Scenes From The City

It’s easy for me to write about the similarities between Kenya and the United States, but when it comes to the differences and everyday adventures, I struggle to blog. I have to admit that I am envious of skillful artists and writers. What they possess, that I don’t, is the ability to recapture images and describe experiences respecting their deserved value. I feel practically mute with my inexpressive record keeping. I hope to work towards a voice that accurately conveys what I’ve seen and expresses what I’ve felt.

I’d like to share some stories and images from Nairobi, which seem impossible to describe to someone who has never been here. (“We” refers to Monica and I, as we shared many of these experiences) Here is my attempt…

1) I touched an elephant foot that a man had in his home. It was hairy.

2) The street boy begged with glowing eyes, torn clothes, and dirty hands. I gave him a mango.

3) Two Saturdays ago, we spent the day at a children’s home. I was very impressed with the arrangements: two house mothers and a social workers for fourteen children under the age of fifteen. It seems that this home, sponsored by a church, was sufficiently providing for the children. They were well behaved, friendly, and happy. One nine-year-old boy, Lawrence, organized a time of prayer for all the children. He asked them to sit down with their legs crossed and hands folded. Each child genuinely prayed and thanked God for the individuals in the home.

4) We couldn’t understand the words of the man in the street who was high on glue.

5) Just a mile from the largest slum in Africa, I enjoyed a cup of almond flavored steamed milk in a coffee shop/cafe that was equivalent to a Starbucks in America. During that hour, I forgot I was even in Kenya. Sick reality of unequal distribution of wealth.

6) We met Wiclif, a former street-boy, who is developing a nonprofit organization that helps rehabilitated street boys start businesses. Internship for Monica and I.

7) I frequently enjoy a huge and very delicious fruit salad with mango, papaya, watermelon, pineapple, avocado, and banana for just one dollar.

8) The absolutely pathetic library in Nairobi contained very few books, most of which from the 60’s.

9) Three times in one day, we were called “brown skin,” by men in town… and I’m not even noticeably tan.

10) We found a small art museum, which displayed portrait photography from Nairobi through the decades. How interesting.

11) We saw a restaurant called "Wimpy Burger." Appetizing. Notice, I only SAW the restaurant.

12) I always look the wrong way when crossing the street... they drive on the left side of the road. Fortunetly for me I have been lucky to not get run over by one of the thousands of public buses that drive like maniacs.


Stay tuned for more.

Pictured above: Half-time photo from our game in Nairobi on Saturday, Goodness and I, and Kibera slums outside of Nairobi

"I Thought You Had A Skin Condition," She Told Me.

My fingers look pathetic. I would take a photo, but I'll spare your eyes. No, I don't have a disease, just scabs and that kind of cool stuff on the tops of my fingers. It's called: handwashing my clothes. Haha... I don't mind hand washing, but it is time-consuming and since my hands aren't used to the wear and tear, they bleed if I wash too much. Now, this wouldn't be such an issue if I didn't have to wash white socks covered in red dirt from soccer. I will be solving this complaint by buying black soccer socks asap.

I want to share a little bit of my Sunday with you. Monica, my good Canadian friend, and I were invited to Paula and Kurt Tjossem's home in Nairobi for brunch with some of their other friends. I didn't know Paula and Kurt, but I was connected to them through a friend-of-a-friend kind of deal, which was really random. Monica and I matatu-ed (public transportation buses for 14 passengers are called matatu's) our way to their home for an afternoon that proved to be a very unique and exciting opportunity for us. Let me describe some of the people we met: Kurt is the regional director for International Rescue Committee; Maria is working with a developing organization in Nairobi, which helps street boys start businesses; Kelly works with Nobel Peace Prize winners to raise funds for an NGO that promotes women's development; Another woman was the director of the World Bank in East Africa. Get the idea? How did Lora and Monica manage to end up there? Haha, only through the grace of God, I'd say. Everyone at this small gathering was friendly and very experienced in his or her field.

This networking will hopefully open some doors for Monica and I as we continue searching for internship/volunteer opportunities. We are hoping to meet with Maria and her Kenyan friend, Wycliffe (?), this week to talk about the possibility of helping with the street boy outreach that they are launching. I am overwhelmed with the opportunities before me. It would be a shame to come all the way to Kenya for a year and just stay on the university campus, especially as a Social Work major.

Six Giraffes Later

I can officially say that I've seen a family of giraffes... and they weren't in the zoo. In fact, they were about a half mile outside of the entrance to Daystar. I was on the bus heading back from Nairobi as the sun was setting. We turned off from the main road onto the dusty dirt road towards Daystar and saw lots of zebra and wildebeest, which wasn't unusual. Then I saw a giraffe near the road followed by a group of them and I was so excited because my friends and I like joke about seeing a giraffe, and finally we did. Besides the cats wandering around campus, there are monkeys and other rodents, both of which I do not know the specific name. One day I was reading a book in the middle of campus and little fruits kept falling from the tree above me. I couldn't figure out what was knocking them off (and practically chucking them at me), until I saw the monkey leave the tree. Haha.

Enough of the animals... and now to a real topic: soccer. haha. okay, so Goodness and I are on Daystar mens soccer team. They didn't really have cuts (at least not yet) but surprisingly we are really well respected and welcomed by the coaches, captains, and players. We attend practice and we will be at the games too. Obviously, we are not as strong or as fast as the others, but we work hard and most importantly enjoy it. I am enjoying getting fit again, although I am sore.

Here is my address in Athi River, if anyone ever decides that snail mail still exists. The other address I posted earlier can still work, but this one is better.

Daystar University
Lukenya Hills
PO BOX 17-90145 Daystar
Machakos, Kenya

PEACE AND LOVE! Loraaaaaaa

Photos

the center of campus

some of my friends

Goodness and Raphael, who I play soccer with. They are from Cameroon. And that isn't my hat. haha. i am just posing.


Hello! I just wanted to let you know that I put a bunch of photos on facebook, but for those of you who don't have facebook, I'll put a few here. Peace.

Peace Wanted Alive

Greetings from cold Athi River

I hope that all of you are doing well as the summer winds down and everyone is heading back to school.  Sorry for delaying on this update.

Classes are now beginning, but I’ve had to make a few adjustments to my schedule because of class cancellations due to the few students who signed up for those classes.  So… instead of taking Community Health, I will be taking Introduction to the Old Testament.   Instead of Kiswahili, I will be taking Integrated Appropriate Technology.  Now I’m sure I lost a few (or all) of you with the title of that last class.  Well, the class is split between lecture and workshop.  It’s a practical hands-on class where we will learn how low and intermediate technology ideas can be applied to solve problems in communities, such as bio-sand water filters, solar panels, irrigation foot pumps, and  constructing a facility for raising poultry.  Should be interesting, right?  So when you see the photos of me running around with a table-saw you’ll know what that’s about.

Besides attending class, I have been playing soccer almost every week night.  One of my close friends here, Goodness (from Cameroon), and I play together with a group of guys.  We don’t think that there will be enough interest for a women’s soccer team, which is really too bad… so for now we are playing with the men’s team.  Obviously, we won’t compete with them, but they welcomed us to join them at practice.  I’ll say one thing: it’s true that Kenyans are fast runners.

Last weekend I went to Nairobi to visit my lovely sister, Mary.  She was attending a public health training in Nairobi to complement her work with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) near Kisumu.  On Saturday, we spent some time together and she introduced me to her co-worker, Asman, who trains people in community health in the slums outside of Nairobi.  He works specifically in Kibera, which has about 600,000 inhabitants.  During the post election violence, this area was a disaster.  Asman showed us areas that were burned and never rebuilt.  Someone had spray painted on walls and fences the following: “PEACE WANTED ALIVE.” Asman lives on the fringes of Kibera (which is near to the Daystar Nairobi campus), and he brought us to his home where we spent time with his four beautiful children and wife.   The view of the slums was incredible, indescribable, and sad really.   Try to imagine over half a million people living in rows of rusted metal sheets nailed together. Large extended families live in just one room as they struggle to survive.  I think his work is very practical and meaningful to the slum-dwellers.

That's all I have to share for now.  Peace to you.

Overwhelmed With Friendliness

Jambo! Hope all is well with you. I am doing great. I have just been thinking the past couple days about the friendliness of the Kenyans. I feel so welcome here. Everyday I meet sooo many people. There is no hesitation to say hi, shake hands, introduce yourself, and have a conversation. This attitude towards foreigners is such a contrast to the usual American perception of foreigners. Not always, but many times in the U.S. we don't welcome or fully accept people from outside or people who are different from us. I can't take this friendliness for granted and I am also becoming a very friendly and open person. I am very content and looking forward to classes beginning this week. Tomorrow I will move into my actual room, and meet even more people.

One more thing that I would like to mention is the water shortage. Sometimes we don't have water here due to the fact that there is simply no water in the area. It doesn't last for very long, maybe a few hours, but it is an issue. There is always drinking water available, which is a blessing and a necessity.

Take care. Love always, Lora

My address:
Daystar University
P.O. BOX 44400-00100
Nairobi, Kenya

(indicate Athi River Student)

Settling In

I haven't taken any photos of campus yet, but here are some from the first couple weeks...


These are the very fine desks at Lwanda Secondary School, which were donated by Trinity members. They were very thankful. Eighty chairs and desks were made.

These are three of the eight new classrooms. You can see one of the older classrooms in the background. What an improvement.

Me and Esther in Kisumu

Syprose, Martin, Jacob, Elisha, and I playing pick-up-sticks at their home in Kisumu.

Me and my parsley, with Mary, who is preparing chapati. (my favorite!) this is at the house in Kisumu.

Well... I am finally here at Daystar. Orientation week is coming to a close and classes begin on Tuesday. I have selected my courses (totaling 18 credits), however they are not final until Monday. I am really excited, so I'll share them with you:

Mon: 8:45-11:45 SWK 213/DEV211 Community Development and the Church
12:30-3:30 DEV 111 Intro to Community Development
Tue: nothing. Woot. Chapel. Wash clothes, Study, guitar, volunteer somewhere
Wed: 8:45-11:45 RUD 312/SWK312 Community Health
12:30-3:30 KIS 111 Beginning Kiswahili
Thurs: 1:50-4:50 ENG 211 African Literature
Fri: 8:45-11:45 PEA 365 Intro to Refugee Studies

This week we don't have a lot going on. We've spent some time with our orientation groups, had informational seminars, and had fun programs in the evenings. We are not yet in the specific dorm rooms where we will be staying, but I'm sure I'll be in the same hall, just in another room.

In my dorm, called Patience, the rooms are pretty small, with four girls in each.

My first day here, I wasn’t really “feelin’” the school. I don’t know what it was and I don't really know how to describe it, but I just didn’t feel like I would like it. The people didn’t seem that open, there wasn’t a lot of direction and organization, and I was just generally not so excited. I even started thinking about how I could leave after the first semester. The whole day I wanted to feel super excited and happy and like it was “home” but I guess I just didn’t… until the evening. We had a program in the evening, which consisted of worshipping and some funny skits from a student group called Doulos. I felt really relieved and encouraged to be happy and make the best of this experience. The night programs are a highlight.

Since the first day, my entire attitude has changed. I really like it here. I think the reason I felt like I did at first was because of the issue of comfort. It is difficult to feel comfortable and connected in a country that is so different from my own. My skin color makes me stand out, there is somewhat of a language barrier, and I have to observe the culture before I can fully walk in it. But I can say that I feel great and even comfortable. I’ve met a lot of friendly and fun people and I am excited for the year to come.

Just some side things... The food is pretty good. I like Kenyan food, and we even had fries at lunch yesterday. Chai tea and hot chocolate are served twice per day as well! mmm.

Its cold here! Who would have thought?!? During the day time it is warm and sunny, but not unbearably hot. Nights and mornings are really cold though. People mostly wear pants and long sleeves in the morning.

The campus is really nice! I like it a lot. There are lots of trees and flowers. Buildings are in good condition and they are spread out (kind of over a hill). At night from the highest point of campus, where the library is, we can see the lights of Nairobi, Athi River, and another smaller city. Pictures to come...

That's all for now. Peace and Love.