Mission to Kenya 2005

WELCOME

2006-05-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

This weblog began as an Internet journal of a United Methodist Church "Volunteers In Mission" trip to Kenya January 6-22, 2005. Following the mission, the postings were expanded and photographs/links added.

We hope it will inspire others to participate in future misisons like the one to Kenya that we are leading in January of 2006.

Remember that a blog is a linear time-based stream of information ~~ so read it from the bottom entry to the top entry.

To enlarge pictures, put your curser on the image and left double-click your mouse. To make the enlarged image go away, click the green "BACK" arrow in the upper left corner of your screen.

Florence Mubichi is in Oklahoma City

2005-05-09T23:46:00.000-05:00

Florence & Fridah Mubichi, May 7, 2005

Hurray. Florence made it to Oklahoma City in time to see her daughter, Fridah (above) graduate from Oklahoma City University with a Masters in Marketing. This photo was taken at a small reception following the ceremony at Fridah's apartment in Oklahoma City. Florence is recovering from jet-lag (22 hour trip) but we will see her Tuesday night with we gather at Johnnie's on Britton for dinner.

Global Voices Online on Kenya Blogs

2005-04-06T23:10:00.000-05:00

Global Voices at the Berkman Center, Harvard Law School considers nine blogs by and about Kenya. Read about it by clicking here.

NEXT MISSION TO KENYA: JAN 2006

2005-03-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

The Volunteers In Mission (VIM) office of the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference has approved a return mission to Meru, Kenya January 12-28, 2006. Team members will stay at the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Center and begin construction of a small (30' x 60') library at the Kaaga School for the Deaf. Click here for more information on this mission.

COMMENT FROM REBECCA

2005-01-23T17:59:00.000-06:00

COMMENTS AND PRAYERS FROM FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

2005-01-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

Click on "Comments" below to read comments left during the trip.

FRIDAY, JAN 21 - HEADING HOME

2005-01-22T16:44:00.000-06:00

The group is in O'Hare Airport looking at our photos that we have loaded onto Marshall's computer.

LUNCH AT KAREN BLIXEN COFFEE GARDEN AND RESTAURANT

2005-01-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

Lunch on the verranda

A cottage on Karen Blixen's farm, the colonial bungalow used by her brother, Thomas Dinesen, when he lived in Kenya from 1921-1923, has become the centerpiece of a new eating establishment. The cottage, which is east of the Karen Blixen Museum--Karen Blixen's home in Africa--in the Nairobi suburb of Karen, was made part of a tea garden in the 1990s. The property has recently become a restaurant featuring an architectural restoration of Thomas Dinesen's bungalow.

Source: http://www.karenblixen.com/coffeegarden.html

2005-01-21T10:31:00.000-06:00

TOUR HOME OF KAREN BLIXEN (aka ISAK DINESEN) ~ ("I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills…"

2005-01-21T10:30:00.000-06:00

West of the city, the suburb of Karen is named after Karen Blixen, author of 'Out of Africa'. Much of the suburb stands on her old farm.

We toured her house which is now the Karen Blixen Museum.

If you click here, you can see pictures from each room (take a virtual tour of the museum).

Here are two other good links -- a writeup about the house and at this site you can even watch videos! (http://www.africanmeccasafaris.com/kenya/nairobi/excursions/karenblixen.asp ).

FRI, JAN 21 - SHOPPING AT UTAMANDUNI CRAFT CENTRE

2005-01-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

UTAMANDUNI CRAFT CENTRE

Following breakfast at the hotel, Daniel and his drivers took us first to the Utamanduni Craft Center. This was a wonderful place to shop. Even though we did get lower prices for some of the same or similar items later in the day at the Village Market, there was a huge range of items to condiser here and there is something to be said for shopping where prices are set and reasonable! Suffice it to say, we dropped a bundle and all went away thrilled. Downside: I never did make it to the Cultural Village (see their website above) which says of the village:

Utamaduni's cultural village consists of four traditional homes, built according to the customs of the Masai, Kikuyu, Luo and Miji Kenda tribes. Members of the Mzizi Cultural Centre will be happy to show you around these homes and to explain their construction and traditions. Dancers from the Mzizi Centre regularly entertain Utamaduni's clients with vibrant and colourful displays of traditional African dancing.

DINNER AT THE CARNIVORE RESTAURANT

2005-01-20T19:30:00.000-06:00

This place was a huge hit for all but the 3-4 committed vegetarians in the crew. (TIP: Don't order the vegetarian pizza. What WAS that?) There is also a shop that sells T-shirts, aprons, etc just at the entrance and several nice shops around the side of the restaurant. The only down side for me was that I was too exhausted to eat. You don't want to make sudden moves at this place as a waiter may be coming o ver your shoulder with a hue sword holding a leg of . . . whagt? giraffe? lamb?

Here is a write-up about the restaurant I found on the web:

What are you having for dinner tonight? Perhaps you fancy a nice piece of crocodile barbecued in spicy sauce, or maybe zebra and salad, warthog and chips, or even grilled giraffe.
They're all on the menu at the Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya, which has just been selected as one of the fifty best places to eat in the world by London-based Restaurant Magazine.

A rare honour indeed, especially as it's the only establishment in
Africa to have made the list which was drawn up by a panel of international reviewers, restaurateurs and raconteurs.

In the restaurant whole joints of meat are roasted on traditional Maasai swords over a huge charcoal pit that dominates the entrance of the restaurant.

Carnivore's head chef Joseph Gacheru said he thinks this unique layout caught the judges attention. "Carnivore is totally different because the kitchen... is right at the entrance of the restaurant," he said. "When the guests are coming in that is the first impression they see... the kitchen and the meat being roasted there."

Mr Gacheru said the restaurant only buys meat from suppliers licensed
to cull wild game by Kenya Wildlife Services.

While The Carnivore restaurant is popular with locals as well as
tourists, Mr Gacheru said there has been a slump in the number of tourists dining in the restaurant since the war in Iraq began, but local demand has stayed strong.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/2987849.stm

THURSDAY, JAN 20 - DRIVE TO NAIROBI THRU EQUATOR

2005-01-20T11:58:00.000-06:00

BETH AT EQUATER

Early afternoon, we loaded luggage on the 3 vans and headed back out those awful "roads." We stopped at the equator for "a rest stop," photos and a little shopping, then pressed on. Arriving in Nairobi at dinner time, we checked into the Methodist Guest House. After dragging our luggage to our rooms, we went to The Carnivore for dinner.

2005-01-19T17:00:00.000-06:00

2005-01-19T16:35:00.000-06:00

LION

2005-01-19T16:30:00.000-06:00

On our afternoon safari ride, we saw a lion and 2 lionesses - from about 20 feet away!

There were about 10 vans in a group and we just stayed and looked and looked and looked until the lion finally had had enough and got up and wandered off and his wives had to abandon their nice shady spots to follow behind him.

WENDY ELLSWORTH - BEAD ARTIST

2005-01-19T14:35:00.000-06:00

Wendy with Alfred at Samburu village

We met Wendy Ellsworth (click here for her biography) (and here for her resume), an American women staying at the lodge, who is a professional bead artist. Last year, she received a grant from (I think) the Pennsylvania Arts Commission and used the funds to travel to Kenya to study the beadwork of the Maasai and Samburu tribes. She was so impressed that she funded her own return trip here this year.

She told us that historically the Samburu used dyed seeds to make their regalia (face, collars, bracelets, anklets, etc.) but then (I think about 50 years ago) they switched to using glass beads. They have used exclusively beads from Czechoslovakia which are rough and have very small holes.

This trip, Wendy brought beads made in Japan that are in new colors and are laser made. They are a higher quality bead and have much larger holes. The Samburu have used exclusively wire and she is teaching them to use needle and thread, too.

She has been working with the women of this village 4 days - teaching them new beading techniques and new designs. She tells us they are thrilled.

When Wendy was here last year, she hooked they up with Beadsforeducation.org and with a friend of hers who markets beadwork and they have generated $30,000 in sales in the USA. Sales of the Samburu beadwork puts girls in school in Kenya.

Wendy has them making chokers and earrings -- both new products for them. You can look at Wendy’s work at her website. It is pretty awsome!

She is also working with the Africa Wildlife Foundation. Wendy is especially pleased that she has found enough friends to sponsor 140 Samburu girls so they can attend school which costs $360 a year for one child (see beads for Education on how you can support a girl).

SAMBURU HUT

2005-01-19T14:30:00.000-06:00

At 8 am and 8 pm, the men convene a parliament to discuss issues; women are not allowed within earshot. (DO NOT get any ideas, gentlemen!). It is also at these parliaments that issues such as marriage and circumcision get decided.

The married women have a large hole in one earlobe and wear a beaded hoop in that ear. A string of beads that is worn around the neck is threaded through that hoop.

INSIDE SAMBURU HUT - COOKING AREA

2005-01-19T14:00:00.000-06:00

Margaret is teaching a pre-school at the village. She told us that they use a witch doctor rather than a physician, surround their village with thorny shrubs to protect them from animals and other tribes men who steal their cattle and kill their tribesmen (mostly from Sudan and Ethiopia - both of which are nearby). They buy maize from members of another tribe but feel they are overcharged.

Rich men have 8 wives (one for each cow) and each wife (and her children) live in a separate hut. Poor men have only 2 or 3 wives.Wives have about 15 children but many die. If a woman’s husband dies, she ca not remarry. If her husband’s family is kind, she can continue to live with them; otherwise she must return to her own family.

There were only 2 or 3 young men present -- the men “had gone to visit with men in neighboring villages”. The boys were with the herds of cattle and goats and camels grazing in the area. No one owns land, they just move about to where the good grass is at the time.

2005-01-19T13:40:00.000-06:00

They told us the color of the beads have meaning: red = food, white = milk, black = their skin color, blue = good luck, orange = their nation, yellow = peace, green = the environment.

SAMBURU WOMEN

2005-01-19T13:30:00.000-06:00

MARGARET (LEFT) WITH MARRIED, UNMARRIED SAMBURU WOMEN

When we reached the village, a young women who spoke excellent English named Margaret met us and was our “guide.” They collected their fee and then the women of the village (about 12) sang and danced to welcome us. Then we watched a blacksmith make knives, walked through a typical hut (pretty bleak), heard about their customs (they are nomadic herders who consume mainly blood, milk and meat, they practice polygamy and male and female circumcision, etc.).

DANCING WITH SAMBURU WOMEN

2005-01-19T13:26:00.000-06:00

A Samburu settlement is known as a nkang or manyatta. It will normally consist of six or more huts built in a rough circle with an open space in the centre. The circle of huts is surrounded by thorn bush fence.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samburu

VISIT TO SAMBURU VILLAGE

2005-01-19T13:00:00.000-06:00

We returned from the morning game drive about 10 am. After we had breakfast at the lodge, we reboarded our vans for a trip to a nearby Samburu village.

The Samburu are like the Maasai in that they strive to maintain their culture and heritage. They intermarry with Maasai tribe members although it seems the Samburu hold to traditional ways even more that the Maasai (see links to writeups below).

You may not take their picture nor can you photograph their belongings such as their herds of cattle, goats, camels, etc. Instead, we paid about $10 per person to visit a select site and there we could ask questions, take photos, and purchase their wares.

This picture of the women in the village greeting us upon arrival.

This link takes you to an excellent writeup about the Samburus of Kenya.

So does this one.

GIFAFFE AT SUN UP

2005-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Our final safari drive before brunch at the lodge and the drive to Nairobi.

WED, JAN 19 - 6 AM SAFARI RIDE

2005-01-19T06:55:00.000-06:00

We went out at 6 am in twilight. We saw many of the same kinds of animals as yesterday but today we saw them in herds. We saw 3 or 4 zebra grazing, 5 grand gazelles, 8 giraffes, a water buffalo, a herd of 20+ impala, baboons, tiny antelope the size of jack rabbits (sounds like dick-dicks), and lots of birds including the secretary bird, a saddlebilled stork, and a hook beaked bird. Oh, and monkeys. Someone in the group, I think Jennifer Price, is keeping a list of the birds we have seen for Ron Rosser.

2005-01-18T16:24:00.000-06:00

ELEPHANT PARADE

HEADING OUT ON AFTERNOON (3:30-7) SAFARI

2005-01-18T15:30:00.000-06:00

We went out on a game drive at 3:30 and got back after 7 pm.

We saw elephants impala, water buffalo, guinea, giraffes, oryx, ostriches, tons of birds.

Dinner was a buffet on the lawn with BBQ and Samburu dancers (like Maisai - and, Daniel told us, they WILL stone your van if you take their picture without permisison.

Looks like Sea Island in Georgia.

2005-01-18T15:10:00.000-06:00

LOGDE BEDROOM

MONKEYS AT THE LODGE

2005-01-18T15:07:00.000-06:00

We are located within the Shaba Game Reserve.

The hotel describes itself quite rightly as “an oasis in the heart of Eastern Kenya. A unique African experience for those of you with a true sense of adventure.”

This game reserve was made famous by the late Joy Adamson (she was murdered by poachers) and her lioness, Elsa. The area is sometimes referred to as “Born Free country.”

The lodge sits on the banks of the Uaso Nyiro river which, we are assured, is full of crocodiles (the “feeding” can be observed at 7 pm each day).

There are also lots of little monkeys around; one of them manages to swipe a roll of f the buffet table at every meal! There are 80 chalet style rooms and a few fancier suites. The area supports giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Gerenuk and Beisa Oryx, elephant, and 150 recorded species of birds. There is a beautiful swimming pool and trickling (man-made) streams throughout the resort grounds.

We wish you were here to enjoy it with us!

2005-01-18T15:05:00.000-06:00

WELCOME

2005-01-18T15:00:00.000-06:00

Click here for lodge website.

2005-01-18T13:19:00.000-06:00

TUES, JAN 18 - DRIVE TO LODGE

2005-01-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

We left the bio-intensive agricultural center about 9:15 am in Daniel's three vans and had paved road for the first hour.

Then we hit the worst roads yet - truly awful. We laughed that it was like being in those electric massage chairs.

The lodge is beautiful and modern. The rooms are large and beautifully decorated and clean. The restaurant is like the tiki house at Disney World (so I am told) and the food is buffet style and delicious.

We are back amongst the living.

VIM STANDS FOR MORE THAN VOLUNTEERS IN MISSION

2005-01-17T23:17:00.000-06:00

One final thought before leaving the farm ..

We found this can of kitchen cleanser in the bathroom of John's home.

Do you suppose Africans who see the "V.I.M." insignia on our clothes think we are lemon-scented cleaners?

Thanks, darlene, for posing for this silly shot!

NOTE FROM SHIRLEY, FINAL THOUGHT FROM JEAN

2005-01-17T22:02:00.000-06:00

NOTE FROM SHIRLEY

Shirley wants her family to know that, at the Mubichi party last night, she ate goat and danced native dances with the women (be sure to tell mother).

ALL of the women danced in a circle while the African women sang songs.

Periodically, they would stop and explain to us the lyrics.

We especially liked the onE about women being the salt of the Earth!

That is certainly the case with these extraordinary women in Meru.

Shirley

A FINAL THOUGHT FROM JEAN

It is midnight and, like everyone else on this trip, I am dead tired. But I wanted to add a final thoughts before signing off. I am normally not very good at expressing my feelings about faith and religion and tonight I am further handicapped by extreme fatigue. But here goes.

First, we want everyone to know how very much we appreciate your prayers for our wellbeing while we are in Africa. Even from afar, we can feel your love and concern and well wishes.

Second, we want to thank each person who contributed in one way or another to this mission trip. We have brought a bag of "goodies" to every agency or facility we have visited -- thanks to your generosity. Thanks especially to Jeff; your gifts are now scattered across Maua and Meru and are in the hands of very deserving people. Bless you.

Finally, we want you to know that we feel very bless to have been able to make this journey. We have encountered a Christianity here in Kenya that is refreshing and invigorating and rejuvenating. People introduce themselves by saying, "My name is Betty Mwangi and I am born again through Jesus Christ my Savior." We pray before and after every meeting and meal and often end a gathering by reciting in unison a benediction. No Methodists here smoke or drink alcohol. I have not heard a sarcastic remark or unkind comment in all the time I have been in Kenya. There is a wholesomeness that is worthy of emulation. Conversation with Kenyans begins with sincere inquiries about yourself and your family. Only after they have taken a little time to get to know you and to assess how you are REALLY doing do we get down to the business at hand. The members of this VIM trip talked a lot this evening at dinner about the many ways we have been touched and changed by the wonderful people we have met here in Kenya. All agreed this has been a God directed mission and that we Americans have been the primary beneficiaries.

Jean

JOHN AND JANET MWALIMU - BIO-INTENSIVE FARM, MERU

2005-01-17T20:09:00.000-06:00

Gardens at the farm

Tonight, everyone (except Alfred and Jean) ate dinner at the bio-intensive farm and is sleeping in the farm's dormitories. Marshall rewired one of the showerheads (which contains a heating unit) so there are now two functioning showers at the farm! Yeah.

Jean and Alfred spent their final night in Meru at the home of Steven and Florence Mubichi. We stayed up very late talking about all the deserving projects we visited (we are suffering from a mild case of "donor fatigue") in an effort to prioritize and focus. We also exchanged gifts and I am still wearing my wonderful Kenyan necklace and earrings as I type this at midnight!

Everyone has asked me to post the contact information for the director of the farm and his wife, Janet, who was matron of Maua Hospital for 21 years and just retired (Stanley Gitari's wife, Mary took over the position after Janet retired). They have been simply wonderful. So here it is:

John and Janet Mwalimu
PO Box 443
Meru 60200
Kenya, Africa

Email: Mwalimu@salpha.net

REBA THE GOAT

2005-01-17T18:16:00.000-06:00

As we arrived back at the farm, John pulling in with a goat he had just purchased with the cash gift we had presented earlier. We wanted to name this lovely, noisy, female goat soomething to remind John of Oklahoma. After considerable discussion, she was named in honor of Oklahoma country and western signer Reba McIntyre. Jennifer P looks on approvingly.

Re-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-b-a-a-a-a-a-a!

WOMEN'S WEAVING PROJECT, MERU, KENYA

2005-01-17T17:30:00.000-06:00

Daniel and his drivers (who transported us from Nairobi to Maua) drove today to Meru and will be at the Bio-Intensive Farm at 8:30 AM tomorrow to drive us to Samburu National Park for our safari experience.

We have left a lot of our clothing behind with Florence; she will take it to Maua Methodist Hospital tomorrow for the Palliative Care Program.

We don't know if we will have access to the Internet again during our travels. So, if you don't hear from us during the next three days, know that we are all healthy and feeling great and having a wonderful time.

We marvel at the degree to which everyone has gotten along (even though many of us did not know each other before now). We have loved having young people (Jennifer, Marshall and Summer) with us.

We send you our love and pray that God will bless you and keep you safe and well until we see you again.

MONDAY AFTERNOON

2005-01-17T17:00:00.000-06:00

Carding wool at Makena Textile Workshop (Womens Project).

We ate lunch at the farm. Then some rested and repacked. Others went with Kathy to pay a courtesy call on the Mayor of Meru. They ended up chatting with the city manager who identified his greatest need to be a firetruck (they have a fire station but they don't have a truck.) Meru has a daytime population of 130,000 and a night time population of 70,000. The annual budget of the city is 50,000 Kenyan shillings.

NOTE: Our Vice Mayor (Kathy) said next time she would bring a small flag and/or a plaque and buisness cards of key administrators in her city so Meru officials could exchange emails.

A third group tooke a brief tour of the Kaage School for the Mentally Handicapped where they presented a gift bag.

In the late afternoon, we climbed into the vans once more for a visit to the Makena Textile Industry (Women's Weaving Project). We saw women carding wool, spinning wool, weaving wool (above picture), and even saw where they do the tye dye process. The had a small shop and most of us purchased an item or two - hot pads, purses and bags, stoles, blouses, shirts and dresses and even woven carpets.

DRIVING TO WOMEN'S WEAVING PROJECT (MERU STREET)

2005-01-17T16:57:00.000-06:00

KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY, MERU, KENYA

2005-01-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

Following tea at the School for the Deaf, we drove to Kenya Methodist University where we met with the Vice Chancellor (a former cardiologist) and then had a walking tour of the campus. He noted that this school is a Christian college located in a rural area of Kenya. They school considers community service and employing women to be very important (to "empower homes").

This is a very young college but is growing fast. They have over 1200 students enrolled but only have housing for about 200.

They have a beautiful new administration building, a fine library building that needs more books and a large chapel (can seat up to 1700 in a pinch).

The last building we visited housed the women's project which was started in the 1980's (before it was a college). The one story, two room building housed a kitchen and a "restaurant" that had just opened today! The curriculum is what we might call "culinary arts and restaurant administration."

Interesting note: The campus is lined with electric fencing along one side to keep the elephants off the campus grounds. We didn't see any but the campus abuts the route elephants take when moving between the grasslands and the forests of Mt Kenya.

KAAGA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF - CARPENTRY SHOP

2005-01-17T10:59:00.000-06:00

Another VIM project might be to obtain additional tools for this shop. There were two table saws; otherwise the tools could all have been used by Joseph, father of Jesus. Maybe an appeal could be made to the Black & decker headquarters in Nairobi to donate some new planes and saws and files.

SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF - CLASSROOM VISIT

2005-01-17T09:55:00.000-06:00

We visited a classroom to observe the children learning. This would make a great VIM project -- paint the walls and install new bulletin boards. Several ofthe students were wearing pretty ragged uniforms, too. But they were sweet and attentive and appreciative of our visit.

MON, JAN 17 - TOUR SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

2005-01-17T08:45:00.000-06:00

After regrouping at the farm, we walked over to the School for the Deaf for a tour of this program. They use American (rather than Kenyan) sign language here because so many of their staff have been trained in the United States. We met Rhonda, the head teacher and Alfred, the deputy superintendent who greeted us. Florence Mubichi is the one on the right in the picture. Students range from nursery to 22 year olds. They use the normal educational system. There are 3 high schools for the deaf in kenya; if a student doesn't make it into one of them, he or she may stay here and take vocational-technical classes.

The school was founded in 1965 by the Kenya Methodist Church. It started with 7 children and now has over 600 graduates and 165 currently enrolled. (The school was built for 120, so there is some congestion.)

Like most schools in Kenya, this is a boarding school. There is a stigma about having a deaf child in Kenya. Many cases of deafness can be attributed to malnutrician during pregnancy. Many students come from outside this part of Kenya. They go home to their families during the usual school breaks -- April, August and December.

The school dreams of having a library for deaf students, deaf adults and professionals working with the deaf. It would also be open to others in the area as well.

PARTY AT MUBISHI'S

2005-01-16T23:00:00.000-06:00

PARTY AT MUBISHI'S

At 5:30 PM, team members and our local hosts gathered at the Mubishi's home for a wonderful dinner and fellowship. We had traditional Kenyan food including delicious goat!

PARTY AT HOME OF STEVEN & FLORENCE MUBICHI

2005-01-16T19:00:00.000-06:00

MUBISHI'S HOME

This evening we were guests of Steven and Florence Mubichi. Here is their lovely home in Meru.

KAAGA CHILDREN'S HOME

2005-01-16T15:30:00.000-06:00

Kaaga Children's Home (Street Children Project)

Sunday afternoon we toured this facility for very poor area children from 4 to 22 years of age. The children sang for us and we met the staff. Then students took us for a tour of their dormitory, the farm, other buildings.

This program started as a feeding program for the street children in Meru and grew until it was selected by the Kaaga Methodist Church.

According to ints director, the program has four dimensions: Spiritual (knowing God), Mental (intellectual growth), Physical (learning about personal hygiene, getting exercise, etc), and Social (learning to interact with others).

In addition, these children learn to manage cattle (there is a small "farm" on the property).

The program also feeds the homeless children in the community.

Many of the children served are orphans who had been living on the streets. Besides providing this "home," the church helps with the cost of their schooling.

SUNDAY, JAN 16 - COMBINED CHURCH SERVICE

2005-01-16T10:30:00.000-06:00

Rebecca delivers gifts during church service

What a wonderful day we had today. Following breakfast, our host families brought us to the Kaaga Church for a combined worship service. I am sad to tell you that there were so many people at the church today that many had to sit outside.

The tem members arrived early and got settled in the front pews. The church is quite lovely though a bit rustic as the congregation has left it exactly as it was when it was constructed in the 1940s. (They did add a cover at the back and a small vestry with a restroom.)

There are banners hanging on the walls which read "I am the vine, you are the branches. Abide in Me," "I will search for my sheep and look after them," Jesus - Light of the world," "Let us praise God's glory," and "Jesus, the best gift of all."

Virgie gave the first reading and the English choir sang. Then Barbara gave the second reading and the Ebachanezar choir sang. We observed a moment of silence for the Tsunami victims and two men sang. Then the English youth singers sang, Marshall gave the third reading, there were intercessionary prayers, the Church Chairman spoke, and we presented our gifts to the church (choir robes, Adult Sunday School materials, Children's Sunday School materials, Susan Lucky's final quilt, a contribution to the church of $1,000 and a greeting card signed by members of the Nichols Hills United Methodist Church).

Children from the School for the Deaf (which we tour tomorrow) presented an interpretive dance, children from the Kaaga Children’s Home which we toured this afternoon) danced, the offering was taken and Scott gave a wonderful sermon. And there was some more singing - -

The 3 1/2 hour service flew by and before we knew it we were all out on the lawn visiting and then in the Fellowship Hall enjoying a combination tea and lunch. The weather (as usual) was perfect. We were surrounded by flowers in bloom and brightly dressed members of the congregation. It was simply glorious.

KAAGA METHODIST CHURCH, MERU, KENYA

2005-01-16T09:45:00.000-06:00

The Kaaga Methodist Church in Meru, Kenya is "the mother church of methodism in Kenya."

The plaque at the entrance of the Fellowship Hall reads, "Kaaga Pathfinder Memorial Hall. Built to the glory of God by both members of Kaaga Church and First United Methodist Church, Bartlesville, Oklahoma in loving memory of all the saints who live and die for the kingdom of God. Officially opened by Rev. Dr Ray Owen, Senior Minister, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Presiding Bishop Rev. Lawi Imathiu, Methodist Church in Kenya on July 20, 1986." The church is unchanged except for the covered entrance and rooms built to one side.

FROM REBECCA MORTON

2005-01-16T08:09:00.000-06:00

Hi, all. Greetings from Kenya -- Jambo -- Hello. The weather here is so incredibly wonderful and the food is out of this world. Contrasting that with the poverty is difficult. The Kenyans are so very gracious providing us with tea every day at 10 am and 2 pm and various offerings of American, Italian, French and African dishes at the hotel in Naua. Smiles, smiles everywhere. We finally requested less meat, more African dishes. At the market place, we ask if we can bring the balance of what we owe later. They respond, "Akunashirda" -- "no problem."

Blessings,

Rebecca

TEAM MEMBERS STAY WITH LOCAL FAMILIES

2005-01-15T20:00:00.000-06:00

Waiting to be picked up

VIM team members were picked up at the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Center by host families. The eighteen members were divided amongst 9 local households -- all members of the Kaaga Church.

We had dinner at our host family's home and visited before retiring for the evening.

I am one of four members staying with Steven and Florence Mubichi. They have a beautiful home and we are very comfortable. After I finished posting to the weblog last night, I enjoyed a leisurely scrub in the tub with hot water and fluffy towels and a comfortable bed! Yeah.

It was fun to compare experiences with our fellow team members when we met back up this morning. Staying with host families is a wonderful way to learn how Kenyans live and think!

The Mubichis have a computer in their home and it is connected to the Internet (a real luxury in Kenya) which is how I am able to get this information posted to the weblog.

So, thank you, Florence and Steven!

WHO STAYED WITH WHOM:

Barbara and Cindy stayed with Mrs. Judith Mbobua
Virgie and Summer stayed with M&M Stanley Mwithimbu
Gay and Shirley stayed with Judy Kaburu
Rebecca and Jennifer M stayed with M&M Erastus
Darlene and Helen stayed with Doris Mwirichia
Alfred stayed with M&M Jonathan Muriungi
Beth stayed with M&M Jane Kirera
Scott, Sandra, Jennifer P and Jean stayed with Steven & Florence Mubichi

MARILYN BRENCHLEY'S KEMU COFFEE FARM

2005-01-15T14:45:00.000-06:00

We drove in several cars out into the rural area around Meru where we met up with Marilyn Benchley - an American Methodist elder with the NW USA conference. She is from Richmond, Washington, USA.

Marilyn settled in Meru in 1990. Under her supervision, Kenya Methodist University (KEMU) has just purchased a coffee farm which we toured. She helped form the Kenya Methodist University Development Association which will process and sell the coffee (as well as the vegetables and fruits growing on the land) as a way to raise funds for KEMU.

KEMU previously was a vocational school but became a university 7 years ago. It started with 7 students and today has an enrollment of over 1,000 students.

The farm is 80 acres ands they took possession last September. It was rundown (all bush) and now it is beautiful They managed through donations to purchase a tractor. They have planted 1,400 trees and plan to plant 100 times that before they stop (this area used to be forest and has been cleared in recent years).

It will be a research facility for the undergraduate and graduate agriculture degree programs at KEMU. They have 20,000 coffee trees and we picked coffee beans and learned how coffee is made. There is a farm house that house 8 to 10 and will host VIM teams in future years.

MARILYN BRENCHLEY ON KEMU CAMPUS

2005-01-15T14:42:00.000-06:00

Marilyn Brenchley showed by KEMU's coffee plantation, then had us to tea at herlovely home.

COMPASSION PROGRAM, KAAGA METHODIST CHURCH

2005-01-15T13:30:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, we observed the Compassion Program which started with 110 children in 2000. They now have 403 children enrolled and another 300 graduates of the program.

The classes are held on the grounds of the church. The students wear uniforms (provided by the church) and sit in groups of up to 60. They are grouped by class level, sitting in plastic chairs in semi-circles. On the day we visited, they were perfectly behaved - quiet, attentive, polite. Tailoring classes for the older students were held in the fellowship hall.

This program is partially funded by Compassion International -- an NGA based in Colorado Springs, CO. Compassion International provides funding to cover operating costs but does not provide money to house the program.

The classes we met with were studying personal hygiene, religion, tailoring, embroidery, and more. After lunch, 5 little ones recited a poem about redemption through Jesus Christ, 18 sang a song, and 3 teenagers performed a dance to religious music. We were welcomed by the Chairwoman of the church and we were introduced to the many social workers who serve as instructors for this program.

The church members have begun construction of a permanent facility that would hold classrooms, supply room, administrators' offices and a small kitchen and bathroom (see photo above). This would be a fun VIM project to work on and very gratifying as it touches so many deserving children.

PROSEPCTIVE VIM PROJECT IN MERU - THE FARM

2005-01-15T11:43:00.000-06:00

VIM trip project - finish this conference room at the Bio-Intensive Center

ALFRED OPERATING WATER PUMP AT FARM

2005-01-15T10:34:00.000-06:00

The faster you pump, the further out and the more water the above ground sprinkling system delivers.

SAT, JAN 15 - TOUR OF BIO-INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE CENTER, MERU, KENYA

2005-01-15T10:18:00.000-06:00

Bio-Intensive Agriculture Center, Meru, Kenya

Last night, after viewing the sacred lake, we returned to the farm where janet served us a delicious dinner, we sat on the veranda or out in the garden, admired the amazing stars and - for some of us at least - truly relaxed for the first time since we hit Kenya. This area is so lush and the farm is beautifully kept.

Then we retired for the evening - the 15 women slept in one big open dormitory and the three men slept in the other. John has dreams of installing partitions in the dorms to give a little privacy and inproving the showers (PLEASE!) and the toilet area. Using the bathroom in the night entails a trip (so now we know why they said to bring a flashlight!) down past the cow shed. We are definately not in Kansas, Dorothey!

Our intinerary permitted us to sleep late (8 am versus 5:30 -- THANK YOU, Florence!!!) and Janet had a lovely breakfast waiting for us. Around 9:30 am, John took us for a teaching tour of the farm.
Here is a link to the General Board of Global Ministries description about this program. The Advanced Special I THINKis #014217-2RA.

The farm was established by the first Methodist missionaries who came to Kenya in 1862. The ruler of the country at the time gave them this land. The main building was built in 1919 and used to be a school. It was converted to a farm in 1992. The canopy over the stairs (and across the veranda??) was added in 2003 by a VIM team!

Missionaries started spreading the Gospel and also sartede up girls schools and boys schools and churches (until then, no one here went to school). There is a second house on the property that was built later; a British lady is living there but she was away during our visit.

This 2 acre facility is a totally organic demonstration farm. Students come to the farm to learn and john also goes out into the area to teach. (John feels that improving the dormitories and showers would attract more students to the farm; I have to agree!)

The corn here is 9-12 feet high; in fact, everything is huge and lush and delicious (our lunch came from the gardens)!

John's mission is to teach farmers how to get greater yield from their land. He also provides training on nutrition and HIV/AIDS. Ninety percent of those who come for training are women. The first year he was here, he had 500 come, the next year 780, then 970, 1070 in 2003 and 1,200 were trained in 2004.

He teaches about crop rotation,

Like an American USDA Agricultural Extension agent, he also introduces improved strains of plants to farmers in the region. For instance, he showed us a very fast growing form of South African Eucalyptus tree that goes 24 feet tall in two years when it can be harvested; it doesn't require lots of water, it is self pruning, and it is fast growing. It can be used to make medicine and organic sprays for crops.

We saw a nifty hay stall built by a VIM team from Texas for "zero grazing" (no free range); the cow stalls were spotless with a sleeping area and a separate feeding area. The area is cleaned twice a day and the maure goes into a compost pile (as does everything on the farm. In fact, if you weren't composting before you saw this place, you left a believer! We met the milk cows - Betty, Susan and Carrie. They grow and harbvest napier grass (which they chop up and feed to the livestock).

While I am thinking about it, we would all like to thank the VIM team from Texas who laid the concrete walkways throughout the complex. THANK YOU!

The dorms were built in 1930 when the facility was a girls school. we saw a water pump designed like a "Stairmaster;" Alfred tried it out and it worked well -- you just have to keep up the pace if you want the sprinkling system to water your crops at full force! Go, Alfred, go!

Because of the composting (and double digging to enrich the soil, John practices "intensive farming" ; where normally corn would be planed 2 feet apart, he plants 5 in a 2' by 2' area.

There are stalls for calves and goats and vertical vegetable gardens that Satterleys Nursery in Oklahoma City would be proud of.

We went into a new building built be a Texas VIM team that includes a kitchen, dining area and a conference/classroom. He currently puts 100 people into the calssroom but it is unfinished and gets hot. It needs a ceiling, windows on the back side for cross ventilation, plywood for the walls, etc. And he needs lots more chairs. Infact, he left us with a booklet outlining needs at the farm And, I have to say, a VIM trip to this farm alone would be divine and the work needs to be done and the whole effort is doing a great amount of good for the area. Except maybe that part about starting to do bee-keeping; not sure I'm into bees myself. So - Hurrah for John and Janet and this beautiful place!

By the way, if you want to make a small contribution, send John money for twin bed sized sheets. What WERE those things we slept on, anyway? They felt like polyester bedspread material. Sorry to gripe, john, but the sheets (and the one working shower - but Marshall took care of that) were the only at this lovely facility.

ABOUT MERU, KENYA

2005-01-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Meru is located on the Northeast slopes of Mount Kenya about five miles north of the equator; the altitude in Meru is approximately 5,000 feet.

Have you discovered Wikipedia yet? It is a great online encyclodepia - of sorts. It depends on folks like you and me submitting information. Here is the link to their description of Meru.

According to http://www.kenya-travel-safari.com/kenya-travel-destinations/meru-travel-kenya-tourism.html/, Meru is a bustling business, agricultural and educational center for the entire northeast of Kenya. It has three or four banks and numerous hotels, markets and transportation terminals. Coffee, tea, timber, cattle and all other manner of products are produced in Meru. It is located in an area of mixed forest and clearings, with smaller towns and villages, and rural farms surrounding it.

Major attractions in Meru include the municipal market featuring stalls selling baskets, clothes, domestic utensils, agricultural produce and more (especially popular are the small fruit shops selling custard apples and miraa) and the Meru Museum in the oldest stone building in town. The museum is comparatively small but very engaging with ethnographic exhibits, pick-up-and-feel blocks of fossilized wood, and stone tools from the Lewa Downs prehistoric site. By the museum is a place to buy herbal pharmacopoeia and a pool featuring crocodile, turtles and tortoises.

NOTE FROM SHIRLEY

2005-01-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you family for the emails and prayers.

I worked in surgery and surgery ward at the hospital.

Equipment, beds, medical supplies, etc are 1950's or older.

We have moved to Meru and are working on the Methodist farm.

Happy one month to little Davis.

Love and prayers,

Shirley

MONKEYS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

2005-01-14T15:39:00.000-06:00

Monkeys, Meru, Kenya

Driving back from the Sacred Lake, we encounterd about 10 monkeys along the side of the road outside meru - another first for the team.

FETCHING WATER FROM SACRED LAKE, MERU

2005-01-14T15:15:00.000-06:00

Fetching water at Sacred Lake, Meru, Kenya

All the time we were at the lake, women and children were traversing the steep ravine in search of water. They carried plastic 20-liter bottles on their backs. Some small boys came with a donkey to carry the water jugs.

LAKE NKUNGA CONSERVATION EFFORT

2005-01-14T15:00:00.000-06:00

Sacred Lake, outskirts of Meru, Kenya

We drove out away from Meru to view Lake Nkunga and meet with a group of local citizens who are concerned that this historic site is becoming over grown and endangered.

The lake sits on 100 acres of land which has been set aside because it is the only route or corridor available to elephants when they migrate each year from Mount Kenya out to the grasslands; this is also the area where elephants mate each year.

Until 1963, the lake was very clear and pure but since then it has become contaminated.

This is a beautiful forest but the trees are getting cut down because it is not guarded or managed. There are no forests north of here in all of Africa.

The citizens' group wants to conserve this ecosystem, remove the grass that has grown up in the lake, maintain the forests (which are being depleted), and possibly eventually develop the area for tourism. They think a high quality hotel or set of cottages could be constructed where tourists could observe the elephants and other animals and appreciate the restful setting.

This is called a "sacred" lake because people used to worship big trees and mountains as symbols of "the god of the unknown."

There is a very long, very steep path that leads down to the lake. Throughout our visit, this path was actively in use by women and children climbing down to fill their 20 liter plastic water jugs.

The rural community depends on the lake and its springs as it is the only water source at present. In order to presenve the lake and surrounding area, the members of the Lake Nkunga Conservation Group want an alternative water source for the area communities developed. They have identified a site where they want to drill a bore hole.

ARRIVAL IN MERU, KENYA

2005-01-14T14:07:00.000-06:00

The garden at the farm (a little piece of paradise)

Our vans delivered us to the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Training Center where we met up with Florence Mubichi. Florence had prepared our itinerary for the time we will spend in Meru. (I get the impression everyone in town lobbied her to be added to the agenda -- and EVERYONE wanted us for tea!)

We met JohnMwalimu, the director of the facility (which is referred to as "the farm"), and his lovely wife Janet. Then we headed out to see the "sacred lake" (see posting above).

GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO HELP AIDS VICTIMS

2005-01-14T11:21:00.000-06:00

We also toured several self-help projects in nearby Machungulu, Kenya.

We visited women with AIDS and heard about an AIDS widows group composed of 150 women who had lost their spouse to AIDS. This group arranges for widows to receive micro-lending loans to earn money. They also care for over 300 AIDS orphans.

We drove past their elementary school -- hundreds of children playing in the long grass laughing and waving. We were met by women siging a welcome song; then walked through their weekly medical clinic and then met in their church.

All of these projects are owned and run by the community. The Maua Methodist Hospital provides assistance and more information can be obtained from the Machungulu Palliative Care Project, PO Box 172 60600, Maua, Meru North, Kenya.

These programs were the brainchild of missionaries Dr. Dietmar Zieglar and his wife, Sr Brigit Zieglar who were tragicallykilled in an automobile accident in Kenya.

The clinic obtains and provided AIDS drugs at a very reduced price. They have a small car provided by a grant from the Diana Fund. They can screen for HIV and provide results in 17 hours.

They also hand out clothing that is donated by individuals in the community.

They are currently building a daycare facility which will house classrooms, administistrative offices, a community credit union, a fellowship hall, a kitchen and the clinic. All of this is paid for by "fair trade" products" and all is organized by the methodist Church in Kenya.

When this started, no one would talk about AIDS. Now everyone wears an AIDS pin. They were burying at least one AIDS victim a week which is no longer the case. Their next goals are to continue to fight the stigma of HIV, make their volunteer effort sustainable, maintain their current standards and start a food bank.

We asked, "Is this program unique?" They said, "Yes. Others look to outsiders for help. This is the only one we know of in Africa that is a self help, community based, grassroots effort. There are lots of African groups now coming to see this project. We are also making presentation about our projects outside Africa."

We were told that it costs about 1,000 Kenyan shillings to build "one rafter" in the new building. Everyone on the team was so moved that we each made a contribution towards the effort.

Afterwards, we had lunch for the final time at the Maua Methodist Church and were driven to our hotel. We loaded up our luggage and headed for Meru.

FRI, JAN 14 - TOURED AIDS HOMES IN MAUA AREA

2005-01-14T09:00:00.001-06:00

AIDS home; Left side=new home; Right side=previous home

On Friday morning, we attended chapel service and then rode in vans to view some of the homes the community has built for very poor people with AIDS and for families where the parents have died from AIDS.

These houses follow a standard design. It is one room (two if there are both boys and girls in the family). It is wood framed so it is easier for women VIM team members to construct than are the cinder block homes we have helped build in Mexico.

In the picture above, the new house is on the left and the original dwelling is on the right. Many original homes were mud huts - like the sod homes Okahoma settlers lived in prior to Oklahoma's statehood!

WE MEET PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER JAMES MIRKES

2005-01-14T08:55:00.000-06:00

(L to R) Scott, Jennifer P, Summer, Beth and James Mirkes

As we were getting ready to view AIDS homes, we spotted a young Caucasian approaching our van. He introduced himself as Jarrett "James" Mirkes, a Peace Corps volunteer in Maua.

We talked him into going with us on our tour of the area and we had a great chance to visit and learn about his program.

James is from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and a graduate of Big Foot High School. His college degree is in computer technology and he worked for a large bank for four years after college before joining the Peace Corps.

He helps install and maintain computers in area schools as well as train students to use computers. The program is tied to an NGO -- Computers for Schools, Kenya.

He said the popular television programs around here are "The Bold and the Beautiful," "E.R.," W.W.W.(wrestling), the BBC, and Walker - Texas Ranger.

POSTINGS FROM THE FIELD

2005-01-13T22:29:00.000-06:00

METHODIST IMPACT ON MAUA

Having this wonderful Methodist hospital here benefits Maua in many ways. It is a big employer and a good corporate citizen. It provides a remarkable and much needed service. And the love of God is reflected in all of the things done here

BLOOD DONORS

The hospital's supply of blood was exhausted when we arrived. Two VIM team members gave blood while one of our nurses looked on. She reported that the procedure was very safe and "according to protocol." While in the lab, they got to view malaria on a slide.

NIGHT NOISE

Kathy and Beth were awoken one night by the loud thumping sounds on their roof. In the morning, they learned it was just a domestic cat -- not a raccoon or a tiger.

POSTINGS + COMMENTS FROM "Report #2 via the mission field"

2005-01-13T21:56:00.000-06:00

CORRECTION

I previously reported that we had two elders and two deacons. It turns out that Marshall isn’t a deacon. He is studying to become an elder and is currently a youth minister at Blanchard UMC.

VIM CHAPEL, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13

The VIM Team presented the morning chapel service on Thursday, January 13. Scott gave the sermon after Alfred presented a book and the second of Susan Lucky’s beautiful quilts to the hospital. Virgie led prayer, Marshall and Sandra read Scripture, and Rebecca closed with their traditional benediction.

KATHY’S POSTING

Walking the crowded pediatric ward for the third day in a row has been jarring to the senses as well as to the heart.

A sea of young mothers lie in their beds, cradling sick babies in their arms. As they nurse their offspring, they chat among themselves and hope for a cure -- or sometimes only relief from -- the malaria, HIV, mal nutrition, tuberculosis, epileptic seizures from which so many suffer.

Young babies who resemble frames of infants and toddlers still at the breast are weak.

A few of the children are 5 or 6 years old. They sometimes smile with curiosity. Some mothers hesitatingly smile. Not many grin and some stare hopelessly with disdain or worry. One child I had seen only yesterday died during the night of pneumonia.

The beauty in this room of 30 women and 30 children is that the mothers and their sons and daughters eat, sleep, grieve, laugh, and cry together.

Please pray for them.

JENNIFER M’S POSTING

Hey, people. I’m here in Kenya working at the Methodist hospital. I am so tired but I have been getting more sleep here than I ever do at home. I am in bed by eight every night, Kenya believe it! I am currently working on a mural for the children’s wing of the hospital which is super fun. We are very limited on supplies so we have to be pretty creative. Well, I’d better go. I miss you all terribly. Take care of each other. Make it a great day.

BARB’S POSTING

Wednesday in Maua. During lunch with the hospital administrators, the term “yellow people” was heard. After further discussion, we learned that when Cindy, Jennifer, Kathy and I visited the neighboring town of Munchungulu, that was our description. Now we were rather conspicuous – all very white and blond – walking through a sea of hundreds of men, wrapping, trading and chewing “mirra.”

We had heard that in this area, the economy somewhat thrives on mirra – not illegal but clearly an amphetamine.

It is amazing to us what a “shopping center” looks like in Kenya.

GAY ON THE FOOD

“Best avocados I have ever tasted!”

FROM DARLENE

Ron, Michelle, Pearl – Darlene says, “Hi.”

DINNER AT GITANI'S + MATATU RIDE HOME

2005-01-13T20:44:00.000-06:00

Stanley Gitani and Jennifer P

On Thursday night, we had dinner at the home of Stanley Gitari who is head of the Methodist Community Health Center (which includes the Palliative Care Program and the AIDS Education Program).

Stanley, his wife Mary, and their son live in a nice house on the hospital compound. It was a fun evening with good food and a chance to visit with a number of his friends.

After dinner (around 9:45 pm), Stanley and about eight of his friends attempted to walk us back to the hotel. It was very dark because there are no street lights in Maua. Nevertheless, the streets were quite active.

About a third of the way home, some of the men on the street began to gather around us. There was a little jossling (a man muttered Ali be praised in my ear).

One of our escorts turned back and fetched a local taxi. These are small trucks with a shell on the back and benches running the length of the bed on either side. I don't know how to spell it but it sounds like ma-ta'-tu.

Stanley and his friends formed a circle around us as we quickly clambered into the truck. Another of his friends arrived on a motorcycle and he followed us all the way back to the hotel just to be sure we arrived safely.

MORAL TO STORY: Mzungus (white people) should never walk the streets of Maua after dark. Related to the above, here is a somewhat facetious list of tips for getting around in neighboring Tanzania that probably applies to Kenya as well.

VISIT TO THE NURSING SCHOOL

2005-01-13T16:31:00.000-06:00

The Nursing School - When we finished our project on Thursday, we all walked over to the Nursing School on the hopsital grounds and poked our heads into Florence Mubichi's classroom. Our two nurses, Darlene and Shirley, said a few words and encouraged the students to "STAY IN SCHOOL." Then we saw the faculty offices and chatted briefly with them.

ALPHABET MURAL

2005-01-13T16:30:00.000-06:00

Darlene is saying. "Now, it isn't quite finished!"

NUMBERS MURAL

2005-01-13T16:20:00.000-06:00

Adding final details to the numbers mural are Summer, Jennifer M and Scott.

MURAL IN COMMUNITY HEALTH BUILDING

2005-01-13T16:16:00.000-06:00

Mural in Community Health Division, Maua

When Stanley Gitani learned Cindy was doing a mural, he asked her to do one in his facility, too.

We each signed a "leaf" (hand print). Here Kathy is beaming as we record the project. It was in a hallway so it was hard to photograph. :-)

PAINTED NOAH'S ARK MURAL

2005-01-13T16:00:00.000-06:00

Noah's Ark Mural, Maua Methodist Hospital

This was taken just as we finished up on our final day.

WHAT WE DID AT THE HOSPITAL

2005-01-13T15:55:00.000-06:00

In the children’s ward (which holds 60 beds), we renovated half the ward.

This included removing the mold from the ceiling and painting the ceiling. This was done by Kenyan workers thankfully.

All window frames were painted inside and out and Jean and Gay, with help from others, led the effort to thoroughly clean most of the window panes so that you don’t even know that there is glass there!

All the walls have been painted cream from the waist up and turquoise on the bottom half; Jennifer P, Helen, Virgie, Alfred and others lent a hand.

Some of the cement flooring was chipped out by Scott and Marshall and Kenyan workers and new cement will be poured after we leave.

In the ward, murals were painted on several walls depicting 1) Noah’s Ark, 2) A,B,Cs and 3) numbers (spelled out in Swahili). In the Community Health Building a mural was painted of the Tree of Life. It looks like an African tree (flat on top). The “leaves” are hand prints which we will each sign. Behind and around the tree trunk are maps of Africa and Oklahoma (with an oil well and other symbols in it)! Cindy drew all the murals and Summer, Darlene, Jennifer M, Sandy and Barb plus others filled in the colors.

Also (and perhaps the most remarkable part of the job), all of the wooden furniture was painted turquoise and all of the metal beds were washed and then painted with two coats of cream colored paint. The wooden furniture was Beth’s pet project and Kathy led the renovation of the beds.

PURCHASED NEW MATTRESSES FOR THE BEDS

2005-01-13T11:30:00.000-06:00

New mattresses arrive

With Kathy as our spokesperson, the hospital agreed to let us purchase from a store in Maua new mattresses for 30 of the beds in the children’s ward. In addition we are purchasing pillows and blankets for all the freshly painted beds.

FAREWELL DINNER AT MAUA BASIN HOTEL

2005-01-12T19:40:00.000-06:00

Wednesday night we ate our final supper at the hotel. They served vegetable spring rolls, "fan of avocado sunrise," cream of tomato soup, beef stroganoff, African yam stew, poached pumpkins, steamed rice, parsleyed potatoes, mixed vegetables, cabbage and carrots, and, for onf first dessert, Nyabene crepes and home made ice cream. We had told the chef several people on our team were vegetarians and they did a great job of offering lots of meatless choices.

After dinner, they turned the lights low and the chef came out carrying a cake with lit candles and sparklers. Four servers followed him out, each carrying a flaming torch. The words on top of the cake read, "Asanteni Kwakua Nasi Karibuni Tena" which (I am told) means "Thank you for being with us. Welcome again."

BUYING FROM JOHN

2005-01-12T17:09:00.000-06:00

Alfred shopping at John's stall in Maua as he dodges a passing cow.

THE LOCAL DRUG PROBLEM - MIRRA (AKA KHAT)

2005-01-12T16:50:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of a man in Maua, Kenya who was harrassing Scott as we walked home to the hotel. He was barefoot and filthy and (according to Steven Mubichi) a little crazy. He was also carrying a packet of mirra in his left hand (also known as Khat) and seemed pretty spaced out. He berated us in Swahili the whole time.

Khat ( Catha Edulis) is an evergreen shrub/tree and grows to about four metres high. The best Khat is grown in the mountain areas of Kenya and Ethiopia. The main active ingredient in the plant includes Cathinone which acts as a stimulant, to the central nervous system in a way similar to amphetamine.

Khat is traditional to North East African countries such as Somalia, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and has a long history of use in these regions. It's social acceptance is such that it can be compared to the use of tea and coffee in Western society. It is also known as 'mirra'.

Source. http://www.ndp.govt.nz/media/2000/customs22mar2000.html

Also see http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/khat1.htm and http://www.geocities.com/forceps1974/khat.html
for discussion of Khat (aka “mirra”).

WEDN, JAN 12 - LUNCH WITH ADMINISTRATORS

2005-01-12T13:35:00.000-06:00

Key hospital administrators hosted the team for a lunch featuring traditional Kenyan foods. There were speeches and expressions of appreciation and much good fellowship.

Kathy reviewed the gifts we had brought including medical supplies, eye glasses, books, bedding, and food, toys and clothing for palliative care patients. The chaplain noted that our being here is a loving action and asked us to take greeting to the US and to come again.

The hospital administrator mentioned some other ways to help the hospital including cash donations to their Advanced Special account with the General Board of Global Ministries, donation of “outdated” equipment from America – especially they desire an autoclave and an oxygen system for their hospital, and to encourage other VIM teams to visit this lovely facility.

HOSPITAL POSTERS

2005-01-11T23:04:00.000-06:00

CANDID DISCUSSION WITH DR PAUL McMASTERS

2005-01-11T14:06:00.000-06:00

Dr. Paul McMasters visits with VIM team members

At our request, the staff set up a time for our team to visit with Dr. Paul McMasters, a British surgeon volunteering at the hospital for a few months. He usually works in Uganda but felt called to Maua this year.

He filled us in on some of the area customs like "cutting" as an act of retribution, female circumcision, polygamy and the use of mirra (a plant grown around here that has the effect of an amphetamine). He also talked about the many improvements that the hospital has made and is making.

He told us that this is actually a relatively affluent part of Kenya but only about 10% of Kenyans are rich and the balance are poor. Still, life expectancy is only about 40 years because so many die from AIDS.

There seems to be considerable fighting between tribes in this area. If you poach, they cut the offenders tendons in the arm and/or leg as punishment. They use a large machete like knife called a panga. Women get cut as well as men.

Domestic violence, according to Dr. McMasters, is prevelant; last week he saw a women with a spear in her back (placed there by her husband).

The drug mirra is grown in this area - especailly during and right after the rainy seasons. It suppresses the appetite. Traditionally it was used only be men, However, during the recent droughts, women started using it as well to dampen hunger pains.

McMasters said that across Africa women are treated poorly. Their hemoglobin is at 50%, they have worms, and there is great malnutrition. A woman's dowery is 13 cows because she is expected to raise 13 sons (and each will need a cow). The first wife often chooses the 2nd wife and is grateful for the help.

A huge improvement has been introduction of plastic 20 liter jugs which have replaced the old clay jars women once used to fetch water. Now, because of the lighter weight container, small children can fetch water, too.

The doctor was especially impressed that this hospital is offering a family planning program; he said he had not seen anything like in in Africa.

He urged us to support the United Nations. They are "on the ground" in Africa and are doing good and are perceived as neutral (unlike the Americans and the British).

ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, & CARPENTRY SKILLS

2005-01-11T11:25:00.000-06:00

Marshall wiring an incubator

In addition to renovating the ward, Marshall and Gay brought electrical, plumbing and carpentry skills to the team. Several incubators that were built on site were wired by Marshall. Also, the holes in the screens in the Children’s Ward were repaired.

OUR "RIGHT HAND" DORIS KUNGANIA

2005-01-11T09:00:00.000-06:00

Doris Kungania (left)

Doris, our liaison, was wonderfully helpful. We only had to ask once and within a few minutes she was back with the requested item or piece of information.

TUESDAY, JAN 11 - MAUA, KENYA

2005-01-11T06:10:00.000-06:00

This is the view from in front of our hotel, looking away from town, at 6 am.

We rose early and, following breakfast at the hotel, we walked in our three teams to the hospital grounds for 8 am chapel. Then we set about our work.

WHAT COMES NEXT AND COMMENTS FROM "Report #1 via the mission field"

2005-01-10T23:00:00.000-06:00

WHAT COMES NEXT

I have typed this email straight through morning tea break but I want to take a minute more to tell you what comes next.

We hope to have the entire children's ward painted and put back together by 4 pm Thursday although it may be some time before the new floor gets poured. Marshall is busy today installing three electric hand dryers in the hospital (a first for Marshall and the hospital both).

On Friday, we will walk to the hospital and be driven in hospital vans to a nearby village where we will get a tour of what I call the AIDS orphanage. (I think it is called New Life Church but we will find out soon enough! We aren’t sure whether or not there are children living there yet but will let you know.)

That afternoon, the hopsital's vans will drive us to Meru which I think is a one hour drive. We will go directly to the Bio-Intensive Agricultural Center in Meru where there is a dormitory. We will sleep there Friday night and work at the farm Saturday. Then, with Florence and Steven Mubichi, we will tour several institutions in Meru.

On Saturday night, leaders in Florence and Steven’s church will host us in their homes and on Sunday morning, they will bring us to church service. They are having a combined service and Scott will give the sermon. We have two elders and two deacons on our VIM team and I expect they will all play a role in the service. We will also present the final quilt made by Susan Lucky at that church service.

Sunday evening, there will be a dinner in our honor at the home of Florence and Steven Mubichi and I think that evening we sleep at the dormitory at the farm. On Monday, we will have a tour of Kenya Methodist University, meet the Bishop and tour another nearby demonstration farm and pay a visit to a women’s weaving cooperative. Their products will be for sale and we expect to bring home Meru tie dye fabrics. That afternoon, we will be picked up by vans and taken off for our safari experience.

I ask you, “How cool is this VIM trip?”

Please pray for us. One of the readings at last night’s worship service was from the writings of Mother Teresa. I won’t get it exactly right but it sort of went like this: What matters is not how well or how much work is done but whether it is done with love. There is certainly a love of love and friendship and respect associated with this extraordinary mission trip.

Everyone on the team sends their love. Computers are not as available as we had hoped so we probably won’t post again until we get to Meru on Friday.

KENYA DRESS

2005-01-10T17:00:00.000-06:00

On the streets and in church, I have seen only one woman wear slacks. Darlene tells me two women nurses wore slacks on Monday. No one seems to wear blue jeans during the week (they save them for Sundays). Rather, everyone is very dressed up by American standards. Women as well as men wear suits and dress shoes.

So we American women are a sight to behold trapsing through Maua in blue jeans and short sleeved T-shirts! And we do get the stares. Brave children come up and touch the white folks but most hide behind their mothers and just stare.

BUSTING CONCRETE

2005-01-10T15:15:00.000-06:00

Scott chipping out concrete floor

By afternoon, Scott and Marshall had been relegated to sitting on the concrete floor with a chisel and a mallet taking up the top inch of concrete floor.

The women took turns at it which drew all the paid Kenyan workmen who stared in total disbelief at the sight.

Beth has become our unofficial foreman; she coordinates our tasks with John who seems to be the Kenyan painter who speaks the best English.

OUTREACH VISIT

2005-01-10T14:00:00.000-06:00

AIDS patient, Elizabeth, is second from the right

Following morning tea, Jennifer P, Kathy, Cindy and Sandy went with two hospital staff (both named Faith) (the nutritionist and a nurse) and a driver to observe the hospital’s outreach palliative care service which is run by Stanley Gitani.

First they visited a 50 year old woman with AIDS (above photo). She lived in a shack smaller than most tool sheds with a bed, a mattress and bowl on the dirt floor. The mattress and blanket were gifts from the Methodist church. The home has no running water or electricity. Food is cooked over a three stone fire fuelled by twigs or coal.

The second patient they visited was a 6 year old girl who is dying from AIDS. AIDS has already taken both her parents. The older sister who was caring for her is mentally disabled and got the medications mixed up which probably allowed the HIV virus to mutate and so she may die soon. She had thrush and pneumacystic pneumonia, terribly swollen glands, and lots of other complications.

(NOTE: We brought with us about 50 cloth bags from Cokesbury Christian Bookstore and plan to fill them with beans and rice and a toy for the outreach staff to take on future visits including to these two patients if they are still alive. We are also leaving behind the bulk of the clothing we brought on this trip which hospital staff will launder and donate to needy families.)

HOMECOOKING

While they were out, the group stopped for lunch – an experience I will have to wait and let Kathy tell you about. Suffice it to say – everything about the experience was jarring. Kathy’s words: “Dark Ages, feudalism, 10th century technology.” The serving dishes (people used their hands to eat) were washed in a large bowl filled with about 2 inches of filthy brown water without detergent. Kathy did eat a little of the goat and isn’t sick (yet).

THE CHILDREN'S WARD, MAUA METHODIST HOSPITAL

2005-01-10T13:27:00.000-06:00

Children's Ward

We broke at 4 pm and walked back to the hotel to rest before dinner at 7. We had a nice worship service in our court yard and retired early – exhausted.

LUNCH ON THE LAWN (SAMOSAS)

2005-01-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

Samosas (lunch on the lawn)

For lunch on Monday, we ate meat or cabbage stuffed samosas. Fourteen of them cost 340 shillings (about 4 dollars). They are sort of African eggs rolls. Pretty good but greasy. Darlene and Shirley joined us for lunch and filled us in on their experiences.

OUR TWO NURSES WORK IN THE HOSPITAL

2005-01-10T11:57:00.000-06:00

Maua incubator

The two nurses on our VIM team, Darlene and Shirley, worked in the hospital.

Darlene worked with the babies. There is an AIDS orphan and a baby born at 28 weeks who has encephalitis (SP?) but is sort of healing herself. Two babies are HIV positive. The incubators are simple wooden boxes warmed with light bulbs.

Shirley worked on the surgery wing.

Both came away impressed with the staff and the amazing things they accomplish with so few resources. We hope to raise funds to send baby blankets to the hospital when we get home as they have very few and the babies in the incubators sleep on rumpled up rags instead of mattresses.

OLD MATTRESSES FROM THE WARD

2005-01-10T11:30:00.000-06:00

These are the old matresses from children's ward. Yuck.

TEA AT MAUA METHODIST HOSPITAL

2005-01-10T11:15:00.000-06:00

Jennifer P in VIM team's tea room

At the hospital, we stopped work for tea at 10 am and 3 pm each day. The hospital set aside a room for us and a staff person named Florence put food out for us.

In the beginning, we were served soft drinks, cookies, bread and butter, hot water and hot milk in large thermos jugs, powdered coffee and cocoa and tea bags, sugar and bananas. Later, Florence also provided lots of cut up fruit as well.

We came to appreciate these times not only for the chance to rest and interact but as opportunities for a staff meeting (identifying supplies we needed Florence to purchase for us out of our VIM supply fund, learning what we would be doing that evening or the following day, etc.). We also enjoyed these opportunities to visit with staff personnel who joined us for tea.

At our Monday morning tea break (10 am), Florence Mubichi spoke with us. She is the head of the nursing program here and teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays but she drove up especially today to just to see us. (On other days of the week, she is on the faculty at Kenya Methodist University in Meru.) She filled us in on what we will be doing in Meru and answered many of our questions. She told us that women painting is a strange sight for men in Maua but we should just “be assertive” and do what we need to do.

OUR FIRST MOSQUITOS ALERT

2005-01-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

Sink in children's ward

There was a clogged sink in the main room that was filled with standing water and we encountered the largest number of mosquitoes so far in that room!

I emptied water from the sink -- one plastic cup at a time -- until a staff person finally appeared with a plunger to clear the line. Yeah!

OUR BASE OF OPERATION AT THE HOSPITAL

2005-01-10T09:15:00.000-06:00

"Our room"

We have a small room where we can store tools, supplies and back packs while we work. We were taken to the children's ward where they had already moved out all the children since yesterday. Hospital staff removed the bedding and mattresses (“a whole nother story”) while we moved the furniture.

RENOVATING THE CHILDREN'S WARD

2005-01-10T08:10:00.000-06:00

Painting the children's ward

We set about sand papering the walls (could this be lead-based paint??) while Kenyan workmen scrapped and washed the mold off the ceilings. (We requested and wore face masks!)

We also wiped and then painted the windows and screen frames.

By the end of the first day, we had painted the first of 6 rooms (ceiling and walls) and 3/4ths of the windows. This was a very dreary ward and we are making a huge difference!

ATTEND MORNING CHAPEL SERVICE

2005-01-10T08:05:00.000-06:00

Chapel on grounds of Maua Methodist Church

This service was very similar to an American Methodist church service and included Communion. One difference was that they used small wafers instead of bread and the drink comes in tiny cups and parishioners can select from grape juice (on the left side) or red wine (on the right side). At this “Covenant Service," Scott was invited to the front of the church to introduce the balance of the team members. Afterwards we met with Doris Kungania, an Administrative Assistant at the hospital who is our liaison.

MONDAY, JAN 10 - FIRST WORK DAY

2005-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Streets of Maua

Monday we rose at 5:45 am and were at the hotel restaurant (across the street) at 6:30 am when it opened for breakfast.

After breakfast, we walked to the hospital grounds (about a 25 minute walk through garbage strewn, rutted, unpaved streets) for a one-hour “combined” church service at the chapel on the hospital grounds.

Normally the nursing school students and interns attend a 7:30 am service and the hospital staff attend an 8 am service. On Thursday, we will lead the chapel service and will present the second of Susan Lucky’s wonderful quilts to the hospital chapel.

CIRCUMCISION PARTY, REST TIME

2005-01-09T16:00:00.000-06:00

Hotel room, Maua Basin Hotel

CIRCUMCISION PARTY

After our tour of the hospital on Sunday afternoon, Scott, Alfred and Helen were guests at a circumcision celebration for a 15 year old boy. It had been 3 weeks since the circumcision and the event was sort of a “coming out as an adult” event. The balance of the team went back to the hotel to rest.

Males tend to get circumcised between the ages of 11 and 15. We were told that Samburu women are circumcised the day they get married (just prior to the wedding). OUCH. We saw T-shirts in Meru that read "Say NO to Female Circumcision" and there is an effort in the country to reduce the incidence but even some Christian women are still circumcised.

DINNER AT MAUA BASIN HOTEL

We eat dinner in our hotel diningroom every evening at 7 pm. It is served buffet style and is like eating at the Ritz Carlton compared to what everyone around us is eating! The service is excellent and the food so far has been very familiar (in fact, we have requested that the chef serve us some “Kenyan food” rather than always fish, steak, spaghetti, etc.).We hold a worship service following dinner in the hotel courtyard. This evening we began with a debriefing session. Team members had lots of questions and concerns and just needed to talk about what we have encountered so far -- especially in terms of the extreme poverty all around us.