The Half Point

I can't believe I'm already half way done with my internship! It's going by so quickly -- I'm sad that before I know it, I'll be far away from the lovely Kenyans I've met.

This week has been eventful -- On Saturday we visited the elephant orphanage! The baby elephants were adorable -- it's so nice to have a day a week to relax and see the tourist areas of Kenya! 

On Sunday, I was able to visit the church in Baba Dogo. They were so kind to us and treated us as special visitors. The rest of the day, the team relaxed and watched One Tree Hill. One of the girls from our team purchased all the seasons, so we've been having a good time living life kind of like we do in the States and watching television. It's a good way to forget about the day and enjoy each others company. 

Every day this week has been very different. On Monday, I taught preschool. Teaching comes very easy to me, so even though there is a language barrier, I enjoy it so much. On Tuesday, I helped with gifts from the families who sponsor the children in school.On Wednesday, I spent the day doing social work out in the community. It's so amazing to have such a strong bond with Fidelis, a social worker at Madoya. She is so incredible and really cares about the residence in Madoya, which makes it easy for me to do the same! On Thursday, I helped a short term team in Kiamaiko with Vacation Bible School and Bring the Light. --  Bring the Light is an opportunity to share about Christ, while also fixing an often seen problem in the slums. Most homes are one small room made out of tin, and many do not have a source of light. Short term teams are able to cut a hole in the ceiling and put clear plastic in its place. While this is going on, the team tells the family about Christ and gives them the opportunity to commit their life to Him. It's so awesome that the Kenyans will open their homes to strangers so that they can get the resource, which also gives the opportunity for them to receive something much greater. 

 I love seeing the many teams come and help out in the different communities. Something I have come to terms with is that, even though I don't do projects like the short term teams where I see fruit from my works, I am here to be one with the community and simply show love to them. Friday was game day! Many schools gathered in Kosovo to play tournaments of volleyball, basketball, and soccer. I was able to spend the day cheering for Madoya with the students and building stronger relationships with them! It was so much fun and gave me time to get to know some of them on a personal level. At the end of the day, the Kenyan staff played soccer against us interns. They were good, so of course we lost, but it was fun anyways! I'm so proud to be working in Madoya and be apart of such an incredible community. Can't wait to continue to get to know each student individually and to see what the next few weeks will look like! 

I'm sorry for not posting more pictures. I always forget to capture the things I see or do, but here are some pictures that others have taken for me! 

God is good

This week has been incredible. On Saturday we hung out at a park near a forest. There were monkeys all around the park and we were able to buy peanuts for them! The monkeys were climbing on us and would hold our hand, it was so adorable.

On Sunday, I was able to attend the church in Madoya, the community I work in. The room was extremely small so only around twenty of us fit. I was able to help run the children's service, which was a ton of fun. What was really exciting is that one of the kids knew my name, although I've never met him. I love that the community is beginning to remember me! 

This week I began teaching! I have been working in the grade five classroom for the English lesson. I have loved it so much! Although it is only around a half an hour long, the children are such great listeners and are respectful towards me. I love how they all call me Teacher Kristen. 

The rest of the day I have been working alongside my new friends Fidelis and Peter. They are the social workers at Madoya and have been so accepting and loving towards me. I love going to the homes of the students at the school and being able to connect with them and their individual stories. 

This week I met a beautiful girl, named Mary, who has a very difficult story and situation. Her father was raping her for a while, and it wasn't until a teacher noticed a difference in her attitude that it was caught. Although the father is going to be in jail for a short time, the mother has decided to send her away to Joska, the boarding school of MOHI, so that it won't happen again. Also, during the holidays, she won't be coming home but will visit family. In some ways it is like Mary is being punished for her fathers doing by being sent away, but the mother can't provide for the rest of her children without him. In the slums, most wives will not leave their husband, no matter how harsh the situations, because of their inability to find jobs. There is nothing I can do to change the situation for Mary, but I was able to talk with her and give her encouragement. In all honestly, I had no idea what to say or how to help her, but God gave me words that I could have never thought of on my own. I felt so much love for her and somehow I was able to express it through prayer with her and a hug that I'll never forget. I hope to see her again and that our friendship will continue.

On Friday, I spent the day helping out in another community called Mathre North, where a short term medical team was working. I stayed in a small room where families came in asking for prayer. At first I was nervous about saying the right words and trying to be as encouraging as possible, but I realized as the day went on that asking more personal questions and getting to know each person individually made it much easier, and I even helped lead a young girl to Christ! Her name is Priscilla, she is 16 years old, had recently dropped out of school, and is pregnant. She doesn't have a job and she is frightened that her boyfriend might leave her, but it's so incredible that in such a stressful time of her life she is choosing to have God alongside her! 

God is soo good and this week has been the perfect testament to that! Please continue to pray for the families living in the slums. Words can't describe how much it means to them and what a difference it can make! Although sometimes there is nothing we can do to change the situation, we can pray for their hearts to be turned to The Lord. 

Rejoice in Jesus

For last Sundays service, we went to Joska and visited the girls boarding school there. In Kenya, worship is a time to celebrate! At first, I danced and sang and shouted to have a good time, but when it became worship for me, it was incredible. I have so much to be happy about, and it felt good to rejoice and thank God-- while having fun at the same time! That day, I ended up making lasting friendships with 5 of the girls there in Joska. I will never forget how loving they were and how much fun it was to worship with them while they taught me how to dance and while we screamed and shouted. 

Monday was my first day actually working! I have been assigned to work at the school in the Modoya district, and I will be the only intern working in that location. The school is in the Mathare Valley slums, so all of the children come from extremely difficult backgrounds and living conditions. This week I have been working alongside the social workers at the Madoya school, which means visiting all the students homes to check up on the family and pray for them. Most families consisted of mothers who did not have a job to provide for their family. It was hard praying for them, not knowing if they will ever have a stable job, but it was awesome to see how most moms were trusting in The Lord and were thankful for what they had. Although most cases were very similar, one day I met a little boy named Joshua. He wasn't at school because his mom found out he had malaria. Luckily, children involved in the Mission of Hope International schools are able to visit the clinic for free, where they will provide medications. It's crazy to me that most children in the slums die from malaria because of their inability to pay for medications, but I feel lucky to have seen, first hand, the good work that MOHI is doing for the children of Mathare Valley. Without their free clinic, Joshua may never have been able to get the correct medications and could have potentially lost his life from the sickness. 

It has been hard understanding why I have so much, and why they have to have so little. In the beginning of the week, one of my teammates told me about a family he visited, whose little boy was stolen. Whoever took the boy, left a ransom letter asking for 1000 shillings in return of the boys safety. The family told my teammate that they will never be able to make enough money to save their boy. 1000 shillings in American money is about 12 dollars. That is all it would cost to have their boy back, and yet it wasn't possible for them, with their living conditions. My first reaction to this story was a deep desire to visit the family and give them the shillings needed. Something that God has opened my eyes to is that I have been born into a very different life than the Kenyans. Feeling guilty and wanting to help by giving will only cripple me. I now believe that in some ways, growing up in America has given me the idea that everyone will be happier if they are stable and have money to provide for themselves. But it has become evident that in no way is that true. Christ is the only answer to being happy, and although I can not give money to every family whose child is stolen, I can give them love and I can show them Christ. The little boy is in the hands of God, and He has a better plan than I may ever understand. Although there are going to be many more tragic stories that I will hear or witness, it's exciting that God is in control and that I have the ability to pray with them.

In Kenya, it is traditional to have chai breaks throughout the day. Sometimes this break will last as long as two hours, in order to fellowship with colleagues and take time to relax. I love being able to have chai with the Kenyans and build a relationship with them. Although this week I have been working with the social workers, the children will be finished with their exams next week, which means I will get to start working in the school! They told me that I'll be teaching one of the classes until the late afternoon, then I will visit the homes with the social workers and show love to the community. Although they are pretty sure this is what I'll be doing, sometimes plans change, so next week I will update you on where they have put me for the week. 

I have had so much fun playing with the kids at the school, visiting families, and building a lasting friendship with the social workers. Thank you for your prayers, can't wait to tell you more about my adventure in Kenya!

Team Picture

We have finally taken a team photo-- These are some the faces you are praying for!

Matthew 6:19-21

Today we traveled through the Mathare Valley slums to visit the different schools created by Missions Of Hope International. Although yesterday we visited one area of the slums, today we went to areas that were in more critical conditions. All six schools were very different and were built with different materials and stature, and yet all of the children were very respectful and loving. They all were appreciative of us visiting them and recited their favorite verses and songs to us. I don't believe we deserve the pedestal they put us on, we are no better or more significant then they are, but something that I have begun to realize is that I can't change the way they see me, but I can use the opportunity to talk to the Kenyans and show them Christ's love. While walking through the slums to the different areas, we were able to touch the hands of all the little kids who ran up to us. The simple motion of touching their hand meant so much to them, and although it was incredibly hard seeing their living conditions, the children made my day much brighter. It's amazing that I have come here to serve the Kenyans, and yet in a way they have been serving me by showing so much love and happiness. 

Attached is a picture of the slums from the balcony of one of the schools. In just less than two square miles, over a million people live and work. Also, there is a picture of the ground that is a good representation of the slums. There is trash all along the floor and a sewer that runs through the middle. I have never seen a lifestyle so tragic and hurting, but I am thankful for Missions of Hope International and the progress they have made in allowing the residents to learn so they can live on their own and teach others the same skills. 

Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray for all the families in the slums. Although they all appear joyful and happy, there is so much hurt and dispair in such a small area. Some families result to corrupt ways of making money, or desire to give up all together and take their own life. Please pray for them to see Jesus and know there is hope found in Him. 

A verse that has become prominent to me today: 

Matthew 6:19-21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 

I'm here. We're here. God's here.

Thank you so much for being patient in my blog post! I have been extremely busy the past week, with training and a two day travel, but I am finally in Kenya! Today was our first day out. We visited Missions Of Hope International and were able to see the different businesses made in the organization. We also visited the school there. Every classroom I visited, I felt so honored! They were so excited for us to be there and showed such kindness and joy-- I loved every second of it. We also walked through zone one of the Mathare Valley slums. The ground was covered in a layer of trash, with a sewer running in the middle of the road. There was many houses and businesses, and we were able to visit inside one. This young girl was the aunt of three little boys, but she was their guardian. They all shared one bed and a couch, with a house half the size of my bedroom. Yet, they seemed satisfied and happy. I was able to witness some of the poverty and heartbreak found in the world, but I was also blessed to meet some of the happiest children I've ever seen. Their joy was contagious and their laughter intoxicating. Even in such horrid conditions, I didn't want to leave. My first reaction was a desire to save them. I wanted to take away their hunger and thirst and bad housing situations, but I can't do that for them. What I can do is give them Christ, and show them the love and compassion that He has given us. I decided that I'm not going to dwell on the sadness I have seen, in my first day of being here in Kenya, but I am going to pursue showing them Christ through me and serving them the best that I can. This trip to Kenya is not about me, I'm not here to feel comfortable or for it to be easy. So I am excited to give everything I have to the Kenyans in my actions and my prayers. I already have fallen in love with the children here, which makes me incredibly excited to continue to build relationships with them and serve in whatever area the organization feels is best for the next two months! Thank you again for your support! It has only been a day, and I already see Gods hands working in me and in Kenya. God bless!

Prayer requests:

Please pray for the hearts of the Kenyans to be opened to His love and His Word. Please pray that my team and I will find the strength to go into the slums each day with an overflow of love and joy.