The road

The Buists decided that while in Kenya, I needed to go on a safari. So we loaded our stuff into a van and, along with a Kenyan driver/guide, set out. Our expected journey  was 5 hours. It took us nearly 8. Unfortunately a rain storm started after we were a few hours in. After you get away from the city, there are only dirt roads. A mixture of the pre-existing potholes and the mud from the rain caused us many troubles. Our driver took the puddles and holes slow, but several times we got stuck. Our tires dug into the soft mud and spun vigorously with no avail. In the pouring rain the men were all out of the car and pushing in the mud. As the line of cars waiting behind us grew, so did the amount of helping hands. As Anna and I stood out in the rain and watched, I counted 8 men pushing, plus a driver that was not even our own. After we managed to get out and onto some safer terrain, our driver made sure we waited until all of the other cars were safely through. We continued our drive tentatively, but I was reassured knowing that if it were to happen again, we would have plenty of help. Later in the car our driver informed us that he had had to pay some of the local men who had helped. It surprised me a bit, but I realized they'll charge you for a photo, they'll charge you for something you don't want to buy, and they'll even charge you for their help. I guess I can't complain though!

School

Anna had been to Kenya 6 times before this trip, but she has never visited while the kids are in school. On Monday, we decided that we would take the opportunity to visit one of the schools that some of the children from our orphanage, CRCA, attend. It was a primary school for kids pre-school to 4th grade. The teachers told Anna and I that we could split up and go into different classrooms to observe while lessons were being taught, then switch. I found it interesting that there were only four kids in the classroom I was in, despite the mass of kids that were playing in the school yard outside. I guess the younger children were given much more free time than the older. As I observed the class, I found there were a lot of differences from US schools. Questions were asked to the class as a whole, and children would give their answers freely. The buildings were smaller, with sometimes large number of kids cramped in. For their age, it was also evident that the curriculum was focuses less around creative activities, and more around memorization. The culture  made the school different in other ways as well. I found it funny that when a question was asked about animals, they named lion and zebra as examples, whereas American kids might give bear and deer. During their break, Anna and I went outside to sit with the kids. They were timid at first, but soon enough all of their kids had their hands on me. They wanted to stroke my hair, touch my skin, and hold my hands. They were entertained when I made sad attempts to imitate their Swahili words, calling me "mzungu" (meaning white person) and laughing. Although I was tired and worn out when we left, it was an experience like no other, and one of my favorite in Kenya.

A photo a person

I decided to bring my Polaroid camera along with me this trip. I thought all of the kids would love to have their photo taken, and then immediately take it home. I was definitely right about that, but wrong about the photos that they wanted. I expected the kids to group together with their friends or family for photos. But when I pulled out the camera today, they all asked for individual portraits. All of them wanted photos alone! And they were very specific about them too. One of the photos of a girl turned out a little bit dark, and she insisted that it was taken again. It may not be the Polaroids that I planned, but I'm glad they were still happy to have them.

The run

Anna and I both run cross country in the fall, so we are suppose to be keeping up with regular runs throughout the summer. I can't say I'm as committed as I should be, but Anna is determined to stay somewhat in shape, and so, I have been guilted into doing do so as well. As we prepared for our first run here, she told me that we would round up some of the kids as well. I expected a few of the older ones to join us. About 7 kids, ages 4-9 were waiting for us, as well as one 17 year old. You wouldn't expect this to intimidate me, but Kenyans are known for being great runners. That was one of the first things the kids told me when I arrived! Even Anna expected them to drop out within a few minutes, but as we ran, they showed no sign of tiring. Some were clad in flip flops and dresses, and yet they stomped along with us. Granted, we were not setting a fast pace (a 6000+ ft. altitude will slow you down a bit), but I was shocked! Although the kids all took many shortcuts along the way, as we approached home, they were still in league with me. I was beaten by a 4 year old on that run. But honestly, who can even be mad when this guy is a few steps ahead of you?

Preparation

I leave for Kenya today. I’m not sure what I should be expecting, but from everything I’ve heard from friends and family, Africa sounds amazing. The past few weeks have flown by, as I’ve been busy with school and a visitor from the US. In all the chaos I guess I haven’t really processed that I’m going.

I hope that I am able to learn from these kids, and that this trip will be a positive experience. I've been anticipating it for several years now, and I'm sure some of my expectations aren't even realistic. Needless to say, I am giddy with excitement and nerves.

I will be trying to keep regular updates posted to this blog, but I can't make any promises. We will not have constant access to internet.

Please keep me, and all of the kids I will be visiting, in your prayers.
Thank you!

Kenya Missions Trip

Dear friends and family,

This summer I plan to go on a mission trip to an orphanage in Kenya. Kenya Matters is a non-profit organization based in Karai, Kenya. It focuses its mission on providing material, emotional, and spiritual support for orphan children, while building relationships between African families and those of volunteers and donors.

We have a deal in our family; my parents decided that when we were selecting our next post, whatever child was entering their junior year would have first choice on destination. Of course this in no way guaranteed we would move there, but it still provided a decent chance. Ever since I became aware of this choice, I have had my heart set on Africa. I am not entirely sure why this has been the case, but Africa has always intrigued me. But, two years and one move later, we are obviously not in Africa. Not even close. Despite that, I still feel drawn to Kenya and long to be involved with this orphanage in some way.

I first heard about Kenya Matters from my good friend, Anna Buist. Her dad currently serves as President of the Kenya Matters board, so they have been greatly involved with the organization for several years. Anna has visited Kenya many times, and always returns with exciting stories to share with me. Through Anna I have been able to interact with Kenya Matters while living overseas in several ways: writing pen pal letters to a few of the girls, watching other mission groups visit and share their experiences, and more. But I would love to be more involved and have the opportunity to visit the kids personally. I have always enjoyed children, and I feel like my passion for them would grow as I spend time with the Kenyan kids.

I have been thinking and praying about going on this trip for a long time now. It’s been difficult to coordinate flights and timing from Taiwan, but everything is finally coming together. So, this June I will be setting out on a 10 day trip to Kenya. I will be meeting up with my friend, Anna, and her dad. The orphanage lies just two hours outside of Nairobi, where we will be spending the majority of our time. We will be keeping ourselves busy interacting with the kids and helping out in the community. Most of our time will be spent socializing with the kids, helping with school, and any other miscellaneous jobs around the safe house.

Please consider supporting my team and I, in both prayer and in finances. I must raise approximately $2,000 to cover flights, room, and board. Any additional money will be donated to Kenya Matters. Your thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated. You can follow my trip, and view any updates leading up to it, by viewing this family blog. 

You can contribute by visiting my donation page on the Kenya Matters website: http://www.kenyamatters.org/elena2kenya/, or by writing a check to the address below. Please make checks out to Kenya Matters, and include a slip of paper with my name.

Thank you for your support,

Elena

Kenya Matters

Box 23

Hudsonville MI 49428

Tomb Sweeping Day

Tomb Sweeping weekend (Quingming Day) was April 2-5.  Here in Taiwan, it is always celebrated on April 5 to commemorate the day Chaing Kai-shek.  This is an important family and religious holiday here in Taiwan.  The embassy was closed for 2 days which gave us some time to explore a cemetery near our house.  

Once a week, Chad rides his bike over the mountain to get from a weekly clinic back home.  Following a gps app., he found a trail that wound through a cemetery.  Old steps wind up the mountain with paths through the cemetery on either side.  We enjoy wandering our way through the overgrow grave sites, looking at the tiles and cemetery stones.  We had wondered if the cemetery was forgotten, but also knew that the Taiwanese do not visit cemeteries as we do in America.  They believe the ghosts of the dead are wandering around and they do not wish to disturb them.  

Tomb Sweeping weekend is the one time of the year the Taiwanese visit the graves.  They clean them up, offer food offerings, burn sacrifices, place fake paper money around the grave to send to their needy dead relatives and pray to their ancestors.  

I wanted to see if anything was going on in our cemetery over the weekend.  I was surprised at how busy it was.  Many tombs were cleaned.  Families were walking up the steps or gathered around a tomb.  Here are some photos to help you understand.

Paper money is placed around the tomb, weighted with rocks.  This will provide for the ancestors in their after-life.

Paper money around these two tombs.

Families walking up the steps, carrying bags of food to leave as offerings.

A family gathered around a tomb burning a sacrifice.

Incense that has been burned on a tomb.

Flowers left at a tomb.

This was a surprise that took my breath away!  A tomb with a cross.  Amongst all the tombs with idols and sacrifices, this tomb was neat and tidy for the family remembered their dead, but there were no offerings or signs of paper money.