Mgeni ni baraka - A visitor is a blessing

It's been one adventure after another the last three days, since I've had a friend in town.  In the midst of a children protection meeting, visits with guardians and people seeking assistance and home visits, it's been a delight to share moments of my life here with a friend from home.

I'm reminded once again what a blessing it is to be here, to walk in the midst of the on-going struggles of life around me and be welcomed in various ways.  It also has it's challenges, since in some way I am still a visitor.  Yesterday was a day where many parts of my work almost happened simultaneously.  Highlights for me were meeting the HIV+ support group and talking about compost (one of my hobbies), listening to a student learn together with my friend about English and Swahili and life, and walking into one of the neighborhoods I serve with my colleague.

It was one of those walks that you might be able to envision ... starting off the main road through an alley separating trucking company lots into a maze of walk-ways between small informal shops and iron-roof covered stands selling charcoal, fried food or vegetables,  then opening up into a broad view of what looks like a delta - the Tudor creek, which expands and contracts with the tide.  As we walk down the hill on a dusty path that soon will be thick mud when the rains start, there are shower stalls made of grass and tarps above us and things no longer wanted covering the hillside.  Ahead is a large pipeline and low trees that survive in the constantly moving waters, goats tied on ropes to graze and a scattering of shacks.  These homes are for those who cannot afford the rent of the iron-sheeted, cement block rooms above, but somehow manage to put together enough materials to make a shelter.

I had promised a gentleman who has trouble walking that I would visit him sometime back, and having a visitor myself, it was a good reason to get out of the office and into the community.  We carried simple gifts of rice, beans, flour, sugar, and tea, and entered his simple home, much more simple than I had expected. His arms are sinewy but his face is bright with an easy smile, someone I'm happy to meet again.  As the plastic around us shifted in the wind, I tried to make sense of our conversation - I still struggle to understand Swahili, depending on the speed, accent and words - but I had two delightful women with me to assist. 

I learned Daudi is a carpenter.  We carried newly bought stools back up the hill with us & the nurse I work with and I helped young girls with their water jugs, filled from the creek below.  These moments are ones to treasure.  It is such a blessing to be a visitor and to be reminded what a gift it is to have one, too. 

Returning to my roots - Mizizi yangu

It's a sunny Sunday afternoon in Mombasa.  The birds are chirping and all seems to be at peace.  I'm savoring the moment.  The challenges are still there, but I am grateful for a day of rest and the shift within that feels more calm.

Yesterday I ventured out with a ECHO volunteer who's here for 5 months to help the HIV+ people I work with to use better agricultural practices to improve their nutrition, their environment, & their income.  All things which I'm excited about and which take me back to my roots in Iowa.  I'm trying to soak up everything I can & feeling like a 4-H'er again.  She's come over a few times to help me in my little garden, but yesterday I went to help with the clinic shamba (field).  The sun was hot but the work both interesting and cathartic - throwing the jembe (hoe) over my head and back down to pull up the grasses and soften the soil in new raised beds.

The garden project was started a few months ago and has been successful in producing the greens from cow peas several times over - which have been sold locally - other leafy greens, onions, tomatoes and the carrot tops are now looking good.  A cow is providing milk daily and her young calf grazes and fertilizes the soil.  It will be an interesting project to watch grow and one I hope to contribute to as time allows.  I've been composting in my own little garden for 2 years now and have patches of good earth.  My addition to their training this week was samples of fresh compost vs the rocky stuff I started with - and a photo documentary of how to compost with kitchen scraps.

From the shamba, I went to my office (with a quick costume change & rinsing the dirt off my hands & feet - waa-la! new person) to be with my students for an afternoon of tutoring.  I hadn't told many that I was coming & was surprised and delighted that 10 students came.  There were some that came right from the mandatory Saturday morning school session - so I'd like to be able to provide them with lunch (Let me know if you're interested - 50 cents per student will do!). 

We did quadratic equations, statistics, logarithms and indices - including things I don't remember from my own high school experience.  Working with some students is a delight, helping them to make a connection they didn't see before or watching a light bulb go on.  With others, I see how far behind they are and realize that academic success may be out of reach.

In trying to help these students, I struggle with my own ambition, wanting change that might not be realistic and realizing so much is out of my control.  It is at this moment when I am reminded my work is not just mine, but of many and hopefully, the work of the God I try to serve.  My faith is challenged and stretched and helps me to return to my roots.

A prayer I will be praying with my co-missioner, Judy, later today, starts with the words,

Firmly rooted in the center of my being,

listening,

and opening to the touch of your Spirit ...

Grateful for my roots deep in the soil of Iowa and in my faith in a God of love,

Mary

Good morning to you

This morning I awoke with my heart beating faster.  Today, Monday, January 23rd, is the day that it will be announced whether 6 men will be tried at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for crimes against humanity for inciting and organizing violence after the Kenyan Presidential elections.  The next elections are coming up and two of these men are vying for President.  No kidding.

It will be announced at 1:30 pm.  I'll be at the Community Based Health Care center in Mikindani, a few kilometers outside the island of Mombasa, with my Kenyan colleagues.

This month starts my 3rd year in Kenya.  Time does fly.  In midst of the challenges and details of life, I still am charmed by cultural differences and learning anew about life in a different country.  Last week I was greeted in English within a few minutes by two different people: "Good morning to you."  The addition of two more words of 'to you'  seemed so much more personal.  Is it from British influence or translation from a mother tongue or just evolution of language over time?   Swahili greetings here in Mombasa vary -

• Salama (peace), 
• Jambo! (hello, usually from strangers, perhaps envisioning me as a tourist), 
• Habari ya asubuhi? (how's the morning?),
• Umeamkaje? (How'd you wake up?), 
• Habari yako? (How are you?), and 
• Habari ya mwaka mpya? (How's the new year? ... used if you haven't yet met since 2011)

The crows are squawking, the chickens clucking, little birds tweeting & the street traffic humming away outside are reminders it's time to start the day.  Good morning to each of you.


May there be peace on earth.  And justice for the people of Kenya.  Please pray for an end to violence.

Mshukuru Mungu kwa kila jambo - Farewell 2011

At the beach with my friend Mary

Thank God for everything - that was the message of the homily in yesterday's Mass which started the year end meeting for the Community Based Health Care Project I work with.  

Today is the last day of 2011.  I'm feeling good about 2012.  This year has had lots of high moments & certainly many challenges.  I was able to move from learning my job to learning how to serve the students better.  I am really grateful for those that supported me through the challenging moments - both those in Kenya and those abroad and at home.  It's been a year of growth. 

The Community Based Health Care Project staff have really made a huge difference in my work this year.  When I found out that a young man who had been working with me was involved in theft, it was one of the CBHC staff that went with me to investigate.  When I took my trip home for a month this summer, it was the CBHC staff who took care of the necessary things for the work I do - so it was fitting that I was sitting with them yesterday and feeling grateful to be part of that team.  The primary purpose of their project is health care for people living with HIV, so the education work I do is off-shoot, but everyone is always willing to help out with what I do.

I'm thankful for Christmas cookies....

And for my Mombasa Maryknoll family ... with our Christmas feast! Yea team!!!

And for a Christmas party that really felt like Christmas!

We had a end of the year party with the Reading Club students ... with a multiplication race!

The girls won ... hands down.  Way to go ladies!

After lunch of rice & beans, they made cards - Thanks to Jane for the supplies & Minh for carrying them to Kenya!

At our CBHC Year-end Meeting - we had team-building exercises on the beach

And it was REAL EXERCISE! We ran intervals mixed with push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.  I'm sore today!

Then we had competitions of filling buckets with broken bowls... 

 

we won, but not officially since we used sand to fill the hole....

Then passed a wet towel through our legs in the water... No one managed to fall over, but there was complaining of cheating on both sides.

Me & my supervisor - Sr. Veronica, who's in charge of CBHC and a fantastic person!

Then we had our "Secret Friend" gift exchange.  I was lucky enough to shop with the person who's name I had so I knew just what she wanted!

What I was given.  =)  Very Kenyan.

We had a cake, which is traditionally cut by multiple people.

And then, also by tradition, fed to the guest of honor.

Now I'm off to bring in the new year on the beach with friends.  I wish you all a very happy new year!

"I love my mom like sugar!"

Yesterday I met with my reading club members.  We were trying to close the office early (at 3 pm) for Christmas so I spontaneously decided that we would talk about Christmas before handing out the reading club prizes.  After realizing my first attempt at discussion was above my language level, I decided we'd talk about love. I had each child name someone that they loved SOOO much.  I was preparing to lead into how God loves us and Christmas is really all about this Love.  Most kids named their mom, but Hesborn's answer was so precious.  "I love my mom like sugar!"  It was sweet and pure and straight from the heart.


I have been ever so busy being busy this month - I've even been busy trying to figure out how not to be so busy.  Thanks to this little boy for reminding me that I, too, love my mom like sugar!  And that this holiday season I can remember all those that I love and how truly sweet life is.

To make Mombasa seem a little bit more like home - in spite of the 80-deg-80%-humidity weather - I've been making Christmas cookies, which is something I learned from my mother.  So it was fitting that I had to call my mom last night to get advice on the sugar in the cookies.

Wishing you all time with someone you love like sugar!
Merry Christmas

HIV = Hope is Vital

Hi.  It's a warm December evening in Mombasa and I'm enjoying our newly-hung Christmas lights and Christmas carols being sung by the voices inside my computer.  Tonight we remembered a cousin of my roommate who passed away this week from cancer.  We sat around our advent wreath and sang O Come O Come Emmanuel and shared stories.  It is good to remember how precious life is.  This time of advent is a time of waiting in hope for Christmas - for a new beginning in the new year - for new life to be born again within us - to believe in not only possibilities but also in miracles.

Yesterday I toured the Kenya Port - the gateway of goods to East Africa - with some of my students.  I was most amazed not by the tons of goods, types of ships, 2400 cars per ship, etc, but by my students.  We have been accompanying a group of 18 in career counseling for the past four months.  I struggle to know how best to help them, but this is one new mechanism we've tried.  If only we could translate their intelligent questions into an education system that honors differences in learning styles, their self-reflection into skills that help them succeed academically, their hopes into an economy that offers opportunities for young people without connections or top notch grades.

Since the tour ended earlier than expected, we managed to fit in a trip to Fort Jesus, a testament to the 16th century Portuguese presence and power in Mombasa.  On it, the students found the painting below.  Hope is vital.

Wishing you all hope.

Reading - Kusoma

The Reading Club has officially started - we even had our first "prize-giving" on Friday, where we awarded pens, "fashion" math sets, pencil sharpers & super-cool rulers for all students who had participated.  When it came to assigning "points," things were a bit chaotic as we are still learning together about expectations. But the most important part is that the kids are reading! 

I had the 12 students who joined the club this week meet me on Friday afternoon in what turned out to be our first reading club meeting.  Each student shared about what they had been reading.  I was impressed by their honesty.  One student shared that he had been given a biology assignment and had been neglecting it so that he could get more "points" in the reading club.  Another said that he didn't really enjoy reading stories, he'd rather work on his class subjects.  Due to the pressure on students for academic performance, we are giving points for subject review & I'm finding that many of the students are choosing to do classwork over reading fiction.  It's interesting to see what books the students choose.  One of the favorite series has been about a boy named Akimbo who lives in Africa and has harrowing adventures with wild animals. 

My office has been fully converted into a library/study room with an average of 9 students filling every chair & bench we have.  I've resorted to meeting guardians and students outside on a bench. I know one of the draws for students is the free lunch we're offering for students who stay and study for 3 hours or more.  For about 30 cents each, I can provide the student with two chapatis (similar to tortillas) and a serving of beans.  I had one single mother explaining that she didn't have food at home, so I invited her younger children to come study, too.  For overflow, I've bought clipboards.  The church has plenty of shady spots outside and a number of benches we can borrow if needed. We'll see what happens!

I have a high school in New Jersey that's going to be exchanging stories with our students.  I hope to catch up with the mountains (at least it seems that way on a Sunday night) of work ahead of me and share some of my students' writing with you and with them.  Stay tuned ...

The not-so-serious side of the reading club

Alex has taken on the Harry Potter series

During our photo shoot to promote the reading club, we had "serious" and "joker" shots.

And some of my weekend excitement - making a cake without an oven ... nor a recipe!

Step 1. Prepare charcoal "jiko" & heat up sand in a big pot.
Step 2. Mix well margarine & sugar (when i asked- its about 1/4 container of margarine & 12 spoons of sugar)
Step 3. Add 4-6 eggs, then add flour to desired consistency.
Step 4. Consult others, then decide to mix in a little milk.
Step 5. Add batter to smaller pan, put inside bigger pan of hot sand.
Step 6. Cover and put charcoal on top,too.
Step 7. Check cake, adjust charcoal since top is done more than bottom.
Step 8. Cool cake while enjoying lunch with friends.
Step 9. Eat cake.