children's smiles, ugali, chui.

On Wednesday our team went to visit the "Fruitful Women's Group", a group of 19 women that makes jewelry and greeting cards out of beads and recycled paper. We visited the group because we will be working with a similar group that collects and sorts trash, and wanted to get a feel for how these work groups function in Kibera. I thought we would meet them, see their work, and then leave, however the day turned out to be much more. At first, we just talked to the women, saw their products, and asked them questions about their work. They were really excited to see us, and wanted us to sell their jewelry in America for them (which I would love to do, but I don't know where?). 

When I thought we were about to leave, the women started telling us how they run a school for their children and other local families. They offered to show us, because it was just next door. We walked in, and the first thing I noticed was the amount of kids (probably 50 in a typical size classroom) and how dark it was. They had no lights - only a few holes in the mud walls that let some sunlight in. There was one young male teacher and one young female teacher. When the kids saw us, and especially when I knelt on the ground to say hi to a group of them that were sitting on the floor, things became chaos. They all started asking "how are youuu?" with wide smiles, just wanting to give me high-fives over and over. Kids who were sitting on the other side of the room started coming over just to join the fun. They were absolutely beautiful; I could of stayed there all day and played with them! They loved my blonde hair, and all wanted to touch it. The women said that on any given day they have 40-80 children, but that throughout the year they see around 300 different children. 

After that, the women wanted to show us how they make their greeting cards. They mix shredded paper with water to make a pulp, and then spread it out on a strainer to make it into a rectangle, and let it dry. It was a pretty cool process to watch. 

A finished greeting card (like the pink one above) obviously wouldn't have holes like this one, but they need a new strainer because this one is old and causes this to happen.

The women then told us that right next to the school there was an orphanage (below) that they run completely on their own - they don't get paid, and probably eat much less themselves to help these kids. They simply have seen the need in their community and have acted on it. Eleven women take care of 25 kids who all sleep in a small room with 4 bunk beds, 6 kids to a bed. Many of the parents have died due to sickness, like HIV/AIDS. 

I was so encouraged by these women, and how they kept saying that they will trust in God to provide customers to buy their jewelry, a new strainer to make better greeting cards, and food to feed all of their kids. I kept encouraging them and telling them how amazed I was by their work. God has definitely been working on my heart through these kids and is giving me a stronger desire to help them get better educations and better lives. 

When we got back to our house (Daisy and I can successfully get in to and out of Kibera on our own), I took a nap, because I've had a cold for the past 2 days. It's slowly been getting better, but its been tough to work with - so pray for healing! 


For dinner, I had ugali for the first time - the main dish of Kenya. Its just cornmeal made into a wet cake-like dish, kind of like corn bread. You eat it with your hands, and mold it into a spoon like shape, and then scoop up the veggies or meat you are eating with it. We had kale with it and it was delicious! 


My sister Edith also gave me a Kenyan name - Chui (pronounced choo-y) - which means cheetah in Kiswahili, because I like to run. Now that I have an African name, have eaten ugali, and can ride a matatu alone, I am a true Kenyan :)