DAY SIX- 1 October 2008

DAY SIX

Well, to start the day off on a lovely note, I woke up 45 minutes later than I had planned. So, I rushed to get ready... I'm talking 15 minutes and I'm ready. It's a good thing I was getting used to quick showers anyway. When I finished getting ready for the day, I decided to head over to the main cabin for breakfast (if there was any left). I headed downstairs to the door, only to find that I'm LOCKED IN!

Yes, it's possible... I got locked INSIDE my cabin. I couldn't believe it. I tried all the doors, and nothing was open. I was absolutely stunned! Some of the doors were even padlocked, this was some serious stuff. Since the windows all had bars on them, there was no way I was getting out that way. When my stomach started growling, I decided I couldn't wait for them to find that I wasn't with them... so I opened a window and shouted.

For those who know me... you know that is not a quiet ordeal. I have a pair of lungs on me... they came in useful for softball throughout the years. Anyway, I shouted so loud that my own ears were throbbing in protest. I tired "HELP!" "Yo, look at me, over here" and the names of my team members. Nothing happened. Evidently they were having a party and couldn't hear me. Luckily, one of my team members walked outside for a minute... so I called out his name. When he got the gist of my situation, he went inside, still shaking his head. However, help was on it's way.

I still can't believe they forgot about me. ;D

Anyway, I grabbed a quick breakfast of french toast and nanasi (pineapple). We headed out around 8:30am and arrived at CHC at 9:30. Around 10am we went for a hike. Most of the female team members and I went with the kids into the mtaro(valley) between the milima (mountains).

Check out www.cheppema2008.org for my blog post from this day. I have inserted the text from it below:

First of all, I want to say to my family, friends and boyfriend … this place ROCKS and I am never coming home! Okay, just kidding but seriously, this place is insanely amazing. Now for a disclaimer: It is late here, and I am tired, so this is going to be scattered.

Today, we went on a hike. And when I say hike, I mean HIKE. We travelled through the mtaro (valley) between two milima (mountains). Jeff and Jennifer led the way for us. The hike was rough, especially for those of us with troublesome knees but it was an adventure I will never forget. Halfway through the hike we got an amazing view of the ‘V’. And we ended our hike at a waterfall. The maji (water) was non-existent but the kids told us that when it rains, there is a beautiful waterfall. Here, the kids took chalk and wrote the wageni (visitors) names on the rock walls. Again, I don’t think I have seen that much beauty in my entire life.

But what I really want to tell you about is the watoto (children). These kids have so many good, strong characteristics (for lack of better terminology). While we were hiking, the kids were trying to help us. Sometimes it was hard to climb up the smooth rocks without falling… and every step of the way, the kids were offering a hand to help. They also pointed out different plants and rocks to warn us against potential danger (and itching). Not only were they helpful, we didn’t hear one word of complaint from any of the children on our THREE HOUR hike. Or, if one of the team members fell or tripped, the kids would say “sorry, sorry”.

You know, the characteristics I saw were not only on our hike. When groups get up to lead vacation bible school for the kids, they are so attentive. It really seems like they are interested and excited about what we are doing. They are also really excited about teaching us all Swahili (hence the words above). As for worship (which of course, really hits home for me)… these kids need to teach US how to worship. They attempt to learn the words apart from worship time… and are always asking us to sing and dance with them. I LOVE IT! I could praise all day with these kids.

Okay, I don’t want to take up a whole lot more time… so, only one more thing. Tomorrow is my wonderful mother’s (37^th) birthday… cough cough. So, I want to wish her a happy birthday, all the way from Kenya… I love you mommy!!!

P.S. Rick says you have caught up with him again! (so he is 37?)

-Britt

A few extra notes on that hike... I fell down TWICE. And my backside kinda hurt for a while. I also rolled my ankle in order to keep from falling a third time. I know, sad.

Along the way, I talked to Jeff and Jennifer the most. I found out that Jeff wants to "teach the people of Kenya about Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior". It was so encouraging to hear that. I will continue to check in on him and see how he is coming with that. However, he is only in highschool... so he has a little while. ;D

When we finished the three hour hike, we went back to CHC for lunch with the kids. As wageni (visitors) we got our food first. When our team sat under a tree to eat, all the kids came to join us, it was pretty cool! We ate rice, beans and potatoes cooked by Elizabeth, the school's cook. She was so excited we were eating her food and she was so careful while cooking so we wouldn't get sick. The food was so delicious, but the portions were enormous. Evidently, lunch is the main meal there for most people. But of course, we all brought back an empty plate. I mean, it was GOOD!

As it turns out, visitors have never eaten with the kids before, so the pastors were really touched. And I bet the kids enjoyed it too... at least, I know this kid did. ;D

By the way, this was a school holiday... but the school still cooks on these days so that the kids get a meal. I thought that was pretty cool. It's part of the sponsorship thing.

After lunch was VBS. The team for this day did an amazing job! For the health lesson, the kids learned fitness. They learned basic stretches and simple fitness techniques, but then they got to play soccer. I'm sure that was their favorite part. While I watched them play soccer, I talked to Jennifer. Her and I had a pretty good conversation... although it was one-sided... when you let her, that girl can talk! And I was so glad, I loved listening! (which is weird for me... lol)

After VBS was done, we went into the chapel to dance and play games. The kids loved playing with us and teaching us how to do some of their dances. It was so much fun to learn! Of course, I can't resist anything that involves praising God through music and dance!!!

When the younger children were sent home, Jennifer and Jeff stayed to teach me some more Swahili. I learned a lot (hence all the words I have put in this post). The team left for dinner around 5:30pm. Dinner was chicken curry and it was amazing!!!

The debrief was shorter tonight. Most of us had a pretty fun day. I blogged (read above) before heading back to my cabin for kitanda (bed).


The 'V'


I had to be like the boys... it was really hard to get on that rock...


My favorite picture... me and the kids!!!


Some of the homes we passed on the way to the mountains...


Before the hike... the kids love seeing their pictures...



-Britt

New Prayer

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord’s Prayer are not allowed in many public schools anymore because the word “God” is mentioned, a kid wrote this NEW school prayer…

Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate,

God’s name is prohibited by the state.

We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.

They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.

It’s “inappropriate” to teach right from wrong,

We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.

It’s scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen.

Just thought I would share...

-Britt

Exams

Okay, I know it has been a while since I have posted. It is exam time... AND it's almost Christmas... so, I haven't had time to write.

However, I will finish the posts of my trip eventually. I will have time after exams are over...

Right now, I could use some prayer... college is TOUGH!

-Britt

Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving! We all have many things to be thankful for. I'm not going to bore you with my list... because I'm sure it looks very similar to yours... I'm thankful for my family... for my boyfriend... for my friends... and so on and so forth...

But I truly hope everyone had an AMAZING thanksgiving... because I had TWO!!!
I had one at Brian's parents house and one at my sister's place. Both meals were outstanding. Props go out to all the cooks who put their time into those dishes!

But I do want to say one thing I'm extremely thankful for. My brothers. I was gone for ONE NIGHT, and this is what they did to my room...

They took my bulletin board down... and I'm not sure what the baby rocker was for...


They even stole my pillows!!!!!


My room was clean before I left... WHAT IS THIS!!!??? I think the electronics are now mine...




-Britt

DAY FIVE - 30 September 2008

I guess I never mentioned this before, so I will now. The deal with the skirts. In Kenya, women wear skirts, below the knee... plain and simple. In areas like Nairobi, you would see women in pants, but if you saw them in rural areas... it gave you a label you probably didn't want. So, all the women on our team wore skirts below the knee.

TUESDAY - DAY FIVE

This morning I woke up around 6:15am. Not really sure why I decided to get up EARLIER than the day before... but I did. I ate a wonderful breakfast of bacon, toast and scrambled eggs. That got me to thinking, I ate better over there than I do here. Maybe I should fix that ;D

We headed out at about 8:30am. However, I had a busy morning. Tuesday (Day two of VBS) was my group's day to run VBS... so I had some last minute scrambling to gather supplies. Amazingly enough, I wasn't freaking out... I know... weird... ;D

This morning I rode in the van with Rick, I think that was the only time I did that... as it so happened... lol.
Anyway, since we left before the other van, Rick decided that we would stop at the equator on the way into Cheppema this morning. I was so excited... especially because I was wearing my favorite skirt!!!! We took TONS of pictures. Several of each team member, then groups... people straddling the 'equator line', etc. However, I got a unique picture. I went into the middle of the road to take my picture on both sides of the equator. One foot in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern. Now, don't ask me which is which, cause I don't know... BUT if I had to guess, I would say that my left foot was North and right was South... see what you think in the picture below. Either way, before I got out of the road, I did manage to get a car to honk at me!!!

Anyway... when we got to the Hope Center, the kids were having recess (we arrived later than the day before because of the equator stop). They were waving to us as we pulled in, with MASSIVE smiles on their faces. We had brought along bubbles today, so we decided to break them out and play with the kids. I can not describe to you how much fun these kids had with the bubbles. The girls chased them, or ducked away from them... and the boys... they attacked the bubbles... it was so funny!!! And of course, some of the kids ate them. Even the older kids had a lot of fun with the bubbles.

When the kids went back to class, I went and observed the preschool classroom. The little kids in there were soooooooo sweet! AND SMART! They were singing the English alphabet. The song went "Capital letter AAAA, small letter a... Capital letter BBBB, small letter b..." But really, you had to HEAR them for yourself. It was so adorable.

I moved on to watch some other classrooms. I went into the standard 3 classroom and sat next to some of the kids. Rachel was up front teaching and the children were writing answers on the board. It amazed me to see that these kids were itching to get up there to write the answer. The kids jumped out of their seats, raised their hands HIGH in the air, and shouted 'teacher, teacher'. What amazed me even more was that they didn't care if they were wrong... they just wanted to TRY! I was blown away. Some of the students in American schools could learn a thing or two about valuing education.

Anyway, after leaving that classroom, I ran into Stephen. We both expressed interest in seeing the grade 8 classroom. So, we hopped in there to watch Elain, Amanda, and BJ teach the students. They taught on everything from snow (and everything that goes with that...) to the United States geography and government system. They needed a little bit of help on the government system (it's been a while since they were in school), so Stephen and I obliged.
The girls even taught on sports and they sang "Take me out to the ball game."

It amazed me yet again how attentive those kids were... and they were willing to learn, even with those crazy wazungu (white people) teaching their class. ;D

The kids broke again for recess. Jennifer found me this time and pulled me aside. She showed me some pictures of her brother... the one who came to America... his name was Elijah. The pictures she showed me were ones taken IN America. This pictures were obviously something that she cherished very much. And she took great pride in showing them to me. I was very glad that she did.

After they went back inside for class, I walked over to a few of the teachers. Sometimes when the kids are doing an independent study, the teachers get a break. Lisa, Sherry and I held a conversation with them for about a half hour. We learned a lot about Kenyan marriage, dowries, Kenyan government and geographic divisions, Kenyan school systems... etc.

After a while, the team ate lunch. Same as the day before... but this time, we had JELLY on the sandwiches. Lisa, Tim, Terry and I gathered supplies for VBS.

VBS was amazing! The kids loved it! When Lisa, Tim and Terry had to act, they did an amazing job!! The kids were laughing hilariously!! And when we asked the kids to memorize the verse, they did an amazing job!!! We didn't have to give them any clues or anything, they had it immediately!!

The health lesson for the day was teeth brushing... and it was obvious that the kids enjoyed it. We even caught some of the kids brushing their teeth after the lesson! It was awesome! The craft for the day was even better, I say that only because I participated in it.

We took polariod pictures of the kids for the craft. We had them stand outside and smile for the camera. They were escorted inside and given a dum-dum to keep them busy. We also put the memory verse at the bottom of the picture. It was so amazing to see how these kids LOVED their pictures. They would look at them, and show them to each other... and then put their fingers on it... it was just... I can't describe it... I wish I cherished pictures like that...

We even took pictures of the teachers and the headmaster, and the pastors. They loved it too!

After we had taken all the pictures and brushed all the teeth... the boys played soccer and the girls sat around and talked. I got to hang out with Jennifer. After learning some more Swahili, we had to leave.

The team got back to Sunrise around 6pm... we ate an amazing s-peghti dinner with fresh nanasi (pineapple) for desert... and then we de-briefed.

At the de-brief, Shane shared a story from his first Christmas in Kenya. He was almost killed, he was robbed and his children asked him "Daddy, am I going to die?". It was hard to keep my eyes dry.
Pam also got vulnerable and shared some of her story from Tanzania.
The team prayed over Shane and Jill.

I went straight back to my cabin, journaled and went to bed!!!

Check in later for pictures!!!

-Britt