Lucy! She is always laughing or smiling... I love it!
More laughing (we do a lot of it)... Susan and Jane!
Jacintah rocking Misri fashion: Disney shirt, pink floral skirt... and gum boots!
Gedion and Benson!
Benson - he is a completely different boy than when I was last here... in a good way! In Emily's words "he can now afford to smile!"
Florence and Susan - in Saturday (cleaning day) clothes!
Brothers - Njogu and Ken! Njogu had been eating some kind of candy... thus the pink lips!
Christian - haha, he is such a cutie!
It was POURING rain - it was so loud on the roof that you had to shout to be heard... Muthiora and Njogu plugging their ears!
Already I have been here two weeks! Today is brilliantly sunny, and I’m thankful because it is the first time I’ve seen blue sky this week! Time is going by SO fast – I’m learning/doing/seeing so much, and already the team will be here in one week! Some snapshots of my time so far:
- Riding the matatu to and from the slum has been an adventure! One day this week, our matatu stopped running, so all the men had to bail so they could help bump start it… you’d think that if you participated in pushing your matatu up the road, you would get some sort of discount. No such luck!
- Some of the conductors on the matatus are starting to remember me (not that it’s hard… I’m pretty sure I’m the only mzungu (white person) who rides the matatus into Limuru town and back every day). Anyway, yesterday when I got on in the morning, the conductor asked, “Farma’s?” I replied in swahili that yes, I would be stopping at Farma’s. He laughed, and when I got off he said, “You are welcome, my dear.” Today, the conductor on my ride back to Brackenhurst made sure that the driver took me all the way to the gate, instead of stopping at the actual stop a couple hundred feet up the road. I appreciated it, and he said, “See you tomorrow!” as I started walking up the road.
- My time with the kids at Miracle House has been wonderful. I’m still teaching a little for grade 2 – I love it, and the kids are SO stinkin’ smart! (Not that I’m biased or anything…) Thursday, when I arrived at MH, Emily explained that my second grade class had asked her to tell me that I shouldn’t return to America, but I should stay and be their ‘teacha’ instead. They make me smile! They speak and understand so much English! Today, I told them a story - The Three Little Pigs, and Lucy and Njogu translated for me for the younger ones!
- I’m learning more and more how deeply tribalism is rooted in many Kenyan people. After the post-election violence in December of 2007, there has been a huge push to be united as Kenyans, not as tribes. Today, I was discussing American and Kenyan presidents with the elementary and middle school MH students. I asked them if they could have voted in the past election, which candidate they would have chosen. Lucy, who is in middle school, replied that she would have voted for Kibaki because he was the same tribe; if she would have voted for Odinga, from another tribe, she said that it would not be safe – it would cause violence, stealing, and fighting. Pray against this attitude about other tribes!
- Francis, the Miracle House guard, is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. Every day, he meets me at the matatu stop at the base of the slum and walks with me to Miracle House – a short but incredibly steep trek into the slum. In the afternoons, he comes to take me back to the matatu stop, sometimes coming early if “the rains are coming.” “I am your bodyguard!” he says with a smile, lifting his arms and shoulders as if to make himself appear bigger. Everyone knows Francis – literally; to each person we meet, he is know as “Mzee,” a term used for the wise and respected older man. He greets children and adults, and he knows each one of our MH kids by name. Often, we meet an MH child on our way, and they usually rush to hold his hand while they walk (sometimes they are brave enough to hold my hand – dangerous, since I am not nearly as good at climbing up muddy Farma’s hill as Francis is!). Through his broken English, I have learned that he has eight children of his own, and nine grandchildren. I am so thankful for the time that he invests in Miracle House, and especially thankful for his willingness to be my ‘bodyguard’ for these weeks!
- Lastly (and probably most importantly) I’m learning much about the Lord! He is certainly much more concerned about the condition of my heart and my relationship with Him than He is about my comfort – hard, but good! As He is the only other person who is truly fluent in American English, we have been doing lots of talking :) Something about the hill I walk each morning and afternoon reminds me of Pride and Prejudice (the newer movie) – green hills, big trees, and morning mist… picture the sunrise scene at the end! Anyways, the other afternoon I was walking home, in a little bit of a lonely mood, and He met with me and walked with me and talked with me. As we walked, He sent a refreshing, light drizzle and a shower of falling yellow leaves. It was fantastic, and each day I’ve truly sensed His presence, His friendship, and His pursuit. Mmmmm… my favorite!
Overall, my time has been wonderful! Things you can pray for:
- Continued safety!
- Preparation for both me and the team (nine people) that will be arriving in one week – they start immersion training on Wednesday!
- I somehow managed to get a bunch of bug bites… I think I may have a bug-friend or two in the bed! Nothing large or serious, but super itchy and all over! Pray that this week I wouldn’t get anymore!
- Time to connect with those who live in the slum – I am loving being with the kids and teachers, but I am also hoping to connect with guardians and other Misri residents!
- Riding the matatu to and from the slum has been an adventure! One day this week, our matatu stopped running, so all the men had to bail so they could help bump start it… you’d think that if you participated in pushing your matatu up the road, you would get some sort of discount. No such luck!
- Some of the conductors on the matatus are starting to remember me (not that it’s hard… I’m pretty sure I’m the only mzungu (white person) who rides the matatus into Limuru town and back every day). Anyway, yesterday when I got on in the morning, the conductor asked, “Farma’s?” I replied in swahili that yes, I would be stopping at Farma’s. He laughed, and when I got off he said, “You are welcome, my dear.” Today, the conductor on my ride back to Brackenhurst made sure that the driver took me all the way to the gate, instead of stopping at the actual stop a couple hundred feet up the road. I appreciated it, and he said, “See you tomorrow!” as I started walking up the road.
- My time with the kids at Miracle House has been wonderful. I’m still teaching a little for grade 2 – I love it, and the kids are SO stinkin’ smart! (Not that I’m biased or anything…) Thursday, when I arrived at MH, Emily explained that my second grade class had asked her to tell me that I shouldn’t return to America, but I should stay and be their ‘teacha’ instead. They make me smile! They speak and understand so much English! Today, I told them a story - The Three Little Pigs, and Lucy and Njogu translated for me for the younger ones!
- I’m learning more and more how deeply tribalism is rooted in many Kenyan people. After the post-election violence in December of 2007, there has been a huge push to be united as Kenyans, not as tribes. Today, I was discussing American and Kenyan presidents with the elementary and middle school MH students. I asked them if they could have voted in the past election, which candidate they would have chosen. Lucy, who is in middle school, replied that she would have voted for Kibaki because he was the same tribe; if she would have voted for Odinga, from another tribe, she said that it would not be safe – it would cause violence, stealing, and fighting. Pray against this attitude about other tribes!
- Francis, the Miracle House guard, is quickly becoming one of my favorite people. Every day, he meets me at the matatu stop at the base of the slum and walks with me to Miracle House – a short but incredibly steep trek into the slum. In the afternoons, he comes to take me back to the matatu stop, sometimes coming early if “the rains are coming.” “I am your bodyguard!” he says with a smile, lifting his arms and shoulders as if to make himself appear bigger. Everyone knows Francis – literally; to each person we meet, he is know as “Mzee,” a term used for the wise and respected older man. He greets children and adults, and he knows each one of our MH kids by name. Often, we meet an MH child on our way, and they usually rush to hold his hand while they walk (sometimes they are brave enough to hold my hand – dangerous, since I am not nearly as good at climbing up muddy Farma’s hill as Francis is!). Through his broken English, I have learned that he has eight children of his own, and nine grandchildren. I am so thankful for the time that he invests in Miracle House, and especially thankful for his willingness to be my ‘bodyguard’ for these weeks!
- Lastly (and probably most importantly) I’m learning much about the Lord! He is certainly much more concerned about the condition of my heart and my relationship with Him than He is about my comfort – hard, but good! As He is the only other person who is truly fluent in American English, we have been doing lots of talking :) Something about the hill I walk each morning and afternoon reminds me of Pride and Prejudice (the newer movie) – green hills, big trees, and morning mist… picture the sunrise scene at the end! Anyways, the other afternoon I was walking home, in a little bit of a lonely mood, and He met with me and walked with me and talked with me. As we walked, He sent a refreshing, light drizzle and a shower of falling yellow leaves. It was fantastic, and each day I’ve truly sensed His presence, His friendship, and His pursuit. Mmmmm… my favorite!
Overall, my time has been wonderful! Things you can pray for:
- Continued safety!
- Preparation for both me and the team (nine people) that will be arriving in one week – they start immersion training on Wednesday!
- I somehow managed to get a bunch of bug bites… I think I may have a bug-friend or two in the bed! Nothing large or serious, but super itchy and all over! Pray that this week I wouldn’t get anymore!
- Time to connect with those who live in the slum – I am loving being with the kids and teachers, but I am also hoping to connect with guardians and other Misri residents!
Thanks for your prayers and support, friends!! You all are amazing, and I’m thankful for each one of you!
