love...for a million little reasons

2008-11-04T08:54:00.001-05:00

I am discontinuing this blog. My other two blogs keep me busy and I am in the process of starting a new personal blog but it won't make its appearance for awhile yet. Thank you for reading this blog and if you want to keep updated with my life please follow the following two blogs (the first one especially):

http://glimpsesofafrica.wordpress.com

http://journalisticjourney.wordpress.com

Change is NEEDED!

2008-09-19T00:48:00.002-04:00

I think its time for this blog to be revamped. What do you think. Its looking inactive, boring, old...etc, etc. Since my life is in a state of excitment and change...shouldn't my blog reflect that as well? Well I think so. So yeah change is not only needed...its is coming.

Oh and be sure to check out www.glimpsesofafrica.wordpress.com (and www.journalisticjourney.wordpress.com) they have been a bit more active then this blog.

See you soon!

Off to a new country

2008-08-14T06:47:00.001-04:00

For the few faithful followers of this very quiet blog…I'm off to Kampala, Uganda. My only other experience in Uganda was the thirty minutes I spent sitting in a plane on the runway in Entebbe. I can't remember exactly why the flight from Ethiopia to Malawi has a thirty minute stop in Entebbe but it did. Now at least I finally will get to walk on the ground in Uganda.

I leave tonight at 7 pm with 15 friends for a 16 hour bus ride. Once in Uganda we will be staying on the lake, spending five days of camp activities and five days doing mission work, then take another 16 hour bus ride back to Nairobi. I really looking forward to it. Please keep me in your prayers. I've been sick the past week…first stomach, possibly malaria, then a bad cold. I'm on the verge of recovery from everything but still not feeling 100%. Pray for my boyfriend too…he has a cold too.

I'll let you know how everything goes once I get back!

My Boyfriend

2008-08-07T15:22:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple of pictures of my boyfriend. Isn't he cute? I think so and the soul behind those eyes is beautiful and so dedicated to God.

At work behind the sound booth

At play with the students at Kimuri Primary School

Forever

2008-08-06T16:45:00.001-04:00

It's been forever. I'm sorry I've been so silent. It's not for lack of things to talk about or thinking about updating this blog. It's for lack of time because I have so much going on. I'm not going to try to go into all the details but here are a couple of the important things:

Nimo (that's me…at least that's what most of my friends call me) has a BOYFRIEND. (Picture coming soon…or check out my facebook albums, his pictures is the album cover for the last album I created). His name is William something something Mwaura (there is another funny Kikuyu name there in the something somethings that I can never remember). No one calls him William…he goes by Billy, Bill, Willie, Mbiro, or Mwaura. Personally, I prefer Mbiro (Mm-be-row). He is 25 years old, an intern at Nairobi chapel (my church) working in the youth department, he is a sound engineer, loves kids and youth, most importantly loves God will his whole heart, likes experimenting with funny recipes (kind of like a certain brother of mine used to), loves dancing, music, and having fun. There is so much I could say about him, but those are the basics. Oh and this is a very officially approved relationship…my parents, his parents, our pastors, and our friends.

Moving on to a different topic (since I could talk about the other one for hours). I spent last week traveling around Kenya. I visited Eldoret, Kitale, and Kisumu. I hadn't been to Kitale in six years, so it was very nice being there again. I was traveling with K-Krew and World Vision helping (meaning taking photos and doing whatever else I could) with the Amani Milele Concert Tour. World Vision funded a small tour to promote peace in Kenya (Amani Milele means Peace forever). They brought in a musician from Rwanda who experienced the genocide there and a girl from Kosovo who went through the war there. It was a very enjoyable and beneficial time (except that I got sick in Kisumu).

Next week I'm going to Uganda…FINALLY! I get to add a new country to my list of countries visited! I'm going with a group of 20 youth from my church. We will be going to a camp then doing missions work. We'll be out of Kenya for a total of 10 days. (and yes, Mbiro is going too!). I'm excited and I'm very grateful because God provided the needed money (I'm very grateful to those who helped God provide!). Now I just have to figure out the visa situation but hopefully that won't be a problem.

What else? There are so many things that I think I will just stop with the big things and leave the others for later.

Home again

2008-06-23T11:00:00.001-04:00

Haven't written much on this blog lately. I've been busy keeping my two other blogs (a journalist journey and Glimpses of Africa) updated.

I'm home in Kenya, just incase you were wondering. I've been back for a week and two days and it feels like I never left. I didn't have any time to be jet lagged but picked up with work last Tuesday and have been going ever since.

So here's what's been up.

After I left NYC I went Atlanta to hang out with a "old" friend. Audri and I have been friends since we were 16 and went to Malawi with Teen Missions International. We had only seen each other ONCE since then and that was FIVE years ago. So I hung out at her house for a couple of days (see the pictures in the last post).

After that I spend a couple of days with my bro and fam in North Carolina. Got another article in our hometown newspaper and got paid for both of the articles they have published. Also got a chance to talk to the Junior High youth group at my home church and catch up with a few friends.

Then it was done to Alabama to hang out with my other bro and fam. We had a family birthday party (my mom is so cool, she sent presents for everyone, balloons etc). I had a couple of deep theological conversations with my big brothers…wow they know so much more than I do. Lots of fun, shopping, enjoying the HOT weather etc.

Then David and Gracie took me to the Atlanta Airport on June 12 and I started my LONG trip back to Kenya. My flight from Atlanta to Chicago was delayed and I started worrying since I only had an hour and 15 minutes originally. I was all set to get new tickets and work through all that and guess what…my flight out of Chicago to London was delayed too and I made it. Got to London later than planned and then I only had about an hour to wait for my flight to Nairobi. Now that's the way to fly.

On my flight from Chicago I sat with some students headed to Ghana for a few months to do mission work. We got to chat quite a bit. The flight from London to Nairobi was all about sleeping and when I got into Nairobi at 9:30pm I didn't feel too bad.

The next day was my mom's birthday and we all had a wonderful day together. Then to church on Sunday and lots of hugs from my friends. Monday hung out and then Tuesday I went to my very first press conference then out to a primary school where I'm now teaching writing once a week. Wednesday was all for writing and Thursday I headed out to the primary school to teacher. Friday I came down with a nasty cold and hung out in bed and did the same on Saturday. Yesterday or jana as we say in Kiswahili, I went to Club Xpressions…the youth service at our church and was very touched by the message on living a life of faith. Then in the evening I headed to a sleepover to say bye to a close friend who is headed back to her home in Switzerland on Wednesday.

Now this week means more work, looking for a house, writing and reporting, teaching and who knows what else. In case you hadn't noticed: I love my life!

Monday at the old schoolhouse with Audri

2008-06-09T18:57:00.000-04:00

The old schoolhouse is a museum/theater/restaurant. Its very fun.

Some of the decor

Audri (and I) inside

Audri and I outside in the garden

A Sunday at the Lake with Audrianne

2008-06-09T18:43:00.000-04:00

I did a little photo shoot for Audri...got some decent shots (at least in my opinion)

The lake/river was really pretty and there was fog rising off of it (cold water, hot air)

Check out this cute little boy who was there with his dad (he never stopped running)

I was there too and here are the pictures to prove it.

New blogs

2008-06-05T11:05:00.001-04:00

I have two new blogs. During WJI is was suggested that we might want to keep our private and professional blogs separate. So I have started two "professional" blogs.

Glimpses of Africa is as the title suggests about Africa (well Kenya for the moment). There isn't much on it simply because I'm not in Africa right now and I don't really like to write about things from places when I'm not actually there to know that what I'm writing is truly true.

Since I write about other things besides Africa I decided to start a separate professional blog for all the other things I write. the journalistic journey already had a number of short articles that I have written but never published on it. I also hope to make it a guide for young journalist looking for advice on how to further their careers.

If you want a little bit deeper content than you find on this blog please check out one or both of my new blogs.

Life on the Planet Earth

2008-06-05T11:00:00.001-04:00

Weird title…I know.

Life continues on. I'm in North Carolina after an amazing three weeks in NYC. I can't believe it flew by so fast. But that little section of my life is over and I'm left with top notch new friends, scattered all over the country and probably eventually all over the world. I also left with a wealth of new knowledge and skills to further my career plus about 30 books to read.

I can't say enough about WJI (World Journalism Institute). It was what I needed at that particular moment in my life. Being with young Americans who share the same passions, interested and for the most part beliefs that I do. People who believe journalism can be used to change the world and who what to take a stand for the Gospel in the world. Who believe that "being in the world but not of the world" is possible and means that we can't limit ourselves to the Christian sphere of things but must actually get out there and be IN the world….all the while staying close to God and not being off the world. It's a hard balance especially in a city like NYC, but with 18 friends to keep us on track, I think we all proved it is achievable.

Well I could go on and on about WJI but I'm not going to. There probably will be a few posts in the next few days about specific events that we went to etc but for now if you want to know something specific send me a question, I'll be happy to answer it.

After leaving WJI and NYC on Saturday I flew to Atlanta and spent two wonderful days with an old friend of mine. Audrianne and I went to Malawi together when we were 16. We became close friends and "twins" during our 8 weeks together and have stayed in random but fairly close contact ever since. I have only seen her one other time in 7 years, when she came to visit back in 2003. So 5 years and many stories later, we got to spend two days together. Two days in nowhere near enough time to catch up on 5 years of stories but we did our level best and stayed up until 4 one morning.

Now I'm in North Carolina at Gary and Cathy's hanging out with them and their girls. On Friday we will head to Alabama and I will spend the rest of my time at David and Gracie's. They will take me to the airport in one week. Yikes the time has flown.

That's all for now.

WJI Closing Dinner

2008-06-04T15:16:00.000-04:00

After Dinner Picture Party

The dinner. Dr. Robert Case (top right) and Micheal Gerson (lower left)

The Paparazzi Gang

Some of my classmates from top right:
Regina, Thomas, James N,
Jess, Chris, Molly,
Ryan, Aubra, and James H

Another WJI Multimedia project

2008-06-02T21:05:00.000-04:00

Here is another video project that I worked on at WJI. Check it out….its about homelessness

Project: Turning Comedy to Cash

2008-05-30T12:16:00.002-04:00

This is a multimedia project that Ryan and I worked on. You know what...I think it turned out pretty well. Let me know what you think! Thanks Ryan for being such a great job partner and challenging me to do things I don't like to do. So yeah check this little 1:30 minute clip.

Something New

2008-05-29T22:06:00.000-04:00

See if you can figure out what that something new is.

Memorial Day Bashing Around Town

2008-05-27T14:36:00.001-04:00

On Memorial Day, Shasta and I went all over town. We started out heading from our Apartment towards Central Park. We headed to the Disney Store then American Girl Place. Lunch for me was a pretzel and ice cream from a vendor near Central Park. Then we took a subway back to the apartment, picked up our maps. Then we headed out on the subway to Coney Island. Coney Island was insane...so busy. The weather was beautiful too. Shasta and I went on the Cyclone...a 80 year old wooden rollercoaster. It was my first time on a rollercoaster...and hopefully my last. (My neck is killing me today). After a nice walk on the boardwalk, down to the beach, and into the water, we got Corn Dogs and Cotten Candy. Then we jumped back on the subway up to 8th street. Checked out the Washington Arch then wandered around Greenwich Village and Soho for a while. We had fries in Soho...how random. Then back to the apartment and a trip to Time Square to check out the Toys R Us store (I was looking for something for JED :). After that I went out with a couple of the guys to comedy club. Lots of fun but now its back to the classroom for four days.

Mom: Check it out...its the American Girl Place. Very fun.

American Girl Place, Disney Store, Coney Island Beach, Greenwich.

Toys R Us Times Square.

Sunday wanderings

2008-05-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

First Baptist Church of Manhattan

Street Fair

From the Staten Island Ferry...the Statute of Liberty of course

Manhatten Skyline from the Ferry

Fleet Week Saturday

2008-05-27T14:04:00.000-04:00

Visiting USS Kearsarge on a special Media Tour

Building views from the top of the Vogue Apartment Building

Photo shoot on top of the Vogue.
Molly, Aubra, Ryan, Chris and Myself

Friday, Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-27T13:48:00.000-04:00

Lower Manhattan Buildings

Ground Zero
(This left me speechless)

Doing a media project with Ryan. We interviewed guys selling Comedy Club tickets in Times Square.

Dinner out in some part of Manhattan

2008-05-23T13:08:00.000-04:00

Ryan taking a pictures

Thomas taking pictures

Deana

A huge Sprite in an amazing glass

Central Park Collage

2008-05-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

I tried again...maybe now you can see the pictures better

People in Central Park

2008-05-23T12:12:00.000-04:00

Jessica and Shasta

A cool tunnel and Jess and Shasta

Shasta's and My Shadows

The Alice and Wonderland Sculpture

Central Park Adventures

2008-05-23T12:07:00.000-04:00

Some random cool pictures from around Central Park

Central Park Carriages...as if it wasn't obvious

A pretty path

What a pretty window

People Pictures from Dinner Out

2008-05-22T00:10:00.000-04:00

James N.

Debs

Megan

Mary Catherine

Our Amazing Thai Dinner

2008-05-21T23:54:00.000-04:00

Dessert First: (just kidding) A wonderful green tea cheesecake...yes the cake is green

Banana spring rolls and ice cream

The Dinner Table: some amazing rice

Beautiful presentation

Going to a Yankees Game

2008-05-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

I went to a Yankee's Game last night. Actually it was free and the seats were amazing. I'm not going to attempt to explain how we got the tickets...its a long story involving my roomate and another classmate and two of the guys in my class and yeah I think you get the picture.

Yankee Stadium
It definately felt unreal being at Yankee Stadium...I've seen it on TV my whole life and there I was sitting in box seats, watching them play...ok so it was only for the 9th inning and they got thrashed but...

Ryan and James, the two guys I went with

Ryan, myself and James at Yankee Stadium

Afterwards we walked around the Bronx alittle bit waiting for the crowds to disappear (and got some food at Burger King...now that is a whole other story in itself). Anyway there is this cool park not far from Yankee Stadium...the Joyce Kilmer Park...My grandfather was named for him so I got a picture next to it.

Writing about Fleet Week

2008-05-21T15:24:00.001-04:00

This week I had to write an article based on observations, personality of a character and news. It was an interesting experience. I changed my topic a couple of times but ended up with a topic I really enjoyed. I also found out that I could write an article based on observation and internet research and get it done in less than eight hours.

I chose to write about a group of sailors I saw outside of the Empire State Building this morning. There was something special seeing them standing there all dressed in white. For me there was such a feel of purity about them especially in contrast to the busy and sometimes dark world around them.

This week is Fleet Week in NYC. Actually I didn't really understand what Fleet Week was about until I saw the sailors and started doing research on the internet about them. For the next week, about 4,000 sailor and 5 American ships as well as 2 Canadian ships will be in NYC. There is a "parade" of ships as well as demonstrations of technique and equipment by the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. There is also a special commemoration service on Memorial Day.

There was something special about seeing the sailors. My dad was a soldier when he was young and served in Vietnam. He has often told me how important it is to respect and appreciate those defending our country even if we don't believe in the war that they are fighting. He told me how hard it was to think that he had put his life on the line for a cause and for the American government only to return home and find that no one appreciated what he had done. The war wasn't his decision and even fighting in it wasn't his decision but he had done as he was told by the government.

I know so many people resent the war on terrorism, believing that it is wrong. However, I'm very encouraged by the support given to the soldier and sailors forced to fight. I'm so grateful that there are events like Fleet Week which give us as Americans the chance to say "thank you" to those sacrificing their lives for this country.

What’s Up

2008-05-19T23:50:00.001-04:00

Sorry it has been a couple of days since I wrote about my adventures in NYC.

Be sure a check out all the pictures below (you might have to go to the list on the side to see them all).

Saturday evening, Shasta and I took a walk down 5^th Avenue, over to Madison Avenue and then all the way to Central Park. We ate ice cream in the park then walked back home.

Sunday was a GREAT day. I went to a church called Origins that meets in a school on the Upper West Side. It was a very interesting service with a great message. After the service, about six of us went to lunch/brunch at a neat café called MUD. Great food…a little expensive…but great. We came back "home" where I changed then went to a New York Liberty (WNBA) game at Madison Square Garden with Debs and Ryan.

The game was ok…I mean it is women's basketball. But it was great to go to a game at Madison Square Garden.

After the game, we met up with almost all of the WJI students to go to a screening of a little documentary on microfinancing in Kenya. It was at a studio apartment in SoHo, made us all feel like really New Yorkers. I made many neat connections with people in Kenya or going to be in Kenya or interested in Kenya.

After leaving the screening, we decided to go for cupcakes at Magnolia. The cupcakes were ok but the cheesecake was amazing. We got a little lost going to Magnolia's but had a nice tour of Soho and Greenwich Village.

After getting back to our apartments, we had a mock newsroom in the guys' apartment. About nine of us sitting around with our laptops researching and writing stories until about three in the morning.

Today, Monday, was fun. We started the "real" journalism side. We were told to go out for about 45 minutes walk around, take pictures, possibly talk to some people and generally observe what was going on around us and see what we could see that was news worthy. Very interesting exercise. Now we are researching and writing a story about it. Looking forward to it!

More to come.

New York Liberty Game at Madison Square Garden

2008-05-19T23:20:00.000-04:00

At Madison Square Garden with Debs and Ryan

The Game

More Mud Pictures

2008-05-19T23:18:00.000-04:00

Doesn't Aubra look pretty

Mary Cathrine's pretty smile

Girls enjoying Mud

Chris and Megan intriqued by the conversation

Sunday "Brunch" at MUD

2008-05-19T23:15:00.000-04:00

Myself, Mary Cathrine, Whitney, and Aubra hanging out at MUD

Sweet lighting

The way they serve the water

The Mud sign

Saturday Evening with Shasta

2008-05-19T23:07:00.000-04:00

Window at Tiffany's

Obviously I'm at Grand Central Terminal :) Its very pretty

Again at Tiffany's...haven't been inside yet...but I'm looking forward to actually seeing what it looks like.

More of Brooklyn Bridge

2008-05-19T23:01:00.000-04:00

Some of my favorite pictures from the bridge

Ryan and his camera

James and a newspaper from the trash can

Aubra and a funny sign

Pictures from the Brooklyn Bridge

2008-05-19T22:50:00.000-04:00

Pictures taken on our "class trip" to the Brooklyn Bridge. The director treated us to pizza at Grimaldi's. What amazing views.

Life Continues in the City

2008-05-17T18:06:00.001-04:00

Today at least I slept in until almost 8. Had Starbucks for breakfast. My usual has become a tall Chai Latte. Class was really enjoyable today. Bill Mattox of the USA Today's editorial board was the teacher today and he basically asked us things that we want to know about journalism and we talk them through. I was a little zoned out at times, but definitely learned a lot of interesting and useful things about journalism. At times, I definitely feel out of my element…I'm surrounded by people who have worked for school newspapers, have these amazing ideas and thoughts and views on life and I honestly feel just a little behind and a little out of step. Hopefully I can overcome that or maybe just use it to my advantage.

Well I'm kind of sleepy and not writing very coherently so I'm going to sign off. Hopefully I'll get to do some fun things tonight.

Friday

2008-05-17T01:50:00.001-04:00

Today, actually yesterday since I'm writing this at 1:43 am on Saturday morning, was a laid back day. We only had half day of school work, a wonderful relief after a week of 8:30-8:00 in the classroom. Our lecture in the morning was about the relationship of education and education philosophy to journalism. To be honest, it was a bit over my head.

After class I finished up my research on an article about the empire state building that I'm working on. I started writing it but got bored really quickly, so since my roommates were sleep, I didn't know where the other girls were and really didn't feel like wandering around in the rain (sadly on our day "off" it drizzled ALL day long) by myself, I went and hung out in one of the guys' apartments and chatted with one of the guys, Ryan, that I hit it off easily with.

We (a group of us) went to an outdoor burger place for supper (remember it was raining…so it was kinda wet). It's in Madison Square Park (10 blocks down Broadway from us). We walked there but took the subway back.

After hanging out in the other guys apartment, we decided to go to see Prince Caspian. While we were waiting to go to the 10:20 viewing, we all sat around and worked on assignments.

The movie was GREAT! I definitely need to read all the Chronicles of Narnia books when I get a chance. Now its really late and I think I'll go to bed. My roommates are already asleep…lucky people J. Well at least I'll a half hour extra sleep tomorrow morning…class doesn't start until 9:00.

For more NYC pictures…

2008-05-16T10:16:00.001-04:00

Check out my Picasa album. I'll try to keep posting more pictures there. It's just too much for my blog to put many pictures on it.

More from the Top of the World

2008-05-16T08:48:00.000-04:00

The Chrysler Building

Bryant Park: just a few blocks from our apartments

Central Park off in the distance: I didn't realise how BIG it is

The building in the foreground is our apartment building

Pictures from the top of the world

2008-05-16T08:44:00.000-04:00

Shasta and I an the top of the Empire State Building

Shasta and the city

With the world behind me

What a view

Top of the World

2008-05-15T16:21:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I went to the top of the Empire State Building with 8 of my classmates (all girls funny enough). It was AMAZING. Beautiful views, lots of wind…kind of a bad thing since I had a shorter length skirt on. I saw lots of amazing parts of New York City and lots of places I want to visit. :) I took a bunch of amazing pictures (coming soon) although my battery ran out during the trip to the top. My friends took lots of pictures too.

I'm loving my time here. Today we learned about using Excel to do research for news stories. Definitely, some interesting stuff and I enjoyed getting to use a bit of my A in Math.

My classmates are amazing. We have lots of fun in class. For example, last night we critiqued each other's articles on the WJI Press Conference. We learned a lot, made a lot of silly comments and jokes and generally got to know each other better.

This evening we are going out to dinner as a class. We are (weather permitting) going to a Pizza Place located under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Well, let me sign out for the moment.

WJI Press Conference

2008-05-14T15:54:00.001-04:00

African journalists may have a unique opportunity to further their careers. World Journalism Institute is considering the possibly of a conducting a workshop for Christian African journalists in Kampala, Uganda at the beginning of next year.

World Journalism Institute (WJI) is a private American institution. For the past ten years, they have been recruiting, equipping, placing and encouraging Christian journalists, focusing on those heading for or already working in secular media.

The director, Robert Case, believes that although the secular media industry might be a hostile place for Christians to work, when they take their place in the industry the hostility is reduced. This belief leads the institute to train Christian journalists and assist them in their careers through short-term paid internships in the media industry.

Currently, WJI is running an eight-week course for university students. During this course, located in New York City, the students learn to use various "new" forms of media including internet reporting, video and photojournalism alongside more tradition forms like print. Their teachers are educators and journalists working at newspapers and universities around the United States. The students learn through lectures, reading assignments and practice in the skills of reporting, writing, editing and photography.

WJI, if they carry out their plan for Kampala, will give Christian African journalists the chance to be exposed to new ideas through people who believe the profession of journalism is a reasonable expression of a Christian's faith.

NYC and WJI

2008-05-14T09:35:00.001-04:00

Don't you love the way that we abbreviate everything these days. Of course we should all know the meaning of NYC (just in case it stands for New York City). WJI however most of you aren't familiar with (unless you've been reading my blog for a while). It stands for World Journalist Institute.

The more I learn about WJI, the more I am impressed by what they are doing, what their vision is and how they are carrying out their vision.

Today is the third day of classes. We have been learning a little bit about apologetics to help us remember the worldview that we are to write from as a journalist. I have learned so much, too much to talk about in this short blog.

Last night we had a mock press conference. It was great fun for me since I have never been to a press conference. We were given a press release, expected to do research and come up with questions to ask. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to come up with any good questions but thankfully I did J. After the press conference we were expected to write a 250 word article based on information gathered through the press release, research and press conference. I'll post my article later.

Another little fun thing yesterday. In the afternoon after class (and before the press conference) I went with some of my classmates to study in Bryant Park, a nice little part about 5 blocks from our apartments. Very fun and someone even asked us for directions…we must have looked like real New Yorkers. I love the fact that I get to LIVE in NYC for three weeks. Who, especially as a journalist, wouldn't love that opportunity?

More to come, keep reading!

2008-05-13T22:47:00.000-04:00

Dr. William Edgar treating us to a Jazz lesson/concert

The lecture part

One of my classmates , Whitney was in the perfect spot with the perfect lighting, I just couldn't resist taking this picture

Robert Case (the WJI director) enjoying the music

View from our apartment window

2008-05-13T22:37:00.000-04:00

Well this one is the Kings College Sign - that where our classroom is....of course in the Empire State Building!

Class Day 1

2008-05-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

Andree Seu speaking at lunch time

Signing our books

Dr. William Edgar lecturing

Day 1

2008-05-13T08:22:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was our first day of classes. The morning started with our director, Dr. Robert Case, giving a brief devotional. The rest of the morning was spent in lectures with Dr. William Edgar of Westminster Seminary. He is teaching for three days and talking about how worldview affects journalism and helping us to be sure that we understand and acknowledge our worldview as Christians. He also spoke in the afternoon…focusing mainly on the issue of "Calling." It was very encouraging because he talked about the fact that as journalist or even someone in the so called "secular" arts, are in a calling just as high and important as "full-time Christian ministry."

Our luncheon speaker was Andree Seu of WORLD magazine. She talked about blogging, its challenges and rewards.

In the evening Dr. Case spoke on the marks of a Christian journalist.

It was definitely a wonderful first day.

More soon….

A Few Pictures from Sunday

2008-05-12T16:18:00.001-04:00

Reflection of the Empire State Building

Our Building (well the sign)

At Central Park with Shasta

Sitting by the fountain at Central Park

In Central Park

2008-05-12T16:13:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of me in Central Park. Thought I should get up at least one picture so you know that I really and truly am in NYC!! More Pictures later...

Living Life

2008-05-12T08:58:00.002-04:00

I sum up my personal approach to evangelism in three words: Living my life. Maybe it sounds too simple but I have no other way to explain it.

The word evangelism almost makes me shutter. My worst grade in Bible College was in Personal Evangelism class. When I saw the title of one of the required books for World Journalism Institute, I couldn't believe my eyes, The Heart of Evangelism, by Jerram Barrs. The thought, "oh no, not again." flashed through my mind.

I read the book, in the process it got stolen and I bought another one. I hope and pray the little bit of my life the thug saw, compelled him to read the book he found in my backpack.

I didn't really learn a whole lot from the book that I didn't already know but it did remind me of a few things I had forgotten along the way. As I read it, I wondered how I would ever be able to put what I was reading into practice in a secular newsroom. I'm not the type of person to turn every conversation to God but neither am I ashamed of the fact that I am a Christian.

Personally, one statement from the book hit me, "Among people of whatever race, culture, or religious background Paul's desire was to be a servant to them." (p. 185) Being a servant should be how I live my life and how I live my life should be a witness to those around me.

If Your Reader Has a Cold Don’t…

2008-05-12T08:57:00.002-04:00

I'm still trying to figure out what William Faulkner's The Bear was about.

I know that it is about a bear, and a boy and a few other people. Oh and the bear is killed in the end (sorry if I spoiled the story for you…just in case you wanted to read it). The bear's name was Old Ben, I never did figure out what the boy's name was. Maybe the problem was I had a cold when I read it.

As my brother so aptly put it as I expressed my frustration about the book, "But its William Faulkner, you can't really criticize him." Yet I have my likes and dislikes. I'm not saying this shouldn't be a great piece of literature, actually I learned some valuable lessons as I read the book.

The first thing I learned was that I should never write long, complicated and complex sentences if I want someone with a cold to enjoy reading my writing. The second, descriptive passages can make the most complicated and difficult piece of writing interesting. Third, sometimes you have to get through the beginning; no matter how boring or un-interesting it may be, to find the jewel hidden underneath.

I think the final lesson is so important in journalism. So often, a story starts out boring and without anything to set it apart but as one keeps digging and finding out more, the heart and soul of the story is revealed…and that is what is worth telling.

Giving History a Face

2008-05-12T08:56:00.002-04:00

Cynthia Ozick's The Shawl is a short poignant story. It tells the story of Rosa, her niece Stella and her daughter, Magda, during the Holocaust.

The Shawl shares what must have been the story of hundreds of Jewish mothers during Hitler's reign. It is story not often thought about or portrayed in either non-fiction or fiction. How many mothers did everything they could to save their children only to watch them die cruel and painful deaths the way Rosa did as Madga was hurled against the electric fence surrounding the concentration camp? This story with its vivid descriptions, symbolism and intense feeling makes one wonder how many such stories have never been told.

The Holocaust is over, though as the follow up to The Shawl, Rosa shows, the effects last long after the experience. The question however remains, what do we miss when we look at historic or contemporary events without looking at the faces or listening to the voices of those affected.

In Iraq what stories do mothers have to tell? In Kenya, what would the young men fighting tribal wars tell us if we stopped to listen? What irreversible pain do the child prostitutes of Calcutta experience? The list could go on and on.

In an age of instant everything, we often forget to look beyond the headlines at the faces. May the story of Rosa and baby Magda remind us to take the time to see the people affected by headline news throughout the world.

NYC

2008-05-12T08:26:00.002-04:00

I'm finally in New York City. Living in an apartment with three roommates, in the Herald Tower Apartments on 34^th St and 6^th Avenue. Tomorrow I'll go for my first day of classes at the Empire State Building.

Today I hung out with my new roommate Shasta a lot today. We walked to Central Park…BEAUTIFUL! Then this evening after orientation we walked to Times Square and had supper at the McDonalds there. Then to Walgreens for some food for the next few days. Lots of fun but now I'm tired and need to sleep.

Pictures soon!

Almost

2008-05-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

I'm almost on my way to NYC. We leave from Gary and Cathy's house at 5 am tomorrow morning. My flight leaves Atlanta at 9:30 and after a 36 minute connection (please pray I make it) at the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington (surely in an airport that small 36 minutes is enough) I'll arrive in NYC at 1:30. Two on my classmates are going to wait for me at the airport then we will take a taxi to our apartments on 6^th Avenue. Orientation will be from 6 and classes start Monday morning (I think at 8:30) at the Empire State Building. Oh yeah, wow. Tomorrow will be crazy.

I finally finished my required pre-class reading. Now I just have to finish the writing – three 250-word essays which will be posted here as soon as they are written.

The Bed is calling…I must go. Good night!

Pictures from NYC coming soon….

Some Clarification

2008-05-08T21:08:00.002-04:00

My dad asked me what message I want to convey with my picture. Umm...good question. When I started taking the pictures I wanted something that looked really nice, showed off my new camera, all the books and work I have to do and my computer. Sadly my computer didn't make it in any of these pictures. I want the pic to show a bit of my personality, what I do, what I'm capable of with the camera (and Picasa). Of course on Facebook its also important that someone be able to figure out who I am...its always annoying to get a friend request from someone and the name is familiar but the picture is poor and you just can't quite remember where you know them from. So yeah...

Profile Pic Options

2008-05-08T16:47:00.002-04:00

I'm trying to pick out a new picture for my Facebook profile (and having some fun with the new camera). Oh and notice in some of them the obvious procrastination....see those stacks of books and the computer? Thats what I'm supposed to be doing instead of taking self-portraits and posting them on my blog

So I'm played with the profile pics a little bit (Picasa is a wonderful free program) and here is the results for four of them. Tell me which you like best.

I like this one because you can see my whole face, and I'm almost smiling, but the camera is not as obvious.

I like this because you can see my face, it has personality, the camera is prominent but I'm not smiling at all (and I've been told before the first impression people get of me...I'm a smiley girl...others have referred to me as...the girl who smiles all the time)

I love black and white photos, I love the little mystery, but my face isn't showing very well.

Full shot of my face, little smile, camera hidden, odd pose, (I like that my hair style - which I LOVE - is fully visable in this one :).

So tell me what you think...or don't ;)

By the way I would love to know who reads my blog so as well as telling me which picture you like, I would really appreciate it if you dropped me a comment and let me know whose reading my blog.

More essays coming your way...tomorrow...I REALLY hope! I'm almost (ummm well 30 pages in one book and 85 in the other left to go) done with my reading.

A few pictures of my family

2008-05-08T16:15:00.002-04:00

I was playing with my new camera this afternoon and I took a few pictures of my family.

Rebecca watch her dad do something

Amanda and Victoria

Alexandra posing for the camera

The family ( I think Gary is doing something to do with his bees)

Irony

2008-05-08T09:51:00.001-04:00

Life is ironic. Why would the girl who used to get cold's practically every month, go without having one for about four months and then get one the week before heading to NYC for a exciting, potentional stressful three weeks of learning. Why?

Why on the day when she needs to finish an article for WORLD, write another one, read the last 30 pages of a book on Evangelism, write an essay on that book, write an essay on an book, read a book that is completely un-understandable to a person with a fuzzy-headed cold feeling, come up with well-thought out and intriguing questions for important figures in the world of journalism, would she feel like sleeping the whole day because her eyes are so tired and heavy and her head feels like its full of rocks? Why?

And why is she sitting on her bed, in her pajamas and 9:47 am when she has a meeting at 11:30? Of course then there is the question of why she is boring you, the hapless reader, with all these silly questions instead of just getting on with her life? Instead of find suitable clothes to wear…another challenge since they are all hanging out of the suitcase over there? Instead of actually reading those books, writing those essays, and finishing those articles?

Ok, Ok I'm going now. Bye

Note: Sorry if this makes no sense, to my half functioning brain, it sounds, well looks, like a wonderfully interesting piece of writing. I know though that you probably need to be feeling about the same as I am for it to make any sense as all.

Annoying

2008-05-07T10:20:00.001-04:00

This morning I realized that for the next five weeks I don't even get to see pictures of my family on the other side of the world…cause they don't have a camera. How sad! I'm safe, sound, and sleepy but oh well…the books are calling, google is calling (I have to research speakers for the course) and the writing assignments are calling. I better get to work.

Arrival

2008-05-07T01:25:00.001-04:00

I've arrived in North Carolina. Its been about 36 hours since my parents left me at the Nairobi Airport. I'm glad to be sitting on a bed into which I'm going to completely crash as soon as this message posts.

I’m leaving… on a jet plane

2008-05-05T11:50:00.001-04:00

Ok sorry for that odd reminder of a popular song from my early teen years. But hey its true.

Go be praised, I picked up my new, and temporary passport at the America Embassy at 1 pm today. Its temporary in that its only good for one year during which time I can apply for a permanent one, valid for ten years….and I won't have to pay for the new one.

We made it to the Kenyan Immigration before they reopened at 2 pm and rushed in once the doors were finally opened. I got my dependents pass re-stamped easily and then paid 200 shillings to get a new re-entry permit which means that when I come back to Kenya I just breeze through immigration without paying anything!! YEY for that and yey for saving $100 dollars.

So I leave at 11:20 Kenyan time…that will be 4:20pm your time. Of course I will get to hang out at the airport for about 3 hours. I fly from here to London Heathrow then to Chicago and finally to Atlanta. I think I get into Atlanta about 9:15 tomorrow night (eastern standard time) and Gary and Cathy will pick me up there.

See you soon in the United States of America.

Saying Bye

2008-05-04T16:25:00.001-04:00

Today I said bye to most of my "new" friends. I've gotten so close to so many wonderful people in Nairobi and thankfully many of them go to Nairobi Chapel so I go to say good bye to most at church today. There are a few I didn't really get to say good-bye to but I will be back in just 5 weeks so….

The sermon this morning seemed to be just for me. Pastor Gowi (wish he read this but I don't think he knows about my blog J) preached on Courage. It's part of a sermon series on Going the Distance in our Christian lives and is based on Daniel. One of the things he talked about is that courage is acknowledging and facing our fears. Umm…sounds like just what I needed to hear. After the service I went and talked to him and he prayed for me as he has before in difficult moments in the past few months (He was one of the pastors who stood beside me during my struggles on Msafara). What a blessing to have people like that to walk beside on the path called life.

The afternoon was spent writing and packing and talking with my parents. I finished one story for Nation newspaper (I still have another one I'd like to write but…time, time) and I started one for WORLD, now I just have to edit it. I also have one more to write for WORLD…maybe tomorrow? I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of using quotes in my articles, it's been one of the largest downfalls in my writing, and is such a must for journalist writing. I much prefer just using my own words J… how conceited of me.

The evening was a little rough. Mom, Dad and Jed came into my room to give me a couple of "going-away" gifts and Jed saw the suitcases almost packed and started crying. He cried off and on for about 30 minutes. Poor little guy. I've hardly ever been away from him for more than 2 week at a time (and those times have been rare). The last time I went to America by myself, he was only two…though actually he still remembers it a little bit. The kid has one amazing memory! I think this whole ordeal is made even harder by the fact that he knows I'll get to see our family on the other side of the global and he misses them too. A couple of days ago when I told him that I would get to see Victoria, Rebecca, Amanda and Alexandra (my nieces) he looked at me and pitifully and almost mournfully said, "Greet them for me." Then he turned, walked away and started crying. Tonight I heard him upstairs talking with dad about the calendar that they will mark off every day and he asked, "And check her blog everyday too?" Oh the technologically advances of this day and age. He's five and he's asking about checking blogs…I don't think I even knew what a blog was until last year! Well I guess that means I have to keep my blog very up-to-date and hopefully loaded with pictures…so check back often.

Well Jed only gets to sleep one more time before I leave…he still has trouble with the concept of days so we tell him how many times he has to sleep. Then poor thing, he will have to sleep about 38 times before I come back…I don't know if he can comprehend the concept of 38 but maybe.

Keep tuned in over the next 38 days for more about my adventure in "the Big World."

A Small Notice

2008-05-03T16:39:00.001-04:00

Just so my usual readers aren't completely surprised when they read the next two blogs.

Yes, those next two blogs are not like my normal blogs. J I'm not usually that "journalist" on this blog. That is partly because I have enough writing "journalistically" when I'm writing articles and partly because, yep I'll be honest, I don't feel like taking the time to edit what I post the way I would an article. And too…its more me and it gives me an opportunity to experiment with other styles of writing.

All that said, let me continue with my notice.

One of the requirements for World Journalism Institute is that I post some or maybe all of my assignments on my blog. So you are in for some interesting reading over the next four weeks or so. I hope you enjoy. And don't worry I'll still post some of my usual, Sarahish blogs when I get a chance.

For your reading pleasure, below you will find my first two completed assignments. I was to read a book and an article and relate the lessons I learned to a contemporary situation. The first one (as you proceed down the page, chronologically it is the second) is about the book We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families, by Philip Gourevitch. It is a well-written and well research book on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, and personally, I think it's one of the most amazing pieces of journalism I've ever read. The second essay is about a long article called, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," by Gay Talese. If you like Frank Sinatra or if you like reading interesting personality profiles, you should check this article out. You can get it in a PDF online, just Google it.

Come enjoy this journey of learning and growing in writing and journalism along with me.

Relating Kenya to Gourevitch’s Rwanda

2008-05-03T16:19:00.002-04:00

Without a doubt, the one book or article I would recommend an aspiring journalist read is We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families, by Philip Gourevitch.

He didn't pretend to have all the answers or even know the whole truth about Rwanda's genocide. Nevertheless, he took the time to get to know the people involved, visit the places where the tragedies occurred, and attempted to come to an understanding of Rwanda's rhythms of life. His reporting takes you deep into the lives of people affected and into the sources and results of the hatred and slaughter of Rwanda's Tutsi population.

My first exposure to We wish to inform you was during the height of the post-election violence that tore Kenya apart at the beginning of 2008. As I read, I began to question the truth and reality of the reporting I was hearing and reading and for that matter the reporting I was doing. It taught me the importance of looking beyond the obvious to find the truth.

Kenya needs a Gourevitch. Though the violence was mild in comparison to Rwanda, no one has taken the time to find out what happened, how it happened, or why it happened. It would take solid foundation knowledge of Kenya's history and issues, time and willingness to dig deep into the sources of the conflict, and getting to know people involved at all levels, just as Gourevitch did to help make sense of the Rwanda genocide.

Who Else Might Have a Cold

2008-05-03T16:18:00.002-04:00

Relating "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold" to today's personality profiles

I have never been interested in Frank Sinatra. I know, I know he is a singer who reached music industry heights unheard of before or after his days. Reading "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," by Gay Talese has introduced me not only to an amazing personality but also to a new style of profile writing.

Will I ever have the talent, passion, or ability to write about another person with such description, flow and intimacy, yet all the while holding myself and the reader at a distance…so connected to the personality in question yet no more privy to the intimate details of their life than before?

I can't think of one among my peers worthy of comparison to Sinatra, people like him don't exist in my world. But without a doubt within people all around me there are lives, details and achievements worthy of such dignified exposure to the public eye as Talese gave Sinatra. The young pastor toiling in the slums in hopes of improving one child's life, the singer uncompromising in her stand for purity, the drug addict turned youth pastor… and the list goes on.

These are the stories worth sharing as Talese did, with simplicity, weaving the background and the small everyday details together with a claim to fame. Taking such a person and making them real to the reader, someone they feel they can walk up to and greet as an old friend. Showing their humanity and their greatness in one fluid line of prose.

Passport…and other stuff

2008-05-03T03:51:00.002-04:00

Well, I applied for an emergency passport yesterday. I'm supposed to go back to the embassy on Monday about 2 pm to pick it up. The tricky part is that after picking it up I'll have to race across town to make it to the Kenyan immigration by 4 pm. If I don't make it there and get my Dependents pass and re-entry permit redone then I will have to pay $50 to leave the country (basically buying a visitor's visa) and $50 to come back in to the country (another visitor's visa). This trip is continuing to get more and more expensive.

Yesterday I also replaced my Press Pass (the picture is much better this time…sadly don't have a camera so I can't post a picture of the new one).

I also got my freelance agreement, which means that the $500 course fee for WJI will be waived. The agreement is with the Nation Newspaper (one of the Kenya's national newspapers) and basically is that they will agree to consider published two articles I write while attending WJI.

On another note, I also bought some Moleskin notebooks (David isn't that what you use). They are very nice little notebooks with sturdy black cardboard covers that fit nicely in the back pocket of a pair of jeans. I lost my notebook I had been using for everything when I was robbed so I decided to replace it with some a little nicer.

Last night I watched three movies. I just needed to upwind. I'm so tense and stressed…probably more so because I now feel I wasted a bunch of time but I needed it. I've done very little to relax and unwind since the robbery and I really needed it.

Now I'm feeling overly stressed because I have so much to do and VERY little time. A sample of my to do list which changed dramatically because of the robbery:

transcribe interviews that I did in Nakuru
Write article about IDPs for Nation newspaper
Write article about Kenya, five months on for World
Write article about hijacking/robbery possibly for World on the Web
READ, READ, READ
Do research on speakers at WJI
Do writing assignments for WJI (when I do them I'll be posting them here on my blog so be on the lookout…especially since you don't usually get to read my "article" style writing.
PACK, PACK, PACK (right now I don't actually know what I'm going to back my stuff in!)
Oh that's about all...maybe…probably not though

Please continue to pray…the struggle is not over and adding lots of stress on top of trauma only serves to bury the trauma not deal with it. Not the best thing but I don't know what to do right now….I've talked it out until I'm so sick of talking about it. I've thought about it, I've prayed about it, I've pushed it down, away wherever, I've given Viyerrah good advice…poor guy he had to ride home last night on the same kind of bus at almost the same time. I kinda feel numb right now and I don't like that. Like I said I'm sick of talking about it, it's gotten to the point I know all the points that make people go, "Oh my," so I find myself dwelling on them, I guess to make people feel sorry for me and yeah it's just annoying.

Ok well I must get back to work and at least TRY to get a few things finished today.

A Good Day

2008-05-01T16:53:00.001-04:00

I had a good day today. But before I talk about that let me go back to last night.

Last night I had a long facebook chat with a close friend, Cornelia (check out her blog at Joy in Kenya). It really helped. Probably the best way for me to process things is through writing rather than talking and its even more helpful when I'm writing in response to someone else's questions and responses.

We worked through a lot of different things and she forced me to considering not just my thought process that night but also my feelings…something I rarely do unless forced to. People who know me will know that its easy for me to talk about myself, what I've done, what I think about things but I rarely talk about my feelings, basically because I usually haven't gone that far myself and thought about what I feel.

There were a couple things that stood out to me about this whole ordeal:

It was an invasion of my personal space. I think the fact that I was sitting next to one of the young men (actually the first to stand up and pull out a gun) made it very personal and very invasive. This caused me to push my personal boundaries, with pretty much everyone, way back. Although generally unconscious, I definitely withdrew and pushed people away. You can ask my parents how quiet I was yesterday and even today though today has been much better. I didn't mind talking about what happened but when someone started asking questions…the boundary had been reached.
I felt guilty. I felt that I had somehow missed hear God's voice. Mainly because looking back there were so many little warning signs I should have heeded but didn't. It really bothered me that I could miss God's voice in something like this…that I'm so focused on myself and the people around me that I don't bother to listen to HIM, the person who I should be listening to more than anyone else. Especially since hearing God's voice is something I have been frustrated about for a while now.
There was a connection between myself and the young man sitting next to me. As he stood up, pulled out the gun and told us all to lay down…I looked straight at him, straight into his eyes and he looked back. I saw the fear, the anger, the terror, the wondering if this would really work…I saw it all. I have no idea what he saw in my eyes, but somehow I think whatever it was it affected him as well.

Well I'm back a few hours later. I was invited out to a concert which was extremely enjoyable but back to my good day first.

I slept well last night (again with a little help) but woke up a little bit earlier than I would have liked.

Mom and Dad took me shopping today to help me finish getting everything I need to go. We went to a shopping mall, but although I tried on a few things I never found anything I liked (that fit me). I had planned to buy a belt but the store wasn't open (today is some random Kenyan holiday…I don't know which one)

Then Mom took me shopping to an open air market where you can buy mtumba(used) clothes. I love shopping at these places because you can find the most random things and the prices really aren't bad (eg I've boughten American Eagle and Diesel jeans there for less than $15 and you would think they are new, Banana Republic shirts for less than $5 etc etc). Of course the colour of my skin means I pay a bit more than Kenyans would be still the prices aren't bad. Today I used the sob story that I had been robbed two days ago to try to get them to lower the prices…last time I went it was that I'm an IDP (internally displaced person). I always find someway to get the price to come down.

So I got home and was chilling out doing a few things, thinking about watching one of the three movies I rented today when a friend called and wanted to know if I was interested in going to this concert at the coolest "club" in Nairobi – Carnivore. The best part this was a Christian concert done by guys from the worship team of one of my church (Nairobi Chapel) sister churches (Mavuno – which means harvest in Swahili). Since they were going to pick me and drop me in a taxi I felt safe going and said YES!! It was great fun hanging out with Cornelia, Njeri, Mimo, Gedion and Viyerrah (who made me get out on the dance floor and move a little bit…at least tonight he said I didn't dance like a Mzungu…I guess that 1/250^th of African blood in me is helpful..just don't make me dance to hiphop I can't get the moves fast enough).

The only bad parts of my day..seeing Citi Hoppa buses, and driving around the general area where it happened. Also the market we went to is on the street the driver was forced to turn off onto so it made me think a bit.

However the good far outweighs the bad. One thing both Viyerrah and I have said…no riding Citi Hoppas for a long time …especially not #24.

Good night.

Needing to Blog

2008-04-30T11:34:00.001-04:00

I don't know how many people actually read this. But right now I need the therapy it provides. Today was difficult. I would see a bus like the bus we were on and cringe. Something would remind me and I'd relive some of the moments. I slept well last night, with a little aid from some mild medicine, but not anywhere near long enough. I woke up worried about Viyerrah and had no way to contact him. Worried that something had happened to him between my house and his, worried that he was hit harder than he realized, worried that he had a concussion and knowing if so he should have been woken up every few hours, worried about how he was emotionally especially considering the fact that one of the men pointed the gun at him and said "Kijana umetoa simu, kama hutoi nitakuua saa hii." (translation: young man – but it's an insult to call someone Viyerrah's age, 26, that – have you given out your phone? If you don't I'm going to kill you right now). This was repeated with his phone and wallet because his phone was in the bag he had already given them and he doesn't carry a wallet. At least they never threatened to kill me – actually, they were relatively nice to me. I felt like if I didn't see him today and see with my own eyes that he was ok that I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

Today we tried to gather the pieces left from the damage done last night – most importantly the loss of my passport. We went to the police station where I had recorded my losses last night and got an abstract which is required to replace my passport. Then we went and got new passport photos, then I went and recovered my phone number (of course I lost all the numbers I had for people and have to start at zero). So all those things went smoothly and successfully.

Then we went to the American Embassy. Apartly the consular section has the last Wednesday of the month off, which yes that would be today, and then tomorrow is a Kenyan holiday so they are off again. Meaning…I won't even get into the America Embassy until Friday. Then after they help me out I still need to go to the Kenyan immigration and attempt to get things worked out there. Please pray that all goes well. I'm supposed to leave on Monday evening.

My long list of things to do has been chopped into little bits and pieces. There is no way now that I can accomplish most of those things. Especially considering that, the way I am feeling emotionally means that taking public transport is temporarily out of the question. I have three stories I desperately need to write, but I'm not thinking clear enough to write publishable stories. I have books I need to read but one of them is about the genocide in Rwanda (I've already read it once) and wow right now…that's not a good place for my mind to go. Now all my thoughts are geared towards getting my passport and getting somewhere safe and secure.

I don't like the way I'm feeling. I don't like that I'm withdrawing and getting really quiet. I don't like that I constantly feel the many bruises on my arms and legs. Somehow I have to learn to deal with secondary and primary trauma because in my line of work…it happens and the story still must be written.

Many people have sent me wonderful and encouraging emails. They are helpful but I'm having a hard time seeing as far as most of the people are seeing. I'm stuck at about 8:45 PM on April 29^th. I knew I'll move on, I'll get over it but I'm not looking forward to the ensuing time before I move on and get over it. It took me 3 months to start to move on and get over what happened in Londiani and that was trauma imposed upon me from a distant source not one sitting right next to me. It does make a difference.

Morning

2008-04-30T01:26:00.001-04:00

I slept well. I'll admit though I had a little help…advil and Benadryl…to help ensure I slept. I woke up earlier than I would have like and I'm sore…for two reasons. One I dragged a backpack around the whole day yesterday, do because of the awkward position in which I lay on the floor in the bus last night. Today I start the annoying process of getting my passport replaced. I'll keep you informed on how that goes.

Thoughts on being robbed

2008-04-29T18:26:00.001-04:00

I know can claim, "I've been robbed at gunpoint." Its not exactly something I ever wished to be able to say. Currently I'm wondering if I'll ever in my life be able to get back in one of those buses…if nothing else I'll wonder and pray every time I think until I get home. I'm also wondering how long the image of the young man sitting next to me, standing up and pointing a gun at me while saying "everyone lay down" will stick with me. Or the memory of lying in an extremely uncomfortable and awkward position on the floor while wondering where on earth we were, what on earth is going to happen and if it would ever end. God is still good in the end…I'm ALIVE. I have a few scraps and plenty of bruises, I los equipment (some of it my dad's) worth about $2,000, but what is that compared to my life. I had a friend with me who is also still alive, after being threatened about three times, that they were going to kill him. After they stopped threatening him (because they finally figured out he had actually given them his phone), he lay on the floor, space the is barely big enough to fit your knees, with me laying semi, and very awkwardly on top of him and wrapped his arms around me while I lay there trying to be quiet yet crying. When it was over (the thugs/thieves, who are related to an outlawed and very violent sect, jumped out somewhere on the road and left a bus full of cry, angry people lying on the bus floor) I had lost my phone, my dad's Canon Rebel Camara, my Canon sureshot Camera, my tripod, my notebook full of important info, my wallet, my drivers license (from the states), my press pass, my Heart of Evangelism Book (required reading for WJI), and my PASSPORT. Yes my passport…I'm leaving, flying out of the country in 5 and I repeat FIVE days!!! But yet again I say all is well because I came out of the situation alive and generally unhurt. Viyerrah came out alive and generally unhurt…expect where the thug clocked him alongside his head with the gun (no blood though and I hope not a concussion). I'm sure there will be more to come on this experience but my meds (I took something to help me sleep) are finally kicking in.

Sunday

2008-04-28T01:58:00.002-04:00

Sunday was fun. Here's how it went.

Youth Service was let by K-Krew which is a youth ministry that reaches out the youth through music and media. Its very cool and I'm slowly getting involved in a few ways. Musicians from the Krew led the service, lots of singing and dancing and an excellent message. A group of dancers from the youth group also "performed."

Two of the group (Musa - a friend is on the right)

Ok so that is actually people dancing - I thought it was a cool, funky picture

After the service Mercy and I (oh yes Mercy is home for a few days…she leaves tomorrow through) went with a few of my acquaintances downtown. There was a reggae concert and one of my good friends, Viyerrah, was singing. So about 5 of us went to support him. It was great fun, except for two things: Mercy got a headache…I need to give up on taking her to concerts it always happens, and when we got to Karen, where we have to switch from a bus to a matatu…there were no matatus!!! So we had to take a bus and it takes a route that is like 3 times as long as the matatu. Oh well….(I didn't have enough money for a taxi or I would have taken one!)

One of the girls I went with (Madge) and that's Viyerrah looking wierd (look under her chin :)

Viyerrah singing (the white flash - foot and arm - is the main singer. Man could he jump)

The Band

This picture is from Friday, I thought it was funny…

Friends: Rhoda, Musa and Viyerrah at a fruit stand
(sadly I was taking the picture so couldn't be in it)

This week…will be INSANE. A preview

Monday (as in today): writing, shopping, media forum

Tuesday: Trip to Nakuru

Wednesday: Forum on Slum education, get my ID, do random things in town

Thursday: Visit a school and getting them started on a project we are doing together

Friday: Shopping, saying goodbye to friends, If I want to an all night Christian Rave

Saturday: Visiting Day at the primary school I'm working with

Sunday: Church, packing

Monday: Packing, leaving

Maybe it doesn't sound like much to you, but its too much!

Crazy Times

2008-04-26T03:10:00.001-04:00

I'm having a few crazy weeks.

I have confirmed that I will be attending the WJI journalism course in NYC starting on May 11^th. But I don't have my ticket yet due to a really poor interest connection the last couple of days (pray that I can actually get on today and purchase the ticket).

I'm planning to leave Kenya on the night of May 5^th which means I'll arrive in Atlanta the night of May 6^th. My four days in Highlands will basically be consumed with a massive amount of reading since I was only able to get 3 of the 5 required reading books and none of the 7 recommended. So yes, I'll be READING…the crazy.

This past week has been crazy. Monday was my boring day J. Tuesday I visited a primary school about 40 minutes from Nairobi. This private school was closed down due to lack of students after the government introduced free primary education in 2002. After the post-election violence (if you had any idea how often I've written those two words….) Nairobi Chapel (that would be my church) did a great deal of work with IDPs (internally displaced persons…another three words I write way too often). One of their biggest projects was putting students back in school, especially 8^th graders who needed to be registered for their end of primary school exams (exams which determine if and where they will go to secondary school and thus determining their future because which secondary school you go to determines if you will go to university and be able to get a job). So they found out about this closed down school and essentially reopened it for 74 8^th grade students. Now the reason I went to visit the school is that I'm going to be working with these 74 students to help them write down their stories. These are kids who saw their homes burned, friends killed, lived in IDP camps with little food. Actually for most of these kids, their parents and other siblings are still in the camps. The initial reason for getting their stories is for Nairobi Chapel to have a record of their journey with the IDPs, for me its much bigger than that. I want to help these kids learn to love writing, to have a chance to use writing as a means to finding healing from their wounds, and to help them improve in English. So I went to learn where the school is and to introduce myself to the kids and the teachers. They were very excited, which of course makes me very excited.

Wednesday, my sis Mercy came home (she's here for a week). For those of you who don't know her, she's Kenyan, she's a nurse and she works at a hospital about 4 hours drive from Nairobi. Her job requires her to one week of night duty each month, but the advantage comes that after one week of nights she gets one week off. So Wednesday I accomplished little but that was ok.

Thursday, I thought would be a productive day but everything I tried that day failed. First I was supposed to go to Nakuru to do interviews at the IDP camps for an article I'm writing for the Nation newspaper. But my travel partner back out and then there was the possibility of unrest and tension due to some political silliness. So I didn't go (and still haven't). Instead I took Mercy to explore Nairobi a bit…now that I'm an expert I can show other people around…right I don't know when I'll ever figure Nairobi out but I'm trying. We tried to go to the British Airways offices but they have moved…to the airport which is 20 km from the city. We tried to apply for my alien ID but I didn't have all the stuff I needed. I tried to go to the Associated Press offices to see if they have a book I need but I forgot how you get there. So I bought new shoes instead and called it a day.

Jana (that means yesterday), I went out to lunch with a friend who will be leaving to return to Switzerland a couple weeks after I get back. Then I hung out with another friend of mine and he took me to a Hip Hope (as in Hip Hop with the message of Hope) concert at a school about 15 minutes from home. That was fun.

This morning I'm feeling groggy…its raining out and low pressure always makes me feel like this, then I overslept. Today I think I'm staying at home (unless it stops raining then I'll take Mercy to the Hip Hope concert today.

What's ahead of me: (please realize I'm making my to do list here J)

buy my tickets
buy my books
transcribing interviews
making phone calls and doing phone interviews
putting together as much of my article as I can without the missing interviews
putting together all that I already have for Nairobi Chapel IDP journal
attend church tomorrow
attend a reggae concert tomorrow afternoon (a good friend is singing and I want to support him)
have a bash (party) for my friends on Monday
maybe, possibly attend a forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association discussing foreign and local media coverage of the elections and post-election violence on Monday evening.
go to Nakuru and get my interviews on Tuesday
finish my article
Attend a forum on education for slum children on Wednesday morning
READ
Finish my correspondence course (that's 4 lessons!) will that really happen
go shopping for new clothes
turn in pictures for a Red Cross fundraiser
visit Kamori primary school and get the students started on the writing project
go back to Immigration and apply for my id card

Well that's all I can think of right now

Oh I forgot PACKING J silly me

Yeah and more will get added to that list before the one week in which its all supposed to get done is finished.

Oh yes, don't expect to hear much from me the next few days J

My Walk

2008-04-21T15:21:00.002-04:00

So I did what I said I was going to do to relieve my boredom. I walked down our road – took pics. Then I got a mat but there I was not brave enough to take pictures, I don't enjoy being stared at or asked for money. But I'm going to do it one of these days before I leave for America, even if it means telling people I'm writing a article about public transport (and no that's not a lie cause I'm writing one for an assignment for my correspondence course). Then I hung out at Nakumatt Karen (Nakumatt is like Walmart but more expensive and less extensive). I bought a newspaper and a coffee at a little coffee shop (David it was the closest to one of your mochas I've had in Kenya but still not so good). Then to my horror it started to rain. Sadly in my pictures you can't see what I'm wear but I was wear a sundress (as in spaghetti straps) with a tank top underneath and jean capris with Teva sandals. In Kenya when it rains its not like in America. In America if its warm out and it rains its still warm out, in Kenya if it rains, it doesn't matter what the weather was like 1 minute before the rain starts, when it rains it always gets cold. I was freezing, sitting outside at a table (with one of those little umbrella things over it) and the rain was blowing on me. My mocha helped a little bit but not much. Then my dad came but so did one of my friends – Viyerrah (the only pictures I have of him are from Msafara, I'll take some next time we hang out and post them). He's an intern at my church but is on loan to a sister church. He lives about 10 minutes from my house and we have been hanging out a couple of times a week. So after paying Dad 50 shilllings (75 cents) I convinced him to pick me up at the end of our road in about an hour. Viyerrah and I wandered around Nakumatt and talked before I got a Mat back home. Oh and Viyerrah loaned me his sweater so I was no longer freezing! It was a fun evening. Here are some pictures:

Going out our gate (Jed - my little brother is opening it for me

Our road/driveway

More of the boring dirt road (now since the rain its mud), pretty trees overhead though

Some kids chilling at the end of the driveway - "Mzungu tupige picha = Hey white girl, take our picture" Halafa "Anapiga picha ya kila kitu = later "She taking pictures of everything." I don't think they realized I understood as much swahili as I do.

I love that fact and I love smiling Kenyan children even when they make fun of me.

The signboard for our road. If you want to read a funny story by one of my friends about not being able to find my road check out http://joyinkenya.blogspot.com

Random picture of my foot walking down the dirt road

Waiting for a Mat - across the main road looking back up our road.

The main road, which you can't see but it full of potholes and patches (and this is in one of the upscale parts of Nairobi!)

Hope you've enjoyed my random pictures. More to come soon. I hope to document the next two weeks so that I have lots of pictures to take with me to the states. I've got to show off my new home right (I've got a couple thousand pictures from Londiani but only a few from Nairobi).

Bored

2008-04-21T13:14:00.001-04:00

Today I'm bored, yesterday I was bored, Saturday I had a terrible headache which kept me inside the whole day so of course I was bored (Friday was a good exciting not boring day). Honestly I have this sudden urge to take my camera, walk down our road (taking pictures of course), get a mat (that's short for a matatu and is a 14 passenger vehicle commonly used for public transport around here – and also known as a death trap) and ride up to Karen (it only cost 20 shillings – 30 cents)all the while taking pictures then come home and post them on my blog. How does that sound to you? Of course I'm not sure I'll do it. But it's a cool thought…and I am BORED! I should be relaxing enjoying a relaxing day since I know the rest of my week is going to be so busy I will hardly be able to think. And working on reading all my reading assignments.

A Simple Jar of Peanut Butter

2008-04-19T14:25:00.002-04:00

The jar of peanut butter was sitting on the counter, unopened. I watched as my brother placed the bread on the counter beside it and went to bring the homemade strawberry jam from the fridge. And I thought to myself, "That peanut butter hasn't been opened."

At that moment David must have realized my thoughts as he looked at me with a grin, "Don't even think about it. It my turn." Not ready to admit defeat, I protested, "No, you opened the last jar, this time I should get to."

Yes, we were actually arguing over who would get to open the jar of peanut butter. For both of us there had always been something special about opening a jar of peanut butter, looking down at the unmarred smooth surface with the three precise ripples and one little peak made by the machine that had filled the jar. Then after admiring this odd form of beauty would come the ultimate moment, the prize we were fighting over. To take a knife or a spoon and gently dip it into the glossy brown surface, taking the first glob of peanut butter and destroying the newness of that particular jar of peanut butter. Of course the rest of the prize was that you didn't use the first knifeful for your sandwich, oh no that was sanctified – set apart – just for the mouth of the prize winner.

Its been years since I have engaged in the ritual ceremony of opening the peanut butter jar. Partly because my brother has been married for the past eight years and half of the fun was in the race to see who could win this particular prize. The other reason…because in Kenya we buy natural peanut butter, the kind with a layer of goopy oil on top which must be mixed into the rest of the butter before it can be used.

However, I have not written the story of the peanut butter jar for no reason. Actually I believe it has a spiritual significance in my life, I just haven't figured it out yet. So while I'm trying to discover what deep spiritual meaning this insignificant little story could possibly have, I hope you have enjoyed the story and please by all means find a friend or a sibling and discover the competition and fun of being the first to open the peanut butter jar.

Please note: I have no idea why I just wrote this little story but I felt like writing something and this was what I felt like writing about. So since I wrote it I figure others might as well read it – that's why I'm posting it to my blog. David, I hope you read this and laugh as you remember. I don't know what made me remember how we used to do this but when I did I just felt like writing about it. Maybe some day I'll have your way with words and telling stories from our childhood to make a point.

Decision Almost Made

2008-04-19T06:07:00.001-04:00

This morning I asked my Dad what he thought I should do about the WJI course in NYC. His response, "GO!" So as my title says, the decision is almost made, with my gut feeling telling me to go and my dad telling me to go along with the advice of a few trusted friends who have all said go, its looking like the decision will be yes I will go. The only thing standing in my way of making that firm decision is a plane ticket! (or rather the money for it) however I think by Monday I will simply decide one way or another and let God figure out the rest, especially the finances. So now I have lots to do – I have five reading/writing assignments, plus all the other stuff going on in my life which now must be wrapped up so I can leave it for one month. And today I have a terrible headache – probably the worst headache I've had in 5 years. So I'm not doing much – actually I've spent the whole morning (its 1:00 pm here) laying on my bed doing nothing. The headache has finally subsided enough that I can look at my computer screen but now my stomach is feeling unsettled. Please pray this ends today because from Monday I have a very full week – traveling, interviews, visiting a school, a couple of concerts, of course writing, trying to finish up the correspondence course I've been working on and who knows what else.

Well keep checking back here for more of what's going on in my life. I know the next few weeks will be very busy and exciting.

A BIG decision!!!

2008-04-18T05:15:00.001-04:00

Today I got an email. This email starts with, "Dear Aspiring Journalists, Congratulations to each of you for your acceptance into the WJI New York Convergence course to be held this May 11-30! We are looking forward to meeting you."

This is to say that the World Journalism Course that I had applied for, well I was accepted.

So I have a BIG decision to make. Going for the course is a major opportunity. Only 13 students were accepted this year and I was one of them. It means I would finally get to go to NYC – not just go but go to school there and work there for 3 weeks. It would give me exposure to many prominent journalist, force me to practice and hone my skills as a journalist while learning many new things. And one of the things I think about is that as I'm working on starting a project to teach impoverished children writing/media skills this would give me more knowledge and skills which I can pass on to them. If you want to know more about the course check out WJI New York Convergence Course.

The negative sides include that I have to be gone from Kenya for 1 month. And that is 1 month at a time when I have many amazing opportunities here: writing for the Nation Newspaper, working with Nairobi Chapel, working with K Krew in their radio and TV programs, website and missions, starting my impoverished children's media program in three schools and possibly in some of the Compassion Int'l projects, and who knows what else. It would definitely be hard to leave right now.

Yet I think, its just for a month, all of those things will still be here when I come back and this opportunity might never come again. I mean what journalist wouldn't love to get their start in NYC??? I applied for this course during the turmoil that was Kenya in January, feeling that I was actually eligible and that since life was so confusing, it might be a good time to go for it. Now life is not so confusing and I have so many things going on but I still did apply because I felt I should.

Please pray with me as I make this decision over the next few days. Also pray that God will provide the necessary finances: I need a plane ticket from here to probably Atlanta and then to NYC and back, I will also need money for personal expenses and other things that come up. Thankfully I have the money I made writing for WORLD which will cover the tuition fee.

AHHH, I'm excited. God has provided me with SO MANY opportunities. Actually I'm writing this blog while I wait for a pastor to come back to his office so I can interview him for an article I'm working on. This whole week as been filled with meetings and interviews and believe me, I LOVE my job!! Like I said God is doing amazing things!

Radio Cameo

2008-04-12T15:19:00.001-04:00

So the amazing opportunities, new experiences and total God deals keep happening in my life. Tonight I was live on Hope FM – the best Christian radio Station in Kenya (and an amazing station period – Christian or not). I got to hang out with some of the coolest guys in the radio, music and DJ business - the K Krew on their radio show – Kubamba. I was there with my friend Ken to help promote their new venture – A TV show – which I have the great privilege to help shoot tomorrow afternoon. Like I said – God is doing some amazing stuff in my life!!

Here's an update on those things:

Articles published in World Magazine and World on the Web
Opportunity to work at Msafara
Numerous stories published on the Msafara Website
The Trip (Masafara) itself and visiting new places and meeting lots of new people
Speaking at New Dawn school and recognizing my passion to teach others to love writing and journalism
Connecting with the Country Director of Compassion International
Getting an opportunity to write for Nation Newspaper (one of the two big newspapers in Kenya) and that opportunity essentially dropped into my lap
Connecting with K Krew, getting to help out with their TV show, their missions, their website and today their radio show
Getting to write about the IDP situation in Kenya through the eyes of people from Nairobi Chapel who have been helping them
Writing for Silent Images

At all that is in the past 3 months!!! Amazing!!

What a wonderful God I serve.

Its Official

2008-04-10T13:58:00.002-04:00

I'm a Journalist - with an official Press Pass issued by the Foreign Correspondents Association of East Africa. So I guess I can say that its official - I'm a foreign correspondent??? :).

Oh and I know the picture...yes its probably one of the worst pictures ever taken of me - I still can't figure out why in the world I had a passport photo taken when I had my hair like that. But it was the only ones my dad had and I didn't have time or money to get new ones done today. One of my friends told me that it makes me look like a gangster - not a compliment.

Well now I have access to parts of the world only accessable by the infamous PRESS!

A JOB!!

2008-04-10T07:16:00.001-04:00

Today I got a "job" meaning that I have an editor that is interested in using me as a freelance journalist. I'm going to be writing a couple of stories about the IDP situation here in Kenya for one of the two big national newspapers in Kenya. It means a number of interviews, traveling and writing – who could ask for more than that! Plus if I do a good job probably the potential that the newspaper with use me more in future. An additional exciting part was that when I told her that I have a friend who can go with me and take video when I'm do interviews in the IDP camps (by the way IDP stands for Internally Displaced Persons in case you were wondering) and that video might be on the TV station run by the same company as the newspaper. Exciting stuff. Well let me get back to work.

A Story

2008-04-07T11:24:00.002-04:00

Recently I was priviledged to meet another photojournalist – someone who shares a common dream as I, but is miles ahead of me in the journey. He was here in Kenya with Persecution Project (the organization which has so graciously allowed us to stay in their house for the past few months) and stayed in the house with us. It was a pleasure to talk with him about our common dream. Before he left, he asked me to write a story for his website site. If you would like to read it please click here. It is a story that is very personal and very raw but sometimes those are the most moving and powerful stories. Hope you enjoy it. While you are at the site please check out David's amazing pictures and stories.

Having a Blast

2008-03-31T13:48:00.002-04:00

Today was very fun. I had a small party at mom and dad's house. Basically it was to say thank you to the guys who became my friends during Msafara. 8 people came (out of the 9 I had invited) and we had lots of fun, eating, talking, looking at pictures, taking pictures, watching video clips, and generally hanging out. If any of you happen to read my blog – thanks so much for coming and making my day great. It meant a lot to me. Here are some pics from the day. I think you will agree that we had fun.

Gedion behaving like a five year old with Jed's bike and I joined right in as he "carried" me on the bike.

From left: Gedion, Njeri, Myself, and Ken

In the "tree house"

From left: Roselynn, Cornelia, Njeri, Myself, and Nancy

The Gang posing

Having fun with the camera

Clockwise from me: Roselynn, Nancy, Daniel, John, Njeri, Gedion, Cornelia and Ken

Such fun and such great friends!!

Realignment

2008-03-31T05:48:00.002-04:00

I remember back when I owned a car, I had to get the tires changed and I was asked if I wanted to have them aligned. Honestly because I'm rather on the clueless side when it comes to auto mechanics, I have no idea why tires need to be aligned or realigned or how they get out of alignment, but the term fits my life at the moment.

I feel like the past few weeks I have been undergoing realignment. As is usually true in life thing like this take a lot longer in humans than they do in cars.

So what do I mean by realignment? I mean that somewhere along the past few years my life has gotten out of alignment. Although I'm still running in the right direction, I'm no longer running in sync with God. I'm still following him yes, but certain things have turned me slightly off the path making it more difficult for me to stay on it. As I understand out of alignment and realignment – the tires on a car while still going in the same general direction that the car should be going aren't quite running a straight path, aren't quite all pointing in the exact same direction. That is how I feel I've been. I'm just been missing something. It not that I'm not a Christian or even that I'm not living the Christian Life, its that because I'm out of alignment its been that much harder to live the Christian Life.

I believe that the entire Christian Life is an exercise in realignment – we are taken from this world and slowly God moves us into perfect alignment with His Kingdom. Yet I also believe that there are times when the realignment exercise is more vigorous and pronounced. I've been going through one of these times.

I'm not quite sure when I should say that it started because it moved from the subtle to the obvious without my acknowledgment. For sure I can say that it had begun by the time we started Msafara. For sure I can say the first obvious movement in my life towards correct alignment came on the trip from Mombasa to Nairobi. The conversations I engaged in jolted me probably not into alignment but definitely from the position of out of alignment I had been in for a few years. That conversation was just the beginning, conversations, sermons, things I've been reading in the Bible and otherwise, thought processes, circumstances are a few of the things God has been using to get me realigned.

What will realignment look like in my life? I'm not entirely sure. A few possibilities include writing more but caring less about where that writing in published; writing more about specific things and less about just anything; learning to say NO more often; caring less what others think about me and much more what GOD thinks about me; caring more about relationships with others yet depending less on those relationships; planning less and living more freely and spontaneously. Those are a few general things that I believe God has been realigning me towards. One specific thing is the idea to start writing clubs in impoverished areas like Kibera slums. I believe that writing, photography, videography, art, music and the like can be used to help these young people cope with and possibly even change their surroundings. Of course in some ways this comes out of the school visit I did on Friday but it has been in my heart for longer than that – it was definitely one of the areas where I was out of alignment.

Short…I Hope

2008-03-28T15:49:00.001-04:00

This needs to be short coz I need to sleep (its 10:30 pm) but knowing me…well that's always difficult.

Today was amazing. A while back I got an email from World magazine. Apparently someone had seen my article in World and wrote them asking for my email address. World being ever efficient forwarded the email to me for my response. The email intrigued me so I replied. It was from a lady here in Kenya, looking for a journalist to talk at a high school in a "slum" area. I certainly was flattered since I haven't been a "real" journalist very long and personally don't feel quite qualified to speak as a journalist just yet. But it was an offer and opportunity I just couldn't resist.

So today I visited a part of Nairobi I've never been to and found that there are informal settlement areas in places I didn't know they existed. (One interesting little God twist to this story – the school was started as a ministry of a church called Karura Community Chapel and during Msafara the pastor from this church, Pastor Ngari, headed up the Community Networking department – read the department in the office across the hall from the Media department office – interesting huh).

The students (form 3 – 11^th grade) were amazing. They welcomed me with "open arms" and tons of questions. I don't think I've ever heard so many questions from a group of Kenyan students. I shared with them for an hour and a half and they were still asking questions when the time was up. It extra special to me because I have sat in a classroom similar to theirs and I understand their education system, the struggles and challenges and could even chat with them in Swahili. I definitely had missed playing the role of teacher (its been almost one year since I was last addressed as Mwalimu – teacher).

After sharing with the form 3 class, I spoke with the Journalism club – about 30 students. They are new and really didn't have a vision or goal so I challenged them to decide what they envision for their club. I gave them some tips on writing stories and some ideas for ways that they could do a small school/community publication. I also gave them some thoughts on activities they can do to improve their journalism skills – things like analyzing newspaper articles, interview each other and writing a report based on the interview, writing about things they would like to see change in their community and ideas of how to implement that change.

Honestly I can't remember the last time I felt that fulfilled at the end of the day (the day ended with me standing out in the rain for a while and finally having my dad come pick me up coz there was a huge traffic jam and literally no public transport vehicles J ). Actually I do remember the last time – when World published my story about Pastor Simon Waiti. I've acted upon a part of my dream that I thought would be a far in the future deal – helping the voiceless find their voice through writing and journalism.

An addition to this story (which is by the way getting way too long) is that on Wednesday I was talking with Ken (just get used to his name – look at the pictures below if you want to know what he looks like – coz I have a feeling he will play a big role in many of my future blogs). He was telling me about training some youths in Kibera in videoing and how he wanted to go back and do it some more. So I shared with him that I would like to do something similar with writing but sometime in the future and he responded. "why the future, why not now?" Interesting conversation especially considering that it was only two days ago – a God thing? I think maybe. I have already suggested to him that we team up – he can teach about video and photography (and I can help some) and I can teach about writing (and maybe he can help some because he is also an excellent writer). I think it is a huge need in cultures like Kenya where young people have little voice and few means to express themselves. It means that we are raising young people who when they get older still can't find their voice and still don't know how to express themselves. Can't we do something to change that?

By the way if you would like to better understand what I'm talking about, check out the movie Freedom Writers. Although many of the details are very different than what I'm talking about, in many ways that movie has inspired me and explains the heart of what I'm talking about.

Well I wish I could post some pictures but sadly I didn't take any – how could I miss an opportunity like that???

Msafara Pics

2008-03-27T05:09:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pictures and well I like them they probably aren't my absolute favorites. However, they were some I used to make a powerpoint and they were easy to access and upload to the internet. Enjoy.

Arrival in Mombasa

Church burnt to the ground in Eldoret

Pastor Gowi Praying with a street boy

Pastor Oscar filled with the spirit of dance in Kisumu

Pastors from different tribes hugging each other

Praying march in Mombasa

Tears!

The IDP camp in Nakuru

Kanjii (Mavuno worship leader) leading worship in Nairobi

The Convoy entering Naivasha

Wasafiri dancing with street boys in Kisumu

Unloading Hygiene packs in Naivasha

We believe that peace has come to Kenya once again

So…

2008-03-26T11:00:00.001-04:00

I started to write a blog yesterday and it turned into a 2500 word version of my personal struggles and triumphs during Msafara. Needless to say in length and content it's not really blog material – much too long and much to full of delicate, intimate personal details. I don't really know who reads my blog so I don't feel comfortable posting it.

So what I was going to write about yesterday was all the doors God has been opening to me. Here are just a few of them:

Learning about videography and video editing
Helping with a TV production for a group of targeting the youth through gospel music
Writing a book
Writing articles for the main national newspaper
Writing articles for Silent Images
Working as an intern writing for a Kenya gospel music website
Planning and hosting a photo exhibition

And new opportunities seem to be daily appearing as new doors and windows open. Wow. My God is an amazing God who works in ways unimaginable and ununderstandable to the human mind. I look forward to see where He takes me in the next six months as I trust Him daily with my plans, my thoughts, my ideas, my writing, my photos, my LIFE.

My Favorite Msafara Pic

2008-03-24T12:14:00.001-04:00

White skin and a large camera - bad combination :) I was mobbed by about 50 children when we first reached one of the IDP camps.

By the way I want to post some pics that show what Msafara was all about - problem is...I'm still sorting through the 5500 good pictures taken!

Msafara Pics

2008-03-24T11:57:00.003-04:00

Here are a few pics some other people took of me while we were traveling with Msafara (there aren't very many because most of the time I was BEHIND the camera not infront of it!!)

On the Ferry in Mombasa

At Work during the Mombasa Prayer Service

Getting to do some "real" work

Washing Dishes at a Internally Displaced Persons Camp

Writing

Taking Pictures at an IDP camp

More work

Pictures from a moving bus with Ken

Sitting on My Bed

2008-03-19T15:08:00.001-04:00

Before I started working at Msafara I spent most of my time sitting on my bed. I would read, writing, listen to music, sleep, learn German – whatever suited me at that moment. After I started working at Msafara, sitting on my bed became a luxury, something I only got to do on Saturdays and Sundays. Monday when I got back to Nairobi from 10 exciting and life changing days of traveling from one side of Kenya to the other (more about that to come over the next few days), I told my parents that I want move to my own place (eg. apartment). My mom's first comment was, "Well, I didn't want you to go back to sitting on your bed all day, so maybe that's a good thing :)." Aside: I was a little surprised by her respond – I expected something more along the lines of "Why, no I don't think that is a good idea etc, etc."

Well, today guess what I did (Msafara finished two days ago on Monday)! Of course, I sat on my bed…the ENTIRE day. Sadly, though I wasn't resting, relaxing and recuperating. Actually I have been working the whole day, while sitting on my bed with my computer in my lap.

Today I have looked at over 8,000 pictures – all pictures taken over the past two weeks. I landed the job of sorting through them, deciding which ones to delete, which ones would be good for a memory CD for those who traveled with Msafara, which ones could be used in the documentary and which ones have the potential for being used for a photo exhibition. The sad thing is that although I started this job last night and then picked it up again this morning at 7:30 I'm still not done. I have worked the whole day with only a few breaks – mainly to eat (my mom made some yummy chocolate cookies last night, something I'll miss when I move out) – and I haven't even finished going through the pictures the first time and deciding which ones to delete. Once I finish writing this blog I have to look at about 1000 more pictures. Then tomorrow I have a morning full of meetings to wrap up Msafara, an afternoon full of looking at video footage with my new partner, Ken, (he took about 32 hours of video footage), and then back to looking at pictures in the evening. Why oh why do I want to be a photographer as well as a journalist.

So I'm sure you are wondering since I've been looking at so many pictures, why I haven't posted any yet. Well please be patient – they are coming…SOON! I promise.

Finally I want to share a few prayer requests:

God did a lot of things in my life and heart while I was on Msafara and I need prayer that I will not backtrack and forget what He has done. I know this specific work is not yet done so please pray that God and I will continue this process in the way He desires.
I have a number of choices I have to make, including where I want to live. Please pray I will make the right choices
I need a source of income – either through a job or through supporters. Currently there is no job prospects but God can change that. Currently my support is less than a ¼ of what I NEED to live (and that would be living very simply)
I need wisdom to know what the next steps I am to take in pursuing journalism. I have some opportunities but I'm not sure yet what to do.
My parents need a house. We can no longer stay in the one we have been living in. Please pray they will find one at an affordable rate within a couple of weeks.

To be continued…. :)

So Sorry!

2008-03-15T15:52:00.001-04:00

Wow, I can't believe that I have not posted anything since I started Msafara. This actually is going to be very short because I am very tired and ready to go to sleep (if I can since it is Saturday night and there is a club near here blaring music).

Msafara has been an experience of a lifetime. I feel that these ten days have changed me and in many ways reminded me of a lot of things that I had forgotten somewhere along the way. Although I can say I have struggled a great deal spiritually, at the same time I have grown a great deal spiritually. It is easy to feel insignificant and spiritually immature here, because of the spiritual level of people around me.

One of the great things about Msafara is I have confirmed my absolute love for photography. I have actually done a lot more photography than I have writing during this trip. That is really ok with me. I can so totally see how the two will go hand in hand and this was a wonderful experience and opportunity to improve.

I have been working with a great team. Daniel is the leader – he runs the website, and pushes the rest of us to get our jobs done, he also puts together slideshows every day and takes many pictures. Nancy is Daniel's wife and she helps by taking video footage and pictures. Gedion works with me on the writing side, writing updates of what is happening, prayer requests and doing some editing. Ken is an amazing videographer and photographer who over the past few days has become my work partner – hopefully something that won't end when Msafara end – we work together getting footage and shots for a documentary that will be produced later. For myself I have been doing tons of photography (averaging about 500 pictures per day), writing some of the updates, writing a few hope stories, and doing some editing. I have also made contacts for some follow-up stories.

Anyways its definitely been a great trip and I hope I get to write more about it soon. And post LOTS of pictures (check out the Msafara blog for a few pics) Good night!!

Msafara Media Lauch

2008-03-05T03:23:00.001-05:00

Media Launch 2

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Huff

2008-03-02T13:58:00.003-05:00

I tried to post a bunch of pictures but for some reason they were too big so I'll have to try again tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow... Its my Birthday!! Goodness I'll be 23 - I'm heading towards the big 25! Wow. I never thought I'd be this "old." How life does go by. Anyways its too work for me tomorrow (for a little while) and then home to pack cause we have to be out of our house on Tuesday. That's a fun birthday for you :). Oh well, its just life. One of my new friends recently commented (needless to say she was having a bit of a hard day) "Life is hard and it only gets harder and then you die." I don't think I take quite that pessemistic (how on earth do you spell that word) of life :). Anyways I'll be in to check and see if any of my pictures from church today were useful (hopefully I'll get around to posting a few on here - I think I only took 200!), say hi to everyone, edit a couple of stories, check up on something else I needed to do etc etc. Maybe I'll get to do a little clothes shopping (second hand at an open air market which lines on of the roads on my way to work) - I really need a new pair of jeans (hum..Victoria maybe I should have kept those jeans for myself :) and maybe a couple of tank-tops and capris (its SUMMER here and I'm heading to Mombasa on the weekend - Mombasa is HOT!!!). Ok I'm blah-blah-blahing. Sorry. More tomorrow (hopefully and hopefully with pictures! - preferably of my birthday?!?)

Minor Changes

2008-03-01T01:03:00.001-05:00

When I got to the office yesterday, Daniel – see picture below – told me that we were supposed to meet with Pastor Oscar (Nairobi Chapel head pastor and the head of Msafara). The "we" was Daniel, Gedion (also see pictures below) and I. I was a little bit surprised J. Especially since, I work in Media not the Secretariat. Anyways the meeting ended up being about the blog (http://msafara.wordpress.com). I'm now officially part of that team working to ensure that the blog is continually up to date. I think I'll actually really enjoy this job. Basically I have to ensure that there are a couple of new stories of hope on the web site every day as well as helping Gedion with daily updates about what is going on at Msafara and whatever else I can help with. This job will continue throughout Msafara (March 7^th-17^th) as I will daily tell stories about what is happening on Msafara and what has been happening in the towns we visit.

Please continue to pray Msafara is heading into its last week of planning and it has the potential to be a very stressful. Pray for us all as we prepare to leave on Friday for this big adventure.

Keeping checking for more updates here and check http://msafara.wordpress.com daily for lots of new updates. There are also some great links to recent news from Kenya if you want to keep up to date about what is happening in the rest of Kenya.

Finally - PICTURES

2008-02-26T05:38:00.002-05:00

Ok so they are not the greatest but at least you can actually visualize a few of the people I'm working with. The fluorestant lights rather ruined the quality of the pictures - oh well, I'll try again another day.

Daniel - a Pastoral Trainee at Nairobi Chapel who is one of Pastor Oscar's "armour bearer"

My Dad - concentrating intensely

John - an intern at Chapel working in the Media Department

Evans - the Media Department second in command

Gedion - another Pastoral Trainee and another of Pastor Oscar's armour bearer

Jennifer (who keeps everyone going) and Nancy

Msafara countdown: 10 days to go!

2008-02-25T14:32:00.003-05:00

So with only 10 days to go until Msafara kicks off with an overnight bus trip to Mombasa, life is getting crazier. The media department is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We have so much work: creating ADS for TV, Radio, and Newspapers. Writing stories to get published in the newspapers to help generate positive media about what the church is actually doing. Working on T-shirts, banners, brochures, flyers, booklets and anything else that will help promote Msafara.

My current job is writing, writing, writing. I've written about 7 stories in the past week and I've got a couple more to write tomorrow. I really need to do some editing too. I wish we had a few more people working on this writing project but everyone is spread too thin as it is. I also end up being the liaison between my dad and many other people, especially the Media department. But that is an easy job.

I'm enjoying the people I work with. Especially Roselynn, Sam, John, Gedion and Daniel (who are all interns/pastoral trainees at Nairobi Chapel and are all working extremely hard!). It's been nice to actually get to be around people besides my parents! I'm the youngest in the office but they have all made me feel right at home – actually today I kind of felt like I had a bunch of older siblings as they tried their hands at advice about guys, match-making and all sorts of other fun things.

Yesterday I went to a Gospel concert. I was actually supposed to simply attend – you know enjoy myself with a seat to sit in if I wanted to. But that was not how it happened. The guy who took me (I'm still not comfortable using public transport all by myself) first of all possibly got the wrong impression about my intentions (that was part of today's guy advice session :) and secondly managed to get us jobs as volunteers. So instead of dancing to my heart's content or sitting down when I felt like it, I ended up guarding a door with some other random guy I had never met. So there I was all the way at the back of the church, standing for hours, telling people that this particular door was not an entrance or exit and that they would have use one of the actual entrances/exits. Then we left before the best part of the concert (or so I was told today). Needless to say, I don't think I will ever go any place with that guy again! Oh well, it was kind of fun and I did manage to score a free t-shirt (always a bonus but especially now as I have few weather appropriate shirts – I forgot it was summer when I packed my stuff to come to Nairobi).

Other than all this, I think I really need to go to sleep. Its 10:22 and I have to be up no later than 6 am. Man I don't like mornings!

So my schedule looks like this:

Write and write for the next week and ½.

Maybe (and that's a big maybe) attend the Kesha (overnight prayer service) on Friday night

Fast for 7 days (29^th-6^th)

My BIRTHDAY – one week away on the 3^rd.

Media Launch (I must attend!) on the 4^th

Move out of our house on the 5th (the real renters are coming for a couple of weeks and we don't know if we are actually going to be coming back here or looking for a new house)

Apply to an university here before I leave (possibility for what I'll being doing starting in May)

Msafara starts on the 7^th ( I think I'm going but I still need $300 plus to go)

Msafara ends on the 17^th

Life goes back to Normal (whatever that is)

So I was going to post some pictures but the uploader is not working. I'll try again another time :(

A Few Rough Days

2008-02-16T12:10:00.005-05:00

Yesterday and today were rough days. Nothing bad or anthing just frustrating. Yesterday work was crazy. Problems arose due to communication issues (for those of you who remember I quit my last job working under Kenyans - teaching at my former school - because of communication issues).

Msafara has 7 departments:

- The Secretariat (where Dad works) which is headed by Pastor Oscar (an amazing man with an amazing vision) and is pretty much in charge of everything.
- The Msafara organization department, which is responsible to make sure Msafara takes off as planned, headed by Pastor M.
- The Logisics department, responsible to make sure everything from now until March 17th runs smoothly.
- The Spiritual department, responsible for prayer and fasting now and planning the "spiritual" events of Msafara, headed by Pastor Simon.
- The Communty Networking Department, which has a longer term goal of bringing pastors together to promote peace and unity in Kenya
- The Humanitarian department, responsible to planning and coordinating relief to interally displaced people (IDPs).
- my department, the Media department, headed byPastor Gowi (who is doing an amazing job trying to bring together so much stuff in so little time), which is responsible for media relations, advertising, PR and getting out positive redemptive stories of hope highlighting what the church is doing.

Needless to say the things done in each department overlap and that means sometimes we are doing double work.

Then yesterday I felt redundent. The only thing it seemed I was contributing was my computer and my typing skills - necessary but not very fulfilling.

Thankfully by the end of the day I had a few more things to do, like helping Pastor Oscar write and edit a message for Pastors to help them know how to get involved. I enjoy working with P. Oscar because he expresses himself in a way that I easily understand and grasp onto. I also got some information about a posssible story I can write.

Today was a lazy day. I didn't do much. But it was one of those frustrating and discouraging days. Reflecting on the difficult and unenjoyable parts of the past week didn't help much. However, another GO missionary - Rhonda - came for lunch and we had a wonderful time of fellowship and then we went into town for a little while.

I know that no matter how rough the past few days have been tomorrow will erase it all. I love going to our church. Amazing worship, good teaching - the whole service, even the announcements, are uplifting and focused on God. I can only say thank you to HIM for bringing the church into our lives.

Now if I could only find some friends! And get rid of the ants which have invaded my room!!

Hopefully I get some pictures taken this week and posted. I'm sure you are all bored of continual words and no exciting visuals.

Msafara and My Week

2008-02-14T11:05:00.001-05:00

Wow, its been a busy week and I know…It's not over yet. I started my volunteer job on Monday. Dad and I go in between 8:30 and 9:00 each day and it is a 30-45 minute drive there. The National Alliance of Churches Spiritual Arm Secretariat has its offices at Nairobi Baptist Church on Ngong Road. The Former Secretary General , Mutava Musymi, (a current Member of Parliament) is also the former pastor of Nairobi Baptist and one Pastor Oscar's mentors. Pastor Oscar is the head pastor at Nairobi Chapel (our current church) and the point man for the Secretariat.

The Secretariat has six offices – Spiritual Guidance (under Pastor Simon), Logistics (Under Pastor Owino Odera), Humanitarian Assistance to IDPs, Community Networking, Msafara: Wheels of Hope(Under Pastor M), Media (under Pastor Gowi Odera), and The Secretariat office itself (under Pastor Oscar). I am working under Media and Dad is working directly with Pastor Oscar.

There are so many things going on that it would take a lot of space to explain them all! So I won't. However, I will tell you a bit about what is going on. To start with, let me use the so nicely crafted message of Msafara Media Department. This message is the basis of everything we do and was the first job Bev (a woman I'm working with) and I got assigned to. What a start. As my Dad says: The volunteers are doing things they have never done before and probably don't know how to do, but they will get them done and then they will know what they are doing for another time!

Msafara Message:

Msafara Wheels of Hope is a church initiative that will act as a catalyst to lead the country into spiritual cleansing and bringing hope to Kenyans. A secretariat of eight pastors are coordinating logistics, mobilizing resources and team building to travel to Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, and Kisumu. These five (5) major urban areas were where election violence initially erupted [after being targeted by spiritual forces of darkness]. With a focus on restoration, reconciliation and prayer, Msafara hopes to enable five hundred (500) pastors in each area to lead their people in healing. In each area Msafara will conduct pastors' workshops in reconciliation while others will distribute humanitarian aid and provide counsel to traumatized internally displaced people. Finally, there will be a cleansing, healing, prayer and jubilee service for each area. Msafara will be actively involved in spreading redemptive stories of hope through the media. It will also help resettle displaced people. In the same spirit of Ezra and Nehemiah, Msafara calls Kenyans to unite in the spirit of hope for the future.

That in a nutshell is Msafara!

My jobs right now include things like writing a packet which will be given out to pastors in each of the five urban areas. This packet will help them inform their church of what will be happening and ways to get involved. We need major involvement! Msafara will travel with 100-200 pastors and 200 volunteers. In each urban area we hope that 300 pastors join Msafara for two days as well as 200 more volunteers. Right now the Secretariat needs 200-300 volunteers to get everything done that it needs to do. In each urban area we hope that at least 30,000 people will attend the prayer service. Of course a venture like this needs money. The Secretariat needs immediate funding for things like stationary, computers, internet access, phone connections, printers, advertising, transportation etc etc. The Secretariat also needs funding for Msafara itself – 300-400 people will travel across the country in 10 days. We need buses, cars, trucks, whatever to travel in as well as places to stay and food to eat. Msafara is also planning major Humanitarian aid, including food and personal supply packs. This is a major initiative which will show that the church in Kenya is not sitting still watching the country be devoured by the enemy instead it will flaunt in Satan's face that the church believes God is in control. It is a major initiative to take back Kenya from the enemy and stake out God's territory. Its something that has never happened before in Kenya and it is being led by exceptional leaders who believe in a mighty and all-powerful God.

I'm excited to be involved and I hope that I get to write about this for many people to hear about. Right now I'm trying to contact Christianity Today to see if they are interested in an article. They published an article on Pastor Oscar about a year ago so the Media team and I are hoping they will be interested!

That's all for now but check out these sites:

www.msafara.co.ke – The official Msafara website, which should be up, and running by Saturday

www.everythingisinbalance.com/kenya - Pictures of Kibera and Nairobi at the beginning stages of the crisis. Taken by Bob Miller, who I got to know while he was here in Nairobi

http://www.pbase.com/sdimitriou/the_crisis_in_kenya - a photojournalist blog of the crisis. Some amazing pictures. Be sure to go through all the pages to see the most recent pictures

http://negst2008.blogspot.com/ - blog for the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology. It has two recent posts from Pastor Oscar explaining the reason behind Msafara and lots more information about what it's all about.

www.nairobichapel.org – The church's website and lots of information about it, its history, theology and ministry.

Pictures from the Halfway House

2008-02-08T02:24:00.001-05:00

Here are a few pictures of the families at Ngenga's halfway house.

Esther (far left) with her mother and sisters

Hannah and her three children

Collins and his mother

The boys: (from left) James, Francis, Collins, Stephen, and Joshua

(They should all be in school)

Halfway House

2008-02-07T13:34:00.001-05:00

Mr. Ngenga normally runs a thriving international and local tourism business. His two large four-wheel drive 10 passenger vehicles are used to carry adventure travelers going to climb Mount Kenya or Mt. Kilimanjaro Tanzania or hike through Masai land and see Kenya's beauty and way of life. His large home, with six bedrooms, usually hosts his clients while they are in Nairobi before or after an adventure.

However, this year business is slow – the tourism industry is suffering major setbacks due to the recent violence in Kenya. Mzungus (Americans and Europeans) aren't risking the danger just for a climb, hike or an amazing experience; instead, they are canceling their reservations, making new ones in Tanzania or waiting for a safer time to visit Kenya. Ngenga's rooms should be empty.

But they are full. Four women, all struggling to start life again, all wondering what the future holds have, with their children, found shelter at Ngenga's house.

These four women and eleven children are the current occupants of Ngenga's bedrooms but they haven't been the only ones. Ngenga's house has become a halfway house and welcomed a number of women and children since the start of the election violence a little over a month ago. These women need a place to sort through the remains of their lives, a place to look to the future and try to piece their lives back together. Most of the women and children who have passed through Ngenga's house come from Kenya's largest slum – Kibera.

Kibera experienced riots, tribal clashes, looting, burning and chaos in the opening days of the violence and throughout the past month. The violence pitted neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend and most importantly tribe against tribe. The constituency of opposition leader, Raila Odinga, enraged by the claims of a "stolen election," poured their anger on their neighbors believed to have supported Raila's opponent, President Mwai Kibaki. Kibera was no longer safe for women and children and especially not for women and children of the "enemy" – the Kikuyu. In the words of a Kibera pastor, "Kibera is now more that ever divided into sections with clear tribal boundaries where if you are in the wrong area and you are all alone, you might lose your life."

As women and children fled Kibera, they found safety at Jamhuri Park (Swahili for republic). Jamhuri Park's main function, under normal circumstances, is an annual Agricultural Show put on by the Agricultural Society of Kenya. It is by no means, a refugee camp, but that is what it quickly became in the early days of January. The Red Cross, NGO's, the UN and FBO's (faith-based organizations) all came to help the internally displaced people. They fed, clothed, housed and sanitized at least 1000 displaced people, and probably a few more living nearby who showed up for the free handouts.

Then the camp was closed and three days notice was given for the "residents" to leave. But many didn't have any place to go. They couldn't go back to Kibera, it was too dangerous and their houses had either been reduced to ashes or "stolen." Many didn't have money to travel to their relatives' homes and others couldn't go because the roads they needed to travel on were too dangerous. Many of them needed a place like Ngenga's halfway house to start their lived afresh.

Today, three Kikuyu women and one Luhya women share the living space at Ngenga's. They cook together, clean together and try to figure out their lives together. Their children play together, listen to music together and wish they could go back to school. Esther, who should be in 8^th grade and studying hard for the big end of year exams, remarked sadly, "I can't think about school, because there is no money for school fees and I don't know where we will end up." For now, she sits quietly by herself, watching the other children (mostly boys) talk and play.

Collins, who should be in 5^th grade, is of mixed ethnicity. His mother is Luhya and his father is Kikuyu. Their home was taken away when they left Kibera. Now all his mother wants is a small house somewhere safe and to "start a small business even if it is just selling vegetables." Collins, like Esther, is longing to go back to school. He also would like to play soccer with his friends from the halfway house, but they don't have a ball, or a place to play.

Members of Ngenga's church are working on finding the women housing and possibly jobs. Two of the mothers hope to be able to move out in a few days. Their rooms, however, won't remain empty long, as other women and children seeking to get their feel under them will take their place.

Note: I thought I would publish something "journalistic" on my blog instead of my normal ramblings about myself and my life. Enjoy! And also beware that my facts might not be entirely correct – this is for my blog – not a newspaper and I just wrote it based on what I know in my head and what I've heard in passing or in the newspaper. If it was to be published there are a few facts I would definitely need to verify. (EG. How many people camped at Jamhuri Park – I actually think the figure was way over 1000 but I don't know. Another one: I'm not exactly sure who helped the IDP at Jamhuri – I only know Red Cross for sure along with some churches, the others I think but I'm not sure). This is more of a "my take" on things than a completely factual article.

A Rainy Day

2008-02-07T01:20:00.001-05:00

It hasn't been raining much in Nairobi lately. I think the last rainy day we had was a couple of weeks ago when there were opposition rallies planned (we were so happy it rained because we hoped it might keep people inside instead of outside doing stupid stuff). Yesterday we thought it would rain but it was just really hot, humid, and cloudy off and on. But this morning when I woke up I could hear the rain. It's dark and dreary and I think I'm getting a low-pressure headache. But the change is nice cause it's been really warm and I don't have very many short-sleeve or sleeveless shirts – actually when I packed, silly me, I mostly packed ¾ length shirts not remembering the fact that Nairobi is ALWAYS hotter than Londiani and it is January/February, meaning it is SUMMER time here. So yeah today, I will get to wear something different!

Things are looking up! Today, hopefully, we are going to visit a place where there are some of the displaced people, mainly children (or so we think). Mom and Dad went to a meeting at our church (Nairobi Chapel, Ngong Road) a couple of nights ago. They were working on planning a strategy for helping displaced people. My mom said that Pastor Faith (the pastor heading the teaming helping displaced people) said no one could leave without a job. But my mom didn't really hear about anything that seemed to fit her and afterwards she was talking to Pastor Faith about just touching lives and children and Pastor Faith told her about this place really close to our house where she could do just that. We would have gone yesterday but there was a rally planned and you can never be sure what is going to happen when there is a rally planned.

Yesterday we kind of just hung out. We went shopping and I think it was the slowest paced shopping trip I've ever been on. We (mainly mom and I) just moseyed our way through the store. It was kind of silly because one of the things our church is doing is fasting every day, and here we were, fasting and wandering around the supermarket looking at….FOOD. Needless to say, it made us a little hungry! In the evening, we went to take back movies – I think we are keeping the DVD rental store in business. Of course we got a few more to watch, then we went out to eat at Java House (Mom and Dad are fasting 6-6, I'm fasting lunch). I also did a little shopping and for the first time in my life actually bought workout clothes! Cute black and grey capris and a white and grey tank top for those that were interested in the colours J. Mom also bought me a birthday present – a cute new outfit, but I don't get it for almost a monthL.

Back to the future: Dad got an SMS (text message) yesterday for Pastor Oscar (the head pastor at Nairobi chapel). We had originally asked him if he could help us find someway to help. Anyways Nairobi Chapel in working together with a number of other churches in Nairobi figuring out what to do to address the crisis in Kenya. They have set up a secretariat and are doing a number of different things. They are planning a Caravan of Hope. This will involve 300-500 pastors from Nairobi area who will go out from Nairobi to visit all the area of violence. They want to spiritually cleanse the country, dealing with witchcraft (the politicians regularly consult with witch doctors to ensure that they win), and bloodshed. They will also take supplies to area in need and will counsel people who have been affected by the violence. They are hoping to get the Caravan going within a month or so. Another thing that the Secretariat wants to do is bring a positive influence on the media. They want positive stories to be published instead of the constant negativity. They said they would pay for them to be published if necessary. They will also work closely with the relief work and helping the displaced people.

So in light of all that Pastor Oscar said that they need lots of help at the secretariat which has been set up at Nairobi Baptist Church (the former pastor of Nairobi Baptist is also the former head of the National Council of Churches of Kenya – a very powerful Christian influence on politics and polices of Kenya – and a current Member of Parliament). He wants Dad (and mom too I guess – if she wants to) to help down at the offices and he wants me to work with the media team!! We are supposed to show up on Monday ready to get started!

God definitely seems to be up to something! Finally J.

Jed’s Birthday

2008-01-31T02:06:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was Jed's fifth birthday. (And the fourth one that we have been able to celebrate with him).

About 7:50, I was still sleeping and I started to hear, "Sarah, Sarah, wake up." Jed was actually upstairs (I sleep downstairs) hollering for me to wake up. It took me a bit to really wake up but I did get up to celebrate the day with.

Mom gave him a few presents early – a Nerf basketball net and a magnetic Pooh dartboard (where do they come up with these things anyways). He helped her make blueberry muffins (from a box) for breakfast.

After breakfast, he got his BIG present. Dad set it up outside the door and then Mom had him open it and tah dah there was a Bicycle – his first. He spent the rest of the morning riding up and down the porch.

A little before lunch, we had towards town (things were quiet yesterday – thankfully), to one of the malls – The Junction. We ate lunch at Java House (or as Jed used to calls it – Java's House). They didn't have his favorite – grilled tilapia – so he and Mom shared chicken strips. And we all got milkshakes in honour of his Birthday.

After lunch, we went to Alvin and the Chipmunks. The theater was empty except for two other people! (I think it's been showing for a while). Jed enjoyed the dancing and singing chipmunks – at least there was a little love story for the adults.

After the movie, we did a little shopping and rented a few movies – Jed wanted to watch one of the animated Alvin and the Chipmunks, so he got that and a Thomas movie. I got Stomp the Yard and a TV series (life gets boring when you are stuck inside a gated compound for extend periods of time because of unknown amounts of unrest outside – a missionary friend of ours said she finished a quilt last week).

Back at home again; we had hot dogs for supper and then cupcakes (which Jed helped make) and ice cream. He had some problems getting those five candles out – umm I wonder how I'll manage 23 when my turn comes in March :). Then he opened a few more presents – lollipops from Mercy (who couldn't be here), a Thomas the Train watch from me, lots of new books from Mom and Dad.

Then it was time for bed. This was a good thing because he was more active and wound up yesterday than I have ever seen him before. I had to ask my Dad if I was like that when I was 5 – he said probably :). I don't think so – I was a GIRL! (But I did talk as much as Jed!)

Please pray for Jed – the situations around us are affecting even him. Whenever he sees smoke, (many people burn their trash around here) he says that someone's house is burning and he gets all worried. He also has started playing war a lot – something he had never done before. Although we try to be careful what we say around him and about what he sees on the TV, there is no way to shelter him from everything.

More to come

Interesting

2008-01-26T04:42:00.001-05:00

I found out something new today J. I can create blogs on Word and post them on my blog. That's very nice and easy and fun. Well maybe I'll post more often now.