Here is a brief log of my travels and experiences. I think I need to start by telling you all about the Ring Road Orphans Day School. RRODS is located smack dab in the middle of the Nyalenda Neighborhood in Kisumu, Kenya. About half a million people live in that neighborhood. Most western aid workers call it a slum, but the Kenyans don't...they think it is a middle class neighborhood. It is legit...property is dealt, rents are paid and recorded, and people work hard. We call it a slum because it lacks basic utilities like running water, electricity and sewers.
The school for orphans was started 10 years ago, in fact, they celebrated their 10 year anniversary while we were there...3 Christian workers were pestered by an orphan during their lunch hour. As they talked to the boy, they were convicted by his horrific story of starvation, abuse and lack of status. Both parents died within a few days of each other with AIDS. His closest relatives stole all his belongings and put him on the streets...the streets didn't want him either. He lived by his wits starting at the young age of 7. Jared, Thomas and James decided right then and there that they needed to do something to help. They took him in, and started teaching him how to read, write, and basic math. Guess what? There were more like Peter...many more. The three Kenyans began a small school in their church building, and it slowly grew.
Let's fast forward to today. Ring Road is the model for how to normalize and care for AIDS orphans in Africa. The work there supports, educates and loves about 400 orphans. African culture dictates that orphans should be sheltered by extended family, not institutionalized. The school is for orphans only...usually AIDS orphans are at the bottom of the status ladder...last to receive anything. Putting them first helps build their esteem and confidence.
With a budget of $22 per orphan per month, RRODS is able to feed them 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, cover their school expenses, clothing, and a little healthcare as well. That money comes from individual sponsors in America through the Christian Relief Fund. The staff and administrative costs come out of additional donations made privately or through missions support from all over the world. That they can do all this with only $22 is amazing. Jerrod believes that you have to also take care of their spiritual and emotional needs as well. For real growth to occur, the kids need to feel "normal"...not just fed and clothed. That means fun. So they have 5 soccer teams and the best scouting troop in all of East Africa. How to measure success? How about these tidbits: Ring Road had two of the top 3 scores in National Standard Tests for 8th graders in all of Kenya! Interesting to note that the Ministry of Education has been trying to shut the school down (as substandard) for the past 4 years. Ever since the test results, they have changed their tune. What else...oh! They have the best boy scout troop in all of East Africa and the best girl scout troop in ALL of Africa. They were asked to represent Africa in the UK, but alas, without a budget they could only send one lone girl scout. Irine is a 7th grader, and will be representing Ring Road in London this week. Traveling to London all by herself due to lack of funding. Poets? Got em...one of the 7th graders is a Kenyan award winner based on her poetry about her life affected by AIDS. These kids are gritty fighters that just want a chance at life.
Here is the school: Build by the NW Church in Seattle, WA. The NW group also pays the teacher salaries and operating expenses.
Here are some pictures of the Nyalenda Slum as we walked the roads to get to the school. Yes, it smells as bad as it looks. I have a picture of a butcher shop...I couldn't tell if they were selling meat or flies.
I loved the food. I know now the source of southern cooking: Fried Chicken, Red Beans and rice, fried fish, grits, greens and okra all come from Kenya. Fried Kuku (chicken) is a popular dish as is Samaki (fish), Ugali (corn meal), and Sakama Wiki (collard greens). The literal translation of Sakama Wiki is "to push through, or extend the week". Wild greens are gathered and cooked and help stretch the food through the week.
Here is a shot of our first meal in Africa. We ate at Maria's Cafe. An interesting place from a hygiene point of view. No running water, so don't eat the salad. One of our group didn't heed this advice and had an intestinal problem the whole trip. The wholed fried Tilapia was delicious as were the red beans and rice. Jerrod picked this restaurant because the orphanage just started a new side business...raising broiler chickens for market, and Maria's buys their chickens.
Here are some pictures of the kids...a few years ago, before Christian Relief Fund started sponsoring them, they weren't the picture of health that you see now. We thought many of them wouldn't survive, they looked so sickly. Not only are they healthy, they are thriving. They are respectful, helpful, and obedient. The older kids mentor the younger ones.
They love to play...three boys turned a plastic soda bottle into a makeshift soccer ball. We brought footballs, frisbees, hacky sacks, and jump ropes for them. "Keep-Away" with the football turned into their favorite because 200 of them could play at one time.
Another key part of the orphans upbringing is to make them feel like they are contributing to the welfare of their guardian families. Too often orphans are made to feel unworthy because they are a drain to the family budget. Jerrod and staff know this and do something to correct this by giving the orphans food to bring home to their families. Once a month, the kids take home enough food for a week. Rice, beans, and in this case corn. We sent each kid home with 10 kilos of corn. It was fun to see their excited faces and to watch the little ones lug home all that food. They were singing makeshift songs..."I am bringing home the food, and someone will cook it for all of us". The kids also were given new school uniforms, based on their performance in class. New uniforms for meeting set objectives.
Tenth Anniversary Party!To celebrate 10 years of existence, Ring Road decided to have a huge party. The invited guests included the Minister of Education as the guest of honor, local newspapers, television and radio reporters and all their neighbors in the slum. We had food prepared for 800 people! We waited in the hot sun for 3 hours for the late arriving minister of education...and when he finally arrived, the medial let him have it...asking why the school was not funded, why they didn't have resources but still put public schools to shame, etc. It was great! At the end of the day, he pledged support to the school. But those are just words...we will wait to see what really happens. Someone called him a "crocodile", which in Swahili is not a compliment.
All the speeches were finally finished around 4:30 in the afternoon. The orphans and neighbors had been waiting for lunch since 11 in the morning. But what a party! The kids sang songs, read their poetry, danced a Harambe (asking individuals to dance with them while collecting a donation from them), and performed skits based on their struggles. It was amazing. The scouts re-built their award winning camp, and gave tours of the classrooms and buildings.
Food for 800 being prepared...
Top Scout in the troop
Mama Mary keeping John cooking
Betsy teaches the kids a new game
Kids in front of a new mural by reknowned artist Ro Diaz
Al handing out treats to the kids
The pictures so far are of works that CRF sponsors. I also got a chance to represent CRF as we evaluated 3 other proposed projects in Kenya. Eldoret, Malindi and Mombasa are 3 other cities that would like to have CRF sponsorship for their orphans. I helped catalog and photograph hundreds of additional orphans. Check out the website and please sponsor a few.
CRF is unique in that you will develop a personal relationship with your orphan. You will get progress reports and letters from the child. There are stories of sponsors that have continued to provide funds for their kid through college. Some even providing wedding costs and baby showers for "grandchildren".
Okay, It wasn't all gut-wrenching orphan work. I did take one day to do a little touristy stuff. I figured, hey, I am in Africa, I need to go on Safari! So a few of us found a 1 day Safari to East Tsavo National Park. East Tsavo is best known for their lions...these are the ones featured in "Heart of Darkness", the story about man-eating lions slowing down the work on the Kenya Railroad at the turn of the 20th century. Tsavo lions are unique in that the mature males don't have big manes, they look almost maneless. Hmmm, I never knew that.
So here are a few snapshots of the wildlife we saw...
Giraffes were the group's favorite
Big Rhino up close
Here are two of the famous Tsavo lions...the male is on the right
A timid herd of elephants leaving a clearing quickly
One of my favorite shots from a high bluff overlooking a watering hole
It was an extraordinary trip. I now have a burden for Africa and its orphans. The best (and worst) thing happened to me while over there...I found that I care, that I want to help. I call it the worst because I know it will consume me over the next few years. If I don't heed the call, I will fall further from grace. God has asked me to help, how can I say no? think, "what can one person do?" One person can take care of one other person. I can have a vision, but I need an action plan. That is what I will be doing for the next several weeks...formulating my action plan. Starting upon my return, I will try to live a simpler life, and give of my excess.
Will you join me?
Chow!
