Working on the camp

Working on the walkways at the camp.

Kenyan Reflections

    On Monday night, we all arrived safely back to American soil. After two days of seeing the inside of planes and airport terminals we were all SO excited to arrive home. After two weeks of roughing it in Kenya we couldn’t wait to return to our homes. Traveling to a foreign country really makes you appreciate what you have. The majority of Kenyans live each day with no running water, no electricity, an outhouse, one tiny stove on top of gas tank, and a small one or two bedroom mud house. Experiencing their way of living really makes me appreciate the modern conveniences we enjoy in America. Indoor plumbing, electricity, a refrigerator, stove, couch, shower, and bed are HEAVEN after being in Kenya.  Being in Kenya for two weeks did show me that I could survive without a lot of things...cell phone, television, and a computer....although I did need to check in on the computer every once in a while to let people know I was still alive. Kenya reminded me that there are necessities that improve your way of life but there are also many things that I can do without. It is up to me to keep a balance in my life and surround myself with family and friends and not things.
    Last time I went to Kenya I had many “ah-ha” moments to share. This time, I asked my travel companions to provide their thoughts about anything they found memorable about the trip. Many of them were shocked by their living conditions especially in the slums. It is hard to see them living in tin shacks packed together. Trash covers the ground and contaminated water runs through the area. It was hardest for us to see the kids without shoes running through the streets. Your heart goes out to all those that survive in those conditions.
    Many of those traveling with me were also impressed with how close we came to the animals. My brother commented that he felt like he was in Jurassic Park (minus the dinosaurs). We would drive around and once we caught sight of an animal we would pull up right next to them. We watched lions from 15 feet away as they lounged in the grass. We then watched as all 6 of them got up and walked to the creek. We followed them in our car and pulled up right next to the creek as they drank water. All they had to do was turn around and jump and they would have been inside our car! We also had a close encounter with elephants. We pulled up to a group of elephants that were hanging out in the bushes eating. One of the elephants was a baby, about 1 month old. Our guide, Steve, turned off the car and we watched the baby elephant interact with an adult about 10 feet away. While we are watching Steve tells us that elephants are very dangerous and even MORE dangerous when there is a baby. Yikes! We watched as the baby hung out between the legs of the adult. It let out a squeal and then all the elephants came charging over and surrounded the baby. Luckily, Steve turned on the car and moved us out of the way. It is absolutely crazy to know you were 10 feet away from a wild animal.
    Mary Jane wrote a great reflection about the trip. I hope she doesn’t mind me publishing it! Here is what she wrote:
Before leaving for Kenya I expected to see and experience certain things:  exotic animals, grasslands and mountains, and perhaps some people dressed in traditional clothing.  What I didn't expect were the sharp contrasts I saw between old and new, rich and poor and the questions I would ask myself upon returning to the US.
Kibera was a place for which I never could have been prepared.  The poverty was overwhelming and yet the smiling faces and greetings of the children living there caught me off guard.  They seemed happy.  It made me think about American children with all of our material things and wonder what brings true happiness.  I found myself a little envious of the sense of community I saw when walking about with our "guides" as they greeted countless friends and relatives on the street.
Out in Narok and the Mara I was surprised to see traditionally dressed Masai men in shukas and warrior clubs huddled around motorcycles.  Cell phones seemed to be everywhere, too.  The sound of bells on the cows and goats as they were led in for the night was something I never tired of hearing. Although they have what to us would be hard lives, the Mara people have many social and family connections and seemed quite peaceful and content.  Once again, I felt like I was missing out on something.
Now that I'm back at home I find myself thinking mostly of the Kenyan people I met, not the wild animals nor the magnificent landscape.

Slow Motion

How quickly I forgot that Kenya works in slow motion. I feel as though I am in a movie that has been set on slow motion. There is no remote to change the movie back to regular speed so I am stuck. Our fast paced American lives are filled with alarm clocks, due dates, appointments and clock watching. Kenyan lives are based on eating. Anything you are going to accomplish during the day revolves around food especially since you only have one stove to prepare your feast. As a volunteer, I wanted to move at the American pace. I figured we would arrive in Aitong at the camp and quickly be building or painting or working on the land. But, I forgot that everything takes longer in Kenya….especially out in the bush. We had to spend a day or two “thinking” about our plans to work on the camp and discussing what we might do. We did some touring of the land around the camp but didn’t do any work. Finally, on day three, we were ready to work. Jamey wanted the kitchen windows and doors painted. No problem. 3 small windows and 1 door. I would guess it would take us 2 hours tops if we were meticulous painters. Boy was I wrong! We had 2 paintbrushes (one overly large and one small) for 6 people. The stirring stick for the paint was a real stick and the paint tray was a water jug that had been cut in half.  Our stools were placed on uneven rocky ground so we had to be very careful not to lean too quickly or our paint would come down with us. With no running water we also had to be very careful not get paint on ourselves. So, we all took turns painting and finally finished the job 4 hours after we started. I will say that the kitchen looks very nice although it could use a second coat. I am also happy to announce that we were all able to paint with one a few drips on our hands that easily came off with hand wipes. I was nervous we would all have green (did I mention it was lime green paint) hands by the time we ended and have no way to get it off. David, the builder, was very impressed with our work and was surprised that Americans knew how to paint.

The next day we worked on improving the area around the dining tent. Jamey wanted to change some of the walkways and add some rocks to separate the garden area in front of the dining hall. Silly me thought that this would only take a small amount of time. We wondered where the garden center was and how long it would take them to deliver rocks. Crap. No garden center. Just a wheelbarrel, our hands, and the acres of rocks around us. Mike and Katy spend over an hour trying to dig out and relocate a small bush. They had a small shovel and a pick ax to accomplish their task. After awhile it became clear that this small bush was actually a sprout from the tree a few feet away. They dug up a 3 foot branch/root that was connected to the bush. Meanwhile the rest of us spent time taking the wheelbarrow to an area with rocks, collecting them and then delivering them to the dining tent. We lined the walkways and garden area with rocks of various sizes. After we worked on the garden area we head to the entrance of Jamey’s camp and widened the road. Luckily the rocks were already lining the road and we just had to move them over a foot so trucks could get up the path. It seemed like we didn’t do much work but a few hours later my back, shoulders, and chest, were aching. I guess I’m not cut out for landscaping and should stick to my teaching job.

It seems like we did a small amount of work but I guess that in Kenya terms we accomplished a lot in a few short days. I admire the hard work that the Kenyan people do with the limited resources they have. I might complain that they move in slow motion but they work way harder than we do. I don’t think I would be able to carry jugs of water a couple of miles after filling it in the stream, collect a huge bundle of firewood and carry it home on my back or cook every meal while leaning over one gas stove.  

Tonight we begin our journey home. I am ready to stop living out of a suitcase but I will definitely miss Kenya. Since I didn't have much Internet access I will write some more posts once we return home. 

Change happens

As I returned to Kenya I assumed that nothing would have changed. Kenyans lead such a simple life that I assumed that things would move very slowly here. As we drove to Narok and then to Ole Keene I was completely surprised to find that everything has changed. I don’t think it has changed quite at the pace that we change in the U.S. but things have changed.

Last time I was here the road to Narok was bumpy and filled with potholes. Not this time. The road looked similar to an American road. It was actually a smooth journey for us! Even when we left Narok and headed into the bush I was surprised to find that we drove on a paved road for a long time before we hit the rough roads.  

Our first stop in the Maasai Mara was Ole Keene. I spent most of my time on my last trip in Ole Keene.  Last trip, we camped out in the bush at a site that was going to be the future campground supporting the village. I was one of the first Americans to stay on the campground. We had a tent, a fire, some logs to sit on, and a latrine with a hole. As we arrived this time to Mara Explorers Camp, we pulled up to a reception area that was as big as a mobile home. It had picnic tables, pool tables, couches, and even a stocked bar! I was shocked to see how much the campground had changed. The campground had tents with beds, latrines with toilet seats and a running sink, and showers! The most impressive thing was that the area had been fenced in. I spent many nights last trip lying awake hoping that the wild animals wouldn’t get us. This time I had no worries. After all my stories of sleeping on the ground in the middle of nowhere the others traveling with me were shocked as well. I am glad to see that the camp is successful and I hope that it continues to support the village. If you need a place to stay in Kenya with easy access to game drives then you should check out Mara Explorers Camp.

After two nights in Ole Keene (one unexpected due to rain) we headed to Aitong. Jamey is working in Aitong to create another camp. Eventually he is hoping to set up a hospital. Once again I was surprised by the changes. He has put up official safari tents, a dining hall, a latrine, shower, and house. Much better accomdations!

Since the passing of the Constitution in July 2010, the land is also starting to change. Many people are putting up more fences to mark their land. It almost looks Americanized with fences around each person’s land.

We have a few more nights in Aitong before we head back to Narok to begin our journey home. The Internet is not very good out here so I have not been able to blog as much. I guess I will have to add some posts after I return home. We have also heard here that is 100 degrees in Ohio and some bad storms have come through. We hope everyone is doing well! 

And so we meet again

After two days of traveling we have finally made it to the other side of the world. Other than some sleep deprivation and small motion sickness we all arrived safely a few minutes before midnight on Monday. As soon as we stepped off the plane I knew I was back in Kenya. The smell is something that cannot be repeated anywhere else. It is something you cannot capture...or ever really want to reproduce. We jammed our luggage into our van and headed to the Kibera slums. Last time I was here Jamey eased me into the lifestyle of Kenya…not this time. We are staying in the middle of the slums. If you’ve ever seen Slumdog Millionaire you might have a small idea of the type of area we are staying in. Luckily it was the middle of the night and no one could see anything.

After a restful night in a real bed we woke up much more rested and ready for adventure. Jamey and his friends, George and Shadrack, took us on a walking tour of Kibera. Even though I saw Kibera that last time I was here, I was only exposed for a small time and mostly by car. This was an up-close and personal view of the slums. It was unbelievable. The smell is overwhelming….changing from rotting fish, to rotting trash, to the worst bathroom smell you could ever imagine. It consumes you and cannot be escaped. But, even though the conditions seem unlivable, millions of people (many of which are children) live in Kibera. I never once felt scared or worried about my safety. Children coming home from school would shout “Hi, how are you?” as we walked by..wanting to be acknowledged by a mazungu (white person).

We ate a traditional lunch of Ugali, beef stew, and greens and then headed to an Acrobatic show by Kibera Fruitful youth. This organization is working within Kibera to help children, specifically orphans, to be empowered to live productive lives. Their show was amazing. They did many tricks and had amazing talents. Their show took place in their school which doubles as a school during the day and holds three classes together each day. They were learning addition and their numbers. They had two chalkboards and a number poster on the wall…definitely not the decorated classrooms like we have.

I think the youth of Kenya has really taken an interest in reinvigorating Kenya. It is great to see so many young people wanting to create a great nation within Kenya. They are working hard to bring about peace within the tribes and work together to make Kenya thrive.

Tomorrow we will be spending the day at the market and then downtown. We will be heading to Narok soon and then into the Maasai Mara.  

The African Bug

In July of 2010, I embarked on an incredible journey to Kenya to volunteer for three weeks. It is hard to put into words the amazing experience I had. I spent my time traveling with Jamey Ponte, president of the Kids In Kenya Fund.
    While I was in Kenya, Jamey commented to me that I might catch the “African bug”. At first, I was worried about this bug because out of the 5 shots I received for my trip none of them covered the African bug. Great. Not only did I have to worry about wild animals, snakes, and mosquitoes, now I had to also worry about the “African bug”. Luckily, Jamey was nice enough to explain to me what the African bug really was. He said that once you visit Kenya you catch the “bug” of wanting to come back. Well, he was right. At least this is one “bug” I wanted to catch.
    As I boarded my plane to head home in August of 2010, I had definitely caught the “bug”. I hoped and prayed that one day I would be able to make it back to Kenya. Now, two years later, that day has arrived!
    In one week I will begin the journey back to Kenya. Did I mention that it is a LONG journey? 3 planes. 4 stops. 18 hours in the air. 24 hours of travel. I want to do that again? I must be crazy. At least this time, I am bringing along five other people willing to endure the long journey for an incredible experience in Kenya: my fiance Brian, my brother Mike, his girlfriend and veterinarian Katy, Mary Jane, the nurse from St. Susanna, and Mary Jane’s adventurous friend Linda. I am looking forward to sharing this amazing journey with them.
    I am hoping to have the opportunity to blog about the trip again. I want to send back a little piece of Kenya to my friends and family back home. Please keep all six of us in your prayers over the next few weeks. Thank you to everyone, especially the St. Susanna School community, for helping make this trip possible.

A Football Celebration

There are so many things that I experienced in Kenya that I will never forget. My trip has definitely changed my life and given me an entirely new view of my life and the lives of others. The moment that affected me the most was when we sent a soccer ball sailing through the air into a field of kids. It was such a simple act of kindness but it meant so much to the kids to have a real soccer ball to play with. If you look closely in the pictures above you will see me holding the ball they were using. The new ball was a HUGE upgrade.