Good-Byes All Around

Our time in Kenya is winding down and we are all filled with joy and sadness.  It was so hard to say good-bye to the children and youth we have fallen in love with.   BUT.. we know John and James will keep the Youth Art Project alive and will continue to care for the families in their community.

Allison, Chance, and I feel like we have been on a roller coaster!  Great joy, deep sadness, physical exhaustion and then a child grabs our hand or runs into our arms and we are pulled deeper into the heart of this community.

We spent time at Faith Academy, a small private school, this afternoon where some of the Art Project youth attend.  We were greeted with singing and dancing!

One more goodbye!  Chance leaves on his journey to the DRC in just a few hours.  More joy and a bit of sadness as we have watched Africa become his home.  We love our boy and are so very proud of him!

Hiking!

We had the joy of taking the Youth of the Art Project hiking. Although we are VERY VERY tired, the day was wonderful!  This was the first time some of the youth had been outside of BulBul.  It was the first time most had ridden in a bus and the first time any of them have worn a seatbelt.  We had to give a lesson before we could leave the meeting place.

The youth were full of laughter and smiles as we hiked up 5kil and down 5kil.  The hike also gave us time to have one-on-one conversations with the youth and hear their stories.  We were able to share lunch with them after we finished.  Here are some pictures of the day!

Blessings - Becki, Allison and Chance

Tomorrow we are off to church!

How Are You?

Jambo! Habari? Nzuri sana!

No matter where we go in BulBul little voices follow us ...  They send you greetings!

We finished all the home visits this afternoon.    

 I spent time with Susan this afternoon sharing our parenting wisdom.  Her two youngest children live at home with her.  Both of her children are in school.

 Lucy is recovering from an ankle injury so she is unable to work,  She lives with her 4 children in  one room.  She told us today she has not paid her rent so will be forced to leave her home.  Landlords come and change the padlocks on the door so families can't get back in for their belongings.

 Fatima has lived in BulBul all her life.  She and her daughter Miriam live with her mother.  She finished high school but was unable to go to University because of the cost.  She hopes for her daughter to get a good education so she can have a career.  Miriam is in Class 5 and is the top student in her class.

Meeting with the youth gave us time to talk with them about their hopes and dreams.  They are preparing something to share with our community at home.

Dental needs are not met in BulBul.  We did a crash course in brushing and sent home toothbrushes and supplies for each family.

American toothpaste tastes funny!

More tasting and practicing.

Shopping bags to fill with training jerseys.

Filling the bags.

 More bags!

 She is 12!  Getting a new shirt for training.

 Bruce and Jacqueline our new friends who live in the Youth Art Compound.

Asante ~ we love having you journey with us.

Becki

TOUGH DAY

Today was a tough day!  We continued to visit the mothers of the children being served by the Youth Art Project.  There are 40 youth ages 10 to 14 who are active with Youth Art.  We have met 15 of the mothers and grandmothers and will see as many more before we leave.  

Each of us found this morning very emotionally challenging as well as exhausting.  We have been welcomed into each home and feel like EmBulBul is our home.  The stories we hear break our hearts but we are inspired by each woman and the dreams she shares for her children.  We have listened with open hearts, tears in our eyes, and feeling hopeful.  

Judith is 50 years old, lives with two of her children and two grandchildren.  Her son Ian is 10 is a member of Youth Art Project.  She has diabetes and is unable to work.  Her hope for Ian is that he will complete his education and be able to get work.   She was raised in BulBul and has lived in the same house all her life.

This young mother is 30 years old.  She has three children who come home after school.  They are sent to their Grandmother's home at night to sleep because her one room does not have beds for the children.       Her income is from selling illegal alcohol.  Her dream for her son is that he will not be like her and have to sell alcohol.  

Virginia, who is 10, lives with her Grandmother who is 70 and her great-grandmother who is 92.  The grandmothers dream is that Virginia can complete her education and help care for her family.

Pauline is 32 and has 8 children.  The 7 boys (ages 1 yr to 18) live with her in two rooms.  Her daughter lives with her Auntie, out of BulBul and is in her last year of high school.  She dreams of all of her children having an education and helping with a vegetable stand.

The afternoon was spent playing with the younger siblings of the youth.  Today was an exam day and school did not end until 5:00 pm.   Bubbles and laughter was a wonderful finish to the day.

Emersing ourselves in the Community

We spent time today visiting the Mothers and Grandmothers of the children involved in the Youth Art Project.  We talked with each family for sometime and asked to them to share their story with us.  We wanted to hear what their hopes and dreams were for their children.  All of the mothers said education was most important, but they struggle to find the funds to pay school fees.  The cost of school for a child in BulBul is about 3,000 shillings a term or $112.50/year.  Parents work odd jobs, partake in high risk behavior and do whatever they can to make sure their children's school fees are paid.   Would you be willing to partner with a family and help support their child's education?  It equals 2 trips to Starbucks a month... is that something you can live without to give a child an education?  All of the parents understand the value of education and want to see their children succeed.   

The grandmother in the video talked about some of the challenges to keeping the children in school and educated and the outside pressures that exist. The Youth Art Project is working hard to ensure children are engaged in after-school and weekend activities to prevent them from becoming involved in unsafe behaviors and activities.  

In the afternoon we spent time 'training' with the teams.  It is a joy to watch their passion and motivation come to life on the football field.  I am amazed at the work John and James have done with the youth to keep them involved and driven towards a common goal.  

Mama training with the boys team.

The Girls team training with John.

Chance playing with the boys team.

More tomorrow..

Becki, Allison & Chance

Day 1 ~ WE HAVE ARRIVED!

After seamless travel and good nights rest, for mom and Chance, we were greeted with a warm welcome in Bul Bul by the youth of the Art Project!

They sang a welcome song...

Gathered as a group...

And introduced themselves.  There were some familiar faces and many new ones. 

We spent some time walking around the community looking at the changes and growth.  More and more people are moving into the community and there is less and less space.  The rains flooded the soccer field we spent time on our last trip working on, but the youth had no trouble moving the ball wonderfully.  

Until Tomorrow!

Allison, Mom and Chance!

3 DAYS!!

3 Days until departure from our home in Vancouver!   The packing has started for our trip.  We have been blessed by the donations of clothing, shopping bags, and financial support for the work we will be doing in Embulbul.  John and James at Youth Art Project are counting the days for us!  

Clothes for youth and children in Embulbul

Dental supplies, salon goodies for Hannah's Twinkle Beauty, toys, school supplies, 

Chance will be with us in Embulbul for part of our trip and then he will venture to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to attend school at UCBU.  Jonathan and Kate Shaw are en route to Beni and are awaiting his arrival.  Chance will be taking classes (taught in Swahili) on Congolese history and culture as well as course work in communications and media.  What an adventure!  

Allison and I have prepared ourselves for this day but Chance is sure both of us are going to cry when he leaves for Beni via Uganda.  I am not going to cry!!!  

UCBU Campus 

Student Body and Staff of UCBU

Next stop Amsterdam...  will update again once we arrive in Nairobi..

Love you all,
Becki