I have been following closely the voting in Kenya today for a new constitution. My friend Daniel Lipparelli, from Kitale, has been posting updates on his blog dlipparelli.blogspot.com and so far there does not appear to be any violence.
Kenya is 7 hours ahead of us and a while ago the YES votes were leading over the NO votes. If this continues it means that there will finally be a new constitution, which was promised after the violent elections in 2007.
In 1012 Kenya will have another National election and hope is there that after this constitutional vote, there will not be any violence during and after that election.
My hope is that everyone stays safe in Kenya over the next few days while all the counting takes place and that people accept whatever the vote dictates.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Dear Sandy and Kenya Youth Team,
My name is Sr. Mae Kierans and I am from North Bay. I was working in Kenya 2004-2008 with Sr. Carolyn Schan in Kibera and Ngong when I first met that amazing woman, Sandy Foster! One of my favourite activities in Kenya was to visit the staff and students at St. Aloysius School at least once a week. In the attached photo I am at the old school giving a class of St. Aloysius students pens donated so they can write their government exams.
I have returned to Canada to help my elderly father in St. John's for as long as he needs me but Sandy has continued to help as much as she can the people we were helping in Kibera and the Nairobi area, especially the children and their mothers. With so much to do, you wonder where to begin, but we just tried to help those we could see right in front of us.
When Sandy told me this morning that she brought you young people to Kenya I was thrilled! I am retired. There isn't much I can do now at my age to change global structures, so I help small groups and individuals in small ways. But you young people have the time and the vision to push for change in the social and political structures in the global community to eliminate the obvious injustices you have just witnessed. We have to start somewhere. If everyone on the planet lived the way we in North America live, we would need two more planet Earths. Won't happen. So we all need to make drastic changes in the way we in North America live ourselves.
Youth going to other parts of this small planet to see the true cost of our North American lifestyle will spread the word and will want to start to make changes so no one on our planet has too much and everyone has enough.
I love it when I hear young people have visited the people on this planet who live in the shadows. You have seen down and dirty what we all need to see. That was very courageous and generous of you! Congratulations to you and to Sandy and all the best!
Mae
We are back home
As I write this blog today I have had two ok nights sleep after a very long and tiring flight home. We were so fortunate since no one was sick on the way home and everyone got to go into Amsterdam Square in Holland to walk around and spend a couple of hours before our final flight to Toronto
I am very proud of the team this year. The youth group was amazing. They got along well with everyone on the team and they never complained. I think that each of us on the team was affected by what we did and saw at one time or another and each of us shed tears at one time or another. We each were affected in different ways. I am glad that we had a taxi when we went to visit the Maasai women or we might have lost Sally there. She was so inspired by the women that we met and their way of life. We had to keep checking Sarah's bag to see if she put a small child in to bring home. Children were attracted to her and she spent hours holding them. When Steven is Prime Minister of Canada and can exert any pressure on the Kenyan government I know that he will change their education system so that all children are given the right to a free education. Sandra will move children to be the best they can be and they will follow her like the pied piper and Laura will bring a sparkle and bright light to everyone she meets. Kids and adults alike will enjoy helping her accomplish whatever she chooses to do and I know she will succeed in whatever she does. Emily will make a difference in the lives of everyone that she comes in contact with and will make a difference in this world of ours for the better. Cathy will continue to teach everywhere she goes touching lives with her sincerity and humour and Caren will forever remember this experience and help as many children as she can both here and in Kenya to have a chance at a better life.
With a team like that it wasn't difficult to accomplish all that we did. My hope is to have a write up and pictures on our web site soon. Our friend, Daniel Lipparelli, already has some of the things we did with his group with photos so go to www.transformedinternational.org and go to blogs to see those.
I will continue to blog about our upcoming events and I think the youth on this trip somehow started a facebook page for Hope2Kenya, although I am not sure how to get on it.
I am very proud of the team this year. The youth group was amazing. They got along well with everyone on the team and they never complained. I think that each of us on the team was affected by what we did and saw at one time or another and each of us shed tears at one time or another. We each were affected in different ways. I am glad that we had a taxi when we went to visit the Maasai women or we might have lost Sally there. She was so inspired by the women that we met and their way of life. We had to keep checking Sarah's bag to see if she put a small child in to bring home. Children were attracted to her and she spent hours holding them. When Steven is Prime Minister of Canada and can exert any pressure on the Kenyan government I know that he will change their education system so that all children are given the right to a free education. Sandra will move children to be the best they can be and they will follow her like the pied piper and Laura will bring a sparkle and bright light to everyone she meets. Kids and adults alike will enjoy helping her accomplish whatever she chooses to do and I know she will succeed in whatever she does. Emily will make a difference in the lives of everyone that she comes in contact with and will make a difference in this world of ours for the better. Cathy will continue to teach everywhere she goes touching lives with her sincerity and humour and Caren will forever remember this experience and help as many children as she can both here and in Kenya to have a chance at a better life.
With a team like that it wasn't difficult to accomplish all that we did. My hope is to have a write up and pictures on our web site soon. Our friend, Daniel Lipparelli, already has some of the things we did with his group with photos so go to www.transformedinternational.org and go to blogs to see those.
I will continue to blog about our upcoming events and I think the youth on this trip somehow started a facebook page for Hope2Kenya, although I am not sure how to get on it.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Aloysius High School, Kibera
Hi everyone:
This is Sally. You will get another blog from one of the other team members about today as well, but I just had to write a little bit. We visited a secondary school today - almost all the students are HIV + and orphans, or someone in their family is HIV + and ill. But you sure wouldn't know it to see their smiles and their energy. The highlight for me was when the choirmaster started to speak with me about their choir. And then, the school secretary, Esther (with whom I spent some very interesting time !), organized the choir and next thing we knew we were listening to the most angelic voices singing the most beautiful songs. They have a sacred choir and a "fun" choir. They perform a cappella, but with pure heart and soul. Their rendition of The Lord's Prayer was stunning and very powerful. Their joy and excitement was contagious. It was easy to forget that these children are hungry and ill. Their school day goes from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some of them walk 2 hours through the filth of the Kibera slum to attend school. They receive breakfast and lunch at school and usually those are the only meals they will have. They attend school from Monday to Saturday!
It was a fabulous way to end our time with "projects" in Kenya. Thanks to Sandy Foster for all her hard work in organizing this trip, supporting everyone through our personal ups and downs for the past few weeks and for allowing us all the privilege of seeing first hand where the hard fundraised dollars go and the good work that is being done here in Kenya. I will never forget the children, the folks here that toil year round for their well being and everyone back home in Canada who has taken these people into their hearts by supplying dollars that help feed, house, clothe and educate some amazing people.
Remember, we are all so lucky and blessed to be born in Canada. Be grateful for all that we have and share if you can. See you soon!!!
Sally
This is Sally. You will get another blog from one of the other team members about today as well, but I just had to write a little bit. We visited a secondary school today - almost all the students are HIV + and orphans, or someone in their family is HIV + and ill. But you sure wouldn't know it to see their smiles and their energy. The highlight for me was when the choirmaster started to speak with me about their choir. And then, the school secretary, Esther (with whom I spent some very interesting time !), organized the choir and next thing we knew we were listening to the most angelic voices singing the most beautiful songs. They have a sacred choir and a "fun" choir. They perform a cappella, but with pure heart and soul. Their rendition of The Lord's Prayer was stunning and very powerful. Their joy and excitement was contagious. It was easy to forget that these children are hungry and ill. Their school day goes from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some of them walk 2 hours through the filth of the Kibera slum to attend school. They receive breakfast and lunch at school and usually those are the only meals they will have. They attend school from Monday to Saturday!
It was a fabulous way to end our time with "projects" in Kenya. Thanks to Sandy Foster for all her hard work in organizing this trip, supporting everyone through our personal ups and downs for the past few weeks and for allowing us all the privilege of seeing first hand where the hard fundraised dollars go and the good work that is being done here in Kenya. I will never forget the children, the folks here that toil year round for their well being and everyone back home in Canada who has taken these people into their hearts by supplying dollars that help feed, house, clothe and educate some amazing people.
Remember, we are all so lucky and blessed to be born in Canada. Be grateful for all that we have and share if you can. See you soon!!!
Sally
Day at the high school
Today was at last day visiting a project. We went to St Aloysius Secondary School. All the students in this school were either infected or afected by HIV aids. The school use it be located in the Kibira slum, which is were all of the students live. They recently built a new school for them at the edge of Kibira. Although the school may be farther now for some of them the new school is much nicer and way bigger. We had a chance to see the old high school on friday. I was very surprised to see how small it is, the old hall was no bigger then a small classroom. Not to mention they didn't have electricity. Also the environment was very dirty and noisy, making it very hard for them to learn. But now the new school is large and very clean. They now have electricity, most of the time. And can learn much better in a quiet classroom. Each class has around 35 students and for the majority of their subjects the girls and boys are in separate classes.
Each of the youth from our team were pared up with a student from the same grade level as us. I just finished grade 11 so I was put in a form 3 class (in Kenya they call their grades forms). The name of the student I was with was Kennedy, he was 18 years old. First we stayed in the class, with no teacher. I asked Kennedy why there wasn't a teacher, he told me that because exams had just ended they were waiting for them to be marked. So instead of the teachers being in class they were off marking exams, this gave us some time to explore. For a while we sat in the class while many of the students asked me questions about my school and I asked about theirs. They were very interested to find out that in Canada we don't have to pay for secondary education, while in Kenay you do. We discussed many topics like what we wanted to be when we grow up and how many brothers and sister we had. I was interested to learn that many of them could speak 4-5 languages. Kennedy could speak key swahili, english, french, his mother tongue, and another mother tongue from his area. He also told me that many of the students make up their own languge that others can't understand. Kind of like how some people I know can speak piglatten. Ancay ouyay peaksay iglattenpay?
Once we got tired of sittin in class my new friends decided to show me around. We started on the bottem floor and worked our way up the three floors. aside from the closed in classrooms the school it open because they don't need to keep out snow or any thing like that. They pointed out the sience labs and the computer labs ( I even got to poke my head into a computer lab with students that had graduated form 4 and were taking computer classes). they pointe out were the elevator would soon be and the main office.
Next they took me to the hall for some entertainment. Many students were in the hall aswell as most of the Hope 2 Kenya team. We got to see a girl recite a peom she learnt in french. A choir sang a few songs for us, I liked it very much. We as a team decided that it was our turn to entertain them, so we got up on stage and sang acouple songs. While we were in the hall I have Kennedy a small gift (a small football with Canada on it) and I gave some candy and pencils to some of his classmates. I was very pleased then he gave me a small card saying I was a wounderful person.
After the hall we went to the art room and watched the art club work on some peices. Alot of the art work was impressive! I could help but buy one to take home to Canada. My new classmates kindly escorted me to the front gates, where we said our goodbyes. I really injoyed my day and will not for get my new friends in Kenya
- Sarah
Each of the youth from our team were pared up with a student from the same grade level as us. I just finished grade 11 so I was put in a form 3 class (in Kenya they call their grades forms). The name of the student I was with was Kennedy, he was 18 years old. First we stayed in the class, with no teacher. I asked Kennedy why there wasn't a teacher, he told me that because exams had just ended they were waiting for them to be marked. So instead of the teachers being in class they were off marking exams, this gave us some time to explore. For a while we sat in the class while many of the students asked me questions about my school and I asked about theirs. They were very interested to find out that in Canada we don't have to pay for secondary education, while in Kenay you do. We discussed many topics like what we wanted to be when we grow up and how many brothers and sister we had. I was interested to learn that many of them could speak 4-5 languages. Kennedy could speak key swahili, english, french, his mother tongue, and another mother tongue from his area. He also told me that many of the students make up their own languge that others can't understand. Kind of like how some people I know can speak piglatten. Ancay ouyay peaksay iglattenpay?
Once we got tired of sittin in class my new friends decided to show me around. We started on the bottem floor and worked our way up the three floors. aside from the closed in classrooms the school it open because they don't need to keep out snow or any thing like that. They pointed out the sience labs and the computer labs ( I even got to poke my head into a computer lab with students that had graduated form 4 and were taking computer classes). they pointe out were the elevator would soon be and the main office.
Next they took me to the hall for some entertainment. Many students were in the hall aswell as most of the Hope 2 Kenya team. We got to see a girl recite a peom she learnt in french. A choir sang a few songs for us, I liked it very much. We as a team decided that it was our turn to entertain them, so we got up on stage and sang acouple songs. While we were in the hall I have Kennedy a small gift (a small football with Canada on it) and I gave some candy and pencils to some of his classmates. I was very pleased then he gave me a small card saying I was a wounderful person.
After the hall we went to the art room and watched the art club work on some peices. Alot of the art work was impressive! I could help but buy one to take home to Canada. My new classmates kindly escorted me to the front gates, where we said our goodbyes. I really injoyed my day and will not for get my new friends in Kenya
- Sarah
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Kissed by a Giraffe ;)
Thursday was a bit of a day off but it was definantly an exciting day for everyone. We started the day at The David Shedlrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage. We got to see about 20 orphaned elephants. It was super neat, as they talked about the orphanage and each of the elephants, the elephants were just wondering around sometimes getting close enough to the sides so we could touch them. The orphanage is only open one hour a day because they want to limit the human contact the elephants have so they can eventually release them back into the wild. It was pretty cool because on the way in we drove past a bunch baboons and wart hogs (they were like Pumbas).
After that we went to the Giraffe Centre. It was the coolest thing. We went up onto a platform where we were eye level with the giraffes. We got to feed them out of our hands, pet them and best of all kiss them. It was pretty frightening at first, to put food in your mouth and get a giraffe to eat it but after the first time everyone loved it and all kissed the giraffes several times. We also got to learn a bit about all the different kinds of giraffes. One time of giraffe grows to 6 meters tall.
Then we went to Matbronze. We were given a tour and got to see how they make each bronze thing. Sandy purchases necklaces from Matbronze and it was really interesting to see how they were made. It takes 6 weeks to make each item.
We went to a little shop called the Love Bird Curio Shop next. It was a very nice souvenir shop with many things that we hadn't seen anywhere else.
Unfortunately, Sally was still unwell on Thursday and was unable to join us. But today when she was feeling better Sally did get to go to the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre.
It was a really fun day and I am sure none of us will ever forget the day we kissed a giraffe.
Sandra :)
After that we went to the Giraffe Centre. It was the coolest thing. We went up onto a platform where we were eye level with the giraffes. We got to feed them out of our hands, pet them and best of all kiss them. It was pretty frightening at first, to put food in your mouth and get a giraffe to eat it but after the first time everyone loved it and all kissed the giraffes several times. We also got to learn a bit about all the different kinds of giraffes. One time of giraffe grows to 6 meters tall.
Then we went to Matbronze. We were given a tour and got to see how they make each bronze thing. Sandy purchases necklaces from Matbronze and it was really interesting to see how they were made. It takes 6 weeks to make each item.
We went to a little shop called the Love Bird Curio Shop next. It was a very nice souvenir shop with many things that we hadn't seen anywhere else.
Unfortunately, Sally was still unwell on Thursday and was unable to join us. But today when she was feeling better Sally did get to go to the Elephant Orphanage and Giraffe Centre.
It was a really fun day and I am sure none of us will ever forget the day we kissed a giraffe.
Sandra :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)