Gilgil, Kenya

Hello from Africa.

Here in Gilgil I was photographing a Re-Start School of 70 some homeless children. In addition, I have photographed an I.D.P. which is the Internally Displaced People from the 2008 violence when the election was rigged. There are some 38 tribes and 28 camps for the displaced individuals.

Before I launch into the Re Start School and the I.D.P. experience I met an interesting young white couple with two children in Gilgil this past weekend. They lived in Zambia, on a fourth generation farm. Ten years ago, Zambia decided that the white farmers had to leave. The locals came with drums outside their entrance, the drums got louder signaling them to leave. In all of 20 minutes they grabbed their belongs and left, left it all. They are now living in Kenya.

The Re Start School has the absolute minimum. The good news is the kids are being fed, have daily structure, some schooling and most of all no abuse. Some are babies, some are older teens. To try to generate funding they make bags and jewerly, I am bringing back some samples.

The I.D.P., Internally Displaced Person camp I anticipated I couldn't take photos of. When I got there they let me. In a dry dusty field was the camp, plastic and twig small huts, one room each family. 95 families. Some had goats within the maze of plastic. The plastic of all shapes and sizes was heald in place by taking twine, wrapping it around rocks and weighing down the roof plastic over the walls. Dirt floors. The toilets were three, three drops, meaning its a hole in the ground, you squat.
The kids love white people, they hold my hand, stroke my hair, shake my hand. I took photos and showed them in the shade of the one tree in this IDP photos from of them from the viewfinder on the back of my camera. I felt so guilty I walked away with photos that Saturday and had not brought anything as a gift. Monday I had Festus (the driver for the ranch I am staying in) take me back to the IDP with food for the camp. They depend on hand outs and donations alone. We went to the village and bought food for the camp, each item, in volume from various vendors, bags I couldn't lift. We then went to all the shops for balls, the kids at the IDP and Re Start had not toys, I thought balls were the most practical and long lasting. We then did the delivery. I was so fortunate, my timing couldn't have been better, they had no food for the following day. The children were in school, a good 5 miles away, they walk. The women were so grateful, one elderly woman gave me a Sawhili name, when I couldn't pronounced it they renamed me Jenny! They sang and danced, asked me to dance, mistake... it was a really bad mix of aerobics, motown and terrets. They loved it and Festus (the driver) said I danced like an African, that made me really glad, maybe I didn't look that bad??? At the end they formed a circle and the eldest woman wanted to pray for me, it was with a voice of strengh and passion, and they had their eyes closed. I took it all in like a sponge, wanting to remember that moment forever. Dispite the horrific living conditions these people were thankful, proud and held onto their faith. I looked at their living conditions, thread bare clothing and was proud to know and help them. When I got in the car, I turned to Festus and said "I think I will now have good luck in life."

I took the remaining soccer balls to the Re Start center where they only played with old tires. So many of the chldren haven't been toilet trained or emotionally scared they wet their beds. Everyday, some of the foam mattresses are layed out to dry on the grass to dry. There is no washing machine.

For all the missionaries that come to Africa to make a difference, I know it must be hard to leave, there is great need, great poverty, great appreciation. As the population grows out of check I really don't think Africa will ever emerge as a nation of independent means. It is just a mess here. So much violence, the National News newspaper is one crisis after another, seriously broken government.

Currently I am in Nairobi for two nights. Tomorrow I will photograph several of the many Lift Up Africa projects from 6:30 am to 4 pm.

Good night,
Joan