March 12, 2009

culture stress
“Some days I do better than others at not allowing my emotions to determine my actions; but some days the weight of the stress of living here makes me want to hole up in my room and not go out.” – a cross-cultural worker

The culture stress continues for me.

laundry – African style
Tried to do my laundry by hand. Bent over like an African woman and threw my back out. The Kenyan houseworker, Njambi (Jom-bee), laughed at me as I waddled around holding my lower back with one hand and trying to finish my laundry. I told her she was strong. All that scrubbing, ringing, rinsing, bending to wash 8 articles of clothing in a small, plastic basin. We have a washing machine here but they always say “it’s broke, it’s broke…” It’s been “broke” since 2007!

save the children
Save the Elephants. Save the Mara. Save the Children. Everyone is trying to save something here.

With an estimated 2.1 million orphans and vulnerable children under the age of 18 years old in Kenya, you can imagine: there are Children’s Homes everywhere. One of my beginning steps in working with Pioneers has been to get an overview right here in Nairobi of different models for orphan care. How are these homes set up? Run? Funded? What works, what doesn’t? Etc.

First stop – Youngsters for Christ – an outreach in Kibera – the second largest slum in Africa. I’ve been through Kibera before, but it still remains almost too much to take in. The children playing in the dirt seemed so happy. And the children playing in the raw sewage? Happy, too. We got to YFC and worshipped with these teens and young adults. The little watoto (the children) snuck in the back of the room, dancing and playing, drawn to the music. Those are the ones I want to reach – the little children.

Over these past few weeks, I’ve managed to visit 8 different models for orphan care around Nairobi. I am learning a lot and taking in a lot of information. Letting it stew for now.

God is good
"God is good, all the time, for that is His nature."
- the African children have taught me this

Even when I don’t understand the world, the place, the day; I have to cling to this truth with the little faith that I have -

The Lord is good to all.

The Lord has compassion on all He’s made even the babies lying neglected in state-run homes, rocking back and forth, banging feet and heads against crib bars, detached, listless eyes unable to focus, crying crying crying and no one comes in response.

“Where’s the worker for these babies?” I asked.
“Oh, she’s doing the laundry,” our guide explains.

Where’s the laundry? Yards and yards away, obviously out of earshot of these 12 babies. No one cares that they’re crying, but He who sees and hears and knows all, He cares.

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all.
He has compassion on all He has made.”
Psalm 145:8-9

Ethiopia
On March 14, I’m off to Ethiopia – land of injera and wat – staple foods which I thought I loved until I read about the preparation process. Injera is this foam-rubber bread made from flour mixed with yeast and left to go sour. (Left to go sour?) It’s then baked on a clay platter over a wood fire. Left to go sour? Can that be right?

You tear the injera with your hands and then use it to “sop up” whatever blended beans, veggies, or sauces are spooned onto a large, communal platter. It’s a bit like sopping up baby food with edible paper. Strange, but strangely fun. And of course, no utensils allowed, so by the end of an Ethiopian meal, if you’ve eaten properly, your fingers will glow like greasy cheetohs.