[Written on July 3rd]
We safely arrived to Nairobi Airport in Kenya at
about 9:15pm after two smooth flights. Other than my team learning that I
sleep with my mouth wide open, everything went without a hitch. All of our
luggage and medical supplies arrived at the airport and we got through
Immigration without any issues. We met the wonderful Sandy Baird, director of New Hope
Initiative, and hit the road to the Ndemi Guest House
where we stayed for two nights. We were only on the road five minutes
when we saw a pack of zebras standing by the highway. I thought that was a
fitting welcome.
Greeting us outside our window
the first morning in Nairobi, Kenya was a vervet monkey- a common sight in East
Africa.
Today was our first day in the slums of Kibera, one
of the largest slums in the world. I will never forget this day as long as I
live. I have a new understanding of poverty, an unparalleled respect for people
who have dedicated their lives to helping the poor, and want nothing more than
to alleviate the pain and suffering that was in front of my eyes.
Kibera. Pictures don't do it justice. This goes on for miles upon miles.
After medical camp orientation we
met the ladies of Project Biashara and got to watch them sing, dance, &
worship. They're the type of people who you just find yourself constantly
smiling around because their joy is so contagious. The
ladies make beautiful jewelry and sell it in the states to help provide for
their families. I believe average earnings amount to about $110 a month. They
do beautiful work, to take a look follow this link. In Africa,
"To help a woman is to help her family" so maybe you will
consider doing so. The woman on the far right, Eunice, is the proud mother of 9
children! After they got done they asked us to do an American song and dance.
Guess who busted out the Cha Cha Slide & Cupid Shuffle? [Guilty.]
This is little Emmanuel. He was
sleeping on this lawn chair wrapped up in a fleece blanket and stalking hat
while his Mom worked on jewelry. It's winter in Kenya right now- it was about
70 degrees which is actually quite cool to them, and they really bundle their
babies up. I could sit and hold these babies for hours.
I sat down with the ladies of
Project Biashara and tried to make jewelry at their speed and skill. (Key word
being tried.) I am so inspired by their faith in God and how dedicated they are
to providing for their families.
The ladies of Project Biashara
bring their little ones with them each day they work. These children are so
well-behaved. I was amazed at how they quietly sat and watched their moms work.
They wanted to touch my blonde hair and called me "Inna". My friend
Dixon told me that my name basically means "finger nail art/polish"
in Swahili :)
When the kids saw us walking into
Kibera they came running from every direction shouting: "'OW ARE
YOU!" Imagine hundreds of little ones shouting this at the same time with
huge smiles on their faces. It was so awesome.
I would point to my camera and
say "want me to take your picture?" to which each child I asked would nod
their head then reach for my camera. They loved to see pictures of themselves.
With the beautiful ladies of the
New Hope Initiative Academy. NHI Academy is more than just a "slum
school". This is a special place where they are producing feature
leaders, and that is so evident. The girls I'm pictured with are scholarship
students who speak flawless English. They told me about their favorite foods
(maize), their families (many had up to 7 siblings), helped me with my bad
Swahili, and wanted to know all about Americans and their day-to-day lives.
Their sweetness absolutely melted my heart. When they asked me what type of
foods Americans ate they giggled when I told them about cheeseburgers.
"Can we have a picture too?!"
Children living among garbage and swine. Such a heart-wrenching sight.
Sneaking through the gate to hang
out with the mzungus at the church. We certainly didn't mind!
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