Thursday July 30
We built desks today. Or rather we took apart desks and put them back together. All shiny and new- as shiny and knew as rusty nails and new plywood can be. All we need to do now is put the locks on them and students can use them in the dining room, playground or classroom- wherever there’s room. There will be plenty of room starting tomorrow afternoon since school is closing for holiday. The kids have taken term exams all week, some of them doing well and others not so much (I got to mark some tests today.)
Mainly, the kids are exhausted, some are even falling asleep in class or so they tell me. How we’re all the same. I fell asleep in class, friends do the same. The reasons are different for sure. Homework, 5 nightly activities, facebooking, dinner, more homework and talking on the phone keep a North American kids up to the wee hours. African kids, however, do chores, cook dinner, finish homework, feed animals, walk 30 minutes home, fetch water, clean up after dinner, and care for brothers and sisters into the late night. Like most thing compared to American life, this reality of Africa is neither bad or good in comparison. Culture and opportunities are different. What strikes me as a main difference is the amount of responsibility most African children possess in comparison to a generally low amount where I’m from. Of course, there are the occasional children who raise themselves, learning at an early age how to make mac ‘n cheese and wash clothes. But for the most part, if left to their own devices, American children would have a hard time surviving if their parents died. I heard from an African friend that the main reason for the abundance of responsibility for these children is preparation. If a mother or father left, died, couldn’t care for the children, they would know the essentials in surviving. They could gather food. They could take care of each other. And they could pray until blessing pours down on them.
Tonight some of the kids (those that board at the school) came over to pray and say goodbye before they go home for vacation. It was an interesting time of sharing, singing and praying. There are some things that would take some time to get use to in this culture, one is the singing together in any key. But so long as God hears the song, the prayer, he can probably tune the dissonance. I guess he has to all the time just in general. The amount of times my prayers seem to contradict or fade or scream or wail. I’m grateful God has that skill.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Fort Jesus
Wed. July 29
Today was nice, easy, fun, informative and all with good company. I woke up all night long thinking about the future, my budget, what I needed to get done, and itching mosquito bites. AHH! So this morning was just another time to be up, surprisingly I had slept enough. Jami and I washed clothes, went to the internet, and I had a mango while she slept before we went out for the afternoon. George had offered to be our tour guide to down town. Everyone else had gone to the beach.
George is such a great fellow who likes to laugh, enjoys good company but is both educated academically and in the world. He knows about his country, its people, the good and bad sides. He articulated a perspective of our two countries that helps me understand how differences can be so stark. When USA got it’s independence, it essentially came with a whole new group of people. The “indigenous” people of America have been put in a box, assimilated and melted in with the rest of us. Kenya on the other hand, gained its independence after colonial rule, tribal systems and manipulation from all over the world. When left to its own, Kenya is still made of many different cultures, tribes with their own customs. To run a country with so many faces is quite different from the one that has woven its many customs together to eat hamburgers with French fries and pizza with pineapple. Random but tasty.
Our tour included the many ports and the ferry dock where several hundred people crossed from one side of Mombasa to the other (part of the city is an island). We spent the bulk of our time at Fort Jesus. While not a total crucifix, the fort was still shaped like a body. This fort built in 1593 by the Portuguese was predominately a protection of the port from pirates. The Catholic Portuguese put a chapel in the middle of the fort which was later dismantled when the Arabs took over, torn down the chapel, dug a deeper well and built the wall up for added protection. The soldiers had dug down through at least 2 stories worth of coral in the gut of the fort for storing ammunition and other food. The history of the place sort of leaked out my ears as it came so fast in the great heat of the day in a thick African accent. Needless to say I might have to Google the site later, but it was a fun site to see.
Today was nice, easy, fun, informative and all with good company. I woke up all night long thinking about the future, my budget, what I needed to get done, and itching mosquito bites. AHH! So this morning was just another time to be up, surprisingly I had slept enough. Jami and I washed clothes, went to the internet, and I had a mango while she slept before we went out for the afternoon. George had offered to be our tour guide to down town. Everyone else had gone to the beach.
George is such a great fellow who likes to laugh, enjoys good company but is both educated academically and in the world. He knows about his country, its people, the good and bad sides. He articulated a perspective of our two countries that helps me understand how differences can be so stark. When USA got it’s independence, it essentially came with a whole new group of people. The “indigenous” people of America have been put in a box, assimilated and melted in with the rest of us. Kenya on the other hand, gained its independence after colonial rule, tribal systems and manipulation from all over the world. When left to its own, Kenya is still made of many different cultures, tribes with their own customs. To run a country with so many faces is quite different from the one that has woven its many customs together to eat hamburgers with French fries and pizza with pineapple. Random but tasty.
Our tour included the many ports and the ferry dock where several hundred people crossed from one side of Mombasa to the other (part of the city is an island). We spent the bulk of our time at Fort Jesus. While not a total crucifix, the fort was still shaped like a body. This fort built in 1593 by the Portuguese was predominately a protection of the port from pirates. The Catholic Portuguese put a chapel in the middle of the fort which was later dismantled when the Arabs took over, torn down the chapel, dug a deeper well and built the wall up for added protection. The soldiers had dug down through at least 2 stories worth of coral in the gut of the fort for storing ammunition and other food. The history of the place sort of leaked out my ears as it came so fast in the great heat of the day in a thick African accent. Needless to say I might have to Google the site later, but it was a fun site to see.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
fish: fun and food
Last night for dinner, I experienced a new dish that while I could tolerate the taste (I had to eat something since I had pills to take), I did a lot of praying and swallowing without chewing. Maize meal call ugali has the consistency of hard mashed potatoes. Until they get in your mouth. For those who have very sensitive taste buds with sensory hairs, they will pick up a unique granule feeling that is reminiscent of sand off the beach. Thankfully one doesn’t have to endure the grainy crunch in the teeth. Anyway, it’s quite dry and is best with some sort of stew or sauce. The said sauce for this meal was coconut soup which sounds tasty enough until one finds out its mixed with fish juice, onions, garlic and tomato. Then, the protein of the night looked at me- fish: eyeballs and all. And really if the eyeballs are still intact, one can only surmise that every other part will come with it. Now I know why fish sticks are so good- they don’t have bones, scales, more bones, and eyeballs. The watermelon was my safety zone; I almost ate the seeds I was so excited. But for those who are faithful, they will be blessed. To my surprise, we celebrated a child’s birthday so each of us got a slice of moist marble cake. It was music in my mouth and calmed any anxiety my stomach had of having to digest the eyeballs in sand.
This afternoon we went snorkeling. My time in Jamaica was much more enjoyable since waves weren’t splashing me every 55 seconds and there were more fish. Snorkeling is not my favorite either because I concern myself more with breathing than enjoying the scenery below. Finally, I’m a destination person, not so much a look at, study and take in person. I pray I get better at appreciating the beauty in creation’s details. On a brighter note, the conversation informing the group of these plans went something like this.
Mama: we’re going snorkeling.
Dad: How big is the boat?
Son: Big enough for the 8 of us.
Dad: I mean the motor.
African host: Mota? No we’re taking a boat.
Dad/Son togetherish: no motor, the engine.
Guide: oh 45 horses.
Mama: That’s not very big.
Other son: it’s big enough it will hold all 8 of us.
Mama: I mean the motor. That’s enough to pull 3 people and a skier.
Son: We’re not going skiing.
Mama: I ‘m just saying that’s as much power as we will have.
Daughter: 3 people and a STEER?
ALL sans daughter: (laughter)
Mama: I know you’re a farmer through and through but I said skier. We’re not going with any cows.
Son: MOM-the boat is big enough for ALL of us.
This morning I talked to a bunch of high school girls about relationships, religion, dreams, goals, etc. It was an enlightening time to get to know them and I hope they feel that our time together has not been a waste. Even if we take very little, I will certainly remember the ease and comfort I had in talking to them. Perhaps it’s because I knew I had nothing to lose. Perhaps I felt enough age difference to feel somewhat authoritative, as prideful as that is. Either way, we connected and we learned a from each other.
This afternoon we went snorkeling. My time in Jamaica was much more enjoyable since waves weren’t splashing me every 55 seconds and there were more fish. Snorkeling is not my favorite either because I concern myself more with breathing than enjoying the scenery below. Finally, I’m a destination person, not so much a look at, study and take in person. I pray I get better at appreciating the beauty in creation’s details. On a brighter note, the conversation informing the group of these plans went something like this.
Mama: we’re going snorkeling.
Dad: How big is the boat?
Son: Big enough for the 8 of us.
Dad: I mean the motor.
African host: Mota? No we’re taking a boat.
Dad/Son togetherish: no motor, the engine.
Guide: oh 45 horses.
Mama: That’s not very big.
Other son: it’s big enough it will hold all 8 of us.
Mama: I mean the motor. That’s enough to pull 3 people and a skier.
Son: We’re not going skiing.
Mama: I ‘m just saying that’s as much power as we will have.
Daughter: 3 people and a STEER?
ALL sans daughter: (laughter)
Mama: I know you’re a farmer through and through but I said skier. We’re not going with any cows.
Son: MOM-the boat is big enough for ALL of us.
This morning I talked to a bunch of high school girls about relationships, religion, dreams, goals, etc. It was an enlightening time to get to know them and I hope they feel that our time together has not been a waste. Even if we take very little, I will certainly remember the ease and comfort I had in talking to them. Perhaps it’s because I knew I had nothing to lose. Perhaps I felt enough age difference to feel somewhat authoritative, as prideful as that is. Either way, we connected and we learned a from each other.
Monday, July 27, 2009
free
Another day of school, teaching and learning. I learned a great deal about Kenyan government, history, politics, and taught a great deal about the Bible, geography and girl talk. Yep, after my lecture on Saturday about the reproductive system, I got to chat about relationships and sex with a bunch of teenage girls. I’m so grateful for my age. Wisdom comes slowly but I can be a help to those 5-8 years younger than me. I am very humbled by the conversation and their vulnerability with strangers to ask hard questions. One of my favorite phrases in Africa but especially in Kenya is “you are free.” Such was the statement of today’s discussion in class and the girls’ meeting- ask questions, give opinions and answers, discuss: YOU ARE FREE!
singing at church
A new church experience: mainline denomination style. We went to a Presbyterian church half and half. The first service was in English so we showed up late to hear the sermon. The congregation was about a third full. The second service was in Kiswahili and standing room only. They had us share a song and introduce ourselves in front of the congregation. I really appreciate Bud taking the lead but I laughed to myself as he read notes off his hand, the same hand he used to hold the microphone. I’m sure he was chuckling to himself as well, fully aware of his inability to remember speeches. This wasn’t the first time he’s prepared this way. We chose In Christ Alone as our anthem for the day. A lovely selections with rich words, but 4 verses might have been a bit much. I enjoyed it, but for those of us who don’t have quite the same confidence in their voices, it was extra long.
Now one of my pet peeves is a presentation or offering at church that just ends. Sometimes it’s enough to finish a song, let the congregation clap and sit down. However, in African churches, everything results in clapping. Way to sing- let’s clap. Way to preach- let’s clap. Way to sneeze- let’s clap. So while I knew the applause was coming, I felt uncomfortable about the 4th wall we had created. (a theatre term to separate actor from audience) At my own church, I know I would have a chance to speak to people afterward, they know me and their response would be in my language. While that’s the benefit of clapping, it’s universal, I wanted a little bit more community in our offering. So I prayed.
I’m not sure I’ve ever prayed out loud as I did then. Perhaps the sound guy had turned me up, perhaps he turned up the Holy Spirit. Either way, it was cool. Rich, expressive and flowing with a vigor I rarely have especially when praying with groups. This has long been a silent prayer in my life and will continue to be, but I desire so much to pray better. Can a human qualify prayer? Not really, so long as it’s sincere, but chaperons with ACC and the kids inspired me with their words to God. I even thought of writing them, thanking them for being such good models, and offering me a bit of a tutorial. I can imagine the response ????? and at the same time being what I already know: you can’t get better at something without practicing. Just do it. Just pray.
Following the intro, the song, the prayer, a riotous applause broke out, or so it seemed in the echo of a cement barn of a church. We exited, I pleased to have left a gift that only our group of muzungus could leave. Smiles, tone-deaf harmonizing, humility and total gratitude for taking us just the way we came- freckled and fragile. If it was my custom to clap for everything, I would have clapped for them, the people of Mtwapa, the people of St. Timothy school, the people of Africa. Three cheers and a big boom cha!
Now one of my pet peeves is a presentation or offering at church that just ends. Sometimes it’s enough to finish a song, let the congregation clap and sit down. However, in African churches, everything results in clapping. Way to sing- let’s clap. Way to preach- let’s clap. Way to sneeze- let’s clap. So while I knew the applause was coming, I felt uncomfortable about the 4th wall we had created. (a theatre term to separate actor from audience) At my own church, I know I would have a chance to speak to people afterward, they know me and their response would be in my language. While that’s the benefit of clapping, it’s universal, I wanted a little bit more community in our offering. So I prayed.
I’m not sure I’ve ever prayed out loud as I did then. Perhaps the sound guy had turned me up, perhaps he turned up the Holy Spirit. Either way, it was cool. Rich, expressive and flowing with a vigor I rarely have especially when praying with groups. This has long been a silent prayer in my life and will continue to be, but I desire so much to pray better. Can a human qualify prayer? Not really, so long as it’s sincere, but chaperons with ACC and the kids inspired me with their words to God. I even thought of writing them, thanking them for being such good models, and offering me a bit of a tutorial. I can imagine the response ????? and at the same time being what I already know: you can’t get better at something without practicing. Just do it. Just pray.
Following the intro, the song, the prayer, a riotous applause broke out, or so it seemed in the echo of a cement barn of a church. We exited, I pleased to have left a gift that only our group of muzungus could leave. Smiles, tone-deaf harmonizing, humility and total gratitude for taking us just the way we came- freckled and fragile. If it was my custom to clap for everything, I would have clapped for them, the people of Mtwapa, the people of St. Timothy school, the people of Africa. Three cheers and a big boom cha!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Teach for Africa
I’ve told many people today, but it was one of my favorite days in Africa (minus the headache from lack of water which is my fault.) Today I taught class to 8th graders. With the invitation from their teacher and encouragement of the same to teach whatever I wanted as the students would be comfortable and eager to learn, I ran with my English lessons I had prepared during my time with ACC. I was a little bit nervous that I was teaching something they learned way back when, but as I found even when I prepared these lessons months ago, I took needed some review. As the students have been revising (studying and reviewing) for upcoming tests, a bit of repetition was a perfect program for the day. Plus, I had a lot of fun teaching them previously learned lessons with new twists. (Really anything was new and twisty coming from me, an excitable, expressive muzungu with lots of energy and a joy of not having papers to correct at the end of the day! ☺ )
So we studied adjectives today. Had grammar lessons been this fun when I was in school, I’m sure more people would have embraced the subject. There’s something about diagramming without application that kills the goodness of writing. The kids were intelligent and quick to catch on. The fact that I learned all their names straight off the bat helped a lot too. We created elaborate, detailed sentences with juicy adjectives, expressive while still articulate. I would love to take an Anne Lamott book to class to read those funny and overly descriptive passages to the class. Of course, many authors, more classical for sure than she, exists, but as I still laugh at some of her quotes, I’d be happy to share her light but profound wisdom.
Following the English lesson we (the Canadians and I) had a bit of a trivia game about N. America and then made paper cranes with a bit of a history lesson on WW2. As they were studying Kenyan government in social studies I didn’t feel adequately prepared, so this was a fine substitute. The students enjoyed our class, learned a great deal, and grew comfortable and trusting of me so much so that I’ll go tomorrow for another lesson. Maybe I’ll tackle adverbs…very carefully.
Tonight should be interesting as students and teachers are coming over starting at 9pm for a prayer vigil. I’m sure if I’m awake and cognitive to appreciate the time, I’ll be able to write a complete blog just on this subject. For now, here are the details. Every Friday night a group comes over to Mary’s house, the director of the school, to pray, worship, sing, do a Bible study, and pray some more. As Israel, the English teacher for whom I taught, put it, “We might be there until 3 or 5 in the morning.” In a very humble and cautiously excited way he said, “We never know when He might come back. If we go to bed at midnight, we might miss His coming, so we stay awake. We only do it once a week so it’s not that big of a sacrifice.” Well, if I make it, I pray I do, I pray also for an astounding way in which God will work tonight and the rest of the week. So while you’re at lunch or dinner, think and pray with us. It will be a worldwide event.
On a side note, drinking water is as important as a verb is to a sentence. Just as the verb gives a noun energy, water is crucial for my well-being. Alas, I am not getting enough. Partly, it’s my fault. I don’t look carefully for the buckets of water from which I can drink. However, I am in Africa where hot tea is drunk more than water and the latter is rationed a bit anyway. Drinking fountains, taps, and bottled water doesn’t readily exist everywhere I go. Instead, one has to be purposeful in carrying a supply of hydration for the day. No wonder camels have permanent backpacks.
So we studied adjectives today. Had grammar lessons been this fun when I was in school, I’m sure more people would have embraced the subject. There’s something about diagramming without application that kills the goodness of writing. The kids were intelligent and quick to catch on. The fact that I learned all their names straight off the bat helped a lot too. We created elaborate, detailed sentences with juicy adjectives, expressive while still articulate. I would love to take an Anne Lamott book to class to read those funny and overly descriptive passages to the class. Of course, many authors, more classical for sure than she, exists, but as I still laugh at some of her quotes, I’d be happy to share her light but profound wisdom.
Following the English lesson we (the Canadians and I) had a bit of a trivia game about N. America and then made paper cranes with a bit of a history lesson on WW2. As they were studying Kenyan government in social studies I didn’t feel adequately prepared, so this was a fine substitute. The students enjoyed our class, learned a great deal, and grew comfortable and trusting of me so much so that I’ll go tomorrow for another lesson. Maybe I’ll tackle adverbs…very carefully.
Tonight should be interesting as students and teachers are coming over starting at 9pm for a prayer vigil. I’m sure if I’m awake and cognitive to appreciate the time, I’ll be able to write a complete blog just on this subject. For now, here are the details. Every Friday night a group comes over to Mary’s house, the director of the school, to pray, worship, sing, do a Bible study, and pray some more. As Israel, the English teacher for whom I taught, put it, “We might be there until 3 or 5 in the morning.” In a very humble and cautiously excited way he said, “We never know when He might come back. If we go to bed at midnight, we might miss His coming, so we stay awake. We only do it once a week so it’s not that big of a sacrifice.” Well, if I make it, I pray I do, I pray also for an astounding way in which God will work tonight and the rest of the week. So while you’re at lunch or dinner, think and pray with us. It will be a worldwide event.
On a side note, drinking water is as important as a verb is to a sentence. Just as the verb gives a noun energy, water is crucial for my well-being. Alas, I am not getting enough. Partly, it’s my fault. I don’t look carefully for the buckets of water from which I can drink. However, I am in Africa where hot tea is drunk more than water and the latter is rationed a bit anyway. Drinking fountains, taps, and bottled water doesn’t readily exist everywhere I go. Instead, one has to be purposeful in carrying a supply of hydration for the day. No wonder camels have permanent backpacks.
Indian Ocean
Thurs. July 23
Today I swam in the Indian Ocean. I actually walked to an island in the ocean. Our home for the next nine days is about a 10 minute walk from the beach, a little inlet from the ocean where some sailboats can dock and the tide comes in just the same. The difference between this area and say a resort are the reeds and moss that make up the shoreline. The first couple yards into the ocean is filled with the vegetation, a little slimy and irky but I managed to get all the way under save my head to make it to the rock island. Our host George motioned to a tree that at higher tide was halfway in the water despite the hammock hanging from it. He said just 5 years ago it was never under water. I’m hoping to see another beach without the extra weeds but regardless the water is beautiful blue green and the sand is soft and white. It feels nice on my feet.
I’m hoping to make a habit of running to the beach. The walk there is through the forest and down some back lanes so a muzungu running to the beach won’t look terribly ridiculous, at least not to a large amount of people.
This morning was slow to start and typical of our time here. Jami and I slept in since we didn’t know of any plan for the day and no one woke us up. We eventually made it to the school just avoiding the 2nd of half a dozen torrential downpours of the day. The boys had gone before us to treat the truss with motor oil. Termites are a huge problem all over East Africa it seems so all the hard wood used in construction has to be coated before installed. They had gone about 8am so were utterly wet and black from the work. They continued to endure the rain and the stain for some time until lunch was ready and the last truss was painted. Meanwhile the girls gathered trash, made a rock wall around the garbage and tried our best to stay busy. Tomorrow we hope to hang out with the students more, maybe play a bit of jeopardy with Canadian trivia and maybe I’ll throw in one about Obama (a sure answer). Other than that the next week and a half will be interesting and a good time to meditate for all the “work” that awaits us.
One more addition to the list of characters around here apart from the aforementioned monkeys, dogs, camels, and lots of bugs, are 2 geese! These geese are mean little beasts, like mad cats. They hiss, bark and even nip at us. Plus, like every other fowl animal around on this trip, the SQUWAK! Early in the morning, later in the morning, at lunch, during afternoon naps, in the dark and as we go to bed. My goodness- noisy birds!
Today I swam in the Indian Ocean. I actually walked to an island in the ocean. Our home for the next nine days is about a 10 minute walk from the beach, a little inlet from the ocean where some sailboats can dock and the tide comes in just the same. The difference between this area and say a resort are the reeds and moss that make up the shoreline. The first couple yards into the ocean is filled with the vegetation, a little slimy and irky but I managed to get all the way under save my head to make it to the rock island. Our host George motioned to a tree that at higher tide was halfway in the water despite the hammock hanging from it. He said just 5 years ago it was never under water. I’m hoping to see another beach without the extra weeds but regardless the water is beautiful blue green and the sand is soft and white. It feels nice on my feet.
I’m hoping to make a habit of running to the beach. The walk there is through the forest and down some back lanes so a muzungu running to the beach won’t look terribly ridiculous, at least not to a large amount of people.
This morning was slow to start and typical of our time here. Jami and I slept in since we didn’t know of any plan for the day and no one woke us up. We eventually made it to the school just avoiding the 2nd of half a dozen torrential downpours of the day. The boys had gone before us to treat the truss with motor oil. Termites are a huge problem all over East Africa it seems so all the hard wood used in construction has to be coated before installed. They had gone about 8am so were utterly wet and black from the work. They continued to endure the rain and the stain for some time until lunch was ready and the last truss was painted. Meanwhile the girls gathered trash, made a rock wall around the garbage and tried our best to stay busy. Tomorrow we hope to hang out with the students more, maybe play a bit of jeopardy with Canadian trivia and maybe I’ll throw in one about Obama (a sure answer). Other than that the next week and a half will be interesting and a good time to meditate for all the “work” that awaits us.
One more addition to the list of characters around here apart from the aforementioned monkeys, dogs, camels, and lots of bugs, are 2 geese! These geese are mean little beasts, like mad cats. They hiss, bark and even nip at us. Plus, like every other fowl animal around on this trip, the SQUWAK! Early in the morning, later in the morning, at lunch, during afternoon naps, in the dark and as we go to bed. My goodness- noisy birds!
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