Keep on Pushin'

Hey guys!

We went on a walk today around the Kajulu community. It was sooo nice and the weather is gorgeous. This is their cold season and it is pretty hot. I can’t even imagine what the hot season is like. We visited a few schools and walked through some of the villages and were introduced to some members of the community.

Things have been going well here, though we have come across some very difficult challenges. The culture here is so different as well as their style of communication. However, I am confident we will accomplish what we have come here to do.

I have started teaching a computer course and co-teaching an HIV/AIDS awareness class to levels 6 and 7 at Saint Anne Academy not far the center. We have arranged for the kids to come to the center once a week to use the computer. Out of a 57 kids only one had used a computer before so this will be something very new for them. The interesting thing is that they are very knowledgeable about a computers and can tell you some very sophisticated information about them, they have just never used one.

Porsha and I are also working on getting a kids club up and running. There are so many young kids that live nearby and come to the center, but there is no space that is specifically for their use and a comfortable placeto read and play. So Porsha and I are in charge of getting that together and we are having some benches installed tomorrow. We are going paint the area and work with some other members of the Abila youth club to get a permanent program up and running .

The kids here are great, beyond adorable even though they insist on calling us “Mazungus” meaning white person. It is so ironic that I come to Africa and I am considered White. Some people do not know what I am or where I come from until I start to speak. It is also interesting the number of people here who did not know black people lived in America. I was talking to a friend earlier in the week and he said that he had never met an African American before and always wondered what we would be like. All of his exposure to African Americans has been through the media and has never really had the opportunity to really talk to one before.

Kenya is definitely and interesting place and the experience is still amazing. I learn something new and experience something different everyday. My group and I work well together and I am so happy to have them here. We have gotten really close throughout this process and have been through a lot already but we will keep on pushin’.

Until next time!

Love,

Stacey