Day Five: Mixed Emotions

Kwame:

Kwame with one of the class projects

Day four at Ray of Hope was an incredibly eye opening one.  Six of us from the Glide team were escorted by the staff person I discussed in yesterday’s blog through the Kawangware slums, where we visited the homes of three of the clients she looks after.  The level of poverty was shocking.  What I saw will not soon leave my memory.  The experience was one I been waiting to have but the words to properly express my feelings have yet to come me.  I am speechless now, but the words will come.

Classy:

Classy and Hendricka caring for a sick child

For me, today was an emotional day. Started my morning off hearing the sad news of a good man, Tyler. It really set the mood for my entire day. I don't mean in terms of feeling sad and not being in the mood for seeing more sad things today. Instead, I focused on how precious life is and we must take advantage of everything GOD has given to us, and not take advantage of the families and friends and total strangers who can help us when we need it the most. We must always remember that no matter what, things do get better.

Visiting the families today really felt good. I've always heard stories and photo being shown, but it really opens you up to a whole new level of poverty and what people face every day. It also made me respect them that much more. With little they have, they are the most grateful. We should all be grateful. Rest in peace to Tyler Shaw and all the lost souls all over the world.

Robin:

Robin and Craig outside Ray of Hope waiting
for a matatu to take them downtown

I am at Nairobi Hospital with Evelyn for her follow up appointment and my heart overflows with gratitude for Evelyn’s improvement, and to be on a team with such amazing, talented people.  I am constantly in awe of their gifts, their openness and their capacity to love.  I am grateful to Craig, our team leader, for bringing us “The Carnival of the Animals” which is exposing the children to symphony music, different animals, and geography.  Craig is willing to strut like a lion (his elephant looks remarkably like a lion, too).  And I am very grateful to Craig for accompanying Evelyn and me to the hospital.  I am grateful to Karen for keeping us centered, and for her amazing ability to do magic, songs and games with the children at any moment.  I am grateful to Angela for bringing journaling to the children, for helping out anywhere she can and for keeping me humble.  I am grateful for Kirsti whose eyes have sparkled and whose smile has been contagious all week.  She has brought creative crafts that the children have loved and has also helped out in the clinic.  I am grateful to Kwame for his laughter, his easy ability to connect with everyone, and for saving my life twice so far (from moving vehicles).  I am grateful for Christina’s passion and vision to help children feel good about themselves and for keeping us on schedule.  I am grateful for Classy’s sheer joy of dancing with the children and for making me laugh often.  I am also grateful for my Glide family, wthout whom we would not be here. And for all those who have supported us, given supplies and donations.  We carry each of you in our hearts as we work in Kawangware.  Asante Sana.

Karen:

Today Hendrika took us out with her into the community to visit the people under her care as a community health care worker. She is a remarkable woman, providing advocacy, support and community for people who are suffering and have often been shunned for their HIV status.

The first home was Josephine’s. Like others in Kawangware, it was a small tin room with a small window and door. The six of us who made this trip with Hendrika felt a little claustrophobic, yet this is the type of home where often many adults and children live in. 

Josephine was HIV positive and also had TB which had progressed to a point that she could no longer use her legs and her back could no longer support her. It was difficult to sit with her, seeing her face contort with pain and watching tears slowly run down her face.

Hendrika softly spoke about the woman’s health history and her prognosis, all the time gently stroking Josephine’s foot. Another woman sat behind Josephine, providing support for her spine that could no longer hold her upright. Watching the way the women cared for her was a profound testimony to the power of community. 

As I sat there, I realized what a humbling experience ministry is. We are invited into people’s lives, often at the point of their greatest pain and suffering. To sit with someone when they are most vulnerable, when there is no easy fix for what they are facing, is hard, yet it is precisely into this place that God sends us. Because if we weren’t there, to be a witness not only to the pain but to the peace and strength that God offers, who would be?

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours

St. Teresa of Avila

Craig: 

I was thinking about the selfless giving of some people here when a homeless child unexpectedly enters into their lives.   Their homes are bursting at the seams, food is stretched thin, and yet here appears another child who has no place to go.    Queries to find homes for these orphans are often in vain, and sometimes there are no options.

How incredibly frustrating it must be to slowly realize that your vision and dreams for the future- a trip home, replacement of worn out clothing, a special celebration for one of your children-  probably aren’t going to play out as you hoped because another child needs a home and God’s plan looks to be that that home is yours.

To the person considering taking on another child, taking this step might feel like a huge sacrifice, one that most people will never appreciate or even consider.  There could be a lot of resentment of the situation.   Why me?!?   When do I get MY turn?    It would be so much easier to take an easier path and let someone else worry about the issue at hand.     Being forced to make an impossible decision like this must be so difficult!

Craig, Angela and Christina listening to Steven, who
makes prosthetic limbs

I started thinking that there are parallels to the parable of the prodigal son.   One man stayed home to meet his family obligations and in the end the family fortunes went toward his brother.  We often toil, working unrecognized, and then we are asked to sacrifice even more for the good of others.   Things don’t work out as planned or hoped for.   The situation just doesn’t seem fair.

But there is a much greater plan, and the payoff will be in ways we cannot imagine.    Life hands us situations that require large doses of selflessness for the betterment of others.    Time and again we are hearing stories here in Kawangware of people whose incredible faith has allowed them to keep strong, keep going, and make enormous sacrifices for others, confident that things will somehow work themselves out. What an inspirational lesson for us all. 

Angela:

VISITATION OR INTRUSION

Today we did not spend the entire day with the children. After the morning round of camp songs, we (6 + Hendricka and Angeline) were off to accompany Hendricka as she conducted her home visits. The walk took us deeper into the slum close to Ray of Hope, even walking through a garbage dump.

We were able to visit with three of Hendricka's clients: Josephine, Joseph and Helen ( 7 years old). All were HIV+ with complications of TB, and some having negative reactions to some of the medication that was prescribed. Josephine was in too much pain to even sit up in her bed, without leaning back on someone for support. The spinal surgery that she needs, she cannot afford, the landlord wants to evict her, and her mother has recently been hospitalized and she is unable to visit her mother, because she is unable to stand on her own.

All of the homes were in tin roofed and walled structures, that were the size of a SRO in San Francisco. Like a SRO there was no inside bathroom. There was no running water, electricity, and each home housed several people. During our visit there were eight of us (six of whom were strangers) attempting to fit in this very small space with an individual, that in Josephine's case was in constant pain.

We offered pray at each visit, and said that we would continue to hold them in our prayers.

These visits were troublesome to me, and I felt that it was an intrusion and stole some of the personal dignity of the individual being visited. I'm still troubled by the visits and I am attempting to work out the 'dis-ease' that I am feeling about the visits.

We also started to load the backpacks that we brought for the kids, with a Warrior's

t-shirt, pencils, erasers, coloring books, crayons, a small journal book. Tomorrow we will add the items that they made this week. We placed in the supply closet the supplies that Evelyn requested that can be used for the Fall semester.

The trip downtown on the bus, during rush hour, was like running an obstacle course. We paired up, and discussed the bus number to take if we became separated. We did not lose anyone, and we managed to get on an empty bus, so we could seat together. The buses have posted signs that we found interesting, and today we got to experience one of the prohibited acts on the bus. The signs say: "NO PREACHING, NO SMOKING, NO HAWKING." This was our first experience where the toll taker allowed two men onto the bus, one was selling socks, and the other was selling candy. When the toll taker saw a policeman in the area, she hid the 'Hawker'. We assumed that she was getting a pair of socks and a candy bar out of the deal. We encouraged Pastor Karen to start 'preaching', since the rules were so loosely enforced, but she declined our invitation to preach on the bus (now that's a visual).

 

Kirsti:

Lilly and Gabriel

Kirsti helping a child make a personalized tee shirt

There is so much to be thankful for. At 9:45 this morning, baby Gabriel took his first breath on his own. His mother Lilly, did a great job in spite of being frightened and alone. Lilly is 20 years old and has been coming to the Ray of Hope clinic sporadically during her pregnancy. She lives with her older brother but doesn't have any experience with babies. Her mother died when she was young and she has no sisters. 

After labor, Lilly was moved into a room to rest. I got to spend much of the morning and some of the afternoon with her and Gabriel. It's funny how going through labor with someone gives you such a strong bond with them. By the time we had to say goodbye, we were both in tears and promised to keep in touch. 

Gabriel and Lilly have a life ahead of them that I cannot imagine. I am grateful to have shared such an important moment with both of them. 

Christina:

Christina getting ready to play
a game with the children

Wow. Today was deep. Before the 7a hour even rolled around, Classy (my roommate) received very heavy news about a friend she, Pastor Karen and many others within the GLIDE community unexpectedly lost. Sincere condolences to the entire community who lost a dear friend, mentor or loved one.

Before 10a, now at Ray of Hope, we learned the story of one of Alfred's students.  This boy immediately stood out to me in an impressive way since Day One. Always helpful with cleanups after projects, kind, sweet eyes, softer spoken, and one heck of a dancer (which is actually an understatement) - this kiddo has great style with his Superman embellished belt, coupled with the way he wears his socks and kicks with purpose, and has a certain joie de vie that is truly endearing. However, he comes with a very dark, scary past. His father passed away leaving his mom a widow, and he was the only son among a few other sisters. In due time, his mom went on to have 5 more children with another partner, who immediately demonstrated pure hatred towards this boy - even threatening to kill this boy's mom if she ever brought her son home again.  This lovely boy was ultimately found homeless by Hendrika - sleeping underneath the table at street vendor near the ROH Learning Center. He was so dirty, and so drenched with filth and stench, that no one wanted to come near him.  Hendrika, after learning more about his situation by visiting his mother, brought him up to the Learning Center at Ray of Hope to give him a freezing sponge bath (their running water comes through a garden hose). However, Hendrika intuition enabled her to deal with the situation uniquely - by also taking two of this boy's step sisters at Ray of Hope - and now fast forward, due to the relationship Henrika created with the boy's step father, he is now accepted by this man, and safely living at home and off the streets. THIS is the kind of magic that Evelyn & Alfred (both teachers), along with Hendrika (case worker) do on a daily basis.

However, before the Noon hour even took place, the heaviness continued with trips to the respective homes of Josephine, Jaqueline, Joseph & Helen, all HIV+ patients in Henrika's Support Group. HIV is detrimental because it is a gateway to other life-threatening diseases, and most of the individuals we saw today also have TB. Josephine's story will be shared another day; however, we had a peek into tiny, little Helen's life...

Helen does not attend Ray of Hope at the young age of 7 - instead, Helen is a patient of Henrika's. Helen has HIV.  Both of Helen's parents died, leaving her behind with her little brother (age 3 or 4) and her older sister (age 20). Forcing the sister to provide for the family (with payments in bread slices), she leaves early every morning to go fishing and ultimately sell the fish, returning around sundown.  This little girl - who I would have guessed was 4 years old herself - is left alone all day long to tend to and watch over her little brother who runs around the slums playing, exploring with other children. Helen, with poor vision and bad hearing (a side effect from HIV drugs that never went away) is a blessing. A precious little soul, with the responsibility of the world, on her tiny un-knowing shoulders.  

Today, my soul is heavy.  I've never had so many individuals in my thoughts and prayers - it's an entire community - with some names I will never-ever forget.  Tonight, I will be sending them love, light and healing energy.  Tomorrow, I keep them in my thoughts, while continuing to send love, light and healing energy... and next week... I will continue to keep them in my thoughts.  And next month... they will still be in the same exact place.  Endless thoughts.  Endless energy.  Endless healing lights.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers, too.

Day Four: Not Just Surviving

Kwame:

Kwame with teacher Alfred

Today we got to meet some of the Ray of Hope’s women’s group.  One of the staff members, who heads this group, told us of her back story which led to the formation of the group.  I heard in her story the actions of someone who, seemed to be, completely selfless in her caring for others, at the same time, urging them to care for themselves. It was this theme that set my thoughts for the day in motion, back to this later.

  Once the teatime discussion with that staff member was through, we were escorted into a small room where 10 or so were waiting for us.  After a short introduction the group performed songs for us, the last of which we were invited to dance.  The songs were I would best describe as real authentic.  I enjoyed it all very much, and then we sold souvenirs.  That short experience reminded me of my mother. I thought to myself how much she would enjoy all of this and how I wished she was here.

  My thoughts for the rest of the day seemed to be focused on the fact that, all that I was seeing, learning and experiencing, I would never be able to forget! What seems to mean so little to us, means so much more to the people I am meeting here.  What can I do to help?  Where do I begin? 

Kirsti:

I spent most of the day working in the clinic today. We saw everything from typhoid to malaria. There was a mother getting ready to give birth, and a mother with 3 children under the age of 2, talking with us about family planning. 

I spent a lot of time with Mary, a 7 year old with an advanced case of malaria. I went through two rounds of seizures with her, a painful injection in her back, and she still had a smile for me when she woke up from a nap. A few of the other children I saw were afraid of me because they had never met a white person before.

I am reminded of how much I take my good health and healthcare for granted. The "maternity ward" here is a very old metal bed with a small table covered with a baby blanket, next to it. The mother who was there, was alone, and just waiting. I'm sure that by the time that I am writing this now, she has given birth and gone home. The medical team here does an amazing job of taking care of everyone - and graciously told me how much they appreciated the extra set of hands today.
It was a good day today. Full of hope and healing. We are all tired, but fulfilled with the opportunity to be able to have done so much.

Kirsti and Craig

Craig:

Each day we hear the stories of students at the Learning Center and of the families served by Ray of Hope’s Community Health Worker, Henricka.   Many children are orphaned or have a single parent who is sick with HIV/AIDS, often too weak to look for work.   The safety net for these families is tenuous at best; if parents die a relative may step forward to care for the children but often these guardians then become sick and die as well.   There are many children in Kawangware whose current living situations, as dire as they are, hang by a thread with the potential to get even worse.   What becomes of these children when there are no close relatives left or their guardians disappear?  We’ve met some incredible single parents who have taken in more and more children, stretching what little they have to provide a safe and loving home for children who would otherwise be living on the streets.

Ray of Hope serves many children in these situations.  Teachers Evelyn and Alfred and many others on the Ray of Hope team are like parents to the 50+ students and Learning Center alumni. In lives often swirling with great uncertainty, there is a safe place full of love for the children to come to.   After school hours the teachers sometimes get knocks on their doors in the middle of the night, young children, their students, looking for a safe place to escape to from a difficult situation at home.

The tireless, unselfish efforts of the Ray of Hope team truly provide rays of hope for many.

Angela:

Today we met with the Ray of Hope Women's Support Group. These are women who are HIV+, that come together to provide emotional and financial support to each other.

Angela with her class

Before we met with the women, Hendrika, who leads the support group, discussed how the group started, in 2004. She started counseling with five women, which at one point grew to 1000 women. Most of her counseling was done in the home of the women, who needed someone to care for them. By care I mean the basic necessities, food, water, caring for their children, getting their medication for them.

Being HIV+ the women were often abandon and or beaten by their husbands and family members, leaving them alone to fight this unknown disease and take care of their children. Hendrika  would bring the women food, clean the women's homes and themselves if needed. She is responsible for some of the children receiving an education at Ray of Hope school. She would bring children whose parents had died from AIDS, and or who might themselves be HIV+ to the Ray of Hope for an education.

Hendrika makes all of her visits on foot, through the slums of Nairobi. She talks about a time where being HIV+ could get a person evicted from their housing, so if someone saw her going to a home, the assumption was that person had AIDS.

Hendrika

Hendrika attempts to focus her counseling on pregnant women, so that the child can be born HIV-, and the mother can also get treatment. She also focuses on young women who see no other way to support themselves than to sell their bodies. They tell Hendrika, "that she may give them one or two meals, but what will they eat after that meal is gone." At the very least she encourages them to use condoms.

The group of women at the Ray of Hope meet every Wednesday, each woman donates 10 shillings (1.00 US = 81 shillings). They place the money in and bank, and some of the money they use to purchase materials that the women need to make their crafts. The women sell the crafts to support themselves and their families. The women had a display of items for us to purchase.

Hendrika does all of her counseling work, while being the mother of seven girls. Hendrika's energy and commitment to the women is boundless.

The children continue to be a joy, as I struggle to remember their names.  Of course the kids with the outgoing, and unique personalities stand out, but I make an effort to draw out the quieter kids, especially the girls. The kids really love arts and craft activities.

Karen: 

Today, we met with members of the women’s HIV support group.  Hendrika started this group in 2004, when HIV/AIDS carried much stigma as well as a death sentence. At one time, the group numbered 1000 women. While the stigma has lessened somewhat and drugs have made HIV/AIDS manageable, there is still a need for education and support. Additionally, through microfinancing, the women of the support group have created income-generating business projects.

Karen helping with some of the arts and crafts

Hendrika spoke to us briefly before we met the women. She said something so profound that hours later I am still reflecting on her words’ power. She said that one of the biggest things she does is help women accept their HIV status. As she said, “If you have accepted yourself, you will have life. If you don’t accept yourself, you will die.” Accepting one’s HIV status puts one on a course to doing something about it, which can manage the disease and ensure a future. But to run from it, to deny it, will only hasten death.

There is a truth here that runs beyond one’s HIV status, however.

If you accept yourself, you will have life. If you don’t accept yourself, you will die.

Robin:

Craig and I took Evelyn (one of the two teachers at Ray of Hope) to the emergency room yesterday for what turned out to be a serious infection in her foot. Thank you all for your prayers, she is much better today.  

Robin prepping for class

While we were at the hospital, the doctor told her how serious the infection was and gave her IV antibiotics. As we waited (for many, many hours), I thought, "What if something happened to her? Who would teach and love and care for these children?" Evelyn is their teacher but she is so much more. She has her own four children to raise by herself (her husband passed away from TB many years ago) and has taken in (and by this I mean added to her family) an orphan boy who is HIV positive (and who has been very ill this past year), a baby boy whose mother didn't want him (he is now three), and her niece when the child's mother abandoned her. Evelyn is also available to all the children of Ray of Hope any time of the day or night.

Craig and I walked to her home to check on her. We were accompanied by three boys from Ray of Hope. One of the boys told me that when his grandfather (who is raising the boy and his brother following the death of their mother) was very sick, Evelyn came by every day to take care of them.

Evelyn's home has two small rooms, no plumbing or water, yet she so generously gives what she has. I thank God that Evelyn is better.

Classy:

Classy and a friend working on journals

My day was pretty good. We got to the school around 8:15 and we were just as excited from the previous days. My class began working on their hula skirts and lei's. Each class room got to make either a lei or a skirt. They didn't care which one. They were just so happy to be making them. They couldnt wait to finish. Some even made more of what they had. We sung the Hawain song while making them and still, they weren't tired of the song. I am excited about tomorrow when we will put both groups together for the first time and sing the song with their lei's and hula skirts while dancing to it... I must say that I was really tired today. I didn't think I would be able to be as energetic as I was the previous days but that all changed when we got to the school and saw the smiles on their faces. Today was a good day!!!

Christina:

My soul is humming.  We had the honor of meeting 10 people from Henrika's Support Group today. Echoing sentiments from yesterday's blog: Hendrika is ONE heck of a woman. A visionary. A helper.  A life saver.  A motivator.  An angel.  Since 2006, Hendrika started counseling and supporting women who were diagnosed with HIV.  To date, she has had over 1,000 patients, and  currently has 30 individuals who have a newfound acceptance for living with HIV, and therefore, are choosing to live over dying - because she believes, if you do not accept who you are, you *are* dying.  When diagnosed with HIV, a person's immunity drops drastically, making them successible to TB and many other serious diseases.  Therefore, HIV is essentially a gateway to other life-threatening illnesses, and without education - or even acceptance of HIV in the first place - most of these women are looking at a more life threatening diagnosis' down the road.   The detail Hendrika went in to around the identification of need, care, support, treatment and education around what she does is so detailed, and I would love to elaborate further on a future blog, but am going to honor my body and get a good night's rest as tomorrow is going to be another long, intense day.  So more to come on this experience soon...

Day Two: Ray of Hope Homecoming

Angela:

Day of Anticipation

Angela and Kwame helping serve the
children lunch

Well after months of preparation, meetings, making lists, fundraising, today we meet the children. There is excitement among the team members, some because they will see old friends again, and children they have seen grow over the years; and others like myself, we are excited to see the smiling faces of the Ray of Hope children.

Much to our surprise, the driver was able to take us and the sixteen bags of supplies in one trip. The Ray of Hope is a short drive from the Methodist guest house, which was an asset at the end of the day.

We were first introduced to Florence, who gave us the history and tour of the clinic. Of course I was Florence's favorite, because her granddaughter's name is Angela, ( a fact that I created). It is beyond amazing the work and care that is given in the clinic, when it is so understaffed, and under-resourced. Patients come in desperate, with life-threatening conditions, unable to pay, but never rejected for non-payment.

We were told that three babies had been delivered the day before (Sunday) in the clinic, but much to my surprise, the mothers nor the babies were in the clinic on Monday. On average the women remain in the hospital 2-4 hours only after giving birth. We also learned that the reason why Kenyan women do not scream during childbirth, it is believed that the baby will die, if the mother screams.  

Most of the mother's giving birth are HIV+, but if a mother breast-feeds her baby exclusively for a year, the baby will be HIV-; what a miracle.

While we were in the clinic, the children came downstairs, and recited a poem to us, that expressed their gratitude for our visit, and the poem included each of our names. The poem, their singing and their smiles, nearly brought me to tears.

The two classrooms are small and crowded, with no individual desks or chairs. The children are very respectful, asking permission to go to the bathroom, which is a hole in the floor. They are given two meals each day, unfortunately for some of the children, when they leave on Friday, lunch will be their last meal until Monday's breakfast.

The children recite a prayer before eating, and if you can envision this, all will wait until everyone is served before they will start to eat. The oldest student is 18 years of age. There was one boy who was 12, and had never been to school, he was beaten by his father who is an alcoholic. He arrived at the Ray of Hope, without even knowing how to hold a pencil at the age of twelve.

My class assignment was Journaling. So I explained that it was their personal storybook, where they could write about their feelings, family, friends, favorite things, and draw pictures. Today we focused on personalizing the journals with their names and whatever drawings, decorations they wanted on the front and back covers. The artistic talent of the kids was great.

All day long we had two classes going at the same time, it was exhilarating to hear the laughter and joy coming from the two classes, which made the day of anticipation, more than I could have possibly imagined.

THANKS BE TO GOD. 

Florence giving a tour of the clinic

Classy:


Today was the first day of teaching at the ray of hope school. We were greeted by the ray of hope staff and a few of the kids. I taught the macarena to two classes that had 24 kids each. Each classroom was the size was 10 by12 . Though I thought to myself' wow how can they learn in such a tight space? How can they even move? The classroom was so tiny yet their love of learning was so strong that it didn't matter if they were squished together all day long. It didn't matter that they played, ate and learned all in the same small space with not one of them ever complaining. Quietly they waited to be fed. As we served each child, they gave us a sincere' thank you.' it was truly amazing.

I was overjoyed to see how they embraced me with their hand claps everytime we entered the room. Everytime I walked out and walked back in, they clapped and cheered. Today's dance was the Macarena. They had a blast and wanted more. Each child got to show me their favorite dance, and I then found myself wanting more. We were thirsty for each others teachings and happiness that we could not get enough. Seeing these kids and looking at what the they see and witness everyday is amazing. We learned the stories about each child, some who were beat by their fathers and kids who go all weekend without food and kids who are HIV positive and yet, they manage to be happy all the time. They always manage to rejoiced and keep a genuine smile on their face. It makes me so proud to share this experience with them. We danced ,laughed and played games all day and this is only the beginning!!!

Classy leads dance class

Kirsti:



Kirsti in the classroom

But Miss Scarlet…I don’t know nothin’ about birthin’ no babies

After we finished our tour of the clinic and school this morning, I went back downstairs to help out in the clinic. There were three babies delivered there yesterday and as it turned out, another since we had been there earlier this morning.  Baby and mom were doing fine, and would be ready to go home in 3-4 hours. The staff was very carefully monitoring them both as the mother had tested positive for HIV and hepatitis. I also learned this morning that an HIV+ mother can improve her child’s opportunity to be HIV- if she breast feeds the child for a year (while she is getting treatment) and does not feed the child anything other than breast milk.

The clinic has very limited offerings, but they do so much with what they have.

The rest of my morning was spent meeting a young pregnant mother and assisting with her charts and exam, holding the hand of my new friend Beatrice while she had a procedure done, and meeting with a very young and scared mother who needed treatment for an infection.

The clinic offers services for everyone who needs them. And for the mother who had her baby this morning, she will pay maybe $20 to help offset the cost of her lunch, a taxi to take her home, and the wages for the clinic staff.

The services provided are amazing for the needs of a community that are never-ending.

Robin:

Laughter and joy are the words that describe today!

Robin working on her maraca

We have waited so long to see our good friends again at Ray of Hope! After greeting each friend with tears of joy, and hearing the children sing to us, we started our prepared curriculum.

Classy taught dance, and hearing the older class laugh loudly, I had to see what was going on. Classy was laughing and dancing and the kids were laughing and dancing with joy!

Craig, Kirsti and I introduced the children to symphony music through “Carnival of the Animals” (a symphony written by Saint-Saens in which each movement depicts an animal).  Kirsti, using her whole body, did rhythm motions with the kids that got faster and faster until we ended laughing the kind of laughter that makes your stomach hurt.

The children colored maracas and used them to dance to the music. It was a special, wonderful day of laughter and joy!

Craig teaching

Craig:

It is good to be back with our Ray of Hope family!  August is a school vacation month, but the kids have come back this week for our enrichment curriculum full of dance, music, and arts and crafts.   The classrooms are extra full, as the 25+ kids who have graduated from the Ray of Hope Learning Center into the public schools are joining us for the week as well.    Robin, Kirsti, and I are organizing our week around the symphony “Carnival of the Animals”, with focuses in music, animals, geography and arts and crafts.   The class exploded with smiles when we brought out a variety of percussion instruments.    Everyone received a wooden maraca to decorate, and we ended the afternoon dancing and playing all of our instruments in a loud and energetic accompaniment of a video showing a percussion band on Venice Beach.

Christina:

Christina helping the students

Today was special in so many ways. Finally meeting the staff and children at Ray of Hope was powerful and seeing the fruits of our teams labors come to fruition after months of planning individual curriculums was cool because the children were so stoked to be dancing, making symphony instruments or decorating the covers of their new life journals.

My personal project this year is called the Reflection Project. Words can be similar to a living organism - capable of growing, changing, spreading and influencing the world in so many ways, directly and indirectly, through others.  Words boast self-belief, self-confidence and self-esteem. The reason why words have the power to affect others so much is related to personal identity.  Words are very powerful. If we hear words that are affirming, reinforcing of who we are and desire to be, we are likely to accept them as an accurate description of who we are, which then increases our motivation to fulfill and enhance that description even more. 

Every day, each student will pick a name out of a hat and deliver a compliment or affirmation. By the end of the week, each child will have delivered 5 complements to their peers, and in turn, will have received 5 in return. The children will also be making an arts and crafts project that will "come alive" over the course of the week. Plain white frames will ultimately burst with color using pipe cleaners, buttons, glitter, and feathers. And on the very last day, they will be gifted a mirror to put behind their frames.  The message here is to confirm how wonderful the children felt when they were receiving those daily complements and affirmations - but to communicate that there may be a span of time when they do not receive a complement or affirmation - but not to be discouraged. Because all they simply need to do is take a look in the mirror, see their powerful reflections for themselves, and remember the greatness, strength and beauty that they already know lies within them.

Kwame:

Today we arrived to the Ray of Hope School and clinic.  We finally got to meet the staff and students.  After unpacking all the wonderful gifts and donations given by the Glide community and friends, we were given a tour of the R.O.H facility.  Just before the tour ended the staff had the team sit for a presentation in our honor, welcoming us.  The children walked into the room, totally quiet, in formation, eyes glaring, focused in our direction.  The teacher gave a signal and the group began.  What came next, no one could have ever prepared me for.  The children, in perfect unison, began to welcome our group, in perfect English, stating our names individually, and thanking us for not abandoning them and continuing to come back. Then they ended with the most beautiful song, before the end of which, kids from the group leaped out of formation, pulled us out of our seats to dance with them until the song was finished.  It was by far, one of the most beautiful moments of my life.  I was stunned and shell-shocked by it all. It took all the strength within me to not burst into tears.  I will never forget the way that moment made me fill.

Working with the children, teachers, and my teammates today has been an immense honor.  I can’t wait for tomorrow to come. My soul is good!

The Welcome Poem

Karen:

It was great to return to Ray of Hope. This is Glide’s third trip back and it has been great to develop and deepen relationships with the Ray of Hope staff and students. Hugs were in abundance today!

All the staff at Ray of Hope—whether in the clinic or learning center—are incredibly dedicated to the people they serve, particularly the children. The staff regularly take into their homes children who have been orphaned or abused. They go the extra mile and then some to make sure those they serve are safe and cared for.

Evelyn, one of the teachers, talked about how many of the children are HIV+, or orphaned, or living with violence or abuse. Many, when they are not in school, go hungry. As a result, they come to Ray of Hope with many behavioral issues. One boy used to beat her whenever he came to school. “We just kept loving him, and now he is a changed boy,” she told us. “It is all about love here. We know that by loving people, they become transformed. This is what God promises us. This is why we make sure the children who come to Ray of Hope know they are loved.”

I think this is why we have found such a great partnership with Ray of Hope, for this is what we know to be true at Glide as well. When we love, really love another, meet them where they are with the power of love, transformation happens. And it is not just the person who is loved who changes. The person reaching out in love changes as well.

Our Kenyan friends are teaching and loving us well. And we have no doubt that when our time is done here, we will be changed, too.

Day 7: Saying Good-Bye

Kelli:

Today we said our goodbyes to our ray of Hope family, or “see you later,” as Eddie back home at Glide likes to say. And though heavy hearted by what felt like a premature farewell, it did indeed feel much more like a “see you later” than a good-bye.
When it was time for the kids to be on their way, they all piled on the bus and squished their little noses up against the glass, or stretched their hands out one of the many windows for one last squeeze. Right before they pulled away, I yelled, “We love you!” and one of the boys I had become close with looked at me wide-eyed and asked, “Even us?” Overwhelmed--unbeknownst to him—the poignancy of his question, my voice cracked and I answered, “Yes, even you. Especially you.”


Benita:
Today was our last day with the children of ROH. It was heartbreaking to say goodbye. But I’m so grateful our last day together was filled with so much fun and laughter.

The Glide Team wearing the wonderful gifts given to us by the RoH staff

We took a bus to the Kenya Animal Orphanage- the monkey cages were a big hit. And ended with a picnic in the park that included lots of games. There isn’t anywhere for these children to play where they live. That includes the Learning Center where we taught for the last week- although, we did a good job transforming the small dirt lot in front of the building into a playground these last few days- I hope this is something that will continue.
As tears of sadness fill my eyes, raindrops fall from the sky. And I fear for the safety of the children, staff and their families. It has been explained to us that since they all live in house made of sheet metal, the rain is very noisy. And this is when burglars and rapists use machetes to cut into people’s houses and take them by surprise- I will never think of the rain the same way again.

Craig:

After today’s trip to the animal orphanage and safari walk we went to a park near the downtown Nairobi skyscrapers where there were large fields of green grass to picnic and play on. First up: fried chicken and chips, the first meal for many of the kids since lunch the day before. The kids all pitched in (without being asked) to carry the food and sodas from the bus. We were seated on a hillside and food was passed out to all of the kids; it sat on their laps unopened and everyone waited patiently until all had food and grace was said. No one had to instruct the children to wait; this was all automatic. Several times when I saw someone given some extra food or soda, it was shared with others.

After lunch there was time for football, running races, hula hoops and other games. Ray of Hope does not have an outside play area, so the open space was a treat. Fifty three kids quickly spread out to do their thing. At one point, Robin pointed out one of the Ray of Hope boys taking the time to kick a soccer ball gently back and forth with an interested toddler who was picnicking with his mom nearby. After a while one of the boys came up and asked me to kick a soccer ball back and forth- this quickly turned into three of us and soon after four, then five. As we played, the care and consideration of these children became very clear. Anyone who wanted to play were included. An older boy would kick to a younger girl. One of the athletic boys helped up one who was younger and shy, brushed him off and helped him get started again. The ball was kicked over a barbed wire fence- a man with MS walking by quickly jumped over the fence to retrieve the ball for us, and the kids then included him in our football game. An older teenage boy hanging in the park who probably didn’t have a ball to play with lingered close by, and one of the Ray of Hope boys kicked the ball to him, allowing him to jump into the game. This happened two or three times while we were playing. Everything and everyone just clicked and we all had a great time- young and old, male and female, athletic and disabled, black and white.

The manners and love demonstrated by the children of the Ray of Hope Learning Center are a clear sign of the promise these kids hold, and that they are on the right path. Most have lost one or both parents, many must deal with HIV in their families, and some have been found living on their own in the streets. Ray of Hope has taken them in, giving them medical care, food, and the opportunity to go to school, learn how to be good citizens and one day transition into the formal Kenya school system. The fact that these kids are so well behaved and so loving is a tribute to the love of their families and guardians, and the two teachers at Ray of Hope who clearly love and treat the 50+ kids in their classrooms (and their sponsored “graduates” at Kileleshwa) as their own. The Ray of Hope family are people who have very little materially but so much spiritually, being willing to share what they have, to watch out for each other, and invite visitors and strangers into their homes with honor and joy.


Karen:


It is dark and it is raining outside my window.

Before coming to Kenya, I enjoyed a good hard rain at night. Listening to the downpour from the comfort of my bed, I would feel warm and secure and drift off into a deep and blessed sleep.

Now, it is hard to enjoy a night’s rainfall. When we returned to Ray of Hope every morning after a rainfall, we would hear stories of what had happened the night before: the children would be traumatized as thieves entered their home the night before.

Rainfall is a dangerous thing in Kawangware. The rain hits the tin roofs, masking all other sounds. As a family sleeps in their one room home, thieves cut through their tin walls, the sound covered by the drum beats of rain above their heads. Children are threatened, women raped, any valuables taken away.

Hendrika, the community health worker, shared with me the stories of thieves and the danger they pose to women and children in the community. She said that when it rains she sleeps with a knife and a long sword nearby, so that if anyone breaks in, she could at least defend herself and her children.

I will never listen to the rain the same way ever again.

Niama:

Bittersweet….days like today are the reason that this word was created. We had such a blast playing with the kids and eating their favorite lunch of chicken and chips. Every moment of today was exciting. From eagles snatching chicken out of Karen, Benita, and Katie’s hands to a camel walking through the park, to racing the boys across the park. I feel so comfortable here that not once today did I feel like I was halfway around the world. I felt like I was with MY kids on a class fieldtrip in MY city; when it finally hit me that we were not going to see our Ray of Hope family again until the next trip. As soon as the thought came into my mind the tears started streaming down my face. I was eventually forced to go play with the kids so I would forget about my sadness. And play we did! The kids wanted to race, dance, jump rope, play frisbee, and literally jump through hoops! I felt like a kid again! There was so much laughter so many smiling faces and so much love we were all bursting at the seams. …until we had to say goodbye. I walked back to the bus with the two boys I spent most of my day with Sammy on one side and Richard on the other. I could feel the sadness begin to fall over us. As we walked a group of boys started to ask me for a specific date that I would come back. And it just broke my heart not to be able to give them one. I wanted to yell TOMORROW! But in reality I know that it will be at least a year before I see these amazing faces and hear their amazing stories. As sad as I am and as many tears as I cried I would never ask for a different experience. The children are so precious and so thankful for the smallest of things that my life has forever been changed. There is absolutely no monetary value that can be put on an experience like the one that I have had here. I honestly feel like I have met some of these kids before and all it tells me is that I will meet them again. I <3 Ray of Hope!

Katie:

Just a half hour ago, our team bid a tearful farewell to the children, teachers, and various staff members of Ray of Hope - but not before spending a lifetime-memorable day with them.

We took the children to an animal orphanage, which is much like a zoo, except all the animals were rescued, rather than purchased to fulfill the vision for an exhibit. We continued on to the park where we took the children last year. This time, we played soccer ("football" in Africa) with the children, rather than "Kill the Lion," which we played last year. The children had a wonderful time, and at one point, I was in a passing circle with my two sponsor children, unable to imagine how I could feel more blessed. It was a challenge to avoid passing the ball only to the two of them, but I think I came out fine.

The seven-year-old boy who taught me Kiswahili words on Wednesday stuck tightly to my side all day today. I found the gesture both touching and heartbreaking; I learned yesterday that, as I'd already suspected by his fixed attention on me all week, he does not have a mother. Not only did this child seek me out all day, but each time I stood beside him and draped my arm around him - my hand landing halfway down his torso - he reached up to clutch it, as if anchoring it, so I would not remove my arm from around his shoulder.

When the field trip bus dropped us off at our guest house a half hour ago, the children filed off the bus and lined up along the side of the road, so they could form a receiving line to hug us goodbye. I thought I'd be able to hug them all without much immediate pain, as I tend to be a delayed process griever. But about two hugs in, I began heaving wrenching sobs into the child in my arms, and then all those who followed. When I embraced Hendricka, Agnetta, Alfred, and Evelyn at the end, I became even more despondent.

The time flew by too fast. Deep attachment in only a week seems unlikely, but the love and joy these kids hold in their little bodies is magical. Plus, I endured this goodbye last year, so I know the worst is not yet over. What lies ahead is a lingering, permeating grief, which won't be marked by the tears I shed today, but with memories of the children and the Ray of Hope staff tapping at my bones in every moment. The people of this little school in Kawangware reside in me, on a cellular level. Goodbye in these circumstances is too confounding to comprehend: I can't leave them ... and yet, I just have.

Robin:

We ended our week with the Ray of Hope Learning Center children by taking them to the Wild Animal Orphanage and park, where we all played and played. It broke my heart to watch the children run and play because they only have a grassy park to play at once a year. During the year they sit in their cramped classrooms all day learning lessons and catching up to their grade levels so that when they have a sponsor they can go to public school. They need sponsors to pay the fees for school and uniforms, which their families cannot afford. Many of the children have lost their parents, some to HIV/AIDS, and live with relatives or others who take them in.

Karen and I decided we would sponsor two children, and found out which two children were next in line to attend public school. We were able to tell them that they would be able to start school in January. We were all so happy, even though we wish we could sponsor them all.

We all said tearful goodbyes and look forward to the next visit.

Karen:

We all—Ray of Hope staff, students, and the Glide team—went to a park in Nairobi for an afternoon of play. It was a beautiful sight seeing all the children playing football, hula hooping, throwing Frisbees and just having fun together on green grass and under shade trees (neither of which are easy to find in Kawangware). Prior to the start of playing, we all sat on the grass and had a picnic of fried chicken, chips (French fries) and a soda. For many of the children, their last meal was at school the day before, so they hadn’t eaten in 24 hours. Watching them eat was wrenching, as they chewed and licked everything that was edible. They crunched on chicken bones, sucked out the marrow, and picked everything clean. Not one bit of nutrition went uneaten. I think of how we in the US don’t think twice about how plentiful our food is, and how much we waste.

I was eating my chicken when something was suddenly in front of my face and then, just as quickly, was gone. When I looked down at my hands to take another bite of chicken, my hands were empty! I couldn’t figure out where my piece of chicken had gone, when I realized everyone was laughing at me. A bird had swooped out of the sky and snatched the chicken from my hands before I even knew what had happened!

The birds did this to several of us from Glide before Robin took matters into her own hands and kept watch, scaring away any birds that came near. Here is a video of her keeping guard: