The Committee
Posted March 1, 2012
Like many Americans, we have gone to our share of potlucks. What’s not to love about potlucks? Everyone signs up to do bring a dish and all get to enjoy the food together. Here in Kenya, I (Stephanie) have experienced the power of a committee, which takes the idea of “pot luck” to a whole new level.
The basic idea is the same- we all pitch in to help and we all enjoy in the celebration. But in Africa, the committee can be traced back to village communal living and how they organized for major life events like weddings and funerals. The community plans the event and raises the funds needed for these ceremonial gatherings. One would never turn down an invitation to join a committee or contribute funds for the event. In this manner, Andrew says that an African buries himself each day. As you contribute to the expenses of a funeral or wedding, it is expected that people will do the same for yours. How big should the committee be? As many people as possible!
In the case of our committee for the funeral of Andrew’s grandmother in January, around 25 people helped plan the logistics of a 3-day burial event that would feed 1,500-2,000 people in the village. Being a part of this committee that met nightly for two weeks was an experience unto itself. But where I really got to see the power of the committee was at the Harambee on the night of January 6th. Harambee (a fundraiser) is a Swahili word for “pulling together,” and also happens to be the Kenyan country motto. The committee chose a venue for the event, advertised in the newspaper and sent text messages to spread the word. They say selecting the right M.C. for the event will determine its success and I quickly learned why after he made his opening statement: “I’m not moving on in this program until I have 10,000 Ksh ($120) in my hands from family members!” And so it went with committee members, friends, coworkers and so on. Imagine us all packed into a room while people joyfully, in turn, brought their contributions to the front. Every so often, the M.C. would read each name and the amount given publicly (and we would respond with a single clap and an “A-MEN”!”). It may sound like torture to those who like to give quietly and without acknowledgement, but that is how it’s done here. No one is judged by how little or large the amount. We are, after all, all in this together. Not only was it fun and full of laughter, it was a beautiful picture of traditional African values of the village meets urban dwellers in Nairobi. I felt privileged to be a part of it.
Harambee is also the spirit of OneLife Africa as we continue to mobilize families, communities and churches to support and mentor young people in Kenya. It is the reflection of Jesus’ teachings to “make disciples of all nations” and to “love one another” as he loved us, for “by this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” I know Jesus was at our Harambee for the funeral, smiling and clapping along with the crowd just as He is cheering us on as we serve here.
 
A Different Kind of Christmas
Posted December 19, 2011
Christmas will be a little different this year. Instead of fighting cold December winds and hoping for snow, we are enjoying warm Kenya sunshine and hoping I don’t get sunburned! Ripe mangoes and savory roasted goat have replaced Christmas cookies and turkey. We won’t shop for gifts but we have reflected a great deal on the giving we have received to be here.
As far as traditions are concerned, Christmas is a “clean slate” for us and it’s exciting to see how our traditions will start and grow now that we are living in Africa. Don’t get me wrong- I love my Christmas traditions in the U.S.- baking, bargain hunting, writing Christmas cards with Starbucks Gingerbread Latte in hand, listening to Christmas songs of winter wonderlands. Still, it excites me to think about new traditions being built in our new home and surroundings. The gift of Christmas remains the same but the wrapping changes with the diverse cultural traditions around the world that celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Even the meanings of Christmas songs have changed for me. Last week I was reflecting on the words of one of my favorites:
“O Come O Come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears!
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emannuel shall come to thee, O Israel”
In our last post, I talked about the demolition of Mitumba slums, one of the many informal settlement areas in Nairobi. We recently visited a camp organized by Rural Evangelistic Ministries (REM) for children and youth of Mitumba. It warmed my heart to see them comforted through God’s word, for their stomachs to be fed and to laugh again during the games and activities. I think of their families, displaced to different areas of the cities, mourning in exile from their lost community.
The cry for Emmanuel to come, for God to dwell with us and with them is heard more clearly in our hearts this Christmas.
    Whose Land is it Anyway?
Posted November 27, 2011 In 2009, Andrew and I bravely ventured the real estate market in Nairobi with hopes of someday owning a flat (condominium) in the city. One of the most unnerving realities we faced was the recurring sign in various neighborhoods- “Land Not for Sale- Beware of Conmen!” New construction of condo developments were springing up at a head-spinning rate, but deep down we wondered who really owned the title deed for the land of the condos we considered (in fact, we decided not to buy because of land deed confusion among other reasons). Like many other issues in Kenya, the business of land deeds has been tainted by corruption and deception. The deeds have been falsified, sold and often revoked years later when the “legitimate” land deed is produced. Thus people can be forced from their homes because even though they bought it in full, it was a dirty deal along, unbeknownst to them. This issue has been in the forefront of Nairobi newspapers recently as six demolitions have occurred in attempts to reclaim land by the  original deed holders. On November 19, 2011, makeshift housing of Mitumba slum in Nairobi were demolished leaving 30,000 people homeless. The reason stated for the demolition was security concerns due to the proximity to Wilson Airport. Imagine first of all the devastation to one’s dignity to reside in the Mitumba slum (Mitumba means “second hand” in Swahili). But to add injury to insult, picture that small piece of land (with 10 x 10 feet structures) being cleared and all your earthly possessions demolished. But as slum dwellers or squatters, that land was never theirs to begin with. This tragedy is a symptom of a deeper issue of the intensifying housing crisis in Nairobi. Our hearts go out to the people of Mitumba slum who have recently lost everything and are picking up the pieces of their broken lives and trying to carry on.
Why Children Are the Best Language Learners
Posted September 29, 2011
In August, we huddled in a small classroom in downtown Toronto and brainstormed our response to this question during our two-week PLANTS course (Principles of Language Acquisition: Natural Tools and Strategies).
Why exactly did we need this class? I (Stephanie), after all, speak Spanish proficiently (and was fluent at some point during college). But that was after 7 years of formal classroom study and many trips to Central and South America, including a semester in Ecuador. And Andrew speaks three languages- Luo (his tribal tongue), Swahili and English- so he clearly has mastered language learning. And don’t most Kenyans speak English?
In Nairobi, there is a bit of a disconnect between the national language, Swahili and the official language, English (don’t ask me the difference between national and official!) Most Kenyans will be fairly proficient in English which is taught through formal education systems. However, Swahili would still be their heart language- the language around which relationships are most naturally formed. Furthermore, many among the communities we intend to work with will not have received formal education in Kenya.
I hope to be a life-long learner of Swahili and Kenyan culture. However, my first six months in Nairobi are dedicated to language learning, 6 hours a day, 30 hours a week. Though I will likely enroll in some kind of classroom instruction, most of the language learning will occur with a language helper or through independent learning. In addition to some phonetic and cross-cultural training, the PLANTS course provided us with materials and lesson plans to more quickly and efficiently learn a language. Andrew will also be able to use these tools to help short-term missionaries in Nairobi to learn Swahili (or he may just learn a 4th language!)
So why do children make the best language learners? Partly because they spend significant time listening before they speak. They also have an insatiable hunger to communicate and understand their new world. Mostly because they are fearless- they don’t worry about sounding silly, stupid or needing to have the sentence perfect before they start trying.
I have already started with Rosetta Stone (which uses mostly the Look And Listen technique), Swahili Level 1! If you are feeling inspired to learn a language yourself and join me in this endeavor, visit www.pikkert.com (our instructor’s website) and check out free downloads for language learning.
Canceled Debt
Posted July 5, 2011
Recently I (Stephanie) led a “webinar” on volunteering in medicine for the Georgetown University alumni association. It’s difficult to approach that topic without mentioning a significant barrier to volunteering or working for underserved communities- medical school debt. The latest numbers from the American Association of Medical Colleges indicate that a 4th year medical student graduated in 2009 with an average of $156,000 in educational loan debt. That’s a lot of debt.
When Andrew and I started our planning of how we would serve and minister in Kenya, we were often asked, “and what about your student loans?” The question always made me feel a little uncomfortable because it was a painful reminder of one large limitation to our dream- my student loan debt. We faithfully made monthly payments for the last four years and we trusted God to guide us. Thankfully, early on in our process we had learned about an organization- Project MedSend- that awards grants to medical missionaries (physicians, nurses and other health care providers) who serve with one of 75 associate mission organizations. This amazing donor-based organization raises the necessary funds to cover monthly loan payments for their grantees.
Last week, I received the email we had been waiting for: “I am pleased to let you know that our Board approved your application for a Project MedSend student loan repayment grant.” It’s hard to explain in words how overwhelmed we felt with excitement, gratitude, and yes, relief! It has been yet another way how we have seen God provide very specifically for our needs.
My debt hasn’t been eliminated completely but Project MedSend has committed to raise funds to make my monthly loan payments while we serve in Kenya. As I thought about this over the past week, I was reminded of the ultimate debt payer, Jesus, who “having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us . . . He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross,” Colossians 2:14, NASB. It is humbling to know that individuals whom we have never met are now actively engaged in raising funds to pay my student loan debt. We praise God for Project MedSend and for their powerful testimony that we, together with the worldwide fellowship of believers, are all in this thing together!
Learn more about Project MedSend at www.medsend.org
From Slum to Camp
Posted May 14, 2011
Do you remember how nervous you felt on your first day at a new school? This past January, 22 students from Nairobi slums  experienced their first day of high school at top-performing boarding schools in Nairobi. Theses students are the first enrolled class of OneLife Africa, a Christian scholarship and discipleship program. We are proud of our students for courageously embracing their new school environments and for receiving excellent grades during their first term. As we read through their first term experiences, we realized many of the challenges they face sound quite familiar- learning time management skills while balancing extracurricular activities and a rigorous academic schedule, eating cafeteria meals, making new friends, and how to deal with gossip, sexual immorality and even bullying. Please pray for these students that they would have wisdom and courage to navigate these next few years so that may excel academically and thrive spiritually in their relationships with Jesus Christ.
 After finishing their first term in March, the students were sponsored to attend a one-week overnight camp called Diguna (meaning “the Good News” in German) during their April holiday break. Diguna Camp offers Christian life development in a beautiful setting with all the traditional youth camp favorites- cabin contests, games and campfires to name a few! The students enjoyed making friends from other schools and churches and were challenged to live for Christ back at their home schools through topics like “doing more than expected,” “strength in numbers” and “getting out of your comfort zone.” There was also a common favorite activity of the OneLife students: conquering the ropes course!
On the final night of camp, two students were presented with a best camper and campress award. Out of the many students from various schools and churches, we were proud to learn that the best campress award went to one of the OneLife Africa students: and we wanted to share her words with you:
 I would like to thank you for your support in paying for my secondary education fees. You’ve come as a blessing to my family especially me. Owing to my family’s situation, my father with no stable job while my mom a housewife. I pray that my dream may be achieved through your support. I truly believe that by the end of it all I will be able to become a doctor. . . In sponsoring us for going to Diguna camp, I much appreciate that. I had been longing to go to Diguna and God answered my prayers through you. Thank you in advance and may the Lord sustain you!
Yours faithfully,
Josephine Awino
What a joy and privilege it is to invest in the life of a student like Josephine! Thank you for prayerfully considering partnering with us as we serve the youth and slum communities in Nairobi through discipleship, mentoring and healthcare.
“Match Day”
Posted March 24, 2011
Every year, on the third Thursday in March, fourth year medical students across the country await with pounding hearts and sweaty palms to tear open their sealed envelopes at precisely 12:00 pm on Match Day. The envelopes contain a piece of paper that lists two things- the resident’s name and the residency training program where that student will train for the next 3-7 years of their life, depending on the specialty.
Having gone through this process personally with my husband at my side, I can attest to one thing- the entire experience is as crazy and dramatic as it sounds. After ripping open the envelopes, shouts of joy, of disbelief and even some cries of disappointment fill the room. Can you imagine a computerized ranking system that determines what your next job will be? Where you’ll be moving and spending the next few years of your life? It’s true that those envelopes represent binding contracts. But thankfully, if a residency program doesn’t end up being the right fit, there is always the option to transfer to another program or even another specialty altogether.
Across the Atlantic Ocean and over 7,000 miles away, a similar “Match Day” occurs each Februrary. But this match system ranks Kenyan students and matches them to high schools and universities across the country. The Kenyan match system considers two primary factors- school transcripts and performance on one single national standardized exam, the KCPE. In this match, there are seldom second chances. There isn’t an option to retake the exam if a student was sick that day or even if their house was burning on exam day during the post-election violence. One shot is often all they get.
Consider Flora, for example. Flora grew up in Mathare slum and aspired to be in finance or the health care field. She overcame many barriers and tremendous odds to excel in her studies despite growing up surrounded by chaos in the slum. Immediately prior to the match, her first choice would have been dental surgery or medicine or even finance. But for a young girl from the slum with a B+ average, she wasn’t matched to any of those options. Instead, Flora was matched to “Library Sciences” at a small university. It is true that with enough money, students in Kenya can overcome the match and pursue their dreams. But for millions of students who do not have those kinds of resources, Match Day decides their career paths, career paths determine jobs and jobs define economic security in Kenya.
Now each year when “Match Day” rolls around, I give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings He has given us in this country. I also pray for students like Flora who despite all their earthly disappointments, continue on with an eternal hope fixed on Jesus Christ. |
