"Tag the white ladies!!!"

We are still alive, don't worry :)

Well I am here and settled in Korogocho! We are living in a half finished compound with Pastor Alfred Wetindi and his AMAZING wife Elica. They both have giant smiles that could melt stone! They have two grown kids who are visiting for about a week, Rosemary and Daniel. Darnell and I feel very safe here especially at night seeing as Pastor makes us lock ourselves behind THREE doors! Haha! There are bars on all the windows because, poverty and crime are close friends. But none the less we are loving it here. The compound is home to a very small church, a tiny clinic/pharmacy with a VERY enthusiastic staff (or informed us that we may be called on to assist with a live birth one of these days...oh my goodness!!), the Wetindi family, and several of the rehabilitated young men on their way to being pastors. One of them always serves as our guide/escort/body guard whenever we leave the compound, so we are feeling very safe. They are all very nice and repectful, quite a contrast from some of the men we have encountered in the slums. I must add that we haven't run across an outrightly mean Kenyan yet, they are all very friendly and welcoming, asking us all sorts of questions!

Kids love us too, it is pretty hilarious actually. First they will scream, then laugh, then run up to us and take our hands and jabber on in Swahili. You sort of feel like a celebrity here, EVERYONE stares! Since everyone is looking, we try to always shine with the love and hope of Jesus. The only english the little ones know is "How are you?" but is actually sounds more like "Ha Ha You?" So whenever we hear that coming out of dark shops or shacks we know we've been spotted...haha not that we are hard to miss!

We have been eating very well out here. Their main staples are ugali (tasteless mashed potato like white mounds that can be molded in your hands and also used as a spoon). sukomoeekee (shredded cooked kale with onion), chapati (handmade tortillas) and some sort of meat soup. We have also be enjoying DELICIOUS mangos and avacodos...yum! They serve us HEAPS of food, so Darnell and I are glad that we have lots of opportunities to walk during the day. Refusing food is VERY disrespectful in this culture, so Darnell and I are doing our best to keep on swallowing!

Yesterday we went to a near-by part of the slum, about a twenty minute walk on the red African dirt. We passed a by a wild banana grove growing next to the VERY polluted Nairobi River...yum. We visited a primary school and were enthusiastically greeted by about 30 six year olds. We played an action packed game called "Chase/Attack the Mzungu (white lady)" haha! We also practiced counting and doing our ABCs and sang many songs. Next we met up with four other young Kenyans and went out in teams of 3 to visit homes in the slum and tell them about Jesus. It was so scary at first, but so great at the same time! Two girls that we talked to said that they wanted to be born again, WOW!

In the afternoon we visited TULIP, a small Christian girls high school that is part of Pastor Wetindi's ministry called Tumaini (this also includes about 10 churches, lots of pastors, the clinic and much more!) The school is for at risk teen girls who come from very bad home situations. The zealous pastor there, Michael, shared how much he has seen these girls transform and begin to hope again. They greeted us with about 20 minutes of worship! It was just what my heart needed...just to be filled with joy and hope after a long day. We then read some scripture with them, and I gave an abbreviated testimony. They all greeted and hugged us afterward, giant smiles and bright eyes. We will return there once a week during our time here to fellowship and share with them. I know I will miss those girls when we have to leave!

Today we had our first "matatu" ride. How can I describe it...tiny van crammed with as many people as possible and sometimes chickens, a bag of potatos or the odd piece of luggage. They have boisterous conductors who usher people on and off the van while hanging wildly out the door, almost getting peeled off by other drivers! It was a thrill that I'm not sure I want to repeat soon...but while in Kenya!

We spent the day at Amani A Juu, a non-profit that our "Mama" volunteers at several times a week. It partners with refugee women from all over Africa, giving them a place to heal and learn to find hope again. They all work on garmets, bags and jewelry together and all the profits go back to them. It is the most beautiful place, a wonderful little oasis away from the slums...full of flowers, trees and shade. We loved it! The women were amazing, and so full of joy after losing so much!

What an inspiration those ladies were. Tomorrow Dar and I will partner with the youth groups from 2 Tumaini churches in the slum and go home to home again sharing the hope we have found in Christ. Pray for strength and abounding joy. It is hard to live each day among such heartbreaking poverty...but our treasure is surely in heaven, not on this earth.

Until next time...

Kwheri,

Bess