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 Three: The Lessons Continue

Karen:

Evelyn, the head teacher

I am continually amazed by the Ray of Hope staff. They are tremendously committed individuals who do so much with so little. They have taken an honest look at their community, rolled up their sleeves, and seem tireless as they respond to crippling poverty and debilitating disease.

Today, I spent time with Evelyn, the head teacher. Evelyn has a true heart for children. Besides her own children, she regularly takes in abandoned and orphaned children, or those whose parents can no longer care for them. In addition, she cares for all the children at Ray of Hope as her own.

I asked her how she does it all. Her husband died several years ago, and she does all this as a single woman. She shrugged. “God provides.” She is a deeply faithful woman. “No matter how little money I receive, I always immediately give 10% of it to God. And God has never disappointed me. When I have held back from giving to God, it seems like nothing goes right. But when I give to God, even the hard times are not as hard.

“I teach my children that even when it seems like we have so little to eat, there is always enough to give to someone else. When we give, even so little, we get so much more back.”

Karen leading singing

I have never seen as much generosity as I have here in Kenya, because here people give what little they have, rather than what they don’t want or what they have left-over. I once visited a woman with HIV stir her little pot of porridge—it was the only food she had in her house—and when another HIV+ woman came into her home, who hadn’t eaten in two days, she dipped into the pot and gave the woman a cupful of porridge.

Our Kenyan friends teach us so much!

Classy:

Today was another great day. The kids were wonderful and full of energy. With the help of Angela, we taught hula from Hawaii. We started with the younger kids in Evelyn’s class. We first taught them the words, then the hand and hip motions. They picked it up so fast and loved it. Next, we did the older kids in Alfred's class. I was in a little doubt about teaching them (specifically the older boys) about hula. I felt that they wouldn't think it was cool or too girl. We again taught the words and then the movement. As we were doing the chorus, I noticed two of the older boys beat banging on the book shelf to the song. I thought "hmm that would make it so much cooler." I stopped the song and told them we were going to make this very slow song a more fun song. So I had them repeat a hand and feet beat for the chorus/ breakdown part. I notice that they couldn't get the beat I was doing. I kept thinking. "It so simple." Stomp stomp clap...stomp stomp clap. I again stopped them and realize that they don't clap on the 2's and 4's but instead on the 1's and 3's. "DUH" I thought to myself.  I then asked 4 of the older boys to one at a time come in with a beat. They picked it up so fast. Then I asked one of the boys whose name is Richard, to make a beat that we all do at the end of the song-for the breakdown part. We put the whole song together. We started off very slow while doing the hula. Then once the breakdown began we cut the music, sped up the song, and only had voices and the beat.... Clap clap stomp....clap clap stomp. It was soooooo fun. We had a little extra time before lunch so we decided to make beats and have people come up and dance
.. Each row of kids (3kids) did one hand beat on the table. Then the next row came in, them the next row. We had 8 rows and bout time the last row was finished, it sounded so good. You could hear each row AND their beats. All different, all unique and fun to dance to.

As we wrapped up the day, we sat in one room quietly and the kids were in their classrooms. As we were cutting out flowers for our lei's, all of a sudden the kids started singing the song over and over and over and over and over again. I taught them Pearly Shells at 11:00 and here it was 4:00 and they were singing it still!!!!!. I felt so proud like I've accomplished something. It was so good to hear them. I could listen to them all day. My heart is so happy!!!!

Kirsti:

I don't believe I will ever see again a group of teen-aged African children singing and dancing to a traditional Hawaiian song. Taught by classy, and choreographed by the kids, the second video is the African version of the Hawaiian classic.

Angela:

TEAM  WORK

Angela teaching her journaling class

Today was a great example of team work. Each member had his/her classes to lead, but made themselves available to give assistance to whoever needed it, at times without being asked to do so.

The kids and the team were just as excited to see each other today, as they were yesterday. The individual personalities of the kids are starting to become apparent, as we all struggle to remember their names.

I was surprised at how few girls are in both of the classes, Evelyn stated that a few of them have gone to high school. The girls are very shy in class and barely speak above a whisper, so I'm doing my best to encourage them.

There isn't an age limit in Kenyan schools, one of the boys is 18, and hoping to pass his tests to enter high school. 

The school had no running water today, so water had to be purchased and brought in, which was delivered by a large wooden wheel barrel.

Dance class today, was very cross cultural. Classy taught the kids a Hawaiian song, complete with the hand motions; but somehow an African beat slipped in! The song also gave me an opportunity to give a geography lesson, because the kids did not know where Hawaii was located.

I left tired today, but fulfilled, that we are bringing the kids different experiences, that they appear to appreciate.

Kwame:

Kwame leading a game with the children

Day two at Ray of Hope saw us as a whole community, (children, staff and our Glide team) come closer together.  It seemed to be that we where all starting to hit a comfortable stride.  The staff was at ease and very supportive.  To be frank they are all so warm and kind its incredible.  It’s a pleasure to work with such open-minded and positive people.  The children are becoming closer to us also.  They are no longer as shy and we are starting to see there personalities came to the surface.  It was also nice to hear them calling us by name. 

Today I got play with one of my classes outside.  The enthusiastic, loving and sharing way they play together was an inspiration to me and loads of fun.  Our Glide team has got the right stuff!  We started our preparation all those months ago, with talk of supporting our teammates and working together, going the extra mile.  Now we are in the moment, and all are following through.  It’s an awesome thing to be a part of.  Rock on, R.O.H. team 2012!!   

Christina:

Christina with Alfred, one of the teachers

It was really nice to connect with Evelyn, Alfred, Henrika, and even Agnetta today - although there was a language barrier with Agnetta. These individuals are some of the most gracious and most giving individuals I have ever met.  They have devoted their lives to serving these children - sacrificing in ways I could not even conceptualize - and providing them with a better life - filled with unconditional love. Evelyn, a sister to 25 other women and 18 brothers (polygamy is common here - her father has seven wives, I believe), exudes soft warmth and love through every interaction. She is strong, giving, generous, gracious, devotes a significant portion of her earnings to her church, while sacrificing her own comfort for the children, as well as her GLIDE visiting family. Henrika sacrificed attending a close friends funeral in the community to be present at RoH to ensure we were taken care of and served.  She has helped me translate for many of the small children, and you can see they love her.   Alfred is one man - among many, many women (bless his heart!) - who most of the children must look up to as a father figure. He is kind, soft-spoken,  gentle in his words, and graceful in his actions. Most of these children do not have fathers, and those that do, may not have it easy.  He provides that stability. That love. That man they can look up to who consistently guides them through their adolescence. And last, Agnetta - wow, Agnetta - who provides the only nourishment most of these children receive - feeds over 50 mouths a day.  And EVERYTHING is from scratch. Each morning, beans, veggies or greens are sprawled out for preparation. The pots are huge.  The meals are hot.  One or two ladels of porridge for the younger ones, two ladels of porridge for the older ones... Followed by either a hot rice or bean dish. Today, beans and hominy were prepared with love. The children do not have water, and they have three ingredients in small rations the entire day. And it is this quiet, lovely spirit who gives the children the gift of food.  Water is not available.  But one thing is certain: radient smiles are abundant.

NOTE: Robin and Craig took Evelyn to the emergency room this afternoon. At the writing of this blog nearly six hours later, they were still there waiting for test results. Please keep Evelyn in your prayers. 

Below is a sample from Craig, Robin, and Kirsti's class session:

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 One: This is the Day the Lord Has Made

Kirsti:

On Sundays at Glide, I love it when we open the windows, knowing that all of the neighborhood can be part of the music we all sing together.  It was no different in the small chapel in the heart of a slum in Nairobi today. Except that the windows today were crowded with smiling faces of local children peering in. The music was just as heartfelt and touching as anything we sing at Glide. What a gift today  has been.



Music from the Huruma Tent of Prayer UMC

Kwame:

When I was born my mother gave me an African name.  So from my earliest experiences, Africa has been, both consciously and unconsciously, a part of my life.

It has been a long time dream of mine to be on a trip such as this, working with a team such as this one.  From the time that this mission became known to me and I applied, to the point when I was so graciously chosen to be a part of the Ray of Hope team, I’d been so excited by the thought of what’s to come, my feet hasn't touched the ground.  Through the months of preparation and the outcry of support and well wishing, to the moment the time came to embark on this journey, my feet never touched the ground.  Taking the longest……………flight of my life, arriving to Nairobi, Kenya and today traveling through the city to visit a shantytown to congregate with a group of Kenyan and Zimbabweans, my feet have yet to touch the ground.

I am so grateful to be a part of this good group, on this trip to spread good to the deserving. I know that when my feet finally touch the ground, I will be a better man. Welcome to my journey.   

Robin:

Today we traveled through Nairobi (by bus and matatu) to worship with the Huruma Tent of Prayer United Methodist Church. I've noticed that various slums in Nairobi have a few things in common: dirt roads, few cars, and streets lined with stalls selling things from cooked corn on the cob to used clothes. They are full of activity, full of people.

Today's sermon was partly about Psalm 30, "You turn my mourning into dancing." This was a hopeful message in the midst of so much that seemed so hopeless: I saw lives turned into dancing, people smiling, full of joy, praising.

Classy:

Today, Sunday, the Ray of Hope team got to experience a once-in-a-lifetime church experience. We were awoken with singing. They welcomed us with love and grace. I knew they were happy to have us with them in their presence and I was truly honored to be a part of their worship.  You could see God through their eyes, their handshakes, their hugs and kisses. 

One woman said to me, "Welcome home, my sister. So glad you are here." I felt that connection that I was present and finally at home. During part of the worship, a little girl came and sat on my lap. She held my hand and laid on my chest. We definitely had a connection, as did all the kids I played high-five with after church. What a beautiful day to worship and enjoy each other!

Angela:

After a full night's rest, (after 20-22 hours of traveling) I was ready to experience Nairobi. Today is Sunday, so off to church we go. The District Superintendent, his wife (who is also a pastor) and the Youth pastor came to the Methodist Guest House to escort us to the church. The church was located in a slum (their term) in the city of Nairobi.

It was challenging to get a bus or a matatoo (small van-privately owned) to accommodate 10 adults, so we waited on the side of the road, enjoying the Indy 500 driving skills.

The sermon was given in both English and Swahili.
The Huruma pastor translated for Rev. Lloyd Nyarota (right)

We needed to take two buses and walk a distance to get to the church.

The church was a tin roofed structure, with plastic seats. When we arrived (late) the service had begun, with beautiful songs of praise. Members immediately got up to give us their seats. The service was spirit-filled, and a sermon of encouragement was given to this small congregation to remain faithful to God, because he will turn their sorrow into dancing.

The sermon was given by Rev. Lloyd Nyarota from the General Board of Church and Society, who was in Nairobi for the Annual Conference of the East African Central Conferences. Communion was also served, because the DS was present, with two other visiting DSs from Zimbabwe and a visiting District Lay Leader.

We were then blessed with their hospitality, as they served us a meal. The members did not eat, only the guests, the pastor and his wife.  I was overwhelmed by the generous hospitality of the meal. It is obvious that the members are not rich in material things, but rich in hospitality, love of God, and showing their love in tangible ways.

 It was out of their lack that they gave generously, when we often, with our wealth and abundance, find excuses not to give. 

Karen:

Today we attended the Huruma United Methodist Church, in what our hosts described as a "middle-class slum".  The streets were jammed with buses and matatus, and the noise of honking horns, loud engines, and blaring music greeted us as we stepped out of our bus at the edge of the slum. We then turned into a small alley and suddenly, there was silence. It was such a stark contrast to the hubbub just a few feet away.

Everybody on board? Riding a matatu is definitely and "experience"

We walked the rest of the way to the church and as we journeyed into the heart of the slum the streets came alive with people walking and talking, merchants selling their wares at the side of the road, and voices singing heartfelt music from the tiny churches we passed. 

We were warmly welcomed to church. We were immediately led to seats and within no time were swept up in the singing and praying and preaching. Since the East Africa Annual Conference of The United Methodist just finished meeting in Nairobi, there were several other guests present. When it was time to serve communion, six of us were there to assist. 

As I served communion, the bread they used was not very porous, so when  I dipped it into the cup to then offer it to worshipers, the juice ran down my fingers and hand. By the end of communion, my hand was a sticky mess. As I tried to wash it off, I was too late. The juice had stained my hand (and continues to, nine hours later). One look at my hand and you could tell I've given communion that morning.

I have been pondering this stain ever since. We get stained and marked all the time. Sometimes by others. Often by what we do to ourselves. Looking around the church, I could see the marks of hunger, sickness, violence. I could also see the marks of love, compassion, and faithfulness. What I was reminded of today  is that the ones who bear the scars of difficult and trying times are often the ones who shine the brightest light of love and generosity.  

Funny. Isn't this what communion is all about, ultimately.

So I will wear this stain as long as it lasts. May it remind me of that there is nothing that can stop love's power from shining through us.

Standing at the front of the Huruma United Methodist Church with our new friends

Kristina:

Imagine a lengthy and narrow rectangle shaped structure - 1,200 square feet large would be an over-generous guesstimation of its footprint... No wider than six stackable plastic chairs wide - with raw earth ground and stone under your feet - with the exception of a small patch of linoleum the size of a coffee table area rug underneath the preacher... Wooden branch beams no thicker than five inches in circumference with flat riveted sheet metal up above serving as a roof to keep the rain out - sheet metal walls covered with purple tapestry from floor to roof - and smack in the center of one Kawangware's 12 'middle-class' slums  - - bursting (BURSTING!) with smiling faces, greeting us with the most arms-open welcoming imaginable.

A beautiful reflection was realizing that it doesn't matter if you're in the St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, GLIDE on Taylor and Ellis in San Francisco, Notre Dame in Paris or the UMC Hurmura Tent of Prayers where the Ray of Hope Team visited today - every. single. sanctuary - whether it's a structure, or, if your own personal sanctuary is not a physical place, but within your own heart - each and every place of worship is beautiful, special and sacred in its own unique way.

Craig:

This year’s Glide team is full of leaders, with every member stepping up to drive a key part of our preparation and trip: fund-raising, treasury, collecting and purchasing supplies (800 lbs!), curriculum development for the week, and obtaining visas, insurance and background checks.   What a great team!

We’re all excited about our first day at Ray of Hope tomorrow, contemplating how we can make a positive and lasting difference.   This is a topic we have discussed and prayed about quite a bit.   The long term relationships we are building are important and noticeable.    Many organizations and groups come to Africa once and don’t return.   I think the Glide team pleasantly surprised many here when we returned the first time.  And here we are again.   Friendships and trust have grown, as has a spirit of collaboration.   We see evidence of our past work, including a computer lab we set up in December, 2010 that is still thriving..

What we do in our time here is very important, but telling the Ray of Hope story now and when we return home is just as key.   Little by little awareness grows, more people ask questions and want to be involved, and new sponsors for the children step forward.   Each sponsorship means one more child gets to go to school and become part of an incredible family; sponsorships also provides medical care and two meals a day, and an education that translates into better opportunity for success in adulthood.

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!