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RSS FeedWeek 1 in December Africa |
Dec. 8, 2006
Categorized in: REFLECTIONS ON AFRICA
Happy December to you all!
It feels like it’s been forever…hope you are doing very well! I have good and bad news. The good news is I did not have to go to camp. The bad news is I feel bad about it (of course)! The 2,500 shillings the youth had to come up with was not possible for all of them, plus some other details about the place we were supposed to go did not work out.
I got up enough strength to go down to Kenyatta Market and interact
with the street boys. It actually happened like this. One night I was walking to Pastor Bob’s house and a boy was asking me to sponsor him (to go to school).
I didn’t want to just hand him money so I kept walking. He then said
he was hungry so I bought him a loaf of bread and milk. The next day as I decided I was going to Kenyatta Market with a purpose, I came across this same boy (Peter). I was so excited to see him, and I think him to see me. “Do you remember me” he asked. I told him I was going in to Fairlane (a small supermarket) to buy food for all the street boys and he wanted to assist me. The whole time he was trying to communicate he was hungry but did not want food, he wanted shoes!!! I didn’t get it ‘till half way thru our shopping. We delivered the food to the street boys (and girls, but mostly boys). At first everyone was so excited…I wish you could have seen their faces. They were giving me thumbs up and five and came over to greet me. But then I was really sad when they started fighting over the food. Peter tried to get everyone to get in a line to get the food but it got too crazy and dangerous and said it was best to just let them be. My prayer was that they would know that was from God as that is the whole reason I am here and how I got here. So then was the next stop: Peter’s shoes. He knew exactly where they were and what he wanted as he was eyeing them for a long time, but never could afford them. His friend came with us but was so high off glue (I could smell it this time), could barely walk or even say 3 words. As we walked (to Kibera – the slum behind where I stayed) he told me a bit about him and I told him a bit about me. He is 17, lives with his older brother who sometimes washes cars for a job and sometimes doesn’t make enough to pay rent (in Kibera). He wants to be a pilot or business man but has not started high school cuz he has no money to go. He does not know where his parents are or if they are alive, they left him when he was a small child. As we got closer to where the shoes were you could tell he was getting so excited as he began to walk faster (and Kenyans walk so slow).
They were very nice and stylish. Thank you for being a part of this with me, as he would not have shoes with out you! He had a smile from ear to ear and just kept thanking me. It is so frustrating here to see the cycle of poverty…there is so much need and I want to help but sometimes it just seems not enough…like the need is greater than the help offered. I hope I run in to Peter again.
To be smart here means you are pretty and getting hit on. Sometimes I
hear, “you are so smart!” So you can get “the eye,” you can get, “madam, sista, how are you, come greet me” (yet still ignoring them) “why don’t you look at me?” “Are you married, you need a black husband.” Basically, these guys come up with anything to say to you.
There was a woman’s conference we went to. On the way there it was
just me,Krystle, the tao and matatu driver. They decided to pull over and take a “weewee” stop. So I got in my brilliant mind (told you I was smart, haha) to get in the drivers seat…I started honking the horn and to see these guys’ faces as they were peeing in the distance was priceless. They came running over, the driver was telling me to scoot over but they were laughing too. Then as we left I turned up the radio as if it was my car and gave them some hand sanitizer!!!
There is a gecko in the Niemeyer’s house that I was told “it is your
friend” as it eats the mosquitos. I’ve seen it before and then I saw a baby one. There is not 1, there are many!!! The baby was on the floor of my bathroom (I don’t know why all the lizards are attracted to my room) and I decided to get into a cup and ask Krystle if it was indeed a gecko or could I throw it out. She told me it was a gecko and to just leave it. So then I was thinking, “I’m not keeping it in my room” so I took it downstairs and dropped it on the floor in the living room. As I began to walk away all I could think was “the mom is probably watching me and getting furious and going to attack me in my sleep cuz here baby is gone!” So I went back, put it in the cup and put in right back where I found him.
I have become a celebrity in Kenya. I went to a park to just have some
peace and quiet. As I was sitting there observing and thinking and
praying I was yelled at by a couple of guys to “take pictures” for them. Well they didn’t want me to take pictures, they wanted me to be in a video they were “making for their church” dancing to some gospel music. I agreed and just copied what they were doing…just a simple little dance, then they let me be and I went back to my spot under my tree. Then as I began to leave this family (at least I think it was a family) of like 3 or 4 kids, a man and 2 women approached me. They asked me if I could get their picture with them. I agreed but asked why and the man told me something like, “the kids like you people.” So, I got a picture with all of them, then the two
ladies,then one of the guy (I think he was the one who really wanted the picture)and then one of just me! When I got to Yoland’s, here and Pastor Bob (I’ll be calling him Bobby from now on) were telling me I am going to be on tv cuz they do that dancing thing to put on tv here! We’ll see.
I was supposed to move to Yoland’s (and Bobby’s) next week but decided
to move a week early. I love this family and am dreading saying good-bye to them. There is never a dull moment and enjoy every second there. Msimbi,as I have mentioned is the funniest person on earth, continues to make me laugh and smile. And the boys too of course, they are all a joy to be around.
Well this is long enough so I will end now. Thank you again for your
prayers and support and being a part of me being here! Hope your
December is off to a good start.
Tuanane, Megan
I got up enough strength to go down to Kenyatta Market and interact
with the street boys. It actually happened like this. One night I was walking to Pastor Bob’s house and a boy was asking me to sponsor him (to go to school).
I didn’t want to just hand him money so I kept walking. He then said
he was hungry so I bought him a loaf of bread and milk. The next day as I decided I was going to Kenyatta Market with a purpose, I came across this same boy (Peter). I was so excited to see him, and I think him to see me. “Do you remember me” he asked. I told him I was going in to Fairlane (a small supermarket) to buy food for all the street boys and he wanted to assist me. The whole time he was trying to communicate he was hungry but did not want food, he wanted shoes!!! I didn’t get it ‘till half way thru our shopping. We delivered the food to the street boys (and girls, but mostly boys). At first everyone was so excited…I wish you could have seen their faces. They were giving me thumbs up and five and came over to greet me. But then I was really sad when they started fighting over the food. Peter tried to get everyone to get in a line to get the food but it got too crazy and dangerous and said it was best to just let them be. My prayer was that they would know that was from God as that is the whole reason I am here and how I got here. So then was the next stop: Peter’s shoes. He knew exactly where they were and what he wanted as he was eyeing them for a long time, but never could afford them. His friend came with us but was so high off glue (I could smell it this time), could barely walk or even say 3 words. As we walked (to Kibera – the slum behind where I stayed) he told me a bit about him and I told him a bit about me. He is 17, lives with his older brother who sometimes washes cars for a job and sometimes doesn’t make enough to pay rent (in Kibera). He wants to be a pilot or business man but has not started high school cuz he has no money to go. He does not know where his parents are or if they are alive, they left him when he was a small child. As we got closer to where the shoes were you could tell he was getting so excited as he began to walk faster (and Kenyans walk so slow).
They were very nice and stylish. Thank you for being a part of this with me, as he would not have shoes with out you! He had a smile from ear to ear and just kept thanking me. It is so frustrating here to see the cycle of poverty…there is so much need and I want to help but sometimes it just seems not enough…like the need is greater than the help offered. I hope I run in to Peter again.
To be smart here means you are pretty and getting hit on. Sometimes I
hear, “you are so smart!” So you can get “the eye,” you can get, “madam, sista, how are you, come greet me” (yet still ignoring them) “why don’t you look at me?” “Are you married, you need a black husband.” Basically, these guys come up with anything to say to you.
There was a woman’s conference we went to. On the way there it was
just me,Krystle, the tao and matatu driver. They decided to pull over and take a “weewee” stop. So I got in my brilliant mind (told you I was smart, haha) to get in the drivers seat…I started honking the horn and to see these guys’ faces as they were peeing in the distance was priceless. They came running over, the driver was telling me to scoot over but they were laughing too. Then as we left I turned up the radio as if it was my car and gave them some hand sanitizer!!!
There is a gecko in the Niemeyer’s house that I was told “it is your
friend” as it eats the mosquitos. I’ve seen it before and then I saw a baby one. There is not 1, there are many!!! The baby was on the floor of my bathroom (I don’t know why all the lizards are attracted to my room) and I decided to get into a cup and ask Krystle if it was indeed a gecko or could I throw it out. She told me it was a gecko and to just leave it. So then I was thinking, “I’m not keeping it in my room” so I took it downstairs and dropped it on the floor in the living room. As I began to walk away all I could think was “the mom is probably watching me and getting furious and going to attack me in my sleep cuz here baby is gone!” So I went back, put it in the cup and put in right back where I found him.
I have become a celebrity in Kenya. I went to a park to just have some
peace and quiet. As I was sitting there observing and thinking and
praying I was yelled at by a couple of guys to “take pictures” for them. Well they didn’t want me to take pictures, they wanted me to be in a video they were “making for their church” dancing to some gospel music. I agreed and just copied what they were doing…just a simple little dance, then they let me be and I went back to my spot under my tree. Then as I began to leave this family (at least I think it was a family) of like 3 or 4 kids, a man and 2 women approached me. They asked me if I could get their picture with them. I agreed but asked why and the man told me something like, “the kids like you people.” So, I got a picture with all of them, then the two
ladies,then one of the guy (I think he was the one who really wanted the picture)and then one of just me! When I got to Yoland’s, here and Pastor Bob (I’ll be calling him Bobby from now on) were telling me I am going to be on tv cuz they do that dancing thing to put on tv here! We’ll see.
I was supposed to move to Yoland’s (and Bobby’s) next week but decided
to move a week early. I love this family and am dreading saying good-bye to them. There is never a dull moment and enjoy every second there. Msimbi,as I have mentioned is the funniest person on earth, continues to make me laugh and smile. And the boys too of course, they are all a joy to be around.
Well this is long enough so I will end now. Thank you again for your
prayers and support and being a part of me being here! Hope your
December is off to a good start.
Tuanane, Megan
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