Things that are burning:
1. My time here
2. My mind
3. My heart
4. My passion for community
5. My mind
6. My ideas of who I am
7. My love for Jesus
8. My ideas and plans
The last few weeks I have had a lot of time (too much time) to think. Actually, while i was at the Rhodes house, they really inspired me to read the bible so much more. It has impacted me so much, so much that i am just burning to not be by myself and love people. I also read "Follow Me To Freedom" by John Perkins and Shane Claibourne and that has really challenged my mind and my thoughts on fighting for whats right, ending gaps between people and really set my visions onfire in terms of wanting true community. I know I am only 20, and there is so much life I haven't lived, and when you live life in Christ you live life abundantly. This time here has been rediculous, I have learned butt loads of stuff on community, on leadership, on love, on Jesus, on living with Christ, on living responsibly unto God, and on relationships. This last week has really hit it home for me, and the thoughts and implications of my time here really have been challenging me to live right when I get back, to leave in the pursuit of justice, in the pursuit of constant learning, in the pursit of Jesus and the gospel, to stand for what is excellent in Gods eyes.
Anyway, This week has started out a little stressful. I found out recently that i need a transit visa to get through Nigeria on my way back home and I don't have one. So, after a day or so of making phone calls and such, i figured out what I have to do. Tomorrow I am going to the embassy of Nigera and hopefully getting the process underway which takes about three days to finish. BUT, I feel that even if I do things right and the process is 3 days I am still dealing with Nigeria. I am nervous, but holding onto hope that I can get it done by Sunday before i leave. Please Please pray that it works out. Also, multiple people have told me that one of the ways to make sure you get through the airport well is to carry 20 dollar bills with you for bribes. After struggling with this, I decided that I am not going to do this. I can't support bribery which in turn continues corrupt scociety, I just can't do it. I know its easy to say, "your only one person what difference does it make?" because I have been fighting that mindset, but I realized that if everyone says that then we aren't just one person, we are everyone and that makes the difference. Even if we are alone we are still apart of a community, the global community, the local community and ect. We have a responsibility to this community to seek justice and if i bribed my way through the airport which seems like the only option to have complete confidence you will get through I wouldn't be supporting my brothers and sisters left in the slums because of corrupt systems. SO, long story short, pray that I can get through the airport if I do get my visa. It might be easy, it might be hard. I'm not sure. Whatever, whatever happens happens and I am alright with it.
I am living at the Rhodes now which has been nice, i have a pillow and a shower head! SO AWESOME. And they have been huge on really bringing home all the thoughts and feelings that i have had the last three months (they don't know it though). I really respect them and their ability to constantly want to learn, to read and to discuss things.
The Kawangware group wants to throw a goodbye party for me! which I am so psyched about. I was able to see them last Thursday and they told me that that wasn't good enough and that they needed to have a party. So, I said why not, God likes parties, Jesus went to a bunch while he was around seems biblical. That will be this Saturday and it will also be hard because I love those people a lot and they have all really taken care of me since I have been here.
This is the last blog you will get from me while I am in Kenya, I am trying to decide if I should keep blogging once I get back. I am not sure. It seems really hipster/individualistic to think that everyone wants to know what some college kid thinks about stuff. I don't know. We will see I guess
Alright readers, thanks for sticking around and hanging out with me. Thanks for listing to all my moods and desciphering all my bad grammar and spelling. Thanks for walking with me and praying for/with me. Its been wonderful, and I hope that I get to see all of you, where ever you are and whoever you are very soon.
See you in the States (hopefully),
Dave Connis
Monday, August 2, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Things, Things, Things (condensed fieldnotes)
Hey guys,
I don't have much time to write this so I have to be brief. My internet access has been lacking lately since Alvin left so I have to make do with crappy wi-fi. One place has more reliable internet but no outlets so I run outta battery. The other place has hit and run internet but it has outlets. Then there are days when neither of them work. So I am struggling with internet access and only have about an hour when I get to use it. Anyway, I have less than two weeks left so I am really not worried about it.
Wedding:
It was amazing, I had so much fun. It started at 9:30 AM and went till about 5:30 PM. I will tell more about it when I have the chance, but it was awesome to see Nancy and Alvin get married. During the recdpetion then one of the Center For Urban Missions workers grabbed my hand and we both started the dancing. SO MUCH FUN. You know at dances there is always one group of guys that are good at dancing but dont take them selves seriously and make people laugh? some how I ended up in that group and we all did crazy dances for about 2 hours. That morning Alivn was glazed over, he was so tired and outta it that he just wanted to go on his honeymoon. So, the wedding was great, I will write more about it when I get better internet.
Living:
Long story short, I thought Alvins cousin (who has become a very good friend) was going to live with me this week but now I don't think he is. So, this week I have a schedule that is keeping me relatively busy which is good. After the wedding week, it is kinda nice to have the apartment to myself because at any point in time there was a minimum of 3 people staying in the apartment no bigger than a average American kitchen. (remind me to write more about this later)
God:
I have another realization i want to talk about in here but I am starting to run low on battery so I don't have time. It has to do with two things 1. Freedom 2. Hope through dispair. They are good, so remind me to tell you later.
Other Stuff:
- I am going to visiting the Kawangware savings group one last time this Thursday which will be hard because they have really become a big family to me. So pray for me about that.
- I am reading Sherlock Holmes, SO GOOD. It inspires me to be observant and detail orientated.
-The wedding made me realize how many relationships I have actually built here which was a huge encouragement! someone told me "man you know everyone at this wedding" and I was struck with the realization that I actually did.
Alright guys,
Sorry this is so short more to come later. Not sure when but sometime. see you in 14 days
Dave
-
I don't have much time to write this so I have to be brief. My internet access has been lacking lately since Alvin left so I have to make do with crappy wi-fi. One place has more reliable internet but no outlets so I run outta battery. The other place has hit and run internet but it has outlets. Then there are days when neither of them work. So I am struggling with internet access and only have about an hour when I get to use it. Anyway, I have less than two weeks left so I am really not worried about it.
Wedding:
It was amazing, I had so much fun. It started at 9:30 AM and went till about 5:30 PM. I will tell more about it when I have the chance, but it was awesome to see Nancy and Alvin get married. During the recdpetion then one of the Center For Urban Missions workers grabbed my hand and we both started the dancing. SO MUCH FUN. You know at dances there is always one group of guys that are good at dancing but dont take them selves seriously and make people laugh? some how I ended up in that group and we all did crazy dances for about 2 hours. That morning Alivn was glazed over, he was so tired and outta it that he just wanted to go on his honeymoon. So, the wedding was great, I will write more about it when I get better internet.
Living:
Long story short, I thought Alvins cousin (who has become a very good friend) was going to live with me this week but now I don't think he is. So, this week I have a schedule that is keeping me relatively busy which is good. After the wedding week, it is kinda nice to have the apartment to myself because at any point in time there was a minimum of 3 people staying in the apartment no bigger than a average American kitchen. (remind me to write more about this later)
God:
I have another realization i want to talk about in here but I am starting to run low on battery so I don't have time. It has to do with two things 1. Freedom 2. Hope through dispair. They are good, so remind me to tell you later.
Other Stuff:
- I am going to visiting the Kawangware savings group one last time this Thursday which will be hard because they have really become a big family to me. So pray for me about that.
- I am reading Sherlock Holmes, SO GOOD. It inspires me to be observant and detail orientated.
-The wedding made me realize how many relationships I have actually built here which was a huge encouragement! someone told me "man you know everyone at this wedding" and I was struck with the realization that I actually did.
Alright guys,
Sorry this is so short more to come later. Not sure when but sometime. see you in 14 days
Dave
-
Monday, July 19, 2010
Rift Valley, Time and Bridal Showers
Hey everyone, its Monday, which means its update day which also means another week has gone by, which also means I have less time here. I just passed the 3 weeks left mark and am now heading to two weeks left. This week has been very eventful! some bad events, some bad events, but a good solid week none the less. (I'm switching up the format)
The last two weeks I have been working on my final written report on my research findings and today I have finished it! The whole reason I came to Kenya is done which is a strange feeling. Today I am going to be presenting and discussing it with Alvin and maybe a few other people which should be a lot of fun (I'm glad I can say presenting it will be fun). I ended up with a 16 page paper with too much information! but Alvin wanted all of it so he got it. I'm excited to be done and now what I have left is just random assignments and such to finish up.
This coming week I will be helping Alvin and Nancy with wedding arrangements and getting their show on the road. The other day I sat and assembled 50 wedding invitations for them which was fun, I got to sit with a candle on my lap and burn the ends of ribbons on the invitations for like an hour so they didn't fray, (they thought I was smart). The closer and closer we get to Saturday the longer and longer we are gone and the more Alvin disappears. So yesterday, Alvin, Nancy and I took a break from our work because we were all tired/stressed. Some of Nancy's friends planned a bridal shower for her so Alvin and I had to keep it a secret. Which was really hard because both of us really don't think about the things we say because we just talk and then realize what we are saying afterward. Needless to say she was really surprised, and we got free lunch outta the deal so I couldn't complain. In an effort to get out of the Nairobi for the first time since I have been here, Alvin took me out to Rift Valley. The air was fresh, it reminded me of home on the mountains and I immediately was able to relax. So, we just drove around for a while which was amazing. Rift Valley was really beautiful and for the first time in Kenya I was a tourist, I felt special.
Driving around wasn't always special though, on Thursday, Alvin and I left the house at 7 in the morning and got back at 12 in the morning. Why you ask? because our car broke down on the way back from visiting his aunt and uncle. It was around 10:30 PM, and we were driving on a road in the middle of the city. But at the same time, both Alvin and I hear his car start making this wierd clicking noise that was getting louder as we drove. Eventually, I looked at his dash and saw his engine, battery and oil light all come on and then the car shuddered and stopped in the middle of the road. I look at Alvin and he goes "this is the worst place in the city to break down" I was like..."what does that mean" and then a drunk homeless guy walks up to our car and Alvin rolls down the window and i get a small idea. He ends up getting outta the car, telling me to get in the drivers seat and then both him and the homeless guy push the car into oncoming Nairobi traffic with the drivers side facing all the cars. Somehow I dodge death and we end up in a shady gas station with a drunk homeless guy, the homeless guy says its because we ran out of gas and I am trying to disagree politely but it isn't really easy to discuss and disagree about car trouble with a drunk man, let alone a drunk man speaking another language. Alvin thinks I know all about cars because of one statement I said the 3rd week I got here so he is letting me do all the checking while he is figuring out what to do. Eventually I realize that the radiator was over heated and had no water in it at all. Now Alvin doesn't trust the car, so we call some friends of his and we drive the car over to the Carlile college campus and then drive back to the house at 11:45. Afterward, Alvin tells me to think of one of my big cities and then think of the worst place to break down and that's where we were. He also told me that while I was checking the car, the drunk guy demanded money for helping us and started getting angry/physical when Alvin didn't want to give him any. So, the moral of this story is, don't ever discuss car trouble with a drunk man that doesn't speak English.
Anyway, the time is going super fast and before I know it I will be on the flight home. So please keep praying that I will get things done that I need to get done and that I stay sane in the process. This has been an amazing experience and I hope to keep it up in my last few weeks here. God has really had a huge impact, and I know that when I get home I will see all kinds of things that he has grown in me and all kinds of ways that this will rest on my mind for the rest of my life. I don't know if any of my contributors read this blog but I just really want to say thank you so much for making it possible for me to come here, even though some Kenyans don't believe that I had to raise money to come, I know I did. So thank you very very very much. So this week is wedding stuff, next week I'm all by myself finishing up my assignments!
Thanks for reading everyone,
Dave
The last two weeks I have been working on my final written report on my research findings and today I have finished it! The whole reason I came to Kenya is done which is a strange feeling. Today I am going to be presenting and discussing it with Alvin and maybe a few other people which should be a lot of fun (I'm glad I can say presenting it will be fun). I ended up with a 16 page paper with too much information! but Alvin wanted all of it so he got it. I'm excited to be done and now what I have left is just random assignments and such to finish up.
This coming week I will be helping Alvin and Nancy with wedding arrangements and getting their show on the road. The other day I sat and assembled 50 wedding invitations for them which was fun, I got to sit with a candle on my lap and burn the ends of ribbons on the invitations for like an hour so they didn't fray, (they thought I was smart). The closer and closer we get to Saturday the longer and longer we are gone and the more Alvin disappears. So yesterday, Alvin, Nancy and I took a break from our work because we were all tired/stressed. Some of Nancy's friends planned a bridal shower for her so Alvin and I had to keep it a secret. Which was really hard because both of us really don't think about the things we say because we just talk and then realize what we are saying afterward. Needless to say she was really surprised, and we got free lunch outta the deal so I couldn't complain. In an effort to get out of the Nairobi for the first time since I have been here, Alvin took me out to Rift Valley. The air was fresh, it reminded me of home on the mountains and I immediately was able to relax. So, we just drove around for a while which was amazing. Rift Valley was really beautiful and for the first time in Kenya I was a tourist, I felt special.
Driving around wasn't always special though, on Thursday, Alvin and I left the house at 7 in the morning and got back at 12 in the morning. Why you ask? because our car broke down on the way back from visiting his aunt and uncle. It was around 10:30 PM, and we were driving on a road in the middle of the city. But at the same time, both Alvin and I hear his car start making this wierd clicking noise that was getting louder as we drove. Eventually, I looked at his dash and saw his engine, battery and oil light all come on and then the car shuddered and stopped in the middle of the road. I look at Alvin and he goes "this is the worst place in the city to break down" I was like..."what does that mean" and then a drunk homeless guy walks up to our car and Alvin rolls down the window and i get a small idea. He ends up getting outta the car, telling me to get in the drivers seat and then both him and the homeless guy push the car into oncoming Nairobi traffic with the drivers side facing all the cars. Somehow I dodge death and we end up in a shady gas station with a drunk homeless guy, the homeless guy says its because we ran out of gas and I am trying to disagree politely but it isn't really easy to discuss and disagree about car trouble with a drunk man, let alone a drunk man speaking another language. Alvin thinks I know all about cars because of one statement I said the 3rd week I got here so he is letting me do all the checking while he is figuring out what to do. Eventually I realize that the radiator was over heated and had no water in it at all. Now Alvin doesn't trust the car, so we call some friends of his and we drive the car over to the Carlile college campus and then drive back to the house at 11:45. Afterward, Alvin tells me to think of one of my big cities and then think of the worst place to break down and that's where we were. He also told me that while I was checking the car, the drunk guy demanded money for helping us and started getting angry/physical when Alvin didn't want to give him any. So, the moral of this story is, don't ever discuss car trouble with a drunk man that doesn't speak English.
Anyway, the time is going super fast and before I know it I will be on the flight home. So please keep praying that I will get things done that I need to get done and that I stay sane in the process. This has been an amazing experience and I hope to keep it up in my last few weeks here. God has really had a huge impact, and I know that when I get home I will see all kinds of things that he has grown in me and all kinds of ways that this will rest on my mind for the rest of my life. I don't know if any of my contributors read this blog but I just really want to say thank you so much for making it possible for me to come here, even though some Kenyans don't believe that I had to raise money to come, I know I did. So thank you very very very much. So this week is wedding stuff, next week I'm all by myself finishing up my assignments!
Thanks for reading everyone,
Dave
Monday, July 12, 2010
Spainish Inquisition, Nail Biting and God
Hey guys,
I now am on my final stretch, I have eclipsed the 8 week mark and I am now working on my 9th week which leaves only 3 weeks left. I am excited but also nervous, and I wish I had more time to be at home before I had to leave to go back to Covenant to finish my last year at college. Anyway, enjoy this update, you only get three more.
Living and Such:
I am going a little bit crazy! I am finished with my research work and now have analysis and assignments to do. Which means my field time is over, which means I really don't go out much now. I have been making sure I get out and about because if I didn't I would punch myself in the face. So I have been trying to see friends and do things that don't consist of me sitting in front of my computer in the apartment. The next few weeks concerning living situation will be interesting, this week and next week Alvin will be around getting things set and finished for his wedding. However, he leaves on the 24th so from the 24th to Aug 1 I have the apartment all to myself...UGH. Stir crazy here I come. After that I will be living with the Rhodes until the 8th and then I get outta here. Until then, I will be doing a lot of reading at a book store I can walk too from the apartment. So, there really isn't much different in this arena of life. Just homework and hanging around.
Community Development and Such:
I have mentioned this before but I am done with all my interviews and research for my internship. I currently am working on the analysis portion of my internship. I have put all the answers in an excel spread sheet and I am going through each question and making a summary of the percentages and implications. I have finished summarizing the Kawangware data and I am halfway through the Kibera data. I am going to putting together a whole package of data for the CFUM (center for urban mission) consisting of a 10 page impact analysis, short stories of some of the members I have interviewed, a CD of all the raw data, a comparison of the two groups, and a semi-evaluation of the CEEP program. I am excited to see how it all turns out. Its a lot of work but I am going to be really happy when I have all of that printed and in a folder. It will make me feel like I have accomplished something! I am making the presentation to Alvin on the 19th, which is next Monday. I am thinking of doing some extra random stuff with some of the groups just to keep busy but I am not sure. So thats whats going on in the world of Com Dev, I should be finished with all of that by the end of this week so if any of those things interest you guys let me know and I can post them.
God and Such:
The other day I again was having a semi-freak out about many things and I was really struggling in my satisfaction and my trust with God. I was walking back from an interview and I was praying honestly with. You know how we complain a lot and then think the Israelite's were stupid to complain about receiving manna? Yeah if the roles were reversed it would be the same deal. At that moment I said to God, "alright, I know I need to trust you. I'm sorry for being stupid but if you just tell me that you have everything worked out and all I need to do is trust you I will be fine" I was walking back and I ran into Nancy's brother(who I think is mentally disabled), and started talking to him. Surprisingly, he asked me if I was OK. This is the first time anyone has genuinely asked me since I have been here. I looked at him and was like "i'm a little frustrated, so just pray for me" he replied "its OK, God is for us" and he kept saying that over and over. I smiled and realized that God was replying to my freakout's and telling me to shut up and don't worry. Which I did. I was really impacted by that and I feel like I have more strength to finish this internship because of it which makes me very thankful.
Other Stuff and Such:
-Spain won the final, that makes me happy but it also makes me sad that Netherlands had to cry. Oh well! I was the only one in a room of six people going for Spain which also made me feel proud.
-I read a really depressing novel the other day, it was good but it sucked the happiness out of you which I didn't find enjoyable
-I have a new favorite candy called "mintchoc" BEST EVER, its made by Cadbury and is a mint cream covered in chocolate. I am planning on stocking up on them before I go back.
-Paul the Octopus is too famous, I agree with Alvin "he belongs on sushi"
Alright everyone, thanks for reading. Continue to pray for me! this has been an amazing experience and I want to try my hardest to keep it that way. So, please pray for my heart and my strength that I can keep trucking on and know that God has control.
Until Next Week,
Dave
I now am on my final stretch, I have eclipsed the 8 week mark and I am now working on my 9th week which leaves only 3 weeks left. I am excited but also nervous, and I wish I had more time to be at home before I had to leave to go back to Covenant to finish my last year at college. Anyway, enjoy this update, you only get three more.
Living and Such:
I am going a little bit crazy! I am finished with my research work and now have analysis and assignments to do. Which means my field time is over, which means I really don't go out much now. I have been making sure I get out and about because if I didn't I would punch myself in the face. So I have been trying to see friends and do things that don't consist of me sitting in front of my computer in the apartment. The next few weeks concerning living situation will be interesting, this week and next week Alvin will be around getting things set and finished for his wedding. However, he leaves on the 24th so from the 24th to Aug 1 I have the apartment all to myself...UGH. Stir crazy here I come. After that I will be living with the Rhodes until the 8th and then I get outta here. Until then, I will be doing a lot of reading at a book store I can walk too from the apartment. So, there really isn't much different in this arena of life. Just homework and hanging around.
Community Development and Such:
I have mentioned this before but I am done with all my interviews and research for my internship. I currently am working on the analysis portion of my internship. I have put all the answers in an excel spread sheet and I am going through each question and making a summary of the percentages and implications. I have finished summarizing the Kawangware data and I am halfway through the Kibera data. I am going to putting together a whole package of data for the CFUM (center for urban mission) consisting of a 10 page impact analysis, short stories of some of the members I have interviewed, a CD of all the raw data, a comparison of the two groups, and a semi-evaluation of the CEEP program. I am excited to see how it all turns out. Its a lot of work but I am going to be really happy when I have all of that printed and in a folder. It will make me feel like I have accomplished something! I am making the presentation to Alvin on the 19th, which is next Monday. I am thinking of doing some extra random stuff with some of the groups just to keep busy but I am not sure. So thats whats going on in the world of Com Dev, I should be finished with all of that by the end of this week so if any of those things interest you guys let me know and I can post them.
God and Such:
The other day I again was having a semi-freak out about many things and I was really struggling in my satisfaction and my trust with God. I was walking back from an interview and I was praying honestly with. You know how we complain a lot and then think the Israelite's were stupid to complain about receiving manna? Yeah if the roles were reversed it would be the same deal. At that moment I said to God, "alright, I know I need to trust you. I'm sorry for being stupid but if you just tell me that you have everything worked out and all I need to do is trust you I will be fine" I was walking back and I ran into Nancy's brother(who I think is mentally disabled), and started talking to him. Surprisingly, he asked me if I was OK. This is the first time anyone has genuinely asked me since I have been here. I looked at him and was like "i'm a little frustrated, so just pray for me" he replied "its OK, God is for us" and he kept saying that over and over. I smiled and realized that God was replying to my freakout's and telling me to shut up and don't worry. Which I did. I was really impacted by that and I feel like I have more strength to finish this internship because of it which makes me very thankful.
Other Stuff and Such:
-Spain won the final, that makes me happy but it also makes me sad that Netherlands had to cry. Oh well! I was the only one in a room of six people going for Spain which also made me feel proud.
-I read a really depressing novel the other day, it was good but it sucked the happiness out of you which I didn't find enjoyable
-I have a new favorite candy called "mintchoc" BEST EVER, its made by Cadbury and is a mint cream covered in chocolate. I am planning on stocking up on them before I go back.
-Paul the Octopus is too famous, I agree with Alvin "he belongs on sushi"
Alright everyone, thanks for reading. Continue to pray for me! this has been an amazing experience and I want to try my hardest to keep it that way. So, please pray for my heart and my strength that I can keep trucking on and know that God has control.
Until Next Week,
Dave
Monday, July 5, 2010
July 4th, Ghana heartbreak and Research
hey everyone, its another week and another day. I am now working on my eighth week were. So, on Sunday I will have been here two months meaning I have one month left! So here is the summary of my last week.
Living and Such:
Things have been interesting! I have had a lot of down time for multiple reasons. I get sick of staying in the apartment by myself because sometimes Alvin has multiple meetings that I really don't need to go to so I have him drop me off at a book store. I have already read two novels and am now halfway done with "Northern Lights" by Phillip Pullman (the Golden Compass guy). I see why Christians blew a gasket with the Golden Compass when it came out because I am pretty sure the dude wrote the book to piss of Christians, so it worked and he was smiling the whole time probably. However, it is still a good book none the less. Because Alvin is getting married in the next three weeks, I am trying to solidify living plans once they leave. I went with him this morning to look at a house that they want to live in, that was interesting. It is looking like I will be myself for one week during the 2nd to last week I am here and living with the Rhodes the last week that I am here. I never thought my internship would have me moving because my host was getting married, funny how life works that way. Outside of that it has been same old same old, eating,sleeping. Oh, my bed...has bed bugs...I have been eaten beyond all reason. I wonder why God made bugs that wait till you go to sleep...climb out of the cracks and come suck your blood. They are so itchy and leave big red bumps on your arms. I mean the bugs hate the light...automatic sign they are evil. I will never say "goodnight, don't let the beg bugs bite" lightly again, it is a serious matter.
Community Development and Such:
I have two more interviews to do! that is it! Moses and I were able to do six last Wednesday,much to my surprise. So, this is a good thing and a bad thing. It is good because I am done with my research, bad because I have a month left to go. However, it is getting to the point now where I start my analysis which i am excited about. Alvin told me he would like me to have the evaluation and do the presentation before he left for his wedding which is on the 24th. So, I am kinda running out of time, i think I have more time then I actually do I guess. What I am doing for an analysis is pretty in depth. I have to analyze and compare every question and answer given on every interview from the Kawangware group. So once I have come to conclusions I will have a page of raw data and percentages and then however many pages of findings and patterns and then the summary. Then I do the same thing with the Kibera group interviews, then I have to compare Kibera and Kawangware's data and analysis's and then write my findings on what I find between the two. So pray for me as I try to figure out how to do all that and get it all done before the 24th.
God and Such:
I am so thankful for you for the prayers you have been giving me. God has been really helping me stay strong since I have been here. There are some weeks that are harder than others, but in all he has been the only way of survival since I have been here. It has been really hard the last few weeks being away from everyone. I have come to love community and relationships so much more here that it makes me really miss the one I have back home. Ironic kinda. So keep praying for me as I enter the last month of my internship, I know what is close but I just need to focus on the here and now.
Other Such Things:
-If any one watched the Ghana game the other night, they know that the possibility for heartbreak in a person was high. My heart was broken, they were the last team I really supported. Is it sad that I couldn't sleep because they lost? I literally could not watch the penalty shoot out at the end of the game, I had to turn around. I guess I can support Spain though...I don't know they aren't the same as Ghana.
-For July 4th I was at a loss of what to do, I didn't bring any red or blue clothing...so I just decided to go over to the US Embassy. They were closed because it was a Sunday...boring, so I looked at it threw dirt in the air and pretended it was fireworks and saluted the flag and then left.
-I love Pizza....Hawaiian pizza. I am beginning to wonder if the pizza here is better than anything I have had in the US, then I talk myself out of it.
-One of my new favorite TV shows is Americas Best Dance Crew (on every Saturday night at 7:30) I also enjoy the show Top Chef, but I can't watch it too much because I get hungry.
-Pants in Kenya means underwear, which is a taboo subject in Kenya. Do they tell Americans that? no they don't so remember that the word for pants is trousers.
Me: Alvin, see those polka dot pants on the wall over there? I am going to get them for you as a wedding present
A: You and your pants, be glad I understand you because the word for pants here is trousers. If you walk into somewhere and start talking to people about pants, people are going to ask "what is wrong this guy talking about pants".
Me: Oh, I'm sorry...What I meant to say is Alvin, see those TROUSERS on the wall over there? y I am going to get them, wrap them in paper and write pants in red marker and put it on your gift table.
A: you are too smart for my own good
M: I know...I pray for you every morning
A: thanks, I forget to pray for you so do that in the morning too...just don't make me late
Thanks for reading guys,
Dave
Living and Such:
Things have been interesting! I have had a lot of down time for multiple reasons. I get sick of staying in the apartment by myself because sometimes Alvin has multiple meetings that I really don't need to go to so I have him drop me off at a book store. I have already read two novels and am now halfway done with "Northern Lights" by Phillip Pullman (the Golden Compass guy). I see why Christians blew a gasket with the Golden Compass when it came out because I am pretty sure the dude wrote the book to piss of Christians, so it worked and he was smiling the whole time probably. However, it is still a good book none the less. Because Alvin is getting married in the next three weeks, I am trying to solidify living plans once they leave. I went with him this morning to look at a house that they want to live in, that was interesting. It is looking like I will be myself for one week during the 2nd to last week I am here and living with the Rhodes the last week that I am here. I never thought my internship would have me moving because my host was getting married, funny how life works that way. Outside of that it has been same old same old, eating,sleeping. Oh, my bed...has bed bugs...I have been eaten beyond all reason. I wonder why God made bugs that wait till you go to sleep...climb out of the cracks and come suck your blood. They are so itchy and leave big red bumps on your arms. I mean the bugs hate the light...automatic sign they are evil. I will never say "goodnight, don't let the beg bugs bite" lightly again, it is a serious matter.
Community Development and Such:
I have two more interviews to do! that is it! Moses and I were able to do six last Wednesday,much to my surprise. So, this is a good thing and a bad thing. It is good because I am done with my research, bad because I have a month left to go. However, it is getting to the point now where I start my analysis which i am excited about. Alvin told me he would like me to have the evaluation and do the presentation before he left for his wedding which is on the 24th. So, I am kinda running out of time, i think I have more time then I actually do I guess. What I am doing for an analysis is pretty in depth. I have to analyze and compare every question and answer given on every interview from the Kawangware group. So once I have come to conclusions I will have a page of raw data and percentages and then however many pages of findings and patterns and then the summary. Then I do the same thing with the Kibera group interviews, then I have to compare Kibera and Kawangware's data and analysis's and then write my findings on what I find between the two. So pray for me as I try to figure out how to do all that and get it all done before the 24th.
God and Such:
I am so thankful for you for the prayers you have been giving me. God has been really helping me stay strong since I have been here. There are some weeks that are harder than others, but in all he has been the only way of survival since I have been here. It has been really hard the last few weeks being away from everyone. I have come to love community and relationships so much more here that it makes me really miss the one I have back home. Ironic kinda. So keep praying for me as I enter the last month of my internship, I know what is close but I just need to focus on the here and now.
Other Such Things:
-If any one watched the Ghana game the other night, they know that the possibility for heartbreak in a person was high. My heart was broken, they were the last team I really supported. Is it sad that I couldn't sleep because they lost? I literally could not watch the penalty shoot out at the end of the game, I had to turn around. I guess I can support Spain though...I don't know they aren't the same as Ghana.
-For July 4th I was at a loss of what to do, I didn't bring any red or blue clothing...so I just decided to go over to the US Embassy. They were closed because it was a Sunday...boring, so I looked at it threw dirt in the air and pretended it was fireworks and saluted the flag and then left.
-I love Pizza....Hawaiian pizza. I am beginning to wonder if the pizza here is better than anything I have had in the US, then I talk myself out of it.
-One of my new favorite TV shows is Americas Best Dance Crew (on every Saturday night at 7:30) I also enjoy the show Top Chef, but I can't watch it too much because I get hungry.
-Pants in Kenya means underwear, which is a taboo subject in Kenya. Do they tell Americans that? no they don't so remember that the word for pants is trousers.
Me: Alvin, see those polka dot pants on the wall over there? I am going to get them for you as a wedding present
A: You and your pants, be glad I understand you because the word for pants here is trousers. If you walk into somewhere and start talking to people about pants, people are going to ask "what is wrong this guy talking about pants".
Me: Oh, I'm sorry...What I meant to say is Alvin, see those TROUSERS on the wall over there? y I am going to get them, wrap them in paper and write pants in red marker and put it on your gift table.
A: you are too smart for my own good
M: I know...I pray for you every morning
A: thanks, I forget to pray for you so do that in the morning too...just don't make me late
Thanks for reading guys,
Dave
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Boredom, Girraffes and Pizza
Hey everyone! So, on Sunday I will have been here 7 weeks! Pretty crazy, time is getting shorter and shorter and it wont be very long until I am saying "OK I am heading back". Today I don't have much time so I think this will be a pretty short update...maybe who knows.
Living and Such:
You know how I told you I was going to Kisumu? yeah that didn't work. Because I was so behind on schedule with interviews I had made appointments with four people on Sunday afternoon at the church (without my translator). I had asked Alvin the day before I made the plans if we would get back on Sunday before 2 and he said "yes" so I made plans to go with him and do the interviews. However, the next day I am talking about the interviews on Sunday and he says "wait what time are you doing the interviews?" I say "2" he looks back at me and says "we wont be back in time for that!". UGH!!! so i ended up staying in the apartment all weekend by myself! I had a lot of work to do so it was OK. I got to see Ryland and JP again which was great, we went out to have Indian food OH MY GOSH SO GOOD! I am pretty sure it tasted like the breath of an angel who brushed his teeth with God's glory. Anyway, outside of that I really haven't done much aside from work, sleep and watch the World Cup. I took a day off the other day, went to a bookstore, picked up a book and read for at least 6 hours. So relaxing!!! However, I have been super busy which equals super tired.
Community Development and Such:
I am finished with Kawangware! I am so so happy. In the end I ended up doing 18 interviews which is almost the whole group! This week I will go to the Kibera group which is a much smaller group and interview them. I think I should be done either this week or the middle of next week, however, you never know. Pray that my translator stays focused, if he does it won't take as long. I did three interviews on Sunday by myself (in English) in about an hour, if that happened this week then I will be done...today. Anyway, the research is going well and very soon I will be finished with the interview stage and start the analysis stage...awesome.
God and such:
I am really enjoying the Psalms right now, it has really blessed me for sure. Also, on Sunday I went to a church in Kawangware which was amazing. Most of the service was in Swahili, but I could follow along because I can understand better than I can speak. I think the biggest thing for me was being able to fellowship with this group of people in another country. It is so strange to see and hear worship and praise in a different language and then realize that God doesn't have language barriers. It's also really humbling because you remember that's why God is the basis for community development! Right now I would ask you to just keep praying for me and the weeks ahead. Once I finish interviews I will have days where I am just sitting around doing assignments and writing reports and such so there will probably be a little bit of down time. Just pray that I can keep busy until the end so I don't get distracted about why I am here!
Other Stuff and Such:
- I am now rooting for Ghana, you should too. No African team has ever made it to the Semis!
- I am a firm believer in Indian food
- I am still trying to talk Alvin and Nancy into getting some Japanese food. However, until then I have fallen in love with a place here called Pizza Inn...their Hawaiian is probably endorsed by Hawaii.
- I dream about restaurants in America...I miss Olive Garden a lot
-Please pray for a professor/worker here named Tim Ryder, he is an American that has lived in Kenya for about 15 years. Right now his daughter has faced some serious health issues which have put her in ICU for about 28 days gathering a hospital bill of about 1 million dollars. I know the hospital is going to forgive some of it, but I'm not sure how much. Pray that the Lord provides for him and his family!
I am sorry this update was late, we didn't come to the office on Monday to my surprise. Also sorry that this one is a little more basic. My translator and I are leaving at 11:45 to go do some interviews in Kibera.
Until next week,
Dave
Living and Such:
You know how I told you I was going to Kisumu? yeah that didn't work. Because I was so behind on schedule with interviews I had made appointments with four people on Sunday afternoon at the church (without my translator). I had asked Alvin the day before I made the plans if we would get back on Sunday before 2 and he said "yes" so I made plans to go with him and do the interviews. However, the next day I am talking about the interviews on Sunday and he says "wait what time are you doing the interviews?" I say "2" he looks back at me and says "we wont be back in time for that!". UGH!!! so i ended up staying in the apartment all weekend by myself! I had a lot of work to do so it was OK. I got to see Ryland and JP again which was great, we went out to have Indian food OH MY GOSH SO GOOD! I am pretty sure it tasted like the breath of an angel who brushed his teeth with God's glory. Anyway, outside of that I really haven't done much aside from work, sleep and watch the World Cup. I took a day off the other day, went to a bookstore, picked up a book and read for at least 6 hours. So relaxing!!! However, I have been super busy which equals super tired.
Community Development and Such:
I am finished with Kawangware! I am so so happy. In the end I ended up doing 18 interviews which is almost the whole group! This week I will go to the Kibera group which is a much smaller group and interview them. I think I should be done either this week or the middle of next week, however, you never know. Pray that my translator stays focused, if he does it won't take as long. I did three interviews on Sunday by myself (in English) in about an hour, if that happened this week then I will be done...today. Anyway, the research is going well and very soon I will be finished with the interview stage and start the analysis stage...awesome.
God and such:
I am really enjoying the Psalms right now, it has really blessed me for sure. Also, on Sunday I went to a church in Kawangware which was amazing. Most of the service was in Swahili, but I could follow along because I can understand better than I can speak. I think the biggest thing for me was being able to fellowship with this group of people in another country. It is so strange to see and hear worship and praise in a different language and then realize that God doesn't have language barriers. It's also really humbling because you remember that's why God is the basis for community development! Right now I would ask you to just keep praying for me and the weeks ahead. Once I finish interviews I will have days where I am just sitting around doing assignments and writing reports and such so there will probably be a little bit of down time. Just pray that I can keep busy until the end so I don't get distracted about why I am here!
Other Stuff and Such:
- I am now rooting for Ghana, you should too. No African team has ever made it to the Semis!
- I am a firm believer in Indian food
- I am still trying to talk Alvin and Nancy into getting some Japanese food. However, until then I have fallen in love with a place here called Pizza Inn...their Hawaiian is probably endorsed by Hawaii.
- I dream about restaurants in America...I miss Olive Garden a lot
-Please pray for a professor/worker here named Tim Ryder, he is an American that has lived in Kenya for about 15 years. Right now his daughter has faced some serious health issues which have put her in ICU for about 28 days gathering a hospital bill of about 1 million dollars. I know the hospital is going to forgive some of it, but I'm not sure how much. Pray that the Lord provides for him and his family!
I am sorry this update was late, we didn't come to the office on Monday to my surprise. Also sorry that this one is a little more basic. My translator and I are leaving at 11:45 to go do some interviews in Kibera.
Until next week,
Dave
Monday, June 28, 2010
A Hiccup
Hey guys,
So, last night at 10 PM I found out that we weren't going to the office today...So, I am not at the office today which means I am on paid internet. Because of this, I cannot write a blog today. So, check back tomorrow (Tuesday) because that is when I will get to the office and have a little bit of time to do stuff. Sorry!
Until Tomorrow,
Dave
So, last night at 10 PM I found out that we weren't going to the office today...So, I am not at the office today which means I am on paid internet. Because of this, I cannot write a blog today. So, check back tomorrow (Tuesday) because that is when I will get to the office and have a little bit of time to do stuff. Sorry!
Until Tomorrow,
Dave
Monday, June 21, 2010
Java House, Schedules and Matatus
Hello again, it must be another Monday because my fingers and wrists hurt from typing. This week has been interesting, definitely my hardest week since I have been here but not my worst. Believe it or not, on Sunday my internship is halfway over! So, from here on out I only get closer to being done then to starting. So, here is the magic of this week!
Living and such:
This week has been crazy! I was so tired by Saturday that I was falling asleep on the couch watching the World Cup. By the way don't get me started on the refs at this world cup, they are jokes, I don't know what stupid hole they pulled them out of but man, I don't even think they know what a goal post is, why do we expect them to know what a HAND BALL IS FREAKING BRAZIL!
Anyway, it has been an interesting week, I didn't really see much of Alvin because we are both doing our separate things, plus he gets back very late at night sometimes. He calls me his "pre- marriage house keeper" because I wash the dishes and make dinner (sometimes) so he doesn't have too, last time he called me that I responded " keep calling me that and I will sit around all day licking plates and bowls .Using your spoons to kill mosquitoes and leave them in the sink! "and he thought that was the funniest thing. As I said before, this week has been a little bit harder in terms of mental strength. Some days (like Saturday) I find myself alone in the apartment for most of the day, I try to keep busy but some days are just lazy days like that. Those days I feel very alone and sometimes get a little sad so if you could pray for those kinds of days for me that would be great. I just learned that the week Alvin is gone on his honeymoon, I will be living alone for a week! Ugh, so I am going to have to figure something out. This weekend we head up to Kisumu to have the final meeting between Alvin's and Nancy's parents. That will be fun, I will get to see Lake Victoria from the other side of Africa and eat huge fish.
Community Development:
This week was hard, I had scheduled nine interviews, three for Tues, Wed and Thurs. However, each day we always wound up doing two. This was really frustrating because either my translator was late or one of the people "wasn't ready". I don't know what that means, its not like we were going out to a ballroom dance or anything I just need to ask them a few questions. So, each day I became more and more frustrated because I am running out of time to complete these interviews. I still haven't even met with any of the other group in Kibera, for many reasons but they have been very elusive! Also, I realized I hate doing interviews, I like the data and responses I get from it but I hate actually doing the interviews. They are so time consuming and monotonous it takes self control not to answer the questions myself to speed up the process. It makes me wonder how many official documents have been created by people who hate interviews. I am really excited to compile and compare all the data...I just need to get to that point. Until then I am walking everywhere, being asked"how are you"every two seconds and also being stared at until I look down and see that there is a hole burned in my back pocket because of so many people seeing the money sign stamped on it. Normally, I have the mental strength to just treat people nicely and go beyond that and make the best of it but this week I didn't. I was walking somewhere the other day and this kid that I had just seen with his parents comes running up to me going 'brother, brother" I automatically know he is going to ask me for money and I was so tired that I just turned around and stuck out my hand and asked him "hey, do you have any money?" On another note, most of the interviews went very well! Many people are giving some great answers and I am already seeing things that I can give to Alvin. However, pray for my scheduling because we both decided that I have to do at least 7 more interviews in the Kawangware group...pray that that will work out because I have this week and next week to finish interviews then I lose my translator. Also, pray for my mental strength as I continue, I want to make the best of the time I have here and in order to do that I have to really be strong mentally. So, please pray for that and this week as I continue doing interviews.
God and such:
I am still being challenged to just grow in faith and walk with God in daily life. As much as I hate interviews I really have been encouraged by many of the peoples testimonies. So many of these savings group members lost everything in the 2008 election violence and have been a victim of tribal clashes. I talked to a guy the other day that started his business with 300 shillings (about 4 bucks) and now owns a taxi and has a pretty big soap making business! So, their testimonies are really encouraging. Clara and I are reading Psalms together, and this morning and got to Psalm 19:7 that says "the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul..." and It got me thinking how backwards the church is. The other day I was watching Aljazeera (a world news station) and they did a segment on what people think of the church and many of the people who didn't attend one said something like "I don't need anyone else telling me what I can and can't do"or "Its so judgmental I just don't need that in my life". These souls don't sound revived...they sound beat to a pulp, and while these kinds of people are out there here we are arguing over whether or not a kid can be baptized. That argument isn't good enough so we have to argue if the kid can be baptized then we have to argue about which form is more holy, sprinkling or dunking. Sheesh, give me a break, no wonder everyone thinks the church is full of retards talking out of their butt. This doesn't give them a break either, if you take a look you see the world is full of retards stammering butt. I guess that is the point of the gospel though, the law revives the soul. The church has some how confused it and made it the opposite. With things like: You can't play vollyball on Sundays or you can't drink a beer without being a sinner or you can't have any democratic friends or views if you want to be accepted by Christ. Come on guys, wake up figure out that the gospel is for retards that talk out of their butt, the only difference between us and the world is that we know our butts have hope in being redeemed in the end. This is what the church is there for, affirming the butts and talking out of them together, struggling together and loving each other none the less and knowing what the implications of Christs coming means. This is also the point of fellowship outside of the church too...but that is another blog.
Other stuff and Small Anecdotes:
-it turns out that I have at least 10 names here, many people see you and want to be associated with you (because your from the west) so they will just call you a random name hoping you will say "hi" Here is the list so far:
Jesus, Tom, Jonathan, Daudi, Davoh, Christiano Ronaldo, Mozungu, Howareyou, Carrerras (some football player), Jonga and the big finale and my favorite, Antonio Banderas.
- USA is still in the WC and Kenyans are impressed...Yeah, that's right the US can bring it they came back from 2-0 in the second half two tie the game at 2-2...they would have won if it wasn't for the REF!!! COME ON!
-Last night I held a celebration in my room and ate a Slim Jim because it marked my 100th mosquito killing since my internship! I am hoping to reach 500 but July is supposedly the cold month so nature will take over then. We will see how many I get by the end of my internship, if it is 350 or over, I am taking Alvin and Nancy out for Japanese food. I am also competing with Kevin Hartzell for the championship belt of mosquito killing...I kinda got a head start though so I am starting a side project of Squito killin!
-Since I saw japan play a game in the World cup, I really really really want Japanese food
- I went to Java House the other day (Kenyan Starbucks) and sat down at a table. I had a Kenyan news paper in my hands and I was reading it at the table ( I love the newspapers here....I don't know why). First a woman waiter comes up and asks if I wanted anything and I said "is your internet working today?" She scoffs at me and looks at me like I asked her if she was pregnant and says "of course its working" and stomps away. First off, Java House internet never works and if it does it acts like an excel sheet with 80,000 cells filled with MP3's to turn the lyrics into a pie chart, so don't tell me "or course it is". I shrug it off and then the waiter comes up and says "would you like anything?" I asked "is your internet working today?"and he says with a smile "let me go check". He walks into the main building and then comes out with a woman...the same woman the stomped off. She comes out expecting someone else and then takes a look at me and walks back inside the building. I lean over and ask the guy "is she OK?" He just shrugs his shoulders and walks back inside. She comes back outside and says "what would you like" with a frown on her face. I open my mouth to order so food so she doesn't get more upset with me and I realize I have no money so what comes out is "can I just have a glass of water?" Yeah...I hope I don't see her again.
Alright everyone till next week,
Dave
Living and such:
This week has been crazy! I was so tired by Saturday that I was falling asleep on the couch watching the World Cup. By the way don't get me started on the refs at this world cup, they are jokes, I don't know what stupid hole they pulled them out of but man, I don't even think they know what a goal post is, why do we expect them to know what a HAND BALL IS FREAKING BRAZIL!
Anyway, it has been an interesting week, I didn't really see much of Alvin because we are both doing our separate things, plus he gets back very late at night sometimes. He calls me his "pre- marriage house keeper" because I wash the dishes and make dinner (sometimes) so he doesn't have too, last time he called me that I responded " keep calling me that and I will sit around all day licking plates and bowls .Using your spoons to kill mosquitoes and leave them in the sink! "and he thought that was the funniest thing. As I said before, this week has been a little bit harder in terms of mental strength. Some days (like Saturday) I find myself alone in the apartment for most of the day, I try to keep busy but some days are just lazy days like that. Those days I feel very alone and sometimes get a little sad so if you could pray for those kinds of days for me that would be great. I just learned that the week Alvin is gone on his honeymoon, I will be living alone for a week! Ugh, so I am going to have to figure something out. This weekend we head up to Kisumu to have the final meeting between Alvin's and Nancy's parents. That will be fun, I will get to see Lake Victoria from the other side of Africa and eat huge fish.
Community Development:
This week was hard, I had scheduled nine interviews, three for Tues, Wed and Thurs. However, each day we always wound up doing two. This was really frustrating because either my translator was late or one of the people "wasn't ready". I don't know what that means, its not like we were going out to a ballroom dance or anything I just need to ask them a few questions. So, each day I became more and more frustrated because I am running out of time to complete these interviews. I still haven't even met with any of the other group in Kibera, for many reasons but they have been very elusive! Also, I realized I hate doing interviews, I like the data and responses I get from it but I hate actually doing the interviews. They are so time consuming and monotonous it takes self control not to answer the questions myself to speed up the process. It makes me wonder how many official documents have been created by people who hate interviews. I am really excited to compile and compare all the data...I just need to get to that point. Until then I am walking everywhere, being asked"how are you"every two seconds and also being stared at until I look down and see that there is a hole burned in my back pocket because of so many people seeing the money sign stamped on it. Normally, I have the mental strength to just treat people nicely and go beyond that and make the best of it but this week I didn't. I was walking somewhere the other day and this kid that I had just seen with his parents comes running up to me going 'brother, brother" I automatically know he is going to ask me for money and I was so tired that I just turned around and stuck out my hand and asked him "hey, do you have any money?" On another note, most of the interviews went very well! Many people are giving some great answers and I am already seeing things that I can give to Alvin. However, pray for my scheduling because we both decided that I have to do at least 7 more interviews in the Kawangware group...pray that that will work out because I have this week and next week to finish interviews then I lose my translator. Also, pray for my mental strength as I continue, I want to make the best of the time I have here and in order to do that I have to really be strong mentally. So, please pray for that and this week as I continue doing interviews.
God and such:
I am still being challenged to just grow in faith and walk with God in daily life. As much as I hate interviews I really have been encouraged by many of the peoples testimonies. So many of these savings group members lost everything in the 2008 election violence and have been a victim of tribal clashes. I talked to a guy the other day that started his business with 300 shillings (about 4 bucks) and now owns a taxi and has a pretty big soap making business! So, their testimonies are really encouraging. Clara and I are reading Psalms together, and this morning and got to Psalm 19:7 that says "the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul..." and It got me thinking how backwards the church is. The other day I was watching Aljazeera (a world news station) and they did a segment on what people think of the church and many of the people who didn't attend one said something like "I don't need anyone else telling me what I can and can't do"or "Its so judgmental I just don't need that in my life". These souls don't sound revived...they sound beat to a pulp, and while these kinds of people are out there here we are arguing over whether or not a kid can be baptized. That argument isn't good enough so we have to argue if the kid can be baptized then we have to argue about which form is more holy, sprinkling or dunking. Sheesh, give me a break, no wonder everyone thinks the church is full of retards talking out of their butt. This doesn't give them a break either, if you take a look you see the world is full of retards stammering butt. I guess that is the point of the gospel though, the law revives the soul. The church has some how confused it and made it the opposite. With things like: You can't play vollyball on Sundays or you can't drink a beer without being a sinner or you can't have any democratic friends or views if you want to be accepted by Christ. Come on guys, wake up figure out that the gospel is for retards that talk out of their butt, the only difference between us and the world is that we know our butts have hope in being redeemed in the end. This is what the church is there for, affirming the butts and talking out of them together, struggling together and loving each other none the less and knowing what the implications of Christs coming means. This is also the point of fellowship outside of the church too...but that is another blog.
Other stuff and Small Anecdotes:
-it turns out that I have at least 10 names here, many people see you and want to be associated with you (because your from the west) so they will just call you a random name hoping you will say "hi" Here is the list so far:
Jesus, Tom, Jonathan, Daudi, Davoh, Christiano Ronaldo, Mozungu, Howareyou, Carrerras (some football player), Jonga and the big finale and my favorite, Antonio Banderas.
- USA is still in the WC and Kenyans are impressed...Yeah, that's right the US can bring it they came back from 2-0 in the second half two tie the game at 2-2...they would have won if it wasn't for the REF!!! COME ON!
-Last night I held a celebration in my room and ate a Slim Jim because it marked my 100th mosquito killing since my internship! I am hoping to reach 500 but July is supposedly the cold month so nature will take over then. We will see how many I get by the end of my internship, if it is 350 or over, I am taking Alvin and Nancy out for Japanese food. I am also competing with Kevin Hartzell for the championship belt of mosquito killing...I kinda got a head start though so I am starting a side project of Squito killin!
-Since I saw japan play a game in the World cup, I really really really want Japanese food
- I went to Java House the other day (Kenyan Starbucks) and sat down at a table. I had a Kenyan news paper in my hands and I was reading it at the table ( I love the newspapers here....I don't know why). First a woman waiter comes up and asks if I wanted anything and I said "is your internet working today?" She scoffs at me and looks at me like I asked her if she was pregnant and says "of course its working" and stomps away. First off, Java House internet never works and if it does it acts like an excel sheet with 80,000 cells filled with MP3's to turn the lyrics into a pie chart, so don't tell me "or course it is". I shrug it off and then the waiter comes up and says "would you like anything?" I asked "is your internet working today?"and he says with a smile "let me go check". He walks into the main building and then comes out with a woman...the same woman the stomped off. She comes out expecting someone else and then takes a look at me and walks back inside the building. I lean over and ask the guy "is she OK?" He just shrugs his shoulders and walks back inside. She comes back outside and says "what would you like" with a frown on her face. I open my mouth to order so food so she doesn't get more upset with me and I realize I have no money so what comes out is "can I just have a glass of water?" Yeah...I hope I don't see her again.
Alright everyone till next week,
Dave
Monday, June 14, 2010
Walking, Meatballs and One Month
Its been one month since I got to Nairobi!!! wow, incredible. In two weeks I will be halfway done with my internship. So, in celebration of one month I will award my readers with a prize...TWO BLOG ENTRIES!!! :)
Living and Such:
Living has been the same, a lot of hanging with people. And since June 11 a lot of World Cup football, which I am completely ok with. Since I have been here, my love for soccer has surpassed my love for TV shows. I am starting to become obsessed with football and everything to do with it. Before coming, I liked it, I knew it existed, I flirted with watching a few games everyonce in a while. However, now it is what I think about with some of my down time, what I want to do on weekends...I'm in trouble! I have been playing with a buncha guys everyonce in a while on weekends...SO MUCH FUN. I have even had the thought of joining Covenants JV soccer team when I get back. Outside of soccer, I have really gotten to know quite a few people and now have some really good friends here in Nairobi. I still miss everyone at home though, I really am excited to get back, but I can't think about that too much. I was able to see Ryland Rainsford and his girlfriend Juliana Padilla ( classmates from Covenant) over this weekend which was AMAZING! They are going to be in town for the next few weeks and we are going to hang out a little more. However, it is so encouraging to be able to see friends from home. Outside of that, at the end of this month I will be going with Alvin, Nancy and her parents for the fabled parents meeting to Kisumu which is (i think) on the Northwest side of Kenya, so I will see some new sights. I will also be able to be in Alvins wedding playing music which will be fun!
Community Development:
Alot of my thoughts I put down in the other blog, But here is what I am up too. Last week I had a few interviews with the Kawangware group that went very well. I am pretty pleased with the data and information I am getting, I feel like even if I am doing something wrong I will be able to give Alvin some good data. This week I will be interviewing nine people! so pray for my feet because I will be walking so much, I am trying not to spend much money on public transportation/staying active by walking everywhere. So, I will be meeting with the majority of the group this week. One of the group members I met with last week was named Rose. She brought me to her shop which sold fish (she called herself a Fish Monger, which I found hilarious). It was such an encouraging trip because here was Rose, in the middle of a slum we were laughing constantly and she was sharing a lot of her testimony with me. By the end of this month most of my research should be finished, so I will have July to figure it all out!
God:
God has really been quitely working on my heart, his voice hasn't been to loud in my prayer life but his word has been really getting my heart. I think he is just letting me experience and then later he will show me all that I have learned and why I needed to learn it. He loves doing that to me! I remembered something the otherday, I remembered when i was little I had a day where I was barraged with things about Africa. I don't know why I thought this when I was eight but I felt that it was significant and it meant something and since then that day has always stuck in the back of my head. I was in the word the otherday and remembered this and really felt like that day was describing this summer. I said to myself "well, it could be a coincidence" and then God confirmed again in church. I have a bible with a metal attachment on the front in which you can put small notecards with verses on them. I have had this bible for about 8-9 years now so its been through a lot. I don't use this bible a lot because I have a smaller one in a different translation that I like better that i have been using for the 6 years. However, that one was falling apart and I didn't have time to get it rebound while I was in the states so I brought this other one. I wasn't paying attention to the sermon and church and took out the note card that had been on the front of it since who knows when and turned it around. On the opposite side was the African word Jabula which means praise. This had been there for at least 7 years and I had just turned it over now... and again I knew I was supposed to be here. So, I'm here and keep praying that I enjoy it and don't get distracted with everything else I am thinking about.
Other stuff and Small Anecdotes:
-USA tied England 1-1, I get to rub that in the face of many Kenyans who made fun of me for supporting the USA.
-(the following story is really true and happened in real time! I promise) In Kenya, it is normal to see either a small pickup truck with at least 10 guys in the bed just riding around, or a huge cargo truck with at least 30-40 guys in the cargo area. I have been wondering why people ride in the back of these trucks. So, the otherday I was walking somewhere. I realized that it was going to be about 3 miles and I didn't feel like walking. So, I saw a big cargo truck coming up behind me. I decided to live a little, run and jump on the truck while it was moving and sit down with a buncha Kenyans and pray that the truck was going where I needed it to go. So, the truck is going about 15 MPH and I run and jump and my hands catch the rail on the back of the truck. I pull myself and am now in this cargo truck with a buncha Kenyans...or at least what I thought were Kenyans. I was feeling proud of myself that I jumped successfully onto a moving truck, knowing that getting off wouldnt' be as hard because of Nariobi stop and go traffic. Of course, I bring attention to myself because Muzungus (white people) don't do that. I get in the truck and surprisingly one of the guys looks over starts speaking in english to me and goes "are you south African?" (referring to the white population of SA) and I go "nope, why do you ask?" I glimpse around at all the people faces and realize they are all staring at me with very big eyes and are in shock. "Because I have never seen a Mozungu do that" I smile and say "well...now you have" The conversation ends there and I look out the bars are realize that the cargo area of the truck is hidden from the sight of anyone outside the truck. I find this odd and didn't really realize that until now, however. the truck was heading towards town. I look at the guy and say " why do you guys ride around in here? Why not take public?" He looks at me and then talks to another guy sitting beside him in a language that isn't swahili. he looks back and says in broken english "we aren't familiar with here". I say "oh, ok well...uh Karibu Kenya (welcome to kenya)" "he says "Asante" (thanks) and looks back at the guy next to him and they talk for a few minutes. He then looks at me and says "We need you to leave" I looked really puzzled and he noticed, I asked "why" and he said never really answered the question he just said " to much trouble, for us and you". I take that as my que to get out ASAP and tell him thanks. I wait for the vehicle to stop and hop out and walk about five minutes to my destination happy that I didn't have to walk the whole way. Later on I am with a Kenyan friend and see a truck and point at it and go "Mash, what are those trucks? why do I always see people in them?" Mash laughs and then says "sometimes they are construction workers getting a ride from work, other times they are used by illegal immigrants from other countries trying to get to Nairobi for work".
- I learned sometime throughout the week that when in rome, sometimes not to do what romans do because sometimes they aren't actually romans.
- Alvin bought me mince meat the other day for me to make speghetti and meatballs. I really didn't understand the difference betweem mince meat and ground beef until I started cooking with it. Maybe I did it wrong, but everytime I put the meat ball in the pan to cook (because we do not have an oven) and it would fall apart. So finally I had to break the news to Alvin. Here was our conversation:
D- I have bad news Alvin
A- What is this?
D- The meatballs aren't working
A- (laughs a little) why is that?
D- They keep falling apart when I put them in the pan
A- (laughs for at least a minute) You have the issue of dissintegrating meatballs?
D-Yep, it happens to the best of us. I'm just gonna add them to the sauce ok?
A- Im not sure what you are anymore
D-what?
A- your not American, your not Kenyan and you just gave me proof your not Italian
See you guys next week,
Dave
Living and Such:
Living has been the same, a lot of hanging with people. And since June 11 a lot of World Cup football, which I am completely ok with. Since I have been here, my love for soccer has surpassed my love for TV shows. I am starting to become obsessed with football and everything to do with it. Before coming, I liked it, I knew it existed, I flirted with watching a few games everyonce in a while. However, now it is what I think about with some of my down time, what I want to do on weekends...I'm in trouble! I have been playing with a buncha guys everyonce in a while on weekends...SO MUCH FUN. I have even had the thought of joining Covenants JV soccer team when I get back. Outside of soccer, I have really gotten to know quite a few people and now have some really good friends here in Nairobi. I still miss everyone at home though, I really am excited to get back, but I can't think about that too much. I was able to see Ryland Rainsford and his girlfriend Juliana Padilla ( classmates from Covenant) over this weekend which was AMAZING! They are going to be in town for the next few weeks and we are going to hang out a little more. However, it is so encouraging to be able to see friends from home. Outside of that, at the end of this month I will be going with Alvin, Nancy and her parents for the fabled parents meeting to Kisumu which is (i think) on the Northwest side of Kenya, so I will see some new sights. I will also be able to be in Alvins wedding playing music which will be fun!
Community Development:
Alot of my thoughts I put down in the other blog, But here is what I am up too. Last week I had a few interviews with the Kawangware group that went very well. I am pretty pleased with the data and information I am getting, I feel like even if I am doing something wrong I will be able to give Alvin some good data. This week I will be interviewing nine people! so pray for my feet because I will be walking so much, I am trying not to spend much money on public transportation/staying active by walking everywhere. So, I will be meeting with the majority of the group this week. One of the group members I met with last week was named Rose. She brought me to her shop which sold fish (she called herself a Fish Monger, which I found hilarious). It was such an encouraging trip because here was Rose, in the middle of a slum we were laughing constantly and she was sharing a lot of her testimony with me. By the end of this month most of my research should be finished, so I will have July to figure it all out!
God:
God has really been quitely working on my heart, his voice hasn't been to loud in my prayer life but his word has been really getting my heart. I think he is just letting me experience and then later he will show me all that I have learned and why I needed to learn it. He loves doing that to me! I remembered something the otherday, I remembered when i was little I had a day where I was barraged with things about Africa. I don't know why I thought this when I was eight but I felt that it was significant and it meant something and since then that day has always stuck in the back of my head. I was in the word the otherday and remembered this and really felt like that day was describing this summer. I said to myself "well, it could be a coincidence" and then God confirmed again in church. I have a bible with a metal attachment on the front in which you can put small notecards with verses on them. I have had this bible for about 8-9 years now so its been through a lot. I don't use this bible a lot because I have a smaller one in a different translation that I like better that i have been using for the 6 years. However, that one was falling apart and I didn't have time to get it rebound while I was in the states so I brought this other one. I wasn't paying attention to the sermon and church and took out the note card that had been on the front of it since who knows when and turned it around. On the opposite side was the African word Jabula which means praise. This had been there for at least 7 years and I had just turned it over now... and again I knew I was supposed to be here. So, I'm here and keep praying that I enjoy it and don't get distracted with everything else I am thinking about.
Other stuff and Small Anecdotes:
-USA tied England 1-1, I get to rub that in the face of many Kenyans who made fun of me for supporting the USA.
-(the following story is really true and happened in real time! I promise) In Kenya, it is normal to see either a small pickup truck with at least 10 guys in the bed just riding around, or a huge cargo truck with at least 30-40 guys in the cargo area. I have been wondering why people ride in the back of these trucks. So, the otherday I was walking somewhere. I realized that it was going to be about 3 miles and I didn't feel like walking. So, I saw a big cargo truck coming up behind me. I decided to live a little, run and jump on the truck while it was moving and sit down with a buncha Kenyans and pray that the truck was going where I needed it to go. So, the truck is going about 15 MPH and I run and jump and my hands catch the rail on the back of the truck. I pull myself and am now in this cargo truck with a buncha Kenyans...or at least what I thought were Kenyans. I was feeling proud of myself that I jumped successfully onto a moving truck, knowing that getting off wouldnt' be as hard because of Nariobi stop and go traffic. Of course, I bring attention to myself because Muzungus (white people) don't do that. I get in the truck and surprisingly one of the guys looks over starts speaking in english to me and goes "are you south African?" (referring to the white population of SA) and I go "nope, why do you ask?" I glimpse around at all the people faces and realize they are all staring at me with very big eyes and are in shock. "Because I have never seen a Mozungu do that" I smile and say "well...now you have" The conversation ends there and I look out the bars are realize that the cargo area of the truck is hidden from the sight of anyone outside the truck. I find this odd and didn't really realize that until now, however. the truck was heading towards town. I look at the guy and say " why do you guys ride around in here? Why not take public?" He looks at me and then talks to another guy sitting beside him in a language that isn't swahili. he looks back and says in broken english "we aren't familiar with here". I say "oh, ok well...uh Karibu Kenya (welcome to kenya)" "he says "Asante" (thanks) and looks back at the guy next to him and they talk for a few minutes. He then looks at me and says "We need you to leave" I looked really puzzled and he noticed, I asked "why" and he said never really answered the question he just said " to much trouble, for us and you". I take that as my que to get out ASAP and tell him thanks. I wait for the vehicle to stop and hop out and walk about five minutes to my destination happy that I didn't have to walk the whole way. Later on I am with a Kenyan friend and see a truck and point at it and go "Mash, what are those trucks? why do I always see people in them?" Mash laughs and then says "sometimes they are construction workers getting a ride from work, other times they are used by illegal immigrants from other countries trying to get to Nairobi for work".
- I learned sometime throughout the week that when in rome, sometimes not to do what romans do because sometimes they aren't actually romans.
- Alvin bought me mince meat the other day for me to make speghetti and meatballs. I really didn't understand the difference betweem mince meat and ground beef until I started cooking with it. Maybe I did it wrong, but everytime I put the meat ball in the pan to cook (because we do not have an oven) and it would fall apart. So finally I had to break the news to Alvin. Here was our conversation:
D- I have bad news Alvin
A- What is this?
D- The meatballs aren't working
A- (laughs a little) why is that?
D- They keep falling apart when I put them in the pan
A- (laughs for at least a minute) You have the issue of dissintegrating meatballs?
D-Yep, it happens to the best of us. I'm just gonna add them to the sauce ok?
A- Im not sure what you are anymore
D-what?
A- your not American, your not Kenyan and you just gave me proof your not Italian
See you guys next week,
Dave
The Use of Emotion
Hey everyone! It's Monday which means I write and write and write until I cannot feel my wrists! So, welcome to blog 4, yes that means I have been here one month! blog four of my summer internship. I am going to structure this blog a little differently I think because I have different things I want to say. I am going to write an update on my in another blog
The Use of Emotion in America
Almost all missionaires have something like this blog site to keep you updated on things. This is normal, people want to know what your doing and how your doing, and of course missionairy's want to stay connected. Also, all kinds of NGO's and non-profits put together liturature on what they do in order to inform and gather support. America is used to these things. People are constantly reading information on NGO's and programs, those in church circles are always reading updates from missionairy's the church supports. These things are normal ways of doing things in America, and they are not bad at all. However, I realized something the otherday. America is addicted to the emotional and dramatic! this isn't my main realization but what I want to say ties into this.
Think of marketing, think of the news, think of movies. They all move to inspire you and to move you. To shake you or to make you think. How many times have you heard someone describe a movie as a "break from reality" or in otherwords a way to let your emotions rest on something that does not involve you. Musicians make music (most of them) to inspire you and you hear people say "I feel this beat" or "this song just gets me". Contemporary church services want to move you, to help you feel your love for God and express it. I am not pointing this out to make fun of America and emotions, I am not saying "Americans are whimpy little girls and they should change" I am just pointing out emotion follows all human beings (not just Americans) and effects human beings, and all these things I have said above are part of my life as well. However, I think we have a dependency on this emotionalism and when we do not "feel" something, we freak out.
The reason I bring this up is because I realized that most of the summaries on NGO/ministry programs feed on your emotions. They write these descriptions of a broken, in mass chaos people who need your help to survive. They write these moving articles about someone undergoing an extreme hardship that none of us will ever understand. They portray people in horrible situations to draw you to action. Now, let me say that we need to understand hardships that people go through, we need to be aware and we need to be in action. It is our Christian calling and responsibility to care for the oppressed and broken. However, we also need to realize those broken people are not just a people that need our help. They are a people with a life, they wake up in the morning and sleep at night and the way they are portrayed is not the way they normally live.
I realized the other day that I have yet to write a blog like this, a blog that describes to you all that I have seen in Kibera. A moving and graphic description of the rivers of sewage that run through the heart, the handicapped boy sitting in a pile of mud hoping that I will give him some money. The vastness of the slums, the one million families that are living on a dollar a day. The day I was walking in Kibera and saw twenty shillings (about 10 cents) on the ground and realized that who ever dropped that money just lost food for their family for the day and now their family will have to go a day without food. I haven't written about these things and i should, I should tell you about them and how moved I was by the people and how deep in poverty they are. I was wondering why I wasn't and I realized that I was seeing something different, I was seeing not the horrible situation or the sewage rivers, I was seeing a people of Christ, a people with joy!
All the times I have been in Kibera I have seen people willing to talk, people in suits doing their daily business. The small vegetable stand filled with Avocados and the mother chopping cabbage to sell. I have seen and met many people who are living in Kibera that would not describe life like the liturature of programs and organizations. They would affirm that that does exist but that is only one side of the coin. I will show you an example of this, I am going to write about the same situation, in two different ways.
1. Barney woke up and put on his coat. He walked out the door and saw a man in a wheelchair, he smiled and opened his 1995 impala car door to find a note from his wife saying how much she loved him. They had some rocky times but nonetheless they kept living and loving each other.The town he lived in was a place of hard knocks, but the town was small enough that there was an strong community of people who watched out for each other. Barney was a counselor and today he had an appointment with a man who had been addicted to alchol but is willing to work it through.
There is nothing really super emotional about this right? simple, it is just a smiple description of a guy's day and some of his life. Now I want to submit to you that this is how we recieve the information about third-world countries.
2. Barney tossed and turned and finally with an aching back climbed out of bed. He reached up for his coat and his arm ached because he had slept on the wrong arm. He always had done this and never learned his lesson. He walked out the door and smelled the air of industrialization, his thoughts immdiately went to a town with high pollution and the high rate of unemployment constantly attacking the city, casting a seemingly hopeless town into a neverending circle of poverty. He looked to his right and saw a man in a wheelchair on the side of the road, Barney forced a smile because he knew that this man needed his encouragement, he was stuck in a wheelchair with only a unobtainable doctors fee as salvation. He got in his car after struggling with the handle for two minutes and consequently cutting his finger. he found a note from his wife, saying how passionately she loved him, they had gone through times where they thought they would end, where their relationship could never be mended. They still struggle with loving eachother everyday, but do so the best they can....
And so on and so forth. SEE THE DIFFERENCE! This kind of representation isn't wrong, but it is misleading! We "romanticize" things so we can feel its effects more and this just is not the whole story.
In Kibera and all the other slums I have been too, I have seen more life than sorrow. I have seen just as many people dressed sharply that are dressed in tattered clothes. I have seen more joy than grief. Is it a bad situation? yes it is. Are the living conditions horrible? yeah, they are disgusting and un-humane. Are the people of these slums close to naked and sometimes face starvation? yeah, all the time Does it seem like a hopeless cycle of poverty? yes. However, what is more important than these things is how the people are living and how much God is doing in Kibera and Kawangware.
God is working there among everything! He is really present among the slums of Africa and I want you to know that. There is redemption happening! and I want to take part in redemption more than lifting hopeless poverty.
So, I want to tell you that all the things you read about the slums is true, its really bad and I have been impacted and emotionally moved by them. I do not have to tell you what is wrong because that is already out there and it is true! but what is even more true is the redemption work of Jesus Christ, how his remedy is found as far as the curse is found. I want you to walk away from reading my blog fully aware and encouraged about what I am seeing and doing here, I don't want to add to all thats wrong with Kibera or Kawangware.
So dear friends, be encouraged! God is working among the sewage rivers and the beggars, he has been before I got here and will be after I leave.
In Christ,
Dave
The Use of Emotion in America
Almost all missionaires have something like this blog site to keep you updated on things. This is normal, people want to know what your doing and how your doing, and of course missionairy's want to stay connected. Also, all kinds of NGO's and non-profits put together liturature on what they do in order to inform and gather support. America is used to these things. People are constantly reading information on NGO's and programs, those in church circles are always reading updates from missionairy's the church supports. These things are normal ways of doing things in America, and they are not bad at all. However, I realized something the otherday. America is addicted to the emotional and dramatic! this isn't my main realization but what I want to say ties into this.
Think of marketing, think of the news, think of movies. They all move to inspire you and to move you. To shake you or to make you think. How many times have you heard someone describe a movie as a "break from reality" or in otherwords a way to let your emotions rest on something that does not involve you. Musicians make music (most of them) to inspire you and you hear people say "I feel this beat" or "this song just gets me". Contemporary church services want to move you, to help you feel your love for God and express it. I am not pointing this out to make fun of America and emotions, I am not saying "Americans are whimpy little girls and they should change" I am just pointing out emotion follows all human beings (not just Americans) and effects human beings, and all these things I have said above are part of my life as well. However, I think we have a dependency on this emotionalism and when we do not "feel" something, we freak out.
The reason I bring this up is because I realized that most of the summaries on NGO/ministry programs feed on your emotions. They write these descriptions of a broken, in mass chaos people who need your help to survive. They write these moving articles about someone undergoing an extreme hardship that none of us will ever understand. They portray people in horrible situations to draw you to action. Now, let me say that we need to understand hardships that people go through, we need to be aware and we need to be in action. It is our Christian calling and responsibility to care for the oppressed and broken. However, we also need to realize those broken people are not just a people that need our help. They are a people with a life, they wake up in the morning and sleep at night and the way they are portrayed is not the way they normally live.
I realized the other day that I have yet to write a blog like this, a blog that describes to you all that I have seen in Kibera. A moving and graphic description of the rivers of sewage that run through the heart, the handicapped boy sitting in a pile of mud hoping that I will give him some money. The vastness of the slums, the one million families that are living on a dollar a day. The day I was walking in Kibera and saw twenty shillings (about 10 cents) on the ground and realized that who ever dropped that money just lost food for their family for the day and now their family will have to go a day without food. I haven't written about these things and i should, I should tell you about them and how moved I was by the people and how deep in poverty they are. I was wondering why I wasn't and I realized that I was seeing something different, I was seeing not the horrible situation or the sewage rivers, I was seeing a people of Christ, a people with joy!
All the times I have been in Kibera I have seen people willing to talk, people in suits doing their daily business. The small vegetable stand filled with Avocados and the mother chopping cabbage to sell. I have seen and met many people who are living in Kibera that would not describe life like the liturature of programs and organizations. They would affirm that that does exist but that is only one side of the coin. I will show you an example of this, I am going to write about the same situation, in two different ways.
1. Barney woke up and put on his coat. He walked out the door and saw a man in a wheelchair, he smiled and opened his 1995 impala car door to find a note from his wife saying how much she loved him. They had some rocky times but nonetheless they kept living and loving each other.The town he lived in was a place of hard knocks, but the town was small enough that there was an strong community of people who watched out for each other. Barney was a counselor and today he had an appointment with a man who had been addicted to alchol but is willing to work it through.
There is nothing really super emotional about this right? simple, it is just a smiple description of a guy's day and some of his life. Now I want to submit to you that this is how we recieve the information about third-world countries.
2. Barney tossed and turned and finally with an aching back climbed out of bed. He reached up for his coat and his arm ached because he had slept on the wrong arm. He always had done this and never learned his lesson. He walked out the door and smelled the air of industrialization, his thoughts immdiately went to a town with high pollution and the high rate of unemployment constantly attacking the city, casting a seemingly hopeless town into a neverending circle of poverty. He looked to his right and saw a man in a wheelchair on the side of the road, Barney forced a smile because he knew that this man needed his encouragement, he was stuck in a wheelchair with only a unobtainable doctors fee as salvation. He got in his car after struggling with the handle for two minutes and consequently cutting his finger. he found a note from his wife, saying how passionately she loved him, they had gone through times where they thought they would end, where their relationship could never be mended. They still struggle with loving eachother everyday, but do so the best they can....
And so on and so forth. SEE THE DIFFERENCE! This kind of representation isn't wrong, but it is misleading! We "romanticize" things so we can feel its effects more and this just is not the whole story.
In Kibera and all the other slums I have been too, I have seen more life than sorrow. I have seen just as many people dressed sharply that are dressed in tattered clothes. I have seen more joy than grief. Is it a bad situation? yes it is. Are the living conditions horrible? yeah, they are disgusting and un-humane. Are the people of these slums close to naked and sometimes face starvation? yeah, all the time Does it seem like a hopeless cycle of poverty? yes. However, what is more important than these things is how the people are living and how much God is doing in Kibera and Kawangware.
God is working there among everything! He is really present among the slums of Africa and I want you to know that. There is redemption happening! and I want to take part in redemption more than lifting hopeless poverty.
So, I want to tell you that all the things you read about the slums is true, its really bad and I have been impacted and emotionally moved by them. I do not have to tell you what is wrong because that is already out there and it is true! but what is even more true is the redemption work of Jesus Christ, how his remedy is found as far as the curse is found. I want you to walk away from reading my blog fully aware and encouraged about what I am seeing and doing here, I don't want to add to all thats wrong with Kibera or Kawangware.
So dear friends, be encouraged! God is working among the sewage rivers and the beggars, he has been before I got here and will be after I leave.
In Christ,
Dave
Monday, June 7, 2010
Hamburgers, Rugby and Reactivity
Hey everyone,
On Sunday I will have been in Nairobi for a month! I really cannot believe that I have been here that long. So, I have two more months left here. So, here is update number three.
Living and Such Things:
Our power is out, it has been for the last two days. I have no internet access and i cannot work because my computer is out of charge! so I am in Africa Keibasa(completely). Because of blackouts, we don't keep the fridge stocked because it is a waste of money and food. So, there isn't much food around. The other day I was gone most of the day and had only a 3 inch chicken meat pie and one egg the whole day. So, when i got home I was hungry. I rummaged the house and found: rice, a shrivled cumcumber, a tomato and some feta cheese. yeah I combined them all, and then I remembered that I had a slim jim...so I added that in there for protien. I turned on the TV and nothing was on except for WWF raw...I just decided to leave it on. So, the moral of this story is I felt like a complete bachelor, not only did my meal contain slim jims I watched wrestling, the only thing I was missing was a beer and a dog. I also attended the Kenya rugby tournament on Saturday which was amazing, met a lot of great Kenyans and will be hanging out with them this coming Saturday. I also have been hanging out with Micahel and Rebbecca Rhodes a lot (CDV, 2008) I went to the Rugby game with them. (the Kenya team won by the way). Because Alvin and Nancy are getting married in a month, they are looking for a house. So, we were sorting out what was going to happen with me once they get back from their honeymoon and decided that I will be moving over to a place called westlands (side note, there is a westlands, southlands and eastlands but no northlands, also there is South C and B but no A) and living with the Rhodes for the last week. I'm driving in Nairobi now...I hate it its the worst thing to spend your time on but it is nessicary. I don't know how Kenyans put up with it.
God and Church:
This Sunday I decided that I would attend New City Fellowship Nairobi (church plant of NCF Chattanooga). Coincidentally, I am now playing with their worship team, I played drums for them on Sunday which was a wonderful blessing. The people are so amazing and I am making many many friends there. There is also a team from Chatt here so I have been able to turn aquaintances into friendships! This past Sunday Randy Neighbors actually preached (on racial reconciliation)! it was really good and encouraging. God is really working on my heart and mind. I have been really struggling with confidence here, more on that later. So, he has been really hitting me hard. He has however, really been teaching me about loving people and upkeeping with relationships. He has been using Alvin to do this a lot.
Research:
My research is very slow, I am finally starting my one on one interviews this week, I was supposed to start them today but because we didn't have power my computer ran out of battery and i wasn't able to finish my interview questions. So, I am excited to do that. I realized today that I am quickly running out of time to get them done so i need to really start pressuring people to get things running.
I also need prayer because I am feeling a little useless, for multiple reasons I am wondering if my research is actually needed. I have talked to my host and he says it is but I am still very unsure. So, this has been a battle with my confidence and attitude on being here. Please pray for that. I think I am also having issues with reactivity in my research. When i ask people about weaknesses on their savings group or the organization facilitating them, there is a lot of silence, when i ask them about strengths you have to limit the time spent on it. This may mean that the group and organization is actually that good, I wont know until my one on ones I guess, so pray that people are honest and give good data.
Other things:
- A fellow Cov College student just arrived in Nairobi (Ryland Rainsford) So, we will be meeting up soon. I am very psyched.
-I saw a goat the other day, it walked on its hind legs because it didn't have front legs...I laughed really hard and then felt really bad. So, as encouragement I told it " not to worry, he will still end up as Naya Choma" (roast meat).
-I am seriously considering killing the dogs outside, I honestly have to talk myself out of it every night. I learned that two of the landladies dogs have already been killed by posioning. I felt encouraged. On the same idea, please pray for my sleep, I have not been sleeping well at all.
-The world cup is this Friday, Nairobi will clean out during games. Actually, the office Alvin works at normally closes at four, and it takes two hours for people to get through Nairobi traffic and get home (most people live 15-20 miles away), so they will miss the games. They want to buy a TV for the office and just stay here, watch the game and go home after traffic is done...committed? yes they are
-The other night I was doing some assignment work, Alvin wasn't home so it was just me. I hadn't eaten all day so I was really hungry. At around 10:30, Alvin and Nancy came home and Alvin whips out a package of beef pattys and a conversation goes like this:
A "your American" (hands the package to me)
I take them
D "what does that mean?"
A "You mean you don't know how to make hamburgers?! (looks at Nancy) we have a fake American living here"
D " I never said I didn't know how to make them, I just thought you made a huge racial stereo type"
A "Well you are American right?"
D "Yeah"
A " So make me some burgers! I want to feel special tonight"
N " Me too, I have never had one before"
D " (laughs) ok I will do it, I'm actually really hungry"
I make the burgers, and through the whole time I was asked so many questions about them. I also had to teach them how to get the Katsup (I know its spelled wrong shut it) out of the bottle. The excitement that these two had over cheeseburgers was hilarious. The ending statement by Alvin was even funnier:
D "so did you like it? do you feel special?"
A " My goodness, I loved it. I am so sad that it ended"
Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement, it means so so so much. I miss all of you a lot! Keep praying for me and feel free to send me some verses to read.
Till next week,
Dave
On Sunday I will have been in Nairobi for a month! I really cannot believe that I have been here that long. So, I have two more months left here. So, here is update number three.
Living and Such Things:
Our power is out, it has been for the last two days. I have no internet access and i cannot work because my computer is out of charge! so I am in Africa Keibasa(completely). Because of blackouts, we don't keep the fridge stocked because it is a waste of money and food. So, there isn't much food around. The other day I was gone most of the day and had only a 3 inch chicken meat pie and one egg the whole day. So, when i got home I was hungry. I rummaged the house and found: rice, a shrivled cumcumber, a tomato and some feta cheese. yeah I combined them all, and then I remembered that I had a slim jim...so I added that in there for protien. I turned on the TV and nothing was on except for WWF raw...I just decided to leave it on. So, the moral of this story is I felt like a complete bachelor, not only did my meal contain slim jims I watched wrestling, the only thing I was missing was a beer and a dog. I also attended the Kenya rugby tournament on Saturday which was amazing, met a lot of great Kenyans and will be hanging out with them this coming Saturday. I also have been hanging out with Micahel and Rebbecca Rhodes a lot (CDV, 2008) I went to the Rugby game with them. (the Kenya team won by the way). Because Alvin and Nancy are getting married in a month, they are looking for a house. So, we were sorting out what was going to happen with me once they get back from their honeymoon and decided that I will be moving over to a place called westlands (side note, there is a westlands, southlands and eastlands but no northlands, also there is South C and B but no A) and living with the Rhodes for the last week. I'm driving in Nairobi now...I hate it its the worst thing to spend your time on but it is nessicary. I don't know how Kenyans put up with it.
God and Church:
This Sunday I decided that I would attend New City Fellowship Nairobi (church plant of NCF Chattanooga). Coincidentally, I am now playing with their worship team, I played drums for them on Sunday which was a wonderful blessing. The people are so amazing and I am making many many friends there. There is also a team from Chatt here so I have been able to turn aquaintances into friendships! This past Sunday Randy Neighbors actually preached (on racial reconciliation)! it was really good and encouraging. God is really working on my heart and mind. I have been really struggling with confidence here, more on that later. So, he has been really hitting me hard. He has however, really been teaching me about loving people and upkeeping with relationships. He has been using Alvin to do this a lot.
Research:
My research is very slow, I am finally starting my one on one interviews this week, I was supposed to start them today but because we didn't have power my computer ran out of battery and i wasn't able to finish my interview questions. So, I am excited to do that. I realized today that I am quickly running out of time to get them done so i need to really start pressuring people to get things running.
I also need prayer because I am feeling a little useless, for multiple reasons I am wondering if my research is actually needed. I have talked to my host and he says it is but I am still very unsure. So, this has been a battle with my confidence and attitude on being here. Please pray for that. I think I am also having issues with reactivity in my research. When i ask people about weaknesses on their savings group or the organization facilitating them, there is a lot of silence, when i ask them about strengths you have to limit the time spent on it. This may mean that the group and organization is actually that good, I wont know until my one on ones I guess, so pray that people are honest and give good data.
Other things:
- A fellow Cov College student just arrived in Nairobi (Ryland Rainsford) So, we will be meeting up soon. I am very psyched.
-I saw a goat the other day, it walked on its hind legs because it didn't have front legs...I laughed really hard and then felt really bad. So, as encouragement I told it " not to worry, he will still end up as Naya Choma" (roast meat).
-I am seriously considering killing the dogs outside, I honestly have to talk myself out of it every night. I learned that two of the landladies dogs have already been killed by posioning. I felt encouraged. On the same idea, please pray for my sleep, I have not been sleeping well at all.
-The world cup is this Friday, Nairobi will clean out during games. Actually, the office Alvin works at normally closes at four, and it takes two hours for people to get through Nairobi traffic and get home (most people live 15-20 miles away), so they will miss the games. They want to buy a TV for the office and just stay here, watch the game and go home after traffic is done...committed? yes they are
-The other night I was doing some assignment work, Alvin wasn't home so it was just me. I hadn't eaten all day so I was really hungry. At around 10:30, Alvin and Nancy came home and Alvin whips out a package of beef pattys and a conversation goes like this:
A "your American" (hands the package to me)
I take them
D "what does that mean?"
A "You mean you don't know how to make hamburgers?! (looks at Nancy) we have a fake American living here"
D " I never said I didn't know how to make them, I just thought you made a huge racial stereo type"
A "Well you are American right?"
D "Yeah"
A " So make me some burgers! I want to feel special tonight"
N " Me too, I have never had one before"
D " (laughs) ok I will do it, I'm actually really hungry"
I make the burgers, and through the whole time I was asked so many questions about them. I also had to teach them how to get the Katsup (I know its spelled wrong shut it) out of the bottle. The excitement that these two had over cheeseburgers was hilarious. The ending statement by Alvin was even funnier:
D "so did you like it? do you feel special?"
A " My goodness, I loved it. I am so sad that it ended"
Thanks for all your prayers and encouragement, it means so so so much. I miss all of you a lot! Keep praying for me and feel free to send me some verses to read.
Till next week,
Dave
Monday, May 31, 2010
Football, Greek Pasta Salad and God
Hey everyone!
I am done with two weeks and now making my way through my third week here in Nairobi. Things are going very well! My only complaint is that I am meeting to many new and wonderful people. But that really isn’t a complaint. The hardest part about that is just the mental power it takes to meet so many new people every day, I will be glad when I will have a little more stability in my days concerning people.
Living:
It’s been a very interesting week! On Wednesday I attended a Kenyan Premier League soccer game. It was the final and the match was between two of the biggest rivals AFC Leopards and Ghor Mahia. I am pretty certain I was one of five white people in a stadium of 20,000 Kenyans. It was a awesome experience, I think this weekend I will get to see some Rugby too, so I am excited about that. I have settled into the apartment and am used to living here now. I am still learning many things but I am now sleeping through the dogs, babies and cats (I am pretty sure they have nothing else to do but make loud noise). Friday to Sunday I went over to Michael Rhodes (CDV, 2008) house and hang out with him which was great, had a lot of fun and learned a lot from him concerning being a Muzungu in a international context. Alvin has been everywhere because of all that he has to do, sometimes I am with him sometimes I am not but he still continues to blow me away with his knowledge and heart for people.
God:
God has been working on my heart this week, very heavily. He has been giving me a lot of comfort and a lot of opportunities to step outside my own wants and serve others. I have been very mentally tired this week and that does not help me to keep the learning attitude so it has been a fight. God has been really showing me that he will work through all things no matter how big or small. One example of this was when I went to the Kawangware savings group on Thursday. I don’t remember if I mentioned it in the last update but one of the ladies had just lost a brother and was left to pay for the funeral. Because of this the members collected a separate amount of money outside of savings for her and I did not have any money on me that day. Alvin told me that it was probably expected of me that I give something because I am a visitor (which I figured), but I didn’t have any money so I put some aside when I got back to the apartment. I had to leave the group before it was over to do an interview with the pastor so I had someone tell her to come see me. When she walked through the door I could tell she was confused, why would this white guy want her? I stood up and said “Ilea Matanga” (meaning this is for the funeral) and handed her the shillings. Immediately her face lit up and said “thank you” so many times. Alvin later told me that she couldn’t believe that I had did that and how happy she was. I didn’t give her much but it blessed her so much. This is what God has been resting on my heart, the Christian life even in Nairobi, Kenya is not the most righteous of American Christianity, it is the same as serving anywhere. You have to live with God on a daily basis, making decisions with him, seeing people in his forgiveness, giving like him, loving like him. It’s the same in Kenya as it is in Tennessee or Georgia, the differences come from culture and context, which is the hard part of international missions.
Community Development:
On Friday, I was able to attend a New City Fellowship Nairobi small group with Mike Rhodes. I was so blessed because I saw 4 or 5 races come together and enjoy each other’s company and fellowship in the word. There was a couple from Germany, a few families from India, Kenyans and Americans all in one house fellowshipping! It was an amazing sight and learned so much about the purpose of God’s redeeming love and unity. It really showed me the results of racial reconciliation and how much it is needed everywhere. I thought this small group was amazing until I got to the actual NCF Nairobi Sunday service. This service blew my mind, it was like the small group times 20. So many different continents and races represented there, it really was a glimpse of what heaven will look like. My favorite part was the last part of the service in which the announcer said “now is the time we are going to have a Traditional Indian dance”. About 5 seconds after he said that Indian hip-hop (think Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack) came on and a bunch of Indians came up from the congregation…needless to say eventually the whole congregation, white, black, brown, etc were all in the front of the church dancing to Indian hip-hop. What a way to worship, we may have not been directly worshiping God with hymns or sermons but we were worshiping him with our unity, something American churches have a hard time doing trans-denominationally. It was a wonderful time and I hope to back to NCF Nairobi again, maybe even make it my home church while I am here. I never thought I would go to a church and learn so much about Development and its principles.
Other Stuff:
• Keep praying for me in any ways you can think of, if you mind says “oh, I bet Dave would like prayer for this”…yeah I would! Pray for my strength, that I continue to give my all while I am here.
• Thank you so much for all the encouragement you have sent me through comments and emails. You have no idea how much of a blessing it is. I want to respond to all of you individually but I can’t! So, remember that your comments and emails are a huge blessing and I am reading each and every one of them.
• Played a soccer game with some slum kids a few days back…so much fun! I thought I would die but I kept up fairly well.
• I made Alvin and Nancy a Greek Pasta salad the other day; they had never had it before…they both ate so much of it I hardly got any. Last night Alvin was standing in the kitchen with the container in his hand eating it with his fingers saying “we are getting more pasta”.
• Kibera is huge! So huge! There is about 1 million families living in Kibera, when you’re driving on some of the roads you come across a spot where you can see the horizon which is filled with Kibera slum house holds.I haven’t had much contact with it yet because every time we try to go to the savings group that I should be working with, they have either forgotten there was a meeting or forgotten to tell everyone that there was going to be a meeting! UGH Pray that my relations with the group also grow very quickly because I am behind with my schedule because of the missed meetings.
• I am able to talk very very basically in Swahili, so keep praying that I get better! I need to keep learning it’s getting harder because I need to learn how to make words and sentences now and that’s hard for people to teach.
• Other bloggers I am not following, I want to follow you! I just can’t figure out how too…apparently I suck at this whole thing.
Talk to you next week!
Dave
P.S. WORLD CUP IN 11 DAYS!!!
I am done with two weeks and now making my way through my third week here in Nairobi. Things are going very well! My only complaint is that I am meeting to many new and wonderful people. But that really isn’t a complaint. The hardest part about that is just the mental power it takes to meet so many new people every day, I will be glad when I will have a little more stability in my days concerning people.
Living:
It’s been a very interesting week! On Wednesday I attended a Kenyan Premier League soccer game. It was the final and the match was between two of the biggest rivals AFC Leopards and Ghor Mahia. I am pretty certain I was one of five white people in a stadium of 20,000 Kenyans. It was a awesome experience, I think this weekend I will get to see some Rugby too, so I am excited about that. I have settled into the apartment and am used to living here now. I am still learning many things but I am now sleeping through the dogs, babies and cats (I am pretty sure they have nothing else to do but make loud noise). Friday to Sunday I went over to Michael Rhodes (CDV, 2008) house and hang out with him which was great, had a lot of fun and learned a lot from him concerning being a Muzungu in a international context. Alvin has been everywhere because of all that he has to do, sometimes I am with him sometimes I am not but he still continues to blow me away with his knowledge and heart for people.
God:
God has been working on my heart this week, very heavily. He has been giving me a lot of comfort and a lot of opportunities to step outside my own wants and serve others. I have been very mentally tired this week and that does not help me to keep the learning attitude so it has been a fight. God has been really showing me that he will work through all things no matter how big or small. One example of this was when I went to the Kawangware savings group on Thursday. I don’t remember if I mentioned it in the last update but one of the ladies had just lost a brother and was left to pay for the funeral. Because of this the members collected a separate amount of money outside of savings for her and I did not have any money on me that day. Alvin told me that it was probably expected of me that I give something because I am a visitor (which I figured), but I didn’t have any money so I put some aside when I got back to the apartment. I had to leave the group before it was over to do an interview with the pastor so I had someone tell her to come see me. When she walked through the door I could tell she was confused, why would this white guy want her? I stood up and said “Ilea Matanga” (meaning this is for the funeral) and handed her the shillings. Immediately her face lit up and said “thank you” so many times. Alvin later told me that she couldn’t believe that I had did that and how happy she was. I didn’t give her much but it blessed her so much. This is what God has been resting on my heart, the Christian life even in Nairobi, Kenya is not the most righteous of American Christianity, it is the same as serving anywhere. You have to live with God on a daily basis, making decisions with him, seeing people in his forgiveness, giving like him, loving like him. It’s the same in Kenya as it is in Tennessee or Georgia, the differences come from culture and context, which is the hard part of international missions.
Community Development:
On Friday, I was able to attend a New City Fellowship Nairobi small group with Mike Rhodes. I was so blessed because I saw 4 or 5 races come together and enjoy each other’s company and fellowship in the word. There was a couple from Germany, a few families from India, Kenyans and Americans all in one house fellowshipping! It was an amazing sight and learned so much about the purpose of God’s redeeming love and unity. It really showed me the results of racial reconciliation and how much it is needed everywhere. I thought this small group was amazing until I got to the actual NCF Nairobi Sunday service. This service blew my mind, it was like the small group times 20. So many different continents and races represented there, it really was a glimpse of what heaven will look like. My favorite part was the last part of the service in which the announcer said “now is the time we are going to have a Traditional Indian dance”. About 5 seconds after he said that Indian hip-hop (think Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack) came on and a bunch of Indians came up from the congregation…needless to say eventually the whole congregation, white, black, brown, etc were all in the front of the church dancing to Indian hip-hop. What a way to worship, we may have not been directly worshiping God with hymns or sermons but we were worshiping him with our unity, something American churches have a hard time doing trans-denominationally. It was a wonderful time and I hope to back to NCF Nairobi again, maybe even make it my home church while I am here. I never thought I would go to a church and learn so much about Development and its principles.
Other Stuff:
• Keep praying for me in any ways you can think of, if you mind says “oh, I bet Dave would like prayer for this”…yeah I would! Pray for my strength, that I continue to give my all while I am here.
• Thank you so much for all the encouragement you have sent me through comments and emails. You have no idea how much of a blessing it is. I want to respond to all of you individually but I can’t! So, remember that your comments and emails are a huge blessing and I am reading each and every one of them.
• Played a soccer game with some slum kids a few days back…so much fun! I thought I would die but I kept up fairly well.
• I made Alvin and Nancy a Greek Pasta salad the other day; they had never had it before…they both ate so much of it I hardly got any. Last night Alvin was standing in the kitchen with the container in his hand eating it with his fingers saying “we are getting more pasta”.
• Kibera is huge! So huge! There is about 1 million families living in Kibera, when you’re driving on some of the roads you come across a spot where you can see the horizon which is filled with Kibera slum house holds.I haven’t had much contact with it yet because every time we try to go to the savings group that I should be working with, they have either forgotten there was a meeting or forgotten to tell everyone that there was going to be a meeting! UGH Pray that my relations with the group also grow very quickly because I am behind with my schedule because of the missed meetings.
• I am able to talk very very basically in Swahili, so keep praying that I get better! I need to keep learning it’s getting harder because I need to learn how to make words and sentences now and that’s hard for people to teach.
• Other bloggers I am not following, I want to follow you! I just can’t figure out how too…apparently I suck at this whole thing.
Talk to you next week!
Dave
P.S. WORLD CUP IN 11 DAYS!!!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Untadunda Na Nani? (who do you bounce with?)
Hey everyone! or Sasa (whats going on) or Mukemo Fresh (are you fresh?)
I have already knocked out one week of my internship and as of today am starting my second week. It has been a ridiculous experience so far and I am excited to keep going. I love Nairobi, it is a very interesting place, one that is very misunderstood by a lot of westerners. I am trying to figure out how to write this update because I have so much to say.
I have already knocked out one week of my internship and as of today am starting my second week. It has been a ridiculous experience so far and I am excited to keep going. I love Nairobi, it is a very interesting place, one that is very misunderstood by a lot of westerners. I am trying to figure out how to write this update because I have so much to say.
- My Host and My Living: I am staying with an amazing Kenyan named Alvin Mbola, we are both sharing a small apartment in a housing area called Satellite which is about 15 minutes from everything if there wasn't any traffic. He has made my integration here easier than I expected. I really do not feel like I am having a hard time being here, I think that's because I am knew what to expect because I came to Africa last year, that visit helped me tremendously in understanding how to operate now. He is also engaged to a wonderful woman named Nancy and their wedding is July 24 so i will be able to attend. I have been able to watch them plan and work out their wedding logistics and it is SO different than American weddings. He also has been helping me out a lot concerning internship work. He understands more than I that I am learning here and constantly provides me with opportunities for me to learn about all that goes into being a community developer in a foreign context. I also am learning how to live with someone that has different cultural norms than me, so that has been fun. Both him and Nancy have also been helping me learn Swahili! I have grown very close to him and I can see our relationship continuing even after my internship.
- Community Development Work and My Research: So, far this has been a very interesting factor in my internship. Last week and most of this week I am being introduced to the savings groups I will be researching. I have already met one in Kawangware which is a slum about 10 minutes from where I am living and the members are all so kind. I received many "Karibu Sana"(you are very welcome) from the women and realized how great it will be to work with them. I am meeting with the Kawangware group this Thursday at 3 to start off with a focus group to gather some starting data. I am also being introduced to the Kibera group on Wednesday. The only issue with these groups is that they are ALL IN SWAHILI! this is so frustrating to me because watching these savings groups operate is SO INTERESTING! So, I have made it a discipline to learn as much Swahili as possible with a minimum of three new words a day. It has been paying off wonderfully because I am now able to have very small conversations with people and understand about 20-35 percent of when other people talk in Swahili. So, continue to pray that God blesses me with the gift of learning this language...either miraculously or just in time. My major has come alive so much over the last week and it has been amazing to see that happen. I had the opportunity to sit in a community development class (taught by Alvin) with a bunch of pastors in the heart of the Kibera slum. The material taught in the class is the same as Covenant, but more immediate, because as soon as you walk out the door of the Kibera campus it is applicable. My research is going well so far, but already I can see that this internship is about more than just research...that is just a major ploy(but a very useful and needed ploy) to make sure we actually do something on our internship.
- God: I have been reading the Psalms since the beginning of my trip and it has been so refreshing. I am constantly assured that God is with me and that he is guiding and directing this entire internship and all that I do. Its nice to know that I'm not doing anything he doesn't want me to do. He was the one who got me here and I am trusting that he will do what he wants. The Psalms are amazing for a heart struggling with human emotions. They talk about sleep, being lonely, being ignored, feeling afraid, being weak...and so on. All of which I feel right now, I feel so cared for by God even though I feel all of those things. I think that's a big part of walking with God, feeling those and realizing that God is with you.
- Other Things: God has really been showing himself in all of this internship and has really been working on my heart through it all.
- I still need a lot of prayer, I am still learning so much and am constantly on cultural information and relationship overload, its not like going to a different state in America. EVERYTHING is new, names, road names, public transport systems, norms, language, food names and the food itself, relationships and etc.
- I also need prayer for my continuing research and that that goes well and that I continue to learn and grow in my major.
- Also pray for Kenya as a whole because currently they are in the designing process of a new Constitution and there is a very animated No and Yes side. Vice President Biden is actually coming to Nairobi in June to talk to the president about it and tell the Kenyan people to support it. I find this funny because he probably hasn't read it, he can't even read the 2,000 page American health care bill why would he read a 200 page Kenyan constitution.
- Pray for NO VIOLENCE after the vote, Kenya has a long history of political violence. The most recent was in 2007 after the election for a new president. Some people have been saying there wont be violence, some are saying there might be. No one knows. The vote is August 2nd, so pray for that day.
- The world cup is coming up and it is the first time it has been in Africa...which is a surprise because Africans are completely obsessed with soccer. There is actually a top-league team with a local Kenyan on it. So, everyone is looking forward to that. Many of my relationships are going to be built on watching the world cup games...plus Alvin is in love with soccer. I don't mind, I actually like it too.
- I really miss my home and etc, pray that this does not overwhelm me.
- Driving in Kenya...is absolutely chaotic...but somehow everyone can do it and it seems that there are less accidents than an American city.
- The University of Nairobi shut down for a week on Monday because of student riots about student leadership elections. I find this interesting because student leadership will be my job when I return.
- Kenyans can not believe that some Americans buy clothing for their dogs...I really can't either
- Speaking of dogs the compound were I am staying has two...they never ever stop barking. 11 PM? yeah, they bark then. 3 AM? yeah they bark then too. 4 AM? yup. 6 AM? they are put in their kennels which makes them quiet... I hate those dogs so much. So much that I wrote a poem entitled Dog that I will leave you with.
Thanks for reading! I will update again next Monday! (hopefully),
Dave
Dog
Fibrous undertaking not swallowing your being.
No garment of human consumerism wrapped and displayed in the essence of pride
Nay, your annoyance is not consumerist sweaters or pampered paws.
It is your omnipresent mouth which concedes for neither light nor dark.
You speak as loud as a jubilant trumpet,
shoved through unusual means of amplification
and broad casted through aqueous substances.
I lay, beholding my slumber to be risen by your absurdities and illogical whimpering's,
your cacophony piercing and dancing in my ears.
"Oh the joy" I exclaim and my thoughts escape to context of shining glory.
With moonlights hand I undertake, I place a hazardous liquid into your drinking dish
My subtlety and you fatal errors hidden with time.
Your annoyance relieved and my slumber restored.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Volcanos, Loneliness and Homelessness
I made it somehow, I am sitting in my hosts office looking at the micro-finance stuff written on a white board on the wall, listening to the rediculous Nairobi traffic outside. My trip here was an adventure in it's self.
I was originally supposed to go straight to Amsterdam, but when I got there they said i had to go to NY first. So, I went to NY first. Then from NY to Amsterdam I sat next to a man from Libya who did not speak any english, but somehow we still were able to make fun of Delta's headphones. Then when we got to Amsterdam at 5:45 in the morning, I was greeted with the departure screens telling me that Schiphol airport was closed until 2 PM. So, I did what all smart people did and bought a train ticket into Amsterdam. However, I was told that I was not allowed back in if the airport closed and that I would have to stay somewhere AFTER i checked out through coustoms...awesome. So, I went into Amsterdam for a few hours, walked around sat by the canal, watched people ride their bikes. Came back to the airport at around 12 hoping that I would be able to leave. The good news was that the flight was leaving, the bad news was that it was leaving at 2:45, then it was leaving at 4. So, while waiting for it I fell asleep...I wake up and see "gate closing" on the screen and book it to the gate. I make it just in time and get on the plane as they close the gate. I walk on the plane, an Airbus mind you and there is no one on the flight. I sit in my seat next to no one, look around and I see absolutly no one! The whole day was extremely lonely, I had to keep reminding myself that God was with me because I felt very sad that I was alone. It turns out that because of the volcano, no one had shown up to get on the flight, it was supposed to be full. To understand the emptiness of this plane let me explain something to you. The airbus I was on seats over 400 people, including myself there were 35 people scattered around the aircraft. In my section alone which held about 100 seats there were 2 people, one of them was me! Halfway through the flight I realized I had a problem, because I was delayed in Amsterdam, I had sent an email to my host Alvin who was to pick me up that I was delayed, but because I had fallen asleep in the airport and booked it to the gate,I hadn't had time to send him one saying I was coming. So, the only lead I had on getting picked up when I got into Nairobi at 11:45 at night was his phone number...did I have a phone? Kinda. We land, I go to activate my phone that I had bought last time I was in Africa so I could call Alvin and the phone company said I had to go into town in order to activate my phone. So, I was stuck, no phone, no computer and I checked out in the lobby for my host and sure enough...no host. I found a man that let me use his phone, but the phone rang through and I had to leave a message. So, I was homeless in Kenya for about 30 minutes until Alvin called back. FINALLY, I am in Nairobi, where I am supposed to be. The lesson of all of this, is God worked all things out, even though they seemed hopeless. I still got to where I needed to be, whether I freaked out or not.
This week is going to be fairly chill according to my host, he is showing me around and introducing me to his staff and resting me up before I get to head first. Which is nice, because I need to figure out how I am going to do all this... I still don't know... Oh well.
I was originally supposed to go straight to Amsterdam, but when I got there they said i had to go to NY first. So, I went to NY first. Then from NY to Amsterdam I sat next to a man from Libya who did not speak any english, but somehow we still were able to make fun of Delta's headphones. Then when we got to Amsterdam at 5:45 in the morning, I was greeted with the departure screens telling me that Schiphol airport was closed until 2 PM. So, I did what all smart people did and bought a train ticket into Amsterdam. However, I was told that I was not allowed back in if the airport closed and that I would have to stay somewhere AFTER i checked out through coustoms...awesome. So, I went into Amsterdam for a few hours, walked around sat by the canal, watched people ride their bikes. Came back to the airport at around 12 hoping that I would be able to leave. The good news was that the flight was leaving, the bad news was that it was leaving at 2:45, then it was leaving at 4. So, while waiting for it I fell asleep...I wake up and see "gate closing" on the screen and book it to the gate. I make it just in time and get on the plane as they close the gate. I walk on the plane, an Airbus mind you and there is no one on the flight. I sit in my seat next to no one, look around and I see absolutly no one! The whole day was extremely lonely, I had to keep reminding myself that God was with me because I felt very sad that I was alone. It turns out that because of the volcano, no one had shown up to get on the flight, it was supposed to be full. To understand the emptiness of this plane let me explain something to you. The airbus I was on seats over 400 people, including myself there were 35 people scattered around the aircraft. In my section alone which held about 100 seats there were 2 people, one of them was me! Halfway through the flight I realized I had a problem, because I was delayed in Amsterdam, I had sent an email to my host Alvin who was to pick me up that I was delayed, but because I had fallen asleep in the airport and booked it to the gate,I hadn't had time to send him one saying I was coming. So, the only lead I had on getting picked up when I got into Nairobi at 11:45 at night was his phone number...did I have a phone? Kinda. We land, I go to activate my phone that I had bought last time I was in Africa so I could call Alvin and the phone company said I had to go into town in order to activate my phone. So, I was stuck, no phone, no computer and I checked out in the lobby for my host and sure enough...no host. I found a man that let me use his phone, but the phone rang through and I had to leave a message. So, I was homeless in Kenya for about 30 minutes until Alvin called back. FINALLY, I am in Nairobi, where I am supposed to be. The lesson of all of this, is God worked all things out, even though they seemed hopeless. I still got to where I needed to be, whether I freaked out or not.
This week is going to be fairly chill according to my host, he is showing me around and introducing me to his staff and resting me up before I get to head first. Which is nice, because I need to figure out how I am going to do all this... I still don't know... Oh well.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
D-day
Its coming ladies and gents...came way to fast and I still do not feel like I am very prepared. I am a little freaked out right now, I locked myself out of my email account and I just realized that I don't know who is picking me up from the airport in Kenya...nor do I have a phone number to get in contact with someone who will know. I can't email anybody that would know because I am locked out of the account that has all my emails. Don't tell my parents! So, we will see what happens with that, I'm sure God will provide!
In less than 24 hours I will be on my way...sweet moses! Pray like the Dickens!
Dave
In less than 24 hours I will be on my way...sweet moses! Pray like the Dickens!
Dave
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Forgiveness, Africa and The Story of Chef Henry J Lamage
This has been on my heart a lot lately, especially thinking about walking WITH people and sharing in their struggles. I find that I often have really strange ideas of people and how they should walk with the lord. I think I think that Christians need to operate a specific way sometimes, but we are not far from temptation. The only way to end all wars per-say...is to love with the love of Christ. I hope I can do this in Kenya...
The Boil
"Salt quickens the boil,"
said Henry J Lamage to his class.
Willing minds and with lack of contempt
With the exception of the occasional ass.
"You see dear students, salt preserves
And is a catalyst for change,
But if you don't pay attention to the water
It will all boil away."
A lean quick hand raised above the nodding crowd,
A polite young boy who was bobbing up and down
Opened his mouth and said with luster
"Please sir may I be allowed?"
We flash back a few months,
Into a kitchen filled with tears.
The pots rattled and shook
Like they had never cooked in years
Henry J Lamage,
A brilliant cook indeed
Had found a note by the sink
That spoke a dark and broken plea.
"Dear Henry" he read out loud
With a hand against the fridge
And in a few seconds he read hundreds of words
That had been hidden for years.
It read "Dear Henry, a brilliance of food you have,
There is no doubt you are one in a mill.
Your wild hands by the chopping block
Never ever stayed still.
I want to say I'm leaving dear Henry
And not because of your love.
There are bigger things calling my name
And I think those are things I want."
"I don't understand!" yelled Henry to his hands
"Out all the things to miss,
I've scrutinized over cups and tablespoons
But how have I missed this?
We both have held on to grace,
like the feathers onto a dove.
We gave and learned, we both took turns
Misunderstanding and understanding love.
I've served wine and I've ate bread
Not knowing what it meant to forgive,
Here I stand broken and hurt and
I now know that it means to live."
We go back to the kitchen,
Where a question was to be posed,
And group of students did stand,
With wonder and awe about the Chefs heart of gold.
The lad of most curiousness
Shot his hand in the sky
"Sir, pardon my asking but your face is causing me grief,
You act like its not true, but didn't your heart and love just die?"
Henry J Lamage put down his salt shaker,
And wiped the grease off his brow
With his mild repose, tensions arose
But all still wanted to know how.
"My dear students" the chef said,
With a heavy heart on his lips;
"When you think you have given enough
And there is nothing left to give.
Remember that there is a thing called selfish pride
That lives as long as you will live.
You will think your entitled to anger and rage,
To feel like the whole worlds done you wrong.
But remember the world is feeling the same way
And limping while carrying on.
So, students as I was saying before this lesson
On the souls water and oil,
Salt not only preserves,
But it also quickens the boil.
Let the lesson be learned that
No matter how much salt you add today
If you don't pay attention to the water,
It will all boil away.
The Boil
"Salt quickens the boil,"
said Henry J Lamage to his class.
Willing minds and with lack of contempt
With the exception of the occasional ass.
"You see dear students, salt preserves
And is a catalyst for change,
But if you don't pay attention to the water
It will all boil away."
A lean quick hand raised above the nodding crowd,
A polite young boy who was bobbing up and down
Opened his mouth and said with luster
"Please sir may I be allowed?"
We flash back a few months,
Into a kitchen filled with tears.
The pots rattled and shook
Like they had never cooked in years
Henry J Lamage,
A brilliant cook indeed
Had found a note by the sink
That spoke a dark and broken plea.
"Dear Henry" he read out loud
With a hand against the fridge
And in a few seconds he read hundreds of words
That had been hidden for years.
It read "Dear Henry, a brilliance of food you have,
There is no doubt you are one in a mill.
Your wild hands by the chopping block
Never ever stayed still.
I want to say I'm leaving dear Henry
And not because of your love.
There are bigger things calling my name
And I think those are things I want."
"I don't understand!" yelled Henry to his hands
"Out all the things to miss,
I've scrutinized over cups and tablespoons
But how have I missed this?
We both have held on to grace,
like the feathers onto a dove.
We gave and learned, we both took turns
Misunderstanding and understanding love.
I've served wine and I've ate bread
Not knowing what it meant to forgive,
Here I stand broken and hurt and
I now know that it means to live."
We go back to the kitchen,
Where a question was to be posed,
And group of students did stand,
With wonder and awe about the Chefs heart of gold.
The lad of most curiousness
Shot his hand in the sky
"Sir, pardon my asking but your face is causing me grief,
You act like its not true, but didn't your heart and love just die?"
Henry J Lamage put down his salt shaker,
And wiped the grease off his brow
With his mild repose, tensions arose
But all still wanted to know how.
"My dear students" the chef said,
With a heavy heart on his lips;
"When you think you have given enough
And there is nothing left to give.
Remember that there is a thing called selfish pride
That lives as long as you will live.
You will think your entitled to anger and rage,
To feel like the whole worlds done you wrong.
But remember the world is feeling the same way
And limping while carrying on.
So, students as I was saying before this lesson
On the souls water and oil,
Salt not only preserves,
But it also quickens the boil.
Let the lesson be learned that
No matter how much salt you add today
If you don't pay attention to the water,
It will all boil away.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Goodbyes Don't Make This Trip Any Easier!
So, I had to say goodbye to all the people that I love a lot this week...and it sucked...a lot. I do not like the fact that the community that I have been building and committing too has to get uprooted every summer, it kills everything in me that is Com Dev and just me in general.
I'm home in Florida getting some rest in before I leave on Sunday. I am also finishing up some last minute things. It sucks trying to remember everything life because it always seems like you forget something vital and remember the small stuff. On my way home a friend of mine calls me and asks "did you get your typhoid meds out of my fridge?" I had already been driving about 7 hours and aptly replied "nope, I guess we just have to pray I don't get typhoid." I knew I was going to forget them from the start, because you have to refrigerate them to keep them cold. This is like the equivalent of a construction worker going to the site without his hard hat during the Give Clumsy People a Chance to Screw Things In On Really High Areas day, a accountant forgetting his calculator on Everything Hits The Fan day, C.S Lewis forgetting his pipe during a vacation he took so he could write , a schizophrenic forgetting his crayons during a 7 day road trip in a two door sports car. Think of how many books C.S Lewis didn't write because of his forgotten pipe... Ok I'm exaggerating a little bit, my friend is going to overnight me the meds so I can start taking them. Watch him get arrested because he is trying to send a package that is cold...I wouldn't mind getting typhoid if that happened actually.
Alright it's time to go work out my final budget for this trip...see you later
Dave
I'm home in Florida getting some rest in before I leave on Sunday. I am also finishing up some last minute things. It sucks trying to remember everything life because it always seems like you forget something vital and remember the small stuff. On my way home a friend of mine calls me and asks "did you get your typhoid meds out of my fridge?" I had already been driving about 7 hours and aptly replied "nope, I guess we just have to pray I don't get typhoid." I knew I was going to forget them from the start, because you have to refrigerate them to keep them cold. This is like the equivalent of a construction worker going to the site without his hard hat during the Give Clumsy People a Chance to Screw Things In On Really High Areas day, a accountant forgetting his calculator on Everything Hits The Fan day, C.S Lewis forgetting his pipe during a vacation he took so he could write , a schizophrenic forgetting his crayons during a 7 day road trip in a two door sports car. Think of how many books C.S Lewis didn't write because of his forgotten pipe... Ok I'm exaggerating a little bit, my friend is going to overnight me the meds so I can start taking them. Watch him get arrested because he is trying to send a package that is cold...I wouldn't mind getting typhoid if that happened actually.
Alright it's time to go work out my final budget for this trip...see you later
Dave
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Last Day
This is the last day that I will be on Covenant Campus in terms of this school year! Holy moses,in a week or so I will be on my way to another country leaving everything temporarily behind. I am not going to lie...I am really scared. Today has been hard, both of my best friends have graduated from college, I am not moving back into where I have lived for the last two years, my future is quickly becoming my past and it doesn't stop. So, where do I go from here? I want to rest but I know that I am going to be running again soon, I want to go home but I want to be here. I want to leave but I don't. This summer is going to rock me, and the return will rock me just as hard. In other words...I need your prayers. I need to just calm down, and go with what Gods doing, it will make everything much easier.
Dave
Dave
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
I Got a Golden Ticket
Not really, but I do have plane ticket to Nairobi and back! so exciting/unerving
Its official!
Its official!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The West
I love the west... I feel bad saying that but everything in me screams west. I am sitting in a deli with a bunch of my friends doing homework. While I am sitting here I am thinking about my internship and the discomfort of a culture that is on my own. You could call this pre-cultural shock maybe? I don't know.
Anyways, I know I am supposed to be in Kenya this summer because God has provided a way for me to get there. During the last few weeks I was having a really hard time raising funding to get to Kenya, it was looking very bleak and it was weighing on me really heavily. I had a meeting with my adviser to decide whether or not I should pick a different internship country, probably USA. However, an hour after this conversation I head to my mailbox, only to find a note telling me a 3,000 dollar check was on it's way to help my internship. I was dumbfounded, it took me a few days to really understand what I thought about it. I realized that this check was not just confirmation that I needed to go to Kenya, but that I was in the right major, that I was at the right college and where I am is right where God wants me to be. This is HUGE, lately I have been wondering what I am doing, why life seems so monotonous, why it feels like I get lost in the days. Then I am reminded by God that he is with me every step I take and that I can relax as I live
Ok, I just lost all vigor to write...
Dave
Anyways, I know I am supposed to be in Kenya this summer because God has provided a way for me to get there. During the last few weeks I was having a really hard time raising funding to get to Kenya, it was looking very bleak and it was weighing on me really heavily. I had a meeting with my adviser to decide whether or not I should pick a different internship country, probably USA. However, an hour after this conversation I head to my mailbox, only to find a note telling me a 3,000 dollar check was on it's way to help my internship. I was dumbfounded, it took me a few days to really understand what I thought about it. I realized that this check was not just confirmation that I needed to go to Kenya, but that I was in the right major, that I was at the right college and where I am is right where God wants me to be. This is HUGE, lately I have been wondering what I am doing, why life seems so monotonous, why it feels like I get lost in the days. Then I am reminded by God that he is with me every step I take and that I can relax as I live
Ok, I just lost all vigor to write...
Dave
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Start of Something...Large?
IT IS ALMOST THE END OF MY JUNIOR YEAR! I did not expect this to happen so quickly, I remember starting this year thinking "I have so much time to be here," and now I am about to leave. It's weird thinking that next year will be my last year here at Covenant, this place has been my home for so long that it's strange thinking that it wont be. However, I still have time till that happens (not really, but I like to kid myself).
I am a community development major at Covenant College, this major is something that I love something that has shaped me to be what I am now...whatever that is. This major teaches that
I am a community development major at Covenant College, this major is something that I love something that has shaped me to be what I am now...whatever that is. This major teaches that
The foundation to all community development principles starts with the gospel; it starts with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The implications of Jesus’ death and resurrection are vast and as “far as the curse is found”. One of the main principles of community development is that Jesus was not sent by God to die for one specific thing such as our souls. Jesus death and resurrection covers all spheres of life. It covers creation; it covers physical healing, injustice and poverty. Jesus came to heal our bodies and our souls! The saving blood of Christ covers all because of the fall, the curse of sin has affected all. This is why Jesus came to earth, to reveal the best kept secret of his redeeming love and power.
The Church’s part in this redemption is crucial. The church is filled with the image bearers of Christ. Genesis 1:27 says “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, man and woman he created them.” The church is also filled with sinful broken people. Just because we are image bearers does not mean we are not broken. The church is the representation of the body of Christ. Brian Fikkert describes this perfectly when he says “When people look at the church, they should see the One who declared—in word and in deed to the leper, the lame, and the poor—that His Kingdom is bringing healing to every speck of the universe” (Corbett and Fikkert, 2009, p. 41).
In the book, Walking with the Poor, Bryant Myers discusses the poverty trap originally designed by Robert Chambers. Myers’ poverty trap consists of six different kinds of poverty: Material, Physical weakness, Isolation, Vulnerability, Powerlessness, Spiritual poverty. Material poverty affects the household where there are few assets, clean water and sanitation is inadequate. There is not much in the household, no wealth in any form, like assets or liquid cash. Physical weakness is the lack of strength found in the poor because of the lack of nutritious food and poor health. Isolation is when the household lacks any networking or access to roads, clean water, markets, supplies and information. Vulnerability is the idea that the household is not safe from any kind of emergency or natural disaster and that the household has no voice or choice in anything. This is seen in cultural traditions like feasts and weddings that take most of the ability to save away from the poor. Powerlessness is when the household lacks the ability to impact any of its social networks, culture or life status. Spiritual poverty is when the household is affected by the fall and the curse of broken relationships with their creator, other members of the household, their social networks, even the creation surrounding them. It is when households find themselves without hope because of things like spiritual oppression or never having heard of the redeeming power of Christ.
Poverty is more than just lack of money; it encompasses all things that keep the poor in extreme poverty. Each one of these types of poverty feeds the next; each one helps the other thrive. The poor need this all encompassing healing that Jesus brought to earth with his death. There are many interventions that are practiced by organizations to help battle against this structure of circular poverty. Some of these interventions have to deal with the poor and their finances, which in turn battle all six kinds of poverty.
This post is going to set the foundation for the rest of whats to come...I'm tired, I need to go to bed. So, put this in your worldview pipe and smoke it, and while your working on this I will figure out what I want to tell you next.
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