Kitale, Kenya
Well, to catch everyone up, I am currently finishing up a month in Kenya. Originally, Kenya was not on our route, but a special thank you to the deadly, Ebola outbreak and we were re-routed. After an especially long, 13ish hour bus-ride from Kigali, Rwanda to Entebbe, Uganda with my 40ish squad mates, we arrived at the “hotel” (I use that word very loosely). Relaxation quickly dissolved as we were told that we were being evacuated and the next day we’d be loaded onto another bus for a 10ish hour bus-ride overnight to Kitale, Kenya. (Switching busses in the capital of Uganda where someone had just died the night before due to Ebola) Needless to say, it was a very scary 24 hours in the life of Erica Shappie.
So after all that, I found myself in Kitale, Kenya with two other all-women teams at a place called The Challenge Farm. So here’s a quick sum-up of my “unplanned” month in Kenya.
The Ministry:
The Challenge Farm is a property located in Kitale , Kenya where a woman from North Carolina houses about 120 of the most beautiful, street kids. The property holds a boy and girls’ dorm, a cafeteria, a chapel, a soccer field, seven cows, a vegetable farm, Cheri’s home, and a small room with five bunk beds (my home for the month, along with nine other girls).
Cheri began ministry with Kenyan, street kids in the early 1990’s. Since then, she has grown this ministry into the Challenge Farm that stands today. The children are fed, clothed, care for, educated, and shown the love of Jesus. They range in ages from the five year-old Brittany with an infectious smile to the 19 year-old Esther whose shy confidence intrigues everyone who meets her. The children know the Bible better than most of the volunteers and love Jesus with a passion that inspires.
During the week, each of us women were allowed to sign up for three classes to teach from 10am-3pm. I signed up to teach two Bible classes during the early sessions.
The other teachers and I taught the stories of Joseph, Noah, Daniel, and others, but the session I’ll look back on and remember forever was the class we taught on prayer. We split the classes into groups and had the kids tell their friends of the struggles they were going through. The children told of their nightmares, loneliness, and pain caused by previous families. Then we all prayed together for the struggles our friends were dealing with. It was such a perfect example of how God desires for us to love each other. I learned more that day than I taught; I love when God does that.
Then in the afternoons I went to the counseling room to pray with children who were having bad dreams at night, to hold children who just needed to cry while someone listened, to tell my story to encourage, and many other things. The stories these children have from heart-wrenching pasts were some of the hardest things I’ve had to listen to, let alone respond to! But situations where my inadequacy is painfully obvious are so beautiful because then God can work. And He did.
The Foooooooood:
This month we were told that lunch and dinner would be provided on the property for us. (Again, I say the words “lunch and dinner” loosely here)
To explain, in Central America the staple foods are rice and beans. In Africa, the staple is called Ugali. Picture playdough (made from dried corn) with no taste. That’s it. Oh and sometimes they grind this green goop and put it on the side.
So, this month we decided to try our luck at the Betty Crocker route and cook for ourselves. Thankfully, my teammate Bethany S. is quite the cook and I’ve learned a lot about sautéing, boiling, chopping, and other things. I can confidently say that my children have less of a chance of starving because of this month and my private cooking lessons for every meal. I’ll tell them to thank Bethany for that.
Now, to explain how food is purchased:
A Day in the Life…
Step One: Get to town
First, you must walk the mile that lies between The Challenge Farm and the main road. Then you have two options. You can take a motorbike or a matatu (a public transportation system that consists of a “10 passenger bus” crammed full with as many people as possible)
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(The first voyage into town we decided the matatu to be the safest and cheapest choice, but after having an African male in his mid-thirties sitting on my lap for the twenty minute ride, we quickly chose the three-people to a motorbike with no helmets option as the victor in this decision.)
Step Two: The Grocery Store
This in my opinion is the best part. This is the wonderland where you can buy avocados for the equivalent of 12 US cents. Most things are fairly cheap and easy to purchase. Cucumbers, green beans, carrots, bell peppers, bananas, apples and onions can cost around 50 cents/1kg. And the bakery makes delicious chocolate and cheese croissants. BONUS: There is usually a woman outside making fresh popcorn and selling large bags for about 10 cents. Altogether, it costs you about 15 USD for groceries for the week.
Step Three: Other Errands
Then you (and the ten pounds worth of groceries you just bought) walk to the Internet store where the man will tell you that unfortunately because last week he didn’t explain to you correctly how to load your stick, you just lost $12 USD. Then, because you have no other choice, you must purchase another one. (To post lovely blogs such as this)
Step Four: Buy Bananas for the Street Kids
You are told not to give the street kids anything to avoid perpetuating the lifestyle and hindering them from seeking healthy options. But when a group of eights boys with no shoes, caked mud from the their knees down, a bottle of glue in their hands (to sniff for a high that will mask the hunger), and more sadness and hardship in their eyes than you could ever imagine experiencing, you may accidentally buy eight bananas for them. Then you walk away feeling like the most useless, helpless person with the only option being faith that God loves His children more than we could imagine and He has a plan.
Step Four: Make It Home Somehow
Then, you take your ten pounds of groceries, along with your travel buddy and her groceries and pile onto a motorbike with your driver named Preston. All three of you ride home tightly clutching each other as the bike jumps from one pothole to the next. Arrive home in one piece, pay Preston a total of $2 USD and collapse in the hammock on the porch.
Culture Highlights:
- Men hold hands here. It’s simply a friend thing, like girls in the states. Very weird to see grown men walking down the street holding hands.
- It is completely normal to see a woman walking down the street with a few live chickens hanging from their feet in her left hand, a child strapped to her back, fruit in a basket on top of her head, and a machete in her right hand.
- Children will run out of nowhere yelling “Mazungo!” with their arms wide-open for hugs from the white people.
- Church is LONG, and there is A LOT of dancing.
- The nurses in the hospitals may not wear sanitary gloves and the floor may have blood splattered on the floor.
- The roads are dirt, and filled with potholes.
- It is completely normal to see a father, mother, two year-old and a newborn on a motorbike along with the driver headed into town.
- Some locals in the remote tribes believe that having sex with a virgin will cure AIDS.
This month has been a classic case of “Blessing in Disguise”. Thank you God for the reroute to Kitale, Kenya and for your protection on Uganda by slowing the Ebola outbreak. I pray Your constant favor and protection on the children at The Challenge Farm. Please continue to keep Your children in the palm of Your hand. Thank you God for being so good and faithful.
The Challenge Farm is always in need of financial supporters and people who want to volunteer their time and skills. For more information, visit their website or contact me!! Challengefarm.org/
