Mawazo Juu ya Jumapili ya Matawi – Thoughts on Palm Sunday

Today I celebrated Palm Sunday with about 1500 people at Kanisa Katoliki la Mt Maria Kwa Njenga – St Mary's Catholic Church in the slum called Kwa Njenga, literally Njenga's Place.
This week is the holiest of weeks for Christians remembering events of 2000 years ago that draw us closer to God and to believing that love is stronger than all else.

There were many memorable moments but to share a few:

• Seeing why Fr John called us last week to get our shoe sizes – in case we needed gum boots to reach the church.
• Bumping along the narrow pathway with people making way for Fr John's truck which reminded him why he always walks to the church. With the visitors today, he forgot.
• The faces of so many - both interested and disinterested in the visitors, the shy and bold greetings of little ones.
• Brushing ants off a little child who had leaned against a tree they inhabited.
• Victor, a 4^th grader, offering me the cross he had woven out of palm branches.
• Watching Cindy & John interact with the children, knowing they will soon be using their gifts with young people as teachers.
• Amassing with the others to begin the procession.
• Straining to hear the reader outside over the neighboring church.
• Processing slowly, trying to make out the words being sung.
• Seeing a 4-year old walking with us, holding her palm high above her head but hidden within the adults around her.
• Hymns and incense filling the air.
• Catching enough Swahili to know where the story was of Christ's conviction and death.
• Singing the one word I knew – pokea – receive. We offer our lives, our hope, our prayers and ask God to receive. Christ offering us peace and us singing that we receive it as well.
• Making all those people laugh with a few words of Swahili and wishing I could give them more than a smile and a blessing.
• Talking with parishioners afterward with the words I could find.
• The children. Adorable, mischievous, timid, smiling, crying, watching, listening for the mzungu to speak their language. All of them.
• Chicken and cilantro as only I had thought Minh, a co-missioner I trained with in New York, could make.
• The cook at the parish apologizing for what, I don't know (I'm starting to speak Kenyan English), but with “Hakuna stima, hakuna maji.” – There is no electricity, there is no water.
• Father John praying for those who inspire us by their perseverance.

The blessing of the palms before the procession.

The cross leading the procession ... about to begin.

Processing to the church

The choir in the center in purple robes led the singing.

Some of the children. Victor, the one who made the cross I carried, is on the left waving.
The girl with the red sleeve & her sister on her back sat next to Cindy & me in Mass.
The church is the metal building behind us.

There's a bit of time in the midst of prayer in another language, whether it is sung or read, to try to fill in the blanks, the unintelligible or the unknown words. Today I was reflecting on one word I heard many, many times: pokea – receive. So much of what I have experienced here is about receiving. Being received as a visitor, a foreigner, a student, and one who wants to be with people to learn from them. Receiving a new kind of education – language, culture, different ways of being and communicating. Knowing I have so much more to learn, but also being grateful for what I've received.

Wish you all a very holy week!

Choices, choices, choices - Hiari, hiari, hiari

Greetings from Nairobi!

I am in the midst of discernment between whether I will go to live and work in Mombasa or Kitale. I was hoping that the decision would be clear after visiting both places, but there's interesting work I could do in both places - and each place has its own distinctive charm.

Language school has continued to keep me busy, but I hope to spend more time in silence to listen to the whisper within of where I am being called.

Today's Gospel reading about the prodigal son returning to the open arms of his father reminds me of the love that surrounds me. I think part of me has been afraid of making the wrong choice, but perhaps there is not a wrong choice.

Here's the journey to Mombasa in photos:

To Mombasa or bust! Due to bus consolidation, John ended up in seat that was stuck in the reclined position and Cindy's seat was damp. I was in the back row and enjoyed chatting with a few other passengers ... a good opportunity to test my Swahili & learn a few new words.
It was a beautiful day, albeit warm. The landscape on the eastern side of Kenya was more dry than our trip the weekend before to the west.

Our first views of Mombasa was the port from the "causeway" - which connects the island of Mombasa to the mainland. My romantic mental images of the city needed some adjustment as we arrived through the industrial part of the city.
Mombasa is a city of contrast, color, and history.
The tuk-tuks are a popular and inexpensive form of transportation.
The view from our co-missioner's 2nd floor entrance. Some of the city reminded me of Southern California.
One of the Catholic High Schools in Mombasa. The school motto: Ukweli daima (Truth Always) and other encouragement is painted on the building, as are common for schools here.
Another motto I hope to live by.
We were very busy visiting potential sites to serve in. One area in which I was particularly moved was the area called Bangladesh, served by Kiltegan priests from Ireland.
We met many dedicated people serving those living with HIV.
Our co-missioner works out of this building for administrating a project that helps over 150 children stay in school in spite of losing at least one of their parents to AIDS. I was able to read the bios of some of the children and talk to one young man who finished high school and is now taking courses in community development. It was through the project that he found his desire to serve others.
After a long day of exploration, our hostess-with-the-mostest pulled off an amazing evening to introduce us to other missioners in the area.
We used the ferry to cross from the island to the mainland to visit another part of the diocese, where our co-missioner has been helping with an epilepsy clinic.
We stopped to put our feet in the Indian Ocean. We arrived at low tide and walked all the way out to the waves breaking.
hThe walk was a bit of a challenge due to the beautiful but prickly sea life. We moved carefully and in awe of the beauty surrounding us. John captured the clarity of the water and the variety of life - crabs, birds, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, fish, birds, coral and wonders I don't know the names for.

Within a couple of hours, the coral reef was submerged. It made for an even trickier trip back to shore as John's camera doesn't know how to swim - and the sea life below was more difficult to see in 3-4 feet of water.

During our visit to Mivumoni parish, I met with the women's microfinance group and we all met with the youth group. They were interested in life in America and sang a blessing for each of us before we left.
Back in Mombasa, we saw a bit of history. Fort Jesus was built in the 1500's by the Portuguese.

Now I remember what a luxury it is to have choices, to have options. Thank you for the continued support, letters, emails, and prayers. I hope you all find yourself at home wherever you are.

Rafiki yangu ya kwanza My 1st friend

I said goodbye (Kwa heri!) to my first friend here tonight. It overshadowed finishing our mid-term exams. It's hard to put words to my feelings but I wanted to share with you a bit of the delight she has been.

It's ironic that we know very little about each other, due to our communication limitations! She's learning English and knows lots of words, but hesitates putting them into sentences. I'm learning Swahili and am willing to try to say anything, but don't know the words. However - she is fluent in Italian so when we'd get stuck, I'd use Spanish & she could understand. Yet we connected on a level that is beyond words. I don't know if it is due to the intensity of our experiences or the providence that brought us together.

Fausta has been supported by a Catholic mission since she lost her father when she was 6 years old. She studied in Italy and will now be running the laboratory in a new hospital which opens next Wednesday. Tomorrow at 5:30 am she will start her journey home, including 22 hours on two buses, if all goes well.

My family here at Flora Hostel

Moments I will remember about Fausta - her ability to act out anything - from rabbits to hospital visits, her hug when I was showing photos from home and got all teary-eyed, her balancing a candle on her head when the electricity went out, her perserverence, and most of all her kind heart, quick smile and unbelievable sense of humor.

Yes, she really can balance a candle on her head ...

Safari njema, rafiki yangu! Safe travels, my friend.

Kwa heri is how you say goodbye in Swahili. Kwa means “for, by, to, by means of, etc.” And heri is defined “tranquility, happiness, advantage, blessedness, success.” So while I wish my new friend “Safari njema” and that she goes by means of tranquility and happiness – I wish the same for you. May you all be blessed with friends who know your heart.

Touring Kitale

Tumerudi Nairobi na tutaenda tena. We have returned to Nairobi and we are going again!

And yet today begins a different journey. The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. Today I have a smudge of ashes on my forehead as a reminder of the journey we take to strengthen our faith. It seems appropriate that it comes in between two journeys to visit places that I might be living for the next few years. After these trips I will need to decide which one. The decision seems a bit daunting at the moment, but I hope it will become clear.

I thought I would take you along the journey we had to Kitale last weekend via a few photos.

One option for traveling to Kitale - via matatu - or a mini-bus / van.
Our mode of transport - the easy coach. Still affordable, runs on a schedule (rather than when seats are filled) & assigned seats, which means no overcrowding, which is often experienced on the matatus.
The morning commute in Nairobi. We walked to the bus station - about 40 min from where we are staying. The weather here has been beautiful, around 80 degrees, usually sunny, but with occasional rains.
We drove through the Rift Valley, a famous geological area.
And by a former volcano, Mt Longonot
And by a few lakes, including Lake Naivasha. Note the white soda along the shoreline. Both salt and soda, which is exported for use in glass making, are collected from a series of soda lakes in the area.
Fellow travelers
The contested 2007 elections in Kenya brought fighting between two parties in early 2008, which resulting in displaced people living in camps. A coalition government was formed and is working on a new constitution before the 2012 election.

Many homes have iron sheeting for roofing, but we still saw many with thatched roofs.

Early morning market outside Kitale.
The Kitale area is known for maize (corn). These grain bins could be seen for miles.
One of the highlights of the weekend was visiting the mission sights of our co-missioners. Russ works at a center that helps kids at risk for living a life on the streets get into schools and maintain connection with their families.

We met the kids right before they left for the weekend at home with their families. We interrupted lunch, but they were happy to see us.
While the first group of children were being delivered home, the remaining ones and I did a little dancing before the vehicle came back for them.
Another mission sight is Kiminini Hospital, providing quality care at a low cost.
One of my favorite sights was the donkey cart, so I'm thankful John captured a photo of one.
John & Cindy by the Kitale Cathedral
Kitale has a number of supermarkets that seem to have just about anything we would need.
And finally, wrapping up with a bit of local wildlife!

Thanks for continuing to follow my adventures. Early tomorrow we are off to Mombasa. I'm excited to see the city, which has a long history, the Indian Ocean, my fellow missioners there, and find what possibilities there are for my work.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, continuing renewal of spirit and a sacred time of reflection this Lent-
Mary

Off to see Kitale! Tunaenda kuona Kitale!

I'm leaving shortly to see Kitale - one of the places I could live and work after language school.

Here's my first newsletter & a few photos:

11th Feb 2010


Dear Friends and Family,

Habari za Marekani? What is the news from America? This is my first newsletter from Kenya and I am still determining the best way to send you news from here.

Today marks 6 weeks since I left my parents' home in Iowa for Kenya. The opportunity to be living in a new country and learning a new language can be overwhelming – both in gratitude and in the newness of it all. I want to thank all of you who have supported me in my decision to come, in the preparation, especially while leaving many of you in the LA area last summer, and now while I am overseas.

Although most of my time thus far has been dedicated to learning Swahili, a recent moment of grace for me was in a slum called Mathare. We were invited there by Sister Elizabeth, of the Contemplative Missionary Movement of P. De Foucald. Her community lives there and offers children a clean and safe place to play and learn. We visited their Sunday school classes where the children sang and danced to make us feel welcome. One of their teachers was a local university student who spends her Sundays there to teach the children their worth as people and that something good can come from the slum. She had the vijana (youth) sing a song of blessing for us, with hand motions of sprinkling us with their blessings as they named each one of us.
Singing for the visitors. We sang Jesus Loves Me for them.

These are the primary school children. They organized a chaotic little dance for us. The little girl in front kept looking at me and shyly smiling. Precious!

A Race for Peace was held this Saturday in Kibera, Nairobi's most famous slum and one place of post-election violence in 2008. The motto of the day was “Upholding a Culture of Peace in Kibera.” The day started with the 13-16 year-old girls running, many barefoot and in skirts, but at speeds humbling for me.


These next two weekends, my co-missioners (and friends) John & Cindy and I will be traveling to Kitale and Mombasa to meet the bishops and ascertain where we will do our ministry for at least the next 3 years. I am both excited and nervous to see what the future will hold. The next time I write you, I should know where my new home will be!

Thank you again for all of your prayers, support, letters and emails. I hope you all know that you are loved. May we grow in our compassion for each other and our gratitude for the many gifts life brings.

Peace to you and to our world,
Mary
Our weekend entertainment ... scrabble scramble. Fausta is learning English, so kept a list of new words.
A day out with our fellow missioner!