes and peas. Peter also had to leave to attend some things at home. Naomi and Rachel cooked while Gilo beat me at “pick” the card game they taught us. We also taught Lance and Kuria how to play so they joined us. We had a wonderful dinner discussing our journey so far and our plans for the team tomorrow. We also arranged the Mombasa train ride that the team will do on our last week here in Africa. Rachel didn’t feel well after a long day in the sun and cooking over a hot stove so she went to bed earlier and shortly I joined her. The rest of the group including Lance stayed up late discussing future plans. We were all so excited for the rest of the team to come tomorrow!

Day 5 “Sister…you promote me!”

We woke up early again to our favorite rooster who begins crowing at around 430am and doesn’t stop till around 630am. We ate breakfast as usual made some oatmeal and toast with fresh squeezed juice and Kenyan tea, which is a very big custom here. Everyone who had been spending the night and working with us slowly trickled down along with Matt and Bob. It was Sunday so we all decided to go to the church across the street from daystar. It was very large and very wealthy for a church here in Nairobi. I enjoyed hearing the worship and the message was about resting in the Lord when you are tired and worn out. This was very appropriate given our journey thus far. Also, Kuria (one of the hope with borders treasurers here in Africa) came with his wife, Namoi to meet us after church. It was great to see him and meet her for the first time.

Then after a 2 hour service we invited Kuria and Naomi to the house and rushed home so that we could give Matt and enjoyable day before he returned home. We tried to catch the elephant orphanage that is open to the public from 11am to noon; however, there was a marathon going on so once again traffic was horrific! A 15min drive turned into an hour and 15min and we made it to the orphanage at 1205, so we were unable to see the elephants. From there we were all going to eat together but with traffic the way that it was and the laundry list of things for Rachel and I to do before the rest of the team came we had to split up. Curia dropped Rachel and I off at the Yaya Market to get some things that we needed and the rest of them went on a short Safari in Nairobi National Park.
We entered the Yaya market and were overwhelmed with the assortment of goods available in the open market that is held every Sunday till 5pm. However, before we went shopping we decided to eat at the wonderful restaurants inside the building. Rachel and I ate at this small café that had the best sandwiches I’ve had here yet. Afterwards we ventured out to the open market outside in the blazing sun. It was amazing, so many different carvings, beaded necklaces, boutiques (cloth with painted pictures), key chains, clothes, shoes….anything you can think of. The craftsmanship was astounding and we spent more than 3 hours just looking around and buying some stuff. The craziest thing about the market was that everywhere you turn there was someone saying, “Sister, you promote me.” This means please come to my shop and buy some of my items. At one point we had more than 10 vendors surround Rachel and I to persuade us to come to their shop. Although we lost each other many times amongst the hustle and bustle we managed to not only get out alive but with many beautiful gifts for ourselves and our families. We also stopped at the market to get some much needed shampoo. Yesterday we had bought some but accidently bought two conditioners instead of any shampoo. Therefore, we were very excited. We took the Citi Hoppa (a bus or a larger version of a Matatu) back to Daystar which was a short ride for 20 schillings each. Unfortunately, when we got home we realized that we had left our shampoo on the Citi Hoppa! We then came just in time to let Bob in to get his stuff to go to the airport. Also, after being in the hot sun we decided to take a much needed nap. When we got up it was too late for us to go to the internet café alone because it was getting dark. Therefore, we waited for the rest of the group to return.



Once the rest of the team returned and Matt packed for his trip back home, Rachel and I got dropped off at the Nakumatt to get Shampoo (finally) and get on the internet. I tried my best to upload the pictures; however, it did not work. Therefore, I will be uploading the pictures tomorrow and updating the blog. Everyone then met us at the Nakumatt and we went to eat again at Zinc, where we knew the food would be amazing. We all ate and reflected on our journey so far and I realized how much of a family we already were. I can’t wait for the rest of the team to come and join us!
When we got home it was late around 9pm, and we stayed up for a while so that Gilo and Peter could show us how to play a game with cards that they knew how. It was a version of slap jack, kind of, but took a long time to play. It was a lot of fun and for all the work we had done so far it was a nice relaxing time. We then went to bed tired and ready for the next day, whatever it may bring.

***On a side note….as we were waiting for everyone to get ready to go to the Nakumatt we were standing by the car outside the entrance to Daystar University and Rachel and I saw a man fall down partially in the road and start to seize. I threw down my purse and stuff in the car and ran to help the gentleman out. When I got to the scene he was on his back foaming at the mouth convulsing violently. I moved him to his side so that he would not choke or suffocate while he was seizing. Also, he was very near the road and both of us were almost hit multiple times. Therefore, I asked for people to help me move him to the sidewalk. He then went unconscious and stopped breathing. I checked his pulses and they were there but thready. At that moment I began to contemplate how I would have to give this man mouth to mouth because I had no barrier mask and I did not know this man. I was prepared to do what I needed; however, as I was about to mouth to mouth he began to breathe again. I was relieved, yet he continued again to seize violently. I again moved the gentleman to his side. At this time was a large crowd very curious about what was going on. Thankfully, he stopped seizing and regained consciousness. Everyone was thankful, and I began to question the gentleman about this episode to see if he had done this before. He stated that his name was Andrew and he had just left the Kenyatta Hospital because they turned him away. He said that he has epilepsy and he had run out of medications but with no way to pay for them, the hospital couldn’t help him. I asked him for the types of medicines he needed and gave him Duncan’s number. He was very greatful for our help and stated that we saved his life. We explained that we were having a medical camp coming up and requested that he came so that we could get the medicines that he needed. It was a very unexpected event and also sad because we know that even if we help him get medicines, how long would that last?

Day 4 “Raining season in Africa + dirt bumpy roads = not good”

After almost 4 days we were all very tired. As much as we tried to sleep we all were awake at 500am eating breakfast. We had cereal and oatmeal with orange mango juice which is a very good way to start any morning. Also, Duncan came in with fresh milk from his cows that he milked this morning. He taught us how to pasteurize milk which included boiling it, freezing it, removing the cream on the top and then freezing it again. I guess the extreme temperatures both hot then cold help to kill the bacteria. We also finally got a hold of our families even though the cell phone charges will be outrageous we wanted them to know we were still alive and well. Also, my laptop charging connector broke so I was unable to write the blog till now. We still have not gotten to access the internet because the school library has been closed due to school being out and we have been too busy to stop by the local cyber cafes. Soon I promise this will go up so sorry for the delay!
Rachel and I had plans to go to the market and the internet café; however, instead we were going to take a quick trip up to visit Michael (one of the Hope without Borders directors here in Africa) and his family. The trip was suppose to take only 30-45 min and with 5 of us squished into one small car we thought that would be fine. Unfortunately, most of the roads had been shut down because the president of the Dominican of Kenyan was coming through the streets due to a new referendum that was being passed. On top of the roads being closed and dead lock traffic the rain had washed away most of the dirt roads, so our 30-45 min trip took up to 4.5 bumpy hot hours. We introduced everyone to road games that we play in the states; nevertheless, the language barrier left 20 questions very hard so we just joked around for the long trip. I finally made Duncan (one of the other Hope without Borders directors here in Africa) laugh which I have been trying to do since we got here, because he is a very sarcastic and serious man. Also, Lance kept falling asleep on the bumpy roads, an impossible feat, but it kept us entertained.

Once we finally got to Michael’s house after many wrong turns and interesting detours, we were introduced to his wife (Margaret) and his 8 yr old daughter (Martha). They were very welcoming and had prepared a wonderful meal of goat, rice, kale, and a type of flat bread. Also, even though they lived in the country they specially bought soda for our visit. They had a beautiful house, yet it was still rustic with chickens, an outhouse and no electricity (due to vandalization of their transformer). Martha returned from Sunday school, where she was practicing a dance for next Sunday, and she showed us her welcome sign that she drew for us in chalk. Next, while the men sat and discussed the plans for the rest of the trip Margaret and Martha showed us around their village. It was gorgeous because it was in the country a very different landscape then the bustling downtown streets of Nairobi. The air was clean and you could see Mount Kenya clearly. Some of the younger kids from the village came out to see the Muzungos (white people) and spoke with those not too shy to talk with us. They showed us the border of Nairobi and Muchakos where a little river separated them and supplied them with their water. It was getting dark so we decided to be on our way. Due to the darkness and the eroded path we had a very long bumpy ride home to Daystar. Whether from the long day or the bumpy roads we were all a little goofy so we had fun naming Duncan’s car the “Smooth Operator.” However, there were some scarier moments when cars in front and around us were getting stuck in the mud and potholes. We had to do a little creative driving to circumvent them.


Finally, we got back to Daystar where we met Bob and Matt who came back from Garissa tired and full of stories. As Lance got them settled in Rachel and I went with Duncan, Gilo, and Peter to the Nakumatt. This Nakumatt was 24hrs and reminded me of a super wal-mart on steroids. It sold everything from groceries to cars, furniture to electronics. We got lost just getting some basic goods for the house. After that, Duncan took us on a night tour of Nairobi showing us the ministry of defense to the president’s house. However, after our long car trip we needed to get back home and rest. We were home by 10pm and were able to get some much needed rest.

Day 3 “Rocks in our shoes”

We were awoken at 7 am by the loud birds at our windows and a wet dusky smell. Rachel and I made breakfast and sent off the Bob and Matt for Garissa near the Somalia Border. After we sent them off to install bio-sand water filters (link) and bring medical supplies we met our housekeeper for the time Jen. She was ringing our doorbell, which we thought was the phone. She explained that she would help provide services, which we definitely didn’t expect and we explained that we would probably use her when the rest of the team came because we had been preparing our own food, doing our own dishes and cleaning ourselves. After that, we had a meeting at 1030 with Jackie Muthaga (fundraiser/ site coordinator) to go over our meeting at 100pm with the Daystar Nairobi Campus Students for a social event followed by an informational session explaining how to apply for our student grant for community development projects.

After Lance returned, Rachel, Duncan, and Michael and I walked to the local Nakumatt (a large grocery store with fast food like restaurants on the top level). The walk was wonderful and long, but we were able to get a taste of the local community. One thing that was evident once again was the diverse population. There were beggars, street workers/venders, guards, commuters, students, and business men and women alike. It had all the noise and smells of a bustling city but with feel of an African village. We made it to the Nakumatt, despite our near death by crossing the street. On the top level were restaurants like Buddha’s Garden (Thai like food) and Lip Licking Chicken (a sort of version of KFC), also a cart vender called Hot ‘N Corny (not sure what they sold). We ended up choosing a place called Zinc I had beef with rice and vegetables. Anyone who says they go to Africa and lose weight is crazy the food here is amazing. It took a long time so it definitely was not like fast food in the states.


We then walked back to Daystar and set up for the student event which Rachel and I ran with help from Lance, Duncan and Michael. There was a great turn out especially because school was out and most students at the Nairobi campus are nontraditional students. There was about 25-30 students and we explained about how to apply for the community development grant that would help the students with a project in their hometown. We will be awarding $500 at the end of our trip to a group of students for a hometown project. We had fun with all the students and met some pretty remarkable people. Many of the women were looked down upon for being in school because in their community it was not proper for women to get an education. Therefore, they had a lot of perseverance. One of the students explained that her mother sent her to live with a pastor for 7 years at the age of 9 to avoid female circumcision (a tradition in the Masai Tribe). She was then reunited with her mother who was now a widow and looked poorly on by the community. However, finally they accepted her and her family.

Once we finished our amazing meeting with the students we came back to Lancaster, I think that our jetlag finally caught up with us. Some of the students came to visit with us, one of them named Dyana (who we met in 2008), her fiancé Richard, Colin, Peter, and Gilo. We all decided to go and get dinner together at an Ethiopian Restaurant called Habesha. To get there we got into a Matatu which is like a taxi but with a 15 passenger van where you run and jump into. Rachel had never had Ethiopian so she was a little apprehensive, so we tried to stick with flavors that weren’t too spicy. In case you’ve never had Ethiopian food it is all shared. The dish itself is made of Injira (fermented spongy rice bread) and you use the dish to eat the lentils, meat, and vegetables. In the end she liked most of it. We had so much fun with all the students and ate more than our fill of food. All of us talked about the things most people don’t at dinner, politics, religion and cultural views. However, everyone was excited to share their own opinions and views. We then took the Matatu back to Lancaster. When we got back we found out our last piece of luggage was found and Lance, Duncan and Peter went to retrieve it. Rachel and I headed to bed to prepare for the next day and as tired as we were, the excitement of everything to come kept us waking up at all hours of the night.

Day 2 “Karibu (welcome)….smile you are in Kenya”

The overnight flight to London was an 8hr flight and we arrived at 7am.  Our next flight from London to Nairobi didn’t leave till 1020am so we grabbed brunch again and waited for our flight to board. We met more interesting people waiting for this flight as well. This is Rachel and I at the London airport window shopping. We did whatever we could to get up and stretch our legs to prepare for the next 8 our flight.  We met three guys who were traveling to Kitale, which is 6 hr drive or a 2 hr plane ride from Nairobi. They were with a Church doing orphanage work from Texas. Also, we met a woman named Betty who was getting her Master’s in Education and Community Development and was employed by the UN. She wants to open a school in Uganda and gave us her card for future projects.  After another long cramped flight we arrived in Nairobi at 1000pm. We were able to get all of our bags except for one so that was a relief. Thankfully, we had many people waiting for us at the gate.  They helped us load ALL the luggage and we were taken to Lancaster Residence at Daystar University. We also met Bob another team member who were leaving for Garissa with Matt in the morning. When we arrived at Lancaster Residence it felt like a home away from home. I quickly remembered my previous stay in 2008. The accommodations as always were amazing. There were 4 bedrooms, and living room, 2 dining rooms, large kitchn and a We had a quick team meeting and headed to bed under our lovely mosquito nets.  It was amazing to finally sleep on a bed.

Day 1 “Sleepless in the Air”

So we arrived at the airport in Chicago on time, thankfully. We had 13 bags to check in and without time to weigh them it was a little chaotic.  Fortunately the attendant at the counter was lenient and we only had to pay for 1 overweight charge and an extra baggage charge.  Once we had check our bags we roamed around the airport for lunch. Our flight didn’t board until 520pm so we had some time to kill since we arrived at noon. You can tell we all had little to no sleep the last couple of days before the trip. This is Lance passed out waiting to board. Also, this is Matt excited to find the peanut M&M s that we stashed in Lance’s carry on. And this is Rachel and I waiting anxiously our departure.

 

The sleep was not the best but we had 150+ fellow travelers on board. Every time we went on the plane we seemed to find friends. On the flight to London we met a women and her daughter who started a business in Gahanna selling clothes.  All in all, we got as much sleep as we could and were all very excited for our final destination, Africa.

"The calm before the storm"

It is almost 2 am the morning of the day the first of our team members leave for Africa, including Rachel, Lance, Matt, and Myself.  We spent countless hours packing, repacking and trying to make everything under 50lbs. So far I want to say the luggage count is at 26. Thank god being a humanitarian organization because we are allowed 1 extra check in each which allows us enough room for donated items and then some. I want to thank all of our team members for all the time and energy dedicated to make this trip a success thusfar. I can not wait to get there and also can not wait for the rest of the team to arrive on May 24th. I said all of my goodbyes and as you can tell I can't get to sleep because I am too excited. Well also Lance needed some prodding to pack efficiently : )

We had a packing party on sunday and thanks to all the team members who came we were able to sort out a good majority of our medications and donated items and pack them. These pictures capture just some of the craziness!

I also wanted to include a picture of the offical Hope Without Borders Africa 2010 team to you!!!

( Top from Left to Right....Faria, Amanda, Alyssa, Josiah, Laura, Lance, Julie)
(Bottom from Left to Right.....Jena and Jennifer-me)

Unfortunatley some team members couldnt make the group picture....missing members include: Rachel, Doug, Matt, and Bob, and Courtney)

Keep an eye on the blog to see how we spend our time in Africa, please comment if you want!

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

Robert Lee Frost

"Act as though it is impossible to fail."

The comedy sportz fundraising event was a sucess!! Thank you for all of those who attended and participated in the raffle. With the money from this event we are that much closer to achieving our goals in Africa!!! Plus is was fun, we had several voluteers that went on stage. Faria (one of the team members going to africa) was up there doing "ask the experts," where she and two other comedians tried to answer questions by speaking one word at a time. Very funny.....my favorite part was in answering the question "where do babies come from," all I have to say is "woooosh." Once again thank you for all the support!

I am starting to get anxious about the trip because it is coming up in 2 weeks! I still have to get my medicine for typhiod and also malaria : ) Im working on the packing list which is much longer than I thought. Also lookign forward to the packing party on May 16th so that we can pack all of the amazing donations and equiptment for the long trip!

Wish me luck on packing and can't wait!!!