Week 7: What's in a Name?!

All right…let me begin with saying a little something that has been driving me crazy the past 2 months…

NO ONE HERE KNOWS HOW TO SAY MY NAME!

Like for real. Every time I introduce myself, people just give me this weird look. The most common misinterpretations have been “Catherine” and “Caitrin”…a lot of the sisters still call me “Caitrin” after 2 months here. This is just weird to me since my name is pretty common back home. I’ve gotten to the point where I just let people call me whatever they think my name is. Whatever. It’s just kind of frustrating because I like my name…identity crisis? Just a little. lol

Any who…now that we cleared up that little issue…here is the weekly recap!

MONDAY

Hannah and the driver remembered to pick us up today! It’s kind of pathetic that we get excited about being picked up! We had a talk with Mama Jane about switching up our schedule. We are now going to be working with the little babies in Cottage 1 in the mornings and our usual kids from Cottage 4 in the afternoons. The babies in Cottage 1 are ADORABLE! OH MY GOOODNESS!! They are anywhere between a few days old to a year old. Kate and I got to feed and hold them all morning. We took them outside for an hour to “bask in the sun”. Of the babies of Cottage 1, Rosaline is my favorite!!! She is just the cutest little angel! Clare and the twin boys are also adorable….but “Rosie” is definitely my favorite. J

"AFRICA NEEDS YOU!!"
Rosaline! I love this little girl! :)

"King" Solomon showing the other babies who's the boss!

photo credit: Kate Drinkwater ('cause she takes AWESOME pics and my skills are limited lol)

At 12:30, we got to sit with our other kids while they ate lunch. After lunch, we watched “Thumbelina” for the 19843984389 time! I love that movie so I think it’s pretty funny that they always watch it. This autistic boy who is about 12 (I don’t know his name) sat in my lap during the movie. I was amused that he sought my out. Sweet kid. He kept slapping my hands which started to hurt and he was a too big to hold but he was really happy to play. Poor kid started to cry when Kate and I left to go to the Early Learning Center with the other kids. The activity of the day was blowing bubbles into cups. It’s hilarious how excited the kids get about such simple activities! So fun!

TUESDAY

Kate and I did the 1^st coat of paint on the parlor room and novices’ bathroom ceiling. Knotay showed us this big scrape he got on his face. Not sure what he did, but the poor guy was saying how his eye had been all swollen up the day before. It’s nice because I feel like he is starting to see us as friends whereas before he seemed a bit standoffish.

WEDNESDAY

Kate and I did the second coat of paint on the parlor room and bathroom ceiling and stained the parlor floor. We are “officially” done with painting!!!....And I say this like once a week BUT I think this time we are done! Kate and I watched “The Little Rascals”! I forgot how much I loved that movie! Other than that…it was a pretty boring, standard day.

THURSDAY

Spent the morning with our babies! I mostly ended up playing with Rosie, “King” Solomon, and Patricia…they are the cutest. J Little Rosie started to cry when we left for “Teabreak”….gosh I love that little girl! We helped feed the babies and Lavine attempted to vomit all over me. Oh babies…so charming.

In the afternoon, we had Zumba with our kids. Then we did some puzzles and chalk with the kids.

At dinner we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the passing of Vatican II (if I recall correctly!). AKA...we got fries, soda, and ICE CREAM. I also got a kick out of watching 80 year-old Sr, Herriberta crack open a Heineken...she is just so darn cute.

FRIDAY

Went to Cottolengo today. Got there a little late because Kate and I stopped by the Nakumatt for some snacks. Discovered a new short-cut to the Nakumatt—kind of a big deal!

The kids were pretty good. I spent a lot of time with Rosie. She is about 10 years old (I’m guessing) and is special needs. She kept following me everywhere and wanted to sit in my lap. One of the mamas did her hair while she sat in my lap. She doesn't talk, but she smiles and laughs a lot. For a lot of the kids (and Rosie in particular), I feel like the best thing you can do is just play with them and hold them. It’s the little things in life, ya know?

By the time we went to leave it was absolutely down pouring! Now I've lived in NC for 4 years so I've seen rain…but you have not seen a real downpour like this! Seriously. Torrential downpour! Kate and I ended up helping a woman in the laundry room while we waited out the rain. She was really nice and offered us her umbrella. How sweet is that? I’m constantly being reminded of how the kindness of strangers here.

We took the matatu into Karen to meet with Harris. Traffic was really bad so in typical matatu style the driver drove on the wrong side of the road into on-coming traffic, driving on the wrong side’s off road where people were walking when cars were coming at us. This is Africa, people! Lol

We took a cab back to the convent to avoid the rain. At dinner the sisters put us in the “ quarantine” section as we like to call it- aka the parlor room. Since it was our neighbors Alex, Lucas, and Phillip’s last night at the convent we hung out with them which was nice since we usually just see them here and there throughout the day. Kate and I are definitely going to miss our neighbors!! They are so sweet and funny.

SATURDAY

The sisters took us to the 50^th jubilee celebration in the nun mobile! Wicked long day but so fun! Soooo many people there! When we got there they gave us “Usher” name tags...totally didn’t know what we were doing so we pretty much just sat in the “Laity” section until mass started. Mass was wicked long! The opening dance and introductions alone took an hour! It down poured hardcore during mass.  There were about 2hours worth of talks about the “Sisterhood of Kenya” and development plans. By this point we were soooo hungry! We lucked out and were the first ones in line for lunch…I know…typical Americans. But hey…lunch was great!

Saying "Bye" to our neighbors! (Alex, Phillip, and Lucas)

SUNDAY

I feel like this is one of the first Sundays that we literally had nothing to do! Usually it seems like there is always some sort of celebration. We just kind of bummed around and did nothing all day. Kate and I watched “Home Alone”. It always reminds me of my brother Kevin. Lol

::QUOTES OF THE WEEK::

Phillip: "Remember to pray for me! I want a spot close to God's door!" (on our way to the chapel)

Kate: "Look at me...stuffing my face with chocolate while I look at her abs!"

...Chocolate over abs any day! lol

Korean Sister at my table: "If God calls you to the convent don't hesitate!:

Sr. Herriberta: "When God calls you to something you don't say 'No'!"

...They love giving me advice! Love them :)

Me: "The water is splashing me through the door!"

Kate: "#MatatuProblems"

Harris: "'The Lion King' was filmed over there..."

Kate: "WHERE?!"

...God love ya, Kate! :)


!!!REMINDER!!!

Don't forget to check out our fundraising site for the elderly!! We are looking to raise about $3,500 for Christmas care packages! Please consider donating. Thanks!

http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=10844&url=bvchelptheelderlyofkenya

Week 6: "How's the going?"

"Every day is filled with countless blessings. "<3

I'd like to start off this week with a big

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

to my Dad and my little brother Mikey! I hope you both had a wonderful birthday week and that you were able to celebrate it (rather than waiting the traditional 1-6month O'Malley style birthday!).

Any who! Today is Sunday...and Kate's napping...which means BLOGGING TIME! I absolutely love Sundays here because: a.) We get eggs, a decent cup of coffee, and a variety of bread choices at breakfast....which is a BIG DEAL! b.) It's the only day we don't work, so that means more free time to walk into town or work on my blog or nap or be a bum and go online. c.) Sundays are just AWESOME! Need I say more? Is it sad that seeing french fries at lunch brings me close to tears of joy? Lol.

This was a very full week of work, socializing, and shopping!! We have been making daily visits to see our "neighbors" next door. I think I mentioned this last week...There is a college aged boy named Lucas who is recovering from a broken leg who now stays in the little apartment next to us and his friend Phillip and Alex often come over to bring him his homework and hang out. They are hilarious! They like to make fun of our "accents" (Say whaaat?! I don't have an accent! lol) and crack jokes about random things. Kate usually beings over her hard-drive for them to watch movies while we are at work and then we check in on them in the afternoon or after dinner. It's been so fun to have them around!

And here is the weekly recap!!!

MONDAY

Today, Fred the driver from "Feed the Children" (Dagoretti) was off duty. Hence, the driver on duty forgot to pick us up which means we took the matatu. This kind of stressed out but I was cool as a cucumber. No ride? No big deal. We got this matatu thing all figured out!

It was an exceedingly slow day at therapy! I shadowed Foster and then chilled for an hour or so listening to music while waiting for lunch.

After lunch, we watched "Thumbelina" with the kids. Simon and Alex sat in my lap during the movie and Simon tried to do my hair. The kids love trying to do my hair and mess with my watch. Oh the little things in life! Kate and I also did everyone's nails again. The kids love getting their nails done and it helps them to learn colors which is fun to teach them!

Next, we went outside and the kids spent an hour washing their feet. I learned that "sabuni" is the Swahili word for soup.

We managed to catch the driver, Nicholas, just before he drove to pick the kids up from school. Thank goodness! It felt like a really long day. However, God was totally watching out for us because when we got back someone had already moved the furniture back into the novices' rooms. One less thing to do! GOD IS SO GOOD!

TUESDAY

Kate and I went with Sr. Judy to visit two of the elderly groups today. It's always great going with Sr. Judy on her visits because the conversation and companionship is such a nice change of pace...and getting a lot of walking in is awesome! :)

We got to watch the soap making process which was so cool! We took a taxi to the second village which was near Dagoretti. The elderly meet at St. Catherine's Church which also has an elementary school. We were rushed by a group of school children who all wanted to shake our hands. They watched us as we sat with the elderly during their Bible Study and kept trying to sneak closer to where we were sitting. After the Bible study and general business procedure, Sr. Judy had us introduce ourselves to the group, translating what we said into Swahili. It is so nice because the elderly are always so genuinely happy to meet us. They always want to know where we are from and why we are here. They usually tell Sr. Judy that they think we are tired or hungry and offer to cook a meal for us. I cannot express how kind and welcoming these people are. Even with the language barrier they always do their best to greet us and make us feel welcome in their group.

Making soap :)

  
WEDNESDAY

Luckily, we only spent a 1/2hr. doing touch up painting on some of the novices' rooms. Boo ya! NO MORE PAINTING!! ...at least I hope that's the end of it! Kate and I walked into town to get lunch at "The Big Square" which is a fast food burger place in Karen.

With a determined spirit, we decided to brave the Masai market! We pass by it every time we go into Karen, but we decided it was the perfect day for some retail therapy!! I love the Masai market because there are so many treasures to be found! There is a lot of beautiful beaded Masai jewelry, carvings, woven bags, cloth, and all sorts of unique things! The best part about it is that you get to meet the person who makes the goods. These sellers sit at the market 7days a week from morning until late afternoon. They were so excited when Kate and I stopped by. At first it is a bit overwhelming trying to haggle for a good deal while being beckoned from every side by the other sellers. Fortunately, the people at the market are very nice and even try to help us haggle with the other sellers who do not speak English. So all in all a very successful day! :)

THURSDAY

Fred and Hannah remembered to stop at Defense College to ick us up! Thank God!

I swear today was "SCREAMING/CRYING BABY DAY" at therapy! Omg. What a headache. A lot of unhappy kids! On the bright side, Dennis let me help out with some of the kids today! I got to walk Shalom around outside and help with Titus on the exercise ball. I also had a nice chat with Sevey (the Spanish journalist/volunteer)! It's nice to have some else around who understands what it's like to experience Africa for the first time and to talk about cultural differences, etc.

At 1pm, we had Zumba! The kids were more into dancing this week then last week which was a riot to watch! After lunch, Kate and I joined the kids over at their cottage. Nail polish once again! I think it's funny how much they love getting their nails done! I remember loving it as a little kid...but these kids just get so excited! Plus, it's a great way to teach them colors! While we were doing nails, "Daisy" (the fluffy little pet dog) was wreaking havoc running around the kids with one of their shoes. The kids were running every where and squealing which was a hilarious scene. :)
 



               
                       <3





We then went to the "Early Learning Center" where I read some books with some of the boys. One of the "Mamas" had the kids do "threading", basically making necklaces.

When we got back to the convent, Kate went to work creating an FB event and fundraising page to help raise money for the elderly. [If you haven't seen it yet, I will provide the link at the end of this post!!] Since there is no money in the convent's budget to provide the annual Christmas package for Sr. Judy's elderly group, we decided it would be a good cause.

BIG SHOUT OUT to Kate for figuring out all the computer stuff for our fundraiser! She put a lot of time into setting up the pages and figuring out the bank situation, and for that I'm truly grateful. :)

FRIDAY

Another crazy day at Cottolengo! The mamas in charge kept leaving us alone with the kids which can be very overwhelming with about 16 toddlers screaming, fighting, and causing general chaos whenever you look away! I feel like every time I turn around someone was either climbing the grate over the window or trying to escape out the door! Crazy minions!

Today, I got to spend some time with Karanja today. He is a very sweet boy, probably about 7years old. He is usually pretty quiet but can be quite mischievous! Next week I'll work on providing more pictures and descriptions of the Cottolengo kids. :)

We ended up leaving before lunch so that Kate could get back in time to talk to her Mom about the fundraising site. The girl at "The Big Square" recognized us...embarrassing? Maybe a little. haha
We took on DAY2 of Masai Market Shopping! The market people were soooo excited that we kept our promise to return! I'm sure they are used to people telling them they will come back and not following up on it. I tried to buy things from the sellers that I had not purchased from on Wednesday. Anne, one of the main sellers who speaks English fluently and is very upfront, was very helpful, translating to the Masai woman who didn't speak English. Anne also took the time to explain the meanings of the different color beads which I thought was really interesting! The women kept telling me that I look like a "Masai princess" when I put on the jewelry...They clearly realize how much I love the jewelry and being called a princess as well! I got a lot of cool different carvings and beaded things. The people are very friendly and I made sure to talk with the ones I didn't buy from about the things I was interested in for round 3of shopping. Gosh it is addicting!

SATURDAY

Kate and I went with Sr. Judy again to visit the elderly at St. Catherine's. The group was made up of all women or "Grannies" as Sr. Judy calls them. Sr. Judy encouraged us to take lots of pictures to use for our fundraising effort. The grannies let us help mix the soap!! It was so fun!! It gets boring just watching, so it was great getting to be a part of the process and knowing that we are helping them out.

Oh just learning to make soap...NBD. ;)

"In cases like these, I have to act!" ~Sr. Judy (She is truly an inspiration!)

After the group meeting and lunch, we visited Teresia at her home in the village a short walk away. Teresia is in her 70s or 80s and is wheelchair bound since she broke her leg a month ago. [Note: Her wheelchair is basically a plastic chair with wheelchair wheels on it...not your typical American cushioned type.] Sr. Judy explained that she spends most of her days alone and that her family and neighbors often forget to come help her prepare a meal or take her to her doctor's appointments. Fortunately, her neighbor was helping her today. It's heartbreaking to think of how alone she is. As Sr. Judy has told us, often it is not the physical disabilities that hurt these people but the mental and emotional problems that develop due to neglect and loneliness

The home visits, for me, are a very powerful experience. Not only do I get a glimpse of village life, but I also get to see the raw emotional pain of what it means to grow old and be forgotten. This is a very important lesson in my eyes. The elderly are a forgotten group of people. It is easy to think of the children and the women affected by poverty. But what about the elderly? They are a very neglected group. I see this as a problem in Africa as well as in the U.S. and other countries. We say that we treasure the elderly for their wisdom and experience. However, we often forget them in their times of need. This is one of the main reasons that Kate and I are lobbying to raise money to provide the annual Christmas packages for this group. No one deserves to be forgotten- especially not at Christmas time! I encourage you to think about this and find it in your hearts to make even the smallest donation to our cause. A little bit goes a long way! And I cannot begin to tell you how grateful these people will be (as well as Kate, Sr. Judy, and I) to have your love and support! <3

 Please check out our Facebook Page and Donation site listed below::

"BVC Project: Helping the Elderly of Kenya!"
 http://www.facebook.com/events/410549189011206/?notif_t=plan_user_joined

YouCare Donation Site
 http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=10844&url=bvchelptheelderlyofkenya

THANK YOU!!!

Love always,

Caitlin

::Quotes of the Week::

"I am a monkey...now I can say I met a goddess!" ~random guy along the road...say what?!

"You are very beautiful!" ~one of the Grannies to Kate and I...best compliment ever :)

"You look smart."...People use "smart" to describe pretty much anything. lol

Week 5: Shaking Hands and Kissing Babies :)

Just chilling in the "Eagle's Nest", listening to Sammy Adams and doing some journal entries. NBD.

Do I even have to explain this title? On a daily basis I shake a lot of hands and kiss a lot of babies. Duh. Living the dream. ;)

2nd full work week done and done! Sorry, I'm a little behind in posting this! Crazy crazy week! So, I'm going to skip the pleasantries and get right to it!

Monday
Monday was kind of a random day at "Feed the Children" in Dagoretti. First, we received a lecture on safety  e precautions from the Operations Coordinator who went on and on about terrorism and theft and all that jazz. So uplifting, right? The good thing is that Mama Jane and the guy decided to arrange a pick-up and drop-off driver for us so that we no longer have to take the matatus every Monday and Thursday.

In the morning, the physical therapists held a lecture for the parents of the kids with disabilities to talk about prenatal and post-natal care. It began with a very long "teabreak" in which we were force fed a ton of "mandosas" (?) which are similar to fried dough without the sugar. The lecture was said in Swahili so Kate and I only listened for about a half hour, then we went inside to play with the babies.

Oh hey there...Yes, I do realize that there is a tambourine on my head. :)

After lunch, we watched "Winnie the Pooh" and "Thumbelina" with the kids. It was raining really heavily outdoors so we played inside. It was hilarious listening to the kids sing-along to the movies. So cute!

We had "samosas" for dinner which was pretty much the most exciting thing ever since Kate and I have been craving them for weeks! They are kind of like a beefy little hot pocket with no sauce in it. :)



Tuesday
Two words: FOOD POISONING. I guess God wanted to teach me a lesson about lusting after food! Long story short, Sr. Rosina took me over to the dispensary since I pretty much felt like death and the doctor hooked me up to an IV and gave me a ton of multi-vitamins and anti-bacterial drugs to take for the following five days. The sisters think the meat in the samosas is what made me so sick. The whole IV thing was very dramatic and I pretty much cried like a baby. I hate needles. Fortunately, I felt much better by dinner so it was well worth it.

And for the record...Kate earned herself some MAJOR FRIEND POINTS by "putting the team on her back"...literally! Kate half-carried/half-dragged me back to my room from the dispensary since I was so disoriented I couldn't really walk. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without her! Such a good best friend! Taking one for the team! ;)

Wednesday
Kate and I painted the parlor entry room today...I am very tired of painting. On the bright-side, Sr. Rosina made us some tomato, egg, and potato soup which was quite delicious for lunch.

Thursday
Fred (the "Feed the Children" driver) remembered to pick us up today! I got to go to the other little rehab house for physical therapy. We only ended up staying until noon because the kids at school had a half day so we didn't want to make Fred do 2 trips. This worked out great because then we had time in the afternoon to stain two of the rooms floors for Sr. Rosina.

Friday
The kids at Cottolengo were much better behaved today! Kate and I spent most of the day watching and holding the little babies while one of the sisters took the bigger toddlers outside for a walk. We actually got a "teabreak" which was a nice rest from watching the kids. After the usual lunch of ugale and the green stuff (still don't know how to spell its name), we had an hour and a half nap-time. I live for those nap-times! So relaxing. When the kids woke up, we mainly just held the babies until we had to leave. It was really sad because we found out that one of the babies who we had just seen died right before we left. I had thought something was wrong with the baby since it was breathing really heavily when we saw her before lunch but it was really shocking to hear that the baby passed away while we were there. Say some prayers for our kids!

Me and Leon :)

On the way home, Kate and I ended up testing out the new frozen yogurt place called "Red Cherry". It is basically the same thing as a "Sweet Frog". We also got coerced into checking out some of the gift shops in the Karen market which was kind of cool to see what people are selling.

Saturday
Kate and I took our first solo trip into Nairobi today! Harris usually meets us in Karen, so it was a big deal successfully meeting him in Nairobi with our limited knowledge of the city. On the way to lunch, this Somalian man who said his name was "Professor Hubert" stopped us and went on and on about us being friendly and how we weren't prejudiced. He told us this long (probably false) story about how he and his family escaped Somalia and were starving, even going to the extent of showing us the scars on his chest that were supposedly from being tortured. Seeing as Kate and I didn't want to anger the man or risk getting harmed, we ended up giving him some money for rice. Who knows what parts of his story were true, if any. I think we handled the situation pretty well considering the circumstances...And I do not want to get in a fight with a guy from Somalia! No, thank you!

We stayed the night in Nairobi and got to hang out with the guys' friends and even met two girls- Mimi and Anita. The guys weren't very fond of the girls but I thought they were a lot of fun to hang out with for the most part.

Sunday
Kate ended up getting really sick, probably from the food, so Harris and I were the only ones who went to mass. At mass, there was this cute little girl that kept poking her head out from behind her mother and brother. I made faces at her and she would laugh then hide again. Definitely made the 2 hour long mass go by a little faster!

On the way to the bus station in Nairobi, Kate, Harris, and I were walking down this busy side street and some guy tried to steal from my backpack. Luckily, he only unzipped one of my small pockets that didn't have any valuable in it. I'm just really grateful that I realized what was going on and that he didn't get anything! Of course, this was after some guy had cursed at us...what is wrong with some people? Like really...chill.

The bus back to Karen took forrrreverrrrrr!!! There was so much traffic that the bus driver took us on this crazy route through part of one of the slums and down random back roads. This little boy in front of me kept staring at me so I made faces at him. The kid wouldn't stop laughing. So cute! It always amuses me how excited the kids here are when they see a "mzungu". I guess we are pretty funny looking to them!

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Let's just say that if anyone asked me "How's the going?" this week I would have to say that it was crazy! I am so glad it is over! I learned several things this week...like the following:

1.) Be grateful for your health. One of the worst feelings is being sick and not being at home. I feel so lucky that I am at a place where medical care is so easily accessible (within 100 yards from my room, literally) and that I have an amazing group of women who take care of me when I am sick. I don't know what I'd do without them- especially Kate!
2.) Always be aware of your surroundings! I admit- there were a few really scary moments of this week that I was like "We are not in America anymore!". It is important to remember that where ever you are you need to be aware of your surroundings. Unfortunately, not everyone is a happy and loving person. I'm trying not to be paranoid. Just a word of advise! Your safety is important!
3.) Be kind to people. We have been really fortunate that 99.9% of the people here are welcoming and happy to see us. Unfortunately (like I said), there is the .1% that some times make life a bit difficult. I think the best thing you can do is to always greet people pleasantly and to not let that .1% ruin your day. Africa is such a beautiful place. It would be a shame for me to think that my entire experience is tainted by a few people.

Anyways...I'd like to close with some "Quotes of the Week" since there were a few gems of comments that I think will make you laugh too!

*QUOTES OF THE WEEK*

Benson (physical therapist at Dagoretti): "Caitlin, when are you having a child??"
Me: "Ummm....when I meet the right person and get married...which won't be for a loooong time!!"

Kate (after purchasing the new T-Swift song when I was sick): "You are worth $1.25, my friend!"

Lunch time conversation [[My personal favorite!]]
Me: "What is that?"
Sr. Lydia: "Passion fruit."
Me: "What does it taste like?"
Sr. Lydia: " 'Passion'. Have you ever had 'passion' before?"

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!



__________________________________________________________

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"!