Last weekend I moved into my new flat in Kilimani which is ace, it’s a really nice place, super close to Adam’s arcade and Toi market. For those who don’t know Adams is where Java house is. Java house is my favourite coffee shop in Nairobi although there is some debate in the Turning Point camp as to which is better: Dormans or Java? Your opinions count people!
Toi market is a massive market that sells second hand clothes and shoes and all sorts of other stuff, a great source for slum chic apparel. I can walk to the office and to Kibera from my place as well as all the shops I need so it’s pretty sweet. I’m living with an american lady called Susan who cracks me up saying things like ‘Oh for the love of biscuits!’
So to be honest for a couple of weeks before I moved I was missing everyone loads, I was pretty bummed out because I felt I should be doing something to find some friends but wasn’t really sure what to do. However, I’ve started to really enjoy having the time and the space to spend with God, listening and praying and reading. I’m learning loads. I think I’ve realised God gives and He takes away and for now He’s taken my friends away or moved me away from them for a bit but He will give me some more. I’m learning to chill out and trust Him, He’s got it covered. He really does have it covered as I’m starting to make friends at church, getting in touch with people I met last time I was here and some awesome stuff is going on in the slum.
Another thing I’m learning to chill out about is what I should be doing here. There’s so many people who need help and so many opportunities to serve but I don’t know what I’m meant to do and how I’m meant to go about it. I have loads of ideas of stuff I want to do but the only things that will be significant are the things that are in God’s plans so I might as well chillax and see what happens.
Most of all I want to build genuine friendships with guys in the slum so I can encourage them and point them to Jesus so they can find proper hope. My favourite verse scribbled on my wall at the moment is Romans 15:13 ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ I’m praying that as I trust in God, hope will overflow out and bosch into some of the people I come across in Kibs. That’s the prayer.
This past week has been super encouraging on this front as I’ve all of a sudden had loads of opportunities to hang out with people in Kibera, been invited to some people’s houses for soda and I’m going to the Nairobi trade show (or possibly some gangsta rap gig) with two of the girls from the project next weekend. Lillian who is lonely because her friends keep getting married (even though their only like 17) and she doesn’t go to school, and Lucy Katunge who has had a baby since I last saw her, Baby Grace. Lucy has changed loads, she’s really grown up and is such a good mum, she still beats me up though! So that should be very fun.
It was my birthday yesterday so thanks to everyone who sent me all sorts of birthday love. I love you guys!
Monday 29 September 2008
Monday 22 September 2008
Gop
Went to Kinangop last week to visit the farm, this is the Turning Point Farm where mamas from the slum have moved to learn to farm and eventually become independent. Initially the mums were farming the land together but now they each have their own portion of land to farm. This is working really well, and some mums in particular are doing really well. One lady managed to make enough money off her land to visit her home in Western Kenya. That’s a long way therefore not a cheap bus fare.
So the next stage is for these mums to move into some new houses so that a fresh batch of mamas can move up to the gop sometime next year. So our mission this week was to choose which bit of the vast empire to build the new houses on. For those who have been to the farm we chose the corner near the road where the cows currently hang out.
It was awesome to see the farm over a year since the mamas moved up, they all look very at home on farm, like they know what they are doing and the fields are covered in lush looking plants. We sampled some carrots straight from the ground, tasted lovely.
There are three little kids at the farm who aren’t old enough for school yet: Junior, Joyci and Mombi. When I was here last year I spent most of my time at the farm being wrestled to the ground by these three while Pastor and Jon sorted out important stuff. This year their crew has increased by one wee nipper by the name of Sprilla. She is so jokes, she was too tiny last year to run about with the others but now she trundles round the farm with the rest of them, squeezing through gaps in the fences.
So the next stage is for these mums to move into some new houses so that a fresh batch of mamas can move up to the gop sometime next year. So our mission this week was to choose which bit of the vast empire to build the new houses on. For those who have been to the farm we chose the corner near the road where the cows currently hang out.
It was awesome to see the farm over a year since the mamas moved up, they all look very at home on farm, like they know what they are doing and the fields are covered in lush looking plants. We sampled some carrots straight from the ground, tasted lovely.
There are three little kids at the farm who aren’t old enough for school yet: Junior, Joyci and Mombi. When I was here last year I spent most of my time at the farm being wrestled to the ground by these three while Pastor and Jon sorted out important stuff. This year their crew has increased by one wee nipper by the name of Sprilla. She is so jokes, she was too tiny last year to run about with the others but now she trundles round the farm with the rest of them, squeezing through gaps in the fences.
Friday 12 September 2008
Chapter 1
Hello!
So I arrived in Kenya last wednesday, I'm staying with Jo and Jon at the moment until I find somewhere to live. God seems to have created a bit of an opportunity in that the youth leader at Jo and Jon's church needs a flat mate for a month or so, I gladly stepped up to the plate and I'm moving in with her on the 21st.
It's pretty ace to be back in Kenya, been down to Kibera a few times, catching up with the staff and the kids, heard a lot about the camps that I missed this summer and I've caught up on all thats been going on with the Microfinance scheme.
As you enter Kibera theres a lady called Margeret who set up a business selling mkate na maziwa (bread and milk) with her loan from TPFP. When I left last year she just had a stool to sit on and an upturned box to store her food on. Now she has recieved her second loan and has a whole structure to protect her products from the sun and rain and even a nifty shelf on the front for two layered presentation. Its well encouraging to see the businesses growing.
Ninajifunza kiswahili, that means I'm learning Kiswahili. I have lessons for 2 hours every afternoon with Judy who is pretty jokes. I've been conjugating verbs all over the shop. I flippin love it! yesterday I came home from my lesson and managed to chat to some ladies doing some gardening in our compound for like 10 minutes all in swahili. Kenyans love it when a mzungu even tries to speak swahili.
Today I went down to Kibera by myself for the first time which was pretty exciting, met a guy called Samuel on the way down to the project and had a chat for ages (he also got a loan from TPFP), I said a few things in swahili and he presumed I was fluent. I have no idea what he said to me.
That will do for blog 1.
So I arrived in Kenya last wednesday, I'm staying with Jo and Jon at the moment until I find somewhere to live. God seems to have created a bit of an opportunity in that the youth leader at Jo and Jon's church needs a flat mate for a month or so, I gladly stepped up to the plate and I'm moving in with her on the 21st.
It's pretty ace to be back in Kenya, been down to Kibera a few times, catching up with the staff and the kids, heard a lot about the camps that I missed this summer and I've caught up on all thats been going on with the Microfinance scheme.
As you enter Kibera theres a lady called Margeret who set up a business selling mkate na maziwa (bread and milk) with her loan from TPFP. When I left last year she just had a stool to sit on and an upturned box to store her food on. Now she has recieved her second loan and has a whole structure to protect her products from the sun and rain and even a nifty shelf on the front for two layered presentation. Its well encouraging to see the businesses growing.
Ninajifunza kiswahili, that means I'm learning Kiswahili. I have lessons for 2 hours every afternoon with Judy who is pretty jokes. I've been conjugating verbs all over the shop. I flippin love it! yesterday I came home from my lesson and managed to chat to some ladies doing some gardening in our compound for like 10 minutes all in swahili. Kenyans love it when a mzungu even tries to speak swahili.
Today I went down to Kibera by myself for the first time which was pretty exciting, met a guy called Samuel on the way down to the project and had a chat for ages (he also got a loan from TPFP), I said a few things in swahili and he presumed I was fluent. I have no idea what he said to me.
That will do for blog 1.
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