Every Little Thing

Kiptere Unwrapped 2011

2011-12-08T06:41:00.001-08:00

www.kiptere-unwrapped.blogspot.com

Firstly a HUGE thank you to everyone who donated to the campaign last year!
Please check the posts below for some of the photos of the amazing gifts we were able to give...

And now some news about what's happening this year...

This year I've been in Kenya for 6 months (from April to the end of October).

All those who received gifts send their greetings to those who gave the money.

The HIV+ Women's group, half of whom received chickens, have now given out the chicks and each woman now has a growing collection of hens laying eggs and hatching more chicks!
The football teams are still training and the St Clare's team competed in a regional schools competition, so proud of their brand new uniforms!
The students who started secondary school still carefully polish their shoes everyday and head off in the early mornings across the fields to school.
The little ones who received toys still cherish them, even if the cars are missing a wheel or two and the batteries to the toy mobile phones are long since dead.
My village has since 'finally' got an electricity connection and so now those who were given rechargeable lanterns have a shorter distance to go to get them charged.
Many of the students who attended the computer course are now my 'friends' on Facebook and keep me up to date with all the gossip in the village from who's cow gave birth to how much rain there was last week.

My proudest achievement however is the fact that my little brother and sister were able to attend St Peter's Primary school and had their whole year's school fees covered by a very kind donation.

Sharon Chelangat (age 13) and Kenneth Cheruiyot (age 11).
Before going to St Peter's they went to a small school near to our house. It is a very very rural school and often the teachers do not come to class. They were both failing. They didn't achieve the grade needed to proceed to Class 6 and would have to repeat Class 5 (starting in Jan 2011).
Since going to St Peter's they have risen from below 250/500 (a fail) to well over 320 (a very respectable score!). They are so proud of their smart uniforms and shoes; the gladly get up every morning before 6am to have breakfast (cold Ugali and tea) to walk the 30-45mins to school (depending on the muddy road!). They do their homework in the evenings and have even taught my mum many of the new things they learned in school!

There is no way they would have been able to go to this school if it hadn't been through your help. They are about to take their exams and will certainly be heading for Class 6 in January.

I'm not in Kenya this Christmas and so it's not possible for me to get the gifts out in the same way as in 2010.
This year I hope that Kiptere Unwrapped might be able to keep these two kids in school for another year.

They have another 3 years left in primary school (up to Class 8) and it would be a real shame for them to have to leave the school that is giving them the best chance to succeed in life.

Education is the greatest gift we can give to children in Kenya. They can then have the chance to change their own and their families circumstances because they understand better how the world works. They have had so many more opportunities just from attending a better primary school. Last month they travelled to Nakuru National Park (3hrs away) to see the wildlife; amazing for kids who've never even been to Kericho town less than an hour away!

A whole year's fees for one pupil costs under £200. (with the very favourable exchange rate at the moment)
For the two of them, we need to raise just £1 per day. (2012 being a leap year)
£366 would provide them both with the school fees, new books and pens, shoes and socks.

If we're able to reach that target I will be sending the money directly to the school and have a contract that they will provide the kids education for the next 12 months.

The school year starts in January and it would be incredible if we were able to send these kids into 2012 without the worries that they'll have to leave their school.

If you would like to help please get in touch.
The details are the same as last year:

Either by online transfer or by visiting a Lloyds TSB Bank.
Laura Griffin
Lloyds TSB
Account Number: 77-07-05
Sort Code: 21727168

PLEASE Contact me for confirmation!
When you contact me please send the following information:
Full Name:
Address in UK:
Number of Days in School Sponsored:
Any extra information: (if you have any messages for the kids, they love stories and getting post! Even the people you gave gifts to last year. I can pass these on and let them know how you're doing)

Contact Details:
THE BEST WAY IS EITHER TO EMAIL ME OR TO SEND ME A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE NUMBER BELOW.

Email – griffin_laura@hotmail.co.uk
Phone – 07922847589

(in the amazing circumstances that we raise anything over the target I will get back to you all with some options as to what else you would like to do with the funds. There are several options from helping a young mother (who had to drop out of her first year in secondary school) get back to college or subsidising some more computer training etc.)

2011-06-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it’s the great, dramatic events that stand out in our memories as the days we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. On the other hand maybe it’s an encounter that lasts only a few seconds that starts changing your life’s perspective for the better. Spending a year in Kenya provided me with so many experiences; big and small. From the ‘Big Five’ to Christmas day with my adopted family in the village; every day was a day to remember. But since returning home to the UK I’ve come to realize that there is one day I hope I’ll never forget.

The process that led up to this day is almost as memorable as the day itself. One Sunday afternoon in May a group of about 25 young boys, ranging from about 7 to 17 years old gathered around the compound of our little wooden house in the tea reserve near to Kericho in rural Kenya. They had decided to go and play football in the field of a nearby primary school and had organized their own match against the boys in that area. Off they went, leaving me at home. An hour or so later they came trudging back looking down hearted. The watchman at the school had sent them away because they were unsupervised. My youngest host-brother spent the rest of the evening being a grumpy 9 year old and I started wondering if there was something I could do. The next afternoon found me in the headmaster’s office asking for permission to supervise the boys one day after school. As someone who had not played ‘organised’ football for almost a decade I didn’t think it through so much. How difficult could it be right?! Permission was sought from the school management and suddenly the Mzungu (European) girl had a football team.

On the Wednesday afternoon I arrived in the field and wondered what to do next. I asked the headmaster is there was a teacher who could referee for me or a whistle we could use. Answers to both questions were negative. At least I hoped my little brother would bring the ball along with his team! So thanks to a talent I had picked up for whistling very loud, I gathered 11 players from each school who all promised me that they were Under 14. They all shook hands and a coin was tossed to decide which team would kick off first. Following that first game I was persuaded to ‘train’ the boys at least twice in a week. Sometimes they arrived late, sometimes it was pouring with rain, sometimes the ball was flat. But we played and the improvement was dramatic. After three months practicing they were no longer the ‘kick it up in the air and hope it lands near someone on my team’ players of May. They could control and pass to each other, they learned how to do a throw in correctly and were starting to realise that the off side rule does actually matter.

In October I discovered that there was going to be a tournament dedicated to Jamhuri Day (Independence or Hero’s Day) in Kenya. In the weeks leading up to this day my two teams would play against others from the area to compete for the final places to play for the District Commissioner and other officials on 13th December 2010. The lead up to this final did not go smoothly.

On the day of the play offs we were the only teams to arrive. Even after the drama of getting the boys to raise their own funds to take the matatu to another village for the match, being promised that lunch was provided and waiting over 6 hours for the other teams to arrive. We played two matches and my teams rose to the top of the table. Despite our best efforts not all the matches were played. I was furious at the organisers for their lax attitude to these boys who had tried so hard and the discovery that it probably didn’t matter that we were at the top of the table. They were just going to submit their friends for the final anyway. I was tired, my 40 boys were hungry and cold and it looked like all my effort was coming to nothing. So I decided I had to do something. I called all the old men ‘organisers’ together and announced that the play offs had to be completed the next Sunday. I would get the field, they would get the referees and we would start at 11am. Any team more than 10 minutes late would be disqualified…

Stunned silence…

…Then suddenly they all started talking at once.
“Who was this white girl from Kiptere?”
“What good ever came out of there anyway?”
“Why does she care about who plays in the final?”

All spoken in their mother tongue of Kipsigis which they believed I could not understand… mistake number one. Mistake number two was their belief that these young boys didn’t matter. I felt like a mother hearing gossip about her child, except there were 40 of them! Over the past 10 months my Kipsigis was good enough to understand them but my reply had to come in English.

“These boys matter. They had been promised so much of today and you could not even arrive in time. If you want to play in a final you have to conduct the play offs fairly. This is not just an ‘old boys club’. This year it will be different. I will speak with the District Commissioner on Monday and if you don’t attend next week’s matches don’t come and expect to play on Jamhuri day.”

Eventually they agreed and invited me to go and have tea with them to seal the deal. Mistake number three… my boys had still not been fed; no way was I going to eat before they were taken care of. So I politely refused and explained my stand (Especially since to refuse tea in Kenya is very very rare!). They were so shocked that someone would consider the boys before themselves that they even gave me the money to buy tea and something to eat for the boys. So we left for home, stopping at a small hotel to have tea before walking the rest of the way through the fields together. They were tired but still excited for the next weekend and ready to take on the teams again, certain that we would make it to the final.
The next Sunday I arrived in the field early but found that my boys were already there practising. By 11am most of the teams had arrived; except the one that was due to play first against my team, Kiptere. I was also lacking the promised referees but was informed that they were ‘on the way’; in the meantime I would referee myself. When the team was more than 20 minutes late I declared a walkover. This gave my team three points and a 3-0 win over the other team. Four matches later, still no official referee, I was starting to get a bit tired. Kiptere were still top of the table and Kesainet ranked third. With time running out and my energy almost all gone after refereeing 7 matches (the others never arrived) we discussed with the teams and decided that the last match would be a little shorter to ensure we finished before dark. It would be the decider, with one team winning they could rise to second place and knock Kesainet out of their newly won place and with the other, just a draw would be enough for my teams to go through to the final. After nail-biting penalties; the result was in our favor… we were in the final!

Exhausted and elated we went home to tell our parents. These young boys from the ‘tea’ had finally become a team!

The day of the finals drew closer and I made many trips to the District Commissioners office to ensure that I would be given money for lunch and transport to bring the two teams for the match. I organized a matatu that would bring the boys the 8km from our village to the pitch. I made sure that we had a good football and arranged the time/place to meet on the day itself.

The morning of the finals I left early to go and pick up the transport (plus driver and conductor). It had been raining over the past few days so I walked in Wellington Boots and carried my trainers for later. Arriving at our arranged meeting place I could only see 5 boys waiting. I asked where the others were, ‘they’re coming, they’re coming’. We waited.
After 20 mins I had assembled enough boys to make one team. About 13 were still missing. The driver was becoming impatient and I was anxious that we were about to lose our transport too. So I made the decision… we left them behind…

Arriving in the field we helped to set up for the events of the day; raising the national flag, setting up the public address system and putting up the goal nets. An hour after we arrived one of the boys approached me and told me that the others were now all waiting where we had organized to meet. Waiting for me and the car. Now did I have a choice? Leave my players there and go to collect the others (like the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to look for the one that is lost) or did I stay with those who were on time and make the match a 5-a-side. After all our hard work and preparation I could not leave them stranded. I searched for a lift back home and on the way discovered that the boys had already started walking, aimlessly along the 8km to the pitch. Jumping out of the car they were excited to see me and assumed, wrongly, that I was going to bundle them into a bus to head back to the celebrations. No, they missed the bus, we would have to walk and that was that. So putting on the radio on my mobile phone I and my remaining 13 boys (plus supporters) started marching to the field.
Waved at wonderingly by villagers as we passed, the European girl like the Pied Piper with her boys following behind…and with Wellies on like a farmer too! We marched; they complained I was going too fast. We marched; they said they were hungry. We marched and we marched. After what seemed like forever the pitch came into sight.

We had made it. The match had not begun, only the official speeches were underway. I tried to sneak into the back of the crowd but there is another disadvantage to being a drastically different skin colour to those around you, I stand out a bit. After a few minutes I was invited to make my speech. I had still not changed my Wellies to trainers, I was still a bit out of breath from our march and I had no idea what I would say. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, somehow I knew what I would say.

“Today is Hero’s day in Kenya. But I want to tell you about my real heroes. You see those small boys over there… they’re the ones we should be cheering. They’ve fought hard to get to play for your entertainment today. Building teams from nothing just a few months ago. Even today half of them walked all the way from Kiptere just to get here. (Ok they missed my bus!). These young people are the future of Kenya. They are my heroes and they are the ones that are going to make this country great.”

Nothing like a bit of motivational speaking to wake you up in the morning! Somehow they were impressed anyway, especially since I made an effort to come dressed like a local farmer too!

Early afternoon and the match was underway. Now I’m ashamed to say that I don’t remember which team won or lost, who scored the goals or who would have been ‘man of the match’. But what I do remember is that after eating a huge lunch of ugali, beans AND meat the boys then watched the senior finals, aspiring to one day become like these men.

The night was dark and rainy when we piled about 40 small boys into a mini bus designed for much less.
I took home one winning team and one losing team, did it matter? Not one bit.

They had gone to a real football pitch, played under a real referee (not just me!), eaten lunch in a real hotel (with meat!) and now were singing together with their friends on the way home.

These are my heroes.

10 year old boys who probably speak only about 100 words of English and a referee who speaks even less Kipsigis…

Who believed that I could train them, who believed that they could win and who showed everyone around that, yes, something good can come out of Kiptere!

2011-05-18T01:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I was a bit rubbish at posting.....Again

Can you believe that I've now been back for just over a month?!
Time goes so fast and I still feel like I just arrived.

First my new address:
Laura Griffin
Intercultural Youth Exchange - Kenya
Po Box 66118 - 00800
Westlands
Nairobi
Kenya

The competition is on for the most exciting post that you can get into a small padded envelope. Prizes will be awarded :-p
Current leaders (since I've only received one letter so far!) are Kathy and Nathan who made me laugh out loud with their Little Miss Stubborn and Helpful books! (you decide which one suits me more?)
I've written to quite a lot of people so post could be on its way to you. If you haven't given me your address and would like a postcard, let me know!

Suppose I should tell you what I've been doing over the last month that's made me too busy to blog about it!
I'm based in the ICYE Kenya office and now I have a clearer idea of the task ahead of me...
I am conducting a piece of action research into the 'impact of volunteering in Kenya'. To do this I'm visiting projects, volunteers and host families to carry out questionnaires and interviews. I will also be writing a section within the research that shows a 'country contextual profile' of volunteering and it's history here.... I'm also making a video presentation on volunteering and the projects in Kenya....helping to update the website database with photos and profiles....helping with ICYE camps and orientations....meeting up with other volunteers.....learning to live with a new host family.....trying to understand Nairobi....practicing Kiswahili (hmm, a bit)....trying to decide where I'll travel during my time off (most important :p) ....and....learning more about what it is I want to do/who I am (yeah, it's a personal learning experience right?!)

So you see why I've not written?

So far I've visited some projects in Nairobi and Kitui. We were due to head to Isiolo this week. However, I received some bad news that my Host Uncle in Kiptere passed away. This is really sad because he was a young man, talented carpenter, husband and father. I've been given permission to visit 'home' for the funeral. I'll be traveling there sometime today. I will admit that I'm a bit nervous about returning 'home'. I've been gone almost 5 months now so things could be different. But I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, even in this sad circumstance.
I'll return to Nairobi on Saturday or Sunday.

It feels like I never really left Kenya in the first place. It has been fairly easy to adapt to the surroundings of Nairobi and it really is not as bad as I was fearing. Even my 2hr commute to work every day is alright...
I really feel for the other EVS - Volunteering Matters participants who are adapting to new cultures, languages and ICYE offices all around the world. We're working together, separately on this project, hoping to create something that can make a difference to volunteering.

The cyber I'm in right now is within Mzungu Land...so it's a bit expensive...I think I'll have to leave it there for today. I will try to write more often...
Love to hear from you too!

2011-04-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Habari ya nyumbani?

Another post to try and keep up the frequency of writing this year.
I'm not 2 days into my 'official orientation' as an EVS/ICYE volunteer. I've been doing my training with another volunteer who will be staying for a year, Gabi from Costa Rica. It's nice spending the orientation with another person and getting to know old faces a bit better too. Most of the things were covered in my first orientation back in January 2010 but some of the information will never cease to amaze me. Today we covered the list of common diseases and illnesses in Kenya as well as the issue of relationships. Now just as last time, after these sessions you can't help feeling a bit overwhelmed at the amount of information being given you to keep you safe and healthy (we'll cover security issues tomorrow!). Now I know it's all for our own good but it does make you go a bit "AAAAAHHHH!" about the whole experience! I can only imagine how Gabi felt hearing it for the first time.

We've also been having Kiswahili classes. And I've been reassured that I do actually know a fair amount already. (Yeah I know I've had a year head start but really, come on, you know we Brits don't really learn languages that well...:-p ) But it seems that my only difficulty now is having the confidence to practice, to try out the sentences and words not being afraid that I'll pronounce them wrong or mix them up. That's the really challenging part! It's much easier to say, I don't remember any of it and get by with English because Kenya is also so English orientated anyway. Though I really should try harder this time to integrate into this part of my 'cultural exchange' because I think it could be really beneficial and also pretty cool if I can put conversational Kiswahili on my CV!

I'm still waiting for confirmation on where I'll be living and what kind of family it will be. I'm actually really nervous about meeting a new family and whether I'll get on with them etc. I guess that's only natural too.
I heard some ideas on what exactly it is that I'll be doing over the 6 months from Judy today and it does all sound pretty interesting. I suppose that it's just trying to match up expectations from ICYE, EVS and myself to actual practical action in a place where things don't usually work out the way you expect them to. But I'll be making use of my 'special' mind maps and lists to try and organise my head into what I'm supposed to be doing and also trying not to expect too much. I have only just arrived (even if I had hardly even left) and it's a new task and responsibilities are different now that I'm technically 'ICYE staff'. However, I am hopeful and I hope that the ICYE Kenya team are happy to have me back. At least they must have had the chance to say "No way are we having that Laura Griffin back again!" and they didn't so let's build on that and see what happens!

So I'm doing fine, Nairobi is not as terrible as I believe it to be. Though I've been able to walk to work from the guesthouse and haven't really seen too much of the city. I'm getting on with things and it's all going OK.
For those who gave me some specific advice before I came out here, I am working on it and once I get my feet on the ground I'll try to do as I was told. I've not forgotten!

Congratulations to the Kenyans in the London Marathon but also massive congratulations to Gemma Foster who also ran and all the other people/charities I'm connected to who were involved! (If I couldn't learn to run after a year of living with 'the running tribe' I'm afraid there's no hope for me there!)

I'll post my address next time I write and will be sending out letters to everyone who gave me their address very soon! (It's not too late to jump on the 'Post from Kenya II' train if you'd like to, just send me your address and I'll write to you soon!)

2011-04-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

So I said..."I'll Be Back..."

I landed in JKIA Nairobi at about 8:30pm.
By 10pm I was still waiting for my luggage. (Thankfully it did eventually arrive)
I was picked up by the usual ICYE taxi guy, Peter who dropped me in the YMCA.
This was almost a direct repeat of January 2010, except this time I think I was possibly a little less nervous than before.
I called ICYE to see what was planned for Saturday and found out that I would be attending a training put on for local co workers/volunteers who help out with orientation/supporting international volunteers. I was pretty tired and not so excited to be getting up at 6:30am. But it was a good training for me to go to.
I was able to meet some of the local volunteers and get to know more about their role within ICYE. (Might as well hit the ground running hey?!)
They are all really nice people and hopefully I will be able to work with them a bit more once we figure out what my actual role will be over the next 6 months.

So today is Sunday and I thankfully didn't have anything that I needed to do. I'm staying in a guesthouse near to the ICYE office until Wednesday or until a host family is found for me to stay with. I'm a little nervous of moving in with a new host family, especially since last year I had the most awesome family in Kiptere. But I know that I need to take this as a brand new experience and not compare to the past or even have many of the same expectations as before.

My orientation begins tomorrow and hopefully I will begin to settle into life in Nairobi. (One thing I did say last year was that I hated this city...so I hope that I can learn to like living here and become accustomed to the bustle of the big city.)

I have so many ideas of what I might be doing while I'm here and probably none of them will actually work out the way I expect but "TIA-This is Africa" after all...

It's a new adventure and who knows I might be changed by this experience...

(I know that there are things people have said to me about volunteering again and about me as growing as a person, this is just a little nod to you guys, I've not forgotten and I did listen to you. I'll do my best!)

Almost Lastly, I don't have a PO Box address yet, but I do love post....Writing and receiving...
so send me your address and I'd love to write to you (only condition being, you think about writing back!)

Finally....

I want to say best of luck to all of the other EVS volunteers on this project all over the world (especially ALEX PERRY in Brazil!) and all ICYE volunteers everywhere.
You are all awesome and are inspiring people the world over,
Even if it doesn't feel like it, Keep up the good work!

*Want to do this kind of thing too?? Check out ICYE UK *

2011-04-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

Heading back to Kenya!

Now I realise that I haven't even updated this blog to say that I arrived back in the UK on 30th December 2010. Or even told any of the stories that happened after my dad came to visit in September.
Loads of things happened.

Most exciting probably being my Kiptere Unwrapped Project that raised money to give Christmas presents and other items to the people of Kiptere village, where I lived for the year.
You can find out more about that at
www.kiptere-unwrapped.blogspot.com

Anyway.... I came home,
I tried to find a job and failed (Got to love the current economy)
I tried to figure out what I might be doing with my life and couldn't decide
I ate a lot of cheese, met up with lots of my amazing friends and drank lots of coffee
I did countless DIY projects at home
I met lots of very awesome ICYE volunteers who are working in the UK, as well as some more of the lovely ICYE UK family.
AND.....

I got an application form for an EVS/Youth in Action funded placement opportunity....

Now being me, I filled it in and sent it back thinking nothing of it,
It was a long shot and I was never expecting to be accepted.

I had an interview with the lovely Jenny from ICYE UK and we sat back to wait and see....

Surprise, surprise...

I got it!

So tomorrow morning at 10:20am I will be flying back to Kenya!

Shocked?!

I still don't quite believe it myself!

Here's a bit about what we're aiming to achieve (taken from the ICYE newsletter)
Because I don't really know how to explain any clearer!

15 April – 15 October 2011: EYV
2011 – Volunteering Matters!
16 long-term volunteer placements in EU (Austria,
Iceland, Spain, Sweden and Turkey), African
(Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania), Asian
(India, Philippines, Vietnam) and Latin American
(Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador,, Mexico) countries.
The EVS project “EYV 2011 – Volunteering
Matters,” financed by the YiA programme and
coordinated by the ICYE International Office, is
dedicated to the European Year of Volunteering
2011 and the International Year of Volunteers
2001+10, and aims at take stock of diverse
European, African, Asian and Latin American
volunteering practices, raise awareness and
promote the benefits of volunteering programs and
practices for young people and for society as a
whole.

The mainstay of the project is to carry out action research
activities to document the experiences of
volunteers and local host communities in the
respective host country and to contribute actively
to the work of the host organisations in promoting
volunteering at local, regional and national level.
Volunteers will document and carry out
presentations about volunteering opportunities in
schools, youth centres and NGOs as well as
participate in public events to mark the EYV 2011
and/or IYV 2001+10. A final publication will
compile the presentations, research results and
feedback by sending and host organisations,
volunteers, and will be widely disseminated.

SO.... There you go!
That's my newest news...

I will try to keep things more updated here over the next 6 months and I will be living in Nairobi so it should be a little bit easier than in Kiptere!
I'll certainly be visiting everyone there and will be sure to have stories of what they've all been getting up to as well as my city adventures too!

Hope you have a great 6 months where ever in the world you are and let me know what you're up to, I love to hear your news too!

2010-10-01T02:08:00.000-07:00

2010-10-01T01:55:00.000-07:00

2010-07-08T03:57:00.000-07:00

Half Way Camp

So about 20 volunteers from ICYE,
Some from Youth Volunteers for Change,
and a few locals,
Met together in a small village called Mituri near Bondo in Nyanza,
To evaluate the last 6 or 12 months in Kenya and to help a community build some structures for a school.

We attempted to build:
The stand for a water tank,
2 Semi Permanent Classrooms,
A Kitchen
and Pit Latrines.

We didnt manage to finish all but we have made a start and hopefully will have inspired the community to complete the rest of the work together.

We also visited two secondary schools to play football matches and on the last day visited a primary school to give a talk about HIV.

During the week we stayed with host families in a pretty rural setting. This was nice for those guys volunteering in Nairobi or other towns to see how the other half live.... to me it was actually an upgrade from home in Kiptere. The reason we visited the last school was because I'd mentioned to my host mum that I work with youth and HIV prevention in my project. She decided it would be a good idea for us to go and talk to the school...so unfortunately it was up to me to organise the programe of what we would say and to try and remember all the stuff I've learnt on HIV in the last 6 months. In the end the I had expected to be really nervous to be leading something like this in front of all my volunteer friends, ICYE Kenya and maybe 200 pupils. But really it wasnt so bad, seems that with practice these things don't scare me anymore!

Then we played some crazy Kenyan circle games led by one of the Kenya volunteers (Who's going out to spend a year in Switzerland) and then a game of human tug-of-war where the girls decided to immediately let go so we lost 3-0.

On the final evening in Mituri we went out to the local pub and then made a camp fire. It was Mid summer's eve...which to most people means nothing....but it seems in Sweeden and Iceland (according to our volunteers) it's actually a pretty big deal! So we sang songs and told stupid stories and generally had a really good evening. Then at about 5am most of us decided it was time to sleep, since we had to be back in our host families to pick up luggage by 7am. There being no places inside to sleep, we slept outside next to the fire in a long line of about 10 volunteers all from different countries but all in Kenya together.

So then we basically wanted to sleep for the whole day! But we had to go to Kisumu where we ate some really good food, went out to watch the USA vs Ghana game and then stayed the night. The next morning Bianca and I went searching for fish at Lake Victoria but didnt find anything that was what she was looking for so gave up. Most of the volunteers took a matatu shuttle back to Nairobi where as I and one other volunteer headed in another for Kericho. I picked up some shopping for home (Seeing as we get through 2kg of sugar in a week and the kids always appreciate lolipops!).

When I reached home I found out that the weekend had also been my host-sister's wedding and I had missed it all! It's a long story as to why she's got married at 16 but maybe I'll tell it sometime...otherwise you can guess for yourselves....

Since that week I've spent a week in the office and then last weekend in Nairobi with Jana and Lisa. Who treated me as the village girl I am and almost held my hand as we crossed the crazy busy roads. Nairobi is too busy for me and I don't know where anything is so I'm not so keen on the place. But it was nice to be with friends and to see their project etc. The reason I went to the big city was to renew my visa, get a work permit and to apply for my Alien card (residents card)...that done on Monday I was able to drink a really good coffee before heading home on Tuesday morning.

There is possibilty I might be back in Nairobi for 17th since there's some partying to be done to say farewell to the volunteers that were here for 12 months or only staying 6 months. But things are busy in the village so I will have to see what happens.

Ok, I need to finish planning for my recorder lesson this afternoon...teaching songs for them to sing at Mass... Yeah I know, you can't run away from church no matter how hard you try! :-)
Then I should be starting the computer classes from Tuesday next week but I'm not even sure if they've arrived yet so that might not happpen... I'm hoping that I'm actually able to teach comupters because I've never tried anything further than instructions to my mum on how to do things! I think I might be a bit out of my depth here but we'll see!

Anyway hope you are well where ever you are and that you're having a good week!
Missing you all!

2010-07-08T03:35:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I'm a little useless but here is my latest update that I sent to my church in Coventry, Some of it is repeating what you already know but some could be news....
Something to read anyway!

It’s unbelievable that I have now been here for six months! The time has gone so fast and I have done so many different things that it’s hard to know what to tell you first.
Maybe I will give a bit of an over view of my work in the project. As I mentioned before Community Watch and Rescue Team (COWART) work with HIV prevention and peace building. We are trying to reach out to the young people in this rural area. There are very many who are just sitting idle waiting to go to college next year or looking for jobs. Not unlike the young people back in the UK after exam time is over!
We try to provide them with some positive activities to fill their time and to help them with applications for colleges/jobs.

Peer Youth Education: This programme involves about 25 young people who have finished school coming to the youth centre for training on HIV prevention and peer counselling. They come on one morning a week and then on another afternoon I send them out to different schools across the district to teach what they have learned to the students in school too! This way we get to reach a vast number of people with correct information and training in a short time. This set of trainees are about to graduate in a couple of weeks and it is amazing to see the difference in them now after spending 4 months together, some who wouldn’t speak about anything to even a group of 4 people can now hold the attention of a class of 60 for 2 hrs!

Football: From Feb to May I also had the company of another volunteer from England called Lucy. Over the Easter holiday in April we organised a football tournament involving primary and secondary schools as well as some outside clubs. The event took place over the weekend of Easter and was a great success. The finals were held on Easter Monday and the District Officer (one of the most important people in the area!) came to give a speech and to kick off the last game between the youth centre’s team (COWART FC) and Sosiot (A neighbouring village). Unfortunately our team did not do so well and we lost 3:1. It was a great opportunity to get together with the whole community and to talk with them about peace. There are big problems with tribalism here and the upcoming elections in 2012 are expected to cause violence, as in 2007. We are working hard to encourage dialogue between different tribes and one thing that always brings people together is football!

Tree Planting: The major source of water for the people in Kiptere village is the river. Most go and collect water for their homes and all of the businesses rely on the donkeys that bring containers up several times a day. In the past the river was very high but today it is barely a stream. There have been a lot of Eucalyptus trees planted along the banks and these are drinking up to 200 litres a day! We are hoping to mobilise the community into helping us remove these Eucalyptus and plant indigenous species of tree in their place. This is going to involve planting up to 3000 seedlings over what we hope will be a two week project. Our only problem now is looking for the seedlings from big companies like Unilever Tea Company (Formerly Brooke Bond) and the local forestry ministry. We are also searching for some funding to provide lunches for the local volunteers who will be helping us. Since the project should be starting in a couple of weeks, we have to get moving fast! Unfortunately… nothing happens fast in Kenya!

Income Generating Activities: Kiptere and the surrounding villages have one of the highest percentages of unemployed youth in the whole of Kenya. As I mentioned before, a lot of youths are just idle waiting for the next activity. We find that they are not very motivated to find work and sometimes expect the Europeans to find it for them! So we are working on some projects to encourage them to set up their own businesses. Currently we have a video show which will be showcasing matches from the World Cup and people will pay around 20p to come and watch a game.
We are also looking into setting up a hairdressing salon or a shop selling fresh juice and puddings. The problem here is getting the youth motivated to work and to believe that they can achieve something. Hopefully soon we will show them that they are capable and don’t have to wait for handouts, they can do for themselves!

Computer Training: I am also starting up a computer training school to begin teaching people some basic skills such as word processing, spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. Most people here have never really used a computer and look at me amazed if they see my typing…apparently they didn’t believe it was possible to type so fast! I am running this project with Sister Lucy and we hope to start the classes in the next two weeks.

Building a Youth Centre! At the moment we are renting some rooms in a building near to the village market. It is in a good location but really the building is almost falling down and is not very welcoming for the community. So we are looking to find some land to build our own centre that could incorporate a library, recreation room, space for our HIV counsellors, a training room, computer lab and offices for the staff. It’s proving difficult to find land but hopefully soon we will find some and start building! I can’t go looking for land since the unfortunate thing of having a white face means the price is tripled so I am waiting for the locals to help me out… as usual ‘slowly, slowly’ is the order of the day!

Holidays!
I’m now looking to see if I can get a chance to climb Mt Kilimanjaro (on the border of Kenya and Tanzania) at some point during my remaining six months.

Half Way Camp: I will be spending the next week meeting up with the other ICYE volunteers to review the experience so far. We will also be building a water tank and classrooms for a school in a place called Bondo which is near by to Lake Victoria. It will be really nice to meet up with everyone again after all of this time. I’m really looking forward to a week with 25 other Europeans, not entirely sure the small village we’re visiting are ready for such an invasion!

I hope that everything is going well in the UK and that summer has arrived now to stay for a few months! Last time I wrote I asked you to pray for rain…it has now been raining everyday for the last 4 months! This is really good for the crops and for the water supply in the villages but it does mean there is an awful lot of mud everywhere!

I would really appreciate your prayers in these areas:
* Health – I have recently been ill with malaria and a bug I picked up from the water here, and then followed by a bad cold. I’m almost back to 100% now and would like to be able to stay that way so that I can get on with the work needed here.
* My host family – They are very poor but always want to give me everything they have. Please pray that they would stay well and perhaps that my host father will find a job to allow the family to survive more comfortably.
* For the project – That we can secure more funding opportunities to continue the work we are doing here.
* For Kenya – There will be a referendum on the proposed constitution in August and at the moment there is a lot of campaigning from different sides of the government trying to get the country to vote Yes or No. Last week there was a grenade attack in Nairobi at a prayer rally for the No side. We are really hoping that the referendum will not cause violence like that after the 2007 presidential elections. Prayers are really needed for peace between the tribes and the Yes and No campaigners.
* For all ICYE volunteers – For their health, projects and host families around the world as well as their families waiting for them to return home. There are a number of volunteers leaving for home in July after being abroad for 1 year and then a large number leaving their home countries to begin their volunteering experiences in August.

If you would like to send me a letter, I love getting post out here, you can write to:

Laura Griffin
St Francis Catholic Mission
PO Box 39 – 20213
Kiptere
Kenya
East Africa

Thank you very much for all your support and prayers.
I look forward to seeing you all in January 2011!

2010-05-22T02:06:00.000-07:00

Hello again,
I'm sorry for the absence in writing. I really have no excuse but I hope that I can improve in the future!
I have a lot of news over the past month or so, perhaps I'll separate it out a bit and try to give you a picture of what I've been up to all this time.

19th - 31st April
HOLIDAYS!!

As you've now seen from the pictures I had a little bit of a holiday. Lucy and I met up with Bianca (A volunteer living in Kitui but from Austria) to go off on a Safari to Massai Mara National Park.
In order to get to Narok (where we were meeting Bianca and the rest of the group), we had to take 3 matatus. First from Kiptere to Kericho, Kericho to Bomet and Bomet to Narok. This was all to avoid having to go to Nairobi to meet with the safari company. We made it to Bomet in plenty of time to be changed by the conductor to the next Matatu. Unfortunately they decided to try a little 'take advantage of the white people' plan. They put us in the front of a car that was leaving immediately and we headed out of the bus park. Only to be stopped at the gate by the watchman telling us that we had to get out because the driver was under arrest. We turned round to see 2 policemen, complete with their weapons, waiting to arrest the man. Apparently they had thought that the police wouldn’t cause a stir if there where Muzungus in the car...... Sadly not and the driver did not get to escape!
So we then had to transfer to another vehicle which to start with was actually missing its driver, we waited about 30mins before he appeared and then another 15 mins until the minibus was full. By this time the safari company were calling me to say they had arrived in Narok and were waiting for us. I had no idea how far it was between us and them...it turns out that it's pretty far....about 1hr travelling at over 60km/hr, but we did stop after every 5 mins to either drop someone off or to cram a few more people in. If you've not seen a full Matatu then you probably don't really get the real picture but imagine a youth group minibus designed for 14 passengers...crammed with around 26 people, their luggage and often their chickens too! It's an experience I repeat on many occasions since it's the only way to get to places at a reasonable price...I know those 'grown ups' reading this are wanting to tell me not to travel this way but up country there are not any busses and this really is the only way to travel!
So we arrived about 1hr late to meet the group but were still able to eat a good lunch to prepare for the rest of the journey. The group consisted of the 3 of us ICYE volunteers, an American girl also volunteering, an older guy from Jordan and another older guy from Japan. We drove to the campsite, which was not DofE style at all...the tents had real beds, electricity and a real toilet and shower inside the tent! The 4 of us girls shared, Jordan guy stayed alone and the Japanese guy went off to his luxury lodge inside the national park...to be honest I didn’t really care, we had a toilet and a shower, that was luxury to me!

Since the Japanese guy was leaving the next afternoon it was organised that we would visit the 'Massai Village' that evening. It was located about 5 mins walk from the campsite and not to let my scepticism take over...was strategically placed to cater to the tourists. Anyway, it was nice to see the traditional houses, dances and 6guys attempting to make fire to convince us they don't use matches! We finished the visit at their market place where every family tried to show us that the things they had made were better than any other. There was also a fair bit of convincing to try and tell us that the traditional Massai blankets they had for sale were made there in the village...along with the plastic wrapping they came in too! Ok, I might be a bit unfair here but I think that comes from actually living in Kenya with a 'real' family and not being the usual 'fly in-fly out' tourist. So I'll stop complaining! They showed us some traditional dances and the horn of the Kudu that is blown during celebrations. Since I was the musician among the group obviously I had to try it. First I tried to ask the guy if I blow it like a trumpet or like a recorder, demonstrating each. He said 'Just blow'...not much help there then! I tried it and did make some small noise but not very good. I think with a bit of practice I could master it, maybe I'll find one to bring home!

The next morning we set out on our safari at around 7am. You can see some of the pictures from the trip but we saw very many animals. Impala, Elephant, Gazelle, Giraffe, Hyena, Vulture, Hippo, Wildebeest, Buffalo, other Birds, Cheetah and very many Lions (including those eating a buffalo, two on honeymoon and some resting under a tree). My favourite animal was the elephant. I think it was a real treat to see so many in one day and to even see the occasional calf with its mother too! We spent one final night at the campsite and then headed out for another drive in the park at 6am the next morning to see what other animals we could see before returning to Nairobi.
It was a really nice safari and even though it was only 1 full day we really saw a lot of the animals. The only one we were left searching for was the Rhino but hopefully I will see some before I come home.

We travelled back to Nairobi to decide what to do next. Lucy and I were staying in a hostel while Bianca was able to stay with relatives of her host family. We had dinner together near by the hostel and made plans to visit the ICYE office in the morning. First thing after breakfast Lucy and I headed down to the infamous River Road (one of the not so safe places of Nairobi but actually about 2mins from the hostel) to find a bus to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Our bus company was called Spider and we would soon find out, wasn’t quite up to British standards! The next one was leaving at 11pm that evening so we would reach our destination at around 3pm the next day (apparently!). We went to see Judy in the ICYE office in Westlands and spent an hour or so giving updates about our projects and how things had been going over the last 3months or so. It was really nice to talk to the staff who are looking out for us, in person rather than over the phone or by email. We don’t get much contact with them so it was good to have a real catch up. We left Bianca back in the city centre and found lunch. After a little look around and picking up some supplies for the long bus journey we went to wait back at the hostel. We decided that since the place the bus was picking us up at wasn’t the safest place to walk to at 10pm, we would go to the office at 7pm just before dark and wait there until the bus arrived. This was a surprise to the staff there especially as they probably already knew that the bus wouldn’t arrive until after midnight! I spent the journey sitting next to a rather rounded Tanzanian lady who thought I could speak fluent Kiswahili… fortunately I knew enough words to communicate but most of the time I tried to sleep. About half way there she pushed an envelope at me saying ‘address’, we had hardly spoken the whole time but she still wanted my address… African’s fascination with white people never ceases to amaze me! We reached the border at around 4am and after getting our visas had to wait until 6am when the border reopened for the day. More travelling and we arrived in Dar at around 7:30pm that evening…so much for 3pm then! Luckily one of the guys from the bus found us a safe taxi and we made it to the YMCA very tired but in one piece. After finding breakfast the next morning we decided to look for an ATM to get money and go directly to the ferry to Zanzibar. Dar was a big city a little like Nairobi and neither of us were too concerned with seeing it. Bjorn (from Iceland) and Josh (from USA) had already been on Zanzibar for about 4days and we were going to join them in Nungwi at the very north of the island. We bought tickets from the first office we went into and probably got a terrible deal but at the end of the day it wasn’t too bad once you converted it to £. Kenya has about 115 shillings to the pound and there are 19 Tanzanian shillings to 1 Kenyan shilling. So sometimes the numbers were scary but in reality not so bad. We took the slow ferry there and arranged for the fast one to return. I had read that it could take 6hrs to get there but in the end it took only 3, a real improvement on the usual African time! We then joined with a Zimbabwean young lady who’d been studying in Glasgow to get a better price on a taxi to Nungwi. When we got there we found the Baraka Bungalows that the boys were staying in and discovered that Josh had already left that afternoon and Bjorn was sleeping off a hangover. So we wandered along the beach and around the local village to see what was around. It was a really beautiful place with white sands, crystal clear waters and hardly anyone around. We eventually met with Bjorn and were able to catch up a bit. He’s in a school near Kisumu (about 2hrs from me) but we’d not seen each other since January. Being in a school he gets 3 months off during the year and was certainly taking advantage of this first holiday with plans to head to Namibia to see his Uncle after Zanzibar. We joined the group of friends he’d made while being there, all guys, two Germans, one Canadian and a Swiss guy who had driven with a friend from Switzerland to Namibia after finishing their military service.
That first night we ventured into the local village for supper and managed to find what we came to understand as the national dish…chip omelette! Not bad but not exactly the exciting food I was looking for as a replacement for Ugali from home!

We spent the next 3 days enjoying the sea, sand and the peace and quiet. Avoiding the local skippers who would always come looking for customers ‘you want snorkelling trip…sunset cruise…I have good boat…I give you good price…’ I was able to finally do some reading and just relax. After the food in the village the first night we ate at hotels near the beach for the other nights. The luxury of cheese burger was too much to resist since we don’t often get meat in the village and if we do it’s interesting to say the least! There’s not much to tell from Zanzibar except that it was a really nice break and by the end I did not want to go back to Kiptere (Apart from the millions of biting insects that decided to feast on my legs! – thought I’d get away from things like this but not so lucky!)

We took the fast ferry back to Dar and since there was a storm over the ocean it was a little bouncy… I think ¾ of the boat were seasick that day and it also still took 3hrs so not much improvement there! Then we walked back up to the YMCA. We didn’t know if we would be staying the night as we’d not found a bus back to Nairobi yet, so we took a taxi to the bus station (a task that became difficult since the taxi driver hadn’t really understood where were wanted to go, the traffic was terrible and the rain was making the roads even worse!) eventually we got there and about 30 bus company guys crowded around the car while I tried to negotiate a price for the guy to wait and take us back to YMCA. Since I suspect that he wasn’t even a registered taxi I was not giving in to his demands and eventually won. He waited for us while we conveniently found the Tanzanian office of Spider coaches who let us pay in Kenyan shillings and told us the bus was at 6:30am the next morning. To keep the taxi guy happy I organised that he would pick us up at 5:30am and drop us at the bus. A wise idea I think since it was raining and obviously still dark. So we found supplies for the return journey and got some sleep before the early trip. The journey back went fairly smoothly and since we didn’t have high expectations of arriving at the time they’d told us we were not too bothered when we reached Nairobi at 11:30pm. A couple that we had seen around Zanzibar and Dar, who happened to be on the bus with us, kindly offered to walk us back to the hostel we’d stayed in previously and we headed for sleep!

We had hoped that we could travel back to Kericho the following morning but when we got to the coach station we found that all seats were booked. So after organising to leave the next day we had a whole day to spend in the capital. We visited the tourist shops, the internet café and had some good food knowing that it would be back to Ugali the next day! After one last night at Greton Hotel we took the ‘Easy Coach’ (look I didn’t say matatu mum!) back to Kericho. It was actually really nice to see the tea plantations and to know that we were almost back home. We picked up some shopping for ourselves and for home then made the final journey to Kiptere. Everyone was very pleased to see us back and our host-mum said to me as we were eating supper (ugali and greens!) “I’d missed this, everyone together”. It meant a lot to me that she had missed us and even more that she used the little limited English she has to tell me.

So that’s the story of the holiday. I know that it was an adventure and that on occasions the ‘grown up’ world would tell us that things were not so safe. We were totally fine and there was no need for anyone to worry about us. We had no problems and apart from a thief opening my rucksack at a crowded bus stop and making off with my pen knife (He left my toothbrush!) everything was really good.

Now I’ve written a lot and my laptop battery is not going to last much longer. Once again I’m at the Tea Hotel for my weekly visit. There are lots of things from the past month since the holiday that I will write about next week when I can and then hopefully we’ll be all up to date!

I guess one major last thing to tell you all is that Lucy has now gone back to England. Her 3 month stay in Kenya was over and she left on the 15th May. It’s really strange being the only Muzungu in the village and especially as we spent basically every waking moment together over those 3 months, things are very different now. We all miss her at home and I no longer have my One Tree Hill partner for the lunch times. But we’re getting on ok and just as Kenya went on before she came, we will continue now she’s back at home. She’s a very determined young lady and it was a pleasure to get to know her over the time she was here. Now she’s going off to study English Lit at Reading University and I am certain that she’s going to do great things! Just as the footballers learned at the COWART Cup in April… Don’t mess with Lucy Millgate!
Good luck in everything Lucy and I look forward to whatever you can smuggle through the post!

I’ll leave things there for today since this is probably the longest post yet! I’d appreciate to hear from anyone who’s reading this if you have the time to write back. I’ve also sent quite a bit of post out to lots of people so if you’ve not received something yet, look out it could be on the way! Kongoi (thank you and goodbye for now)

2010-05-08T03:55:00.000-07:00

2010-05-08T03:29:00.000-07:00

2010-04-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

First things first, I’m still alive! I’m really sorry that I’ve not been in touch for so long. Things have been pretty busy lately and one other small problem has been that I have not been well for a little while. I managed to pick up what they diagnosed as amoeba, probably from drinking water. I had a really high fever for about 3 days and then lets just say interesting things going on with my guts. I went to the hospital in town to be tested for whatever it was that was making me ill and had a blood test. The guy who did it couldn’t find a vein and basically just stabbed me in the wrist with a needle and poked around until he found one! Not the most pleasant experience but he then did ask me out on a date so it can’t be all bad I suppose! He then told me that thankfully didn’t have malaria or typhoid but had got a bug from water. Great!
A weeks worth of medication was prescribed and I realised one day in that I hadn’t read the box properly (actually my 9yr old Kenyan brother realised) and instead of one tablet three times a day. It was in fact 2 tablets 3 times a day. This was written in big letters on the outside of the box, but in my slightly weakened state I’d not understood properly (that’s what I’m telling myself anyway). So eventually once I started taking the right drugs I began to get some appetite back. On the last day of my medication Lucy and I went into town for our day off and had lunch at the Tea Hotel () I was just about able to enjoy our coffee followed by chicken and cheese sandwich (Sounds strange but when you’re living on maize mush/Ugali it’s pretty amazing, even when you’re sick!). This day we also went to the post office and I was able to pick up some more of my birthday cards, thank you very much to those of you who’ve sent post! It’s such an exciting thing to go unlock the posta box and find a letter or card. I will write back!
I’m now basically back to 100%, though am still eating like a small child and everyone is always telling me to eat more ugali. I’m so glad that I’m back to normal because it really is no fun being ill in Kenya. I’m not used to being weak and not even able to walk into the office with my backpack. It was very annoying! I was very well looked after by the Sisters and by Lucy, as much as it was repetitive them telling me I have to rest, it was true!

Anyway, I should probably let you know how things are going in the project and host family. Things at home are still really great. It’s lovely having lucy around and we often get told off for talking English too fast. Every evening we sit in the kitchen with mum and our brother/sisters, laughing and telling stories or going back to old stories like when Laura ordered Ugali Plain in a hotel. (Apparently a big no no!) Memo, our younger sister is now back for the month of April on school holidays and it’s really nice to have her back since she was such a big part of my moving here in the beginning. Weldon is building a house next door and has also moved back to the village in the meantime. I’ll put up some pictures of the house in progress when I remember. Maybe I’ll move in when it’s finished!
We went to visit our uncle’s house in the next field a few weeks ago. It’s a brick house, has inside toilet and running water, tilled floors and even provision for power when it eventually reaches the village in a few years. Lucy and I were a little shell shocked, we kept repeating ‘it wouldn’t be the same experience if we lived here’. It’s true, we wouldn’t have the same memories if we didn’t have to use the long drop or pick the flies out of the bucket before having a wash! The biggest thing is that that house is empty for most of the year since the family live in Nairobi… why could we not just move in while they’re away?! (‘it wouldn’t be the same experience if we lived here’)

Things in the project…
Piia has now left and got a job in Nairobi working for the Finnish embassy so its now just Lucy and I. Weldon is often away at training or in town. Recently he went to Finland with Piia while she was training for her job so we’ve been coordinating the whole project for a couple of weeks. I’ll give a bit of a run through of the projects we’ve been doing so you get an idea of how things have been going.

Peer Youth Education
This is a group of youths out of school who we’ve been training in conjunction with the Kericho Youth Centre. About 23 of them come to COWART every Monday morning for training in HIV prevention and peer youth counselling. Then on another day of the week they go out in groups of 3-4 to a school to teach a group of about 25 students what they’ve been learning this week.
It’s been going well. Even though schools have been really slow to contact us and we have to chase them and the PYE students have been a bit nervous to go into schools without taking a ‘white person’ with them! Otherwise we’ve been well received and things are going well. The training is supposed to last for about another 2 months before they get their certificates but they’re now asking if we can fast track the rest of the training because some of them want to go off to college in May. This is proving a bit of a dilemma because we really wanted to train them to become a team who could constantly be going into schools and training students rather than just get their certificates for their CV’s and leave. We’ll have to see because really the Kericho Youth Centre are running things and will have the final say. I’m running a session on Values, Attitudes and Beliefs on 3rd May so will get to planning it soon to try and make it as interesting and Kenyan friendly as possible.

Football
Over Easter Lucy organised a football tournament for primary, secondary schools and outside football clubs. Three days of matches ending with the finals on Easter Monday. It was a really amazing event, hundreds of locals came to watch and the teams really enjoyed playing. On the odd occasion the clubs complained a little (Well… a lot) about the state of the pitch, the ball, the fixtures etc. But she handled them all like a pro! You’d never know she’d not organised something like this before. Weldon arrived back from Finland in time for finals day and we also had the District Officer, Ministry for Youth and Sports, Sister Lucy and others make speeches about peace and youth working together. It was exhausting but really good! Even though out team from COWART and the primary school we live next to both lost in the finals… next time we’ll get the trophies back!

Other than those things we’ve been spending a fair bit of time organising finances and other things within the office. Paper work is not a Kenyan strong point so it’s been a bit difficult, especially with Weldon away all the time but we’re getting there.
We’re also now hoping to begin training two Kenyan guys to be office assistants so that when we leave the project it will be able to be sustained by local people and not rely on international volunteers as much as it does at the moment.

In other news, Lucy and I along with Bianca (another volunteer from Austria) will be heading off to Masai Mara on the 19th for 3 days and then possibly joining Bjorn and Josh to go to Tanzania for a few days from the 22nd. We’ve been working out the costs and things, it looks like an expensive holiday but after 3 months basically working solid I think it’s going to be much appreciated!
I was also wondering if any of you know of any youth projects out in Kenya that I might be able to go and visit while I’m here? I’m working on how I could see the country and figured that visiting other projects might be a good way to network and also see new places too. Let me know if there are any or any people you know who might have contacts. It would be much appreciated!

ICYE UK and Kenya have been really helpful lately in listening to my moaning about Kenyan work ethic and small CBO’s so I’m really grateful to them for that. Also those of you who have been on the receiving end of my ramblings about things as usual, Thank you! Things here run so differently to at home and everything is much slower so sometimes it’s frustrating but maybe I’ll get used to it.

I’ve added a few more pictures too so hope you’re getting more of a picture of life in Kenya.
Once again post is appreciated; I do have a new address though.
Will now be using the Sisters address because it’s easier to pick up post from there rather than going all the way into town.

The address for now is:
Laura Griffin
St Francis Catholic Mission
PO Box 39
Kiptere 20213
Kenya
East Africa

I do miss you all and hope you’re having a great 2010 so far! Cant believe I’ve been gone 3 months now!
See you relatively soon! (Sooner if you want a Kenyan holiday!)

2010-03-20T04:07:00.000-07:00

2010-03-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

2010-03-16T03:51:00.000-07:00

2010-03-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

2010-03-11T03:09:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Kenya!
I’ve not said hello for a little while, not really had the time to sit and write. I’m also about a week behind on my diary too so am having to try and remember what’s been going on so I can tell you.

At the weekend I made it to visit my aunt Catherine in Nairobi. It was a really nice break from the village and I got the chance to catch up with her after possibly around 5years! There was also a little element of reverse culture shock going on staying in a really lovely house for the weekend with TV and real shower after being in the village for 2 months. It was really good to get the chance to talk through everything that I’ve been getting up to with someone who really knows her stuff when it comes to volunteering and projects etc. I’ve come back to COWART to try and organise a project review to look at all the aspects of the project and bring some kind of structure to things. I am busy doing projects but it does feel like I’m not really achieving anything most of the time and I’m mostly chasing Weldon around to try and get him to do things.
It’s really nice having Lucy around we can share English jokes and has brought hugs back to Kenya!

The rain has arrived in force and some days the road home is more like a mud bath than a track. Thank goodness for my walking boots, I seem to be living in them most days.
Quick update on the flea situation, since going to Nairobi and being instructed that everything needed washing (which was very true!) and coming back to avoid the armchairs in the living room (because I suspect that’s where I pick them up) I have not been bitten. Well, technically not true, mosquitoes still seem to like to bite me but not with the frequency of fleas so it’s ok.

Yesterday we started our HIV/AIDS peer education clubs in schools. I went with the three youths who were starting to train Class 8 (oldest primary class) in Kesainet Primary, which is the school very near to our house. It went really well, they were only covering introduction and expectations of the group but the kids really enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next session. I was really impressed with how brave they were in leading the group; it looks like a few future youth workers in the making, very nice to see!

Today I’m off to do my 3rd Recorder lesson in St Clare’s. For those of you who are interested we’ve covered notes B, A, G and C. Today will move onto D and rests whilst learning some basic tunes. I’ve been asked to eventually teach the national anthem so I’ve managed to write it out note by note and just need to learn the real tune now.

Seeing as it’s our birthdays this weekend, Lucy and I are probably going into Kericho to the Tea Hotel for lunch and maybe a walk in the monkey park. Weldon has promised to check the post for me today so I hope there’ll be something for him to pick up :-p

I’ll try to take some more photos to post but I keep forgetting to use the camera so still have no more to put up yet.
Would be lovely to hear news from you about what’s going on at home.
It’s now 10 months until I’ll be back with you all but the past 2 have gone very fast!

2010-02-25T03:05:00.000-08:00

I’ve not really known what to write since the day by day thing will actually get pretty boring now that I’m in some kind of routine. But I’ll try and tell you some of the highlights and lowlights over the last week or so.

I’d not told you about buying Memo’s uniform for her to start school. She started last Monday and so the Saturday before I took her into town so that she could get her uniform. That obviously meant that I was the one paying the transport there and back because the family only just had 2000 Kenyan Shillings (about £20), here a lot of money, to spend on the full set of uniform. We waited for Weldon to come and show us where the shop was and I treated her to a soda as a celebration of going to school at last. When we got to the shop we discovered that it was run by Seventh Day Adventist Christians and so they were in church for the day and the shop was closed! We didn’t know where to look next but eventually found another shop that sold her school’s uniform. She had to get 2 skirts, 2 blouses, 1 jumper, 2 pairs of socks and a tie. We were then told that the total was 2165 kshs, eventually we negotiated down to 2030 kshs and finally got away with just the 2000. This left Memo with no money left to buy school shoes. She thought that she would go without them but I was thinking that it would be a nice present to say thank you for teaching me everything at home and good luck for school. So I decided that I would buy her some shoes. We looked at a couple of the outside market stalls but didn’t find the right thing so went into Ukwalla (a cheap supermarket) to look for them. Memo told me later that she’d never been upstairs in a shop before and so she was a little excited. We found some shoes that were about £5 and we thought we’d go to see if we could find some others in a place we could barter since Memo was worrying that they were too expensive. Ok, for Kenya they were a bit expensive and we probably could have got them cheaper if we worked for it. These ones from the supermarket were at least good quality and should last a long time. So we bought them and the smile on her face was worth the whole thing! When we got home she was so excited that she had to run to try on all the uniform, shoes too. She looked really smart; I wish I’d remembered to take a photo. When mum saw that the shoes had come from Ukwalla she started asking for the plastic bag so that when she goes to the market she can take it to put things in, then she’ll look like she shops there and will seem posh in the village! They were all very grateful that I’d got the shoes. I don’t want to make a habit of being the one to buy things but this once I think it was the right thing to do. Especially since we had to work so hard to get her into a school with the results she got in her primary certificate and with the costs of sending two children to school, I’ve done a little to help and maybe it will be a reminder of me when she’s at school.

That was a long story!
In other news ….. Lucy has arrived!
She’s another volunteer from England who’s going to be here for 3 months. She’s also come to live in the same host family as me and so it’s really nice to have company there too. Her birthday is 12th March so it looks like we’ll be celebrating together, her 19th and my 22nd.

On Monday we started our Peer Youth Education training, where around 25 young people who have finished school will be trained to teach HIV awareness in primary/secondary schools over the next 4 months. On Monday mornings they will be at the youth centre being taught and on one afternoon in the week will be going into a school to practice what they’ve been taught. We hope to work in 10 schools in the local area and send 2 or 3 peer educators to each school. It looks like a good programme and I’ll be really pleased if it works because it will mean something has been achieved here.

On Thursday I also started teaching recorder in St Clares Primary School. I started with the first two notes, crotchets and minims and clapping. There were about 35 students and only 20 recorders so they had to swap and share but it worked out ok. We eventually learnt ‘rain rain go away, come again another day’ and the students did very well, even 3 of the teachers are learning too! This week it’s been half term so I’m not going today but will be back there next week to teach G and F. Those of you who remember me learning recorder in primary school will laugh that I’m now teaching others. Maybe if any of you still have contact with Mr Buckley you could remind him of me and let him know that I’m trying to pass on my very basic recorder skills to Kenyan children! It was actually the best part of my week, I left the school feeling as though I’d done something really good and actually wished I could call someone at home to tell them all about it! Small achievements are great ones here!

We’re also looking to take our football team to play in the national league. This means that we need to look for funding to register the team and players, get uniforms and secure a home ground. It’s a crazy ambitious project but Weldon seems to have got the dream in his head. I just hope that we can get the work done on time and find the sponsors to fund us. I’ve been writing funding proposals for the mobile phone operator (Safaricom) and other companies to see if they’ll fund us but we will have to wait and see.

From March 15th for 2weeks we will be having a work camp where some international volunteers and local people will be working to dig up the eucalyptus trees at the river and replace them with indigenous trees. This is because the eucalyptus takes up so much water leaving the river more of a stream for the many people who rely on it for their water. So that’s another part of my planning at the moment. We need to visit the river with the authorities, local chief’s and elders to make sure that the people understand what we are doing and don’t just decide on the first day of work to come and chase us away!
For those of you who have only been reading to see if I’ve solved the flea problem, the time is now. We treated the room about a week or so ago and everything was good. Even the bites from before were almost clearing up, well I was scratching less a least! Alas, the problem has returned. So we have cleared the room again, this time even removing the floor and putting down powder. So we will see if we’ve got them all this time. Though while the dogs are not treated I’m not sure we’ll succeed but it seems that pet care is not a key part of Kenyan life!

Maybe that’s enough storytelling for today. I’ll just finish by giving you my postal address should any of you wish to send me a letter. Just news about what you’re getting up to would be much appreciated; I think post out here is even more exciting than getting post at university!

Laura Griffin
PO Box 1081-20200
Kericho
Kenya

I’ll put up some more photos another day, should really get on with the long to-do list I’ve posted up on the office wall. No one else is paying any attention to it!

2010-02-17T00:11:00.000-08:00

2010-02-17T00:04:00.000-08:00

2010-02-11T23:33:00.001-08:00

Hello again, before I tell you about what’s been going on I want to share a poem that was performed for me by a guy called William who is living with HIV. I met him on Wednesday at a project called ‘Live with Hope’ in Kericho that works with people who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. He is part of a support group that we went to visit because Piia and Sister Lucy are thinking of setting up their own here in Kiptere. He is also a poet himself and wants to become a performer and also get his poems published. He’s doing a distance learning journalism degree with Manchester University and is also a single father to 3 children. Anyway, we can only hope that his enthusiasm for poetry translates into real performances or publishing, must wait and see! Here is the poem.
ONCE UPON A TIME
by Gabriel Okara

Once upon a time, son,
they used to laugh with their hearts
and laugh with their eyes:
but now they only laugh with their teeth,
while their ice-block-cold eyes
search behind my shadow.

There was a time indeed
they used to shake hands with their hearts:
but that's gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts:
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.

`Feel at home´! `Come again´:
they say, and when I come
again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thricefor
then I find doors shut on me.

So I have learned many things, son.
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresses - homeface,
officeface, streetface, hostface,
cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile.

And I have learned too
to laugh with only me teeth
and shake hands without my heart.
I have also learned to say,`Goodbye´,
when I mean `Good-riddance`:
to say `Glad to meet you´,
without being glad; and to say `It's been
nice talking to you, after being bored.

But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake's bare fangs!

So show me, son,
how to laugh; show me how
I used to laugh and smile
once upon a time when I was like you.

Friday 5/2/10: Today was the day for my first lessons in Eland school. I arrived there at around 11am to finish preparing and to also psych myself up for the unknown challenge ahead! I decided to teach the lower primary ‘I’m gonna jump up and down, I’m gonna spin round and round.’ (Google it if you don’t know it.) and also go through some of the songs they already know. I had from 2pm-3pm with them and when they arrived, all enthusiastic and shaking hands, I discovered that there were over 30 of them, aged from 3-8! Luckily I had 3 teachers with me too who were willing to join in my silly songs. It went very well and by the end I think even the smallest ones could follow the actions at least.
Then came the upper primary. I had planned to do some basic drama improvisation games and then get their expectations for the Easter play I’d been asked to do. They arrived and there were over 60 of them! I was stuck, my games could work for maybe up to 30 but there was no way I could really work with that many kids on my own. This time I didn’t even have a teacher along with me to help. We tried to do a couple of games but then (fortunately or unfortunately) it started to rain very heavily and we had to shelter in the shed. I tried to continue but it has an iron roof so it was really noisy and the kids couldn’t hear what I wanted them to do. So in the end I ended up just sitting and talking with some of them and answering their many questions about ‘my place’ (home, England). Really I was quite grateful for the rain, does that make me a bad volunteer? :-p
Spent the night in town and prepared to leave early for Kiptere in the morning for mobilisation and a board meeting.

Saturday 6/2/10: We arrived to then be told that we could not repeat any of the ideas from last week and had to come up with totally new things to replace the eating competition and 2 of the sketches. So I spent the morning with the boys frantically trying to get something organised and then we had a board meeting to discuss some of the funding we’ve received and how it’s being spent. Then Weldon left and I was to be responsible for the whole afternoon’s programme for mobilisation. Actually it went really well and I even took part in 1 of the dramas and also won the smiling competition (I am now titled ‘Miss Kiptere Smile’). The locals loved to see the Mzungu joining in and though I’m not sure if that was only because they were laughing at me, I don’t really care. If it gets them involved in the project I’ll be laughed at for a while if necessary (especially since I had to die and play dead for one of the dramas)

Sunday 7/2/10: I spent the day with the Sisters at St Frances. It was a really nice relaxing day and I was very glad of it. It’s really nice to be down at home and being part of the family but it’s also nice to get away for a while. I was able to teach them how to do some things on the laptops and also transfer files between old and new ones so that the old can be used in the school. Eventually I hope to be able to go down to St Clares school (run by Sister Imelda) to teach recorder to the choir master and some kids.

Monday 8/2/10 – Friday 12/2/10:
This week we’ve had some entrepreneurship training every morning. Well at least we’ve tried, most days the trainers have been late or not even shown up at all! Today is the final session and it’s almost 10am (we should start at 9am) but only 2 students have arrived and no sign of the trainer yet! Still an hour is not really late in Kenya, give it about 2 or 3 and people start to ask questions, so there’s plenty of time yet.
On Monday afternoon I was in St Frances girls secondary school again, this time we started around on time and Ken, one of our VCT Counsellors took the session on stigma and discrimination. It went really well and the girls were even properly interacting by the end instead of their usual blank faces. So it was a good day!

Wednesday, I’ve already said that Piia, Sister Lucy and I visited ‘Live with Hope’. We dropped Piia home because she had been very ill for a few days after drinking some infected milk. Weldon didn’t get sick at all, not surprisingly he’s probably very used to it. She’s a lot better now thankfully. We then had lunch at the ‘Tea Hotel’ in Kericho which was a real treat for me especially since I had meat to eat (and Lamb not Goat!). After lunch we went to the market to pick up a few fruits and vegetables and headed home. On the way Lucy suggested that I come home with her and have a cup of tea and a shower. It was hard to contain the excitement! I’d been staying in the village for over a week and it’s pretty much impossible to stay properly clean when showering from a bucket, especially washing your hair. So I would just like to announce that, Nuns Are Amazing! I know people told me this before but now I know it’s true. It looks like at least maybe on Sundays I’ll perhaps be able to have a shower after church. They even have hot water! Ok, a little too much excitement for one day…

On Thursday afternoon Weldon and I met with the youth centre in Kericho to discuss some Peer Youth Education training we’ll be holding from the 22nd. One thing I’ve noticed is that Kenyans like to dream. We’re sitting there in the meeting and the guys are thinking ahead to maybe 400 kids in school being trained as peer educators and even publishing our own curriculum etc, when we haven’t even planned a programme or chosen topics yet! So eventually I was able to pull them back to today and we now have a half decent programme for 4 months training and field visits to schools. Just hope that it actually happens and they don’t get some other crazy dream of some kind and start running with that instead of doing the training. Otherwise I know it’ll be down to me to organise the whole thing! So the plan is to try and keep their feet firmly on the ground and to do what is planned before jumping to something else. Fingers crossed!

So today I’m just waiting for the trainers/students to turn up and taking the chance to write the blog while I can. I can give an update on the biting insects for those interested. They are most definitely fleas from the 10 dogs we have at home and it is possibly starting to get a bit annoying now. At least I have last year’s experience to have prepared me for this but here I’m not sure there’s much of a solution. Weldon is supposed to be working on it, will update again soon. I have a bit of a cold but nothing to be concerned about. I think I will go to Kericho tomorrow to do some shopping for myself, fruit and some nice exciting things like that to keep in my room.

Hope you are all well and I hear there is snow again? Hope it’s not too cold, here on Wednesday it was 32°C….

2010-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

1) Weldon and I having lunch (Ugali and Milk - for which I was laughed at because apparantly that's what only the poor people have.)
2) The crowd of people at our advertising for HIV testing on Saturday 30th Jan
3) My current PA system and it's very delicate power socket

2010-02-03T23:43:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, greetings from Kenya.
I really appreciate your comments both on here and on Facebook, it’s nice to hear what you’re getting up to as well! (Small plug for an excellent blog here by a very wonderful lady - www.justkissmyfrog.wordpress.com)
I am currently typing from the COWART office in Kiptere, where they have power, for the moment anyway! Around the corner of the office door 3 small children keep peering at me and grinning. Once again the Mzungu celebrity status returns!
So I will give another little run through of what I’ve been getting up to, it’s unlikely that I’ll keep this up over the weeks but maybe I’ll try! It’d be nice to leave Kenya with a written reminder of my ICYE year but I’m perhaps not that dedicated. I’d also like to get back to doing some creative writing (Kathy you make me feel guilty for not writing anything, especially when your blog is so great!)

Wednesday 27/1/10: The mobilisation meeting did not go so well. Unfortunately the guys don’t really understand my English and so it had to be translated. I tried to play some improvisation drama games to get them motivated but even Fortunately/Unfortunately (Fortunately there were 12 guys working digging drainage/unfortunately only 6 of them were actually doing anything etc etc…) didn’t work. But I live and learn, next week it will be better!

Thursday 28/1/10: Today I arrived at the Kiptere office to find no one here, at 10am I left to go to the town office to wait for Weldon to come and get some work done. I did some research on street theatre techniques but there is very little online, so if anyone has any good ideas they are very much welcome! I also made a start on writing an Easter play for Eland school but without meeting the kids I don’t know what they are capable of doing in English so I will have to wait and see. Weldon had gone back to Kiptere to pay our ‘cash for work’ guys and said he would return to show me the way back to the town house. In Kenyan fashion, the plan fell through and I had to take a Boda-Boda (A motorbike taxi), the guy’s name is Minister and he drives like a crazy thing! I would feel a little more comfortable if he watched the road a bit more but he is definitely a skilful driver since he can negotiate the ‘interesting’ road surfaces around here. We arrived home and he had decided that the price was 100ks, I knew for a fact it was double what it should be but for this once I couldn’t be bothered bargaining and I let him off. Next time I will only pay 50ks! Staying in the town house means that I can get a real shower (even if it is cold) and maybe watch a DVD, so it’s actually quite a luxury!

Friday 29/1/10: Today was my day for stupid things!
First we were walking into town to go back to the village and we have to go down a valley, cross a river and up the other side to get to town. It involves jumping some very muddy gaps in the track… the final one of which I managed to slip and fall into! The mud covered basically my whole left side splattered up to the shoulder! Well, I say mud, use your imagination here, it’s not quite just mud. So you can guess that I was not too impressed, the Kenyans however found it hilarious!
One positive thing of the trip in town is that I have managed to get a new mosquito net (minus huge holes!) so hopefully I will get bitten less now. Mostly I think it’s bites from whatever interesting creatures our 10 dogs are carrying and not mosquitoes so I guess that’s a bonus on the avoiding malaria side of things but not so pleasant either. Probably no one wants to know about my bites but there you go, I can’t help it if every biting insect thinks I taste good!
Then we were walking up the other side and I discovered that an opportune thief must have spied the matatu fare that I was keeping in my back pocket. It must have appeared after the slip. So it rapidly disappeared! It was my own stupid mistake and luckily it was only 100ks which is around £1 so other than being annoyed at my second stupidity it was no real tragedy. I was due to start teaching the music and drama today but because we had some visitors from USAID and Mercy Corps (the sponsors of out Cash for Work project) I will have to start in the school next Friday.

Saturday 30/1/10: Mobilisation Day! I arrived at 12pm to discover that the boys had been dancing since 10am and they were doing a very good job of attracting attention. The only problem was that we had gained some members; we can only pay 10 people for the day but had ended up with 16! In the afternoon we did some short skits and competitions. Our VCT counsellors tested over 40 people and then ran out of test kits! So I would say that it was a very good day! I didn’t get home until after 7pm so was very tired.
Sunday 31/1/10: Today I had to be up at 6am to get ready to be picked up by the main road, Sister Lucy came by in her car to take me down to mass. Which starts at 7am! We got to the church just in time for a cup of tea. It was a really nice mass, the words were in English but the singing in Kiswahili. It is attended by the 2 local schools and there was a lot of dancing whilst they were singing. I got to meet Sister Imelda who is one of the other nuns here and also the head teacher of a primary school she has set up here. After mass Sister Lucy introduced me to some of the congregation and to the priest. She proudly stated ‘This is Laura, she’s a Catholic from England who’s here for a year.’ I think she’s just a little pleased that I have come. So much for a break from church things hey! We then had breakfast and she drove me back to the track where I walk home. Then at about 11am Memo said that it was time to go to her church, it is very close to the house in Kesainet primary school. I arrived to be stared at as usual, (you get used to it) and then near to the end of the service (which was all in Kalenjin) I was asked to come to the front and introduce myself. Really this means preach but I had been warned and so only just went to tell them who I was and what I’m doing here in Kenya. The rest of the day was a restful one thankfully but sadly I have now finished ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’, if you get the chance to read it I thoroughly recommend it! I think that I will even read it again fairly soon. I’ve moved onto ‘Into the Wild’ (also very good with a film of the book for those who don’t like reading!).

Monday 1/2/10: Today I lead the COWART club in St Frances Girls School on myths and facts of HIV. However the session could only last 15mins because the school were prepared late and I had to head into Kericho town as soon after 5 as possible. I think it went pretty well for the time we had. Memo and my brother Kimutai came to stay in Kericho as a treat before they go off to boarding school this week. The four of us (Piia, Me, Memo and Kimutai) played a game of scrabble in the evening. We played in English and I lost spectacularly only achieving about 65 points while the others all scored over 100! Losing to a Finn and two Kenyans who’ve not even started secondary school is a little embarrassing but I can cope, especially since I seem to lose every game we play here!

Tuesday 2/2/10: Today we were supposed to be working on proposals and plans for our work in Kiptere but Weldon had to go into town to get paint for the ‘Cash for Work’ boys who had randomly decided to work today instead of Wednesday. So when he arrived back at the house we took Memo and Kimutai to the matatu to go back to the village and we then went to visit Kericho Youth Centre. They have a new manager and outreach coordinator so we went to discuss what work we will be doing together. The meeting went well and I think we have managed to organise some Peer Educator training for later this month. Back at home after making some tea Weldon and I worked on the documents we should have done in the morning and mostly we have now finished them which is good. It’s really nice to achieve something concrete, makes me feel like I’m actually doing something useful!

Wednesday 3/2/10: I managed to get a lift back to the village with Sister Lucy and arrived at around 2:30pm. I had organised to assemble my 10 mobilisers for Saturday and to plan some kind of programme for the afternoon. This week we are only doing skits and dancing from 3-5pm since we have a board meeting in the morning. The meeting actually went really well this week, (well compared to last week anyway!) We now have some kind of plan of what is going to happen and will meet again tomorrow to rehearse some of the skits. (Again any ideas always welcome!) When I got home at 6pm my other sister (Chelangat) was just starting to wash up the lunch things so I joined in to help. Everyone seemed very surprised that I had not even rested after walking from Kiptere but I just wanted to join in on family activities and be useful so it seemed only natural to help! Later Memo and I were to peel the potatoes for dinner and there was equal surprise that I knew how to peel. I do quite enjoy creating these surprises, that I know how to wash clothes, wash dishes, peel potatoes etc. It makes up for the many things that I don’t know how to do! Still not had another chance at milking the cow but on the plus side I have been taught how to pluck tea, even if I am incredibly slow at it!

Thursday 4/2/10: It’s now the day after I started writing this very long blog, I hope you don’t mind reading about my days. If you’re getting bored then tell me!
This morning it rained!!!
Excitement everywhere in the village because it has been dry for almost a month. Later I will work with the mobilisers and tomorrow I will go to Eland School to start the lessons (if everything goes to plan this week!)

Things are still going well and I even have acquired a slight tan, well really I’m just ever so slightly less white than I was when I arrived. Not been sun burnt yet so that’s a bonus too!
Now I want to know some news from those of you with enough time on your hands to read my ramblings! Some sarcastic comments are also very welcome, there is none of that here and I’m starting to miss it! Also there are no hugs here, only shake hands at every opportunity. I think when I get home I will not remember that hugs are part of daily life with you guys but I will go around just shaking everyone’s hands!

2010-01-27T03:34:00.000-08:00

I’m sorry that I’ve not written sooner. I’ve been having problems with my internet connection and also have been very busy. I’ll give a little run through of what I got up to last week. First thanks to Paul for uploading the pictures! It looks like I can only email them from here and that takes long enough.

Monday: I arrived at the COWART office to meet the VCT staff (Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV), some of the karate boys and as I mentioned before, Sister Lucy. There is a project at the moment called ‘Cash for Work’ where up to 12 guys can earn 300 Kenyan shillings (Less than £3) for about 5hours working. Either digging rubbish pits, drainage or making dustbins. They are all very friendly and really seem to be glad to be doing something rather than sitting around at the roadsides like many of the young men here. We also went to visit the shamba (Field) where the project is growing sweet potatoes for sale to try and raise some money for karate uniforms and other things. I also made my first visit to the near by secondary school (St Frances) to see an introduction to a karate programme we are starting. Even the headmistress joined in!

Tuesday: We went to see the new office in Kericho and I learnt the loophole of the free space. I am to teach music and drama to the primary school kids (aged 4-14). The school have never had any drama clubs before but seem to have some very high expectations of what I might do. We will see what happens there! Piia and I also went to visit a new peace building club in a school about an hr away. It’s in an area where there are 3 different tribes and where there was very bad post-election violence in 2007. The club talks about the different kinds of conflict and how to avoid it. It went very well and there are another 3 starting soon.

Wednesday: Again there was Cash for Work. Piia and I also worked very hard cleaning and painting one of the rooms for the games and library centre. It doesn’t look great by English standards but by Kenyan it is almost perfect. In the afternoon I also went with one of the VCT’s to St Frances to help with a COWART club on HIV transmission. I think I need to read up on it all a bit more so that I can work out a more interactive way of communicating rather than just standing at the front and teaching. The girls were very bored and didn’t really join in very much. Back home We had another very large meal and as usual I could not finish what I was given. For me a very small piece of Ugali (maize mush) is enough but for my family 5-6pieces is still not quite enough!

Thursday: I spent the morning with my sister Memo doing some jobs like taking the maize off the cob, washing the dishes and even some clothes. Everything gets so dusty here but you learn to live with being slightly dirty all of the time! Even the water is dusty! Weldon, Piia and I were due to go and sort out the new office in the afternoon but I arrived very early. (Early is not sensible here….everyone is ALWAYS late!) So I was just sitting in the reception of the school trying to be invisible (again being white is a disadvantage!) but the headmistress came and grabbed me to give me a tour of the school and to get some of the lower primary kids to sing some of the songs they know so that I have some ideas what to do with them. I still have no idea! I’ll start with teaching Our God is a Great Big God and see how it goes from there. If they can find some recorders that would be great but not essential. When Piia and I were heading back to Kiptere the matatu guy tried to charge us 70Ks instead of 50Ks, we had a bit of a disagreement but eventually won and made our way home.
Friday: We went to visit the District Officer of the area to talk to him about some work camps we want to do in March. We will have some international and local volunteers removing eucalyptus trees from the river and planting indigenous trees because the eucalyptus take all of the water. The DO is very interesting especially since it seems that no one knows which tribe he belongs to, so he is very peaceful which is uncommon here. In the afternoon I returned to Eland school (where the office is) to see what the older children had prepared to show me. I am a little intimidated by the challenge of teaching them especially the very little ones (youth worker not children’s worker!) But we will see what happens. I’m starting with songs for the little ones and drama games for the older leading to an Easter performance.

Weekend: On Saturday 3 of the ICYE Kenya staff came to Kericho to discuss the work camps and we pretty much did nothing the whole day which was very nice!
On Sunday I returned home for a family party for my brother and sister who are going away to school next week. Most of the village turned up and there were speeches to give them advice on studying hard and not getting in with the wrong crowd. It was really nice to see the whole community there to support their young people. Some even contributed money towards the school fees. I will be very sad when Memo my sister goes off to school (though there is possibility she might go to day school which would be better!)

Monday: We were around for the Cash for Work guys in the morning and then a staff meeting in the afternoon. So not really very much happened, Except we rigged up the PA system we bought in Nairobi to motivate the boys into digging drainage!

Tuesday: I was in the office on my own for the day as Piia and Weldon stayed in Kericho. I organised the library and planned a little for some public speaking drama training I will give on Wednesday. We have a team of people who will be encouraging people into being tested for HIV and to know the facts. On Saturday we will have a little presentation outside the office to tell people where we are. Here they call it ‘Mobilising’… a word they seem to use for everything!

Overall I am having a good time. The organisation is sometimes frustratingly unorganised; I don’t really know what I am supposed to be doing from one day to the next yet. But maybe eventually I will get into the way of life here and will feel more at home. At least once a day I have a moment of thinking how far away from you all I am and how long a year is but it only lasts a moment or my head will spin too much. Best one day at a time!
I will find out my address so that perhaps any of you would like to me write with news of good old England it would be much appreciated!

2010-01-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

1) my house in Kesainet village
2) My room (can you spot anything interesting?)
3) a view of Kibera slum in Nairobi

2010-01-18T11:05:00.000-08:00

Today I met the nun who is one of the board members of the COWART organisation. She's actually from Galway and really lovely. She somehow detected Irish roots in me, I'd not realised they were so obvious! She thinks I should come to 7am Mass on Sundays which means I'd be leaving home at around 6:30am to get there but it's in English so maybe I'll make it as soon as I can remember the way to the office and church from deep down in the village!

I now have 2 sisters and 5 more brothers, I'm not entirely sure I've even met them all yet as I met so many relatives yesterday they have all blended into one. Those I have met, I really like and it's also nice to have my own room but slightly awkward since I'm not sure how many family members are sleeping in the other rooms too. The house is super super rural but I think I will get used to it quite soon. Even the pit latrines are not that bad really.

I'm very very tired and would like to sleep for a week but there is no time since I think I start running drama clubs next week!

2010-01-18T10:52:00.001-08:00

Lesson 1 : Milking the cow

Lesson 2 : dont eat red kidney beans for 2 meals in a day.....

Lesson 3 : Get quicker at squashing the massive spiders before they get away

Lesson 4 : Always remember to remove your glasses before drawing water from a 20ft bore hole.... (I did remember, so far...)

2010-01-09T05:11:00.000-08:00

Hello!
I'm in an internet cafe in the centre of Nairobi. I will be in Nairobi until next Sunday I think. We're at a monastery retreat centre in a place called Karen.
Apparantly it's the rich place where all of the white people live!
This weekend it's the mid year camp for the other volunteers and ours starts on sunday. There ...are 2 other volunteers here that are starting now and 2 more arriving on sunday. One from Austria, USA, Germany and Iceland. Today we caught a Matatu which is a small mini bus that they get as many people as possible onto, Basically the Tube but on a bus! It's maybe 22C but not too bad, it's been raining and so it's not too hot.
The first night I stayed in the Kenyan YMCA which was an interesting experience, especially as the guy who collected me from the airport at11pm just dropped me off and said 'someone will come for you tomorrow...' But I got some sleep and am now being looked after by the ICYE kenya people, They are much more organised than... the English ones,even if they do everything late! It seems that being late is the national hobby, well i have practice at that right?!
The food is ok, cabbage and rice with some kind of fish last night and bread for breakfast. Lots of tea!
I'm not sure what is going on most of the time but that's ok, I'm just very tired and could do with a very long sleep but apparently tonight we are going out in Nairobi and could have to stay out till 6am... as you imagine I can't really say no I'd like to sleep :-p so Kenyan clubbing it is then!
I hope you are all well and I'd love to hear from you, I'll reply when I can.
Take care, Dont get too cold! xxxxx

2009-12-01T10:51:00.001-08:00

Recent News:

* Thank you so much to people who have sponsored me already. I'm waiting to hear from a few tea companies that I've asked if they will consider sponsoring me.
* My church here in Coventry have said that they would like to donate a bit of the money raised from our Christmas fair which I am very grateful for...!
* I've been in contact with the other volunteer who has been working in the project since September. Her name is Piia and she's from Finland. It seems that the villiage is pretty basic but the office occasionally has electricity and even more occasionally has internet.
* I will be hosting a 'virtual' going away drinks party. This is an event where if you would like to, you could buy me a virtual drink and the money will go towards the target that I have to raise. (Now... I know that most of you have looking for a chance to get me drunk over the last few years!)
I will be adding more details about this soon, so watch this space....

2009-12-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

2009-12-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

COWART - Community Watch and Rescue Team

Our youth centre is a safe haven and resource place for the rural youth in Kiptere. It’s a youth friendly centre run by the youth. The organization was registered with ministry of Kenya social services in the year 2006 as a community based organization (CBO).

Our Mission

To educate, train and empower the rural youth reduce the risks of HIV transmission and take up the leadership responsibility in building the nation through peace, love and Unity.

COWART envisions a youthful life full of energy, Inspiration and confidence to turn the world around as the safest place and free ...of HIV/Aids.That's why our two main programmes are

1. PEACE BUILDING

2.HIV/ AIDS PREVENTION.

What we do

The purpose of these youth friendly activities is to mobilize the rural youth to our center and access incorporated youth programs:

-Voluntary Counseling & Testing (VCT) services

-Community Library

-Resources & Information on jobs, colleges, scholarships among others

-Sport Clubs (Martial arts and Football)

-COWAR...T-clubs in high schools

-Networking with other youth and peace building groups

-Peer Education in schools

-Organizing peace building events and work camps

2009-11-17T04:33:00.000-08:00

2009-02-11T06:48:00.001-08:00

When thinking about what I'm going to do when all this madness of education is over, I found this poem and though they're someone elses words I think that it sums up something of what I hope to do when I'm free, roll on July!

The Journey by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice-

-though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late enough,

and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do -

- determined to save

the only life you could save.

(What am I listening to? - For Blue Skies by Strays Don't Sleep)

2009-02-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

This is a note from Facebook that I thought would make an interesting post as I've not written anything properly for a while. No. 1 is different, I thought I'd change it to see if you could figure it out....I doubt it....:- )

1) I am 1-in-4, I am also 1-in-250 and also 1-in-over 7.5 million. Interested?....
2) I've never liked London, Never ever wanted to live in London....but the only placement I could find is here so I'm just having to get used to it.....I don't think I ever really will.
3) I'm a quallified JNC Youth Worker (and proud that I achieved that when I honestly thought I had failed)
4) I loved being in Chester, I met some of the most amazing people I could ever know and now I live away from them I miss them a lot! (I thank the magic of Chester Uni for putting my with the most incredible housemates in the world!)
5) Changing course to finish my degree with CYM was one of the hardest, best and worst decisions I've ever made. But I love stretching my brain that little bit harder.
6) My dissertation has a habit of waking me up at 3am but then again sleep has never been my strong point.
7) I really want to travel and when this school year is over I'm going to....I just don't know where or what to do yet.....That makes the future look exciting!
8) I have some totally amazing friends who I don't see or speak to often enough but thankfully they're kind of like family in that being away for so long doesn't matter.
9) As much as some might find this odd, I am very happy being single. (It doesn't need an explanation, it's just better this way right now.)
10) I love everything about theatre. The experience of seeing, being in or stage managing a show are some of my best memories and I hope to make more like them sometime.
11) I love poetry and creative writing. Reading it, writing it and listening to it. (I loved A-Level English Lit for the anthologies, Larkin and unseen poetry tasks....and I don't care that that's a bit geeky!) - Being dyslexic makes this all the more interesting!
12) The third thing that I love is music. The way lyrics combined with melody have a way to move the soul in a way nothing else can. Music is a life saver in some cases.
13) It's a combination of my three loves that makes One Tree Hill one of my favourite programmes.
14) I know very little about popular culture...you could say that I live in my own little bubble.
15) I say sorry a lot. I get told off for saying sorry a lot. But every time I say sorry I really do mean it. (Even if it's going to annoy you by saying it...then I have to say it again!)
16) I'm trying to learn to drive. Not because I want to but for the fact that it'll make getting around places a little easier. I actually really don't want to learn at all. (I was also very shocked that I passed the eye test...it still amazes me!)
17) Socal situations make me really nervous. I tend to try and avoid them some times but I never invent excuses.
18) I work hard at everything I do even if I don't enjoy it and I hope that hard work makes a difference to peoples lives even if it's just doing the washing up.
19) I need regular doses of real countryside to keep me from going insane. (London parks are just not as good as the real thing.) - Doing the DofE award was one of the most brilliant things i've ever done, I learnt so much about myself that I believe long, difficult hikes with heavy rucksacks should be part of the school curriculum in some way, shape or form.
20) My dream job would be working as a youth worker in my old school. So much so I wrote a proposal for the job to try and get a placement there for this year. One day it might happen....but I'm not holding out for it.
21) My school days provided me with many experiences, some good and some bad. Even though there were some difficult times, I wouldn't swap those experiences for anything. (Also one or two of my teachers went far beyond the call of duty to help me out at times for which I am very very grateful)
22) I really hate shopping. You will know that you're really a friend if I'll go shopping with you. That also applies to photographs....
23) Belief in God plays an important part in my life, usually a very confused part! I am a very confused Christian...you'll have to ask me about it to understand how this works.
24) I have promised that I will be here for my friends if and when they might need me and some of them understand that promise really means a lot to me.
25) Even after reading all those things about me there is still a lot of things that I will never ever tell you.

(What am I listening to? - Do not disturb by Martyn Joseph)

2009-01-31T08:07:00.000-08:00

Love or Justice

Strong, Solid, Certain
You can lean against it,
You can lean into it,
Dependable, Reliable,
Predictable, Tangible,
Trustworthy, Honest,
You know its limits.

Unpredictable, Impulsive,
You can push it away,
It pushes you away,
Brittle, Wavering,
Fragile, Unfathomable,
Fluid, Selective,
Limitless.

You decide…

(What I'm listening to: Tell me by Bethany Dillon)

2009-01-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

And He is love, whoever lives in love lives in God and God lives in him.

(1 John 4:16)

This is pretty crazy and I know that Christians always say that forgiveness for our sins and accepting Jesus in your heart are what make you a Christian. Ok, Maybe those things are important and I'm not saying that Jesus doesnt matter but if it's all boiled down I only leave myself with one word, Love. Creation is an overflowing of God's nature and 'He is love'. It's because He loved us so much that Jesus came to die, to bring us home to his love. It ultimately comes down to that one tiny word, Love.

People are either flipant with the word love and so it then seems to lose some of its meaning or they are so careful with its use that they are afraid to even think that they might love someone. It seems to me that God shows us his love so much, every day its like He's whispering it to us over and over. Through the wonder of creation, through the care of a stranger, in laughter with friends. Listen carefully and you'll hear the one behind it all, the one in who's hands the whole world rests. I love you, I love you, I love you...
But it never gets old, it seems as quickly as we hear it, we forget and so He has to tell us again.

I seem to have forgotten that 'He is Love', but even though I am still living a life that loves others, I am not living IN love. That in love has two facets, living in love with God, the one who made me and gave me all of the good things in my life and living in His love; remembering over again that He loves me completely and nothing I do changes that, taking a moment to listen and hear Him whispering. I love you, I love you, I love you....
Maybe it's time we stopped to listen again.

This verse also makes me think of those I know who dont believe in the concepts and defined bits of the Christian faith but who most certainly live in love. Everything they do for me and others is out of love. These words make me want to ring them up and say, "did you know that because you live in love, God lives in you; even though you don't know it?" Part of me wahts these people to change their minds and start believing in what it is that defines a Christian but I know that God lives in them and His timing is perfect, so why should I worry? He loves them and is whispering to them too. In their own time (or in God's time) when they are ready, they'll hear Him and it's not for me to try to turn up the volume of the whisper for God, He's got it all under control.

So the best thing for me to do is to live in love, with God, in His love. Acting it out in all I do and taking the time to be quiet, to be still, look around me and hear Him whispering over and over. My child, I love you, I love you, I love you.

I wrote this when I was at the mini Juiced Conference on the 22/12/08. I wrote it without really thinking about it, it just came out after reading the vers from 1 John. It does seem a little strange that I should write something like this especially after the past few years that I have had and my current confusions with faith and life etc. But as I did write it and it's not much good keeping it to myself especially in my current state of doubts, so I thought I would share it and see what others think. Maybe it's more for you who will read this than for me. I hope you will take some time to listen and think about that verse. Whether you can believe it or not, (or whether I can believe it too most of the time!) I do know that the whisper is there we just have to want to hear it.

(What am I listening to? :- Cathy Burton, God of the sky)

2007-04-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Placement is nearly over,
that's all I need to say!

Brooke Fraser - Shadowfeet

2007-03-18T11:54:00.001-07:00

This is a beautiful song that from an artist a new friend introduced me to. the video shows so many different types of people yet we are all God's children. the actual lyrics of the song (to me) are about standing strong even when you feel like the world is falling apart around you. Let me know what you think.
Here are the Lyrics too.
Shadow Feet (Album Version)
Walking, stumbling
On these shadow feet
Toward home, a land that I've never seen
I am changing
Less and less asleep
Made of different stuff than when I began

And I have sensed it all along
Now fast approaching is the day

CHORUS
When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
When the sky rolls up and mountains fall on their knees
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you

There's distraction
Buzzing in my head
Saying in the shadows it's easier to stay
But I've heard rumours of true reality
Whispers of a well-lit way

CHORUS

Bridge
You make all things new

CHORUS

CHORUS 2
When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you

Copyright Brooke Fraser

2007-03-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Whatever!?!

I was listening to one of the talks from Holy Trinity Brompton today and Archie Coates was talking the passage in Philippians 4:4-9. He talks about the term 'whatever' which today has such a defeated and negative meaning, used by an annoyed teenager, a tired parent, a disappointed spouse and so many others too. But the way that i think St Paul means it is that whatever means everything, everything that is those things described in the passage, thats his whatever and i think that it should be ours too.
Archie read out this poem in his talk, i dont know if he wrote it or its from someone else (will ask him at some point!) so for now credit to whoever wrote it cause its very cool!

Let me know what you think about 'Whatever'!

Whatever is…
Whatever is true.
Whatever is noble.
Whatever is right.
Whatever is pure.
Whatever is lovely.
Whatever is admirable.
If anything is excellent,
Or praiseworthy.
Think about these things.
Live these things.
Be these things.
And then God will be near.
And you will find peace,
And the joy of God will come.

Whatever is…
Whatever is morning light through the curtain.
Whatever is compassion
Whatever is a real human voice on the end of the telephone when you ring your bank.
Whatever is moving beyond words but not beyond tears.
Whatever is being heard and understood.
Whatever is offering and giving and receiving.

Whatever is…
Whatever is white sand and cool water between your toes.
A cup of tea and a hand to hold.
Whatever is challenging enough to change your life,
Funny enough to make you cry,
Whatever is yearning in you to be fulfilled.
Whatever is lost and needing to be restored.

Yes, whatever is…
Whatever is warm sun on a tired face.
Whatever is not beyond redemption,
Even though there’s a thousand reasons why you shouldn’t hope.

Whatever is…
Is not beyond God’s redemption.
Or His imagination.
Think these things.
Be these things.
Live these things.

2007-03-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

Too many things happening all at once.....

Why do so many thing all happen at once? i have literally no time anymore!
Oh well....
Tomorrow i will be 19, that's quite exiting!
First Birthday away from home at university so should be different!

Some of the things going on in my little head at the moment that may explain the mush that i appear to have instead of brains lately!

Reflections on placement! They make me think so much about my youth work its scary, really good though, to look at all the things that i/others do in youth work and see how they can be improved or challenged!
Theological Reflection- kinda goes in with the above but meaning reflecting using the bible, theory and theology......it hurts my brain sometimes!
Everything going on back home, organising stuff for Easter/Summer, looking out for family/youth there.
All the millions of faith questions i seem to have at the moment (well, its been quite a long moment....but you know what i mean!)
Actually living.......day to day studentdom.......generally quite difficult most of the time!
Etc Etc....

Well thats some of the stuff.....so i appologise if i dont Blog as well as i should do because when it comes to having time or even the brain to manage it at the moment......its a little taxing!

Hope you are all ok!

Take care x

2007-03-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

Empowerment

What colour should the pool table be?

On my placement i have been entrusted the task of finding someone who will re-cover our pool table in one of our clubs.

at the moment its an aquamarine colour but i thought we should have a change....so i took the big step and asked the young people.

three of the youngest most trouble making boys on my placement were playing pool and so i asked them what colour they thought it should be.....GREEN....that solves that one then.....

The next week they were playing again and complaining at the state of the table. i reminded them about the new covering i was looking at and they talked to me a bit about it, then one of them asked if they could have a pool competition next week.......

once again me being the ever 'reflecting' youth worker (whatever! i'm just lazy!)

i asked them if they could run it........

now they wernt to sure about that but said that they'd see next week.......

so we shall see.........

two things could happen........

1. they could come and run the competition

2. they could come back next week and totaly forget about it.

should i remind them? should i let them run it? even though theyre normally trouble?

i think yes to all those questions.........do you think that's empowering?

Prince's Trust Advertisement - Footsteps

2007-01-16T00:27:00.003-08:00

This is the new advertisement for the princes trust scheme. it came on when i was at the cinema and all the way through there was a sudden concentrated silence until the end when people turned to each other and said how great they think these sorts of schemes are....but will they actually do something to help them and the young people that they say need helping....why say something's does a great job and that young people need something like this...should they get out there and actually do something themselves? or is it enough just to give others a pat on the back for their work!

2007-01-12T12:19:00.000-08:00

I just want to pick up on somethings that were talked about in today's key issues lecture. Dot asked us to write down what we believe...no other instruction just write down what you believe.

Tough question eh?

Well.....what do you believe?

Just this once I'm going to tell you what i wrote down.

I said that I believe.....

That our past experiences shape the people we are today.
That anything can be overcome, no matter how hard it looks.
That no one can make a decision for you about anything, especially your faith.

And then i was stuck.... didn't really know what to write next. Dot asked us to share our lists with someone we didn't talk to very often. So we did and then she asked how similar our beliefs were and what kinds of things we had written down. Music? Football? TV?......God?

Had i written anything about what i believe about God....nope.....she asked people to say what they'd written about God....going around the circle. I don't know but i did feel a little bit singled out and frowned upon because i didn't write about God....Ok there were three of us who didn't but i still felt like we were kind of looked down upon by the rest of the group.....sorry guys but that's how it came across.....i know it wasn't meant to but that just highlights Dot's next point about how hard it is to be vulnerable....it was so hard to just do it then....to admit that i hadn't written anything down about God, i guess the reason was that i didn't know what i believed in order to write it down, put it into words.

But that's not the point.

Why is it so hard to be real with people? especially Christians who seem to have the 'I've got it all sorted' attitude in a way that makes others feel uncomfortable about owning up when they have a problem. Now I'm not going to go off on a big long rant about this but i just think we need to look at ourselves and see how real we are being, with ourselves and with other people too. So that we don't give off the persona that says 'I'm a christian, of course I'm happy!' and so that we're not afraid to tell people when we need help. This is so hard, I know that for myself but if we're Christians, we're family and we should support each other. maybe we need to make ourselves a little more venerable.....and in that way show others that its Ok to let the mask slip a little and show us a little bit more of who they are too.

I'll stop now because i want to know what you think.....

What DO you REALLY believe?

(don't be afraid to be controversial, you can even post anonymously, i don't mind but be honest.....)

2007-01-11T06:49:00.000-08:00

2006-11-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

The question is......

Does God allow this.....??? (world war, tsunami, suffering etc.)

This question came out of the context of us talking about things that had happened to us and Craig telling us about when he went to Auschwitz concentration camp as part of his peer mentoring scheme. We talked about what it had been like to visit a place where such atrocities had taken place and a question was raised as to whether God allows these things to happen.

When i was in year 10 on a German exchange we went to visit the camp at Dachau and i will remember the feeling of being in that place forever. It was such a place where you feel that if you talk loudly you are disturbing something very profound, so you talk in hushed voices and walk around very softly. while i was there i just felt really sad and it lasted for ages after i left the place. it was so peaceful but so utterly heartbreaking to realise what happened there. Did God let it happen?

Yesterday in theology we were talking about Does God Suffer?
There's so many questions going on in my head over this at the moment that i don't know what to think......so if you'd let me in on you're opinions that would be helpful....
I'd love to know what you think.

Does God allow suffering?
Can God suffer?
If Jesus was fully human, did he suffer?
if Jesus was fully God, could he suffer?
If God cant suffer and Jesus was fully God then what was the point of Jesus going to the cross?

......

think about it.....
can you see why my head hurts? that's just a starting point......

2006-11-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

This is all of us beautiful ladies from 14 CCC on our way out to battle of the halls 2006.

We came 2nd.....Bring on the final!!

CCC! CCC!

2006-11-19T15:59:00.000-08:00

CU Weekend away!

This weekend just gone I went on a weekend away with the Christian Union (as the title suggests) I had a fantastic time, there was great teaching, worship and prayer times but the most important thing of the weekend was the people who went. it was amazing to get to know so many lovely people and so begin to build solid friendships over a game of Mafia and a cup of tea.

The best thing that I found about the weekend was the way that everyone supported each other. The teaching itself was given on the topic of community and that is most definatly what the CU here is, a community of people who look out for each other during the good and bad times. I hope that I can be a real part of this and really build up the others by being an encourager.

I've been struggling a bit with my faith and other things that have been going on in my life and what was amazing was how i was listened to and taken seriously for what i had to say. also the way that people just pray for each other as a natural response. this was something i hadnt experienced before and i am so thankful for the prayers of the weekend and for the things that found i could talk about for the first time, strangely with people i had only known for a couple of days. You guys have been such an amazing encouragement to me...thank you!

anyway....i'm rambling away now and i need to do a bit of theological reflection on the big question that Dot posed to us today....sounds painful right.....well....

2006-11-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Seminar Recordings!

As of popular request I have uploaded the seminar recordings from our group tutorials in theology but as I was thinking about it I realised that if I am to post them on here I need permission from everyone in the group...as these could be picked up from anyone...so I thought if you want to have them if you email me at griffin_laura@hotmail.co.uk and let me know your prefered format (windows media player or itunes) i'll email you the upload links. Just because I dont want to offend anyone by putting them online and also...we wouldnt want any of those theology students finding out how smart all us youth workers are now would we!

So let me know!

Also NEWEST THEOLOGY LECTURE UPLOADED in the theology lectures post!

2006-11-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Two really cool things in one REALLY cold evening!

Just for dramatic effect I'm going to use blue text...It really was soo cold tonight!

Sorry for the epic post but I wanted to write this stuff down even if you don't read it all!

Well I suppose I could really tell you about the things I did tonight. As it is Thursday I went to chapel (which is like a different church service every week), this week it was 'High Mass', which to me being used to 'Mass' in the Roman Catholic sense I was expecting something very 'High' and I was quite nervous about going but when I got there everything was all familiar to me... Men in robes.... Strange smelly smoke coming out of a metal swinging thing....Lots of stand up sit down stuff....(some people might think I'm being irreverent here. I'm not, this kind of church is what I've been brought up in, I love it!) I felt so at home to be able to say the prayers without struggling around the funny unfamiliar wording (sorry Anglicans!) and to just know and really understand the meaning of what I was saying...It was so good! Hmm...... After all that running away from my church background I finally find some solace in familiarity...God's a strange one! :-)

After chapel I practically ran over to Hoole Baptist Church (slight change of denomination-those from home will understand what I'm like!). I've volunteered to help out with a youth group called DBiz run by the Light Project in Chester. But you see the thing was that I didn't exactly know how to get there and it was dark and it was cold and every so slightly scary.....So....While I was in chapel I prayed that I would find the church, not freeze, be scared of the dark, drunk people or crazy old men (worried now mum??)....And God totally did that for me, it was fine, I got there safe and it didn't take me long to defrost. It was an incredible night, first they have a 'brief' thing where they pray before the youth arrive, then the actual group, then the tidy up/round up/debrief thing where there is more prayer. This way of doing youth work isn't a new concept to me of course but I just found it so encouraging that people could do that as part of the normal youth night...Since back home we'd be lucky if we could say hi to the team before they were going home again....Never mind praying for each other. It was so good to be back in a setting with young people again, I've missed their bad language...Attitude...Arrogance and disregard for rules! And is was amazing to be in such a God centered place. Even though I don't think I had one conversation about God all night....He was there...Big time...Covering the place.....In the smiles of the kids.....The patience of the leaders.....Just everywhere!

Tonight has reminded me of why I want to do what I do.....Because of God's love....For those young people and for me too (since I'll always be His little Teenager!)

2006-10-31T07:57:00.000-08:00

Theology Recordings!

Here are the download links for the theology lecture recordings:-

They will always be added in THIS post...In the comments.
I will add them week by week so you just have to come back...Find this post and download that weeks comment. Make sense?
Sorry...Its the only way I can get them out to everyone who wants them.

2006-10-30T08:58:00.000-08:00

2006-10-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to this video by my lovely housemate and i just thought I'd share it with you all. Let me know what you think!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2406460985877029386

2006-10-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

War Child

Stands alone,

Cold and scared,

Hoping his mother and father will return,

Waiting, waiting,

But darkness comes,

No one is there.

Sits in the dark,

In the shell of her house,

Hoping her child will return,

Waiting, waiting,

But darkness comes,

No one is there.

The red sun rises,

The child walks alone,

Back to the shell of his home,

His mother is there,

Lying in the dust,

He is alone once more.

2006-10-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

All Blogged out!!

I feel like blogging has become kinda like a part of my study here at chester and i think its going to be helpful for stuff like the big event next year....i'm really exited!!!....(anyway) but i'm not totally sure why i'm still blogging about random stuff but anyhow.....
let me know if i start rambling and i'll try to post something from someone else more inteligent!

today we had key issues and we talked about sex.
a little issue that christians seem to be just a tiny bit scared about. (agree??)
from my experience of youth work i've not really had to discuss this issue that much apart from when its february in coventry cathedral youth team.....when Keith has the tradition of talking about sex for a whole month in all the groups.
i do have to admit that the first year i lead groups in febuary i was very embarrassed about the subject just because its not something my family or home church really talked about that much (at all) but by the end of the month i realised how important it is not to shy away from the subject and to face it head on....young people are going to want to know about sex, young people are going to have sex.....no matter what the youth worker says (a lot of the time)....so we need to be prepared to deal with the issue sensitively and informatively.
i look forward to the day when christians are no longer afraid of sex but are able to talk about it as easilly as they can give talks on things like self-image (groan) or Jesus (yay!)....

Youth workers out there (and anyone else really).......what do you think??

2006-10-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Congratulations go to the Boxer Family (Mhairi and Christian) on the safe arrival of Baby Oliver on tuesday this week!

Can't wait to see you soon!

2006-10-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

I've once again not posted for a week....But never mind.....
BIG NEWS:- (Best house on Campus!) 14 Church College Close now has internet!! So I am writing this from the relative comfort of my bean bag! Very exiting!

this week has been really good...Had my Personal academic Tutor (PAT) meeting today....Hey Dot!'....And in my true style I managed to get it to last a whole 3mins!.....Yeah I know some of you from back home are tutting to yourself because you think I should have had more to say but.....Sorry guys.....I'm just being me as usual....I don't like talking very much!

theology was again on creation so don't really have anything to add there.

Tutorial was good but no real controversial topics launched.....Did mention about the bar etc in St John fishers (my home church) and that got many a diaproving look....What do you think? Also I did start to explain a little about the Catholic Missal (thing with the order of mass and readings in) but I think it came across as that we don't use the bible....Sorry Aimee! Hopefully there will be more opportunity to talk about this and the other denominations of churches further.....It's kinda my favorite subject being a Roman Catholic Evangelical Baptist Anglican Christian that I am! Short definition being a Christian...As described in earlier blogs.

well all for now guys....Take care and thank you to everyone for their kind words and prayers over the past week....I really appreciate it!

2006-10-20T05:14:00.000-07:00

Creation????

How did we get here?
What was the Big Bang?
Did the creation happen in 6days?
Did we come from bacteria?
Did God create the world?

Anything else?
Over to you........

2006-10-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

Back to what we were talking about the other day in Key issues....
we talked about where we get our spiritual development/fulfillment from...I firstly found this a really difficult question to answer but once I got thinking about it I realised that the way that I feel closer to God is usually when I'm on my own and I've been doing something that I don't have to think whilst doing...Like cycling long distance, swimming, walking etc and then I can use that time to think about God.

This weekend I went on a trip with the mountaineering club to snowdonia. On the Saturday we went walking in the Rhynogs (spelling?) and on Sunday we climbed snowdon. I had done this before but this time we took a different track and also the fog cleared just as we got to the top...It was spectacular! I could have sat there all day. But while I was sat there I got to thinking about this 'feeling closer to God thing' and well its been a long time. Lately I think ivy been so busy that I've not given God the time or space in my life that is deserved and I think that is probably why I've been feeling so far away from God...Because I haven't taken the time to be with Him.

This blog seems to be turning into some sort of story of my life, I'm not sure I want it to....I'm going to stop now....
in future I think I'm going to keep it more academic....That was the idea right?

Ok...Time to think of more controversial topics......
Lectures on Creation tomorrow.....Anyone want to start?

2006-10-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

Just a little distraction and a note to all those in my course....I have recordings of the theology lectures on mp3. Files if you want them send me an email at griffin_laura@hotmail.co.uk and I'll try and send them to you or give me a re/writable CD and I'll transfer them for you or bring a memory stick to lessons and I'll try and remember to bring my laptop to save them for you.

other things....If you want to know how to add links and pictures etc to profile let me know and I'll do a step by step guide thing otherwise just ask me and I'll show you....But Dot said there might be a few people so I can make a guide at some point if people want it.

Thanks Guys.....

Youth Work Rules!!!

2006-10-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Muslim Youth Work At Chester

This post is designed to challenge you.....
designed to make you think.....
So even just for me
Could you try??
(only messing with you!)

Basically this has come out of our tutorial today about Muslim youth work. There is a degree course which is starting at Chester uni next September. One of the guys who will be teaching it is going to be coming into some of our lectures to see how the Christian youth work course is taught. This brought out some questions from the group and sparked off a discussion. Some of these questions were.....

should we be teaching Muslim youth workers how to work? Wont that just help them make converts to Islam? Shouldn't we be more concerned about our own youth workers? Why should we help another religion make converts? Why do we do youth work? Is there just one God who we all have different understandings off or is the Christian idea of God the only correct one and all other religions are just deluded and fooling themselves? If we don't teach Islamic youth workers who will? Do we have the rights to the knowledge of how to train youth workers?

Oh so many questions.....Take your pick...Answer what you will....The comments are up to you.
I will respond.

2006-10-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

Wow....So much to write about....Firstly though to shorten this post I will just direct you to Hayley's website, like on the right hand side of my page, read the post about youth workers and theology and leave a comment about what you think.....I believe that what she's written is totally true and that I myself as a youth worker (in training) am fully committed to getting theology out into the lives of the young people I work with because it is so so important! Anyway...Go read the post!!!

First in study skills we looked at some of our learning styles and personalities. Just for your information I am a reflector and an idealist. (if that makes any sense to you!) Basically we did the test found on http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind (what am i like) if you want to have a look...Let me know what you are. I've done lots of these quizzes in the past and haven't actually found them that helpful...Interesting yes...But not very helpful so maybe after this module I'll finally understand why I learn the way I do (or don't learn, as the case may be). I'm looking forward to a deeper understanding and knowledge of different learning styles and skills so that I can use them to make my youth work practice more effective. In our tutorial with Rich we talked about the Muslim youth work course that is going to be started at Chester Uni next year...This was such a great discussion and so I'm going to pose some questions about it rather than just ramble about the time...Its about time you used your brains too!

Theology was not so interesting today but maybe that was because I had done the pre-reading etc and kind of found out all the stuff we were being told before we were taught it...Yes I know I need to stop being such a geek! The lecture today was about tradition and orthodoxy (Greek word for currently assumed correct belief) and was well explained and detailed in content but wasn't particularly interesting.....But it was important!! We need to learn about where the statements of faith (creeds) which we/the church say come from and how these things affect what we believe and do today.

2006-10-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Here are my amazing house mates. Left to Right: Jem, Hayles, Steph and Jen. In case you didn't guess....The cow in the middle is the legendary.... CHARLOTTE! Yay for 14 CCC!

2006-10-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

What is a Christian?

This was one of the main questions that we talked about today in key issues along with exploring how we judge others (especially youth) and how different churches do things differently.

To me, a Christian is someone who believes in God, Has a personal relationship with Jesus as their saviour, Knows that they will sin and fall down but more importantly knows that God forgives, Understands the reason Jesus went to the cross (to die for us-bring us into relationship with God). That basically sums it up for me. I used to think that a Christian was someone who went to church...That was that....But as I've grown up I've come to understand that Christianity isn't about appearance and attendance at a church but it is ultimately about relationship. Something which is also at the heart of Youth Work.

Today we also read a poem by Pip Wilson, written just before one of the Greenbelt festivals. It contained a lot of very important issues regarding judgments of people by appearance, competence andbehaviorr without getting to know them as real people. For me in particular I found parts of it very challenging and parts very saddening, I think this comes from personal circumstances I have experienced and I'm sure I will talk a bit more about these in the future. But I need to take time to 'get to know' my blog a little more before I tell my whole story. Give me time and I'm sure I will.

One thing I was reminded of during today's session was something A guy called Andrew Croft said at Soul Survivor this year. He said that before we speak we should make sure we T.H.I.N.K. Now think stood for

T. True
H. Helpful
I. Inspiring
N. Necessary
K. Kind

I believe that it is important for us to think before we speak but also before we majudgmentsnts about people.

Sorry for the long ramble..You'll'll just have to get used to it...

So
What is a Christian?
Do you have to go to church?

Discuss

2006-10-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

This is a quote that an amazing friend of mine sent me today and I just wanted to post it on here so that mainly for my own benefit (and yours too, of course) so that I can read it and remember that God really is here for us and does want to heal us. If I put it here I'll see it regularly and remember...I think that it's important anyway. Feel free to comment on it.

"God went back and got the shaking little girl that was hiding under the bed and convinced her to some out. He unclenched her little fists and took her hand and placed it in his and answered her question. He held her and told her it was ok for her not to be tough. He would protect her. She didn't have to be strong. He told her she wasn't a rock but a child. An innocent child. His child. He didn't condemn her for anything but instead understood her and loved her! He old her she was special...Like no other and that she had special gifts like no other. She knew his voice and trusted him. She could hear the pleasure He had for her in his voice and felt His delight in her as he talked. He was so gentle and loving she couldn't help but melt in his arms."

This is available. This is the offer of our saviour- to heal our broken hearts. To come to the places within us and find us there, take us in his arms, bring us home. The time has come to let Jesus heal you.

(Captivating by Jon and Stasi Eldredge.)

2006-10-04T04:56:00.000-07:00

Lecture One:- What is Theology?
Some little questions to get your brains working.

1) What does the word theology mean to you?
2) Can you study theology as an Atheist/Agnostic or do you have to be Christian?
3) Why should we even think about the subject of theology?

I will post my own responses to these questions in due course but for now it's all yours.

Discuss

2006-10-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

The whole process of blogging is pretty new to me but not as new as becoming a real live university student!

My first week here has been such an incredible experience and I have been blessed by the amazing people I have met in so many ways. Firstly just a little note about my housemates. You girls are sooo great!! Big Cheer for 14 CCC.....And Charlotte the Cow (pictures will be added). Its been so good to get to know such awesome people and to be living in the same house is great cause it feels like we're known each other for ages, not just a week!

I started lectures on my course (Christian Youth Work and Applied Theology) today and although there was a lot of information to take in all at once, I think I've got it all. Luckily I have tomorrow off so I can re-organise my stuff and make sure that everything is ready to go again on Thursday. I am really interested in the theology side of the course, not just because it will give me a good knowledge base to answer young people's questions {or facilitate their own discovery-see learning already!(don't look so shocked!)}. Personally for me I think its going to be such an opportunity for me to become strongly rooted in what I believe.

So basically now...I'll finish this post on this note...Dot said that some of us would love this Blogging thing, some hate it and some just get on with it...I'm not sure which category I fit into yet but one thing I am glad about is to be given a task to write....I've missed it so much. Hopefully this will be an opportunity for me to set time aside for some creative writing and reflection...I'm actually looking forward to that.

So that's that
First week over
First Blog over
Roll on the rest of term!