hello all.
I cannot believe that in a week and 3 days I will be boarding a plane to start my long journey home, time flies!
I am in Nairobi right now at a cyber cafe just killing some time before heading to Gigiri to meet up with the Carline family (from CBM). Paul Carline and I are headed for the North East Province (NEP) early tomorrow morning. The two towns I will be visiting are called Garissa and Dadab. I'll be visiting some refugee camps there, and meeting lots of wonderful people I'm sure. I've also been told that the drive out there is breathtaking, so stay tuned for pictures, probably not until I'm home though!
Last week with the Kenny's was really great, what an awesome family! Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I helped out at the Eastleigh Community Centre which is in Nairobi. I helped teach English classes to Somali and Ethiopian women, it was great! They were so much fun to hangout with and get to know, and SO eager to learn, it was amazing to be a part of even just for three days.
The rest of the week the Kenny's were on holidays, as their kids go to an American school here in Kenya, and it was American Thanksgiving. We did some cool stuff in Nairobi. I got to see another side of Kenya that I had no idea even existed. Shopping malls, movie theatres, swimming pools. . . it was kinda weird to come from working in the slum to posh shopping malls and people driving BMWs, still trying to process that one!
I also got to go to a couple really cool markets, and found some really great gifts!
After this upcoming week in NEP I'll be back in Ngong for the weekend to say goodbye to all of my wonderful friends there, a goodbye which I am dreading terribly. . . I suck at saying goodbye!
Anyways, thanks for reading, hope to fire off one more update before I head home.
peace.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Ugunja and Back
heyyyoo!
So since my last update I've done a whole bunch of great things.
Last Saturday I went to the Kenya vs. Nigeria world cup qualifying match, it was a riot! LITERALLY! Following a very controversial go ahead goal for the Nigerians the Kenyan faithful were not a happy bunch. . . but we made it out of the stadium alright. I went with a man named Paul who is from CBM and his son, and his son's friend. GOODTIMES.
Sunday morning I hit up an easycoach bus bound for Kisumu which is closest city to Ugunja where I was planning to go and visit my friends there. 7 hours later I arrived in Kisumu and my friend Jacklyn was waiting for me. We got in a Matatu and headed for Ugunja. Now this road is possibly the worst road in the country, or maybe the world (that I've experienced anyway) so what should be about an hour drive is a two hour drive, on a good day!
On the ride I learned that back at Jacklyn's family's compound there were some issues. Her older brother Tobias' house had just been burnt down. Now I asked why, and who did it, but there didn't seem to be any answers, so I just dropped it and said I would love to help rebuild. That's exactly what we did! Luckily for them I had some mud hut building experience from my last visit in Ugunja. This time was a lot cooler though, got to be involved from start to finish. It was amazing to see the community come to help in a time of a need. By 6am on Monday morning there were some 20 people gathered to help. Some people collected wood, some collected grass for the roof, some started preparing the dirt (that's where i jumped in). By the end of the day, the frame was up and there was a huge pile of grass waiting to be put on the roof. The next day we started filling in the dirt and some of the older more experienced men were up in the roof working on the grass! By Wednesday it was time to move in. Awesome!
The rest of the week in Ugunja we went in to town to help out at the Ugunja Community Resource Center. There wasn't a ton of work to be done, as they were winding down for the end of the year, but I helped Jackie with her year-end report and we also visited a couple of people in the surrounding area. The only disappointment on my visit to Ugunja was that I didn't get to see my good friend Maureen in the library : ( she was gone to conference somewhere.
All in all, it was a great stay in Ugunja, and I could have stayed for a another week. I have experienced a new level of hospitality that i didn't know existed... and once again found myself extremely humbled.
Now I'm in Nairobi with the Kenny's, another CBM family. I'll be here for the week helping out with their work, I cant wait to see exactly what they do, and help where I can help. Yesterday and today have already been a blast here, playing with their three kids and just being around Canadian people is refreshing. Not to mention that last night we had pizza and beer. Canadian!
peace.
So since my last update I've done a whole bunch of great things.
Last Saturday I went to the Kenya vs. Nigeria world cup qualifying match, it was a riot! LITERALLY! Following a very controversial go ahead goal for the Nigerians the Kenyan faithful were not a happy bunch. . . but we made it out of the stadium alright. I went with a man named Paul who is from CBM and his son, and his son's friend. GOODTIMES.
Sunday morning I hit up an easycoach bus bound for Kisumu which is closest city to Ugunja where I was planning to go and visit my friends there. 7 hours later I arrived in Kisumu and my friend Jacklyn was waiting for me. We got in a Matatu and headed for Ugunja. Now this road is possibly the worst road in the country, or maybe the world (that I've experienced anyway) so what should be about an hour drive is a two hour drive, on a good day!
On the ride I learned that back at Jacklyn's family's compound there were some issues. Her older brother Tobias' house had just been burnt down. Now I asked why, and who did it, but there didn't seem to be any answers, so I just dropped it and said I would love to help rebuild. That's exactly what we did! Luckily for them I had some mud hut building experience from my last visit in Ugunja. This time was a lot cooler though, got to be involved from start to finish. It was amazing to see the community come to help in a time of a need. By 6am on Monday morning there were some 20 people gathered to help. Some people collected wood, some collected grass for the roof, some started preparing the dirt (that's where i jumped in). By the end of the day, the frame was up and there was a huge pile of grass waiting to be put on the roof. The next day we started filling in the dirt and some of the older more experienced men were up in the roof working on the grass! By Wednesday it was time to move in. Awesome!
The rest of the week in Ugunja we went in to town to help out at the Ugunja Community Resource Center. There wasn't a ton of work to be done, as they were winding down for the end of the year, but I helped Jackie with her year-end report and we also visited a couple of people in the surrounding area. The only disappointment on my visit to Ugunja was that I didn't get to see my good friend Maureen in the library : ( she was gone to conference somewhere.
All in all, it was a great stay in Ugunja, and I could have stayed for a another week. I have experienced a new level of hospitality that i didn't know existed... and once again found myself extremely humbled.
Now I'm in Nairobi with the Kenny's, another CBM family. I'll be here for the week helping out with their work, I cant wait to see exactly what they do, and help where I can help. Yesterday and today have already been a blast here, playing with their three kids and just being around Canadian people is refreshing. Not to mention that last night we had pizza and beer. Canadian!
peace.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
MOVING . . .
Hey everyone!
sorry it has been so long. I have been putting this one off for quite some time now...
Things in Ngong have been better... i feel very burnt out and tired, among other things.
I have LOVED my time here and will never forget it, but the past week has been very frustrating and hard for me.
I have a new plan though, thanks to some good ol' baptist connections! I am very much indebted to you Terry if you read this!! Over lunch today with a man named Malcolm Card, and a couple named Aaron and Erica Kenny from Canadian Baptist Ministries we made a new plan of action! On Saturday, Paul from CBM and I and his kids are going to watch the Kenya vs. Nigeria world cup qualifier soccer game, SICK! After that I will spend the night at their place, Sunday morning I'm off for Ugunja for a week!
I am really excited to go back and visit my friends there! I don't know exactly what I will be doing there, but I know the family I am living with and they're awesome! I am sure that there will be lots of things to do there, as they always lots on the go! I'll be sure to stop in at the library and see my old friend Maureen!!
After Ugunja I will be living and working with the aforementioned Kenny's, they seem great, and are excited to have me. They have three young kids, so it should be a blast! I will update you on exactly what I'm doing there once I know more, but I know it involves Somali women, English classes and also a daycare, and some sort of vocational school!! I will be there for a week and then I'm going to the North East province with Paul, I have no idea what I'm doing there with him, but at lunch today everyone seemed really excited that I was going to get to go, so i say SOUNDS GOOD!
Anyways, thanks for reading, I'm really excited and feeling good about my decisions.
One thing Malcolm asked today was "how hard was it to ask for help?"
I had to be honest with him and say, it was hard. I guess it is something that I have never been really good at, but I am glad that i asked for help, and boy were they ready and more than happy to help me! hmm... life lesson? I THINK SO!!
PEACE!
sorry it has been so long. I have been putting this one off for quite some time now...
Things in Ngong have been better... i feel very burnt out and tired, among other things.
I have LOVED my time here and will never forget it, but the past week has been very frustrating and hard for me.
I have a new plan though, thanks to some good ol' baptist connections! I am very much indebted to you Terry if you read this!! Over lunch today with a man named Malcolm Card, and a couple named Aaron and Erica Kenny from Canadian Baptist Ministries we made a new plan of action! On Saturday, Paul from CBM and I and his kids are going to watch the Kenya vs. Nigeria world cup qualifier soccer game, SICK! After that I will spend the night at their place, Sunday morning I'm off for Ugunja for a week!
I am really excited to go back and visit my friends there! I don't know exactly what I will be doing there, but I know the family I am living with and they're awesome! I am sure that there will be lots of things to do there, as they always lots on the go! I'll be sure to stop in at the library and see my old friend Maureen!!
After Ugunja I will be living and working with the aforementioned Kenny's, they seem great, and are excited to have me. They have three young kids, so it should be a blast! I will update you on exactly what I'm doing there once I know more, but I know it involves Somali women, English classes and also a daycare, and some sort of vocational school!! I will be there for a week and then I'm going to the North East province with Paul, I have no idea what I'm doing there with him, but at lunch today everyone seemed really excited that I was going to get to go, so i say SOUNDS GOOD!
Anyways, thanks for reading, I'm really excited and feeling good about my decisions.
One thing Malcolm asked today was "how hard was it to ask for help?"
I had to be honest with him and say, it was hard. I guess it is something that I have never been really good at, but I am glad that i asked for help, and boy were they ready and more than happy to help me! hmm... life lesson? I THINK SO!!
PEACE!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
YES YES Y'ALL
SO, i have been catching some serious grief for the lack of a post in some time. I apologize, to be completely honest i don't particularly enjoy the process of writing about the things i'm experiencing, but once i'm done it feels great, and i know you guys wanna hear more, so here i am!
I have been here for two and a half weeks now, and things are really good! For those of you who dont know, i am staying with Mary (or mum as she is more commonly known...pretty much...everywhere) and there is another intern her at the moment named Yui from Japan. She's cool. She stays to herself most of the time, but lately has been making more noise and coming out of her shell! She works with 4 women in the new candle making project. Just briefly on the candle making project - i am not even involved really and it gives me headache, it has been so hard for these women to find a market for their candles, we got ripped off by the people who sold us the machine. They told us that we could get the KBS stamp (which is required to sell in the market) with the candles this machine produces, but that's completely untrue. So the women an Yui have been producing hundreds of useless candles. Although they burn well and look nice, they just aren't the right size or some BS like that. If you want candles, holler at me! that's enough on the candles!
I usually spend my days with mum... we start in the office and say whats up to the women in the sewing class, who are- Lucy, Hannah, Anne, Noleka, Beatrice and the teacher Violet. They are awesome! So much fun to be around and sometimes we don't get any further than this class, we just stay there and help where we can, and laugh with them! BUT most days after that we head out into the Mathare slum, and go looking for people who are affiliated with LPK (Living Positive Kenya). Mostly it's women who mum has heard through whatever source aren't feeling well, and need to see her and need to be prayed with / for. That's where i come in... seeing as i never fully understand their Kiswahili conversation (although i am getting much better) i just pray. Sometimes I will play with a child if there is one in the house. Eventually mum fills me in in English on what is going on, and we all pray together in English, and try to figure out what we can do to help.
From there we usually stop in at the LPK daycare and play with all the kids that are always eager to see there mzungu friend!
I don't really know what else to say... or how to describe the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit in this place. It brings me to my knees almost every day. peace.
I have been here for two and a half weeks now, and things are really good! For those of you who dont know, i am staying with Mary (or mum as she is more commonly known...pretty much...everywhere) and there is another intern her at the moment named Yui from Japan. She's cool. She stays to herself most of the time, but lately has been making more noise and coming out of her shell! She works with 4 women in the new candle making project. Just briefly on the candle making project - i am not even involved really and it gives me headache, it has been so hard for these women to find a market for their candles, we got ripped off by the people who sold us the machine. They told us that we could get the KBS stamp (which is required to sell in the market) with the candles this machine produces, but that's completely untrue. So the women an Yui have been producing hundreds of useless candles. Although they burn well and look nice, they just aren't the right size or some BS like that. If you want candles, holler at me! that's enough on the candles!
I usually spend my days with mum... we start in the office and say whats up to the women in the sewing class, who are- Lucy, Hannah, Anne, Noleka, Beatrice and the teacher Violet. They are awesome! So much fun to be around and sometimes we don't get any further than this class, we just stay there and help where we can, and laugh with them! BUT most days after that we head out into the Mathare slum, and go looking for people who are affiliated with LPK (Living Positive Kenya). Mostly it's women who mum has heard through whatever source aren't feeling well, and need to see her and need to be prayed with / for. That's where i come in... seeing as i never fully understand their Kiswahili conversation (although i am getting much better) i just pray. Sometimes I will play with a child if there is one in the house. Eventually mum fills me in in English on what is going on, and we all pray together in English, and try to figure out what we can do to help.
From there we usually stop in at the LPK daycare and play with all the kids that are always eager to see there mzungu friend!
I don't really know what else to say... or how to describe the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit in this place. It brings me to my knees almost every day. peace.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
HABARI
yoo
I think that this blog is going to get a lot harder that now I am no longer just cruising the green hills of Ireland...but thats OKAEYY.
SO, let me just tell you all that I actually got really nervous...when I was at Heathrow after saying an EPIC goodbye to ma and pa, I was slightly freeking out.
I think it was really just hitting me that I was about to get on a plane to go to Kenya for 2 months, SOLO. So I paced around the terminal contemplating not getting on the plane, or maybe faking some sort of sickness, or maybe just running out into London and never stopping. CRAZY RIGHT?!?!
So I sat down in some little bar inside heathrow terminal 4 - which is a very nice terminal by the way - ordered myself a pint of Stella and just calmed down a bit. it worked. I boarded the plane.
Horrible flight...cant sleep on planes to save my life.
Now this is the best part...as soon as we arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and I walked out the door, i was home. The smells, the sounds, everything was right again! Then I saw the immigration line, DAMN IT! But having been to Kenya before I knew that the huge line of people in the "other passport" line were weasting their time. I hopped in the line that said "East African Citizens Only" and cruised right on through to the luggage pickup area! beauty.
Now I'm here again. ZACH IS BACK! as all of the women at the project keep saying. It has been amazing reconnectiong with everyone and hanging out with the women and kids at the project and the daycare. Today, me, Lucy and Noleka (2 women from the sewing class) lugged 3 big pieces of plywood from the daycare up to the office - which is about a 10 minute walk up through the slum and then the market without a big piece of wood - and built a new wall to block the office from the people who live on the other side, then Lucy and I painted it a beautiful shade of blue...GOODTIMES!!
Thats it!
PEACE
I think that this blog is going to get a lot harder that now I am no longer just cruising the green hills of Ireland...but thats OKAEYY.
SO, let me just tell you all that I actually got really nervous...when I was at Heathrow after saying an EPIC goodbye to ma and pa, I was slightly freeking out.
I think it was really just hitting me that I was about to get on a plane to go to Kenya for 2 months, SOLO. So I paced around the terminal contemplating not getting on the plane, or maybe faking some sort of sickness, or maybe just running out into London and never stopping. CRAZY RIGHT?!?!
So I sat down in some little bar inside heathrow terminal 4 - which is a very nice terminal by the way - ordered myself a pint of Stella and just calmed down a bit. it worked. I boarded the plane.
Horrible flight...cant sleep on planes to save my life.
Now this is the best part...as soon as we arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and I walked out the door, i was home. The smells, the sounds, everything was right again! Then I saw the immigration line, DAMN IT! But having been to Kenya before I knew that the huge line of people in the "other passport" line were weasting their time. I hopped in the line that said "East African Citizens Only" and cruised right on through to the luggage pickup area! beauty.
Now I'm here again. ZACH IS BACK! as all of the women at the project keep saying. It has been amazing reconnectiong with everyone and hanging out with the women and kids at the project and the daycare. Today, me, Lucy and Noleka (2 women from the sewing class) lugged 3 big pieces of plywood from the daycare up to the office - which is about a 10 minute walk up through the slum and then the market without a big piece of wood - and built a new wall to block the office from the people who live on the other side, then Lucy and I painted it a beautiful shade of blue...GOODTIMES!!
Thats it!
PEACE
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
ireland
hello all.
so i guess my status as a rookie blogger is showing, i havent updated in quite some time! sorry.
so since london my mom has arrived and the three of us are travelling around ireland.
I could take a few angles on how exactly this is going...in one hand it is amazing to have parents who love checking out pubs and cruising around ireland with nothing specific in mind!
On the other hand...NEVER TRAVEL EUROPE WITH YOU PARENTS!!
that is all i will say beacause i know eventually they will read this. haha.
For real tho we started in Dublin. It was amazing, we were there for 2 nights and had a blast..live irish music, lots of guiness and kilkenny. I made some friends and had some serious fun!! From there we started travelling south, stopped in Cork City which was kind of a wierd place. quiet. still pretty cool tho. Then we checked out the ring of kerry which was spectacular, the landscape is like nothing i have ever experienced! (pictures are coming soon!) Then we went to Killarney which was an awesome little town but it was the off season so there was nothing happening really..oh well!
Today me and my dad played golf at a place called Ballybunion...if u r a golfer look it up, UNBELIEVABLE!! From there we came to Galway which is a University town, and tonight was a great time! Started out in some little pub featuring some live music and ended up in another place with some newfound friends listening to a Latin set...COOL.
Tomorrow we are gonna check out a couple things here and then head back to Dublin 'til Saturday when we head our seperate ways...Kenya here I come!
peace.
so i guess my status as a rookie blogger is showing, i havent updated in quite some time! sorry.
so since london my mom has arrived and the three of us are travelling around ireland.
I could take a few angles on how exactly this is going...in one hand it is amazing to have parents who love checking out pubs and cruising around ireland with nothing specific in mind!
On the other hand...NEVER TRAVEL EUROPE WITH YOU PARENTS!!
that is all i will say beacause i know eventually they will read this. haha.
For real tho we started in Dublin. It was amazing, we were there for 2 nights and had a blast..live irish music, lots of guiness and kilkenny. I made some friends and had some serious fun!! From there we started travelling south, stopped in Cork City which was kind of a wierd place. quiet. still pretty cool tho. Then we checked out the ring of kerry which was spectacular, the landscape is like nothing i have ever experienced! (pictures are coming soon!) Then we went to Killarney which was an awesome little town but it was the off season so there was nothing happening really..oh well!
Today me and my dad played golf at a place called Ballybunion...if u r a golfer look it up, UNBELIEVABLE!! From there we came to Galway which is a University town, and tonight was a great time! Started out in some little pub featuring some live music and ended up in another place with some newfound friends listening to a Latin set...COOL.
Tomorrow we are gonna check out a couple things here and then head back to Dublin 'til Saturday when we head our seperate ways...Kenya here I come!
peace.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
hey everyone!
this is my first time every attempting a blog...so bare with me!
I'm in London, more specifically in Notting Hill sitting in a Starbucks. Joni Mitchel's "California" just came on, it made me think of my summer on Boys' Camp program. We listened to this song a lot. I miss those guys!!
I think wandering around the streets of London all by myself the past two days has been great...sometimes I wish I had someone to share the sights and sounds with, but that's alright. Anyways, I'm gonna go find some dinner and then meet my mom at Heathrow. peace.
this is my first time every attempting a blog...so bare with me!
I'm in London, more specifically in Notting Hill sitting in a Starbucks. Joni Mitchel's "California" just came on, it made me think of my summer on Boys' Camp program. We listened to this song a lot. I miss those guys!!
I think wandering around the streets of London all by myself the past two days has been great...sometimes I wish I had someone to share the sights and sounds with, but that's alright. Anyways, I'm gonna go find some dinner and then meet my mom at Heathrow. peace.
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