An update on Spurgeons Academy

Yesterday I had the joy and privilege of being able to pop in to Spurgeons Academy for a few hours, and catch up with staff and students, and see for myself how things are progressing.

For those of you who don’t know about Spurgeons, it is a school in Kibera slum that is also a partner of CRED, and that we have been taking teams of young people to for several years. It is an incredible school, with an ethos that reaches far beyond just teaching the children to read and write. It has a very holistic approach to the children, and takes in many children who can’t actually afford to go to school, and would otherwise be roaming the ‘streets’ of Kibera.

The school is open from 6.30am until 6.00pm, to allow the children to have a safe place in which to study and do their homework, as most of the children live in tiny hovels, with no electricity, no sanitation, no running water, and often no adults to support them.

Rose is the social worker at the school, and she does a remarkable job of caring for the wider needs of the child, which often also involves supporting the wider family as they lurch from one poverty-induced crisis to another.

Oscar is the head-teacher, and he, along with Jane at Kapkenduiywo school that I visited on Monday in Eldoret, rate as my top two head-teachers. Both fulfill a remit far beyond the basic head-teacher role, and once again, as I chatted with Oscar yesterday, his total commitment to the school, the staff and the students shone through. He is leading a school that works in desperately poor conditions, and yet his attitude inspires the children to dream big and reach high, and to believe that they don’t need to be trapped in the cycle of poverty and despair that can be so prevalent amongst those within the slums who are uneducated, unemployed and without any sort of prospects.

Both he and Jane, when chatting to them, are clear that their role is a calling from God, and that they are there to help show, in practical ways, God’s heart for orphans, vulnerable children and widows. They both show that very clearly, and in very practical ways. Indeed Oscar related a story to me about one 5yr old girl who has recently been defiled in an appalling way by a member of her community, and the lengths that the school are going to, to assist and protect her as the case slowly comes to court.

One of the things that I wanted to check when I was there yesterday was the current situation regarding the new building that is going on there. When I was there last year, they had just broken ground on a new 2-storey classroom block, including a hall that can double as a community church on Sundays. Now, 10 months on, the top 4 classes are studying in new classrooms. They still work from blackboards, and the walls are bare of any educational posters etc, but they are in, and the students certainly seem very happy there.

Unfortunately finances for finishing the other 4 classrooms have dried up, so classes 1 – 4 continue to study in the old classrooms, which leak a bit in the rain, have holes in the metal sheet walls, and are built on earth floors, kicking up dust on a regular basis. It’ll be great to see those classes rehoused as soon as funds allow, so that all the children can study in an environment conducive to learning.

But despite all the upheaval, the underlying passion for education flows through the school – the children hungry to learn, the teachers devoted to giving the children the best possible chances to excel. And underlying it all a deep-rooted faith in a God who loves them and wants the best for them, despite the hand that life has dealt them.

What an excellent recipe for a school that is performing in such tough conditions – no wonder so many of our young people return from visits there with a new perspective on the privileged position that they are in through having universal access to education, and a new and refreshing insight into the Christian faith that for many in the UK is just a fuddy-duddy, old-person, Sunday-only activity.

May we have opportunity to take many more young people to Spurgeons, and have their lives transformed through participating in the life of the school.

Orphans and vulnerable children – what is their best option?

According to the United Nations, when a child is orphaned, the best option for his or her ongoing care is to place that child with extended family, and not in a children’s home. That way they will grow up within the love and support of their wider family, rather than having to deal with the trauma of being removed from the family and friends that have been with them from birth and having to settle into a new family.

As a result of that UN philosophy, here in Kenya there is a move to close down children’s homes, and switch all child-care to being community based. The children’s homes haven’t necessarily been found to be lacking, or done anything wrong, and the children in them may be very happy; but what the UN says goes, and so the future is looking unsettled for children’s homes.

The thinking behind the UN’s conclusions all sounds very reasonable, justified and with the child’s best interests at heart; and if all things were equal I would go along with it whole-heartedly.

But over the past three days, some of the children that I have met and their stories that I have heard are enough to bring questions to the table. Children who have been orphaned and then left to be raised by their aunts or uncles but then being abused, neglected, used like servants and worse. Children who have been orphaned and then the wider family have thrown the child out, as they just can’t afford to feed another mouth. In those cases, is it right for the child to be left in the community, or to be taken in by a children’s home?

Of course I recognise that not all children’s homes are perfect, and I also recognise that there are many positive stories of children who have been orphaned and then been absorbed into very loving homes in their community – either wider family, or other foster / adoptive parents.

But as I have gone round the children’s homes as part of my visits over the past few days, and seen so many happy smiling children, who are emotionally secure, playing with their new ‘brothers and sisters’, doing well at school and thriving in a loving environment, I have certainly seen the evidence that children’s homes can work.

Not all the children are orphans – some still have living relatives, and their stories can be even worse, hence the need for them to be removed from their family situation. But again, they are thriving in the children’s homes, knowing love and security, and no longer having to endure horrific, and sometimes life-threatening experiences.

Surely there is room for both systems to live alongside each other – for children to have the opportunity to live in the community when the conditions are right, and they have a lovely caring family in which to be raised. But if those circumstances can’t be found, is it so wrong if the alternative is a well-run, loving children’s home?

Ultimately, the primary focus must be what is best for the child – they must remain at the heart of it all. So, may those making the decisions come out of their ivory towers long enough to actually look at the evidence, maybe even speak to the children, and hopefully go back recognizing that one size doesn’t fit all.

Kapkenduiywo Primary – a remarkable school with a remarkable head-teacher

Today I visited a primary school that sits on the edge of Langas, the largest ‘slum’ in Eldoret. It is the school that I will be bringing a CRED team to next February and the purpose of today’s visit was to meet the staff, especially the head-teacher, sort out the plans for the activity week next year, do the risk assessment side of things, and get photos to help with preparing the team.

I am pleased to say that I achieved all of that very satisfactorily, and had a really good time at the school, but alongside that I can now also say that I have visited the primary school who recently had a pupil age 84yrs old, and met the headteacher who defied the authorities in order to allow him to study.

Here is the story:

When the Kenyan Government announced in 2003 that it was making primary education free for all, what it really meant was that it was making it free for all children. But for Kimani Maruge, an 84 yr old man who had missed out on education as a child, he took the statement literally and went along to his ‘local’ school to enroll to study.

The headteacher of the school – Jane Obinchu – took a bit of persuading, but, recognizing access to education as a basic human right for all, and seeing the determination of Maruge to enroll, she allowed him to be a student at her school.

The local education authorities were not happy, and regularly tried to obstruct his enrolment in various ways, including requirement for wearing shorts despite his age, the need to provide educational supplies, and pressure on Jane to change her mind.

Jane received threats, at home and at school, from those unhappy with the situation but she stuck to her guns and continued to allow Maruge to learn to read and write.

The full story can be seen in the film ‘The First Grader’, which is definitely worth a watch, and chatting to Jane today her passion for justice, and access to education for all continues to be very apparent. If any student can’t afford the uniform, or the exam fees, Jane will often self-fund a bit of extra money to fill the gap. And she and her staff also act as social workers for the children, in an area which includes some very chronic poverty-induced problems. A very God-filled lady following her calling in a beautiful way

The school hosts a feeding programme run by Mary’s Meals, and served from a kitchen funded by the Solomon Project (a UK-based charity from NW England), and it was lovely to watch the children being given a healthy wholesome midday meal, but also sobering to think that for many of the children that will be their only meal of the day.

The children were all so happy and clearly value their education in a big way. They study in classes of roughly 60 – 70 students per class, so our team are going to have their work cut out for them when we come to do the activity week, but there is no doubting that we will be going to an extremely positive, inspiring school, and will all come away the richer in many ways for the experience – I certainly did!

A day in the life of....

I'm in Eldoret now - a town, on the edge of the Great Rift Valley in NW Kenya fairly close to the Ugandan border - in relative terms! It's a place where lots of the Kenyan runners come and train because of its altitude, and is also a town I first visited back in 2006ish when I worked for another NGO Open Arms International.

The reason for being here this time is to do a whole load of preparation for a CRED team that will be coming here next Feb, to work with a project that is new to us. But also, due to my previous links with Open Arms, it is a place where I have missionary friends, and so I am spending some happy days with them, and their network of other missionaries working locally.

A bit of an update on the events since the last blog - which was posted in Kenya, but written in Uganda!

Friday evening I arrived in Nairobi and was greeted by the wonderful taxi-driver Billy who always drives me in Nairobi when I am on my own. It was the first time in Nairobi since the massive fire at the airport last autumn that wiped out the arrivals hall, so I was a bit disoriented on arrival, and greatly relieved to see Billy, who drove me to Kenyanito's home. Remind me never to arrive in Nairobi on a Friday late afternoon - 2.5hrs of traffic on a journey that should take 30 minutes!

Anyway, had a lovely evening with Kenyanito and his 5yr old son Favor and 18month old daughter Honor. Val, the wife, was at college as she is studying for a degree in Theology, so I only saw her briefly (info most of you don't need, but those who have met Val will find that bit interesting!). I'll be back with them at the end of my Kenya week, so will save the rest until then, but suffice to say they are all well, the school is progressing, and it was great to catch up with old friends.

Saturday morning started officially with the 5.15 am alarm, but unofficially with the first cock-crow at 3am, and that set off a dawn chorus of cockerels all seeming to compete for loudest and longest crowing title.

30 mins to the airport and then a flight up to Eldoret. Pretty uneventful except that I happened to be seated next to a guy who works for Airtel, one of the main mobile networks here. Fair enough, you say, but I had been lent an Airtel SIM by Val, and it wasn't allowing me to send texts to UK - so Mr Airtel sat next to me sorted my phone out! My flight passengers so far have all been gems - and more prayers answered!

Dave and Linda met me at the airport and I spent a beautiful Kenyan Saturday with them. Catching up on life whilst doing the dog-walk, visiting possible accommodation for the February team, driving past the potential schools that the team might work in, sussing out the nearest medical facilities of acceptable standard, and visiting some projects run by other missionaries out here.

Dave and Linda came out here following God's calling, and are here in a 'free agent' kind of way. They have links in to many projects, and support those projects in all sorts of ways - Linda through assisting with book-keeping and accounts and logistics,  Dave is making quite a name for himself at building play equipment at children's projects, and as a qualified HGV driver can turn his hand to all sorts of transport issues, plus other DIY / construction projects. They network people, support people, bless people, and do it all in God's name.

To me they epitomise Psalm 37. They committed their way to God (v5), and trust in God to show the way (v3). There have been ups and downs but they don't fret or get angry about it (v8). Instead they move forward each day with God, and for me it is an absolute pleasure, privilege and honour to be with them.

So, all in all yesterday was a very successful day, and just a bit mind-blowing in the way that God is not just sorting out the details that I know of, but also fulfilling other background issues that whirr away in my subconscious. The projects we visited, as well as others that Dave and Linda know of, could easily make up the elements of a brilliant CRED 360 Project for disengaged or disadvantaged young people, and it was only a couple of weeks ago that I had been thinking I ought to identify some more locations for such teams to go to - and now we have one! Thank you Lord once again :-)

And now its Sunday and time for church. Later missionary fellowship, and a chance to connect with more people living out their lives for God in this beautiful corner of Kenya.

More later, blessings

Prayers answered many many times!

Never underestimate the power of prayer! Big prayers, little prayers – they all count.

I’m sitting in Entebbe Airport waiting for my flight to Kenya, having had a beautiful 14 hours spent with Natalie, who I hadn’t seen since she departed on her gap year travels back in September last year. It’s been a really lovely time – really REALLY lovely, and even better is the knowledge that there is more to come when I return from Kenya at the same time as Tim and Rozzie arrive in Uganda next week, and we are all together for a week.

Throughout it all I’ve been so very aware of God’s presence, watching over us and smiling, and I feel so overwhelmingly blessed by it all. And that’s where the power of prayer comes in.

Last Sunday, Tim and I were prayed for at church, and afterwards I was asked by one of the church members to let me know details about the trip so that he can pray daily for us. I sent them through, and also blogged them a couple of days back. Off the back of that this particular gentleman sent me an e-mail with specific prayers for my day yesterday, and then another e-mail today with specific prayers for today. And they have all been answered!

From the sweet reunion with Natalie, to the ease of getting the luggage checked in (they didn’t charge me excess baggage for all the resources I was taking out for Natalie), to the ease of the journey (I had a row of 4 clear seats so could lie down and sleep), to the passengers around (prof of Classics at Bristol Uni on the first leg, and then about 10 – 12 missionaries from various places doing various works on the main flight), to the conversations (very inspiring and uplifting as we shared about different missional works we are involved in), to the immigration at Uganda (first in line for the visa, and a very friendly visa lady), to the motel we stayed at (clean, friendly, delicious breakfast, wifi, hot shower), to the conversations and prayers with Natalie – and many more as well – thank you to this particular person for his prayers, and to all of you for your prayers as well – I know they are many and generous.

Chatting to Natalie and hearing some of her stories, the power of prayer comes through even more.  It doesn’t mean that everything is always a bed of roses and without any hassles, but it’s that sense of God’s presence in it all, and being able to look back and see how God worked everything for good, even if it’s not so easy to see at the time.

And of course the other side of being the recipient of so many prayers, and being the beneficiary of the power of prayer, is the opportunity to bestow that blessing on others, and pray for others that they may also be able to testify to the power of prayer in their lives – and that is what I undertake to do more of, hour by hour, day by day.

Thank you for your prayers already said, and for those still to come – there is so much to achieve on this trip, and my mind needs to be functioning at many levels, and with many different hats on along the way – as wife and mother, but also all the CRED side of things, and representing different schools, and being a friend…… Thank you for your prayers in it all.

May you also know the power of prayer in your life, and if you have specific requests for prayer, please send them my way so I can do my bit.

Blessings to you

Mantra for the trip

John Wesley once wrote, ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’

Nothing to add really except 'Lord may I do likewise'

My upcoming journey to Africa

Tomorrow I am flying to Uganda for a very joyous and probably tear-filled reunion with Natalie for 14 hours before flying on to Kenya.
I am away for 3.5 weeks, and yesterday a very wonderful gentleman at church asked if I would send him a detailed plan of the trip, so that he can pray for me, and the work I'll be doing on each day.

Having written it out for him, I thought I would also post it here, as I know many of you also are interested in what is going on, and are generous in your prayers.

So, this is the plan for the next 3.5 weeks, in case you are interested:

Thursday 20th March
 - I fly to Uganda, arriving at 2230 local time (1930 GMT). Natalie will be meeting me at the airport and after the hugs and tears of joy we will spend the night at a nearby motel.

Friday 21st March
- morning of catching up and praying and just enjoying some time together for Natalie and I
- lunchtime I go to the airport and Natalie returns to Kampala with my second bag which is full of resources and treats for her
- afternoon I fly to Nairobi. I will be met by Kenyanito Dudi who is programme manager for Spurgeons Academy, one of CRED's partners and the school in Kibera slum that we take teams to. Kenyanito and I work together to sort out the Nairobi teams, although I also play a more general supportive role in my CRED partner support capacity. We will spend the evening catching up, being with his family, and general chat

Saturday 22nd March
- Rozzie gets home from University
- I fly up to Eldoret which is a largish town in NW Kenya. I will be leading a team there  February 2015, and have to do some ground work with all the logistics and risk assessment side of things.
I will be staying with good friends Dave and Linda who are missionaries in Eldoret, so Saturday will be spent catching up with them, as well as visiting possible accommodation options, sussing out local medical facilities, and driving past the potential school that the team will be working in, so I can risk assess the general area which is the largest slum in Eldoret.

Sunday 23rd March
- church in the morning, relaxing with friends in the afternoon - a day of rest!

Monday 24th March
- meeting with the local school that the 2015 team will work in. This will include meeting staff, explaining proposed input, agreeing on actual plans for the team, risk assessing the school, finding out all required details about the school etc. It is a very poor school, so one major task will be keeping their expectations in line with what we can deliver - the perception of rich white people going over with lots of resources is one I have to be careful to sensitively address.
- meeting with local transport provider to discuss transport provision for the team, checking they meet requirements re safety standards etc
- ensuring I have all necessary details for compiling a thorough Risk assessment, and preparing the 2015 team

Tuesday 25th March
- day spent with Open Arms International - a charity I used to work for who have their Kenya base in Eldoret.
whilst with them I will be catching up with friends, discussing possible team accommodation, handing out letters to the Open Arms students from Tockington Manor students (there is a school link), and gathering some stories to take back for the Tockington Manor school assembly

Wednesday 26th March
- early am: fly to Nairobi
- spend the day with Kenyanito and visiting Spurgeons Academy. Between Wednesday and Thursday I have to:
    confirm and risk assess accommodation for the summer 2014 team,
    finalise all details for the 2014 team re itinerary, transport, risk assessment details
    meet with the headteacher and social worker to discuss training details that two of the team will be doing
    visit the school to see how the rebuild is coming on, and confirm amount of space available for the team to use
    hand out sponsor letters and meet the children
    meet with Kenyanito to discuss wider issues regarding Spurgeons Academy

Thursday 27th March
- finish off the list from yesterday!

Also on Thursday Tim and Rozzie fly to Uganda, arriving late in the evening. They will stay at a motel near the airport, as will Simon Paylor (CRED Director), who is spending the Friday and Saturday with us visiting the Uganda CRED partner projects.

Friday 28th March
- I fly early morning from Nairobi to Uganda. Met by Natalie, and then we go and collect Tim, Rozzie and Simon from the motel. Lots of hugs all round, then back to Kampala accommodation.
we stay with John and Sophie Njendahayo at their family home, which is where we also stay when I take teams out. John runs Link International, a CRED partner, and it is through him that Natalie has been linked with the Acholi community, and will later get involved in some of his other projects. John and Sophie open their home to us, and also have two guest apartments on site as well, so plenty of space.

Friday afternoon, and Saturday 29th March
visiting the various projects that John Nj is involved in - Acholi community, rural medical and dental clinic, slum schools, street kids. These will be opportunities for Simon to see the work that Link is doing from a CRED perspective, and for Tim and Rozzie to see the projects that Natalie is working in, and that I love so much and keep coming back to. And a chance for Natalie to introduce us to her acholi friends, and for me to visit old friends.
I will also have to keep in mind the 3 Uganda team trips I have later this year, as there are various details to be sorted at each project

Sunday 30th March
- maybe church in the morning, or a coffee shop visit. NB when the girls were still at home a special treat for us would be 'Starbucks Sunday' when we went to the local Starbucks and enjoyed just being together, sipping our favourite latte, chatting, and having a phone-free zone. This practice might be reintroduced this day as it is the one Sunday we are all together!
- afternoon Simon departs for CRED work in Ethiopia, and the Harrisons relax, maybe at the nearby pool.

Monday 31st March
- a day trip to Jinja - source of the Nile and a bit of a touristy town. Its also a place that I need to risk assess and reccy for a team trip in October, so I'll be doing that at the same time

Tuesday 1st April til Thursday 3rd April
- drive to Murchison Falls National Park and spend 2 night there at the lodge. will do a boat safari, and relax together.
back to Kampala thursday evening

Friday 4th April
- tbc. Last day for Tim and Roz, so will make it up on the day

Saturday 5th April
- Tim and Rozzie fly home
- Natalie and I have day together, plans unknown, but will see if any outstanding team details to sort

Sunday 6th April
- church? pool?

Monday 7th April
- I fly ridiculously early to Zambia to visit a CRED partner there. This is the first time I have visited Chisomo project and pastor Aaron who runs it, so it is partly just finding out more about it, but also considering if it is an option for team trips in the future etc.

Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th April
 - continue to learn about Chisomo, meeting relevant people, visiting relevant places in case it is a team trip venue so that I will be able to do the intinerary and have required evidence and knowledge for risk assessment

Thursday 10th April
- back to Kampala

Friday 11th April
- visit a project about 2 hours outside Kampala in Mukono district. This is one that is new to me, but has been requested as one of the projects for the 360 trip later in the year. I will be meeting the staff of the project, learning about the work, sorting out details of possible work if the team visited, and as always doing the obligatory risk assessment checks

Saturday 12th April
- final day with Natalie, so something special, but not yet planned!
- fly home overnight

Sunday 13th April - Palm Sunday
- arrive back at Bristol airport early morning, so hopefully will get to church for at least the final song!

And that's the trip! Long, busy, but exciting. And a real blessing to have time with Natalie, and with the family all of us together.

thank you so much for your prayers

Helen

PS will be blogging as I go!