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: 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.

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!

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.

Getting Ready for the Journey--Ray of Hope 2012

On Thursday night, the 2012 Ray of Hope team left for Nairobi, Kenya, to work at the Ray of Hope Learning Center in Nairobi, Kenya. The team is taking a night flight to Washington, DC. From DC the team will fly to Nairobi via Ethiopia.  The team will arrive in Nairobi Saturday afternoon.

This trip is the result of many months of planning, organizing, and fund raising. We are grateful to the GLIDE community, our family, and friends who have helped make this trip possible through financial gifts, supply donations, support, and prayers. We couldn't do this without you and we carry you with us as we go!

We have joked with one another that the biggest challenge has been packing. To bring the maximum amount of supplies we can, each team member commits to limiting their personal items (two weeks of clothing, toiletries, and other items) to just a carry on so that our checked baggage can be filled with supplies. As a result, we are bringing 800 pounds of supplies to the Ray of Hope Learning Center.

Team members being warmly welcomed aboard by Virgin America: Pastor Karen Oliveto, Classy Martin, team leader Craig Wood, Kwame Evans, intern Angela Brown, Kirsti Tcherkoyan, Christina Severson, Robin Ridenour

Ray of Hope team alum member Travis Woodard helps send us off!

Day Three: Ray of Hope Team in Action

Katie:


Today was beautiful. I worked with the children on the books we started with them yesterday, in which they are writing details of their lives that they wish to share, such as the names of their family members and their favorite colors. My favorite part was helping them claim their stories in front of the class, reading their partially completed books aloud. I love to witness them speaking up about who they are and what matters to them.

 I wore a shirt today that reads, “Love one another.” In one class today, a student wrote this mantra in his book. It is a wonderful phrase to manifest the way of the culture here, where loving one another appears to come more naturally than any other place I’ve been.

Benita:

I realize I didn’t check in with you yesterday as promised. I was deliriously tired at the end of our first work day---- I must have been still feeling fatigue from our 28 hours of travel 2 days prior.

Today was our 2nd day teaching at Ray of Hope in Kawangware, 8am – 4pm….a full schedule of activities! The children are beautiful, energetic and wonderfully receptive. And the staff is amazingly welcoming. Yesterday we were greeted with gifts, song and warm embraces. The outpouring of love was so overwhelming I was moved to tears.

Today we all started with our planned curriculum. I have to admit, I was so nervous! I kept thinking --- any time now these kids are going to figure out that I have NO idea what I’m doing! But they all seemed to really enjoy my projects. I was DELIGHTED (and relieved).

We are staying at the Methodist Guest House in Lavington, a small suburb/district within Nairobi. The Guest House is a fairly large, well maintained compound --- a peaceful refuge to come home to! …..I have to mention, there is a cat that has made this compound his home – so friendly – sitting right next to me, purring.

Heading off to dinner now. I’ll check in again soon.

Karen:

I have been thinking a lot about something that happened yesterday. Craig and I had to go into Nairobi city center to pick up some computer supplies. Public transportation in Nairobi is an experience, to say the least: matatus—vans in various stages of disrepair—are packed to overflowing with passengers, many of whom have barely climbed on board before the driver has zoomed back on the road, with music blaring; buses, both private and government-owned, belch dark plumes of exhaust, with onboard signs proclaiming “No preaching/No hawking”.

We climbed aboard a bus and had to sit apart from each other because the bus was fairly full. I looked out the bus window, seeing diverse snapshots of Nairobi as we headed into the heart of the city. Colorful fruit stands sat in front of gated homes. Tiny one room tin shacks gave way to condos. Women sat alongside the road, cooking over a small charcoal burner, selling corn on the cob to those walking past. And oh, the number of people walking! Hordes of people, some dressed in traditional Kenyan clothing, others in modern business attire, all on foot, making their way home, to work, or to market.

I was also aware of the smells around me: diesel exhaust, sweat, garbage. The bus ride was truly a multi-sensory experience as I took in the sights and smells of this city. Suddenly, my ears picked up a small voice, singing, in the background. I strained to hear better, and at first I couldn’t identify the words or the tune, but I knew it was something familiar. The small voice grew less timid, and suddenly I heard could make out the words:
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine! O night, when Christ was born!

My little friend with the soft angelic voice reminded me once more that God shows up where and when we least expect. Whether in a Bethlehem barn or a city weary of poverty and disease, God breaks in with grace, beauty and love. Thanks be to God.

Robin:

The children with their face masks

Today was a day of laughter. Whether over breakfast, at tea with the staff (yes, daily tea at 10), playing games outside with the children (led by Naima and Karen), the children singing (led by Katie), a child's birth (assisted by Kelli--her first participation in a child's birth), the children wearing their masks of someone they love that Benita lovingly taught them to make, or Kelli shouting at the bus when it started to leave before I was off it ("Don't you dare!" she threatened), I am so grateful for this team and for all the laughter we share.
 
  
 
Craig:

Agneta

The Ray of Hope Learning Center provides the kids two meals each day.  Agneta is the cook, and she prepares all of the meals over a charcoal stove on a narrow second story balcony.  The food is delicious.    We learned that the kids don’t eat their breakfast until 10am, because for many the only food they get is breakfast and lunch at the school, M-F, and their bodies can’t handle the nutrient-rich porridge too early in the morning.   When these children arrive back at school on Monday morning they are very lethargic and sleepy from hunger.






Kelli: