A month has passed...already?!?

Hello everyone!

It is difficult for me to believe that it has almost been a month since I arrived in Nairobi. I have felt much more settled and comfortable here the last couple of weeks. It seems it always takes a couple of weeks to get adjusted and to start really getting into the groove of life here. I thank you all for the prayers I know you are speaking on my behalf and for the people at MITS and throughout Kenya. Please continue to pray that God will use us team members to work in the lives of the students and the people we encounter each day so that they will either come to know about God for the first time or that they be able to deepen their understanding of Him and how He changes lives. Please also pray for those people – that He will be preparing them to be able to hear and understand the Good News.

CLASSES
Many of my classes are now underway. I have been working Tuesday through Friday with the Literacy II students in English writing skills and practice (composition), library, and public speaking. I have 14 students in the 9-10 o’clock class who almost all need extra training in sentence formation, uses of punctuation and proper grammar, but they seem to enjoy writing when I give them assignments and can write quite a lot. That is very promising. The 9 students in my 10-11 o’clock Advanced Lit II class are good at making sentences, so my goal for them is to improve their grammar and begin to work on improving the rhetorical grammar by teaching them transitional phrases, how to write more compelling sentences and working on having a strong beginning, middle and end to their stories. In addition to those basic writing skills, my course curriculum for all of my writing students includes learning various writing styles (narrative, descriptive, explanatory, comparative, book report, newspaper article, etc.).

I met with the 7 Fast Track students last week for the first time. It seems they are better, on average, with grammar but also need extra assistance making sure they use correct punctuation and developing their skills to make okay writing great writing.

Anastacia, my journalism student, has been working on some articles for the first newspaper. We plan to have it printed within the next week or two. She announced in chapel last week that students wanting to help write, illustrate, or take photos should come and tell her after chapel. She had about 20 students sign up, which is very promising. The students seem quite excited about the project. I may add some students to my class once we print the first paper so that Anastacia can work on articles and assigning stories, opinion pieces, movie reviews and illustrations while I begin with the basics of the industry with the new students.

This Monday, I began teaching a class in English writing for the three mothers we have in the boarding and education program in Eastleigh. However, Catherine was not even able to write her name. She will have to start with square one of learning English. Yvonne, who is currently pregnant, finished grade 8 in school and seems to be pretty good already. I believe she will be at the same level as some of my Lit II students. The other mother wasn’t there while I was, but I left an exercise for her to do so that I can evaluate her level. I will teach that class every Monday for an hour and then work with the small children.

Working with staff and students to serve displaced in Kenya

LIMURU RED CROSS REFUGEE CAMP

On Tuesday, a group of 23 students and 7 staff (myself included) went to Limuru Red Cross Refugee Camp to take donations and to spend time volunteering there. The staff and students have been planning this for weeks and we all donated money and/or products to take. We ended up with a total of about US $200 donated, which we used to buy extra supplies on our way to the camp. We purchased items the staff had all agreed on such as rice, flour, sugar, cooking oil, toilet paper, feminine items, bar soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Once we arrived at the camp, where more than 500 people are fed each day for three meals and maybe around 300-350 are housed each night plus children, we were taken around to each of the departments of the camp by Leon, one of the Red Cross volunteers. They have a very good system of organization with different people responsible for each area such as registration, the kitchen, the clinic and the educational program for the children. The staff members went around and spoke with representatives in each department to learn about the camp and to introduce ourselves and find out how we could serve them. Then, the students assisted in carrying the donations we brought to the storage rooms. Some of the donations were items the students did without for a week or so in order to be able to donate them to the people at the camp.

Anastacia interviewed Leon while some students greeted the people at the camp and offered them encouragement. Then, we set the schedule for the afternoon and went to have lunch in Limuru. The people who work in the storage room told us they often need greens and fresh vegetables to keep the meals nutritious and to offer variety. So, we picked up some cabbage, tomatoes, onions and carrots while we were out.

After lunch, we split up into three groups. One went to play games with the kids, one to help in the kitchen, and my group went to the clinic to assist. I had six students in my group and we spent the afternoon carrying supplies from the main clinic to the “store” for medical supplies (they have a “store” for food, one for medical supplies, and one for clothes), helping to clean the clinic and then picking up trash. Anastacia also interviewed the lady who volunteered at the clinic. You can look forward to reading her story on the front page of our first newspaper.

Some people at the camp were still very angry about everything that has happened – and no one can blame them for being angry. It is desperately sad to think of how quickly their lives changed. Most, if not all, of the people who live at the camp come from Eldoret or the Rift Valley, which is very far from Limuru. They don’t know what their future holds and may never get to return to the place they once called home. Many probably have nothing to return to because their homes have been burned and pillaged. However, the Red Cross offers counseling and most of the people we interacted with yesterday were extremely kind and seemed quite joyful to have us there. I believe the students really were glad to be able to serve them. I know I was extremely happy to be able to serve alongside the students and staff of MITS. Please continue to pray for all who are displaced in this country and for those who hold the power to create peace.

Thank you for the prayers!!

May God’s peace and love surround you!

Valentine's Day

On VALENTINE’S DAY, we had a party so that all the students and staff could celebrate the day together. The students were excited all day (they really enjoy Valentine’s Day), and I gave my Advanced Lit II students the extra time they had at the end of class to write notes to people they care about. About five of the students (one who isn’t in my class) wrote sweet letters to me as well as to their friends. The party took place in the evening and was complete with runway modeling, a short talent show and dinner together. Many of the students have been asking about having a time to model, so we used this opportunity for them to do so. The girls really enjoyed practicing at the girls’ compound and then on our “runway” before the show began. The girls wore beautiful dresses visitors have brought for them. And Milli sported a beautiful African dress that Jackton had designed and sewn. The guys weren’t absent from the fun – they love to walk the runway as much as the girls. The talent portion of the evening was shortened by rain, but it didn’t stop anyone from eating. We had pilau, kachiumbari (tomatoes and onions) and stew. Then for dessert, they got a Valentine’s treat of banana splits. Phillip was the M.C. and did a great job as usual and everyone helped set up and clean up. It was a great time for everyone to relax and have a little fun.

Since Valentine’s Day was on Thursday, which is my composition day with the students, I had them write about Valentine’s Day – why it is important to love their friends, each other, their enemies and about the meaning of love. Following are some of the entries from the students:

“It is important to love one another because even God loves us and he made us to love each other and treat like a brother and a sister…love your enemy and love your neighbour as you love yourself God said.” – Mary Wangui

“My name is Sanchez. I’m fourteen years old. And I’m writing about why is it important to love one another like friends, family even your enemy. It was on Friday 7th May 2007 when we fighting with one boy his name was Edward...but the next day when were at the chapel one person shared a good story about love, and that thing catched my heart very much.

“I went and apologize to Edward, and he forgave me for what I did and I was happy we played together, cherish together, as a family. We love MITS cause it takes (care) of people their out side (that are outside). We show them love cause is from God he who doesn’t love does not know God, and I want people to know God. Now in Kenya there is no peace. With love peace will be.” -- Alex Atema (Sanchez is his nickname)

“My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious lord Jesus Christ. So don’t think that some people are more important than other people. Suppose a person comes into your group. This person is wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say “sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person “stand there” or “sit on the floor by our feet!” What are you doing? You are making some people more important than others with every thought you are deciding which person is better.

“Listen my dear brothers and sisters. God chose the poor people in the world to be rich with faith. He chose them to receive the Kingdom promised to people who love him.” -- Margaret Njemi