RAY OF HOPE 2014: Greetings to Glide Church from Evelyn and Hendrika

Little Ray of Hope staff, Teacher Evelyn and Community Health Worker Hendrika send greetings to GLIDE.

 

RAY OF HOPE 2014: Empowerment!

Kirsti with the workshop participants

Kirsti:

Today was a day for me to dig in and work hard. Part of the work I am doing in Nairobi is with two small non-profits, eMentor and Youth Banner. Both programs support entrepreneur’s by giving them training and mentoring to start their own businesses. The work I am doing this week is with individuals who have gone through training programs, and have been out running their own businesses for a period of time. The workshops I am leading focus on how they can build a solid foundation for their businesses and how to grow them.

Kirsti teaching skills to empower!

We had everything from rice and potato farmers, to caterers, clothing merchants, tailors, graphic designers and hawkers.  We did a lot of the work that I would normally do with clients – defined their core values, their SWOT analysis, what their brand promise is and how they will measure their success.  We spent time practicing their “pitch”, developing their messaging and putting together their execution plan. A lot of work for one day, but so valuable.
 
So, what did I learn,~ you ask. Very simply that the gifts I have been given to do this work, need to continue to be given. Plain and simple. The last two days of being immersed in the school system gave me a strong foundation to work from in offering examples and suggestions. The ability to tell stories from local organizations made all the difference. I’m grateful to the schools we visited earlier this week, who shared their visions with me. As well, I am grateful for the amazing women I continue to meet, who are building their communities, one step at a time.


Karen:

Hendrika and Evelyn teaching Karen how to correctly use
a toilet

Coming to Kenya will either put you in a faith crisis tailspin or make God more real than you ever thought possible. And sometimes you experience both within hours of each other.

Today I heard stories of corruption and greed that cause so many to suffer. I saw hungry and sick adults and children. From the safety of a car, I saw people sitting on garbage heaps, hawkers accosting passers-by, and shanty-town after shanty-town. I saw gorgeous deluxe housing shadowing the tin shacks of people living in a 12 by 12 room with entire huge families. I saw a sink drain with no connecting pipe once it passed through a wall, so the dirty water just fell to the floor of the next room.

How can people have so little when there is so much wealth in the world? Where is God in the midst of this injustice and suffering?

One acquires quads of steel when using
the toilet here

And then I see the resilience of the people. People who are doing so much with so little! People with dreams deeper and wider than mine. People who live in the midst of suffering every day and meet it with joy. People whose hearts keep opening up to others in need, to share what little they have with no sense of scarcity.

And it is there, right there in the laughter of these resilient people, that I see God.

It's always great to connect with folks from home: Kirsti and Karen had dinner with Glide member Josh Biddle, and San Franciscan Mike McCaffrey and his girlfriend Sara Quinn. Mike works for MicroSave and has set up and institution to do research and training on the use of cell phones for financial services and Sara works the International Potato association which  promotes sustainable agriculture

RAY OF HOPE 2014: Upcountry!

Karen:

Today, we arrived at the Learning Center to pick up Alfred. Even though we had a long day's drive ahead of us, tea and mandazi (doesn't every culture eat some version of fried dough?) were waiting for us when we arrived. So we sat with our Ray of Hope friends while children arrived to the Little Ray of Hope. Once we finished, we were on the road!

The students posing for Classy Martin, who taught them
how to hula on our last trip!

We stopped at two public schools in the local area first, seeing Ray of Hope students in their new schools. I really enjoyed seeing the variation in all the schools we visited. Unlike in the US, the public schools are very good quality. While they are still simple in comparison to US standards, they strive to give a well-rounded education, even with their limited supplies.

After visiting the local schools, we headed up county to check on one more student--Sharon--who is at a (public) girls boarding school. It was a two hour drive, and as we left the city behind, the scenery grew more green and lush. The air smelled clean and fresh (except when a diesel-fueled vehicle passed us).

We turned into the school and waited to meet with Sharon. The school is in the shadow of Mt. Kenya, which was covered by clouds. It was lunch time and we saw students smiling, laughing, running. Cows and chickens roamed amongst the students on the playground. A shipment of food supplies arrived and several of the girls ran to help unload the food. There was a sense of safety here that most girls never can feel when they are in Kwangware.



Karen with a student at the Girl's boarding school

We spoke with the headmistress, and I was struck by how disciplined life is at the school: rise early, do chores, lessons, more chores, more lessons, homework time, dinner, more homework time. Sunday is the only day this schedule eases a bit: church in the morning, homework, and then "entertainment". The headmistress said that for the last two weeks the girls have been watching the film "The 10 Commandments".  Entertainment has a very different meaning in Kenya!


Alfred with his grandmother

Alfred mentioned that his family was lived nearby. We asked if he could take us there. It was so much fun watching him get more and more excited the closer we came to his family home. Back into the country we went, the dirt road barely wide enough for our vehicle. Four generations live on this coffee farm, their tiny cement homes clustered together. As we arrived, they began to gather to greet us, with smiles and hugs. It is so amazing that when there is love, language barriers disappear--love has its own language that goes directly to the heart.

Kirsti:

Once again, I am struck by what Community really means.

 

Alfred's family

One of my favorite things about singing with the Glide Ensemble, are the times when we are working on a song, and everyone is sitting on the risers, as close as we can because there are so many of us. We come in every color, shape and size. And yet we sit, close enough that you can’t help but touch someone on either side, and more if you are lucky.  It’s those few moments when I look around, and am so grateful for the community that I am a part of. A community of people who love and support each other, and who are not afraid to be physically close together.
 
In Kenya, I am so conscientious of how many people there are here, and how closely they live together. Children at the Ray of Hope school sit so close that there is no open space on the tables they learn at. On the busses and public taxi’s, people are nearly sitting on each other’s laps. It can be uncomfortable ~ we Westerner’s are used to “having our space”.  And yet, I think we miss out on something.
 

Alfred, Kirsti and Grandma

Today we had the pleasure of visiting our friend Alfred Gatimu’s family in a small farming town called Karatina. Alfred’s family has a large piece of land that they farm on. There are 8 small buildings on the land, where the family all lives together. We were lucky enough to meet many of his family members, who welcomed us with open arms, and asked that we come back and stay with them the next time we are here.

 The gift that I received today was unconditional love from people I just met. And while we are not a culture of living closely together, there is a lot I can do just to continue to give that love. So, my friend Dominique, be prepared for a big hug when I get home!

RAY OF HOPE 2014: School Days

Kirsti:

The first time I traveled to Kenya, I was taught (in an oh-so-loving way) that it was important to not force my Western standards on a country whose culture is quite different than mine. The lesson has been a difficult one to learn, and today I found myself really questioning my own assumptions of how “things should be.”
 


Josh, Teacher Alfred, Kirsti with three students

We visited five schools today, where children that formerly went to the Ray of Hope Learning Center, now attend. We saw a public school that looked and felt like it could be the twin to Ray of Hope. The classrooms were made of tin, and the rooms were filled with children as young as 2. The facilities themselves were minimal, but the children were working hard. We could hear the teachers with their styles that are still the model brought by the British. Lots of repetition and very strong, stern voices.
 
We visited the Kawangware Primary School, which is a public school, in the heart of Kawangware. The school is run by Milliam Kelonye, who proved to be not only a strong advocate for education, but also a strategist, financial officer, counselor and chief advocate for 1500 students, 23 teachers, and many, many families. The first thing I noticed when we walked into her office is that there is a large poster with the schools core values on it, a very specific “report card” to measure the success of the school, and a large SWOT analysis that had been done for the school. I was in heaven! A school with a plan! And a headmistress who clearly cared about her students and could speak of our 9 children from Ray of Hope by name. We also had a chance to visit with the Ray of Hope kids, all of whom seemed happy and thriving in the environment. It was an amazing testimony, again, to the vision and persistence of a woman who is determined to make the best of a hard situation, and bring the highest standard of education to the lives of the children in her school.

Today's lunch at the Little Ray of Hope was a Glide team favorite: Green Grams

Karen:


Today, Kirsti, Josh and I travelled throughout

Karen, Teacher Alfred, Teacher Evelyn, and Josh

Kwangware to visit Ray of Hope students in their new schools. These students' academic journey began at Ray of Hope--a place where orphans and other vulnerable children found safety, love and family. It was where they learned how to sit at a desk, hold a pencil, and begin to discover the world beyond the slum. Once a child had a financial sponsor, the student moved to a formal school.

It was very moving to see these students: we at Glide first met them five years ago--now many are young men and women! They were proud to be met at their school and tell us what they liked (or didn't like!) about their school.

Children at the Little Ray of Hope

The Ray of Hope staff worked hard to place the students in schools near their homes.  Still, every morning at 6am, the students come to Ray of Hope for breakfast (most would not have had anything to eat since lunch the previous day). Once they downed their porridge, off the students go, walking to their schools. Many return to Ray of Hope after school for tutoring and other guidance.

Evelyn, Alfred, Hendrika, and Agneta have created a family for children. This family helps children who would otherwise be without the emotional and physical support to continue going to school. One of the schools we visited had 1500 students. The headmistress shared with us the struggles of providing education for children in the slums. Malnourishment, abandonment, HIV/AIDS, abuse and a lack of funds to adequately staff a school are all issues that impact a child's education. She told us that more than half of the children who live in the slum are not in any school--with no family support or financial resources, the children are left alone in the streets. Many turn to drugs.

Sure enough, as we left the school, we passed literally dozens of young boys with bottles and bags to their faces, sniffing glue. Stumbling, faces contorted, they called out to us, some banging on the car as we drove by. This is my fourth trip to Kenya, and I have seen so many heart-wrenching things, but seeing all these young boys high in the street right outside the school yard was devastating.

RAY OF HOPE 2014: Sabbath Conversations

Karen:

Even Mission Teams go to church! This year, we attended the Kwangware Methodist Church, which is not a United Methodist Church (like Glide) but is part of the Methodist Church Kenya, which was once a part of the British Methodist Church. We had visited this church the first time we came to Kenya in 2009. We made it in time for the Youth Service. When the preacher began, I was a little nervous about his stated sermon topic, but was surprised to hear his interpretation of "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." It was about the radical turning to and living into God's realm. At one point he said, "Faith is not democratic." Hmmm, where is he going with this? "Faith is not democratic because in a democracy majority rules, which means there are always losers. In the Kingdom of God, all are equals."

A street scene in Kwangware

We were joined by former Ray of Hope teammate Josh Biddle (see yesterday's blog for more info) and had a long lunch at a Chinese restaurant. We made it back to the Methodist Guest House in time for tea (a ritual that remains post-British colonization). The three of us talked for hours. There is so much we don't understand about Kenyan culture. Having time with Josh, who has been living here since October, helped somewhat, but even he says that there is still so much to learn.

This is why we are here. There have been changes to the Ray of Hope organization around structure, funding, and staff. The impact of these changes are striking. Before we bring another group here, we are trying to learn from our Kenyan friends how we can best support them as they care for the most vulnerable ones in their community. Tomorrow, we will be out in the community visiting schools where the older children are now attending. It will be another day of listening and learning!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers, as well as the staff and children at Ray of Hope!

Kwangware

Kirsti:

This morning, we were fortunate enough to attend the Methodist Church of Kawangware. And when we arrived, they were singing “Our God is an Awesome God”. I couldn’t help but think that the world is so enormous - and yet, here I was 9,072 miles away, singing a song that we sing at Glide. I am reminded again, that my community is made up of people around the globe who I care for and love. What a gift I have been given.

RAY OF HOPE 2014: Back with Friends

KIRSTI:



The youngest class with their morning porridge

They say it takes a village.

Today, we spent the day in what could be considered a small village. Four small classrooms with nearly 100 children crammed inside of them. And teaching them are two teachers who have done an amazing job of not only teaching the basics for school, but the basics of life.

Evelyn Waneloba and Alfred Gatimu are two remarkable teachers in this tiny learning center in the heart of Kawangware, Kenya. Kawangware is the second largest slum outside of Nairobi, home to over 400,000 people. In this small learning center called Ray of Hope and Little Ray of Hope, Evelyn and Alfred and a small group of others, make sure the children are clothed and fed each day before they go to school. The older group of children, all go to public schools during the day, and get their breakfast and tutoring at the Ray of Hope. The Little Ray of Hope is home to over 50 children from ages 2 – 7 who are being taught the basics before they can go to public school.




Kirsti with Gabriel, whose birth she attended
the last time we were here

The true story here, however, is Evelyn’s story. She is a single parent, who has adopted (brought home) 4 children, in addition to her own at home. She lives in a modest home in Kawangware and is not only raising her own children, but making a living teaching others during the day. When the funding changed for the Ray of Hope, there wasn’t a spot for Evelyn to continue in a paying job. In the midst of going to college and getting her teaching credential, Evelyn decided to open her own “Little Ray of Hope” and brought young children in to the learning center. But she made one minor change. Instead of being dependent upon the funding from an outside source, she gathered the resources of the community, and asked families to pay what they could, for their children to go to school. While sometimes the pay comes in the form of money, other times it comes as food, or clothing, or whatever a family has to give to help with the cost.



Teacher Evelyn (left) and community worker
Hendrika (left) with student Brian

Evelyn is the true story of success here. She went from being an employee of a foreign sponsored non-profit to a strong role model in the community, finding a way to make her business work for all that are involved. Yes, it takes a village. And sometimes, it just takes a strong will to move forward and  love to make it work.

KAREN:

Today we arrived at the Little Ray of Hope in Kwangware. This is where Glide teams have come for the last three trips. The agenda for this trip, however, is much different. Instead of providing programming, we are here to listen and learn. There have been many changes in the program since we were last here, and we want to understand the changes better, so we can best support the amazing work that is being done here.

When we arrived at the learning center, we were greeted by four of my heroes: teachers Alfred and Evelyn, community health worker Hendrika, and cook Agneta. These four have committed their lives for caring for vulnerable children: orphans and those who are HIV+. When a child loses a parent, or the parent abandons the child, these four think nothing of welcoming the child into one of their (already overcrowded) homes. Every additional child means a greater strain on their already meager resources, but that does not deter them one bit. Their understanding of family and community is far wider and deeper than anything I have ever seen anywhere else. Resources are meant to be shared, not hoarded or stored up. We at Glide say, "If someone is hungry, you feed them." Here at the Learning Center, if a child is hungry, an adult will make do with less to make sure the child has some food. Imagine a world where we all made that kind of commitment to each other!

The children welcomed us with song, as they always do. There were so many new young children! Most of them do not yet speak English, so we had fun communicating beyond words. We played together and then in the afternoon, Kirsti led them in a craft. She had brought plain t-shirts for the children to customize as their own, using magic markers.



Our newest Glide enthusiast!
 

After leaving the learning center, we went to a hotel to have dinner with a new Ray of Hope representative from the States, to learn more about the changes to the program. As we were eating, GLIDE member Josh Biddle strolled in! Josh was on our first Ray of Hope trip and fell in love with the people of Kenya. He is here on a Fulbright Scholarship as part of his medical training (he is studying to be a doctor at UCSF). He came here last fall and will return to the states in June.

It was great to see him and hear of all he is learning here. He will stay down here while we in Nairobi, so look forward to having more time with him.

RAY OF HOPE TRIP 2014: Jambo, Kenya!

2014 Ray of Hope Team: Kirsti Tcherkoyan
and Pastor Karen Oliveto

Finally, after two days of travel, we have arrived safe and sound at the Methodist Guest House. This year our flight itinerary had an 18 hour layover in Zurich. We both felt it was actually a good thing to break up the trip: having the longer layover gave us time to get exercise in the sun and also deal with jet lag.

Our flight to Nairobi arrived at around 7:30pm. We didn't leave the airport until nearly 9pm because one of our bags did not arrive. As previous teams know, each team member limits personal items to just carry on luggage, so that we can check two bags each containing supplies for Ray of Hope (each bag weighing 50 pounds!). So the missing bag contains supplies, which hopefully will arrive to the Guest House tomorrow.

We received a warm welcome from the reception clerk, Timothy, who remembered us from previous Glide trips. The entire staff here are very helpful and friendly. They had us in our rooms in no time.

A room at the Methodist Guest House

Tomorrow, we will be going to Little Ray of Hope to be reunited with our Kenyan friends! And joining us on Saturday or Sunday will be Glide member and former Ray of Hope teammate Josh Biddle, who is in Kenya for part of his medical training!

Day Eight: A Day of Worship

Craig:

As we were saying goodbye at the Learning Center yesterday, Evelyn the head teacher made a statement that they had little to give.   We had each received some beautiful gifts from Evelyn and the Ray of Hope team; we were also given warm, delicious meals each day prepared from scratch over a charcoal fire on the balcony; we learned many lessons about how we might live our lives differently, as well as lessons about ourselves and our attitudes; we experienced effusive love at every turn.  Our blog is full of examples of what we have received from our Ray of Hope friends.  

It’s difficult to say that we could offer anything close to what was given us if the tables were turned and we were the hosts in San Francisco.    This all comes back full circle to the question we asked ourselves at the start:   “How can we make a positive, lasting impact?”     Of course we can offer material possessions and money-   the uniforms have not been replaced in some time and they are frayed and tattered; the concrete floors have large craters in them; pay raises have not been given in some time.    Ray of Hope is like most other non-profits:  they struggle to make ends meet.   Their website shows what our gifts will do:

http://www.rayofhopeinternational.org/

More importantly, we can continue our work to build a long term relationship with Ray of Hope that will yield many lasting benefits.    We can help guide the organization’s future with our support:  for example, what is the vision for next steps in the computer lab?     We can tell Ray of Hope’s story-  more sponsorships  (about US$550 per year) are needed for the children ready to go to public schools.    We see some of the children turning into men and women- for those who will not get into college, how can we help them learn a trade?

The Ray of Hope model works- projects are guided by the aspirations and self-identified needs of the communities served, and with just a few exceptions Ray of Hope employees live in the communities served.

Craig and Angela viewing the inside of a classroom
at Dr. BT Cooper School

It’s difficult to believe that we could give the people of Ray of Hope as much as they have given us.   If you had just two pieces of bread left, would you give one piece to a visitor?   If you had just $1 left in your wallet, would you give it to someone who needed it even more?   These are the lessons we saw first-hand in Kawangware; truly practicing these lessons is how we can make a lasting difference.

Angela:

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Today we worshiped at another UMChurch in Nairobi, which was a distance from the guest house, it gave us an opportunity to see another section of Nairobi, It is a church that has been established for some time. It was a sizable physical structure , given Kenyan standards, that has several worship opportunities during the week for adults and children.

Rev. Karen preached the sermon of the morning, with Pastor Freda translating. It was a pleasure to watch them work together spiritually to give the message, "It is Well With My Soul."

After service we walked to the school that the church sponsors for children who are orphaned in the neighborhood.  Their enrollment is 132, classes will start on 4 September for the Fall semester.  The teachers are not paid a standard teacher's salary. The school teaches from pre-school to high school. Most of the children who attend the school live with their relatives or guardians. The church is currently renting the structure where the school is housed, they are hoping to raise the funds needed to purchase the property.

When we returned from the tour of the school, a sign of traditional Kenyan hospitality, we were served a delicious meal. Another example of people who have so little willing to graciously share what they have with strangers. The generosity that has been shown to us has been overwhelming.

The pastor and members of the Praise Team, were given CDs of the Glide Ensemble as a token of our appreciation of their hospitality.

The members were very welcoming, and were very accommodating in answering  our questions as we walked to and from the school.

It has been a blessing to be a part of this team, everyone brought their best self to this trip, and gave their all to the children.

I was received warmly by the team, for that I am grateful. Now there's a bond between us that shall bind our hearts forever.

Miscellaneous Facts I've Learned or Observed of Kenya

-Because the electricity is so expensive and unreliable there are phone charging shacks, where you pay 10 \= (the symbol for shillings) to charge your phone. The majority of Kenyans have cell phones.

-The majority of Kenyan men I observed to be clean shaven, I saw a few goatees but no full beards.

-At the Crocodile Park, non-Kenyan citizens paid more than Kenyan citizens. I was told that I looked too American, to "pass" for a Kenyan.

-Kenyans work a six-day work week.

- Lotto and Scratchers have come to Kenya, and there are several Casinos in Nairobi.

-Their presidents are elected for a five year term, and can serve two consecutive terms.

-There are 40-45 tribes in Kenya.

-For weddings the bridal cars are decorated with fresh flowers.

Following worship, a group photo

-Addiction to glue has become a problem, initially it is sniffed to take away the hunger pangs.

Kirsti:

What is Community?

I learned a long time ago as I was raising my family, that family is not necessarily defined by blood. Family is whoever you consider to be your family. But when it comes to community, I have always had a strong sense that I want to give my time, efforts and gifts to the community I live within. It's not hard to see the needs of people all around me.

This week has changed my definition of community. I now have friends that I care for deeply, that are a part of my community. They are geographically far away, and yet, they are still a part of my community. Their needs are as real and as important as the needs of the people in my geographic community. 

The question now is, how will I continue to serve them?

Karen:

The Dr. B.T. Cooper school

Today we worshipped at the Kayole United Methodist Church. It is the first United Methodist Church in Nairobi (1996). The worship was spirited—almost like contemporary Pentecostal. I had been invited to preach the sermon, and as I was preaching it was being translated by a clergy sister, which was a wonderful experience of sermon-sharing!

Following worship, our hosts gave us a tour of a school they run. It was a small compound with a gravelly courtyard. Classes—with rough floors and tin roofs, were on the perimeters of the courtyard, as were several (pit) bathrooms. The school mainly serves orphan children, and once again I have been so moved by witnessing the depth of our new friends’ commitment to serve the most vulnerable in their communities.

Please keep Robin in your prayers. She stayed in bed all day and is running a high fever.

  

Classy:

As I sit here and write about today. Listening to the rain became so painful when it use to feel to relaxing. Thinking of the children who live in small homes that sleep on the floor. With holes in their roofs and rain easing in under the door. I feel so sad knowing that they are suffering right now. I pray that they remain safe from thieves, who use the rain as a distraction to make their way into the homes. Every time I listen to the rain, it will remind me of the children we served this week. It will remind me to never forget what our mission at Glide is. To serve the marginalized. To feed the hungry, to cloth the sick, and always show unconditional love and acceptance. Let me not forget that no matter what, I can always help, even if its a simple payer. God, thank you for everyone we have encounter this week. We ask the you keep us all safe. We ask that you feed our souls with your presence.  Cloth us with your arms and heal us with your word. Amen

Christina:

Half a world away, the Temple at Burning Man is getting prepped to burn.  The Temple burns every Sunday before Labor Day, and rather than it being the party of all parties (like Saturday night's celebratory burning of The Man when 50,000 people gather in a circle 50-people deep to watch fire dancers perform and the wooden effigy burn). The Temple, on the other hand, is more a quiet place of reflection.  It's beautiful and silent in all its enormity, and it serves as a sanctuary that evokes reflection.  It's cathartic.  It's intense.  It's a quiet, yet spiritual safe-place that serves as time for pause, release and going deep. Real deep.

Offering a token of our appreciation to our hostess

While friends from all over the world are winding down after a week full of dust storms, interactive art, community, spiritual awakenings, intense emotional revelations, art-car hopping, radical inclusivity, radical self-reliance all while having moment after moment - - - while leaving no trace they were ever there in the first place, I sit at the Guest House our last night before we depart for our retreat tomorrow and am beyond grateful I was exposed to Burning Man 5 years ago.  I would not be on this journey today if it weren't for the experiences I gained on the Playa in 2008, 2009 & 2010.

This week, just like the transformative weeks that unfolded in Black Rock City, Nevada (the home of Burning Man), our team came together for one heck of a pilgrimage.  We experienced dusty conditions.  Food was sparse at times, but love was abundant. We made art.  We were self-reliant, yet, also taken care of by each other. We're even leaving Ray of Hope with no trace, or any burden of trash, per Kirsti's spot-on suggestion.

We depart for our retreat tomorrow, where we will all be able to begin our own decompression and self-reflection. However, before the mind can go there, I listen to the rain outside and can't help but wonder how this weather is affecting our new friends in the slums as their homes are being soaked.  Our new friends in Kwangware - and beyond - will be in our thoughts with the different seasons, with every bite of food, with every privilege granted, every breath taken and every fire burned.

Kwame:

Today we bring the body of our time here in Nairobi to a close.  We visited our second church during our stay, and the hospitality was once again warm and accommodating.  This church was in a part of Nairobi we hadn’t visited before. The area hosted a different level of living, more affluent then Kawangware, but still a slum.  It was something to see the disparity in lifestyles in such small vicinity.  Brand new large single-family homes on one side, slums on the other, all separated by a twelve foot wall.  It looks like the have-not’s are in the process of being pushed out.  All that said, it was good to experience another side of Nairobi.

Knowing our time here in Nairobi was coming to an end, I noticed something today.  I realized that in this short time that I had grown to become acclimated to Nairobi life.  I wasn’t so on guard at every moment as I once was.  Traveling on the Matatu’s didn’t seem to be as much of a death defying rollercoaster ride. And crossing the street today, a group of us signaled to each other and just crossed, amidst the speeding cars. When in days before it had been a well-choreographed group production, looking like a group of Americans I’m sure.  This past week has shown me that over time we learn to survive, whatever the situation wherever it may be.  I am proud to have been reminded of this in Nairobi visiting Ray of Hope     

Pastor Karen and Pastor Frida were sermon partners today

The Glide team enjoying a wonderful meal, provided by the Kayole congregation

Day Seven: Play Day

Agnetta the cook couldn't join us last night, so we gifted with with a GLIDE apron this morning!

 Kirsti:

Roomies Angela and Kirsti

I can't get enough of the singing around me. The children at the Ray of Hope school,  at church on Sunday, even here at the guest house where we are staying. People sing with such joy. Families in the park, kids on the bus. It is a language that has no boundaries. 

I recorded the kids on the bus singing today. Clap clap stomp, clap clap clap stomp. When one song ended, another started. They sang in Swahili and English. Everything from If You're Happy And You Know It, to hymns that now sound familiar. 

The music fills my soul. It is the end of a great day, with some amazing kids, playing in the park, and singing on the bus. 

Craig:

Craig talking with Evelyn

Today we had a chance to play outside.   The Learning Center does not have any open space or grass, so the children do not get any regular exercise while in school.     After a trip to a local animal park, we spent the afternoon at a very large city park near downtown Nairobi.    Soccer balls, basketballs, jump ropes and hula hoops were flying around everywhere.   The shrieks of laughter, cheering, racing, singing and dancing said it all-  it was great to take time out from the day to day worries of life and just play.

Our goodbyes were expressed by hugs with each child, and we promised we would be back again soon.

Ominous sign at the crocodile park: No Pets Allowed and
management will not be responsible for lost children!

Angela and Kirsti and a baby crocodile

Christina:

Day after day, the spirit of generosity rings true at Ray of Hope. 

Christina and the children

If some food remains after all of the children and staff are served lunch, a few (not all) of the children may get seconds.  Nothing goes to waste - and more importantly - those that don't get seconds never complain.  The same was true playing games or doing creative projects.  No one snickered or sneered if someone received more furry balls or pipe cleaners than the person sitting next to them.  This is going to sound cliche, but when one child is happy, the other children are happy for them.  Truly.  And it's genuine.  There is no bitterness or animosity.  No greed or entitlement.  Just love.  Having spent 6 days straight with the children, relationships and trust were formed, and each of their respective personalities had the chance to shine. Some kiddos had sass.  Some were shy.  Some loved attention.  And others, without many different material items than the rest of their peers except, perhaps, an item or two, had a fun flare or distinct style - however, one thing is true: these children look out for one another and love each other deeply.  Alfred teaches all of the children, primarily the boys that come in, to be role models for each other - regardless who is older in age.  A moving story Hendrika shared today was learning about Richard's transition to Ray of Hope recently.  Again, he came homeless with barely any clothes on his back.  One of the girls (if memory serves, it was one of the Sharons)  was the first to give him an extra shirt because she had two. And quickly thereafter, Richard had a pair of socks, a pair of shoes and a sweater.  All of these items were immediately gifted to Richard within 2 days by the children without prompting.  They wanted him to have what they have.  As Alfred explained, this is simply their nature.  This is how they show love.  They are kind.  And they are selfless. And they are generous.  May we all be inspired to be as giving - and loving - and compassionate as these individuals. And while I'm 20 years their senior, *they* have been *my* teachers this week.

Angela:

IT IS WELL

Today was the last day with the children, the week went faster than expected.  The children were not given a meal before we left today, because in the past they were so excited about the trip, they got sick.

Angela ensuring that teacher Evelyn can see the
children dance

The Crocodile Park was our first stop, and it was a new experience for everyone. The crocodiles were plentiful. I have never touched a crocodile before, but our guide picked up a baby crocodile and allowed us to touch it. The adults were just as excited as the children.

I was impressed with the number of older kids who on their own brought their small journals with them today, and were taking notes as the guide spoke.  We also got an opportunity to touch and hold turtles.

The ostrich and giraffe were an interesting combination of animals to see in the same fenced-area together. In an open field, without any restraints were several beautiful horses, who were not bothered by the presence of the children.

After a short visit to the Crocodile Park, we went to a park that was large enough for the kids to run free, play ball, jump rope, play basketball and be kids. Seeing the kids unabashed joy while running, reminded me of the small spaces that they spend most of their time in, home and school.  The yard as school, is a courtyard of an apartment complex; where at times games are interrupted by a car either coming in or going out of the courtyard.  But today they could run,run, and run. The kids singed on the bus, one of the songs that Classy taught them, and religious praise songs, to and from the Ray of Hope.

Back at Ray of Hope, we lined up to receive goodbye hugs from the kids. The kids, gave great hugs, and said thank you repeatedly. Kids who less than a week ago were total strangers, today were a part of my extended family. I did not feel sad, it felt as if I was saying goodbye to a relative that I expected to see in the near future.

One of the hardest things for me during the week, was looking at the Ray of Hope neighborhood kids, who would stand in the gate, or on the stairs looking at our kids, wanting to play or go to class. Every day the same kids would gather, and you knew that these kids were not getting, nor probably would ever get an education.

I am physically tired from activities of the week, but it is well with my soul!

Robin:

Robin playing with a hula hoop

This is always our favorite day, when we go on an outing with the teachers and students of Ray of Hope. We had a great time at Nairobi Mamba Village, where everyone got to touch a baby crocodile (with big teeth!).

Then, on to the park, there the children (and all of us) get to play.  After an afternoon of play and eating chicken and chips (French fries) we were presented with gifts. This is one of the hardest parts of the trip for me, because they have so little, and yet they give each of us a gift in front of the children.

I am aware that the children probably don’t receive a Christmas or birthday gift, yet we are given so much from Kenyan friends. My hope is to remember this generosity and do likewise.

Robin, Angeline, and Hendrika doing the Macarena

Classy:

Today was a bittersweet. We had a wonderful day with all the children and staff. We took them to the African zoo and the park where for the first time this week they got to run wild.... It was good to play with them for hours none stop. The day went by pretty fast. At the end of the day we said our goodbye to the kids and staff. We all lined up and each kids and staff gave us a hug and said thank you...I told them I would see them again and they smiled. All and all, I am blessed and looking forward to next year!!!

Classy and the children dancing for Evelyn, was out sick all week.

Evelyn watching "her children" dance.

Karen:

Words cannot describe what it is like to see these children, who live in such tiny cramped quarters and then spend hours in a school room that is equally cramped, run wild through the park, playing soccer, jumping rope, hula hooping, and even (thanks to Kwame) playing basketball.

It is like seeing a spirit run free, unfettered. There is joy. There is laughter. There is blessedness.

Thank you, children and staff of Ray of Hope, for opening your lives, your community, your heart to us. We have been touched and changed by you!

Karen being dressed by the Ray of Hope staff

Agnetta taking on Kwame in soccer

With our Ray of Hope friends

Kwame and a new friend

A tired but happy team!