Hey folks!
Myself and my friend John, who also went to Kenya this summer, have been working on raising some funds for Port Victoria, and I just wanted to share a link to a video I made from the footage I took of the children! Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU7kM7ZPYyU
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Coming Home!
Well, goodness.
So much is running through my head right now...just wanted to send a quick note to say that we have been doing some debriefing the last couple of days as a group, so that we don't implode when we return to the states.
Right now, I'm sitting in a little cybercafe for the last time on Kenyan soil. SAD! This summer has been so powerful, I've just finished handwriting a summary and I hope to share it with as many of you as possible.
We will be leaving tomorrow evening from the Nairobi airport, having a layover in Dubai, and then arriving in New York around 2PM on Saturday. wooo! I'm actually pretty excited to come back this time, more than I was last summer.
There's so much to say, but time is short and so I must go. I look forward to seeing you all very soon!
So much is running through my head right now...just wanted to send a quick note to say that we have been doing some debriefing the last couple of days as a group, so that we don't implode when we return to the states.
Right now, I'm sitting in a little cybercafe for the last time on Kenyan soil. SAD! This summer has been so powerful, I've just finished handwriting a summary and I hope to share it with as many of you as possible.
We will be leaving tomorrow evening from the Nairobi airport, having a layover in Dubai, and then arriving in New York around 2PM on Saturday. wooo! I'm actually pretty excited to come back this time, more than I was last summer.
There's so much to say, but time is short and so I must go. I look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Incredible...
Here's a quote one of my teammates shared last night and it sums up so much of what it's like to be here. It's from a book called "Following Jesus through the Eye of the Needle" by Kent Annon.
"There's something about the desperation of life here that resonates with how desperate life itself really, actually, is. On the surface, an American suburb is a place where life is orderly, manicured, manageable. Here, the surface is raw and needy and clawing. There is some reassurance in living where the exterior life, with all its ragged desperation - and glimpes of beauty and faith and sontaneous dancing - resonates more with the interior experiences of being human."
I just love it when someone puts into words how I'm feeling. whew.
Well, we are all back together now as a group in Nairobi and have been doing different things each day. Yesterday was a learning/praying day for the world of Hinduism as we visited two different temples. Today we went and had a work down in Mathare Valley slum, painting, tickling kids, pouring concrete, just awesome.
It really made me miss my little group of orphans back in Port Victoria and just in the last couple of days the reality of their lives have hit me so strongly.
They are ages 2-6...
Little hands and feet, impressionible minds, vulnerable...
and they're orphans.
Whew.
There's a song that keeps running thru my brain with the first line of "The orphan clings to Your hand." Oh man, it's so true. These children are desperate. They hold tight to the hand of God because there's no one else to care for them.
There's also a line in the chorus that goes, "YOu could just stay silent and leave us here to die." The line is meant to be from the perspective of humans to God, but I've been hearing the voices of my orphans saying it to me.
I can't stay silent, I've got to be an advocate for them.
I think I've found a new hobby. :)
"There's something about the desperation of life here that resonates with how desperate life itself really, actually, is. On the surface, an American suburb is a place where life is orderly, manicured, manageable. Here, the surface is raw and needy and clawing. There is some reassurance in living where the exterior life, with all its ragged desperation - and glimpes of beauty and faith and sontaneous dancing - resonates more with the interior experiences of being human."
I just love it when someone puts into words how I'm feeling. whew.
Well, we are all back together now as a group in Nairobi and have been doing different things each day. Yesterday was a learning/praying day for the world of Hinduism as we visited two different temples. Today we went and had a work down in Mathare Valley slum, painting, tickling kids, pouring concrete, just awesome.
It really made me miss my little group of orphans back in Port Victoria and just in the last couple of days the reality of their lives have hit me so strongly.
They are ages 2-6...
Little hands and feet, impressionible minds, vulnerable...
and they're orphans.
Whew.
There's a song that keeps running thru my brain with the first line of "The orphan clings to Your hand." Oh man, it's so true. These children are desperate. They hold tight to the hand of God because there's no one else to care for them.
There's also a line in the chorus that goes, "YOu could just stay silent and leave us here to die." The line is meant to be from the perspective of humans to God, but I've been hearing the voices of my orphans saying it to me.
I can't stay silent, I've got to be an advocate for them.
I think I've found a new hobby. :)
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Adding is easier than Subtracting!
Over the last couple of weeks I've realized one thing about primary school kids and math. "Adding is easier than subtracting"
I don't know is this is true for all students but it seems to be the trend here for a majority of the kids; Javan with his wide smile that is missing his two front teeth, loud and confident Metrin, Castine who gets into trouble if he sits with other boys his own age, Devon who always returns all my goofy faces, and even shy Vivian who fights back smiles until you tickle them out of her. For all of them, it's the same.
This realization came true again when Hellen and I were pouring uji (porridge) for the kids. The amount of uji and the amount of children always varies daily, so everytime we are just praying and hoping that there will be enough. We decided the other day to just pour small portions and then add the extra (if there was some) later. Because, "adding is easier than subtracting" hehe.
It's so true. Even in life. It's a lost easier to buy something new then to give away a possession. I remember hearing, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" when I was younger...I'm pretty sure I can attribute that to Jesus, but I'm not exactly sure so I won't misquote Him...
But I originally thought that was a crazy idea. But i've recently found it to be utterly, completely true. It doesn't say "It is EASIER to give than to receive" but that it's more blessed, that it's more life-giving.
It's a crazy paradox, but so right on. Living life for more than "ADDING" is so much more life giving. When you are constantly doing the hard work of "SUBTRACTING" you end up adding so much more.
It's the beautiful, upside-down way of God's kingdom. I love it.
Blessings,
-tiff
I don't know is this is true for all students but it seems to be the trend here for a majority of the kids; Javan with his wide smile that is missing his two front teeth, loud and confident Metrin, Castine who gets into trouble if he sits with other boys his own age, Devon who always returns all my goofy faces, and even shy Vivian who fights back smiles until you tickle them out of her. For all of them, it's the same.
This realization came true again when Hellen and I were pouring uji (porridge) for the kids. The amount of uji and the amount of children always varies daily, so everytime we are just praying and hoping that there will be enough. We decided the other day to just pour small portions and then add the extra (if there was some) later. Because, "adding is easier than subtracting" hehe.
It's so true. Even in life. It's a lost easier to buy something new then to give away a possession. I remember hearing, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" when I was younger...I'm pretty sure I can attribute that to Jesus, but I'm not exactly sure so I won't misquote Him...
But I originally thought that was a crazy idea. But i've recently found it to be utterly, completely true. It doesn't say "It is EASIER to give than to receive" but that it's more blessed, that it's more life-giving.
It's a crazy paradox, but so right on. Living life for more than "ADDING" is so much more life giving. When you are constantly doing the hard work of "SUBTRACTING" you end up adding so much more.
It's the beautiful, upside-down way of God's kingdom. I love it.
Blessings,
-tiff
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Port Victoria!
Hey all!! so sorry for the long silence from this side of the world, but all the rest of orientation week was spent in staff meetings for me and then I was shipped out early to my ministry assignment in PORT VICTORIA!
I'm paired with a Kenyan girl named Hellen who is actually Masai and it's been so grand to learn so much about Masai culture and life from her. I'm with a lady called Mama Rosemary, she works in Nairobi but is origianlly from the very poor area of Port Victoria and has singlehandedly started a feeding program for orphans and HIV positive children in the area, it has grown into a primary school now and so my days are spent there I think the last two weeks of my life could be titled by the keywords, FISH, HOT, KIDS, CHAI, SWEAT, VISITORS....yeah just to name a few.
But yeah, it's been incredible just getting to know the area, it's a hard place to be because of all the sickness and poverty but this being my third time in Africa, i feel like the initial chock of this hard reality has already come and I've been having the mindset of seeing what I can do about it with what i have been entrusted with in this life.
THe major needs for the school are buying land for food so that they can be self-sustaining, getting a salary for the teachers (because everthing is volunteer work right now and it's hard to be able to hold high standards and make sure supplies don't get stolen). THis salary would only take someone (or a group of pplp) deciding to give 200 dollars a month to support two teachers and a cook for the school. The third is that they started a few years ago and now the orphans are beginning to age out of primary school with no where to go, Mama Rosemary is looking for sponsors to pay for school fees for the again children so they can continue on with education.
I've had the incredible oppurtunity to compile information and photos of the some 150 watoto (children) and I'll be bringing them back to the states and hopefully be an advocate for them. I'm also been able to pick out a brother and sister (Javan and Vivian) who I'm going to sponsor on to grade one. They are both sooo smart and clever and very sweet. They are living with their grandma as they are both complete orphans.
Okay, i really need to go now, but just wanted to give a quick update and urge you to think and pray about how you may be a part of bringing hope to the children of Port Victoria!
Be a part of the miracle!
-tiff
I'm paired with a Kenyan girl named Hellen who is actually Masai and it's been so grand to learn so much about Masai culture and life from her. I'm with a lady called Mama Rosemary, she works in Nairobi but is origianlly from the very poor area of Port Victoria and has singlehandedly started a feeding program for orphans and HIV positive children in the area, it has grown into a primary school now and so my days are spent there I think the last two weeks of my life could be titled by the keywords, FISH, HOT, KIDS, CHAI, SWEAT, VISITORS....yeah just to name a few.
But yeah, it's been incredible just getting to know the area, it's a hard place to be because of all the sickness and poverty but this being my third time in Africa, i feel like the initial chock of this hard reality has already come and I've been having the mindset of seeing what I can do about it with what i have been entrusted with in this life.
THe major needs for the school are buying land for food so that they can be self-sustaining, getting a salary for the teachers (because everthing is volunteer work right now and it's hard to be able to hold high standards and make sure supplies don't get stolen). THis salary would only take someone (or a group of pplp) deciding to give 200 dollars a month to support two teachers and a cook for the school. The third is that they started a few years ago and now the orphans are beginning to age out of primary school with no where to go, Mama Rosemary is looking for sponsors to pay for school fees for the again children so they can continue on with education.
I've had the incredible oppurtunity to compile information and photos of the some 150 watoto (children) and I'll be bringing them back to the states and hopefully be an advocate for them. I'm also been able to pick out a brother and sister (Javan and Vivian) who I'm going to sponsor on to grade one. They are both sooo smart and clever and very sweet. They are living with their grandma as they are both complete orphans.
Okay, i really need to go now, but just wanted to give a quick update and urge you to think and pray about how you may be a part of bringing hope to the children of Port Victoria!
Be a part of the miracle!
-tiff
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Kenya!!!
Well, we've made it!
I'm sitting in a little cybercave off of Moi Avenue in Nairobi. We've split up into teams and have been dropped off at different spots in the city with a list of scavenger hunt tasks and items to get. It's a really fun way to have the students get a feel for urban Kenya and get more comfortable in the culture.
Whew, well we left NY around 11am, had a short layover in Dubai (which is an experience all on it's own) and approximately 24 hours later we were buying visas in the Nairobi airport, loading buses, and heading to the Watakatifu Wote Senta, about 20 km south of the city to settle in for a week of orientation.
It's just been so great to watch the students discover things and have new experiences. We've done lots of cultural training, took a walk to the nearby village of Ngong and yesterday we visited Mathare Valley (one of the largest slums in the world) and then visited a children's home called Sanctuary of Hope that houses orphan from the slum. (Try You Tube to find a sweet documentary on these homes!)
Overall, things have been going really well. Even though half of the team is from Missoula, I feel like we are mixing really well together. It's only been two days and already we feel like family just because of the intensity of the trip and the incredible range of emotions one goes thru in a single day here.
As a staff member, I'm leading a small group of students (which I was totally FREAKED OUT about) and it's going really well! So much is running thru their heads that one doesn't have to do much prodding to bring about deep, genuine, meaningful conversation. But prayers for that would be greatly appreciated!
Well, time on my computer is almost up and we've got to be about different errands! Love you all, and oh yeah! prayer for decision making regarding where the students go for ministry assignments, who they go with, and what they do, would be awesome as well! Till later,
-tiff
I'm sitting in a little cybercave off of Moi Avenue in Nairobi. We've split up into teams and have been dropped off at different spots in the city with a list of scavenger hunt tasks and items to get. It's a really fun way to have the students get a feel for urban Kenya and get more comfortable in the culture.
Whew, well we left NY around 11am, had a short layover in Dubai (which is an experience all on it's own) and approximately 24 hours later we were buying visas in the Nairobi airport, loading buses, and heading to the Watakatifu Wote Senta, about 20 km south of the city to settle in for a week of orientation.
It's just been so great to watch the students discover things and have new experiences. We've done lots of cultural training, took a walk to the nearby village of Ngong and yesterday we visited Mathare Valley (one of the largest slums in the world) and then visited a children's home called Sanctuary of Hope that houses orphan from the slum. (Try You Tube to find a sweet documentary on these homes!)
Overall, things have been going really well. Even though half of the team is from Missoula, I feel like we are mixing really well together. It's only been two days and already we feel like family just because of the intensity of the trip and the incredible range of emotions one goes thru in a single day here.
As a staff member, I'm leading a small group of students (which I was totally FREAKED OUT about) and it's going really well! So much is running thru their heads that one doesn't have to do much prodding to bring about deep, genuine, meaningful conversation. But prayers for that would be greatly appreciated!
Well, time on my computer is almost up and we've got to be about different errands! Love you all, and oh yeah! prayer for decision making regarding where the students go for ministry assignments, who they go with, and what they do, would be awesome as well! Till later,
-tiff
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Headin' Out!
Well, here we goooo!
We're off to the airport in about an hour to check in to our international Emirates flight. We'll have a lay-over in Dubai, and then hopefully arrive in Nairobi around 2PM Kenya time.
We had a really great first time together last night with staff and students. It's so great to look around and see all the students looking at each other, not knowing each other one bit and then to know that in seven short weeks they will be incredibly, unbelievably bound together.
We talked about a mix of cultural things that they would need to know in order to not make a horrible first impression. We played random get-to-know-you games and also spent time praying for one another in small groups. The general consensus is that most of us are coming very tired and overwhelmed from school/work/logistical preparations and not feeling very filled up with God. We pray to be filled to overflowing with God because it's the over-spill that splashes out on people and that's what Missions is at its core.
hmm. well I best pack up my last few things and head downstairs! Love you all, and I'll write once I get the chance to in Kenya!
We're off to the airport in about an hour to check in to our international Emirates flight. We'll have a lay-over in Dubai, and then hopefully arrive in Nairobi around 2PM Kenya time.
We had a really great first time together last night with staff and students. It's so great to look around and see all the students looking at each other, not knowing each other one bit and then to know that in seven short weeks they will be incredibly, unbelievably bound together.
We talked about a mix of cultural things that they would need to know in order to not make a horrible first impression. We played random get-to-know-you games and also spent time praying for one another in small groups. The general consensus is that most of us are coming very tired and overwhelmed from school/work/logistical preparations and not feeling very filled up with God. We pray to be filled to overflowing with God because it's the over-spill that splashes out on people and that's what Missions is at its core.
hmm. well I best pack up my last few things and head downstairs! Love you all, and I'll write once I get the chance to in Kenya!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
New York!
Whew! We board our international flight with Emirates in the morning! But for the last couple of days, I've been in New York doing some staff training and orientation. It's been a blast. I'm so excited to help students through the incredible experience that I had last summer!
One of my duties today was to go and "surprise" pick up some students at the airport. It was really fun to see their faces light up once they came out the door to baggage claim. I picked up four Montana students around 6-7 am this morning and after dropping their stuff at the hotel we caught the airtrain to the subway and walked around downtown all day. Visited Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Ground Zero, and even got a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island!
It was a full day, and now we are all having dinner together for the first time downstairs in the hotel, New York Style Pizza! wooo!
more to come! Miss you all!
One of my duties today was to go and "surprise" pick up some students at the airport. It was really fun to see their faces light up once they came out the door to baggage claim. I picked up four Montana students around 6-7 am this morning and after dropping their stuff at the hotel we caught the airtrain to the subway and walked around downtown all day. Visited Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Ground Zero, and even got a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island!
It was a full day, and now we are all having dinner together for the first time downstairs in the hotel, New York Style Pizza! wooo!
more to come! Miss you all!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Seattle!
Wooo! It's been so good these last two days to spend some time in Seattle with my friend/old dorm roomie Letitia.
Highlights include visiting the famous downtown two-story REI complete with walking trail and waterfall, romping around thru the rain with starbucks in hand, and hitting up many museums because of free admission!
It's been grand, but I'm very ancy to get to NYC and begin really preparing and planning with the rest of the staff team for this summer. I leave on a red eye flight around eleven o'clock tonight and arrive in NY around seven in the morning.
I hope to be able to have some downtime there before staff orientation begins. Maybe get to finish reading my latest fave, Rob Bell's "Jesus wants to save Christians." I definitely reccomend it to all!
Well, till NY. Later!
Highlights include visiting the famous downtown two-story REI complete with walking trail and waterfall, romping around thru the rain with starbucks in hand, and hitting up many museums because of free admission!
It's been grand, but I'm very ancy to get to NYC and begin really preparing and planning with the rest of the staff team for this summer. I leave on a red eye flight around eleven o'clock tonight and arrive in NY around seven in the morning.
I hope to be able to have some downtime there before staff orientation begins. Maybe get to finish reading my latest fave, Rob Bell's "Jesus wants to save Christians." I definitely reccomend it to all!
Well, till NY. Later!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Empty Central House!
Well, I'm sitting in the empty living room of the little yellow house on Central Avenue in Missoula that I've lived in for the last three years. It's the end of an era.
Whew. God has proven faithful again and again to me and most recently by all my support coming in! Bwana asifiwe! (praise the Lord) It's such a blessing, thank you to many of you who are the reason I can board a plane to Africa this coming Sunday!
I'm going over packing lists and doing many countless last minute things, getting all ready to head out to Seattle in the morning with my friend Amber, who is also going to Kenya this summer! wooo!
Only a few more days to go until I'm back in Kenya. I'm getting more excited by the hour. I hope to be able to keep you all posted. Thanks again for all of your support. Hugs sent your way!
-tiff
Whew. God has proven faithful again and again to me and most recently by all my support coming in! Bwana asifiwe! (praise the Lord) It's such a blessing, thank you to many of you who are the reason I can board a plane to Africa this coming Sunday!
I'm going over packing lists and doing many countless last minute things, getting all ready to head out to Seattle in the morning with my friend Amber, who is also going to Kenya this summer! wooo!
Only a few more days to go until I'm back in Kenya. I'm getting more excited by the hour. I hope to be able to keep you all posted. Thanks again for all of your support. Hugs sent your way!
-tiff
Monday, March 22, 2010
Life Update!
Hey everyone,
If you've found yourself here, you probably traveled to Kenya with me last summer or just recently heard about me returning again this summer...either way, karibu sana!(Welcome!)
I'm very excited to go to Kenya again this summer, but I thought that most of you are needing an update on what is going on with me! Since the last time I emailed was Veteran's Day.
The biggest change in my life so far is that I am now free from the world of academia! ahhh! I graduated this past December! woo! I now have a Bachelors degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Photography. I also tacked on two minors, one in Vocal Performance and one in Spanish. Whew. It's so good to be finished.
And so instead of jumping right into the "real world" I had always planned to take this Spring and just relax a little. I've been nannying four days a week 8-4 for a 6 month old boy named Easton and a little 17 month old girl named Addie. They are very wonderful, and the best job I've ever had. I'm also doing some volunteer staff work with InterVarsity, the campus ministry I've been able to be involved with here for the last four years.
It's been great to be done with school, but to still be here in Missoula with the same college environment and friends. This is such a sweet time of life and I'm pretty sure I'll miss it whenever I move on.
Speaking of which, one of my options for the fall is to go to Seattle for a year-long Fellowship with World Vision. I am currently in the interviewing process! eee! This is such a huge desire for me, but if that doesn't work out I may remain in Missoula or move to Indiana to get a job and start raising funds for long term mission work.
Whew! don't want to scare you away with my long-wind-y-ness! But I'm happy to share with you what's going on in my life and I can't wait to share stories with you from Kenya this summer!
If you've found yourself here, you probably traveled to Kenya with me last summer or just recently heard about me returning again this summer...either way, karibu sana!(Welcome!)
I'm very excited to go to Kenya again this summer, but I thought that most of you are needing an update on what is going on with me! Since the last time I emailed was Veteran's Day.
The biggest change in my life so far is that I am now free from the world of academia! ahhh! I graduated this past December! woo! I now have a Bachelors degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Photography. I also tacked on two minors, one in Vocal Performance and one in Spanish. Whew. It's so good to be finished.
And so instead of jumping right into the "real world" I had always planned to take this Spring and just relax a little. I've been nannying four days a week 8-4 for a 6 month old boy named Easton and a little 17 month old girl named Addie. They are very wonderful, and the best job I've ever had. I'm also doing some volunteer staff work with InterVarsity, the campus ministry I've been able to be involved with here for the last four years.
It's been great to be done with school, but to still be here in Missoula with the same college environment and friends. This is such a sweet time of life and I'm pretty sure I'll miss it whenever I move on.
Speaking of which, one of my options for the fall is to go to Seattle for a year-long Fellowship with World Vision. I am currently in the interviewing process! eee! This is such a huge desire for me, but if that doesn't work out I may remain in Missoula or move to Indiana to get a job and start raising funds for long term mission work.
Whew! don't want to scare you away with my long-wind-y-ness! But I'm happy to share with you what's going on in my life and I can't wait to share stories with you from Kenya this summer!
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