Joska ~ Buildings & Bathrooms

Hard to imagine, but these are actually much nicer classrooms than those in the inner city centers.

It’s impressive construction, it seems the only two materials used are tree branches and corrugated sheet iron, to build everything.

Don't worry, I'm sure this is reliable scaffolding!!

It takes a bit of work...

To remain thankful for our bathrooms. They leave a bit to be desired!

Sustainability Movement Goes Global

We toured the amazing Joska campus - complete with gardens, fish ponds, chickens and other life stock (see previous posts, I would identify these animals for you, but I would likely not accurately portray the ‘farm’ of animals we encountered!). 

The thought, skills, focus on sustainability in their farming practices and operational intent on growing their resources is fantastic! 

The more food you can produce on site the lower your grocery bill. At the same time, they are providing the students with a thriving learning environment and life skills training.

One of the latest endeavors is “Hope Springs” a water purification center developing a new, clean water supply to provide fresh bottled water and ability to sell the water as new revenue stream to support the school. Very entrepreneurial!

Joska

Our afternoon is spent strolling around the school and learning more about the amazing operation. Joska is essentially a boarding school for older students (5th-12th grade, US equivalent). It opened with 50 students in 2009, nearly 200 will graduate from primary and move into high school in 2012. 

It's in the country outside of Nairobi and far from the dense urban life where these children have spent their entire childhood. There is space and fresh air! 

The students are free, alive and full of energy and life! They had soccer, volleyball and open, clean space to run. 

So wonderful to see kids being kids!

Sunday Advernture

Our journey to Joska (the boarding school for middle - high school students) is as adventurous as any day in Africa - Sunday morning we awake and pile into our van for our day of connecting with students. Our hour-long ride is filled with thought-provoking spiritual conversation. 

We are so immersed in our conversation we hardly notice our first stop at the gas station to put air in the tire. Our worried driver continues down the road – suddenly, we get involved as the entire vehicle begins to smell like burning rubber and yes, generally speaking, smoke should not be coming out of the brakes and the tire should not be smoking...

Let's have a look at that!

 We juggle modes of transportation (not always reliable in Africa!) and eventually, arrive at Joska – a bit tardy for the Sunday services already underway! The children are so full of light, life and love! They sing and dance for us completely alive and lost in the expression. It's beautiful, we are moved by our experience.

Don’t let the ‘boarding school’ nature of Joska fool you – these kids are every bit free spirited, youthful and fun-loving; and Kenyans got rhythm!

Saturday Night

Back from our safari adventure, we trek out to the finest of Nairobi’s cuisine offerings, the Java House.

Gas station - Coffee house... What's the difference?!

Yes, you can see in this picture we are eating at a gas station. Nonetheless, the food is tasty and the hot cocoa – delicious!

This is the fantastic hot cocoa, and the mark of a great barista!

 

Brothers from Another...

We learned all about different types of safaris and wildlife exploration from Josh and John.

Apparently you can camp out under the moon - right there in the open with the animals. Should I find myself in such a place and situation, I can ensure you this guy - will be nearby!

Josh and John, our safari guides, are my brothers from another mother... (seriously, my brothers' names are Josh and John). If you ever want to safari in Africa, my brothers will take good care of you!

John, Sarah, Josh - the family all together again!

Dirty Zebras

My challenge of course, many of these animals were "brown with 4 legs" (I mean, who can really tell the difference between goats, dogs, antelopes, donkeys, gazelles...?). Thankfully others know much more about the animal kingdom than I do and were much more useful than I at spotting the wildlife!

I challenge you to identify the animals captured here...

Of note were the dirty zebras and mixed breeds!

I'm sure this was more amusing to our group after bouncing around in our van for 6 hours - but somehow zebras rolling in the dust and dirt became inspiration for a newly concocted cocktail, "dirty zebras".  (If you are intrigued, I am eager to share this new recipe - and as with all African traditions, it’s meant to be shared with close companions and great conversation - let me know when you are up for a dirty zebra!)

And, somehow an unknown group of different types of animals milling about became a "mixed breed". We were clearly creating our own self-guided safari tour!

Safari

No rest for the weary! We are up well before the sun Saturday morning to head out on a safari. Apparently the best time to see the animals is before sunrise...

Perhaps you have been on a safari? This was my first. I don't know what I expected - but here's the run down on our experience:

Bumpy.
Bumpy.
Bumpy.

All new meaning to exploring, off-roading, trying not to tip our open roof safari van as we traversed the rugged African terrain.

Steve & Debbie ~ loving every moment!

Beautiful, taking the road less traveled

Love this shot, we were walking on a trail... Saw turtles, and a crocodile. No hippos...














Wildlife. Yes, they have very different animals and wildlife than we do.

Look closely, these trees are home to the monkeys!

Look there's a monkey following us...

Now he's begging - these animals warm up fast!

Exotic, grand, exquisite - we took in giraffes, antelopes, ostriches, rhinos, birds, zebras...

 

And much more!

Friday Night in Nairobi

The Market

Shopping at the market is one of many differences between USA and Kenya!

The Masai market gives new meaning to hard sales and heavy negotiation! Densely packed rows of vendors, crowded with customers, all are eager to buy and sell. From the signs of the exchange, the "market" for handmade items is strong in Nairobi!


Ethiopian Dinner

We capped our evening Friday night with a fantastic Ethiopian meal! The entire process was an experience. The presentation, eating with our hands, the delightful velvety rich coffee, burning incense, unfolding friendships and blossoming conversation.

This beautiful tray is our feast!

Warming by the fire (yes, we are in Africa, and cold!)

All a delight for our outdoor dining experience under a full Kenyan moon!

OK, so this isn't entirely lit by the moon... but you get the idea!

Children & Cell Phones

I really don’t need to say anything more than that - children, and cell phones. 

Wait - that's a picture of me!

Fun comes easy - let's pose!

Simply adorable

Your phone plays video too??

This I have to see...

Lost in the crowd!

Somehow the fascination is universal!

Jennifer

Jennifer is regal, stately and beautiful. She's the principal of the school at Madoya. She's poised and dignified. A far cry from her upbringing in the slums. Jennifer is the oldest of 10 children born and raised in Mathare Valley slums.

Madoya School Children ~ full of curiosity and potential

Playful, caring companions

In her passionate pursuit to overcome the odds and dedicate her life to providing educational opportunities for other children, she has endured the loss of two siblings and the loss of her husband.

She left the slums 12 years ago to join MOHI. She is raising her three children, has taken in her deceased sister's children, is living with HIV and is a daily example of hope for the children and families she serves. It is not easy, yet Jennifer knows her life is purposeful and gives her all to enrich the lives of others.

She is generous, servant-hearted, an inspiration.

Faith

Faith is an entrepreneur. She runs a little restaurant on the corner.


She lights up as she tells us about being a cook, opening the restaurant serving rice and beans, expanding the menu, adding indoor seating... She glows with pride as she describes the success and accomplishment she feels from growing her business.

This is certainly the result of her hard work, coupled with a micro-loan of approximately $100 USD that helped it all get started. Over the last 5 years the restaurant has produced enough income for her husband, Andrew, to build a small house. They can afford to live independently and rent part of the house for an additional income stream. Faith and Andrew are working together to build a life, provide for their family and are well on their way to self-sufficiency.

These are the outcomes of MOHI's work - believing in and supporting the dreams of an individual - remarkable! We could all use a little more "Faith" in our lives!

Kevin

It is in this desolate place (Grogan C) that I meet Kevin - a social worker in the Korogocho neighborhood. He immediately launched into a gratitude filled conversation expressing his thankfulness for our group - that we would leave our homes in America, partner with them in the work of MOHI, pray for them and simply encourage them in their work.

Vivian and Kevin, MOHI Social Workers

It's amazing to me because who we are and simply coming to visit them, inspires and encourages in a way that I never imagined. I come from a land where you are valued for your performance, your contributions, your results... not simply for being you.  

It’s ironic to me that the very same things about Kevin (and the MOHI staff) - simply being themselves, committing their life’s work to the people in the slums, showing up every day to fight for hope and to build a future for the families living in poverty - encourage and inspire me in return.

It's powerful to span geography, culture, language, experience - to stand with another and feel a sense of significance far greater than you.

Grogan C

Grogran C ~ Under Construction

We briefly visited the overly crowded classrooms of Grogan A, then headed out on a prayer filled walk toward the construction site of Grogan C. (there is a Grogan B too... Don't ask me how to find it!).

attentive students

It’s hard to describe the warmth of the packed classroom of children studying you, intrigued by you and so genuinely accepting whatever you are there to offer - a smile, a high-five, a song, or just a brief introduction. They are thankful simply for the visit. I kept wanting to sneak back into the classroom for one more high-five, nuckles, or just a smile.

Role Call!

The walk through the neighborhood reminds me that there are good and bad parts of town, even in the slum. We are venturing to another 'wrong side of the tracks' side of town.

This 'black water' river cuts up our walk through most of the neighborhoods. You simply jump or step over it and keep (carefully) walking. The heavy stench increases with the heat of the day. This is combination of every type of runoff you can imagine from an over-populated community. Essentially raw sewage cutting a path ever downward through town and back into the water supply. Clean drinking water is a real challenge. 

The eyes of the neighborhood are on us as we walk, survey the new school site and learn more about the plans for the school and community to be formed in this place.

Presently, this site is nothing more than a cleared area over looking a gigantic garbage dump at the edge of the slum. 

There’s tension in the air as this neighborhood is not so well established; there’s a bit of a turf war on who will ‘lead’ or ‘run’ this corner of town. Whether it’s a rough neighborhood in the States or this patch of earth in Africa, somehow you can sense the power struggle among people over space.

We join for a large, vocal group prayer publicly staking claim on this ground, calling for peace in the community and blessing for the work ahead.