Hello everyone! I have safely arrived in Kenya. So much has happened already that I cannot possibly explain it all in a blog, but I will try.
I arrived Sun night and was picked up by Anthony (VIDCA staff) and taken to the Nairobi volunteer house. There are 12 volunteers from 7 countries living together all volunteering at different locations. The first 2 days were orientation then I left Nairobi with another volunteer (Becky from England) to a rural orphanage in a village known as Githanje. We were welcomed by our host parents George and Lillian. They are wonderful and have an incredible house (we even have warm showers!!) Lillian LOVES to cook for us. I am positive that I will probably double in size by the time I get home. I am told that I must eat know bc you don’t know if you will be able to eat in the future. So its 2 pieces of toast, 2 eggs, a banana and chai tea made with fresh cows milk for breakfast every morning. I am pretty sure I will never drink tea again after I leave here. We were served 6 times one day!! Our family is very financially stable and self sufficient. They have a garden, banana tree, cows for milk,chickens for eggs, and of course a goat for Easter. George thinks I am helping slaughter it but I just don’t think I can go that far!! YIKES! So “home” life is absolutely wonderful.

And Elshaddai is the orphanage. It is heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. It is run by Pastor Steven and his wife Beatrice. They work incredibly hard everyday transporting children around and fighting to keep the children fed, healthy, and educated. They have about 150 children and only 12 employees. Most of the employees live at the orphanage and work 24/7. It must be an exhausting job.

On our first day we went with Steven and Beatrice to a school so they could have a meeting for one of the girls. When we pulled up in the van all of the children just stared. We got out and said “jambo” and I suddenly felt like I was a member of the Backstreet Boys or something. ALL of the children came running across the lawn waving and yelling “MUZUNGU” (white person) and trying to touch us. The school has 800 children (and only 20 teachers!!!) all yelling and laughing and reaching for us. Most of them had never seen a white person before and they wanted to touch us to believe we were not a ghost. Then we were taken to several of the classrooms to introduce ourselves. The children were so polite but it was so depressing to see how few resources the school had and how full of the joy the students still were. Incredible. After our parade through the classrooms, we were again attacked but this time from all sides. We had to be saved by Steven. It was overwhelming but incredible. We then got to chat with the teachers for a bit, and I “got” my first experience with a drop toilet haha. Then we headed back to pick some kids up from school and play for a bit. They love to touch our skin and hair!!
Yesterday was much more difficult. We played with the small children in the morning. Their play area is a small concrete area outside with concrete walls. The staff is so busy trying to maintain the orphanage that they have very little time to interact with the children. We did lots and lots of piggy back rides and the hokey pokey! Then we helped to bathe the babies. And by that I mean the women tried to teach us how to put on the nappies (cloth diapers). I will not claim it was my strong point, but I finally got the hang of it. It was terrible to see what they are forced to use. The towels are much worse than most of us would use to clean at home. Very torn and worn. And the plastic covers they used had to be wiped and reused immediately because they did not have enough. Tomorrow I will be going to Nairobi to buy more nappies.
And then came the hardest part of the trip. I am not sure that I will be able to write this without crying. We were loaded into the van with about 15 kids to go to the “clinic”. All of the children were HIV positive and needed to receive treatment. Looking at their little faces and shoving all of us into the van was incredibly difficult but then when we arrived at the clinic my heart sank. It was a concrete building with no glass in the windows. There were several wooden chair arranged in a couple of lines in the “waiting area” Treatment was given behind plywood partitions. There was absolutely no indication by Western standards that we were at a clinic. No computers, no white walls, no nice nurses to help us, no sterilizer! The children had obviously done this before (once a month for each of them since they came to the orphanage). They were weighed and heights were taken before they were called back to receive the shots. There was not enough clinic staff so orphanage workers had to help with the process. I spent most of my time holding a 2 year old disabled boy named Joseph, but I noticed that as they came out many of them were still bleeding but were not even given bandaids. I cannot possibly express how I felt as I watched these kids run around outside chasing bugs, laughing, singing, and playing just like normal kids and knowing what lies ahead for them. As I heard the stories about how each of them came to be at the orphanage, it became even more heartbreaking. Some lost their mother to HIV, some were abandoned (one little girl was rescued from a latrine!) and others were rescued from neglect. Joseph was found in his crib at 1 yr old and had only received enough food to keep him alive but no other love or care. But to see how much love Beatrice and Steven have for each child gives me some hope. We spent several hours at the clinic (nothing in Kenya happens quickly) and it was completely emotionally draining. Then it was time to head home. We piled into the van again with 4 adults in the row seat each holding a child and the rest of the children in the back. Each child was given a dinner roll and yogurt for lunch. I was given a dinner roll and a juice box- I gave my roll to Sophia. She is a tubby little girl with tons of attitude. Very cute! Needless to say watching the kids devour their roll in the packed van and scorching heat did nothing to lift my spirits. We ended the day at the “main house” where all of the children over 5 eat and spend their time when they are not at home. I was already exhausted but managed to play ball with a completely deflated football and the hokey pokey for a bit with them. I was exhausted by the time I got home, but not to worry there was of course tea waiting for me.
Today has been much more calm. It is somewhat difficult because they do not have any type of real schedule. We never really know when to go where to be helpful, but we went to the school today. Another heartbreaking experience. There are only 2 teachers and about 45 children from preschool to about 2nd grade. They are all mixed up in the classroom so at least half of the class is forced to sit still and be quiet while the teacher gives lesson the other half. They do not have crayons or any other type of activity to entertain them during the down time (don’t worry I brought plenty with me to donate). The teacher is incredibly patient with the kids but has no resources. They do the exact same lesson over and over and over. They kids have one tiny notebook to write their lessons in. Yet they make it work somehow…
OK I need to head home soon. We had to take a matatu (like a taxi-van that they squeeze absolutely as many people into as possible) to Githunguri to get internet. It is not safe to be out after dark, so we need to make sure we are back in time. I will do my best to keep you updated while I am here, but internet access will be somewhat limited.
Oh I have so so so much more I could say! I hope you are all doing well! And thank you again to everyone who donated. So many wonderful things will be done (Steven and I are going to talk next week about buying desks for the school!)

Time is flying. Next week is my last full week. This week is also the last week for the 6 interns who have helped us tremendously. We, volunteers, could not do it without them. They are English students who translate for us on our placements. It’s a great bunch of girls. So they is going back to uni and a new group of interns is coming next week. It is a great experience for them too, as they get to practice their English skills. We are having a farewell party next Wednesday for them, so that’ll be great! It was with one of them that I had my first experience on the back of the motorbike. It was great! Traffic is crazy here, but far from the madness in Calcutta where I was last month. You see just about everything being transported on 2 wheels. Dad driving, mum on the back, little kid in between and another one in front sometimes (without a helmet!!). Today I saw a metre high stack of eggs on the back in cartons of course.

I am 3 weeks from departing for my trip to Haiti.  The anticipation is rising and I am ready to go.  I still am concerned about what I am going to do with my dog Amsterdam. He is my baby and the idea of being away from him for 3 weeks is terrifying. That is probably going to be the hardest part about this whole trip.  For the past 3 years he has been by my side, except for the occasional weekend trip, and every time I have to leave him behind it breaks my heart.  I also have never left my reptiles for that long. They take a lot of work to keep them healthy and happy. I need to make a decision about how to go about getting everyone taken care of while I am away.  I should right up a manual for how to take care of the zoo and hire an in-home sitter…

March 16, 2010 3:30pm

Yesterday was orientation and the Kigali Memorial. Orientation was great, had a lot questions answered. Clair is amazing and so is Willy, my bosses

The Memorial was really, really well put togethe. The main memory that I have is at the end of the tour there was a section for Rwandas Lost future Hero’s (or something along that line), a memorial to the murdered children that were lost. There were several Rwandan children and facts on how they lived, likes, favourite person and at the end how each one was killed. The on that hit home the hardest was a 5 year old boy who family had donated his picture to the memorial and listed all his favourite drink, toy and activity. At the end his last words were: “Don’t worry UNAMIR will come and save us.” Died: “Shot in the head”.

Today we went to several orphanges and I got to see the school I will be teaching at. There were several kids under the age of 5 that were HIV+, really heart breaking to see. FVA is teaching all Rwandans about HIV/AIDS prevention and is making quite some progress. Alomost out of time here at the cafe. Will try to post again soon.

Ryan

(sorry for the typos, had to go fast!)

San Diego Wedding Photography kristinacazares.com

I made it home, with some complications, but all ok.  I’m still a little sick in the stomach from Quito and I’ve lost a total of 16 pounds during my trip.  I guess I’ll have to eat that much more to make up for it!  My adventure was an adventure, I’m glad to be out of Ecuador, and I learned many things.  Here’s a TOP TEN list of what I learned from Ecuador.  

10. Bananas grow in large bunches on long stalks, upwards. 

9. Termites create these raised tunnels of soft wood where they march and create giant, bulbous colonies along the trunks of trees.

8. Always negotiate the price of a taxi BEFORE you take the ride. 

7. There are no naked natives running around the forest looking to spear you.  There used to be. 

6. Long hair is a horrible thing to have in the rainforest.

5. Germany has the highest proportion of visitors to Ecuador.  About 1 of every 2 gringos are German.  Sometimes more.

4. I need to learn a lot more Spanish.  Si sabe espanol, habla me en espanol, por favor.

3. Although the temperature is mild, the constant 100% humidity of the forest causes the air to be very heavy.  Nothing dries out and anything wet will grow mold.      Everything gets wet.  If it’s moldy – it stinks.  You put the pieces together.

2. There are more species of plants and trees and animals than any one person can know.  The natives and shamans come very close, though.  Maybe forest conservation and activism and research should be conducted by the people who ALREADY know the forest – the natives. 

1. If you’re ever going to do work outside the United States, learn the METRIC SYSTEM!

Hey guys!

Thanks to everyone for sending support my way! I’m 4 weeks in and feeling really comfortable now. I’m riding the boda taxis (motorcycles driven by men with no licenses or clue about rules of the road) side saddle (how the women ride because they always wear skirts). I was not loving the idea of boda when I first got here so I count this as a huge accomplishment.

The past two weeks have been a huge lesson for me. Just really settling in, accepting that things are done differently here and trying a lot of new things. The work load is really the same every day and I’m very appreciative of the routine: breakfast at 9, school until 1, lunch, building project from 3 until 630, dinner. But it keeps things interesting when you break the routine every once and a while. For example, Nigerian movies. Ugandans love them! Rose, my host mom, invited me to skip my building project one day and watch a film with her and I thought ‘awesome, watch some tv and get a little taste of home’. Turns out the movies are more soap operas with bad acting and Lugandan voice overs. The films themselves are in english, so when the voice over stopped I would catch a little of what was going on. Basically, this boy witnessed a mafia murder so he and his mom had to run but then the mom got killed by the mafia and the boy was taken in by this drunk night club singer who was all depressed about life and it’s about the mob looking for the boy and nd the drama that comes with that. Oh and the boy was deaf and the drunk guy  kept taking him to clubs which concerned me. Anyways Rose loved this movie and I had my crazy African movie adventure.

Jinja was good last weekend. The place we stayed was nice, they served western food and it was mostly mzungus on vacation, so it felt nice to play the tourist for a couple days. They had hot showers too! Horseback riding was ok, but it was only along the Nile for about 15 minutes of 2 hours. The rest was through the vilages near by and it was a bit awkward riding past locals on a horse that cost more than their houses.

I went to church with my family last sunday. It was a big day because it was also Paul and Rose’s 1 year anniversary and Lillain’s (the 16 year old niece) birthday. Service started at 10 and all the women were in traditional dress and so colourful! Rose looked beautiful! I sat in the front row and took a lot of photos and a couple videos. Paul preached in Lugandan about giving thanks, especially for his one year of successful marriage. There was a translator on stage for me so I could follow. The children danced and sang and the music was stunning. Everyone is so passionate and there’s a great rhythm throughout the congregation when they sang. Rose and the nieces performed a song and dance they created for the service. There were guest pastors as well. In the end it went until about 2:30, then lunch in honour of their anniversary was served. I got to sit at the head table with the pastors and their wives and it was really cool to feel so welcome. Lunch was some of the usual: beans, rice, matooke (unsweet bananas boiled and mashed), beef but also some new tastes like goat intestines. I just kept passing that one right along. I ate chicken as well, which was steamed in juices while wrapped in banana leaves. It was dark meat but tasted good. Chicken here is the most expensive meat so it was a treat to get it. I got home from church by 4 so the whole day was a little exhausting, but a wonderful African experience. I recommend anyone traveling through Africa try the church thing once if you can because the sense of unity and brotherhood was really inspiring and humbling.

This past week went so fast! It was the usual school and building routine, but it just went quick. Building projects included digging a rubbish pit, putting mud walls on a kitchen hut for a grandmother and her grandkids (my favourite kid of project because I get to get super dirty and throw mud around), and carrying branches from the forest to a house for a fence we will construct next week.

School was tough this week. My teacher was away all week (for a teaching conference, so I didn’t mind at all) so I was teaching alone. I think I’m getting the hang of it now. Write a lesson on the board for the P3 class and teach, while they’re copying you write a lesson on the other board for the P4s and teach. While they’re copying put questions up for the P3s, then questions for the P4s. Then I get to do all the marking! I have a new respect for teachers these past few weeks. But I find using stickers for good work (or efforts), coloured chalk for diagrams and having 20 minutes for colouring before lunch can get kids to cooperate pretty well. I do enjoy the teaching it’s really rewarding to have a student understand a new topic and their faces light up when you put a sticker next to their work in their books.

I wanted to try some games at recess, so I brought out my parents old bed sheet and taught parachute games. We throw a few small balls in the center of the sheet, then everyone grabs an edge and raise the sheet over our heads. The balls launch up in the air and everyone tried to catch them. Other kids are content to just run underneath the parachute while it’s in the air. Every kid loves it! Sorry mom but I don’t think I can bring that sheet back home now, it’s too popular!

I got a lot of great photos of the kids at school. This has been my photo taking week so my camera is close to full. I have enough for my safari this weekend though. Fran, another volunteer, and I are headed on a 3 day Murchison Falls safari with a boat cruise to see hippos, and treking to find giraffes, lions and monkeys I hope. I’ll let you know if  I’m a natural Ace Ventura out her or if the most I see is a group of goats on the way to the falls.

Thanks for sending the notes! Its nice to hear from home. Only 12 days left but I’m not too rushed to get home. Still lots to experience.

Talk to you soon!!

Love, Anne

The plane wasn’t as bad as I thought almost 40 hours in the air/airports and only my sleep got messed up. I think so far the smell of Rwanda is the most surprising, not that it is bad at all, just such a scent that is so foreign and different. I’ll try to describe it later on. This place is beyond beautiful!

The internet is pretty unstable so far so. I will post as many entries as I can. Tomorrow I meet with everybody I’m working with and get settled in at FVA. Walked around some of the local streets last night and I received some strange looks and a few laughs, comes with the territory i guess! Still very excited and can’t wait to get to work.

Wanted to say I quick hi to everybody at Jack Miner in Scraborough! You guys have done an amazing job! Keep up the good work and I’ll have some pics very soon for everybody.

Ryan

Finally getting this journal started!  Two months from now I will be flying out to Uganda!  Excited, somewhat nervous, and overall blessed, I’m finally on my way to fulfilling a dream/vision that I’ve had for so long.  To experience the manifestation of a consistent prayer started so long ago is such an indescribable blessing that leaves me stunned and speechless.  Keep me in your prayers!

Little-by-little we are approaching the end of this trip. I cannot believe how rapidly the time is flying by! It seems just as I am hitting my one-month stride here, the number of days until we fly home is ever-decreasing.

I am truly starting to love this country and these people, and as I become more comfortable with basic language skills, customs, and local travel, I  enjoy my time more and more. We have been slightly more autonomous at the clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays (though we are still not super comfortable with diagnosing conditions and prescribing medications, as Teresa, the volunteer Kenyan nurse is able to do). Also, it seems people in the camp are more comfortable with our abilities and approach us with other issues even when the clinic is not open. This is both encouraging and overwhelming as the health needs are great and we lack the resources (financial and otherwise) to help much.

This phenomenon is something I have been thinking on a lot. While I did not come here intending to “change the world” (per se), I did hope to make some significant differences for the community, or at least some individuals. However, I am beginning to realize that simply being here speaks volumes to these people who are incredibly relational, and in their timeless days, always invite us in for Chai. Many, though they still ask for our financial assistance, have said they feel we care for them simply by the act of coming here. Also, I think God may have put me right here not only to love on these people, but to pray, fiercely and specifically.  I have to remember to bring these things to mind and heart daily.

On Tuesday near the end of the day, I saw a woman suffers from epilepsy. As there is a stigma associated with having “fits” here, and because she didn’t know we carry Phenobarbital at our clinic (this is a medication often used to suppress seizure activity), she never came to see us. As a result her seizures became out of control after she ran out of her prescription and last week while seizing, she fell into the jiko (like a small charcoal cook-stove) and now has second degree burns to her left hand. She was brought into the clinic by her sister for a dressing change. Her burns were initially treated at the hospital (how they were able to get there and pay for treatment, I do not know, but people seem to find a way here when the situation calls for it). and though I have only spent one year as a nurse on a Burn unit, there were very poorly treated. What I found when I unwrapped her hand (which was obviously excruciating for her- though I tried to be gentle- as we do not have anything stronger then Tylenol with which to treat pain) were fingertips which looked gangrenous and finger webbing which was granulating (growing new tissue) together. I had to separate her fingers and after dressing the wound, we used some of our money to send her and sister to the hospital. I have since heard she was admitted and her sister has approached us several more times for money to pay portions of the bill.

On Wednesday we went to visit the East African Orhpanage, about a 40 minute drive from the camp by Matatu and Boda-Boda (motorcyles- so fun, but a little sketchy without a helmet). It is a beautiful place filled with healthy and apparently happy kids who number around 180. The place is run by 2 Australians and a bunch of employed locals. Anyways, with help from Mr. John, a very trustworthy community man whom I have employed as a Community Health Worker, and with donor money from back home (Sonja’s parents church) we were able to identify 11 orphans (living with relatives who cannot afford to care for them or meet their needs) and help the orphanage build them beds for the dorms. This coming week we will take the 11 kids to their new home! While this is great news (especially because some of the kids are HIV+ and have not yet started treatment- which the facility will ensure happens pronto!) many of the kids do not know yet that they are going as their guardians prefer not to tell them. Please pray that in the long run this will be something positive, rather than traumatic. This is one of the only ways to ensure safe shelter, regular food (3 meals a day), healthcare, and above all education until the completion of secondary (the orphanage also tries to find university sponsors for the kids!).

We have been following up bi-weekly with a woman who is mama to a sad and beautiful little boy named Victor. Though he is almost 13 months old, he does not walk and weighs less than 10lbs I would gander. We try to bring her Uji (porridge) for Victor though she apparently sells it to buy or make Busa (a maize beer- like Moonshine I guess?). We asked he if she would be willing to have Victor go to the above-mentioned orphanage and she instantly handed him over, which broke out hearts. We were happy she wanted us to take him to a place where he will be fed and cared for, but her haste was alarming. Sadly the shosho (grandma) disagreed and he will staying where he is. Please pray that he will live to see his 2nd birthday- we follow-up often, but have no idea what goes on at home.

On Thursday we went to the clinic, as we have done on our Tuesdays and Thursdays past here, however, there was only one mama with her mtoto (child). After treating her and a few others (people flock to the clinic the moment they see it is open), we began our trek through camp to make home visits to individuals and families who we have identified as vulnerable. We were approached from all sides for finances, all for varying health needs, school fees, or small business projects, and all very deserving, but most of which we could not support as we do not have funds enough for all. It is really discouraging to feel limited in that sense, especially when the requests are so legitimate.

One new project I will be helping with is funding the Mamas of kids with disabilities to take their children- most with Cerebral Palsy- for physical therapy twice per week in town. For ~$18 Ca/week, 3 moms and their 3 children can attend PT- amazing and very necessary for these inspiring smiling women and their kids. I cannot imagine the challenges of caring for a severely disabled child in a developing nation, much less as a displaced person.

Anywho, please, if you remember, pray for “Fun Day” tomorrow. I want to see the kids in camp play as kids, and not carry out violence on one another. I am really excited and hope it will be wonderful!

One week today we will head back to Nairobi and I will connect with World Vision to go visit my sponsor child, Sei, whom I have never met but have been sponsoring for about 7 years. We have written back and forth many times and I think we are both really looking forward to the visit!

On a happy note, we have chai and mandazi (like a deep-fried Chapati) with a beautiful 51 year old mama of 9 (who has a 1 year old). Despite the fact that 6 of them sleep in one single bed in a leaky tent and that they have no money, she did not fail to roll out the red carpet for us, and even served us eggs (quite an honor in terms of food here).  Her ever-positive nature and kindness to us and her family was uplifting and a pleasant end to yesterday.

Missing you all and thinking of friends and family often.

Love,

Ali