Interesting passage from the book "Just Another Mzungu Passing Through" by

When a white man goes to Africa, he often arrives with big plans. He wants to make a difference, to do his bit for the developing world and its people, so that there is at least one thing he can look back on with a degree of pride. When he lies on his deathbed as an old man he can know that despite everything else he has done, he had value then.

He arrives with innocent eyes, knowing for a fact that all men are equal and should be treated the same. That a good deed will generate another in return and that a hand offered in friendship will be reciprocated. He knows what he is read is biased when it is critical of his poverty-stricken brother but truthful when it glorifies their efforts in adversity. He knows he will have an uncanny affinity with the poor because after all hasn’t a he always felt strangely out of place n his safe middle class home in the west?

For a time he manages to ignore the potholed roads and piles of putrid garbage. He smiles at the street boys and stoned beggars and gives them a little change. This is not wrong he tells himself despite the sneaking suspicion that they will spend it on glue and now the warm and wholesome food he intends. His heart is true and so it’s worth a few shillings and hassle.

He will probably get dysentery and salmonella and then spend countless hours on the toilet cursing the damn place, but he will love it more as a result. He will drink is diralite and sip his flat Coca-Cola to replenish the salts and sugars and when he recovers will go back to buying the corn from the barbecue of the corner and he will smile as the vendor turns the cob with his dirty fingers and fans it with a ratty piece of cardboard picked up from the dump behind him. This is the real African experience. An upset stomach is a passing thing and it takes time to get used to the local germs. An African would get ill too as he adjusted to life in the UK.

He will purchase food from the duka on the roadside like an African. He will visit the poorest housing areas on weekend, sharing ugali and sickly sweet tea in someone’s tiny tin home. he will smile when he is called a man of the people by his hosts and he will be delighted when he is told that they truly value him as a Rafiki (friend) and that they hardly notice the color of the skin is wearing for he understands them, and they him.

He might show how and how African he can be by sharing nyomachoma on Friday night, sipping warm Tusker beside the smoky barbecue with the village elders. He will chew miraa with the youngsters as he wanders with them in the bush wearing just a kanga around his waist...


But at some point during the game Africa will grab him by the throat and offer him a choice that will define him for the rest of his life. It will lay bare his posing and posturing and may point him out as a phony and make it all too clear that he’s just another mzungu passing through. A prince playing a pauper for kicks.

Perhaps something dramatic will happen or maybe he will simply wake up one day with a strange feeling and he will decide he’s had enough of the game and will make the call book the flight and use the return strip of this ticket and fly home at the shortest notice, leaving Africa to the Africans and to the next hopeful white man with fresh an innocent eyes, and not his now cynical ones.

And in his soul he will know that he’s let Africa down just as the west has been doing for decades.

Once I'm gone I cannot look back

July 15, 2007

It was my last night in Kenya. Our neighbors decided to have a marriage celebration at 2am! They were playing drums, dancing, and singing, all very loudly! I managed to get some sleep.

I went to Nairobi Chapel, and met up with some missionaries from my home church there! We sang “Our God is an Awesome God,” which I had taught to the kids at school.

After church we went to Nakumatt junction and I ate the most delicious banana walnut pancakes and chatted with some ladies there.

We shopped a little bit there, and then I went home and finished packing. I ate dinner and said goodbye to everyone, then drove to the airport. It was hard to say goodbye.\

I had come to Kenya frightened, unsure, and left full of joy and faith. 

“It is so amazing how and where God calls people… God has been awesome this whole time in Kenya and it has been such a wonderful experience. Emotional and challenging, I will never forget it.”

July 15, 2009

In the middle of our bus ride home, some sand lorry drivers went on strike in the middle of the road because they wanted to be paid more. Hundreds of cars were stuck, including our bus, for 2-3 hours! I slept during most of this time (it was around 2am!). We were supposed to get into Nairobi at 6am, and we finally made it at 10am. 

I went back to the orphanage to meet team 2 of Shana’s group. We went to Nakumatt Junction and I ate focaccia bread at a nice Italian restaurant there. We went to the orphanage to say hi to the kids and hang out with them. Then we had dinner. My first time in Kenya, I was ready to be home at this point, but this time around I felt there was more still for me to do and was glad I had more time.

“In Kenya I am learning to be assertive and spontaneous, to complain/worry less. I am also remembering how much I love kids.”

Proverbs 6:4 (New International Version)

Allow no sleep to your eyes,

no slumber to your eyelids.

(chew on that one, Bill Gothard!)

I know that the night must end, and that the sun will rise

July 14, 2007

We watched the sunrise over the Maasai Mara during our morning game drive. 

Then we drove back, and I went to my host family’s to rest, and pack.

“Everything I own is dirty.”

July 14, 2009

We woke up, got ready, and drove to 40 Thieves while it was still dark to watch the sunrise over the ocean. It was gorgeous. 

I went with another volunteer to a school for orphans with about 30 kids ages 4-6 in one classroom. He has been doing some gardening there, which was neat to see because it is a good example of sustainable development. This other group camp Kenya was there too. I helped make a ton of chapatti! 

Then we went to the beach one last time and I got to ride a camel! 

I took the night bus with another volunteer, and had good Indian food in downtown Mombasa.

This whole land is calling out for You

July 13, 2007

I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever. I didn’t have a thermometer so I am not sure how high it was but I was having massive chills, body aches, the whole bit. I was terrified so I called my mom, took some Tylenol, and went back to sleep. Thankfully in the morning I felt a bit better because we did a game drive all day!

We saw tons of animals once again- giraffes, a male lion, hippos, warthogs, hyena and rhino. That night we took a tour of the Maasai village. They did dances for us and showed us their homes. I got to wear a hat they made out of a real lion mane! 

July 13, 2009

I went with another volunteer to a school with kids who are orphans but live mostly with family members. It was a small school, with only preschool, kindergarten and a 1st/2nd grade combined class. They have 1 teacher for both preschool and Kindergarten, which are 2 small classes connected. I taught “baby class” (preschool) for the morning. I played with all of them during break.

I carried two 5 liter jugs of water, and helped make chapatti. Then we ate with the kids and did the dishes.

We went to 40 thieves and I swam in the ocean. The water was shallow and warm, it was really nice. Then we walked down the beach, checked our email, and took a matatu home. 

We took our host families out to dinner at this place called African Pot. The food took forever to come but it was good. 

I was thinking a lot today about my purpose, and accomplishing some good in Kenya that would be sustainable.

The sky was bright and clear

July 12, 2007

I woke up early and after some delay, drove with some other girls the Maasai Mara! We did our first game drive and saw elephants, lions, zebra, gazelle, impala, wildebeest, and ostriches. It was amazing!!! Then we had dinner and sat around a campfire. There were so many stars!!!

July 12, 2009

I went with a host family in Mombasa to church. After church, we went to Fort Jesus and Old Town. I rode a tuk tuk!

A guide took us around, and we had lunch and went in a neat store.

“It is not possible to capture all of the things you experience during daily life in Kenya…”

She swore to not forget

July 11, 2007

It was my last day teaching at the school. I handed out stickers, pencils and crayons. They had an assembly to say goodbye to me. I thanked all of the teachers, and said goodbye to the kids, which was bittersweet.

the 3 classes I taught all together

July 11, 2009

I met up with some other volunteers, and we drove to Shimoni beach. From there we took 2 boat rides into the ocean. On the one boat, they served us tea and biscuits, and sang us some songs! They showed us how to snorkel and also scuba dive. We put on wetsuits and snorkeled for almost an hour. It was amazing. We saw tons of coral, anemones, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Of course there were tons of fish of all different kinds, and some in big schools. Some we got really close to! It was so peaceful and beautiful. Then we got ready to scuba, which was more difficulty but incredible. We went 8 meters down to the ocean floor (the sand at the bottom felt dry!). We saw sting rays, clams, and more fish, coral, etc. Then we went to Wasini Island for a delicious meal of crab legs, chapatti, and rice with curry coconut sauce. They served me a whole tilapia fish that had its head, eyes, fins abs everything still on it! Then we took the boat back and toured the slave caves. 

 We saw dolphins off the boat!

Ready to dive!

where we ate

“I really have nothing to complain about after being reminded of the poverty here. God uses everything for His good”

still I judge success by how I'm dressing

July 10, 2007

I spent the morning at school, and had the kids draw pictures of me. I also helped out the teachers. Then we had lunch with Pastor Rasndy, who came from the US and has been living in Kenya for the past 10 years or so. He is really cool, and we talked. He has a mix of a southern accent (he’s from Gerogia) and a Kenyan one, haha. Then we went to use the internet, and I set up an email for Wanja, who is my age and had never used a computer before! We also went to the market.

This is the outside of the school I had been volunteering at

July 10, 2009

We left early in the morning while it was still dark, and boarded a bus for Mombasa! The bus was like a charter bus. They played horrible R & B music through the speakers above our heads and some creepy Kenyan guy was staring at us during the whole ride. It started getting hot when we got near Mombasa but this lady who was all wrapped in scarves like she was cold yelled at us when we opened the window. It was a long ride! Luckily I slept some, and listened to music. 

We took a ferry to the place where we were staying (Ukunda) which was outside the city of Mombasa. We were staying with some host families there. I asked to take a shower, and they gave me an ice cold bucket of water! We had dinner and then went to this place called 40 thieves, which is a restaurant/bar. We got there, and I was happy and surprised to find it was right on the Indian Ocean! There were tables outside and couches right in the sand, and warm waves rolling in. We walked out on the beach (it was nighttime by now), and there were all these sand crabs crawling around! It was so cool!

I'm blessed as the poor

July 9, 2007

I took a picture with each of the classes at school. I had brought a stuffed cat to keep me company on the trip, so I showed it to the kids. Most of them do not have toys or stuffed animals, so they loved it. They were hugging and kissing it. 

In the afternoon, I visited the homes of some of the kids who are orphans. It was crazy. Luckily they all have extended family members to live with, but all of their family members are also poor and have their own kids to look after and support. In one house, 4 kids and 2 adults lived in 1 tiny room that had 1 bed. In another, 15 kids were living with a 100 year old grandmother. All the families were so hospitable and thanking me for coming.

July 9, 2009

We slept in and had fresh mandazi (donuts) for breakfast! Then we went to this really nice place to use the internet (there are a lot of “internet cafes” around Kenya where you can use the internet for 1 shilling, which is a between 1 and 2 cents, a minute). Then we went to Nakumatt Junction for lunch. We stopped at the market and monkey park. 

We got to the orphanage at night to have a “party.” Some of team 1 was leaving for safari so it was their last day. The kids sang songs and did dances, and talked about what an impact the volunteers and Jump for Joel have made. The kids have had such hard lives, yet they have so much joy and faith. We had dinner with them and passed out some donations we had brought (clothes, shoes, stuffed animals, candy). We got home really late!

and faith my eyes

June 8, 2007

We went to church.

After church, we went to City Park. This is one of my favorite places! It is right on the outskirts of the bustling city of Nairobi. Then you get to the park, and there are all these beautiful trees, flowers, and plants! And there are monkeys running around everywhere! There are no walls or fences or anything. If you feed them peanuts, they will climb and sit on you! 

June 8, 2009

I was staying in a town called Kikuyu, and then we drove to the orphanage Shana has been helping which is in Gathiga. I got to tour the orphanage and nursery school there, and meet the kids. 

Then we walked to the Primary school where the older children go. 

Then we came back to the orphanage. They had donated 474 books for the kids and built a bookcase to store them in. I helped organize them which was great, and the kids were so happy. 

We had dinner back at our host family’s and did devotions. 

“There is so much need…Everywhere in Kenya it is the same story…I want to help but it is overwhelming..”

I will walk with grace my feet

July 7, 2007 (7-7-07)

We drove to the Great Rift Valley, and stopped by a church there, and then went to Hell’s Gate. Hell’s Gate is this huge national park that has a gorge and some awesome rock formations. Some explorers discovered it and thought it was what hell would look like; I disagree and think it looks more like heaven! We got to see and touch some hot springs that flow over the rocks. Then we had a really scary climb down the gorge, and a really tiring climb up, but the view was worth it! We saw some baboons and zebra. We also ate yomachoma and stopped by Lake Naivasha.

July 7, 2009

Before my dad had left, I had talked with James and Joe about going to another orphanage where this girl Shana who I met the first time I was in Kenya was working. So, after spending the morning wandering around the markets with some other volunteers, I went to Maddison House (the orphanage I had been staying at) to say goodbye to the kids. This was hard. Then I drove to my new placement in Kikuyu and I met my new host family who had a 2 year old some named Kyle. I played with him until the volunteers came back and I got to meet team 1 and see Shana.

“God is so amazing the way He works everything out. I wish I could stop worrying…” hahaha

The end is where we start from

July 6, 2007

The three classes I normally taught had a chapel service. I read them the verse about being the light of the world and taught them the song “This Little Light of Mine.” I was left alone with pre-unit (kindergarten) again. We did some math and I had them draw. 

“I hope I accomplished something. Between yelling at them every 2 seconds and chasing them around the room, I couldn’t really teach them.” (again, this is a lot how I felt teaching here in the states too!)

After lunch we jumped rope, which was fun, and I chatted with the 8th grade girls. After school I watched Spider Man 3 with Cody and Dylan but the power went out and I missed the last 20 minutes of it!

July 6, 2009

It was my Dad’s last day in Kenya. We went to the elephant orphanage. I met another volunteer there who was born in DeKalb! Then we got to see the baby elephants, and also a baby rhino. They were so cute! 

After dinner someone came to take my Dad to the airport. Everyone went to go see the new Harry Potter movie but I stayed home.

“Just me and God now.”

and I mistake my happiness for blessing

July 5, 2007

I took a walk with the kids and had them use their senses to explore their environment. I was left alone with the pre-unit (Kindergarten) class, and they were not listening to me! “Between discipline problems and searching for supplies (books, pencils, erasers), I had no time to help them with their work. I do not want my classroom to be like this.” Hahaha, too bad my classroom in the states was just like this. Is teaching always 90% classroom management? Do I just suck at working with kindergartners?

 July 5, 2009

My Dad and I went to Nairobi chapel, which is a huge tent church. I saw some people there from NIU’s Intervarsity group! What a small world! The pastor used a clip of Lord of the Rings as a sermon illustration on spiritual warfare. Eugene was 2 hours late to pick us up (ah Kenyan time) but he took us to lunch and gave my Dad a present.

“I have a strong feeling I will be back here, I just don’t know when or with whom or for what purpose…I know God has me but it is hard to let go of trying to be in control…I think a lot of this trip is about me learning to ‘let go and let God’ and realize that I am not in control of planning my life or my future…”

I get turned around

July 4, 2007

I taught about the 5 senses. I brought in cotton and wood for them to touch, salt and sugar them to taste, and spices for them to smell. This was a fun lesson! Then they had PE. After that I sat with 10 of the older students who are orphans. About 10% of the kids at that school did not have parents. They told me heartbreaking stories of witnessing their parents get sick and die (they mentioned causes such as pneumonia, and malaria. Even though AIDS is present here, they do not talk about it, and when they do they say that it is becoming less of a problem), then being abandoned by their other parent. All of them lived with other family members (aunts/uncles, grandparents).

July 4, 2009

We went to Lake Nakuru National Park. When you get to the lake, you see this sea of pink, and as you get closer you realize there are thousands of flamingos in the water, as well as pelicans. We saw some other animals there too-white rhino, baboons, vervet monkeys, giraffes, zebra, and a leopard that was hiding in the trees. We went to Naivasha and the Rift Valley, then to Grace’s for pizza at Nakumatt junction and pirated Office DVD’s! 

Kenya dig it?

July 3, 2007

We took a bus into Nairobi, and had a tour of the city. We went to this place called Uhuru Park where the president of Kenya, as well as other famous people such as Billy Graham have given speeches. We saw the parliament building, and the place where the first president of Kenya is buried. We also saw the site of old American embassy, where there was a terrorist bombing in 1998, We walked through a market with all this raw meat and fish, which was gross, and went back to the Maasai market where I bought some things. Then we went to the Ngong hills, which was beautiful.

On the way home, we stopped at this place where they had a butchered cow hanging in the window (typical sight). Eugene ordered a certain portion for us and they grilled it there and we ate is as yomachoma!



July 3, 2009

We took one last early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara.
Note: The pictures from the last 2 days are not zoo animals! They are very much wild! We were driving around in an open matatu so you could see everything and take pictures. The animals are used to the traffic so you can get really close to them, but you can never get out of the vehicle!

We drove to Nakuru, and found the place we were staying, which was a pretty nice hotel. It was afternoon, so we took a walk around and wandered into this church where people were having a service, singing and then this lady started preaching really loud! Back at the hotel, the power went out so we had a candlelight dinner!

“I love Kenya."

Maybe I should marry a Kenyan?

July 2, 2007

At school I taught about the body, and how to stay healthy. I sang some songs with them. In the afternoon, I was with 4^th and 5^th  grade. They asked me a lot of questions about America.

“One of the male teachers was telling me the easiest way to become a Kenyan citizen is to marry one, haha. They are beautiful people but I don’t think I could live here. It’s exhausting being stared at all the time or trying to understand what they are saying...There are kids who are abandoned by their parents and go picking in the garbage for food… It’s so sad. It makes me want to do more-build an orphanage, make this my life’s work, but I don’t know. It is a big job (money, time, travel. I’m not Oprah!"

I didn’t take any pictures today

July 2, 2009

We took a safari game drive all day! We saw elephants, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, wildebeest, buffalo, birds, monkeys zebra, hippos, crocodiles, and gazelles.

“It was a fabulous day. It is gorgeous here.”

We had delicious food all day. After dinner, we went to the Maasai village. The men and women did some traditional dances for us, and we got to see where they live. The Maasai are the most famous tribe in Kenya because they have held on to their traditions rather than becoming westernized like the other tribes. They live in huts made of cow dung. They herd cattle and goats. They have multiple wives sometimes. Traditionally to become a man in the Maasai tribe you have to kill a lion with just a spear. Anyway, I got to hold a goat there that was 1 day old! It was so cute! Ione of the Maasai said I could stay and keep it, and offered my Dad 10 cows for me, haha. 

I took over 200 pictures today!