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
No comments:
Post a Comment