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Kenya Trip - October 2007
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We are back on Canadian soil and glad to be home but hated to leave as well. The two weeks in Kenya was amazing and for some of us, we're already making plans to go back. This time, hopefully Bob will go along with me. There's so much he could do there with his abilities and it would just be nice to have him with me.
For quite sometime in my role with the Canadian Baptist Ministries Board, the Baptist Union Board and Women in Focus, I have heard a great deal about "Guardians of Hope". But now that I've been to Kenya, nothing can compare to actually seeing Guardians of Hope in action. I've stood on the Weirs that have been built with funds from Canadian Baptists; I've watched the women working in the projects funded through microcredit; I've walked the Agricultural Centre where they have gardens that are producing a great deal; I've visited the schools and seen the orphans; I've visited the clinics high up in the hills; I've seen some of the Child run households where both parents have died; I've touched the people and now have an entirely new sense of what Guardians of Hope is all about - and I'll never be the same.
I'll try to fill in some of the blanks that I missed while in Kenya.
One of the highlights for our group is when we planted a tree called a "Medicinal Tree" or also known as a "Heart" tree on the grounds of the agricultural centre. Hopefully some of us will get back there to see how it grows.
Wherever we went the women were waiting and would come out greeting us singing and dancing. It was such a warm welcome for us and we grew to really love those women. They have so little but are so content!
One of the groups of women we visited didn't come and meet us which was surprising. However we soon learned that they were in mourning as one of their community members had just died. It was very interesting for us to see how that culture mourns.
While staying at the Acacia Camp we had been prepared that it would be rustic so we assumed that meant worse than anything we had already been in. However when we arrived we were all delighted with the accommodations, the food and the hosts. I think most of us rated it as our #1 place to stay in Kenya. We had an opportunity to go on a game farm and see all the animals up close. On our last day we also visited the Giraffe Park which was quite a fun experience having the giraffes eat right out of our hands.
Just before we were to leave for the airport, Paul Carline and his children showed up at the Heart House along with two Somalia gals who wanted to present each of us with a beautiful shawl.
We're now home and I wanted to say a big thank you to all of those who were praying for us. Thanks too for those who helped out financially with this trip - I wanted you to know that you are appreciated a great deal.
Blessings to all,
Heather - "Mutanu"
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Just to let you all know that we will not be home on Sunday - we've decided to stay. Only kidding! Our flight has been changed and rather than fly out tonight as expected we now fly out tomorrow morning at 7:00am arriving in London @ 6:00pm. The airlines will put us up in a hotel until noon the next day and we arriving in Vancouver on the 29th @ 3:20pm. We're disapointed as we were all ready to head home but will enjoy a few hours in London now.
See you all soon.
Bye the way, saw Paul Carline today with the kids and two Somalia women who presented us with beautiful shawls. Paul says hi to everyone.
Heather
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I managed to find an internet cafe that has high speed and a comptuer that works. Missed being in touch with everyone but now I can do a bit more.
We have had one accident. One of the gals had her hand out the window of the van showing our puppets to the children when the man who was our tour guide opened the sliding van door not knowing her hand was there. It was quite a painful time for her and finally today we managed to get her into the hospital only to discover she has a cracked bone below her right shoulder. She's black and blue from shoulder to wrist. She went into the hospital at 10:45, was examined, sent for xrays, back to the doctor and then got a brace put on and prescription given by 12:00. We were amazed. The hospital here is much better run that we experience in Canada. She's now ready to get on the plane tomorrow nite with one month wearing a sling.
Once I get home I'll fill in more of the blanks. Don't have any of my notes with me. But I should tell you that we had a naming ceremony. The African women sat on the chairs after having met us and together came up with a name. Quite funny as they would look at us and then start yelling out names. It goes by how you look and how you act - that was a bit scarey for me but then again, I've been on my best behaviour. The name they came up with was "Muntanu" which means the "happy one". I liked it.
Last week our accommodations were terrible but we had to remind ourselves we were on a mission trip. Last night we stayed at a 5 star place and no one wanted to leave. We had an opportunity to ride a game farm and saw every animal you could think of. We were waken this morning to 10 monkeys on our roof.
Someone said I would never be the same and I didn't know what they meant - now I do. This has been a lifetime experience for me.
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. My knee has worsened substantially but I can't let it keep me down as there is so much to see and do and so many projects to visit on rough ground. I managed to pick up a beautiful Rosewood Cane with an elephant on it - I love it and it helps a great deal in my walking.
Oh yes, and guess what! I connected with someone I knew from my past. Kirk Kaufeldt who use to work with me at Trinity Western is now the President of a Pentecostal University here in Nairobi. Quite an amazing story how we connected - Janine, you're likely not surprised. The even more amazing thing was that I had wondered if I could ever find the school our son Rob helped to build a number of years ago when he came to Kenya with the Trinity Western Rugby Team. Well, that school is on the campus where Kirk works. Don't you love it - what a small world.
See you in a couple of days.
Heather
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Well here it is Friday and we leave for home tomorrow. Each time we say goodbye to the people we've been with it gets harder. This country has wonderful people and we have found that we have bonded together quickly. I think I left off from Sunday church service and I'm sure I didn't tell you all the amazing things that happened. Pastor Ellis would love the fact that the pastor spoke for 1 hour and not one person complained - even us Canadians. A three hour church service was something we have never experienced - apparently that was a short one for them. They walk everywhere and many people walked over 5 kms just to get there and so they make a day of it. We'll never forget that experience.
On Monday we had the amazing opportunity to visit more of the Guardian of Hope projects and again had our eyes open to how hard the African women work. Seems like the men don't do as much as the women and I know I have never worked as hard as they do. While at the ABC Agro Farm (can't remember the correct name), and noticed that people like "Brian Stelk", "Marilyn Smith" "Bob Swan" and other individuals from Canada had a tree planted in their name. I asked if it would be possible for Women in Focus to plant one and so with great ceremony by the people we planted a Medicinal Tree also known as a Heart Tree. Amazing.
More on the next one.
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I have finally found a computer that works and couldn't wait to tell you about Sunday. We went to a church service that started at 10:00 and didn't stop until 1:15. So for us ladies in Canada who mayhave worried about the roast in the oven it would have been burnt for sure but what an amazing time we had. Everyday seems to be the best but Sunday was certainly a highlight. All their choirs sang (4 of them). The soundequipment kept breaking (like this keyboard that doesn't work verywell). They kept replacing mikes - quite hilarious. Titus, thespeaker and our host, didn't start speaking till 11:30 - 1 1/2 hours after the service began. It was a very interactive service with the crowd (600 people) responding often to his words. Much laughter throughout his message. Even though we couldn't understandthe language wetoo laughed along with them. Titus is a high energy speaker and we enjoyed watching him. The offering took 15 minutes as everyone marched up to the front to put their offering in the plate. Those who weredoing their tithe, stood in lineat theside to get their receipt. They then had asecond offering to pay thepastors hydro bills andsome othercommitments. They needed $10,000 shillings. Three people counted as the people marched forward for a second time and a 3rd timeuntil theygot what they needed. They didn't get enough so they then auctioned off vegetables.
I will haveto finishthis later - thecomputerisn't working well and our bus is waiting
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Seems I missed some important information and wwanted to pass it on to you. If it's a duplicate I apologize. One day this week - seems like so long ago, we went to one of the projects where we had an opportunity to pick tea. What a hoot! Donna Forster and I managed to step on a HUGE ant hill and in seconds we were covered with horrible ant bites. Tim Bannister told us the only thing to do was to go into the bushes, disrobe and get them off our bodies. One of the Kenyan ladies stood guard to make sure no one came along and another lady literlly took the ants of our bodies. They just clung to us and it was really awful. We can sure laugh about it now but it wasn't funny then.
Today we met Paul & Kelly Carline and Erica and Aaron Kenny and had lunch with a group of Somalia ladies which proved to be a wonderful success. While sitting in the restaurant I saw this man smiling at me and went up to talk to him - turns out that he is from Toronto and was with the Pentecostal Assemblies. His name is Kean and Bob & Earlene may know of him. He's now with the Four Square Churches planting one here in Nairobi. They thought we might be Christians which is good to know that we do show it. The Somalia ladies were a great deal of fun as they asked so many questions about how women are treated in Canada.
The Carlines took us to a pottery place and of course we all bought some of the product. It's been a wonderful day and once again we're exhausted and ready for dinner.
This place we are staying at is absolutely amazing and hard to imagine that we are in the middle of Kenya. It's more like a resort. Continue to pray about my Knee - quite painful but worth the pain just to experience what's been taking place.
Tonight it's a Canadian dinner - Yeah! Chocolate Cake for dessert - Yeah! and then to bed early - YEAH!
As we meet with the African women and see such poverty I am reminded that as it says in ! Peter 2:9 "You are a chosen people belong to God!
Hard to believe we've been here one week.
Oh, and Bobby Ogden will be interested to know that the potter shop we went to is connected with the African Presbyterian Church who partner with Canadian Baptist Ministries.
See you in a week.
Heather
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Good morning to everyone in Canada. Yesterday was one of the best days we've had - although for the most part they've all be good days. We drove back into the hills to visit some women from some of the churches. We were each paired off with one woman and went to her home to see what she does in a day. The woman I went with was 65 years old but looked 75. She had 11 children and was also raising her grandchildren. She milked cows and insisted that I also try it. We went to the place where the cows where - quite an ugly site from our perspective. It was mucky, smelly and the cows looked terrible. But knowing I couldn't get out of it I proceeded to sit on the wobbly old stool and do my best. Of course I didn't get any milk out of the cow but everyone had a good laugh. Don't think I've ever washed my hands as much in my life. We then went down to the tea plantation area and picked some more tea; saw the mace garden and sweet potatoes garden. Picked some cabbage and then processed it for dinner using a huge knife. They were afraid I was going to cut myself so took the knife away - yeah! The home was very primitive with a mud floor. Had a very leaky ceiling that looked like it was about to fall down. The kitchen consisted of one cupboard, no stove but a pit outside where they have a huge pot that they cook in. The lady was a lot of fun and laughed at me quite a bit. It was so special to see how they work - ladies, they work a whole lot harder than we could ever imagine. This home didn't have any electricity either. After we were finished they gave us tea and snacks back at the chuch which consisted of cooked sweet potatoe chunks and more arrowroot. Discusting snack but we had to eat it.
We then returned to Nairobi where we are now being housed in Heart House - a beautiful resort with a lovely shower, beautiful bedrooms, fantastic meals (first Canadian type food we've had all week and we all looked like we hadn't eaten for days). Well, in fact, we haven't really eaten for days.
Today, Saturday we are meeting up with Paul & Kelly Carline which should be a wonderful time.
More later,
Thanks for your prayers.
Heather
PS: As I looked over my blog it appears one of the days didn't get shown. Will have to check that out and update later.
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Today has been amazing. We were way way up in the hills visiting small missions. The children are so precious and we took the hand puppets and had such fun with them all. The body odor of the Africa women is quite interesting and we have to hug every single woman. The people are incredibly friendly.
If I return home with my knee in place it will be a miracle. The ground is rugged, the soil is very red and although I'm being careful it's had it's trials. We walk alot and I'm thankful for the Croggs.
The team has blended so very well and has been interesting to see how everyone seems to have found their specific place to minister. We are exhausted and going for supper - that's another story. I'm sure I'll lose weight - just can't stomach most of the food. The milk is whole milk with lumps in it - so I don't have milk in my coffee. On Friday we're having tea with Tim & Diane Bannister and hopefully some Canadian dessert and meat and potatoes. It's been an incredible experience and has certainly stretched me. We were all in bed and asleep by 8:00 last night and will likely do the same tonight.
I'm surprised how many building have been started and never finished. As a matter of fact, I wish I knew where our Son Rob was when he was here with the Trinity Rugby team many years ago - that building likely doesn't have a roof on it yet. Some have been sitting for 20 years waiting for more funding. Very very sad.
We have tea breaks twice a day - the women come and wash our hands prior to that. Tea snacks are very DIFFERENT. Today we had sweet potatoe chunks and arrowroot chunks. Interesting.
More tomorrow.
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Wow! Today was hilarious, exhausting, depressing but a day we will remem ber for a long time. We visited 5 regions way out in the country and had an opportunity to see some orphanages that would just break your heart. They took us into where the children sleep but the part that really tore me up was to see the kitchen where they prepare what little food they have. It was not something you could ever imagine and I was shocked at how I just it when I walked in. I couldn't speak because of the lump in my throat. These 8 little children have absolutely no one in the world that cares for them other than the women who are trying to do their best. It was heartbreaking to say the least and yet the little children were able to smile and laugh when we told stories with our hand puppets. We say 5 similar situations and to see what they are trying to do without a good water supply was heartbreaking. There is so much this coutnry needs just to survive and we have so much in Canada. And after seeing all that poverty, we went for dinner. We know that we brought joy to the lives of those little kids and I know that tonight when we do our debriefing there will be tears as we share our experience. This has been a trip like I have never taken before and although it's been hard it has also been rewarding to see some of the smiles on their little faces. I think they were surprised to see so many white people but my hair was a fascination to them. One little girl just kept running her fingers thru my hair and then took my hand to feel her hair. We are all tired right now after being on the road for 10 hours. Sleep will come well and we'll be back at it tomorrow. Thanks for your ongoing prayers. Pray that we can continue to brighten some of their day and be a blessing to them. They certainly are being a blessing to us.
More later.
Tiredly yours, Heather
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We have arrived in Kenya after two very long flights as well as an 8 hour layover in London. The drive to our hotel was horrendous - the roads are not at all like ours. Their good highways are much worse than our worst roads. But when we arrived at the Lukenga Getaway we were very pleased. Our accomodations the first night are beyond our wildes dreams. And the food here is wonderful. We leave tomorrow for Nairobi where we will be staying in a guest house that is also suppose to be very nice. Our hosts, Tim & Diane Bannister have made today very enjoyable. We learned a bit of Swahilli (likely not spelled right but that's okay, I can't pronounce most of the words either). We're all looking forward to a good nite's rest and up and at it early tomorrow morning. As we expected, the internet is very slow but at least we've been able to get on it. More later,
Heather
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Well here we are in London and it's 4:00 on Saturday here. Weird when the bus drove down the highway on the wrong way - thought we were going to crash. The flight was good and I must have slept as the 10 hours went by quite quickly.
Everyone has gone shopping - it's like one huge mall here. I've decided to just crash in the lounge where there are comfortable chairs in a quiet area.
Unfortunately my computer doesn't seem to be working so access may be even less that I had thought. Hopefully someone can fix it when we arrive in Nairobi.
We wait around here now until 8:00 and then leave for Nairobi arriving at 6:30 tomorrow morning. We're all hoping they don't expect us to go to church but I have a feeling they just might.
More later - hopefully.
Heather
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The night before we leave and a dilema as to how we are going to pack 125 teddy bears in already stuffed luggage. Eric & Marette Britton to the rescue with their VacuPak machine. In less than 1 hour we stuffed the teddy bears into the vacupak bags, sealed them and ended up with 125 bears now reduced to 1/4 of the size, all neatly packed into the luggage. I'm sure it will look like magic to the children in Kenya when we cut the now flat bags open and have the teddy bears come out full size.
One more night in my own bed and our team will be off to Kenya. Watch for further information as we have access to the internet.
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Wow, only 12 days to go before take-off. Doesn't seem possible but I am ready to go. Today I complete my shots, get the rest of my supplies together and pretty much ready to pack things in my suitcase.
Watch for further updates as we leave on October 12th from. Thankfully we fly all nite leaving here at 7:45pm and arriving in London at 6:30am. Hopefully I can sleep on the plane.
Thanks for your ongoing prayers - mroe later.
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We are now 75 days from take-off and things are coming together well. The entire team have completed their required paperwork (visas, passports, security checks, etc) and all shots are up todate.
The excitement amongst the team is increasing and for the most part, we're ready to go.
Have a look at the prayer request tab.
Thanks for your ongoing encouragement as I continue with my preparations.
Blessings,
Heather
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Our team has been selected, our flights booked, our innoculations being looked after, our passports acquired and we're ready to go!
Watch for further updates.
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