Week 4: The "Small Things"...like Nail Polish and Nap-time

I cannot believe that I have been in AFRICA for an entire MONTH! Say whaaat?! It's even crazier to think that I will be here for 5 more months! The first few weeks were a bit overwhelming and very different, but I can finally say that I feel at home here.

I would like to begin this recap with a random observation.

I feel like Kate and I are always the last ones to know anything around here! And this is why I say that...Every week it seems that there are sisters coming and going from the convent- leaving for school or other mission work. In the past week alone, both Sr. Benedicta (who was the nun supervising our work at the convent) AND Sr. Michael Marie (the prioress) have left the convent without giving us any heads up! It's like "Oh! Good morning! Did you know so-and-so is LEAVING TODAY?!"...I will say it again and again..."What we have here is a failure to communicate." ("Cool Hand Luke")

So now that I got that out! Here is the weekly recap!

MONDAY

First day of work at "Feed the Children" in Dagorretti!!! It was soooo exciting to finally start work at Dagoretti and to get to play with the kids!! When we arrived, Mama Jane sat down with Kate and I to work out a schedule for the up-coming weeks. From 9am-1pm, Kate and I worked at the rehab center helping and observing the physical therapists as they worked with the babies and kids with disabilities. Most of the kids either have Cerebral Palsy, brain damage, or Rickets. Rickets seems to be the most common. Basically, a baby develops Rickets when they don't get enough of the right nutrients (particularly Calcium) which causes a weakening of the bones which results in painful joints that make it difficult for the child to achieve certain milestones (e.g.: sitting, crawling, walking). I love being able to read the diagnosis and medical reports and watch how the therapists approach each patient's treatment plan. For some kids, they are focusing on exercises that will help the child make a full recovery. However, in some of the more difficult cases, the therapists concentrate on conditioning exercises that will keep the child's condition from deteriorating any more, since many of the patients' will not fully recover from their condition (e.g.: advanced cases of Cerebral Palsy and brain damage).

After lunch, Kate and I went outside to play with the toddlers! They are a busy, crazy bunch of kids! We  attempted to teach them "Duck Duck Goose" and "Red Light Green Light". The kids loved climbing on us and putting flowers in our hair. One of my favorite moments of the day was watching the kids get so excited and yell "SPIDERMAN!" whenever they saw a spider in the grass! They are so cute!! I just love them!!


TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY

Tuesday and Wednesday we worked at the convent. We painted several more of the novices' bedrooms, stained floors, and got the entire hallway painted!! We, also, moved all of the furniture back into the junior novices rooms so that they can finally start moving back in! I actually found it really nice having these 2 days at the convent. It broke up the week and I wasn't as frustrated about being cooped up since I knew that the rest of the week I would be out and about again!

THURSDAY

Back to Dagorretti! Again, Kate and I made it safely to and from Dagorretti- the only exception being the strange man who stood in front of us with his arms up, trying to keep us from passing!! We are becoming so good at riding the matatus! They are crazy, but oh so fun!

In the morning, we worked with the physical therapists. I got to follow Benson. He was really great and let me borrow a Nurses Dictionary so that I could look up different medical terms so that I could better understand the patients' conditions. Most of the kids we worked with had Cerebral Palsy. One of the most interesting cases was that of a young teenage boy who had Cerebral Palsy that left his right side very weak. It was interesting to see the different stretches and activities that Benson had him do to work on his rightside coordination.

Since it was Thursday...that means ZUMBA!! At 1pm, the kids and a lot of the workers have a Zumba class. Most of the kids were more interested in climbing on Kate and I and trying to get us to hold them then the actual dancing. However, it was hilarious to watch the little kids that did get out there and dance. They have some serious dance moves!!

After lunch, Kate and I went and played with the kids. We did chalk drawings and traced each other. Then, we got out the nail polish and everyone (boys included!) had their nails painted! The kids absolutely loved it! They ran up to whoever was walking by and would show them their nails. They are at such a fun age that they get so excited about the smallest things. It brings joy to my heart and a big smile to my face!

On the way home, we got to experience true Kenyan travelling- about 25 to 28 people shoved into a small matatu! People were sitting on eaach others' laps and hanging out the door! I kid you not. It was one of those "How many more people can they fit in here?!" moments. ;)

FRIDAY

First day at Cottonlengo! On the walk into Karen a Kenyan man was following us shouting profanities because we didn't say "hello" to him or something. Essentially he said: "MZUNGUS! Yeah, I'm talking to you! You think you are so high and mighty. F**** you! Go f**** yourself!".....Yaaaa....not the way I wanted to be greeted at 8am! We just kept walking and eventually we out walked him.

When we arrived at Cottolengo, the kids were OUT OF CONTROL! Walked right into a room of screaming babies/toddlers who were throwing their toys and flashing each other. Don't even get me started about potty time: pee being thrown, kids tasting each others' pee, kids running around with their pants down and trying to escape....Need I say any more! Being at Cottolengo wa such a switch from "Feed the Children"  where the kids seem to be a bit more disciplined and under control. Don't get me wrong....the kids at Cottolengo are equally adorable and fun to play with...They just have a lot more energy and a lot more gumption than the FTC kids.

I spent most of the day holding little baby Benson who is an absolute angel baby! Ah! He is too cute for words!! (Hence, why I am including a icture!)

There was a really awkward moment where we weren't sure if we were getting lunch. For some reason no one knew whether they were going to feed us for lunch. As for lunch, I will never again complain about the convent food! Lunch at Cottolengo included ugale, "pushing the week" (a green spinach like veggie), and hard boiled eggs. The one great part of the day, however, was the post-lunch nap-time! The "mamas" brought out blankets and sacks for us to lie on outside and I must say it was the best nap ever!

Kate and I ended up leaving early (around 330pm) since it was such a long day. We took the matatu back to Karen center, hit up the Nakumatt for snacks, and had a girls' night. Great end to a long week!

I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!! <3 Baby Benson

SATURDAY

We ended up doing more painting and staining today for Sr. Rosina even though it was technically our day off! It wasn't so bad since we probably would have just been sitting in our little house on Facebook anyways.

From 1pm-4pm, we went with Sr. Stella Maurus to a church nearby to sit in on their lecture readers practice. It was actually pretty interesting listening to the director Tom and Sr. Stella talk about how to be a good reader. They discussed reading techniques, posture, and things like how to keep the audience interested and being aware who you are reading to. We split into groups and had two people from each of the 3 groups practice in front of the group. After, we did constructive criticism which was really great and actually kind of fun! It helped me think about how I present myself and the need to be confident when you are delivering an important message (like God's Word!!).

SUNDAY

This is one of the few Sundays that Kate and I have actually been here for a "normal" Sunday. The past few weeks wee have been either in Nairobi or the Sunday was a special feast day celebration. So, I plan on just hanging out and probably walking into town later to visit our favorite place -Nakumatt!



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This week I've learned what it means to appreciate different kinds of service. I've learned that even though we may not recognize it, the little things we do every day make a big difference! God does not always call us to the "BIG THINGS". To tell you the truth....it's often a small group of individuals that are called to that category of "BIG THINGS". Most of us will live seemingly "ordinary" lives that call us to the "small things". But don't think that makes you any less important than anyone else! These past few weeks I have been called to do a lot of "small things". At first it seemed so menial and pointless. However, the more I've reflected on it, the more I've realized this....

Sometimes it's the small things that make a big difference in someone's life.

Like painting a dozen bedrooms, searching for "stones" in bags of rice, or smiling at a stranger...

It's all those "small things" that become the "BIG THINGS" in life.

You don't have to go to a foreign country or be the next Mother Theresa to change the world! You are already doing it just by being you. Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, doctor, lawyer, plumber, artist, etc etc and so forth, be THE BEST at what you do and do it with great love. Don't waste your life away wishing you were someone else, living in all the "What Ifs" and "If Onlys"...Trust me...I've been there...and I struggle daily to stay away from those thoughts and to live in the present.

To paraphrase something I heard recently:

"The past and the present do not exist. All we have is the present. NOW is what is real!"

I encourage...I BEG YOU!...Live in the NOW. Learn to appreciate the "small things" in life. Learn to recognize the good that YOU DO on a daily basis.

YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YOU ARE CHANGING THE WORLD.

God is calling you personally to do His will. Our missions are not all the same. However, they are all unique and important in their own way. There are some things that only YOU can do! So get out there and DO IT!! :)

And just in case you need some more inspiration...Here is a little mantra I say to myself...

"Live authentically and Love endlessly." <3

God Bless you in this up-coming week! I hope it's your best week ever!!

Love,

Caitlin

Week 3: Cups of Tea and Avocado Trees

"The buildings are not what is important....The people are." ~Fr. Gregor (Sunday homily)

So this week turned out to be pretty AWESOME! We got the chance to check out two different places where Kate and I will be working. ALSO, we got to visit a village near-by and got a better glimpse of what living in Kenya really looks like.

Monday and Tuesday, Kate and I continued painting rooms and staining floors. Like I said in the past posts, it's been frustrating trying to communicate with the sisters what we want to do. I feel like we are constantly repeating ourselves and the point takes several days if not more to get across. It's a losing battle!

Wednesday was a great day! We painted in the morning as usual. At 3pm, Kate and I went with Sr. Harryberta to visit Mama Susanna, an 80year-old Swiss woman with Multiple Sclerosis who lives down the street. Due to her age and the effects of MS, Mama Susanna is in a wheelchair and is paralyzed from the waist down. However, she radiates joy! She is one of the happiest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting! Although she speaks mostly Swiss, Sr. Harryberta was able to translate so that we could talk. After having tea and pineapples, Mama Susanna's grandson Emmanuel showed us around the compound. Emmanuel is 6years old and already speaks Swiss, German, Swahili, and English fluently! He is so sweet and smart! The compound is beautiful and a lot nicer than most homes in Kenya since it is in the suburbs. The outside courtyard is made of really nice stones and the house where Mama Susanna lives has hardwood floors, electricity (which is a big deal around here!), and really beautiful furniture she shipped here from her home in Switzerland. It was really nice getting to meet someone who lives on our street. It was also interesting especially since Mama Susanna's family had moved there from Switzerland. It just show a different side of Kenyan life- for the upper class that is. Best of all, we even got to see Emmanuel's 4 pet turtles!

Thursday was a very important day for Kate and me. Sr. Rosina took us to "Feed the Children" in Dagorretti and "Cotollengo" in Karen to talk to the people there about volunteering. At "Feed the Children", we met with Mama Jane who gave us a 45mins. talk about the facilities and the work that they do there. She gave us a tour of the cottages where each of the different age groups of orphaned children live. The kids there are so cute! They all kept saying "hello" and wanting to slap us five and shake our hands. The buildings there are really nice, very similar to something you would see in the U.S. Mama Jane said they call the place "little Oklahoma" (if I remember correctly!). Around 11:30pm-1pm, Mama Jane sent us to the rehab center where we got to observe and help out the therapists with the physical therapy sessions for the babies and toddlers with disabilities. So much fun! Even in just one day, I learned a lot about the treatment plans and causes of the disabilities.

Around 2pm, we took matatus over to Cottolengo which is an orphanage for kids with AIDs and HIV. When we got there, we got to hold the babies and toddlers while we waited for Mama Lucy. Mama Lucy gave us a tour of the facilities. The facilities were not as nice as "Feed the Children" but I'm presuming that is because they have less funding and because Cottolengo is a smaller organization run by the nuns.

By the end of Thursday, Kate and I were given our schedule for the next few months! We will be working Mondays and Thursdays at "Feed the Children", Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the convent, and Fridays at Cottolengo. WE FINALLY HAVE A REAL SCHEDULE!! You have no idea how exciting this is!!! After 3 weeks of miscommunication and random mundane tasks, we finally have a real work week figured out!! WOOHOOO!!! :)

Anyways....

On Friday, Kate and I had a half day. We were going to go to Nairobi to visit the guys but decided against it since it had been such a long week. We ended up staying in, watching a movie, and having a "girls night". It was "just the ticket"! ;)

Saturday, Sr, Judy took us with her to the village of Karinde to visit the elderly. We did a TON of walking!! First, there was a Bible study at a woman's house. We all sat outside next to the cows which was slightly distracting. They talked mostly in Swahili so Kate and I had no clue what was going on. Then they proceeded to do business matters. The elderly group works together to make liquid soup to sell so that they can become self-sufficient and raise money for their group. At the end of the session, the owner of the house brought out a HUGE avocado for Kate, Sr. Judy, and I. It was the biggest avocado I have ever seen! And of course we had to finish the whole thing or else the woman would have thought that we were being rude or ungrateful.

Next, we visited the homes of three of the women who were too sick to attend the Bible study. First, there was Hannah, a woman in her 80s who has a heart problem and is very emaciated. She was the sweetest little thing! She told Sr. Judy how happy she was to have visitors and even offered to have someone run into the village to get us sodas. What I found so strikingly beautiful about this woman is that even though you could see how in pain she was, she smiled the whole time we were there.We then left and visited a woman with diabetes followed by a woman with breast cancer.  At the 2nd house, Sr, Judy asked if Kate or I would say the prayer for the group. I ended up doing it which was nerve-racking because I really do not like praying aloud in a group. However, the women at the house seemed very grateful and pleased. At the third house, the woman gave us "Mokima" which is basically potatoes, maize, and beans mashed up. Once again. Kate and I were forced into chowing down on this stuff in order to not offend anyone. I have to admit, though, it was pretty good!

All through Karinde, the little kids would yell "Mzungu" and come up to ask "How are you?" and to shake our hands. At first we would see one little kid, then they would summon all their friends to come see the "mzungus" (white people)! It was hilarious and so much fun! The kids get so excited to see us that all the attention does not seem so strange after a while. We are a walking circus! ;)

Our day in Karinde was such an eye-opener. Firstly, we were able to see what was considered a "nice" village in Kenya. To put it simply, even a poverty level home in America would be nicer than a home in Karinde. In Karinde, the houses are made mostly out of tin sheets. They have a cement floor and cloth sheets on the ceiling to prevent leaks. What was surprising to me was that while these houses were so simple, every house we visited had a television in it. I guess it was the one small luxury the people could afford. It's really hard to explain the living situations as well as I'd like to. However, I must conclude that even though these people live so simply, they are the kindest, most welcoming, and hospitable people I have ever encountered. At each home, we were greeted with enthusiasm and sincerity. At no point, did it seem to me that any of the people seemed ashamed of where and how they lived. Living in Kenya, I am truly so very grateful for my life back home in the U.S. It is so easy at home for me to complain that "there's not enough food" (or food I like!) or that (oh no!) the electricity went out once this year! In Kenya, people are just happy to have clothes on their back, a roof over their head, family and friends to love them, and purpose in life. There is so much that I am learning from this simple way of life. I can only hope that I'm able to explain it the best I can to you and to bring what I have learned home with me after these 6months.

To conclude Week 3's Events...

Saturday and Sunday Harris came to Karen to hang out with us. If you haven't heard yet...he got robbed in Nairobi on the way here. (Check out his blog for that story!) Furthermore, he brought Kate and I tons of movies to download which was literally like having an early Christmas!!! BEST.DAY.EVER. You have no idea how boring it is to sit around every night for hours trying to download movies on Youtube...usually unsuccessfully! Yes...we lead a very lame nightlife! ALSO, Saturday night we ordered pizza! BEST.IDEA.EVER. I was kind of worried that it wouldn't be as good as pizza from home but it was totally worth it!

Sunday was Sr. Harryberta's 80th Birthday and Sr. Michael Marie's feast day...Yup...you guessed it....BIG CELEBRATION! I got to play guitar for the communion song at Mass. Also, Kate and I played one of my songs during the "entertainment" part of the day. We also played "Bunko" which was absolutely hilarious and so much fun! The sisters are so funny! Celebration days are like Christmas x10! Again...you have no idea how exciting it is to have cake, ice cream, soda, and lots of really great food after eating the same things all the time. Although certain people will try to make the argument that I only like white rice (*AHEM*), I would like to clarify the fact that I do in fact try all the food here! Finally, we also got to hang out with the German girls who came to visit which is always fun to see them!

ALL IN ALL...Week 3 was completely awesome and I'm looking forward to my first full week of work!! God is so good. :)



"At every stage of life, the heart must be ready to leave and begin anew." ~translation of a German poem <3

Week 2 Recap: There's a Sunny-side to Every Situation

So this past week has been pretty random, but also pretty awesome! Throughout the week we continued working on fixing up the novices rooms....Yup...more painting and staining!! I'm not going to sugar-coat this one- painting gets really old after doing it for 2 weeks straight. Also, we were told today that there are another 8 or so more rooms that the sisters would like us to paint and stain....Don't get me started on how I feel about this...

Anyways...so Kate and I have made great progress in the past 2 weeks with the novices rooms! This week we are just putting the finishing touches on the shelves and cabinets as well as doing a second coat of staining on the floors. I think the only bright-side of this whole painting situation is that A.) the rooms look really great now and the sisters are soooo excited about the work we have done and B.) we actually got to use a moss green colored paint for the shelves which after weeks of doing "eggshell white" is a nice change. Oh the little things in life!

In other news, for some reason I keep getting sick in the middle of mass. Wednesday I took the day off because I thought I was going to either pass out or puke at mass. The sisters were really kind about it though. It was like having a dozen mothers checking in on me all day! They each had their on diagnosis and proposed treatment which was kind of funny. Even though I felt awful I got to eat some really great homemade chicken noodle soup! Again...there's always a sunny-side to every situation!

My mother would be so proud of this! lol ;)

The rest of the week went by pretty normally. Saturday was a very special day. We had 2 novices- Sr. Christine and Sr. Rosalia- take their 1st vows! Celebrations here in Kenya are a BIG DEAL! On Friday, Kate and I helped out in the kitchen- peeling potatoes, prepping corn, and (how could I forget?) sifting through dozens of bag of rice to check for "stones" (strange...I know). Anyways....on Saturday the families of the 2 novices came- some coming from as far as Uganda. Also, the 2 German volunteers (Catalina and Steffy) who will be staying in Ruarka and Harris were all there for the ceremony and after party.There was lots of singing and dancing during the 2 hour long mass. Sr. Christine's relatives were funny to watch because they kept dancing in the aisle and doing the screeching "Ay Ay Ay" thing that people here do when they are excited. At the party after the mass, there was tons of food and cake! The two families of the new "brides" each got up and sang and danced for all of us. It's really amusing to see how differently people here celebrate! What I like about it is that they don't hold back! People here truly know how to celebrate such a joyous occasion.

Saturday afternoon, Harris was able to convince Sr. Michael Marie to let us go back to stay at Amani Center for the rest of the weekend. For some reason Kate and I are never able to get straightforward answers from anyone around here, but Harris visits for one day and the sisters love him! We ended up hanging out Saturday night with the guys at Amani. We met Mike the other St. John's guy and also the guys' friends Augustine, Vincent, and Dan who are all really awesome! They even taught us how to play "Cardy" which is basically "Uno" using regular playing cards. Thus far, I think Saturday night was the most fun I've had since coming to Kenya. Just a lot of fun hanging out with some really great people. :)

Sunday, we all went to the 11am mass together. We ended up meeting up with the German girls. I got really dizzy again during mass and had to leave early. Yeah...I have to figure out this whole dizzy spell thing. It's no fun. Around 1:30pm we Skyped with Fr. Chris and got to say Hi to some of the monks back home. Miss them!! It was so great to get to hear from them!! Around 2pm, Kate, Harris, and I went into Nairobi and had pizza at this really great Italian restaurant. It was also funny because Henry and his friend ended up at the same restaurant- Happy 51st Birthday, Henry! Then, Kate and I took the matatu back to Karen..We are getting so good at this!

Well, going into Week 3 it looks like it will be more painting and staining for Kate and I! It's been really frustrating trying to communicate with the sisters about what we want to do, but hopefully we will be able to work out some kind of schedule for the upcoming month that does not include maintenance work. All in God's good time! Just have to stay positive and try to be patient no matter how frustrating it is!!

This week I'm going to work on being positive! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and there's no use wasting time on negative thoughts. After all, I'm in AFRICA with a group of really incredible people including one of my best friends ever- the one and only Kate Drinkwater! AND I have a jar of peanut butter, Pringles, and hot cocoa stashed away for when I need to be cheered up! What more could a girl like me need? ;)

It's going to be a long week!! Say some prayers for us! It can get lonely here and Kate and I definitely have been missing home from time to time in the past 2 weeks. And feel free to send us letters or something AWESOME!!! ;)
Here's our address::

Missionary Benedictine Sisters

Sacred Heart Priory

(Windy Ridge 181,Karen-Nairobi)

P.O.Box 24233 Karen

00502 Nairobi

Kenya

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

"I'm preparing a room for you to join us!" ~Sr .Lydia (She is convinced that Kate and I are the new "aspirants".)

"They are delicate people...Not like us...We eat everything!" ~ one of the sisters' responses to me being sick

"Today is a happy day! No one should be sad! If you are sad you will fall on the ground on your face!" ~Fr. Gregor, the visiting celebrant (1st vows ceremony)

"Once in a lifetime is something to celebrate!" ~Sr. Michael Marie (1st vows ceremony)

Firsts

Silly nuns! (Sr. Loice and Sr. Lillian!)

This week has been a week of firsts!

First time travelling to Africa.
First time eating Kenyan food.
First proposal.
First time using a matatu.
First African beer.

etc etc and so forth...

Needlesss to say, this first week in Kenya has been a fun adventure! Each of these "firsts" has brought new perspective and new appreciation for the life I have back in the US. For instance, I appreciate food much more! I thought I was going to go crazy day three from eating the same exact thing every day! As a fervent lover of all and any types of food, I must say that I reached my breaking point this week and resorted to buying Pringles and Coke at the local Nazkumatt (basically the Walmart of Kenya!). I need some flavor here people!

Secondly, I appreciate showering at home- not having to wait 20mins. for warm water and having a shower head that actually hits my entire body! This whole "only sprinkle water on the head" system is not working out so well!

Thirdly, I appreciate transportation back home. I like that at home I have my own car. I can go (for the most part) where I want, when I want. Although riding in the matatus was a blast, I don't think I would want to spend my whole life dependent on transportation where you are crammed into a van with waaaayyyy more people than it should "safely" hold with people's elbows in your side, off-roading down unpaved roads with no rules of the road whatsoever! Fun...Yes fun....but not the "safest" way to go about traveling!

Fourth, public bathrooms! Dear gracious...where do I even begin?! Last night Kate and I went into Nairobi with Harris and Tim. At the restaurant we were at I asked to use the bathroom. I was led to what appeared to be a normal woman's restroom. No locks on the door? Ok...no big deal. Hole in the ground to pee in with no toilet paper, no paper towels, and no soap?? Yup...that happened! Desperate times call for desperate measures! Even in the crummiest bathrooms in America you wouldn't find anything like this.

I could probably think of 5 or so more things...but this is my list for now! Stay tuned for "Week 2 in Kenya"!