We Didn't Start The Fire

As we were coming home from Kakamega last weekend we saw a huge fire. When we got out of the Matatu to walk back to the farm we could hear the flames, so we knew it was really close. As we walked closer to the farm we realized that the fire was coming from a farm right across the road from us. Now the fire was scary and I said a quick prayer for everyone who may be involved. Then I broke into hysterical laughter because Julie is running down the road screaming "We need to get our stuff out of the huts and run" ahahaha! I could not stop laughing. The fire was scary but it wasn't heading towards our farm. A biker along the road stopped to tell us that it was the sugar cane that was on fire. A small boy had set the fire but he wasn't sure how or why. We all decided at that point we would go to the next farm to help them put it out. When we arrived we were greeted by twenty little ones yelling "MUZUNGU! MUZUNGU! There are MUZUNGU's in the field!" They couldn't believe these white people were coming to their farm late at night. Once I determined all of the kids were safe I taught them "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel. They were just belting out the chorus...just kidding! I'm not kidding about the fire, but about the singing. Wouldn't that have been funny though? Everything ended well and I have a cool video of the fire.

One of my bunk mates is out on Safari and she will be returning tonight. My other bunk matey's are sick and in bed. I'm next for the sickness, so I'm trying to keep my distance. We are going to start cooking with the ladies in the kitchen. Mama Betty said she will tell us all kinds of stories about Africa. It should be a good time and I'm sure many stories will from it. Julie, Hilary, and I were suppose to make dinner for everyone tonight, but since they're sick it is going to be posponed.

Things have been getting a little rocky here in Kenya. I have been really disheartened the past couple of days. Many of the people here assume that since you are white you have mass amounts of dough. Which is obviously not the case with most of the people I am here with. I thought coming to Kenya and just being a presence and doing service would be enough. For many Kenyans it is not enough. They want want Muzungu's (white people's ) money. For example: My friend Vivien at school seemed like a really great person with a wonderful story. She has written me a few letters and I felt very close to her. We took her to Kakamega with us this past weekend and she showed her true colors. We had decided we would pay for her ride there and for her meals. We had asked her if she could afford to go shopping and do some other things that we had planned. She said it was no problem. Once we got to Kakamega she expected us to buy everything for her. Hilary had offered to but her a pair of shoes to teach in and Vivien asked her for the money and went out and bought a new purse. When we were getting our hair braided, Vivien had her toes down and purchased a new clip for her hair. Well when it was my turn to pay for my hair those things were added to my bill. Then we visited a bakery where Vivien purchased a piece of cake. As we were walking out of the store a man came running after us saying that Vivien had not paid. She turned to Hilary and said "You forgot to pay for this". All of that is bad, but this is the icing on the cake. On the way home she asked our friend Felicity for her phone, so Felicity handed it to her. When Felicity looked over to see what she was doing Vivien had the screen to "Transfer Credits". She was going to transfer Felicity's phone credits to her own phone. Finally she asked us if we would sponsor her through college. Needless to say that Saturday night was really hard for me. I just couldn't believe she had behaved like that. Many of the volunteers who have been here for four or more months say that it happens to them all of the time. They meet people who seem very friendly and grateful for your help and then ask you for money. People here will ask for the clothes off your back and the shoes off your feet in a second.

Today I was completely set up and extremely uncomfortable. Mama Betty had asked me to accompany her to a school to visit the children there. I gladly told her I would come. Well we get to this school and everything is fine and the kids are wonderful, as usual. The school is very poor and doesn't even have four walls or a full roof. After I met all of the children I was served tea and the preacher of the school and teachers all sat down. One by one they told me their names and thanked me for what I was going to do. I am sitting there thinking "What exactly am I going to be doing for you?" They each pleaded why they needed money for the school. They told me how they weren't being paid and how badly they needed to improve the school. I couldn't believe I was put into a situation like that. Of course Mama Betty is talking to them in Kiswahili so I had no idea what they were saying to one another. I politely told them I would pray for them and that I hoped their school grew. They all just stared waiting for me to say more and when I didn't they just moved on. Then on the ride home, Martin (someone who works for ICODEI), asked me to send Mama Betty a car. I asked him how he expected me to do that and he said "Well everyone in America has cars, so it will be no problem for you to ship one over." I explained that he was wrong and that every American did not have a car. He then asked "Well don't youhave a car?" When I told him that I did, but also explained that I paid for it myself, he said: "Well if you love Mama Betty you will send that car here and buy yourself another one." WHAT???? I just can't believe people think that American's are so wealthy. I have to explain to people all of the time how in debt I am. In all reality if any of these people came to America they would have more money than I do because I am so in debt from college. I know I am so blessed to liev in America and be able to take out loans for school. Here there is no loan money available. People here want to be educated so badly that they do everything they can to raise the money. Even the people who graduate college can't get jobs. The graduation rate is high here, but the job market is extremely low. It's a sad cycle and it's hard to see it and hear about it everyday.

With all of that said I still have extreme hope for this country and faith in the people here. Although I have had a few bad experiences with the people here I know everyone isn't like that. I know there are people here who are grateful just for my presence and service. I'm sad for all of the volunteers who can't see past the few corrupt people they've met.

Everyday I hear my school preach the word of God and tell the kids all of these great things. Then they beat the children repeatedly for making mistakes. That is really hard to take in. I know people want to change though and it will happen. Someone said todday "We must educate these children and take care of them, it is their light that will change the world." AMEN! During my time here I've realized how much I want to be a mother and a teacher. I love children more than anything in the world. I'm reading a book right now called "Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire" by Rafe Esquith. Rafe is a fifth grade teacher is a poor L.A. school. All of his students teach English as a second language. Many of the kids don't have parents or have had really bad starts to life. He makes his classroom a haven for them. Many of his students go on to attend the finiest universities in the country. Every night I read it I have to choke back the tears. It's incredible to read about how much one teacher can impact a student's life. In one part of the book he says "This I believe: If young people develop a love of reading, they will have better lives. That objective is not listed in our state curriculum standards. Our assessment of reading may begin with standardized test scores, but in the end we must measure a child's reading ability by the amount of laughter exhaled and tears shed as the written word is devoured." WOW! That was really powerful for me.

I can't wait to be a teacher!

I love you all. Pray hard for the people of Kenya and for the people helping them!


"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around" ~Leo Buscaglia (one of my favorites)