Tales of a Kawaaja

More Final Days

2008-08-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

Thomas and me on the day before my departure.

This is Mama Rubaga bathing little Naomi. I love watching the mamas bathe the babies...so cute!

Several days before I left, Grace Muding sustained an eye injury (hence the eye patch). She had to fly to Kampala for surgery three days after I left Harvesters. Pray for her recovery!!

I love my toddlers and little kiddos. These three were fake laughing for me while I snapped their photos. They were really hamming it up and it was entirely cute!! Gosh, I miss these kids.

Final Days in Sudan

2008-08-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

My final church service the Sunday before I left. The kids have enjoyed playing the new (battery powered, of course) keyboard. Alex Taban is a natural.

Two of the young girls, Sarah Kiden and Lusiya. These are sweet girls!

This is Nicholas Likambu. I really love this boy and he loves me. The night before I left Harvesters he came to my door with this picture he made for me. It says "Thank you Emily for your good love". I miss this boy!!

This is two more young girls, Bendita and Yanga Yanga. They are drawing me pictures to take home.

Meal Time!

2008-07-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

I love that Milton and Angillo are reading a book at dinner. So cute!

After each meal, the kids come rinse their plates in the basin. I love how focused they look in these pictures...they really are fun kids!

Final Cooking Class

2008-07-27T05:17:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I had my final cooking class with the oldest girls. We made Lemon Bars and had a great time! Pictured above is Eva stirring the big pot of cabbage for lunch. That wasn't part of our class...she was just being helpful.

Of course, it was hard for the girls to stay focused because the little kids were watching a DVD in the dining hall (thanks to the projecter donated by Tara's church!!). They really wanted to watch the movie with the little ones.

Sunday School

2008-07-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of teaching Sunday School to the oldest class. This class includes about 15 young teens and is a mix between orphans and village kids. I love this class! The kids are so energized and eager to learn. And, they actually listen to me, which I find to be the truly remarkable thing. I always have such a good time when I teach this class!

This is me and Charity (peach dress) and three village kids after Sunday School.

After my class was over, I headed to the toddler class to play with my little ones. I love these kids too...but they are far less inclined to listen to me

A Day in Town

2008-07-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I took 2 of the young teen girls to town for new Church shoes. We had a fun time shopping, but I was amazed at how "out of touch" they thought me to be. Not one shoe I suggested was considered! I finally stopped making suggestions and let them gravitate to the perfect pair of dress shoes all on their own. What do I know about fashion?? I'm sooo old.

After I finished shopping with the girls, I meyt a Kenyan friend, Kelly, for lunch and more shopping. In the last several months we have noticed a much heavier Muslim presence in the South and my outfit on the left represents that. No I did not buy this...what ever you call it...but I did consider it. Hey, if you have to be covered from head to toe, you might as well do it in sequins!

Kids in the Clinic

2008-07-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

The clinic has become quite the place to "see and be seen" in the mornings. Everyone who would rather put off school for a couple more glorious minutes comes to the clinic with tales of tummy aches and wounds. As you can see, they look terrible "ill", huh?

These are three of our orphans, Grace, Joice and Grace, holding triplets on our formula program, Grace, Rejoice and Blessing. The big girls are very good helpers and love playing "house" with small babies.

More random pictures

2008-07-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is impossible to get the kids to take a picture without making goofy faces! Sunday was one of those days.

I love watching the kids eat. The manage to completely clean their plates at EVERY meal :)

Eli and Hanna...this is one set of twins on the compound. We have 5 sets total. These cuties are two years old. They are so much fun!

Random pictures

2008-07-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

These are some of our preschoolers at church. I'm going to miss these kids!!

This is Hakeem...our newest orphan. I think this is the only time he's smiled at me. He's finally coming out of his shell :). Cute boy!

Me and Whinny....a face can say so much.

Our middle age boys. I really love this age group...they have such energy and joy. I am going to miss these kids too...

Football Match

2008-07-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

The boys of Harvesters Christian School had their first football match today. We took about 50 kids along to watch and cheer them on. They did awesome and they looked slick in their uniforms. Definitely a great group of boys!

I love this picture of Nelson...he looks so intense.

The boys celebrating the first goal of the game!

More June Pictures

2008-06-29T03:47:00.000-07:00

The kids have been doing "service projects" this week as part of their Sunday school lessons. They approached me every day with the question "how can we serve you today?" (very sweet!). I ran out of ideas on day 2 and so I had them "serve" me by decorating my room with art. They enjoyed that project very much :)

They really took their time and made me some beautiful artwork!

This is a group of kids that love to hang out by the clinic. From left to right: Me, Aaron, Sarah, Esther, Kila, Josiah and Charles. Cute kids!

June Pictures

2008-06-29T03:37:00.000-07:00

Me and Charity at church several Sundays ago

This is Sylvia, Joice and Susan. They are looking sly because I just caught them eating white ants during church. Yuck.

This is our children's choir and band. Alex Taban, one of our older orphans, is playing the "adungu"

Our New Playground

2008-06-13T03:07:00.000-07:00

Our New Playground

2008-06-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know which is more fun...

The slides....

The fireman pole...

The rockclimbing wall...

Or the toddler zone!

Our New Playground

2008-06-12T22:16:00.000-07:00

Nicholas and Alex enjoying the curly slide

Boy and Yoli racing up the ladder

Guya loves the slide the most...just ask him!

Our newest orphan, Hakeem, enjoying his first playground experience

Hangin' Out Pictures.

2008-06-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Alex Ada is just being cool.

I love this picture of Cecilia. I am not sure what was so funny, but her laugh was contagious :)

Me and my friends-- Victoria, Eva and Charity. These girls are fun!

Can Obediah and Charles BE any cuter?!

Vacation Bible School!

2008-05-30T02:43:00.000-07:00

Bubble fun!!

Amy is a great teacher and the kids LOVE her!

Ema loves craft time

Nicholas looks cool in his pirate bandana and VBS shirt!

Pictures from the week

2008-05-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Me and Aquie at church on Sunday

Sydney, Amy and Victoria at our Monday night time with the big sisters

Jen and a village kid at church

Jen and Eva making cards on Monday

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we honored the mothers in our church family. The kids sang songs and recited poems they had written for the occasion. It was a very special day at Harvesters.

All of the mothers of the church came forward for prayer.

Happy Birthday to ME

2008-05-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday was my birthday and I had a great birthday weekend. The kids were all quick to wish me a "happy birthday party" and sing me "Happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you.". They sing the song broken-record style...

Some of my friends from other NGOs came and we had a girl's night with fudge, pedicures and chick-flicks.

My yummy pumpkin cake.

Asunta at church on my birthday.

The kids jump-roping in honor of my "happy birthday".

It was a great 27th birthday!

Hangin' out...

2008-05-01T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hanging out by the clinic: Asiki, Thomas, Peace, Me, Noela and Sarah Lilly.

The kids love taking pictures and being in pictures!

Welcome Back

2008-05-01T07:05:00.003-07:00

The kids were very happy to greet Nancy and Coach when they returned from their trip to the States. They formed several long lines and sang a welcome song as they entered the gates.

The girls look very cute in their school uniforms.

Even the toddlers came out to greet "Mama Nancy and Papa Coach" :)

I scream, you scream....

2008-05-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

The ice cream man came and made 120+ ice cream cones for the kids. They enjoyed the cold, afternoon treat VERY much!
And, when I say "ice cream cone", I really mean raspberry-flavored, sugar ice in a plastic bag.

The kids were very excited for the sweet surprise!

Weekly Mango Recipe: Mango Crisp

2008-04-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

We are up to our elbows in mangoes! I'm not sure how many mango trees we have on the compound, but I can tell you it's more than a few. Every day, dozens of mangoes turn a beautiful, enticing, golden-orange color and fall to the ground. Ripe for the taking. If I can manage to beat the kids to the fresh mangoes, I get to enjoy a nice, juicy treat.

The older kids climb the trees to hand-pick the best mangoes (can you appreciate how high John Lemeri has climbed in this, very large, mango tree??)

Because of the ample supply of this delicious fruit, I have decided to come up with a new mango recipe every week to utilize them. The recipe this week was a take on my favorite Apple Crisp dessert.

Mango Crisp:
10 cups cubed mangoes
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 Tbsp water

Mix ingredients together and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish.

Topping:
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, melted

Crumble topping on mangoes and bake at 375 until crust is golden.

I wish we had vanilla ice cream to go with our warm mango crisp...

Stay tuned next week for another mango recipe!

Me and the girls

2008-04-13T23:52:00.001-07:00

Mary Sunday, Peace, Charity Kila and Me

Homework in the sand

2008-04-13T22:53:00.001-07:00

I noticed several of the kids writing their ABCs in the sand one afternoon. Apparently they were promised sweets the following day if they could write them correctly in class.

Aaron...trying his best

I love this picture of Duku...he looks so focused with his tongue out!

I can't tell who this is, but she is doing a great job!

This is Martin...he is also very focused on the task.

I never posted Easter pictures!

2008-04-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

Sarah Lilly and Margaret enjoying their hot Easter tea.

Easter morning...our children singing an energetic song for the church.

After church the congregation enjoyed hot tea and mendezies. This is Hanna and Eli...they are twins and approaching 2 years old!

This is Josiah. At 3 years old he already knows how to cool off his (boiling) hot tea. He pours from cup to cup until the steam is gone. Smart kid.

The kids enjoyed their first Easter egg hunt several days after Easter. It was a chore for the staff, but every single kid ended up with one egg! :)

Random Photos from March

2008-04-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Rainy season is here!!

Sweet Charity holding baby Tabitha. I love this picture of the two of them!

These five babies are orphans at Harvesters. From left to right: Naomi, Elijah, Gabriel, Tabitha and Eli. One night they were ALL brought to the clinic with various wounds and illnesses by 5 of our teenage girls. I think the girls just wanted an excuse to come hang with me :)

This is Eli, who is SUCH a cutie-pie when he smiles.

Poem by Nunas Dawa

2008-03-27T01:26:00.000-07:00

Nunas is one of our teenage girls at Harvesters. She is my sweet friend and I have high hopes for her future as a New Sudan leader. I pray that she becomes a voice for her culture's women. She is truly a unique and gifted young lady.

She wrote the following poem in honor of Women's Day.

A Dream:

I have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will be governed by girls and women. It will be governed by girls and women in the spirit of love and unity.

I have a dream. I have a dream that the women and girls of this nation will be judged by their brains and their contributions to our country. Not by the quantity of dowry they can bring to their homes or by the number of offspring they can produce.

I have a dream. I have a dream that my father and my little brother will not hate and discriminate my little sister just because she is a girl. But, they will love and take care of her. They will love and take care of her by educating her for the sake of this country's prosperity.

Yes, my little sister, please make my dream come true.

Yesu Ni Wango

2008-03-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

Today I joined the children in watching a DVD of Watoto Children's Choir, a group of Ugandan orphans who have toured the world singing their songs of praise. It is a beautiful and fun DVD and the kids LOVE it. But, we didn't just watch the concert...of course we HAD to sing and dance along as well!

OUR children's choir singing on Good Friday....

Reading glasses!

2008-03-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

My mom sent (via Joseph) 7 pairs of reading glasses, each nicely packaged in a cute, matching case .

Within 30 minutes I had found 7 happy recipients for these glasses. Everyone was so pleased by their new eyewear. And, the loved the fancy flighlight at the end of each case.

Today at church, I noticed several women wearing the glasses while reading from their songbooks and bibles.

Thanks mom!

Mama Tabitha
Mama Faith and Mama Gabriel

Village Bible Study

2008-03-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

Joseph led a village cell group in a Bible study on faith.

The attendants read the passages aloud in Bari and the Joseph read them in English.

The kids met in another home for a kids study with our older orphans. Helen is reading a book to the eager children.

Joseph in Sudan

2008-03-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Joseph and me out and about in Yei

You have to eat Ethiopian food with your hand....but not your left hand (or your "poo hand" as Joseph says)

Joseph and his shadows.

Charles kicking a field goal

The boys LOVED American football...and Joseph!

Duku has a new friend in Joseph.

More Nairobi...

2008-03-13T08:56:00.001-07:00

Nairobi has a coffee shop chain called Java House. It is amazing! I had an ice cream sundae and an iced coffee. Joseph had chocolate cake. Yum.

baboon and her baby...so cute!

baboon whisperer...

Zebra...and a giraffe between the trees

more zebs

Under African Skies...

Murchison Falls, Uganda- Safari

2008-03-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Murchison Falls...on the White Nile

Rainbow at the top of the Falls.

Joseph and the elephante

This could be Harriot the Hippo...the hippo who visited my tent late one night with her hippo baby. If not, Harriot looks JUST like this hippo.

Lion cub having a morning nap...
Giraffes facing off...the dark giraffe got more hits in and definitely won the fight.

Another baby lion cubbie

Zanzibar, Tanzania

2008-03-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

Joseph and me in Stone Town

I got all henna'd up by a local woman at my resort.

I could stay here forever...
This small wooden boat took us to swim with the dolphins.

I look like a local Zanzibari woman (the island is predominately Muslim)....not intentionally, but because the sun was blistering hot. My neck and shoulders were blistered by day 3.

we took a dhow similar to this when we went snorkeling at an area called "The Fish Tank".

After a long, oh-so-hard day of beach sittin', Joseph and I enjoyed a coke.

Paradise.
A narrow street in Stone Town.

Two nights in Nairobi

2008-03-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

Zebra grazing.

Nairobi National Park...giraffe at sunrise.

Another giraffe in Nairobi
Joseph and me leaving Kenya.

Uganda Travels

2008-03-03T05:13:00.000-08:00

I actually found Tex-Mex in Jinja, Uganda! Very authentic and very delicious.

Joseph's arrival to Kampala, Uganda! I spent the previous day in the spa-- pedicure, hair and massage (one hour massage for about $9). Then I saw a chick flick at the theater. Perfect day!
I love Krest Bitter Lemon...it could be my favorite part of traveling to Uganda (they don't sell in it Sudan...or the States). This picture was taken at an Italian restaurant in Kampala. My first pizza in a LONG time.

Joseph and I in Uganda...we took a matatu to Murchison. This was some town a long the way.

Just having fun together.

2008-02-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

Charity and Anna...they are best friends. Anna is the shy one, Charity is the outgoing one. They are both very sweet.
Nunas, Ayinga, Leya, Joice and Priscilla...being silly.

Just the girls

2008-02-07T03:18:00.000-08:00

Jellas and me...she is so sweet. Can you tell??

Tara, one of my fellow missionaries (a teacher), and I. She makes me feel freakishly tall. :)

Pray for Kenya

2008-02-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

DIARY BY SIMIYU BARASA

When you find yourself talking of the morbid situation of your country during the wedding of one of your friends, you quickly realize there is something wrong with your country. When your National broadcasters show men being dragged out of public service vehicles and hacked to death by a mob of young men who do not even hide their faces from the police, and such scenes are repeated more than the advertisements and commercials, then your country is doomed. When you hear that people are chased from their homes into a church for belonging to a particular tribe, and then followed into the church and burnt alive, my friends, you are no longer in a country, you are living inside hell on earth.

The Swahili (oh, that language that was supposed to unite us and now has been rendered impotent) - the Swahili say that when you see your friend being shaved with a razor, start wetting your hair in preparation for your shave too.

I do not intend to go gently into that dark beyond without saying a word of goodbye. Friends, (and those who consider me an enemy because of my tribe or lack of it), being of sane mind and in charge of my mental faculties, I bid you goodbye. I chose to write you an obituary, which you should read as a love letter to my country that has died in that critical moment when its dreams were giving birth to a beautiful bouncing future.

I know not the hour of my death, for no one knows the hour of their death in this country anymore. That man on Naivasha, who was dragged from the car and his speech, as he answered questions, betrayed him as belonging to a tribe the highway blockers were hunting down, he did not know his death. I have seen myself trying to run from the mob the way he desperately tried, machetes raining on his back, and yet he ran on, three desperate steps, before his body disintegrated into huge chunks of human flesh and fell down. Upon which they cubed him. I too, my friend, am about to face the same death. My tongue, when I try to speak, shall definitely betray me as a targeted tribesman when the mob does come to me. For I do not belong to any tribe.

My sister, Rozi, called me yesterday trembling with fear. She lives in Western Kenya, on the Eldoret/Kakamega border. They had taken a patient to Moi Referral Hospital Eldoret. On their way back, the ambulance was stopped by youth bearing all forms of crude weapons. They demanded to know which tribes everyone in the ambulance belonged to. The driver was of the local tribe, so he was told to step aside. As the others showed their National Identity cards, my sister realized that all around them were corpses of human beings freshly chopped to death. Her turn came and she said she was Luhya. They told her to speak in Luhya, but my Sister doesn't know Luhya. "I really can't speak it because my mother is a Taita!" she pleaded. She had to desperately show a photocopy of my mother's National Identity card which she had in her purse, a photocopy my mother had given her the previous week. That photocopy saved my sister. The only language my sister can speak, apart from English and the National Swahili, is Gikuyu, the tribe the youths were targeting.

My friend, I know no tribe. I only know languages. My mother is Taita, my Father is Luhya, and we were raised in Kiambu among the Gikuyu. It has never been important in our family to know which tribe we should belong to, my sisters and brothers have names from both sides of our parents communities. In this chaos, if the hunters of fellow humans were to find us in our house, would they really believe we are brothers and sisters from our names? If I say am Luhya, the Gikuyu with whom I have lived and now am engaged to one of their daughters would kill me as they have gone on a mission to revenge the deaths of their kinsmen in Western Kenya. If I flee to my parent's home in Luhyaland, the neighbours will barbecue me alive for I can't speak their language and of course my mom is from a foreign tribe.

Now in this Nairobi where I stay, I am wary of my neighbours. The guy opposite my flat is a Luo with whom we argued amicably during the pre-election period on which party we supported. Maybe now, given that friendly neighbours have been the ones killing each other, he might remember our political chats over litres of coffee and come chop me up?

That is why friends, I have decided to write this obituary. I know not my tribe, I have only known myself as Kenyan, and others as fellow Kenyans. In these times, belonging or not belonging means not being dead or being seriously dead. What chances does a person like me have? My friends have their tribes mates to protect them. The cosmopolitan Nairobi has now been balkanized with residential estates being exclusive reserves of certain tribes. Complete with murderous gangs imported from up-country to protect their own. Mungiki for the Gikuyu, Chingororo for the Gusii, and the Baghdad Boys and Taliban for the Luo. Where, pray I, is the estate Balkanised for those of us of mixed heritage who know not the war cry of their tribal warriors? The only two tribes I can run to don't have such armies. And claiming my Dad's Luhya identity, and a Bukusu at that, is problematic in itself. The Gikuyus are hunting them down claiming they voted ODM together with the Luos, and the Luos are hunting them down too claiming they voted for Kibaki together with the Gikuyus. So such is my fate for my father belonging to this tribe that voted 50-50!

My friends, I have prepared myself for my death. I don't know how it will be, but since as a Film and TV drama person I believe in rehearsals, I have rehearsed all possible scenarios so that when my moment comes, it won't be so hard to take. Chekhov's method acting manuals are no longer needed. I just turn the TV on during news time or read the papers, and from the several images of people who have been killed in various ways, I choose one to dream and perfect that night. I have dreamt of being locked into a church or building with several others and torched alive. I have smelt the petrol fumes as its being splattered through the window onto our bodies and then round the building. I have seen the flash of the matchstick being lit, and smelled my flesh burning to ashes.

I have rehearsed how I will smile when I am dragged out of a public vehicle and hacked to pieces by the marauding youths who pop up in our numerous roads. I want to die smiling bravely, but just like the guys I see on Al Jazeera and other International TV channels, the moment I get to that part where a red eyed bearded man pokes his head into the bus and shouts "everyone wave your ID cards in the air!" I wet myself and start screaming for mercy, instantly easing their work of identifying foreigners for the blades to work on. I have rehearsed how best to gasp when a barbed arrow strikes my chest. Or a club smashes my brain out of my skull. Or a spiked plank of wood is driven through my mouth. I have died so many times, my friends, that now I must be immune to the real death when it comes.

I used to laugh at tourists buying maps of Nairobi. I bought one recently. It is stuck in the wall of my bedroom where small pencil marks indicate all the escape routes I will try to use to get out of town once the mayhem knocks on my door.. Unfortunately, to the west are roadblocks where my Luhya name will mean instant death. If I go Mombasa Road I might run into a roadblock where Kamba's and all coast people are being cubed. To the North I can't even dare. To the south I might pass, coz I can speak Gikuyu, but my name would be my passport to the grave yard. That map, my friend, directed me to writing this obituary.

Maybe if I was a famous poet I would go down in history alongside Chris Okigbo, the Nigerian poet who went to Biafra seeking to actualize his poetry but found bullets instead. My friends abroad are asking me if I am safe. Maybe if I had been bright of mind like they were I would have faked a bank account statement immediately afterI cleared my o-levels and fled to the United States to wash toilets in between my degree courses, but no. When they told me America is the land of dreams, I swore to them I am an Africanist, a believer in the African dream. When they filled scholarship forms to get away from this dark continent, I laughed at them. Now my faith in my country has faded faster than the newness of the new year.

So, friends, some of us never really thought that our tribe was that important. Simply because we were from the tribes that make up Kenya. Some of us have lived in every province of this once great nation and learnt the local languages, drank the local brews, danced the local songs-so well that the locals even gave us the names of their tribes to fondly call us. I have been called Kamau, Mwanganyi, Wambua, and even Bayelsa in Nigeria. (I should have known, when Dudun told me that Bayelsa is the troublesome state of Nigeria where the Delta is, that it was a premonition of the war in my country.)

I have nowhere to go. No tribe to run to. No tribes men to protect me. Except the grave. Which is where my fellow country men are intent on sending all those who don't belong to their tribe. Goodbye, friends.. Seeing that all fast food restaurants have a notice 'pay in advance', let me take the cue and say Goodbye in advance. When you see a pulp of human flesh in the tarmac with youths dancing round it waving their bloody matchetes, look closely. That ear might be mine. That grinning upper lip might be mine.

I loved you, my fellow countrymen. I loved without thinking of your parental lineage. I loved Kenya. But look what this country has done to me: sodomised my sense of humanity and pride.

Relaxin' on the compound

2008-02-03T09:16:00.000-08:00

The cleaners and housemothers taking a break...

Nunas hard at work--- I want to learn to embroider like these girls!

Some of my patients

2008-01-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

A family of patients-- the navy and yellow kiddos are students at our school.

the "waiting room" at the clinic

A Few Random Pictures...

2008-01-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

6-year old Dafala-- cute kiddo
Baby Hanna
Obediah and me

Christmas Pictures...

2007-12-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

Anna and Rutha enjoying Christmas dinner

Josiah savoring his Christmas Tree cookie

The soldier Christmas outfits are so random and funny

Me and Haba
The kids delivered small packages of cookies and candy to the neighboring villagers.

Susan and Baby Faith. Everyone looked so nice in their new Christmas clothes!
Cute Lona and Jane
These puffy white dresses were my favorite! They look like flower-girl wannabes :)

Tabitha chowing down

Away in a Manger...

2007-12-27T04:41:00.000-08:00

The Christmas drama was a success and the kids looked so great in their bedsheet costumes. (Even the ones who modified their costumes a bit....)

Angels- Boy Emmanuel and Benson
Simeon, Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus (played by Cyprus, Daniel, Mary and baby Faith)

The shepherds-- Yoli, John and Baraka. So cute!

Notice one of the sheep has his mask on upside down :) (sheep played by Nicholas, Ema and Job)

Christmas and Cookies

2007-12-27T03:53:00.000-08:00

The kids enjoyed their Christmas Eve cookie party!

Christmas Time!

2007-12-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas is in the air! The kids had a great time making ornaments, decorating the dining hall and baking LOTS of cookies!

Another Birthday Party...

2007-12-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

November's birthday party was another good time. This month we introduced the kids to "Pin the Tail on the Donkey". It was a fun party!

Cooking Class

2007-12-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

One Saturday a month, Farrah and I host a cooking class with the older girls. We kicked it off this month and the girls had a blast making "Death by Chocolate Cake". First things first: Make sure there is plenty of fire under the oven!

A Few Random Pictures

2007-12-03T10:11:00.000-08:00

Farrah and charming, precious Charles.
Baraka in the clinic. He is a favorite of mine...such a sweet, tender-hearted boy!

Susan is really playing up her "illness" so she doesn't have to go back to class. I'm not convinced...

Bendita sweeping the dirt. What a sweet girl she is!

Some of our village patients...

2007-12-03T04:17:00.000-08:00

Isn't she a little doll?

This mother is a member of our church and came to our clinic for a few prenatal visits. She came in one day carrying this baby and grinning from ear to ear. It took me a few minutes to realize she was just visiting the clinic to show off her newest baby. What a blessing he is!

B-I-N-G-O

2007-12-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Coach and Nancy introduced the kids to Bingo. They are HUGE fans! On game nights, the big kids get to come into the dining hall and play rowdy games of Bingo by latern light. Fun! :)

These pictures of from their first Bingo night. Victoria is happy for her win
Everyone is SO focused

Another Goodbye

2007-11-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we will be saying goodbye to one of our Sudan family members. Christina is returning home to the States and will be greatly missed by everyone at Harvesters :(

I am posting several pctures from her going away party last Saturday.

Lance made a campfire for s'mores!Farrah and me

Lance and Tara roasting marshmellows

Coach and Nancy
Christina and Tara

A Home Visit

2007-11-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

rove Farrah and I (and a bunch of our girls) went to visit Charity and her new baby. I took these pictures along the way. Susan and Joice Sunday hamming for the cameraCharity and her baby girl The older girls with their colorful umbrellas

Eva and Farrah

Free Time

2007-11-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

I snapped these pictures on Sunday afternoon when everyone was enjoying their favorite hobbies... Helen and Mary tending to their garden.
Alex playing with him homemade game-- the object is to balance the round disk with a stick while it rolls. Who needs fancy battery operated games??

Baby, oh Baby

2007-11-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

I have a hard time picking my "favorite" age group. Today it's the toddlers because they are just so darn cute.

This is me and my little muffin-man, Josiah.

Sweet Baby Lillias.

Home Economics

2007-11-03T03:27:00.000-07:00

The older girls had a cooking class today with Mama Shay. They had a lot of fun and made a delicious peanut butter sheet cake! I didn't help but they still shared their final product with me. Yum!Charity adding the icing...

Anna, Victoria, Winny, Helen and Mary

Pinata Birthday!

2007-10-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Noela and Naomi

Today was the monthly birthday celebration. Tara made a Pinata- we didn't have paint, so it looks a little homemade, but the kids loved it. They thought it was hilarious to see the birthday kids swing (blind-folded) at the pinata! But, when the candy broke (and fell around my feet) I was almost injured in the stampede!

Aaron Mawa

Lillias taking a turn at the pinata

Search for Red Peppers

2007-10-25T09:33:00.001-07:00

The kids took Farrah and I to find red peppers. They grow behind the orphanage and Farrah needed them to make pico de gallo. Like most things enjoyed with children, this turned into an adventure. On the way to the peppers, they found abandoned corn, passion fruit (that was not ripe, very bitter and nasty-- and the kids gobbled them up) and some other large green veggie. They all kept their finds like little treasures. This is a picture of Grace and Ruta holding their treasures.

This is the kids showing me the red peppers (they were each an inch in size but packed a mean punch!)

Plaited Hair

2007-10-19T10:14:00.001-07:00

This afternoon I was hanging out with the housemothers during their break. Before I knew it I had 2 pairs of hands in my hair. In about 10 minutes they had my hair completely braided. They gushed at how beautiful it was. I thought it looked absolutely ridiculous on me (the other Kawaajas called me both Heidi and Princess Laia), but the Africans raved at my marvelous new 'do. I decided to keep it for the day to be polite to my stylists....

Spidermania

2007-10-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

The magic of Spider-Man is, apparently, universal. The kids here LOVE all things related (thanks to the various Sunday afternoon movies they get to watch EVER week in the dining hall!).

This is a picture of Ema who received a nasty bump to the head in some 7-year-old boy way. He was all tears and frowns until I showed him a mirror to check out his band-aid. Spider-Man!

He, despite the pain, flashed a shy Ema grin in return. And, he wore the band-aid for many days longer than needed. He was the envy of every boy age 4-14!

That shy Ema grin.

When being far from home is hard...

2007-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Joseph on the right. In the gray top.

Next to him Gus, on the left, Jon. Kinfolk of Jen and Jason.

Today Joseph is running in his very first marathon. As we speak, he is in the finishing leg of the 2007 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

He began running at 4pm, my time. Every hour I have guessed his distance and said a prayer. I don't know why I am so nervous, but I've been a wreck all day.

At 9pm my time, I called my friend Angela who is waiting at the finishing line. She told me he is almost at done. She also said the race was officially canceled at noon (8pm my time) due to the extreme heat (like Sudan in January, she says!) and water shortage. I googled it. Sure enough, it was.

Joseph is almost done and I am so proud of him!

And I should mention (so this entry has something to do with Africa...) this is the fifth year in a row that a Kenyan has won the race. 2 hours 11 minutes and 11 secs. It's true, Africans are fast :)

Can you see Joseph at the start line??

*Update: Joseph finished the marathon and did a great job! Yea, Joey! :)

Birthday Sparklers and an African Hail Storm

2007-09-29T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today was our monthly birthday party. On the last Saturday of every month, we celebrate all the birthdays for that month. Although birthdays are not celebrated in this culture, the kids really enjoy the party. The birthday kids got a small bag of goodies and everyone enjoyed juice and cookies-- a happy time at the compound!

This month Christina bought back sparklers from Uganda. John is having a hard time containing his excitement...

Esther, Me and Estella

And, after we enjoyed the festivities, as if on que, a storm blew through the compound. Hail rained down for almost 30 minutes! We were in the dining hall, roofed in tin, so the noise was deafening. But, as soon as the kids spotted the hail, they were on a mission...a mission to collect as many ice balls as possible. It looked sort of like an Easter egg hunt. A terrible, cold, wet Easter egg hunt...

Yoli and Manuel
Susan was drenched and ICE cold. A better nurse would have probably stopped the kids from dashing through the icey cold rain. But, c'mon, these are the memories from childhood that stick with you! How often does it hail in Africa?! :)

Cecilia enjoying her hunt for hail balls

How in the world can Elijah sleep through all the noise?!

What a Saturday!

Role Call

2007-09-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

These are the missionaries I am working with in Sudan. I am truly blessed to be able to work (and live) with people who are fun, dedicated and interesting! I was afraid I would be lonely or bored, but they make sure I'm not!

God provides all of my needs...even my social ones!

Tara (teacher), Mindy (nurse who just returned to the States) and Christina (school administrator)

Mindy, Tara and Lance (director of Harvesters. The "boss man")

Farrah and I- Farrah is another nurse, staying until March!

Chuck and Gloria -- short term missionaries who are returning to the States in 2 weeks

His Mercies are New Every Morning

2007-09-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

I have often marveled at the beauty of Africa—especially her skies. I snapped these photos one morning when I discovered the rising sun had cast a pink hue to the entire sky. The color seemed to seep from every direction at once. It was as if the sun could not make up its mind from where to debut. Magnificent.

I am woman, see my build

2007-09-20T01:51:00.000-07:00

The women on our compound wanted a bookshelf in the Pyat (the common space where we eat our meals) to store our growing number of community books. The men, less interested, suggested that, perhaps, we should build it ourselves.

Not wanting to seem incapable, we informed the men that we were, in fact, rather talented and resourceful women. A bookshelf was no great obstacle.

After a week of being “too busy to start our project”, Tara had a great plan. The plan required no sawing or nailing and absolutely NO carpentry skills. The resulting bookshelf made Tara, Farrah and I glow with pride.

The men called it “Sudanese Ugly”.

What do they know?

Our Smallest Orphans

2007-09-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

This is Baby Faith and I in the clinic. Faith is Mercy's twin sister. They are now two months old and we just gave them their two month immunizations!

Mercy has recovered well from her respiratory infection. Faith had Malaria the week after Mercy was sick, but she has also recovered well. They are both doing great!

Pictures of Sudan Uploaded by My Mom

2007-08-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Visiting Missionary Team

Our little baby, Mercy

This is a meat market and this is why we don't eat much meat at the orphanage.

Typical village in the bush

Suturing a lip in our clinic

The booming town of Yei

From the mouths of Babes...

2007-08-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

The kids here are like sponges; they soak up everything you give them—words, hugs, attention. They make me smile everyday. At night, if one has a tummy ache, they all have tummy aches. If one has a wound that needs a plaster (band-aid), they all search their arms and legs for somewhere to put a plaster.

We have a girl named Cecilia and I can’t help but sing “Cecilia, you’re breakin’ my heart, you’re shakin’ my confidence, baby” (Paul Simon?). Yesterday, she came in the clinic for a plaster. Behind her were 12 curious boys and girls. I started singing her song as I bandaged her finger. The boys and girls just giggled. About an hour later, I was walking out of the clinic and those same 12 boys and girls were sitting under a tree singing “Charity, you’re breakin’ my heart…. Sunday, you’re breakin’ my heart….Estella, you’re breakin’ my heart….Aaron, you’re breakin’ my heart….”.

It was REALLY cute—and a reminder to never say anything to a child that you wouldn’t want repeated….

Silly Kawaaja

2007-08-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Every night before bed, I do one last round in the dorms. Because malaria symptoms tend to have their onset at night, many children begin feeling sick around bedtime. During nightly rounds I walk through each of the four dorms and make sure no one is getting sick. I touch foreheads and ask everyone if they are ok. Generally, I have complaints of tummy aches, headaches or coughs. Because the housemothers don’t speak English, I’ve been asking them “Ana kwes?”. I thought that meant “are you good?”. I learned today that for the past 5 days I’ve been walking through the dorms saying “I am good?”.

No wonder the housemothers always say “ay” (yes) with a smirk…

I have arrived!

2007-08-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Yei, Sudan a week and a half ago. The days here are long and busy, but life is much simpler- no fuss over what to wear, no sitting in traffic, no processed foods, no polluted air. And, though I’ve been busy, life has been rather peaceful. It’s rainy season here, so everything is lush and green and absolutely beautiful.

My days have been spent in a variety of ways. I traveled over with a team of 8, and so I’ve split my time between them and the clinic. Luckily there are two other nurses here presently (though, they will be leaving in September and October), so I’ve been able to explore a bit.

My team left today, so that was a sad goodbye. It is my day off, so after taking them to the airstrip, Christina (other missionary) and I went to town and had chips and soda for lunch. It was a good American meal, although the ketchup here is more like tomato jelly…

Anyway, I will leave you for now, but will update more pictures and maybe a video when I get the chance.

More Goodbyes

2007-08-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

Saying Goodbye

2007-07-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

I said goodbye to my dear friends on Saturday evening. It was a fun evening that reflected an important part of my past 3 years in Dallas. As I prepare to embark on this new journey, I can't help but feel a bit nostalgic. I've spent the past several weeks reminiscing with friends about our post-college, single existence. It has been accented with late nights, dinner parties, road trips, disco balls, loud music and few regrets. But the story behind the story is this time in my life has gained me some of the truest and deepest friendships I've experienced. I've learned to embrace life and enjoy the ride-- no matter where it goes. I've learned that God always makes a way. And, I've learned that 5-year plans were meant to be broken. Destroyed. Thrown out the window and never thought of again.

Goodbye 5 year plan.

And, goodbye dear friends. To say I'll miss you is putting it lightly...

35 Days...and counting

2007-06-30T22:30:00.000-07:00

In April, when I made the decision to go to Sudan for a year, August 5th seemed oh-so far away. Now, 35 days to departure, August is no longer creeping up. People ask me if I'm excited. Yes, beyond words. People ask me if I'm nervous. Yes, beyond measure. People ask me if I'm certain. Yes, without a doubt.

However, if you ask me if I'm ready, the answer is NO. I keep wondering...how does one pack for a year in Sudan?? I think the answer leans toward moderation.

Darn.

Yea for Yei!

2007-05-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

On August 5th, I will be returning to Harvesters Reaching the Nations-- an orphanage in Yei, Sudan-- where I will reside for one year as the orphanage nurse. To say the very least, I am humbled and excited to have this amazing opportunity.

I will be using this site to post pictures, stories, quips, thoughts, experiences, lessons-learned...and, whatever else I think I need to say on the matter...

Stay tuned...

The lovely gal next to me is Kreee-stin, RN extraordinaire. I'm hoping she joins me here permanently in January! ;-)

Volleyball, Guacamole and Dutch Blitz: Missionaries Gone Wild

2007-02-08T03:25:00.000-08:00

I have been in Sudan almost a month. Some moments it feels like I’ve barely blinked. In other moments I feel like I’ve been here 6 months. This week has been a good one though— I am beginning to find my way. My Arabic is improving. My clinical skills are improving. And, I’m far less afraid of insects. Today I took a shower even though a spider had taken up residency on my shampoo bottle. And, some nights, as I am tucking in my mosquito-netted fortress, I marvel at how positively primitive I am—I hardly mind my lizard roommates!

This week my friend Tara, a missionary I met on the plane to Yei, came to stay the week. She brought with her Dutch Blitz, a very exciting card game. On Thursday Farrah came and was the answer to many personal prayers:

“Dear God, please send another nurse. Preferably someone fun. And, laid-back. And, God, can she be someone I enjoy spending time with? Amen”

He hand-picked Farrah. I knew I could count on Him.

Tonight, the three of us--as well as Lance, Christina and Mindy (all 20 something missionaries at Harvesters) went to play volleyball, have dinner and socialize with other missionaries living in Yei. Someone even made guacamole. It almost felt like I was home…