tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20785603595014132702024-02-20T20:29:16.018-08:00Carpenters & KenyaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-80346429687659895472015-12-11T02:06:00.001-08:002015-12-11T10:38:32.939-08:00Shots from the past few months <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A few shots from the past months. If the picture is a good one, Reid probably took it. </span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In October we took a trip with good friends and colleagues, Cristina and Doug, their boys, and friends, Glenda and Loren, and their daughter to the <a href="http://www.kws.go.ke/content/aberdare-national-park" target="_blank">Aberdares</a>. It was so cold and rainy. A really beautiful park with great hiking.</span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reid, Alex, Sam, Evan, Liesl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-rbF8u5j1v8i9XIYKl20F9irfq9_QklkRuySEU9Ws9UO5xbt4lBG5-vVywrXWQN3NbnbcMxmktBmG8tmlHXCXx76mYCLmY4d8aY3OkVe-kKew9zyT4fNchjxGQosiff99srFG-c5GTE/s1600/_MG_0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-rbF8u5j1v8i9XIYKl20F9irfq9_QklkRuySEU9Ws9UO5xbt4lBG5-vVywrXWQN3NbnbcMxmktBmG8tmlHXCXx76mYCLmY4d8aY3OkVe-kKew9zyT4fNchjxGQosiff99srFG-c5GTE/s320/_MG_0183.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doug, Cristina, Selena, Glenda, Sam, Evans, Alex, Rand, Loren, Liesl</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was freezing. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNq8HPY1IMh4se2TS6kUf2_C1P9BhFa-YesxX-bjj42gYwfUHPFQVkyV7PDsXmOqossADe3_oiXiwm8XfqBs9DIOieJn-c90A3O37JTevd11bwzaQTqwNwZCVSO0MJyIJu-oC1kLVwJ8w/s1600/_MG_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNq8HPY1IMh4se2TS6kUf2_C1P9BhFa-YesxX-bjj42gYwfUHPFQVkyV7PDsXmOqossADe3_oiXiwm8XfqBs9DIOieJn-c90A3O37JTevd11bwzaQTqwNwZCVSO0MJyIJu-oC1kLVwJ8w/s400/_MG_0316.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I'm not really sure. </td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In late November, we travelled with our MCC team and families to Diani Beach, just south of Mombasa. It was a really great trip -- 13-hour bus trip notwithstanding. </span> </b> </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was pouring rain on the way down to the coast. Great for Kenya -- not so fun for a long bus ride. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKW7Ij3uoD6s2BRJEE84xsWDB38D6PJFdaoevZqsUZ_Oxyy9eJAocdvD3TwBJUsyckEiLuePRMUtmLNc8-EEz1p-seOlIsCShThniHmPBuU-LF_c-Ew6QdMPlhPxC1jDJ1ac24TCcJQjk/s1600/IMG_8280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKW7Ij3uoD6s2BRJEE84xsWDB38D6PJFdaoevZqsUZ_Oxyy9eJAocdvD3TwBJUsyckEiLuePRMUtmLNc8-EEz1p-seOlIsCShThniHmPBuU-LF_c-Ew6QdMPlhPxC1jDJ1ac24TCcJQjk/s400/IMG_8280.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our MCC team: 14 adults who work for MCC + spouses + a passel of kids!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhrjTHToXXxrabi5pOs2kXlPNAfjV9SxTvpTtKpItcNayJLgsx2bv_99qLdD3qz7YqOJMYH8kGsF_pdOeMzIkgJjeQQiX-_nJ6ho-sduNiMLEDrojvUzkzwmWjq4-t-hBfCcAMn3Mctk/s1600/20151202_165951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhrjTHToXXxrabi5pOs2kXlPNAfjV9SxTvpTtKpItcNayJLgsx2bv_99qLdD3qz7YqOJMYH8kGsF_pdOeMzIkgJjeQQiX-_nJ6ho-sduNiMLEDrojvUzkzwmWjq4-t-hBfCcAMn3Mctk/s200/20151202_165951.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Advent -- loving my Rwandan fabric for our wreath. Keeping traditions helps, but we miss family so much during this time. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Rosslyn's high school banquet, friends, and trying out modeling and photography skills.</b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU9lFg1D2JssWBNlOoJfzmT7YBVaMY3m68-8ZxBe9cEW4bNl7xI943Gd2nZJubLutErN5hVIxpLzG9d_iSHOiSFGgFB7GQy6cZTYGAitmfanqC6pPKYKJgQyptZrsTOdXPfiLkiK1l-8/s1600/_MG_0499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqU9lFg1D2JssWBNlOoJfzmT7YBVaMY3m68-8ZxBe9cEW4bNl7xI943Gd2nZJubLutErN5hVIxpLzG9d_iSHOiSFGgFB7GQy6cZTYGAitmfanqC6pPKYKJgQyptZrsTOdXPfiLkiK1l-8/s320/_MG_0499.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reid's photography project is a monograph of Mufasa the cat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDS6981i44BljtKMYP5elJnH9f5EsP2fCKf4J2llVTfRgTeAyZ0pv-A1wRq_w1zSgTIPl8A7VB9H82ZElv4ZbaNea1D7c7H4Vm33H3D-RysCvl5kb5oX0FJpJ4cMKBbLPv7-K372F27w/s1600/_MG_0127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDS6981i44BljtKMYP5elJnH9f5EsP2fCKf4J2llVTfRgTeAyZ0pv-A1wRq_w1zSgTIPl8A7VB9H82ZElv4ZbaNea1D7c7H4Vm33H3D-RysCvl5kb5oX0FJpJ4cMKBbLPv7-K372F27w/s400/_MG_0127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her other favorite subject is Sam -- neither would ever admit that.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finally -- Rand and I were able to run in a race in Tigoni in the tea fields. It was beautiful, but hard -- after several months off running because of an injury (for Selena).</span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-25479555267709637222015-04-27T09:18:00.000-07:002015-04-27T09:18:25.127-07:00In Reid's Words <div class="MsoNormal">
Hello, beautiful people who spend their precious time
reading the blog of some weirdos in Kenya. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7p71eKt8OMytD2G4pNubr0s1c7N9L4gil3q0uLOs4NJYpKiYwk3AENxedI6vvMDYOrvxQe4lKv3WTqU11NwezTO4v3ua3zo68X5JwDu3YUVZnTZl3OxSv9ZaFTV3ov7xRSGLhsUHq7U/s1600/IMG_1539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7p71eKt8OMytD2G4pNubr0s1c7N9L4gil3q0uLOs4NJYpKiYwk3AENxedI6vvMDYOrvxQe4lKv3WTqU11NwezTO4v3ua3zo68X5JwDu3YUVZnTZl3OxSv9ZaFTV3ov7xRSGLhsUHq7U/s1600/IMG_1539.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a>My name is Reid, and today, I’ve come to the blog because
many people have told me to write for the blog. Lately, I’ve been getting into
writing more. My parents like to remind me that when I was younger – not too
long ago – I claimed that I hated writing. I think I’ve come to realize that’s
because I didn’t have enough freedom to write what I wanted and because I was –
admittedly, still am – fond of not doing what people want me to do. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kenya provoked in me more of a writing nature because I was
being exposed to things that I hadn’t really spent quality time thinking about.
I was also pretty sad in the beginning. And just in case you’ve never been sad,
being sad brings out a very thoughtful, sometimes writing prone self that you
never knew existed. So that’s what happened. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1kq_7VnbGpWqBtockaQSK9_nCQVbI2VC40AjL3t-K1poVmm8Z8zzm6hPzjg4fJ-QvQ2Qi3n7hDIgxeDgyboZ34_FQOPC0a45MJiHSVCDzaJsH4mtTiXQIrKVCmA89fbmy6Ewqdeny2I/s1600/IMG_5422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF1kq_7VnbGpWqBtockaQSK9_nCQVbI2VC40AjL3t-K1poVmm8Z8zzm6hPzjg4fJ-QvQ2Qi3n7hDIgxeDgyboZ34_FQOPC0a45MJiHSVCDzaJsH4mtTiXQIrKVCmA89fbmy6Ewqdeny2I/s1600/IMG_5422.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli National Park </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And nowadays, I write a lot. Ranging from the funny
situations on the bus to the things that make me cry when I have idle time.
I’ve written about fear and I’ve written about looking out the window when it’s
raining. I’ve written about colorfully clad Kenyan women carrying their weight
in vegetables. And writing, as much as I never wanted to admit it, is helpful.
When I cry, I try to cry words. When you cry words, tears don’t just fall to
the ground, they fall onto paper and I try to turn them into something
beautiful. When you’re happy, words flow out of your body just like tears, but
they are rays of light. Words have the power to change a lot of things. Because
I’ve written about stunningly strong, vibrant women, you all can see them in
your mind. Because I’ve written about fear, we can talk about fear. Because, as
Yann Martel says, “<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You must
fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your
fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget,
you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the
opponent who defeated you.” I think the same is true for most things: we
must shine the light of words on them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvV6eOI7bNatwVkcvT_ZKt7l2NB8NZG6WM2ILGw7FwT2QH_dU3zMzvxbTq-1Uor6Mj2OktY6HNvTWNXyQ98JuQRqpwPaP27xUGchirBjjf2qSQnCa_me6f_O1UnosmSeF8sQqPteVm7A4/s1600/IMG_8663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvV6eOI7bNatwVkcvT_ZKt7l2NB8NZG6WM2ILGw7FwT2QH_dU3zMzvxbTq-1Uor6Mj2OktY6HNvTWNXyQ98JuQRqpwPaP27xUGchirBjjf2qSQnCa_me6f_O1UnosmSeF8sQqPteVm7A4/s1600/IMG_8663.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rift Valley (photo credit, Uncle Jeff Phillips)</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So, what
am I talking about? I’m not quite sure, actually. I wanted to share thoughts
with all of you (however many of you there are…). I wanted to share a bit of my
life thus far, because as it happens, writing has become a big part of that.
So, here are two of my poems. The first is a sonnet, written because it was assigned
by my English teacher: written in a tent after playing in a Jazz concert. I
have come to love it, though, because it is true and because home is HARD. The
second is a free verse written because I have been exploring and tackling the idea
that we are all beautiful in a unique way. I have come to believe in my unique
beauty these past couple years and I want everybody to believe in their own. I
hope you enjoy these poems and I hope reading this post has been a somewhat
useful use of your precious time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAN1SbVrdz-xWpQj3k_BMMgDrtcaUokE7Xf8nsdnnoJHg3p20JN9L7sBfVL7JOw9cKERQztJeoO3TkfOKp2KTzl70oZtT0ZwV6bgtVhPbeSJfiIMajsHVLjE-NDHavg9ivBughcsrE3Uc/s1600/IMG_0262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAN1SbVrdz-xWpQj3k_BMMgDrtcaUokE7Xf8nsdnnoJHg3p20JN9L7sBfVL7JOw9cKERQztJeoO3TkfOKp2KTzl70oZtT0ZwV6bgtVhPbeSJfiIMajsHVLjE-NDHavg9ivBughcsrE3Uc/s1600/IMG_0262.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nichol Creek, Brevard NC</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nichol <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I amble
beside a shimmering creek. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along
the trail, on far-reaching roots, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A red
robin rests with an open beak. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
leaves crackle and crunch under my bo<o:p></o:p></span>ots;</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My
walking companion, Bean, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Trots contentedly
on the path,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paw
prints never to be seen <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Again,
in the mud. Aftermath, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of late
season showers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
evening light filters through the trees; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
darkness of the night cowers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fresh
air always frees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know,
as far as I roam, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
shimmering creek will always feel like home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Created
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">take a
moment</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>yeah You.</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">See the way</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">he shuffles his feet</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">See the way</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">she braids her hair</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">how can we deny</span><br />
<span style="background: white;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>"you
are beautiful"</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">how can we not acknowledge</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">that</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #181818; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>your Soul shines</span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<span style="background: white;">through the calloused layers of unloved skin</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Making You a Beacon</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">A ton of love,
Reid <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-26681533334606758462015-04-07T09:32:00.001-07:002015-04-07T09:33:30.078-07:00Poetry<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been a difficult few days in Kenya. The siege and
killings in Garissa in Northeast Kenya have been difficult for many to even
contemplate. I talked to at least two friends today who essentially decided to
spend their Easter weekend on news black-out, and I resonate with that
inability to simultaneously experience fear, grief, horror, and sympathy, and
to continue interacting with the world around us. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had written a bit of this blog post last week, and in the
spirit of continued interaction and a search for beauty in this world, I’ve
finished it and will share. It focuses on our work with various community
organizations and MCC staff.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Community work often involves reflection in a group setting
to identify a community’s or organization’s assets, needs, and vision. During
the last 6 months of work in Kenya, we have been involved in strategic planning
within MCC and organizational visioning, training, and long-term planning with
some of our partner organizations. As Selena and I were preparing to lead one
of these sessions we found a guided poetry writing exercise and decided to try
it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The MCC Kenya staff played along with our unconventional
opening to the day’s planning session, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">voila</i>,
thirty minutes later, they each had written a poem. This group of Kenyan and
North American community development workers seemed both surprised and pleased at
the chance to read aloud a poem; for most ,it was the first one they had ever
written. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The form is called pantoum, a centuries-old folk poem, for
recitation or singing, and that involves a pattern of repeated lines. It is
interesting to observe the placement of lines from earlier in the poem next to
other lines later in the poem and to uncover new meanings from the arrangement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Accessing these feelings and these other ways of thinking
and imaging has been a wonderful and useful way to begin some of our trainings
or planning meetings. It has been a meaningful and empowering reminder to MCC
partners and staff that we all have beauty and wisdom to share.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I was participating in a workshop a couple weeks ago the leader
had us envision a time of being at peace or a time when all problems in our
organization, family, church, or community were resolved. She then prompted us
to write each line and led us through all of the twenty lines. The resulting
poem, as an example, is below. Enjoy, and maybe give a try at distilling some
of your thoughts and feelings in poetry. Shalom! Rand<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chilmark<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Into the cool pond on a sunny day<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have come to the cottage by the sea<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see water and sky and signs of simple living<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The kids are playing, Selena is reading, and that is all<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Visiting the cottage<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wholeness and peacefulness come to us<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swimming, playing, reading, and that’s all<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only thoughts are of the present<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wholeness and peacefulness come to us<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Easily I see the good that is my true self<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only thoughts are of the present<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is not careless apathy for what has been or will be<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see easily the good that is my true self<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Capable and sufficient, without guile or envy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not considering what has been or will be<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Things are in their places<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Capable and sufficient, without guile or envy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see water and sky and signs of simple living<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Things are in their places<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F_9uSAWjzaiF21nRL1IrUnYRqItcEiT_NrKM_pbC4wfCvkbZXPl5Nc6mDwHc8YC_dDZtMKjzxFh017khEjDyrdEFCNpCOdaU8ZTUiFsgkfRpR0hI8ZTH6zIzd5V9lkrxdmy7z9aTYM8/s1600/DSCF0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0F_9uSAWjzaiF21nRL1IrUnYRqItcEiT_NrKM_pbC4wfCvkbZXPl5Nc6mDwHc8YC_dDZtMKjzxFh017khEjDyrdEFCNpCOdaU8ZTUiFsgkfRpR0hI8ZTH6zIzd5V9lkrxdmy7z9aTYM8/s1600/DSCF0563.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-41417549343312007102014-11-30T22:05:00.001-08:002014-11-30T22:05:42.430-08:00If Mary were Maasai<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.5px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Happy Advent: Come, Lord Jesus, come!</div>
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<i>For this blog, we are posting an article that our colleague, Corinna ClymerOlson wrote for The Mennonite World Review. It's beautifully written and demonstrates the type of folks we get to work with by being with MCC. Corinna and Doug live in a small village, Najile, in Kajiado County. It's not far, geographically, from Nairobi, but a world apart from us and the experience we have in Nairobi. It's not an easy assignment, but Doug and Corinna have put their hearts, minds, and bodies into their work. </i></div>
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When I read Luke 2, I don’t need much imagination these days.</div>
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<img alt="ClymerOlson holds the new baby." height="298" src="http://media.mennoworld.org/media/uploads/images/2013/12/16/corinna.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="275" /><div class="caption" style="background: rgb(238, 238, 238); border: 0px; color: #666666; font-size: 0.85em; line-height: 1.7647; outline: 0px; padding: 3px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 275px;">
ClymerOlson holds the new baby.</div>
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It says, “and there were shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night” and I picture my neighbor kids that are always pushing the goats around with their whistling and their <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">engudi</em> (herding stick) on the other side of our fence, or singing at the top of their lungs or arguing with their siblings to pass the time out in the bush. Or, I picture some of the mamas next door. Nalotuesha or Helen out in the bush for the day to watch the cows or goats, her tattered<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">shuka</em> pulled up over her head because it’s too hot to wear it around her shoulders, her feet white with the dust.</div>
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And when I read that Mary rode on a donkey (for hours or days?) on the day before she had her first baby, I picture Nalamai, my neighbor happily bending in half (despite my offering her a stool) for an hour or more to do my laundry by hand out in the backyard just a week before her baby came. She didn’t know when it was coming — just that is would come when it came. I see her lumbering along, her wraps flowing around her lovely, nearly full-term form with her plastic yellow 20-liter jerry can full of water (about five gallons). The strap runs across her forehead then wraps around the girth of the plastic container hanging across her back, the weight falling on her head and neck. She is slightly bent forward with the weight, her hands holding the strap next to her ears.</div>
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I picture the herds of donkeys with the black stripe on their necks that we see roaming alone through the bush (rarely do we see them doing much work), meandering across the road in front of our car. We gladly shout “get your ass off the road!” and then giggle. It never gets old. Or maybe it’s us who never grow up.</div>
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Then there’s Mary and her nonexistent birth plan. Babies just happen with the Maasai, too. The cows and goats are close. The goat kids and calves are kept inside the hut at night. The hut is made of dung, mud and ash and the birthing takes place in the darkness of the inside — on the low cow-hide shelf that is the bed. No running water, no indoor plumbing, no hot shower. Emergency services are nonexistent here and life and death rest in the hands of God.</div>
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My friend Nalamai had her baby on Monday, three days ago. I went to visit to take some food and found everyone excited and eager to take me to the mama. Helen fell into step with me as I approached the <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">manyatta</em>. We exchanged greetings and I pulled out the 200 Kenya Shillings that I owed her for washing my clothes in place of Nalamai the day before. She led me to Nalamai’s hut, I stooped and followed her into the darkness of the inside.</div>
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As the happy chatter of <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kokoo</em> (grandma), Helen, Nalamai and two other visiting friends, Lois and Paulina, surrounded me, I marveled at this young woman who had just birthed her sixth baby. No one really knows her age, but its somewhere mid-20s and she is strong as an ox, both in body and in spirit. She must have been early teens when she was married as a second wife and started her successful baby-having career. She easily holds favorite wife status with her commanding presence and voice, her beautiful smile and her easy laugh. She’s smart as a whip, bossy, too and doesn’t miss a trick. A pride welled in me to call her my friend, a warmth of affection for this brave and cheerful woman. I hear her interpreting my clumsy words for the others since she’s the one who understands my halting Maa more than anyone because she comes by my house so often.</div>
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My eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the house interior. The boy baby was tiny, pale skinned with dark curls. He was wrapped in a cotton cloth, no diapers to speak of; a faint smell of urine and baby mixed in my nostrils. His eyes opened briefly, then closed again, not too upset by the change of position as he was passed into my arms. I heard the mama say to her friend, “does she know how?” I have no children so why wouldn’t she ask this question?</div>
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They probably have not had the milky tea, a staple, for weeks and maybe over a month. Cows stop producing milk when the grass is completely gone from drought, Even so, they insisted, despite my emphatic protests, on my staying and sharing a tin cup of <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">shai</em> made of the rehydrated powdered milk I had just brought. I poured the hot tea from one cup to the another in the traditional cooling technique, sipping between pours. Sweat dripped slowly down my belly, the warmth of the hut close. The dim light from the 5-inch window hole revealed the beads on Helen’s brow, too. She fanned her shirt. A trail of cockroaches crawled in silhouette along the stick that formed the cup shelf next to the light hole.</div>
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As I walked home, I thought of Mary. She didn’t have other mamas or <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kokoo</em> around her at her birthing and she was far from home. But, besides that, there was a lot in common between the birth of Jesus and the birth of Nalamai’s baby.</div>
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” … And all the shepherds came crowding into the dark little place where the mama and the baby were hanging out with the cows and goats, praising God.” <em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mesisi Yesu</em>.</div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.5px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Corinna Clymer and her husband, are in the midst of a three-year assignment with Mennonite Central Committee in Najile, Kenya. She blogs at <a href="http://clymerolson.blogspot.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #494098; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">clymerolson.blogspot.com</a> where this post first appeared</em>.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-79768952862303870512014-10-14T10:03:00.002-07:002014-10-14T10:03:50.690-07:00Swahili, Tanzania, and khat-chewing bus drivers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="123" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6076/6083239266_7329d5c79e_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks familiar...<br />
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/pelangio957/</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We finally stepped off the bus at 8:30 that night in a dark parking lot, crowded with taxi drivers, hawkers, and others whose occupations I didn't want to know. When we retrieved our bags from the belly of the bus, we had
completed a 14 hour journey from Arusha almost due south to Iringa town. Parts
of the trip were incredibly beautiful – we passed through groves of baobab
trees, as if driving through a Dr. Seuss book – and we watched the sun rise
(and set!) over a beautiful East African landscape. BUT. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Our seats were booked at the front of the bus – travel tip
#1 for those considering a bus ride in Africa – but it was <i>too</i> far up front. First, we could see the driver (more on <i>him</i> in a moment) and secondly, we were
between windows, so didn't have one to ourselves. I've discovered that our
fellow East Africans do not enjoy the wind blowing through their hair. Or on
their skin. Or at all. Which meant that when it got hot (as it is wont to do on
an overcrowded bus in the middle of the day) there was no air circulating on
that bus. Imagine your last airplane trip: imagine it with <i>less</i> leg room and less air. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep, that was our bus.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/media/prosecutions-poursuites/photo/pra2012-02-01a.jpg" height="150" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khat or Miraa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Khat is a shrub grown in only certain parts of the north and eastern part of our continent. People who use khat chew the leaves – they must be fresh – and chew/suck on the skinny stems. Khat (<i>miraa </i>in Kiswahili) is not illegal. It’s an accepted stimulant, which is a bit of a mystery to me; however, many say that it doesn’t have any more stimulant effects than coffee. Others dispute that, and argue that it is quite addictive (um, like coffee?) and produces hallucinatory effects for those who use it frequently.</div>
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Rand and I noticed that our driver did several things throughout
the trip. He drank from a plastic soda bottle containing a light yellowish (<i>really</i> unattractive) liquid. He chewed
gum constantly, and he kept a little bag in his lap, from which he would pull
one or two small twigs out and suck on them – all the while drinking the soda
(?) and chewing the gum. He also drove as to escape a nightmare. He jiggled his
legs, he swung his arms (yes, while holding the steering wheel), he looked
around wildly, and he did not slow down over speed bumps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Did I mention that this bus ride was 14 hours? We stopped
twice. Once for a minute to refuel (not to find a toilet) and once (<i>once!</i>) for a bathroom break. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Fortunately, we arrived safely. We found a taxi to our
“campsite,” which is really a lovely set of cabins, tent-sites, and <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">tented bandas</span> tucked into a
forested parcel of land along the <span style="font-size: 16px;">Little Ruaha River</span>. We were greeted by Eliud
who showed us our little stone <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">home</span>. We took a walk in the cold, starry, silent night, and then
finally fell into a delicious sleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghY5aZzMhMazcdmRLD_cOINfAIwRDKsHyOquY3x_d5xufV7jbpbH3wNpEbO5Ve0nGNUInKz9Bs0VFnoAgjgy3ot6olVTUJHkcWT_TDPFWz4DBVol3n2fmtsfNFnlKn9RUz3K75RQoXlT8/s1600/132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghY5aZzMhMazcdmRLD_cOINfAIwRDKsHyOquY3x_d5xufV7jbpbH3wNpEbO5Ve0nGNUInKz9Bs0VFnoAgjgy3ot6olVTUJHkcWT_TDPFWz4DBVol3n2fmtsfNFnlKn9RUz3K75RQoXlT8/s1600/132.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mwalimu na mimi (Teacher Joyce and me)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next morning after breakfast and playful greetings by Bruiser
and Polly (the camp dogs) we met Mwalimu (teacher) Joyce who told us that
our driver most definitely was chewing khat as he drove us through that lovely
country.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
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We spent the next two weeks learning Swahili…filling our
heads with noun classes, verb forms, infixes (we don’t have those in English,
do we?), suffixes, and prefixes. Swahili is a beautiful language – full of
lyrical sounds and an amazing mix of primarily Arab and Bantu vocabulary and
structure. Forget about all the other languages you’ve learned or been exposed
to: it does you no good. Joyce was patient, funny, and very opinionated. We
learned a lot. We ate a lot, but we were also able to run almost everyday –
finding trails, waterfalls, mini canyons, and lots of friendly and willing
Tanzanians for us to practice talking to.<br />
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One of the days we wandered into Iringa town to hang out in the market, practice our Swahili, and book our bus tickets back to Arusha. (Only after we did a lot of research into buying plane tickets!) Our teacher thought we were crazy when we told her we purchased 3 seats for the two of us: only wazungu (foreigners) have enough money to buy a ticket for a non-existent traveler (thanks for the use of your name, Reid).<br />
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We boarded the bus for the trip back to Arusha in hopes that
it would be much better. I’ve written enough, so I won’t go into detail about
the return. Besides, minus the khat-chewing maniacal driver, it was still a
14-hour bus ride through beautiful Tanzania. But this time we did see
elephants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W-BwoYvWeuBPa4Yz4X8wu9av9WHNC9ZAyF-MSaZfPWXbUGrsJmU5Y3KM7nXQmxZGZ0qlacZKdEODONwV-qplYgkyf1KK5XTMqa2yBVssOFfuP0uFUGlmceSY7c0AdC9y9c3idIQAJ1g/s1600/135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3W-BwoYvWeuBPa4Yz4X8wu9av9WHNC9ZAyF-MSaZfPWXbUGrsJmU5Y3KM7nXQmxZGZ0qlacZKdEODONwV-qplYgkyf1KK5XTMqa2yBVssOFfuP0uFUGlmceSY7c0AdC9y9c3idIQAJ1g/s1600/135.JPG" height="185" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The market in Iringa town</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Little Ruaha River -- near one of the trails we were able to run. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-59984634870124150572014-09-08T12:45:00.000-07:002014-09-08T12:58:01.239-07:00Ol Pejeta! <br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">We had a great summer (winter for us here below the Equator) with lots of great adventure and travels. (We'll do another post about mine and Rand's 15 hour bus trip to the south of Tanzania for language study with our khat-chewing, maniacal bus driver.) </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1">The kids were separated from us for way too long -- but they came home in late July with Rand’s parents and we had a grand time going on a safari to Ol Pejeta Conservancy. It’s a model of private wildlife conservation and indigenous herd management. Here are just a few of the amazing animals we saw...We got a new camera in June and it was so fun experimenting. We are grateful to be in such a beautiful country. Let us know when you're ready for your safari...</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephants at a watering hole just near our camp -- check out week-old baby trying to figure out how to use her trunk</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgar1qzrsOF7ioPfazZOpZAIAHkVfOPoajRuer11UAk8cA-jewZhTsd6Qt8R405baA56wZkf9U3H-0ZAujzt7xv5ALYr8WGSMWdK25RzFXqm6FhMKuA5Uieu5RAvhIf75r6E5BA6qBOQ_s/s1600/IMG_1991+-+Version+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgar1qzrsOF7ioPfazZOpZAIAHkVfOPoajRuer11UAk8cA-jewZhTsd6Qt8R405baA56wZkf9U3H-0ZAujzt7xv5ALYr8WGSMWdK25RzFXqm6FhMKuA5Uieu5RAvhIf75r6E5BA6qBOQ_s/s1600/IMG_1991+-+Version+3.JPG" height="288" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Buffalo baby and mom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9ZeWBNaWa9h11W1rva3MVjYG8ueSoxBG38eimIcdfMFcj5Ln2A3j9atqikCbO0apT9AW_JmEQCtqMDw48pyGN-RLIees0bOT1F9oPoonhXTKknmbuLqzodhFGcdObqofjoR3_Nhh000/s1600/IMG_2088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9ZeWBNaWa9h11W1rva3MVjYG8ueSoxBG38eimIcdfMFcj5Ln2A3j9atqikCbO0apT9AW_JmEQCtqMDw48pyGN-RLIees0bOT1F9oPoonhXTKknmbuLqzodhFGcdObqofjoR3_Nhh000/s1600/IMG_2088.JPG" height="320" width="264" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We always think of a sweet little girl when we see zebras, especially young ones</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoefs2YIYiQoXuZZQ_VTA3egmn2fsIb_iFrS7H5qGC_-4S0q32uGBeOoNqU7hmSNRqN_wP5itNdfBhHtffqPDFRvHAxz8IT1ObR1GEusRCw5-o_vUuwa8FGIi26UYqBhiwyrc6CDo3uc/s1600/IMG_2112.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="208" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilac breasted roller</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgJ2ivUYV_xgTSkcTnCw6nl4LYabNNfdmd1Z6NGNXQ37Azf4RUsISeqc_X1UXaFShCDGKcqLzdSEShY3rg-QCv0Ni1JIZubgsogc54fsFOyimG3ZnPYZ4HhT41ePaAUpPkLHM756G6Z0/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgJ2ivUYV_xgTSkcTnCw6nl4LYabNNfdmd1Z6NGNXQ37Azf4RUsISeqc_X1UXaFShCDGKcqLzdSEShY3rg-QCv0Ni1JIZubgsogc54fsFOyimG3ZnPYZ4HhT41ePaAUpPkLHM756G6Z0/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" height="320" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey crowned crane - you can see that this is also just near our camp</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmXY26YK6FoWOgp_ZgWnWUS_7YS1Q_K2vATw9id03arzuhbnEcBZIK6ohyphenhyphendwYk97zTQ5S592WYmQJkCHtkHeY9acMrcVOoO_oHtulKfgYgkSHQTI7JKt_ucajfj_M7OGMsXXI9snkHfo/s1600/IMG_2268.JPG" height="213" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I. love. warthogs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2Ssh4zmbHvp41jHoiJ0UiSBJAM9EMrbCt9Nc5wFlrOOuTkEVwGEmWFCdjE535GnSaVXcwDudxhyphenhyphenpdBI5bhilmgfzOv68QarQIeqaDZCqB4fAFU1GTzG50Wjf6uajA9U5306aUQcdGeo/s1600/IMG_2331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2Ssh4zmbHvp41jHoiJ0UiSBJAM9EMrbCt9Nc5wFlrOOuTkEVwGEmWFCdjE535GnSaVXcwDudxhyphenhyphenpdBI5bhilmgfzOv68QarQIeqaDZCqB4fAFU1GTzG50Wjf6uajA9U5306aUQcdGeo/s1600/IMG_2331.JPG" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little guy is showing us his ears -- proving how threatening he can be </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE_54EocaJdYlSpHbkbSh2ErP8i_XJHse_irevfbxd7J69snanFYU5SPtBv-XpnpyLKi0-iyHqTP6FytJN8B5pdQry2vChcSvtY9E35-us6PofQ278av_N1vnnFjsu1WV0hplmYypLNI/s1600/IMG_2631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQE_54EocaJdYlSpHbkbSh2ErP8i_XJHse_irevfbxd7J69snanFYU5SPtBv-XpnpyLKi0-iyHqTP6FytJN8B5pdQry2vChcSvtY9E35-us6PofQ278av_N1vnnFjsu1WV0hplmYypLNI/s1600/IMG_2631.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a place for us to celebrate Nana's birthday...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnZpFIGyrG90G1meqeaxYAj5-qyzW5lDHpKs-9C-OgL0TfeHmdT1SEHr11s1ohhqoa16T_vqq7UTVv6N1SPlK94bOzJN3jFBNE1SBKjJUC39muhdvTzZSNbWEkvxHvGwfA2o8WUIqWYg/s1600/IMG_2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqnZpFIGyrG90G1meqeaxYAj5-qyzW5lDHpKs-9C-OgL0TfeHmdT1SEHr11s1ohhqoa16T_vqq7UTVv6N1SPlK94bOzJN3jFBNE1SBKjJUC39muhdvTzZSNbWEkvxHvGwfA2o8WUIqWYg/s1600/IMG_2609.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first tented camp</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUdGSCbBZpC6tGjNB0zGagrBqsLUTx6cjn1Ep97WF6bV-bazjoC7VDLgzkaxOYFIt2ZPmRxtKe-RgfU4Ymzqbryd0f6dsjpu5mr3vkyGVdO96e-ZJ9RaIZBuTF5CF8RGlZjDwarcWbyo/s1600/IMG_2605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUdGSCbBZpC6tGjNB0zGagrBqsLUTx6cjn1Ep97WF6bV-bazjoC7VDLgzkaxOYFIt2ZPmRxtKe-RgfU4Ymzqbryd0f6dsjpu5mr3vkyGVdO96e-ZJ9RaIZBuTF5CF8RGlZjDwarcWbyo/s1600/IMG_2605.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bushbucks -- so fuzzy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFWa7GJMSHpZCj6PDwbml9KSTHv-MYoqBoss01YjMtaavSpqMxU5mHsVbuS0gvh17qt8D6T4feS8yvGg2XP1nsgVR9prpudjtyi7nzHL73sM0XccXTnaUIygm9NkTD2dfJ5TZ9ZFwwaU/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikFWa7GJMSHpZCj6PDwbml9KSTHv-MYoqBoss01YjMtaavSpqMxU5mHsVbuS0gvh17qt8D6T4feS8yvGg2XP1nsgVR9prpudjtyi7nzHL73sM0XccXTnaUIygm9NkTD2dfJ5TZ9ZFwwaU/s1600/IMG_2448.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then there were <i>these </i>guys...</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-57209662645095735012014-04-15T02:43:00.001-07:002014-04-15T04:10:44.568-07:00Planning, budgets, programs...some of the work we (and MCC) do in Kenya<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we have been quiet on our blog these
last couple of months, I thought I’d give you some idea of what we’ve been up
to. We just emerged from a heavy season of planning and preparation for the new
fiscal year that began in April. During December, January, and February, Rand
and I have been involved in budget development and proposal writing, reviewing,
editing and finalizing for MCC’s work in Kenya. We have done a lot of this on our
own, and much of it with input from program specialists with MCC in Canada and
the US. Most of the proposals that we support have a three year duration, so
developing them is not a small task for our partners who implement them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MCC’s method of working in most countries
and areas is by partnering with established organizations, or partners. In
other words, typically MCC would not come into a community and say, “You need a
well, and we will fund it. “ Rather MCC’s partners are organizations who are
already at work in MCC’s strategic and geographic areas of interest and share MCC
values.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Kenya our areas of focus are food
security/agriculture/water, health (including HIV/AIDS prevention), education, disaster
relief, and peace-building. The majority
of our money is spent on water/ag/food security. All of our partners use methods and
techniques that are unique to their environments, populations, and particular
needs; no two programs look alike. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIN2EWGAM7eP5uXSVLZZQg7nHFPpgJ-w49MuDDw8mZQT9hZLcetuPE10KrZE2J4sb7Jt3KehNIMdAY4_-SqQfFNGnjGT5iyBKqGxoI471hqDIbQeNyvmfeGCx6YMyKxv8zVCaPt7J-8U/s1600/sd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeIN2EWGAM7eP5uXSVLZZQg7nHFPpgJ-w49MuDDw8mZQT9hZLcetuPE10KrZE2J4sb7Jt3KehNIMdAY4_-SqQfFNGnjGT5iyBKqGxoI471hqDIbQeNyvmfeGCx6YMyKxv8zVCaPt7J-8U/s1600/sd1.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Self Help Group building a sand dam in the Ukambani region of Kenya.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">In the food security/ag/water sector, our
partners build sand
dams,</span><span lang="EN-US"> implement various methods of water harvesting, tree planting, and conservation
agriculture. I realize as I write this how new these terms are to me. Even food
security, a term I’ve been familiar with and involved in for years, takes on greater
meaning in sub-Saharan Africa. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sand dam with water flowing over it. In the dry season<br />
the water stored in this dam will be crucial for crops,<br />
livestock, and people in the area. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our health work primarily consists of
funding HIV/AIDS prevention programs through the Kenya Mennonite Church, but
also with a Presbyterian organization in Ewuaso, a rural Maasai community. AIDS
is a concern globally, of course, and the task of educating and empowering
youth and young adults to make healthy choices is important in slowing
transmission. Additionally, certain cultural practices in some communities make
the task even more urgent and difficult. We work with strong community leaders
who are motivated to educate folks about the risks of unwise health decisions
and the role of traditional cultural practices in spread of HIV. This is not
easy work, nor is community behavior change easy. At times, this work takes on
an added dimension to me as I see some of these men who are leaders in their
communities and who have become meaningful spokespeople in explaining the
dangers of gender-based violence and why the church should be leading the
discussions in these issues.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgny6xY48OwDoXlIBkVN_G7ScwVmNd3Ww4wbj49x-PepiGkb8hkuEmyCQ0phNR7YaqUpf5V8t2HikGrZVngiDRa6N2kqEYRqg-zyAFRx4T_yi1yCO4Aq0CGGovHG_cHt-b82mI4dHFmjHc/s1600/IMG_4553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgny6xY48OwDoXlIBkVN_G7ScwVmNd3Ww4wbj49x-PepiGkb8hkuEmyCQ0phNR7YaqUpf5V8t2HikGrZVngiDRa6N2kqEYRqg-zyAFRx4T_yi1yCO4Aq0CGGovHG_cHt-b82mI4dHFmjHc/s1600/IMG_4553.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottles laid out to sterilize in the sun at Menno Kids Academy. Each student and <br />
teacher has his or her own bottle that is laid out each day. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">WASH (or Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) is an important focus area; for the majority of Kenyans, clean water is nothing to take for granted. Several of our partner schools implement </span><span lang="EN-US">programs in their schools and surrounding communities.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also support several schools through MCC’s <a href="http://globalfamily.mcc.org/programs/kenya">Global Family Fund</a>. We
partner with schools and organizations in our country that face incredible
challenges – they strive to provide quality education to vulnerable kids and
provide them a loving, stable environment. Visiting these schools and seeing
the tireless work of the teachers is amazing. We have also been fortunate to
have a young, bright service worker (i.e., MCC volunteer) work with these
schools. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJxTjhPO9nYxQSWkCsLpkxmhYKvUQryfSbP4r_ZYgGZNG7hn4J2Z3hC7mawYBE05RyfFffclHGkIRELeLt7-bgtc4HE_g47EnhtvJZHHpbaqKdDQZaNRSaaduWmWGLBU6MrKeAULVJYU/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJxTjhPO9nYxQSWkCsLpkxmhYKvUQryfSbP4r_ZYgGZNG7hn4J2Z3hC7mawYBE05RyfFffclHGkIRELeLt7-bgtc4HE_g47EnhtvJZHHpbaqKdDQZaNRSaaduWmWGLBU6MrKeAULVJYU/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids at Mukuru Menno Academy holding up their water<br />
bottles after sitting in the sun (the SODIS method is part of our WASH<br />
programs at the schools. Clean water is not to be taken for granted here.</td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realize that climate change is a controversial term in the US, fraught with highly politicized factions. That is not the case here: it is a hard reality that millions of people in this region of Africa deal with on a daily basis. It has changed the rains, the water availability, the crops, livestock breeding patterns – almost everything. The increasing number of droughts has required that we work with our partners to provide relief and food aid. There are various ways we do this, and we know that at some point in our term, we will face another serious season of food shortages. We fortunately have seen good rains over the last month – albeit strange, as they started in February, rather than March. We hope that crops will grow and produce well this season.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh783MifYT-ALGrJ5QHyUkeG_Sipw75PhTNUuSJAW9k-PiTzZga8Ti-Fnqk2Ya2yMCQpqdJl_TMLrKX905wVk4pphJKKsPBDFGE8vcBOuby9hjIWDOWgcloDJpoPWKC3jbN95clqACH_nA/s1600/river+of+life+pair_Michael+and+Lulu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh783MifYT-ALGrJ5QHyUkeG_Sipw75PhTNUuSJAW9k-PiTzZga8Ti-Fnqk2Ya2yMCQpqdJl_TMLrKX905wVk4pphJKKsPBDFGE8vcBOuby9hjIWDOWgcloDJpoPWKC3jbN95clqACH_nA/s1600/river+of+life+pair_Michael+and+Lulu.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two participants engaged in the "river of life" exercise during the Justice<br />
that Heals Learning Community, led by MCC partner DiPaD.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Kenya has a long history of inter-tribal violence and border disputes, often escalating around elections. Although the past election, a year ago, passed without overt violence, there are still tensions that many Kenyans feel. MCC supports </span><span lang="EN-US">organizations that work in this area. We are also excited about a new program that starts in April in Eastleigh, the neighbourhood in Nairobi where most of the city’s Somali immigrants and refugees live.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The tasks of developing a budget (and you will be relieved to know that Rand
does most of that!) and revising and editing plans can feel a bit cold and
disconnected from the workers in the communities. At the same time, it gives us
the opportunity to see the hard work that our partners put into providing
services for the people they serve. We really are amazed at what can happen in
these communities with limited resources and less than ideal circumstances. For
those of you who give to MCC, thank you, and please know that we really do work
hard to ensure the money is spent wisely and with kindness and compassion. <a href="https://donate.mcc.org/">https://donate.mcc.org/</a></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-2912682736504071392014-01-22T04:33:00.000-08:002014-01-22T04:33:22.559-08:00Mom and Dad came to Africa...What a visit. Before Mom and Dad left, I quizzed them, the kids, and Rand on what their favourite memories were so that I could write a good blog post. It was great hearing all of their memories and reliving what a great time we had. They have been gone for not even a week -- we are slowly getting back into the routine of school and work, but we still miss them. I haven't written anything yet... like all of you, we get bogged down in the details of life and school and work (budget planning time for MCC!). My parents sent out an email to a bunch of their friends, and I decided that I should just use their email summary -- see below. I'll just add one story that sums up their attitude for the whole time they were here:<div>
<br />We were on the way to an isolated village where two of our service workers live, Najile, Kajiado County West. It's not far (distance-wise) but a world away from Nairobi, through the bush of the Rift Valley. We had been bumping along, all crammed in our truck for about two hours when Sam asks, "How much longer do we have?" Before I could provide a soothing parental answer, my dad calls out, "Who cares? This is GREAT!"</div>
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Mom and Dad's note to friends:</div>
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"We are safely home (since January 18th) from our adventure in Kenya; thank you for all your prayers while we were there! I thought we'd just finish our account of activities there and attach a few pictures.</div>
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We toured several parks where we saw lions, hippos, rhinos, warthogs, giraffes, monkeys, lots of pretty birds, elands, gazelles and African buffaloes.. up pretty close. I've not sent those pictures because you know what they look like. Zebras are seen along the roadside like cows in the US - no big deal about them!</div>
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Nairobi is a very modern city, but I attached a picture of a more "slum" area. Other pictures (in no particular order) are of the Rosslyn Academy where the kids go to school, a Maasai woman with Selena and Reid (she's one of 3 wives). There is one of us being presented jewellery by the Maasai family we dined with, all of us at our "banda" (camping cabin) and another of us at Hell's Gate Cave, another of us at Karen (the "Out of Africa" estate near Nairobi).</div>
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We visited a Giraffe Park (hence the two pictures...note my "kissing" the Giraffe)! We went to a baby elephant orphanage and adopted "Suswa" for grandson Pierce. Their keepers are with them 24 hours - sleep with them, as well.</div>
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We visited a tea plantation, several mission sites where Rand and Selena have projects...orphanages, schools, community projects, etc. Highlight for us was meeting so many interesting people from all over who are in Kenya on some sort of mission. </div>
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Kenyans are warm, very religious people, (who drive like maniacs). There are armed guards everywhere - everything is behind gates (beautiful ones, too). Sam & Reid are adapting well and Rand and Selena love their job. They have a really nice apartment in the city with most conveniences. We had a wonderful time with them (didn't seem to overstay!) and are so thankful for the privilege we had of going."</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-61216546720682315992013-12-05T11:30:00.001-08:002013-12-05T11:30:41.997-08:00Aunt Kay<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Friday is my Aunt Kay’s birthday. She would have been 73.
Kay died on October 9th from metastatic breast cancer, just a few weeks after
we moved to Nairobi. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We missed the memorial service ~ that was really hard. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is the first time I have grieved at a distance from
my family and friends, but I am so grateful to my dad, my mom</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, and my sister, along with Kay's incredible friends, who were with Kay in those final weeks. Below are some
rambling thoughts on Kay ~ some came from the obituary that friends and family
wrote. Thanks for reading and honouring my aunt’s memory with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">‘It reflects on your other commitments as well. Will you be
able to stay married? What kind of a friend are you?’ My aunt Kay said this to
me when I was 20 and contemplating taking a year off from college. That summer
I was working in DC for my congressman (does anyone else in South Carolina miss
John Spratt?) and it seemed like I had some growing up to do. So I told Kay
that: maybe I should take a year off and grow up some. Her reply was something
like, ‘Learning how to stick to something when it’s really hard is part of
growing up.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was reared by wonderful parents who were active church members,
with morals and values grounded in Biblical stories and their faith. Our home
was a small town in South Carolina where a huge Air Force base was an
influential part of our community. Kay, my dad’s older sister, was quite
different from almost all of the other women I knew as a child. Although she
only lived 45 miles away in Columbia, at times her world seemed radically
different than mine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kay was a feminist and a committed and vocal member of the
Democratic Party and League of Women Voters. She was a sophisticated
conversationalist, particularly about South Carolina politics. No matter how
frustrated she could get with our state, she remained fiercely loyal to South
Carolina, and to its University, where she worked for so many years. She wasn’t
always easy to deal with. She was opinionated, well read, and could be
sarcastic and unkind toward others’ opinions that differed substantially from
hers. Kay never married, sometimes she lived alone; for a while she had a long-time
roommate (as an adult! how cool!), she <i>always</i>
had a cat, great art hung on her walls, and had lived and travelled all over
the world. She was deeply committed to the local art scene in Columbia. Many of
these characteristics made her the kind of woman who was not only unusual in
small towns of the Deep South in the 1970’s and 80’s; to me she was almost
exotic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kay valued intellectual curiosity and perseverance ~ hence
her strong reservations about my wanting to quit college for a year. The value
she placed on those two things could often make it difficult for us to get
along. I always loved to read (one of the characteristics we had in common),
but I wasn’t classically smart ~ I didn’t have good grades, and I had a hard
time dedicating the kind of time good grades required. However, we both shared
a love of theatre, and because of her I was able to see some of South
Carolina’s best live theatre. She loved that I was active in the Sumter Little
Theatre, and it was important to me that we shared that passion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kay was a serious lover of cats, and spent much of her
energy caring for a long line of quirky and insistent animals. She loved and
appreciated classical music, theatre, opera; she shared this love with all of
us. She generously and consistently
supported the arts in Columbia and Charleston. Kay’s sense of style was to be
envied, and it was demonstrated in her clothes, the art on her walls, and in
her home. Kay was a mean card player, and spent much of her time around a
Bridge table with a loyal group of players. She made sure each of us had a sixpence
on our wedding day. Kay was a willing playmate with little ones; she could be
silly and tease playfully and make up funny nicknames. Kay hated to be woken up
early, especially on Christmas mornings by over-eager nieces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kay was private about dealing with her cancer. I’m pretty
sure she told my sister and parents a bit more, but with me it was pretty much
on a need-to-know-basis. We talked about it over the years, but I think she
kept a lot of the pain to herself. She had a dedicated circle of friends, made
up of old and new, male and female, conservatives and liberal thinkers….really
quite amazing to me. They supported her during her various bouts with cancer,
and then supported my dad and Mandy when they were in Columbia during her final
weeks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We miss Kay and I know with Christmas approaching
(a holiday we usually spent with her), it will be more acute. My kids and I will
miss her silly and unique presents, the English crackers, delicious German
wine, good bread, and pimiento cheese from The Gourmet Shop in Columbia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For many people Christmas and the holidays can be really hard. I love the Quaker way of saying they remember one another in prayer: "I will hold you in the Light." I hope each of us has someone who holds us in the Light this season ~ it is a bitter and sweet time for many. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EL8tItDnJjdTVG71hvdKFtiKT6cF5yz2QcCHkCiaJsO9WI5dgFr1MU7x1kL7WKBoJFuHzRMnuI_lrr6iuieCBRMBZqGXynQOZqKAKdeFnB4GWZjYTHm5TTU9RXZr88ZXVdbpGX9IgK0/s1600/kaypic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2EL8tItDnJjdTVG71hvdKFtiKT6cF5yz2QcCHkCiaJsO9WI5dgFr1MU7x1kL7WKBoJFuHzRMnuI_lrr6iuieCBRMBZqGXynQOZqKAKdeFnB4GWZjYTHm5TTU9RXZr88ZXVdbpGX9IgK0/s1600/kaypic.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kay wearing one of the crowns from the English crackers that she brought us every Christmas. </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-63535535584727677302013-11-12T03:36:00.000-08:002013-11-12T03:36:28.264-08:00Rand's Visit to Dadaab Refugee Complex<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Rand visited the Dadaab refugee complex in early October; here's his reflection on that visit.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After departing from home early in the morning and boarding a UN flight from a small airport in Nairobi at 7:00 a.m, we arrived an hour later at the tar and chip UN airstrip, with rain sprinkling---unusual for the area. Dadaab is a town in Kenya's NE province, about 50 km from Somalia. It's dusty, flat, windy, and the sun is hot. This province and neighboring areas have been inhabited largely by Somali speaking peoples for centuries. The border drawn by colonial powers in the 19th century seemed indiscriminately to place some of these peoples in Kenya and some in Somalia. In recent decades, Somalia has been a country ruled by violence and chaos, and Kenya has become a new home to many of those fleeing the violence and fear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our destination after driving through the small market town of Dadaab was the UN compound containing smaller encampments and offices for each of the several dozen NGOs and other agencies working in the area. The 5 actual refugee camps surround the town at some distance----Hagadera (the oldest and largest), Dagahali, Ifor I, Ifor II, and Kambi'oos (the newest and smallest). The various agencies with refugee expertise contract with the UN and divide responsibilities for various services in the camps. These agencies include big names like the International Rescue Committee, Islamic Relief, Care International, and MCC's partner and our host Lutheran World Federation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">LWF has a strong commitment to child protection and features prominently its Child Protection Code of Conduct on placards and t-shirts and more importantly in training of all staff, contractors, and guests, even guests visiting for just a few hours. We were also briefed on security and learned that since the first camp's beginnings in 1992, and until recently, violence and other security concerns have been rare. Starting in 2011, coincidental with rising international pressure on Somalia and the entry of Kenya's military into the conflict there, kidnappings of foreigners and planting of IEDs near the roadways between camps occur occasionally. The explosives typically have targeted security forces and police, though with frequent collateral damage. The Westgate terrorist attack in Nairobi in late September brought fresh concern, yet the rate of kidnapping and other violence has not risen. During our visit precautions will be taken, including accompaniment by the LWF security chief and a police escort vehicle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There's a warm family atmosphere on the LWF compound. The staff here are all unaccompanied, take most all of their meals together at the mess, and rely on each other for companionship. They play volleyball in the afternoons and sometimes visit a little outdoor nightclub serving food and drinks. The accommodations are comfortable and utilitarian, mostly cinderblock buildings with individual rooms, as well as a few tents and other moveable trailer-type housing. Over the years, staff have planted and maintained trees, converting their portion of the UN compound to an oasis that even the birds appreciate. A small colony of cats roam, gathering near the mess hall when meat is served, and they appear healthy and happy. It was nice to see the staff treating the cats politely, possibly lovingly, even when chasing them off from stalking the birds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">LWF is working to simultaneously improve the quality of education and expand the school enrollment in Hagadera and Kambi'oos. The camps' schools are at or over capacity, yet an estimated 55% of eligible children are not enrolled. Many of the unenrolled are Somali Bantu, a marginalized group among Somalis. Other challenges include moving from temporary structures to more solid, safer, cleaner school structures, providing desks and school supplies, providing adequate service to the special needs population, and integrating over-age learners who are years behind the typically-aged student in schooling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monday afternoon we visited the small LWF education compound within Hagadera. The Kenyan teachers for both camps' schools reside in this compound, while incentive staff (staff hired from the refugee population) continue to live at home in the camps. The buildings and mess resembled those at the LWF compound in Dadaab town. We were accompanied by Sheik, the LWF Dadaab education coordinator (see his photo among some preschool children in the schoolyard at Hagadera). We met with a group of teachers who had completed the MCC-sponsored teacher training. All were appreciative, and they voiced some suggestions for improvement, too. Hellen, LWF's regional education coordinator, and Sheik reported that some of the trained teachers had already left for other jobs back in Somalia or with other agencies in the camps; teaching in the camps pays little compared to some other jobs. The teachers appreciated classroom evaluation by the teacher training professors, as well as the strong emphasis on professionalism---punctuality, dress, behavior modification methods. They still desire further subject matter specialization, especially the secondary teachers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tuesday we drove through Hagadera to Kambi'oos along sandy roads in a small caravan, yielding only to another caravan.....this one a caravan of donkeys carrying gathered wood piled high on carts. The two schools in Kambi'oos cover only the primary levels (through level 8). Housing for Kenyan school staff at this camp is lacking, and with the difficult and time-consuming travel between camps, teachers are able to keep school open only for the mornings. The Hilal and Furaha schools' classrooms and open spaces were neat and inviting. Though on the way to being replaced, some structures of plastic sheeting on wooden frames were still in use. Balala, the ever-smiling camp education officer, accompanied us. At Furaha, we met with the school management committee, a group of parents elected to serve as a school advisory committee. Both at this meeting and the teacher meeting on Monday, we opened with touching and reverential prayer spoken in Somali. We dropped by a couple of special needs classrooms at Hilal---great to see the patient, loving teachers, and the smiling confident kids. After the school visits, we visited the camp livelihoods center where adults were engaged in micro-enterprise education, learning to make soap, weaving sheets, dying shawls, learning to sew and make pasta. Interesting and hopeful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Tuesday afternoon we had time for catching up with a bit of office work. That evening after supper, we sat with much of the leadership staff in the night club and discussed politics, refugee work, and personal interests. It was a nice time. We all felt like we had spent more time together than just a day and a half!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The next morning, Wednesday, at Amani primary school, Hagadera, we visited a special needs class and a couple of the older level classrooms preparing for exams, yet our objective the today was to meet with the Girls Education Movement (GEM club). These young women, about a dozen, were in levels 6-8 and spoke eloquently and confidently about the need to educate through some of their cultural and societal burdens and the barriers that are presented to women and girls. Very inspiring to see the sparkle in their eyes and the way they looked directly at us to speak about their dreams and the importance of education. We left this school for a short drive to the small LWF compound near the Hagadera market to meet the special needs advisory committee. The committee has 60 members, with a 15 member executive committee, of whom we met 6. Some of these members had special needs, and we were glad to speak with them about their challenges and the support they receive from LWF. Those with special needs are sometimes overlooked in emergency and disaster response. Awareness and planning around their needs is a recent trend among refugee agencies, and LWF has been a strong special-needs advocate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MCC has a unique opportunity to support educational efforts at these camps, to interact with and learn from LWF, and to stay connected to the East Africa refugee situation at one of the largest population refugee locations in the world. These people, some of the world's most vulnerable, by some accounts hold in their hands the future of Somalia, one of the most unstable countries in the world. The ideas and education they receive now will be a part of that future. MCC is privileged to support this partner LWF and its refugee educational efforts. MCC constituents have the privilege of staying in touch with the refugee situation in Kenya through an organization working hand-in-hand with the refugees themselves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Abae Sheikh Maro, an LWF education program manager in Dadaab, with preschool children.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-3566890980723654942013-10-21T05:26:00.001-07:002013-10-21T05:26:19.493-07:00Our newest addition to the family!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rescuing baby elephants whose mothers have been poached or killed by other types of human interactions is the main mission of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's baby elephant orphanage. The orphanage is located on the outskirts of the Nairobi National Park -- a wildlife park in our city. Although the stories behind the babies' mothers are tragic, you would never know it to see these little guys romp and play and eat. The elephants are rescued by the staff at the orphanage, usually after a call from the National Wildlife rangers and staff. The babies are brought to the orphanage and cared for by Keepers who literally become their lost family; they feed them, sleep with them, and keep them warm and dry for the first several months of their lives. When they are young babies, the staff must feed them every 3 hours, even during the night. Eventually the babies are reintroduced slowly into the wild, and life with a herd. The Trust owns a portion of the Tsavo National Park, where Kenya's largest elephant herd lives. At around the age of 3, if the elephants are doing well, the Keepers take them to Tsavo, where they are gradually reintroduced and welcomed by other elephant herds. The other orphans who have successfully reintegrated to the wild are often the first to welcome the newcomers. The rangers told us that their former orphans often come back to the Trust's station to visit. It was surprisingly touching to see how kind and gentle the Keepers were with their charges, not overly affectionate, but we could tell they had developed relationships with them.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After watching them eat (out of bottles, so stinking cute!) and play for about an hour, visiting time was over; it was time for the elephants to go play and hang out in the bush. We then made our way over to the table and adopted our own baby elephant! Her name is Kamok, and she was born on 8 September of this year. She was found on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy as a newborn and was very sick; the Trust even had to give her blood transfusions to ensure her survival. Our donation as a foster family will help provide her with the needed food and other costs of rehabilitating her for the wild. Another benefit is that we can go put her to bed in the evenings (if you come see us, we'll take you with us!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to learn more about the Trust, or adopt an elephant of your own (we'll go put him or her to bed for you, don't worry), go to <a href="http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/">www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org</a>.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-23753461713931313152013-10-02T23:18:00.000-07:002013-10-03T00:15:25.379-07:00Reid's Prayer<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
couple of weeks ago, I told the kids that they should write our next blog
entry. Rand and I have discussed most of our entries with them, Reid has taken
many of the photographs, but the words haven’t come from them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Saturday afternoon (21 Sept) that we had planned for them to write the entry
was when the attack at the Westgate Mall happened. Many of you are aware that
the mall is very close to us and is a place where we had shopped. The kids enjoyed
having a place that felt more like a US shopping center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
loss of life in that attack was devastating for Kenya, and yes, it hurt us in
ways that we can’t all verbalize well. One of our kids said, “Why can’t we just
go home?” Their school, Rosslyn Academy, lost two parents in the attack, and
several families were injured – physically and psychologically from the terror
of hiding from the attackers. It has been a hard few weeks, but the support
here and from you, our friends across the ocean, has been huge and encouraging
to us. Reid and Sam go to an amazing school, which has provided a variety of
ways to love and hold up the families over the last couple of weeks; we are
fortunate to be a part of that community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">During
these last few weeks, we have also been sad to be away from family. We have family members who are gravely ill: possibly in their last few weeks or months of life. That
sadness, of having to say goodbye from a huge distance, along with the tension
here in Nairobi, has made these weeks a bit hard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which,
brings me to how I started this entry: having the kids write for the blog. A
lot of you won’t be surprised to hear me say that I was reluctant about Reid
opening a Facebook account. I envisioned cyber-bullying, terrible pictures
posted, narcissistic teen posts, etc. But instead, Reid has posted creative
photographs of her life here, smart and wry views of events, and quips about
life in general. And then the attack happened, and she posted the prayer below.
She and Sam continue to amaze us with their strength, humor, and their ability
to cope and adapt to this new life. We are so grateful for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Reid’s Prayer</span></i></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
pray to you, Lord. </span><span style="color: #37404e; font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I pray for the people that have enough hate in
their hearts to hurt innocent people. I pray for you to strengthen us so that
we can see these people through your eyes, since we know you love each and
every one them just as much as you love us. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">I pray for your world, father. I pray that you
can use us to fix it- the world you handed to us, no questions asked, a
privilege we have so badly abused.<br />
<br />
I pray for people injured. That they will find your strength to heal. I pray
that they will find peace inside themselves to forgive the people who have done
such damage to them, inside and out.<br />
<br />
I pray a prayer of help. You love us all. You watch us all. Help us to get
through this, as we try to believe you have a reason.<br />
<br />
Amen<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com5Nairobi, Kenya-1.2920659 36.821946199999957-1.5460579 36.499222699999955 -1.0380739 37.144669699999959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-15650270669297512242013-09-13T07:44:00.001-07:002013-10-06T23:23:32.010-07:00My Week...<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to be honest, in considering this assignment with
MCC, I knew that part of my motivation was a desire for adventure. This past
week did not disappoint. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It started with a trip to meet Julia & Dick Moss, legendary
musicians in Kenya. This delightful couple lives outside of Nairobi in Karen
(anyone read “Out of Africa” by Isak Dinesen, aka Karen Blixen?), in a simple
house among lush gardens, huge acacia trees, and an ingenious water catchment
system. We consulted with Mr. Moss about locating a suitable music teacher, and
he attentively and gently listened and encouraged as the kids’ played for him. The
Mosses (both British) have dedicated their lives to teaching music in Kenya, have
influenced generations of students and instructors, and were awarded the MBE by
Queen Elizabeth II---that’s a unique photograph to find on someone’s bookshelf!
<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Tuesday I left for my first “business trip,” to visit a
remotely located MCC couple in Kajiado County in the Rift Valley. Doug and
Corinna work closely with projects that are involved with several Maasai
communities on food security, sand dam building, and self help group (SHG)
training. Doug drove us over roads that were not much more than cattle paths
cut through the savannah. We drove down an escarpment to view Mt. Longonot in
one direction, and Mt. Suswa in another. The scenery was amazing, and as we
traveled, Doug, Philip (a local teacher), and I peppered each other with
questions about our backgrounds, food preferences, and various wildlife
sightings (okay, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">their</i> sightings). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
I lack the ability to express the beauty of Kajiado County, nor can I
adequately express my admiration for Doug & Corinna and their colleague Ann
(a Maasai who works as a consultant for MCC). All three work long hours
and travel tremendous distances over horrible roads to work with the SHGs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Rand wrote a couple weeks ago about “harambee,” and the
formation of SHGs throughout Kenya are a product of the promotion of harambee.
Ann works with multiple groups in this part of the Rift Valley as they form,
identify and set goals, and increase their capacity to be successful. She seems
without limits in her faith, her love for the people she works with, and in her
sense of humor. She is also a treasure trove of stories, many of them involving
creatures most of us only see in zoos.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Doug & Corinna took me on a 10K hike through the
savannah to visit the town of Ewuaso, where MCC supports a small HIV/AIDS
prevention program. Kipish & his staff of four deliver awareness messages,
support orphans and vulnerable children, provide counseling and testing, and
run a small community clinic. This staff has a very difficult job among the
Maasai, who are admirable for holding on to many of their traditions in the
face of modernity, also hold on to cultural practices that can be devastating for
the health of women & children. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As we walked home that afternoon, passing Thompson’s
gazelles, sheep, goats, and the ubiquitous cattle I remained in awe of my week:
the beauty, the poverty, the bravery, and the many different cultures I
encounter here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We still had one more adventure for the week….. Rand &
the kids picked me up for a weekend getaway and celebration of Sam’s 10<sup>th</sup>(!)
birthday at Lake Naivasha. From our base at a quirky little camp on the
lakeshore, we explored the lake and a nearby nature preserve. We made a long
list of all the creatures we encountered on our walks & boat safari, but
here’s the abbreviated version: monkeys, hippos, eagles, cormorants, gazelles,
wildebeest, zebra, and giraffes! We were so grateful for the time together, the
beauty around us, and the ability to walk among these animals – a time we’ll
never forget. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdF1nATjd6ttJNy2y3SUvBedgLJReDzejsSlqnUXoD_452d49cdW6o9XkXCq5GK2JawmUs_wq7pzil1Zr-uPCt8u_HwiLZ6MZ3NuZ19TE6-z1cuWWCLkuNRxPglKu5TCWmv-OWnZcahE/s1600/Blog+my+week.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijdF1nATjd6ttJNy2y3SUvBedgLJReDzejsSlqnUXoD_452d49cdW6o9XkXCq5GK2JawmUs_wq7pzil1Zr-uPCt8u_HwiLZ6MZ3NuZ19TE6-z1cuWWCLkuNRxPglKu5TCWmv-OWnZcahE/s1600/Blog+my+week.png" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Top row: Kajiado County West in the Rift Valley & Mt. Longonot<br />
Middle row: Lake Naivasha, hippos, the hike to Ewuaso; Bottom row: Visiting Crescent Island & giraffes!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-59847230143822654042013-08-29T04:52:00.000-07:002013-08-31T10:25:59.453-07:00there is no future without forgiveness<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Waihenya
has a boyish look and a bold vision for his small organization. We followed him
and project accountant Mucheru into the alley occupied by a small crowd of
smiling people and loud music<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>coming
from a neighboring music shop, expecting to be shown quickly into an office and
eventually through the collection of the Lari Memorial Peace Museum. We soon
were aware that the crowd around us was to be the highlight of our visit. This<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>workaday collection in a rural Kenyan
community near the highway to Uganda was the organization's staff, board
members, friends, parents, and grandparents...a group of people who had come together to transform their community and country.<br />
<br />
To describe the Lari Memorial Peace Museum as a museum barely scratches the
surface.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>The museum is located in
Kimende, a small town in Lari Constituency of Kiambu County, northwest of
Nairobi, and near the site of the greatest loss of life during the roughly 10
years of Kenya's drive for independence. At times this drive for independence
from England seemed more like a civil war, with fighting between and within
tribal and language groups and even families. On the single night<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>of March 26, 1953, dozens of colonialist families and home guard volunteer soldiers, who were on the side of
loyalty to British rule, were attacked in their homes. Revenge for the
estimated 150 deaths led to a cycle of retaliation that lasted for years. Bitterness and distrust brought deep divisions to this largely Kikuyu
community for most of the next 50 years.<br />
<br />
We toured the one-room museum while the music just outside in the alley blared.
1950s era artifacts, Lari massacre aftermath photographs,<span class="apple-converted-space"> and</span> the inscribed names of the victims
of the massacre lined the walls, along with a smattering of newspaper articles describing
latter day efforts at reconciliation. This tiny museum bears grim testament to
the raw emotions and extreme brutality of the revolutionary era, and these are
important to document. However, the importance and vitality of the LMPM lie in
the wide emotional space for dialogue, understanding, and forgiveness it has
created. The board of directors is composed of survivors of that night and
their children and grandchildren, families who were on the side of the
colonialists and those who sided with the revolutionaries. They are believers
in Lari's mantra that "there is no future without forgiveness." LMPM's peace
workers partner in several regions with schools to sometimes tell the Lari
story, but always to teach peace. They deliver lectures, help start peace
clubs, facilitate rural students' access to book and internet to expose them to the
larger world of diversity and opinions. The hope is that this work will help
prevent the kind of violence experienced in Lari, or the kind Kenya saw around the 2008 elections. Lari is now a community holding hope,
facing their past and future together, spreading a bit of courage to the rest
of Kenya and the world.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Written by Rand)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGuhjIDUmKE1Yhytk1M-9YMeedvT0cUuaAjToxPhW5b0fAD3np567XGDdjnGL6DJMP6zvDyokohof45Aakq54KcIMSxHqtITCtCJvNTiPuj7caZIBfh2Xic_pZJzhh7GBsJ9zrziXttU/s1600/poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGuhjIDUmKE1Yhytk1M-9YMeedvT0cUuaAjToxPhW5b0fAD3np567XGDdjnGL6DJMP6zvDyokohof45Aakq54KcIMSxHqtITCtCJvNTiPuj7caZIBfh2Xic_pZJzhh7GBsJ9zrziXttU/s200/poster.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posters created by a school peace club.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lari's website: </span><a href="http://www.amanikenya.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">http://www.amanikenya.com/</span></a></div>
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<!--[endif]-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-27698800728373454712013-08-09T02:25:00.000-07:002013-08-09T02:25:09.863-07:00The First 2 Weeks<div class="NoteLevel1" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>Here are a few of the snapshots in our memories from the first couple of weeks of visiting partners and learning about Kenya.</div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Sam playing soccer with Maasai
children and the boys at Hope Community Centre</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Zebras, gazelles, wart hogs,
and baboons in the Rift Valley</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">The monthly Mennonite hymn sing
at the Mennonite Guest House</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Green, manicured tea fields,
both small and large, in western Kenya</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Using heat in the truck and wishing we had brought more sweaters</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">A cloudy sunset at Lake
Victoria</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Awakening to news of a burning
airport</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Being surprised at the chill
air and quiet of Nairobi</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">New friends for Reid and Sam in
our apartment complex and Rosslyn Academy</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Good times and long roads in
the Land Cruiser</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Being moved by the vitality,
urgency, and justice of MCC’s partners’ work</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Attending the opening session
of the First International Sand Dam Conference in Machakos</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpFirst">
</div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 53.85pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: -17.85pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">Beautiful birds and bird song
in unexpected places, including outside our bedroom window</span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavZEpiqb60_JEbnHfVSGX-ISOqvKFR-uvwnyR3UepwsPA9P0nWTqQvE35N7MEhJ-gJG5J21_3H7PhGRUcnd92hPPf2lkLp5e5m8OMlxzqIm9_Wpfw9LqcR8aXZPj289vXSIyMXPajrhI/s1600/DSCF2101+(800x600).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavZEpiqb60_JEbnHfVSGX-ISOqvKFR-uvwnyR3UepwsPA9P0nWTqQvE35N7MEhJ-gJG5J21_3H7PhGRUcnd92hPPf2lkLp5e5m8OMlxzqIm9_Wpfw9LqcR8aXZPj289vXSIyMXPajrhI/s1600/DSCF2101+(800x600).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheat fields and acacia trees in the Rift Valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpLast">
<span lang="EN-US"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vmaqu4xwcFJFn9aLiHVKRxknsFUun0bUQKBD-e8VUkdNXuA1ycVriStZnYPGJcKUGFEvQPVCWuvd1RkSZ5R7uhQrtvOFW-vdSFDBRKGmiUVgsevXBhkXRh-WX_JPPed2H2gFPwpwe7U/s1600/DSCF2061+(800x600).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6vmaqu4xwcFJFn9aLiHVKRxknsFUun0bUQKBD-e8VUkdNXuA1ycVriStZnYPGJcKUGFEvQPVCWuvd1RkSZ5R7uhQrtvOFW-vdSFDBRKGmiUVgsevXBhkXRh-WX_JPPed2H2gFPwpwe7U/s1600/DSCF2061+(800x600).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The family at Hope Community Centre (North Kinangop)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-18233205369450966552013-08-09T01:55:00.002-07:002013-08-09T01:55:29.266-07:00Harambee<div class="NoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Working together in small groups, pitching in
and doing one’s part, sharing time and resources to support each other and the
community…these ideas are all incorporated in the Swahili word <i>harambee</i>. During
our first two weeks in Kenya we have seen these in action.</span></span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel1CxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 0cm;">
<span style="text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="NoteLevel2CxSpFirst">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In the work of MCC
partners---these church and community groups are composed of experienced,
visionary, loving leaders and professionals who care for orphans, administer
and teach in schools, promote self-help groups among small landholders and
villagers, assist refugees from Somalia, Sudan, and Kenya, support people
living with HIV infection, and promote conservation agriculture and water
resource management. We are grateful that MCC provides the vehicle for us and
other North American Christians to join in partnership with these groups as
they seek in Christ to transform their communities and relationships.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In our welcome to Kenya---we
have been received kindly and enthusiastically by a variety of new friends and
colleagues. Martha and Ron, whose role in MCC we are taking, found an apartment
and transformed it into a warm, comfortable place for us to call home---all
before we even arrived. They have prepared the way for us in relating to
partners and within the MCC team, and we cannot thank them enough.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">In
our leaving the U.S.---the love and spirit of harambee we experienced among our
family and friends was heartwarming. Time spent in Harrisonburg, New York,
Santa Barbara, Akron, PA, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2078560359501413270" name="_GoBack" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">and with friends in Nashville
was too short. Selena’s parents’ home became our home for the summer, and John
and Carolyn made us feel welcome, as usual, with grace, humility, and humor. My
parents made a long trip to spend time with Reid and Sam and to help us off at
the Charlotte airport for our journey to Kenya. Thanks to you all.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><div>
<ul>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5GbU3Bqh9u14Uezgqa5K8G75NfILjUU1RIPIpmNLZnKE5MdLmkVivLxASIjvZ3GHNwxXFcYakeJCjaolMjbg4W1RPuZ-KVrFh1UymxlZGRhUo5vMl2nZN-4CQZqrDW38GtQUCZFXzY8/s1600/DSCF2004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5GbU3Bqh9u14Uezgqa5K8G75NfILjUU1RIPIpmNLZnKE5MdLmkVivLxASIjvZ3GHNwxXFcYakeJCjaolMjbg4W1RPuZ-KVrFh1UymxlZGRhUo5vMl2nZN-4CQZqrDW38GtQUCZFXzY8/s1600/DSCF2004.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam and Reid in Times Square</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVpp6nCx40Ygdb9EEVs4iSP-Vum4QpsQsHMFWHCmX0cMM6GokILO7lTDnTaCSRxng8pGADpG0TxcVViCnqqqFLVMUjDE80Se8zHqwQ8R3FhI2bsLNjwe8UplVMF-AQIWLPcIrvwqcX6A/s1600/DSCF2049+(800x600).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyVpp6nCx40Ygdb9EEVs4iSP-Vum4QpsQsHMFWHCmX0cMM6GokILO7lTDnTaCSRxng8pGADpG0TxcVViCnqqqFLVMUjDE80Se8zHqwQ8R3FhI2bsLNjwe8UplVMF-AQIWLPcIrvwqcX6A/s1600/DSCF2049+(800x600).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bean and me on the newly finished deck in Brevard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14962755585979738100noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2078560359501413270.post-3641063041616312312013-07-10T17:06:00.001-07:002013-07-10T17:06:54.365-07:00First Steps<div>
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wgYU9PA_16uu2GiqUxpjkrzB3lZlXwfwk5xbim0r7Pw0U2AWvBFhBPj0HCCrdbaMjEnfl_Vj1_4-O0wFrbNC8RptxpCY8WvVcMziWYImyDly2fJ6b9lF6md1dkzSKzk9z-rm4tncu10/s1600/2312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7wgYU9PA_16uu2GiqUxpjkrzB3lZlXwfwk5xbim0r7Pw0U2AWvBFhBPj0HCCrdbaMjEnfl_Vj1_4-O0wFrbNC8RptxpCY8WvVcMziWYImyDly2fJ6b9lF6md1dkzSKzk9z-rm4tncu10/s1600/2312.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Saying goodbye to 2312 Cisco Street</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Leaving Nashville was hard. Sam and I especially cried a good bit the day we sold the home. It was such a sweet place to live, with near perfect neighbors and close to much that was dear to us in Nashville: Glendale Elementary, our church, 12 S Taproom, Sevier Park, Vanderbilt…We will miss that place, and all of our friends as well.</span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were in North Carolina mid-June until early July – Reid attended camp at Duke University, and Sam at Gwynn Valley, while Rand and I sorted and packed, and sorted and packed some more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first assignment in our new jobs was a trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where we met our North American program advisors and funders, learning more about the way we will relate with our partners in Canada, the US, and Kenya. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CeSaIpY31bDBLhtXcNLi-XE5NYKQ6BSWOuryEYRlIEiqSc7Qj4VDnX9ZtgjXzTSaJV44EINP26340YWOaxzw00oyUZKgYzYWRgrsJXd-digw0xy2szuRm3MBsqxq4aTyLwybgjwMsjk/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CeSaIpY31bDBLhtXcNLi-XE5NYKQ6BSWOuryEYRlIEiqSc7Qj4VDnX9ZtgjXzTSaJV44EINP26340YWOaxzw00oyUZKgYzYWRgrsJXd-digw0xy2szuRm3MBsqxq4aTyLwybgjwMsjk/s1600/photo.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MCC in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA-look, a community garden!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="en-US"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="en-US">The Welcoming Place, which houses some of Mennonite Central Committee’s U.S. offices and beautiful guest quarters in Akron, PA, is our current home for two weeks of leadership training. Sam and Reid are spending time with the other participants’ children, who have come from Canada, the US, the UK, Colombia, Nigeria, and New Zealand and are all heading to countries around the world with their parents. They have been teaching each other games, laughing, playing soccer, and Frisbee – and really having a great time so far. Rand and I are learning about MCC’s guiding principles, structure, and programs . We remain humbled and excited to begin work with MCC again. Please visit the MCC website (</span><a href="http://www.mcc.org/"><span lang="en-US">www.mcc.org</span></a><span lang="en-US">) – we believe so strongly in the work they do around the world in relief, development, and peace in the name of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbsQhZ57J_rmtRcZTXKesVCqEsS3u8rXhyB5C_l8J8RM4BW-qKnW119ptBUF8TFgctZR_-ev8K_NBHOmFH4w4CPlGTf-5bb0Yt5-5vwxcYErAS8KJdv1PU5fQHI5bIGC60MYUGfpfppg/s1600/photoMCCAkron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbsQhZ57J_rmtRcZTXKesVCqEsS3u8rXhyB5C_l8J8RM4BW-qKnW119ptBUF8TFgctZR_-ev8K_NBHOmFH4w4CPlGTf-5bb0Yt5-5vwxcYErAS8KJdv1PU5fQHI5bIGC60MYUGfpfppg/s1600/photoMCCAkron.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MCC Welcoming Place in Akron, PA</td></tr>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many of you may have seen this quote (credited to the Aboriginal activist, Lilla Watson) that was used in a presentation earlier this week. It helps put words to why I’m here: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting our time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We look forward to staying in touch</span></span><span lang="en-US"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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