Sometimes You Just Need a Girls Day

A few weekends ago, our school had a visitor's weekend where the girls relatives can come for the day and spend time with them. This tends to be the time where you see girls running around trying to get their hair done the day before, they are franctically trying to get a phone to call their relatives and make sure they are still coming, and you do your best to stay out of their way or get caught up in the scramble. I can't help but smile though because I know what it feels like to be away from relatives and loved ones for long periods of time and I don't blame for being franctic and excited! 

But, for those girls who do not have relatives that could make it due to distance or transportation costs, it can be a different experience. Now, most Kenyans will gladly take in a child that is not their own either permanently, in serious cases, or temporarily, like a visitors weekend. A lot of the girls end up spending the day with one of their friend's families who has chosen to treat them as one of their own. The other girls, however, will have to find something to do the whole day when there are no scheduled activities.

That's where Christine and I came in.

We had had bible study that saturday morning with the girls like we always do, but we could hardly keep most of their attention because like I said, the franctic anticipation of visitors coming had begun. After bible study, we went down to the classrooms where Christine usually supervises their computer time. Once the visitors started arriving, we started to weed out the girls who did not have anyone coming for them.

Before you knew it, Christine and I had the bright idea dawn on us to have a girls day with the "orphans" as we called them. (They aren't really orphans but Christine and I adopted them for the day)  We ran home and grabbed some lunch before heading out with all our nail polishes and Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Frozen, the movies. We were gonna be the big sisters.

Once we got back to the school we found some girls in the dining hall watching television and looking pretty bored. NO visitors. Luckily, Christine and Jordan were at their disposal!

More girls started trickling as the day went on and we all found ourselves doing what girls do best, pamper! There was hair braiding, toenail painting, and watching movies with female protagonists who were the heroes! It was so fun to spend that quality time with them just being friends and enjoying each other's company instead of them only seeing us in a mentor or teacher setting.

Once we had finished both movies it was time for their dinner and us to leave to go make ours. The thanks and smiles we got for spending the day with them was the perfect ending to that day and I look forward to spending more quality time with them this next term. 

It was such a small idea to do that for those girls without visitors that day and Christine and I could have easily just gone home and spent the rest of the day relaxing or whatever. But, thankfully the Lord gave us this idea and nudged us in the right direction so that even after I leave this lovely place, I will have those smiles burned into my memory.

It's amazing what a small act of kindness and love can mean to someone. It didn't cost us anything (except maybe a bottle of nail polish remover) to spend the day with those girls and show them someone is thinking of them. How many times a day do I, you, we pass by someone who may need some encouragement or simple act of kindness? We don't know because we don't take the time to get to know.We are in a hurry or it's awkward or we just don't feel like it that day. I know I could be a lot more intentional with the people I come in contact with on a daily basis.

I pray that we would not miss out on these opportunities to show Christ's love to someone no matter what the circumstance. It doesn't cost us anything to give a kind word, hug, or verse of Scripture. I want these girls to be so affected and changed by Christ that these thoughts, actions, and words come naturally to them. I want to start with myself. I want to display this example of Christ's love to them so that when they leave Uhuru Academy, it would be second nature to them. I want them to treat people and care for them as Christ has done for them. 

I only have 7 months left in Kenya and as the time for me to leave is quickly approaching, I pray I do not become apathetic. I pray that by pressing on to know Christ better and show Him to them through myself, that I would carry that back to the US with me. I don't want to just be intentional with people because i may never get to see them again, I want to live my life intentionally for the sake of knowing Christ and proclaiming Him no matter where I am or what timeline I have.

 

As I close I would like to bring to mind this verse that Paul writes after he says he considers everything garbage in relation to knowing Christ in a fuller and deeper way. This passage reveals to me the heart behind why we would strive to know Christ more and share Him with those around us.

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

[Philippians 3:7,10-12]

Mt. Longonot & The God of Immeasurably More

So, there's this inactive volcano right by Jikaze IDP camp and......WE CLIMBED IT!

A few weeks ago, some friends and I decided we wanted to take a hike! One of my friends, Libbey, had her boyfriend come and visit and wanted us to get to know him. Well, what better way to get to know someone than by climbing a volcano?!

My roommate, Christine (left), Sarah, Nathan, Libbey

Our view on the way up

The rolling hills

Moving on up!

Mount Longonot is a popular tourist attraction in Kenya and right off the road that you would travel to go to different safari parks. It does cost 30 dollars for non-residents to climb but that view at the top was definitely worth it. 

On the way up, sometimes you see zebra, cape buffalo, or giraffes in their natural habitats! I was obviously most excited about this part but we were not fortunate enough to come across any on the way up or down. However, I did see the evidence of their presence so I snapped a few shots of some tracks to prove it!

Giraffe footprint

Their trail

Once we reached the top, our mouths just dropped. WHAT BEAUTY! I had never seen anything like it before! You can't compare the beauty in that volcano to anything else beautiful you've seen. And I have seen the beautiful Rocky Mountains laden with snow and the Appalachian mountains dressed in fall colors and a beautiful sunset on the beach, but  this was just unlike any of those things. All beautiful in their own ways.

Christine and  I

Sarah, Christine, Me, Libbey

Walking around the rim trail (the view of the valley on the left)

Another angle of the forest inside the inactive volcano

At the top, you have the choice of just gazing around or taking your hike a little further and walking/running/hiking the rim of the volcano. It's about 7 kilometers around I think, but unfortunately, one of my friends was feeling sick so we did not make the full circle. I can say that what we did see was beauty at every vantage point we stopped. We could see Lake Naivasha, Crescent Island, and even Uhuru Child's greenhouses in Jikaze down below! It was incredible.

Some Pummus, volcanic rock we found around the rim!

A smaller crater next to the volcano

That white rectangle is our greenhouse!

The huge drop off into the crater

 Lake Naivasha

 Crescent Island

Once we were finished sight seeing at the top, we headed back down for the rains were coming in. As we started nearing  the bottom, the thunder rolled in and so did a hasty sprint down the mountain. Now, this was a feat in itself because these were not smooth hiking trails, but rivets in the ground where the water runoff had created a trail. At times, it felt like you were walking through craters in the ground, but when a thunderstorm is rolling in and you're high up in the clouds, you don't really care what the ground looks like as long as you make to the bottom! 

One of the better parts to hike. Most of the trails were worse!

Fortunately, we made it down right as the rain downpour began! Even though we didn't see any animals up close or go all the way around the rim, I was so thankful for the experience! I had been avoiding doing Longonot because I hadn't really had the desire to hike an inactive volcano until my friends were going. I AM SO GLAD WE DID!

 I can't believe how much of God's beauty I missed out on just because I have been lazy or formed my own conclusions on what it would be like. I have learned so much more about myself and have applied this to other areas of my life where I choose to stay comfortable instead of stepping out in faith and trusting that what God has in store will be worth it and far better than what I could imagine it to be. Iwill fight not to rely on my simple understanding or limit the God of immeasurably more.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 

[Ephesians 3:20]

39 and counting!

We are growing here at Uhuru Academy! We have accepted 10 new scholarship students in the second half of this term, bringing our new total to 39! We are thankful to  be able to provide scholarships to girls who, despite their interrupted education, have excelled in the classroom and on their end of 8th grade (Class 8) exams that qualify them for high school. The new students have been embraced by the arms of our current students and have contributed to the screaming laughter and joyful atmosphere that has been cultivated here!

Our mission would not be possible without the generous hearts of those who have pledged to sponsor these students! In a country where girls get marginalized because of their gender, its so meaningful for us to be able to provide a free education for those who would not otherwise have the opportunity! Our school is also unique in that we have students who pay to go to our school. This provides an environment where students from all economical and social backgrounds get to know eachother and build friendships based on common interests instead of common circumstances. Our school has a gospel-centered environment where, whether in the classroom, extra-curricular activities, or hanging out, they are learning about Jesus and seeking Him in all they do. If you would like to be part of providing education for an under-privileged girl at our school, I can make it super easy for you! Just click on this link -->uchild.com 

It's never too late to get involved in bringing education and the gospel to a young lady in order to free her from the cycle of poverty both physically and spiritually! 

To give you an update on what the recent happenings at Uhuru Academy, I will tell you about the debate our girls participated in last weekend against Tumaini Boys Secondary School. This was a HUGE deal because most schools in Kenya are single gender. For boys to come visit our school was most likely the talk of the term! The girls also requested that the radio be available for socializing after the debate along with snacks... making sure everything would be perfect for their visitors. However, preparing for the actual debate was the most crucial point of focus.

The two debate topics were: the mini-skirt ban in Uganda and capital punishment. Eight students from each school took their stance on both issues and battled it out in our event hall. Our girls were fighting against the mini-skirt ban and the death penalty and I must say, for their first debate they showed real promise! I was impressed with the passion and critical thinking on the spot they displayed!

Afterwards, the social began with a few dance competitions between a few students from each school. Naturally, they were trying to impress one another and show off their skills which provided me with some pretty good entertainment! Not only were the dance moves fun to watch but just watching Kenyan teenageboys and girls interact in a social setting as an outsider was entertainment enough!

I was able to get a video of one of the prime moments during the dance off. The boys were impressing the girls with their dance moves and the girls were not shy about it!

All in all, whether you are having a hard day or a really good one, being part of Uhuru Academy is such a gift. I am so thankful that I get to call this place my workplace and feel like its where I belong. Sure there are difficulties with every job, but come on! When you get to work with these crazy girls every day you can't help but smile!

The difference is Jesus

"So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:7

In this post, I have to brag on the Uhuru Academy girls for their character, humility, and patience. It's hard to know in the actual bible study lessons, or chapels, or clubs we do with them, if they are truly listening and able to apply what they are learning to their everyday lives. But, a few weekends ago when Uhuru Academy partcipated in a handball/netball tournament at a neighboring school, all doubt was removed from my mind.

 They listen. They apply. They love.

We were 1 of 5 schools at the tournament that weekend, and if you don't know what handball or netball are (because I did not beforehand), handball is similar to rugby without tackling and you can only move with the ball if you are dribbling down the field (similar to a soccer field with goals). Net ball is similar to basketball except there is no dribbling and you must stand still or pivot once you are handling the ball (like in ultimate frisbee) and you shoot into a net like basketball. Anyway, this was our first time competing in a tournament with these games and our girls had only been practicing for about a month. Needless to say, the others were definitely more prepared and conditioned.

Our students are in the burgundy track pants

She is going to kill me for posting this one, but it's so funny!

The cheering squad with their posters!

Excited after scoring a goal!

That is one of our teachers in the background jumping for joy that we got the ball back!

Playing some hard HANDBALL!

Netball! We are in the red jerseys

Setting up to shoot! We came in third overall in netball

BUT THAT DID NOT STOP US! Our girls played with such heart and ferocity that you would almost believe some of the games we were losing were close games! They did not give up, no matter what the score deficit. Some even shed tears after losing a very intense game.  When I say intense, I mean INTENSE. The other teams were ROUGH.

We, the Americans from Uhuru, soon found out how Kenyans play sports. It's rough, it's dirty, it's downright mean! But, that's just the culture. So, our teams go out to play and they are getting pushed down, roughed up, called names, and so much more but maintained humble heart postures through all of it. Sure our girls probably wanted to talk junk back or not help the girl you accidentally pushed down, get back up, but they didn't give into unsportmanslike behavior. Although the opposing players played unfairly and the coaches for the other teams were encouraging unsportsmanlike behavior and the fans of the other teams on the sidelines were calling them names and trying to distract them, the Uhuru girls did not waiver. They apologized when necessary, helped those up who had fallen, and all the while never uttered one word of disrespect even though they had every right to. They played their little hearts out despite the odds! We may not have won 1st place, but we turned heads.

Many students and faculty from other schools came up to our students or teachers complimenting them on how they carried themselves and played. They got compliments because they were different from the girls playing for the other teams. They did not display pride, selfish ambition, or hatefulness on or off the field. Even after our teams lost their last games, we went over to the vacant field to eat our lunches and hang out, and they were laughing and cutting up and talking about how much fun they had had despite the tears that were shed immediately after the losses. They learned how they could improve and what needs to be done to beat these teams without playing unfairly or putting others down. They also learned a lot about working together and the benefits of being on a team whereas some of the other school girls were putting down players ON THEIR TEAM for making a bad play.

I can't tell you how many times I thought to myself, they do listen! They are getting it! Even though in the classroom they are serious and sometimes their serious faces can look like blank stares or I interpret their silence for boredom, but they are taking it in. The difference in their actions and words during that tournament was not because of me or because they are morally good girls or whatever you wanna blame it on. They grew up in the same culture the girls from the other schools did, around the same ideas and temptations and are the same teenage school girls. It's only because of Christ in them. The difference is CHRIST. And I could not be more thankful.

It proves to me that its not my doing that is changing them but the Spirit moving in their hearts and overflowing into their actions. It shows that God is really doing something huge at Uhuru Academy that others are noticing for His glory. THAT is what this life is about. Making much of our Savior who made himself nothing for our sake. Honoring him with our lives because he received condemnation to save ours. They are getting it and maturing, even though they still remind you that they are just teenage girls sometimes! It's only because of Christ they are becoming leaders among their peers and in their society, because at the end of the day, they are just. teenage. girls. The difference is Jesus.

Laugh Obnoxiously, Scream Loudly, Pray Fervently, Love Deeply

Since my last blog post, many things have been going on at Uhuru Academy! In the past few weeks, we have upped our numbers to 32 students! Some of those are students who were accepted to our scholarships program! We still have a few students who are on scholarship but do not yet have a sponsor. If you are interested in sponsoring one of our fabulous and outstanding students' education this year, just go to our website uchild.com and go to the scholarship program section! We are always needing more sponsors so we can bring more and more students who would not receive an education otherwise due to lack of funds, to our school!

Also, to start the new year off right, we have been venturing off school grounds for a wide range of activities! The first weekend the Form 1s (freshmen) arrived, we all headed up to Brackenhurst Conference Center (Right up the road from the school) for some games and team building exercises coordinated by our lovely Director of Education! We HAD to play some name games to get to know each other and then put their teamwork skills to the test as they were divided into groups and had to hash out how to build a structure out of 15 straws and 1 piece of tape that could hold a bouncy ball being dropped from a ways up. All teams were successful but one, but they all put their best feet forward and worked together well!

Brackenhurst Conference Center is only about a 15 minute walk from the school so we took the girls there on foot for some exercise and to enjoy the sunshine. It also gave us the opportunity to talk to some of them one on one and see how they were doing. I was so encouraged when one of the girls told me that 

"Uhuru Academy is unlike any other school she's been to." 

She told me how much she loved that although the students are from different backgrounds, they all get along really well and it's not "clicky" like her last high school! Another one of our students on the walk home (before the downpour of rain ensued and we had to run back to the school!) told me that 

"Uhuru Academy is different" 

because they feel free to be vulnerable and share their stories (their lives and pasts) with each other and us. They loved the safe environment that is created at our school and don't want to leave after they graduate Form 4! I must say that it's hard sometimes to know whether they are getting everything we are teaching in bible study because their serious faces are on. But, when you get them outside of that environment, away from everyone else, and just get to go deeper in one on one conversations with them, you really get to see their true feelings and maturity that sometimes gets masked when they are all 32 in the same place at the same time. It's worth the blank stares we get sometimes to see them applying what they are learning in bible study in their daily interactions with the other students. And honestly, I will take those blank stares, which probably means they are just processing and concentrating on what is being said, over enthusiastic faces anyday if it means we get to see and experience them walking in the grace they have been given and showing that to others in their actions, words, school work, sports, free time, etc. It reminds me of a verse in James that says,

 "But, be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." 

I do not feel deceived but encouraged now when I see those serious faces.

 
During GLOW Club, we started a leadership campaign and made posters     informing the new students about what it means to be a leader at Uhuru Academy!

In more recent news, last Saturday we went on our second field trip of the year with the Form 3s to see two plays in downtown Nairobi! The first one they had read in their Swahili class and so it was cool they got to see it actually acted out in the theater. However, that also meant that Christine, Caitlyn, and I had to sit through a 3 hour play in Swahili which proved  to me that I am not as proficient as I thought I was! Luckily, I was sitting next to one of our students who was whispering to me what was happening the whole time! Then, the second play was in English so I did understand that one, however, by that point it was what felt like 100 degrees in that theater due to lack of air conditioning and crowded beyond capacity with high school students which made it difficult to pay attention. But, after sitting in that theater sweating for 5 hours, we then took the girls to get some frozen yogurt!

Some of them, being scholarship students and from lower income families, have never heard of or had frozen yogurt before! I am pretty sure that their bodies have never ingested that much sugar in one sitting because by the time they finished, they were boucing off the walls! Literally, the whole way home, I was driving with 4 students in my car and they were not even singing real words to the songs anymore but just screaming to let out their energy! IT WAS SO CRAZY AND SO FUN! I am surprised I did not have a headache! But, I was glad that I had the opportunity to treat them and take some of them to the mall who had never been before. Also, explaining how to fill up your cup of frozen yogurt was an experience in itself because they wanted to fit absolutely everything they possible could in those small containers! It was the most expensive trip to Planet Yogurt ever (where you pay by weight of the cups) but it was well worth it to spend more time with these girls and be part of their first time experiences. 

We then headed back to the school (where the screaming to music and out the windows due to  fierce sugar highs) and took some pictures before we said good bye for the day. Even though they expelled a TON of energy on the car ride home, they still had enough for the sassy photos they insist we take every chance we get!

All in all, our first month and a half at Uhuru Academy have been fun filled and fancy free with enough smiles and sugar to go around! It's awesome to part of this school and have such a heavy influence on these girls lives while they are here. It's not just a one way experience though. I will remember these girls and what they have taught me about faith, love, friendship, and laughter for the rest of my life, and look forward to spending the rest of this year laughing obnoxiously, screaming loudly, praying fervently, and loving deeply with them. 

Back in Action in 2014

Coming back to Kenya in 2014 is such a great feeling. This time last year, I was surrounded by a different people, language, culture, everything! It was my first time coming to Kenya and I was trying to take it all in, make a new normal, and start the life that God had called me to here. Well now, 1 year later, I return feeling refreshed, after having been with my loved ones for a few weeks, as well as READY.

I was returning to something familiar and a place that I had learned to call “home” for the past year! I returned to our little wooden cottage, to my black cat, Fupi, and to a place that I now felt a part of. I was excited to start the year on a good foot with many goals set in place! I was praying for new students to come to our school and for new successes within our organization as a whole.

Now, I am about a month in and so much has been going on that I have not had time to sit down and write. Or, if I did have time, I did not know where to start! But, since returning, we received 2 new Form 2 students and 3 new Form 3 students! They have been received well by the returning girls and are adapting to this fast pace life that is Uhuru Academy. There is always something to be doing or a place to be going. It’s also a place where you establish yourself in your identity in Christ and set your goals and plans to achieve them. I can’t wait to see how they continue to grow throughout this year!

I have to get used to calling these girls Form 2s now instead of Form 1s!

Some of the Form 3 girls a.k.a. Sassy  Squad.

So, the Form 1’s did not return until last week because they did not yet know their test scores from the KCPE (a standardized test they must take before applying for secondary school). Because of this delay, Christine and I chose to start GLOW Club (our life skills club) with Leadership. Empowering these girls before the younger ones get here on how to be a leader and role model this year was something we valued to be very important. We want the older girls to understand how great of an impact they have on those around them whether we realize it or not. They were challenged with this question:

“Will you BE the influence or become the one BEING influenced?”

Playing a game where the blindfolded person has to decide which person is good and bad peer pressure while they are both talking to her at the same time.

It has caused quite a raucous!

Screaming also ensued hahaha

I think that question has stuck with them throughout this leadership series and they are having to really think about how they will proactively become the leaders of Uhuru Girls.

A verse that I would like to see come to life through our girls is,

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE." 

[Ephesians 4:15-16]

Now that we have 6 new Form 1’s at our school who are settling in, we get to see these girls put this knowledge of how to be a leader into practice.

Hopefully the first of many new Form 1s

We also have been going through a series on Friendship in bible study based on the Sean McDowell video series. It covers issues such as loneliness, peer pressure, comparison, and identity which have all taken well with the girls. We want to show them what true friendships look like and how these issues are talked about throughout the Bible. Also, we have been focusing on where we find our identity as believers in Christ and how that effects how we speak and act day to day and also who we let influence us. Challenging them to not just read a story in the Bible but to learn how to ask the hard questions and apply the themes to their lives is our goal. 

Teaching them to read the Word of God for spiritual fulfillment instead of just duty, teaching them about gospel obedience versus religious obedience and the heart behind both, making them into women who love Jesus and claim their beliefs as their own so that when they are ready to leave Uhuru Academy and enter the real world, they know who they are and where they are going. 

Uhuru girls are confident and determined, yet humble and loving.

As we kick start this year with a lot of hopes, we had our first school assembly yesterday with all of the students! They introduced the school schedule to the new girls and we heard a few words from various staff members about what is expected from Uhuru Academy students. Afterwards, we just listened to music, danced, drank some soda, took pictures, and enjoyed one another’s company. It was awesome!

Group Assembly picture in the Dining Hall

Hanging out afterwards with the girls

Ann trying to make her eyes bigger in the picture hahaha

Making mischievous looks at the camera

Best friends :)

There will be more to update in the near future as more events unfold, but for now we are still praying for more students as the term progresses and for continued growth and maturity in every area of life for these girls. 

Education is FREEDOM!