More News from Kenya

 

Hello Friends!

I hope all of you are well! I just wanted to give you a brief update on last week and what I have been up to recently. 

First of all I would like to say thank you again to my followers and those that have left me very encouraging comments. I just want to continue to strengthen the communication between my home and here to help you to better understand our role in Kenya. It is easy to feel like you have been forgotten about being continents away and I appreciate the feedback. 

 

In recent election news, Kenya is anxiously waiting to hear the court ruling from the election that took place on March 4^th. As the entire country shut down with few buses running and most shops closed everyone was glued to the TV to count results as they came in pole pole (slowly slowly).  Odinga the CORD candidate (running against the President Elect Kenyatta) claims that the IEBC (election committee) was unfair in its' tallying of results. He claims that much of the IEBC's  equipment did not work properly and also mentions various other problems that took place during the election. Odinga is claiming that it would be unjust to not challenge the results especially under Kenya's new constitution. As soon as the ruling is made and peace is present (as it is currently) then I will begin traveling around Kenya to check in on the people the OAIC has been training this past year. I will be documenting stories and learning from their training experiences to determine which of the OAIC’s methods are most effective. I am really looking forward to this and will keep you updated on my travels.

Yesterday was my opening appearance as a praise and worship leader singing at Christco Central Church near Kibera. To sum up my experience I just learned the songs the day before including two Swahili songs and the one that I went home and practiced got changed the day of. Of course I didn’t know this until I was standing on stage and the song came on. Thankfully I had a tambourine so I could cover my mouth and hide the fact that I had no clue what was going on. Don't worry I had help there were many others on stage to back me up too.  Needless to say I am looking forward to my next worship leading experience this coming Sunday. I have really enjoyed Chirstco Church and feel as if it is a home away from home. 

We also started an NCAA basketball bracket in the OAIC office today. It will be quite interesting considering that I had to explain to my co-workers what exactly they had to do. I will keep you updated on our office competition. I’m sure it will be very entertaining. 

Christo Central Church

The Kenyan Election + much more

The Kenyan elections were peaceful and all is almost back to normal here in Nairobi. The CORD candidate Raila Odinga is challenging the elections but peacefully in court. The president elect Uhuru Kenyatta could face challenges as he faces charges at the International Criminal Court coming in the next months. This past week the entire country of Kenya was stopped as the results slowly came out and the winner was announced finally after five days of waiting in front of the TV. Kenyatta needed more than 50% of the vote and came out with 50.07% just making the cut. It seemed like everyone in Kenya was glued to the television last week- busses did not run, stores were closed etc. Everyone was anxiously waiting to see what would conclude the final announcement. Many were fearful of a repeat of the 2008 election where hundreds of people were killed in post election violence. Thankfully through the constant peace preached in church, and many media reminders and the determination of Kenyans peace prevailed.

I have been living with Phyllis’ husband and Will while she has been back in the US finding new YAVs and stuff. He has told me multiple times that he is not responsible if I blow away by the wind because I am so small. He thinks that I don’t eat enough and is always at the dinner table telling me to take thirds and fourths during meals. He has been testing me this past week to see if I can run an African home also and has said that I pass so that’s encouraging.

These past few weeks I have spent a lot of time writing articles and hanging out with my friends here who are great. I love it here so much! I am trying to find excuses to stay longer because my friends and I are trying to cram all kinds of things in. I have so many more families to meet here and places to visit.

Aside from that I have been going to multiple churches because all my friends want me to visit their churches. So far I consider my two home churches St. Andrews PCEA and Christco Central Church. I have really enjoyed both places and feel much at home at both. I am also working with Christco which is near Kibera (the largest informal settlement in Nairobi) to get a children’s home set up in that area. This will be to help empower street children who have lost their family members to provide them with quality education and skills necessary to survive in Nairobi. I hope that somehow I can manage to help this cause.
  A picture of Kibera.

I have also been helping a young girl named Blessing who is four years old. She was burnt badly with third degree burns on her face when she was two. She was at the point where she did not have eye lids and faced blindness because of infection. We were able to get her treatment at a hospital in Uganda which provides low cost treatment. They were able to perform reconstructive surgery for this little girl and since I have been arranging and escorting her to the hospital here to get her stitches out and go for checkups. Blessing is doing much healthier now that she can close her eyes, she also now can eat food by herself and her nose is in better shape than it was previously.  It is nice to be able to help make a difference in this young girls life and ensure she has a future.

I have also felt a bit discouraged from my church home. I do not really feel supported by them and rarely hear from them. I know that without their financial support I would not be here but it is also nice to have some encouragement especially since I am representing them.  

Dear Readers,
I am sorry for the lack of blog posts recently! I have been very busy between work and family coming to visit. If you are interested on what events and happenings I have been up to recently please see the website oaic.org for recent events that have taken place in our organization. Hopefully in the next week I will have some time to post pictures and a bit more of what I have been up to. Hope you are well!
Have a great day!

It has been too long

The combination of my sensitive stomach, love of fruit and adventurous behavior recently have made me an excellent target to get some random stomach infection that left me in the hospital vomiting for two days straight. Thank goodness for my host parents who live just up the street from me and the fact that my host dad is a doctor also helped quite a bit. I am happy to say I was taken care of very well for a fraction of what it would have cost in the states. Every time I gagged the first night I was in the hospital there was a nurse that followed me around and said sorry which was possibly like 40 times. 

I am sure you have heard enough of the gruesome details of my hospital experience so I would like to continue with apologizing for my lack of postings recently. The holidays were quite a busy time, we traveled for a retreat to mount Kenya for a safari, I showed a fellow YAV around Nairobi and ate so much food at our site coordinators house. I also have some great news about a new job that I have recently taken on at a local public school in downtown Nairobi. I have begun swim coaching part time along with my position a the OAIC. I absolutely love working with the kids and I can't wait to get to know the teachers at the school better! The whole school seems like one Giant family and it truly helps make the experience worth while. We will soon be going to galas (swim meets) in the area and I will be sure to inform you of the latest news from our program.  

I have literally had the best week ever. Pastor Edward from Family TV (he also put me in connection with the swimming gig) who I connected with before invited me to church at St. Andrews this morning. I spent like five hours in church and in the end of it came out with two new group memberships. One call Friends of God which is a group of youth that sing gospel for churches in the area they were so great to invite me in. I also will start the praise team for the youth church at St. Andrews this coming week. I am so excited about all of it. Not only that but pastor Edward Introduced me to his lovely wife who I am so thankful to have met. We had a great conversation and it was so nice to have another connection in such a great church community here. I cannot wait to continue to worship here! 

Earlier this week on the way home from coaching I took the matatu home then caught a motor bike back to street where I live I ran into a lovely woman named Sara. We started talking and she told me about her family and she taught me some Swahili as we walked. She asked if I was a Christian and I said yes we talked about how God has blessed her. She asked me if I had a husband I said no and she said you are just looking for the right one. She told me make sure he is strong and faithful so he doesn't leave you for another woman like mine did. She then said she would pray for me that I find a good husband. Now I'm not looking at the moment it just struck me how kind a stranger on the street could be, I just home that we can run into one another soon. 

Hello Family!

I hope all are well! I just wanted to update you on a few of my most recent experiences since it has been a while.

Yesterday I escorted a Professor and husband to an African Independent Church called the Holy Spirit Church of East Africa. It was a very interesting experience that I wish all of you could be apart of, it will truly open your eyes to a new type of worship and praise. We started the five to six hour service at 11am and began with singing and dancing. Yes people dance, drum and even clap in their all white robes marked with a red cross. The white robes represent purity and the red crosses stand for the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The women and children sit on one side of the church and the men on another. As the worshipers enter the church, they take off their shoes and come to praise God as themselves in this most simplistic manner.

I got responses from Steve, the former Baptist Preacher and Researcher currently and his wife Professor Karen immediately following the service. I could not agree more with what they said.  Steve said, ' It is a great blessing to visit African Churches, whichever church I visit I am blessed so much. I have visited many churches in the U.S.A. and have to say that the African Churches are more joyous. To see the amount of joy these people get from Jesus is inspirational. I wish every American could visit and African Church. Being able to visit an African Church might be the best reason for me to come to Africa. Regardless of the denomination of church here in Africa, there is a strong sense that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. No matter the worship style or language, it is clear that we are one in Spirit.'

An interesting part of worship was the fact that visions were talked about by members of the congregation and were interpreted by a profit. One vision for example seen by a man who saw an avocado tree with red berries. The profit would say how this related to what God was doing in their lives at the time. Seeing peoples visions be interpreted might sound ridiculous to us at home, but it is something that we have to respect as apart of their culture and worship. Worshiping here in Kenya is not a task but a lifestyle and fun at that. It is something I look forward to going to where I can feel free to be myself. I truly wish all of you could experience a worship service here in Kenya it would truly open your eyes.

I have attached below a letter I tried to send via email to my supporters back home. I have pasted it here for those of you who did not provide an email. Thanks so much for your help!

Dear Family and Friends,

I wanted to take this time during the holidays to thank you so much for your continuous support these past few months. I could not be here without you and I am truly grateful.

For those of you who may not ‘blog’ I have spent the past few months working at the Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC). I am in the programming and communication department where we are currently in the process of planning for youth from Nairobi informal settlements to build a peace bench here at the OAIC. The purpose is to have a visual reminder of peace as we approach the 2013 election here in Kenya.

I have had the privilege of meeting and connecting with so many different people here who have opened countless doors and helped me get involved in the community. I am hoping to start swim coaching at Nairobi Primary School in January to further my involvement.

My Kiswahili is improving slowly through the help of my ‘Kenyan Mothers’ here at the office. People here have a way of opening up their hearts to you which helps me to feel at home.

I spent last Thursday morning on a panel for a Kenyan talk show discussing the meaning of Christmas which will air December 19^th. I will be sure to pass it along to you. 

I would like to thank you once again for your support financially and through prayer. I would also like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Nairobi, Kenya.

Love,

Catherine Freeland

catherinefreeland.blogspot.com

oaic.org

Dear Readers,

I have recently learned that many of you cannot leave comments for reasons unknown. I will leave my email address if you have any questions or comments feel free. freelandc12@gmail.com

Thanksgiving in Kenya was great despite the fact that I had to work part of the day. A large group of my colleagues went to Rev. Phyllis house (our site coordinator) and had a huge lunch with turkey, sweet potatoes, veggies and three different kinds of cake. Needless to say I was completely full when I left. It was a great time to get together with my Kenyan family and remember all that we have to be thankful for.

I have been working with my colleague Will on a Peace Bench Campaign for the OAIC. The purpose is to get youth in Kenya to come together to create a bench to serve as a visible symbol of peace. Last week met with 10 youth from Nairobi informal settlements to start the process. The bench is made of plastic bottles and bags along with some cement. We are working together with the youth and local businesses to gather the recycled material.  While constructing the benches we will have discussions with the youth about barriers that prevent us from having peace and what we can do to break down those barriers. The youth are to come back on Dec. 5th to begin the construction process and I look forward to getting to know them.

See OAIC website for more information if you wish on the Peace Bench (oaic.org)

 

Above is an image of the peace bench created in Nakuru about an hour outside of Nairobi.

I have recently had a hard time dealing with something that I face on a daily basis. Just about every day while walking home or to the grocery I am asked for money or food. At first I felt compassionate and would sometimes give bread that I had in my grocery bag but as it happened more and more I began to get frustrated. I cannot really explain why exactly I got frustrated at the situation. I think it might have to do with the fact that they only ask white people for money and food. Some even sit and wait for us to walk by.  I have thought about what one is supposed to do in this situation and have realized that me giving them food does not really help them at all. It gives into the stereotype of skin color and it encourages them to continue to beg. It is definitely hard to ignore these people that come up to you, but honestly on a missionary salary cannot afford to give to all that ask. It is hard to know what to do in these situations, I guess all I can do is pray for them.

Tomorrow I am supposed to be on a Family TV show which discusses the meaning of Christmas. I am supposed to discuss how Christmas is celebrated at home. I will definitely mention the beautiful decorations, the smiles and singing Silent Night by candle light on Christmas Eve at my home church. I think the music is also something that creates comfort inside me. You cannot listen to Holly Jolly Christmas without feeling jolly!  I do however think that we have been sucked into materialism and it seems to get worse and worse each year. I think we get consumed in the gifts rather than the blessings we have right in front of us. I think it takes stepping back to be with family and friends to make memories that will last, rather than a shirt you will grow out of. That is something I am choosing to work on this year.