Bill & Joy Murphy's Letter
1st. March 2008
Dear Friends and Family
We've been in Kenya just over a week now, since last Friday, and all has been quiet apart from some local skirmishes in camps over food distribution, and fighting in the Nakuru Town Hall over the election of the new Mayor. It seemed unreal to be driven the 12 miles or so from the airport to the Methodist Guest House and see no sign of the aftermath of the clashes - and such a relief to see all the staff there safe and sound. Of course many had stories to tell of their own experiences and some of their families, but thankfully no fatalities among them.
The following day, Saturday, we went to Embakasi to meet with the Management Committee and had a time of sharing with them - no fighting there, but many are affected as refugees from other areas have joined their extended families for safety, and the very little they have is being stretched further. One member of the committee has been made redundant as the economy is hit badly, and he is now a 'jua kali', selling whatever things he can get at the side of the road. He is a very good man who has had a real heart for those worse off than himself, and has been organising the micro-finance scheme there for the project - now he is truly one with them! There are many children who have come as orphans to Embakasi and arrived with just the clothes they wore, so we were realising that not only the areas where there were clashes were badly affected.
However, the nursery is going well and they have almost a full intake with some new fee-paying children and most of the sponsored ones back in school.
From there we went to Kariokor Church where we were in 1990 for 7 months because the Synod Committees were meeting, and we thought it would be agood opportunity to meet some old friends - and it was! These friends included two of the young men who were in the Lyfe for Kids project when Karibuni first started - James and John. John has been working at Kariokor as groundsman and odd-job man for a few years and has made huge progress, living locally in a small place. James has completed his computer course and was working casually to earn money to take the next course when the fighting started. He escaped from Kibera before his little slum home was burnt out, and is now living at Kariokor Church with donated clothes and bedding, and earning a little by cleaning cars or tidying the compound. He told us that Peter Kamau was also chased away from his home in Kikbera and it too was burnt down - Peter is living in the compound at Lang'ata Church.
On Sunday we went to Lavington Church hoping we would meet the new Superintendent of the circuit, but he was unwell. Sunday afternoon we met with the Kibera Management Committee at the Guest House, as they wouldn't let us go to meet them at Kibera because tension remains high, and people seeing us would think we were carrying gifts, and that would put the compound at risk. The wonderful thing is that although the project lost the mattresses and food, and the Church lost all it's sound equipment, keyboard, etc, the small mud building was spared because the rioters said that they knew the project helped all the people of any tribe!
Now we heard personal stories of suffering - the Chairman of the Church had his house and small kiosks looted and burnt down, as did the Secretary of the church - both managed to escape with their families unharmed, but they saw the most appalling things happening and remain very traumatised, with their children badly affected. Before the clashes the church was full every Sunday with children and adults - that day there had been just 27 people there - the rest still dare not return yet. Just 70% of the children came to the Saturday programme and only about 50% of the nursery children have returned. Most of the Primary children are back, although Kibera Primary is very low in numbers. All the secondary children are at school because they are in unaffected areas, as are those on Vocational Training courses. 28 of the project families remain in the camp at Jamhuri where life is very difficult. However, life can be more difficult for those displaced in other communities where there is no food distribution at all - Govt and Church aid is being channelled throught the camps and these others have to rely on neighbours or extended families, who are already struggling. We are so grateful for the money people sent to help with needs we came across and have been able to assist some in small ways - getting uniforms so that displaced children can go to the schools where they are now staying - remember they fled with only what they were wearing in many cases.
Monday we went to Tharaka which gets no cooler! But there is a new Methodist Guest House where we had a self-contained room (cold shower, very little water, but very comfortable) for 600 shillings each (about 4.50 sterling). There is no food provided - not even a cup of tea, but it's not far to walk to the rural training centre for breakfast - or, as we did, to the home of Helen Moorehead from Ireland, who is doing a fantastic job starting a school for the deaf in Marimanti, where there is no other provision for them. We visited her compound where she has already got 2 classrooms built and pit latrines, and 2 dormitories well on the way to completion. She had thought she would have a unit for the deaf, but finds she needs a complete nursery and primary school. We met her first 5 children who now know they have a name and after 5 months of teaching can write in perfect English in their books in beautiful writing. They had no concept of words, that anything had a name, not even themselves! Now they understand tenses and other grammar and can communicate with each other and in writing with hearing people - a big miracle! And Helen is a tonic to be with -she is so bright and positive, despite all the challenges of life in Tharaka, where even Kenyans are most unhappy to be posted to!
We met four of the five Form 4 graduates -the first from the project - and what delightful young people they are. Robert has been Head boy at Meru Secondary, Daniel was Head boy at Kaaga Boys, and both were Chairman of their respective Christian Unions. They were waiting for their KCSE results, hoping to go to University somehow! We have since heard some results - Robert got a C and Daniel a straight A - entrance to a national university if he can get the sponsorship. Jane has a B-. We are still waiting for the others! But what wonderful results!! We have visited Daniel's home and have shown slides of his mother, Salome, at home in a very tumbledown shack, and in her kitchen grinding maize - some of you will remember them - and now she has a son who has dreamt of being a doctor, and could now realise that dream - we are so thankful to God and to all of you who have supported the work Karibuni is involved in!
We met with the Management Committee and made some progress - we're hoping that some donkeys and carts may go there to help some families to start small businesses. The goats are doing quite well, although (apparently) due to the excessive heat at the moment, four of the kids were stillborn - a big blow to those families.
Then on to Kaaga where we are staying with our friends, Eunice and Justus again - they send their love to everyone who knows them - and you are many!
KCSE results here are Maureen B+, Lewis C+, and Patrick C. Now they need to look for the next move forward - none will get into national universities with those grades - competition is such that a straight A is the minimum! They could get places in private universities but they are very expensive - about twicw as much as national, about 3,000 sterling including simple accommodation. Is this Karibuni's next challenge? Where do we go from here? Do we leave them to search for scarce sponsorship here?
Monday we are going to Maua Hospital for a flying visit to see Mission Partners, Barbara and Claire, and also Stanley Gitari from the AIDS orphans programme and Melchizadek Ouma from DCC.
Tuesday we return to Nairobi - either by KenSilver or we may just have a lift from a friend!
God bless you all
Our love
Bill and Joy
Dear Friends and Family
We've been in Kenya just over a week now, since last Friday, and all has been quiet apart from some local skirmishes in camps over food distribution, and fighting in the Nakuru Town Hall over the election of the new Mayor. It seemed unreal to be driven the 12 miles or so from the airport to the Methodist Guest House and see no sign of the aftermath of the clashes - and such a relief to see all the staff there safe and sound. Of course many had stories to tell of their own experiences and some of their families, but thankfully no fatalities among them.
The following day, Saturday, we went to Embakasi to meet with the Management Committee and had a time of sharing with them - no fighting there, but many are affected as refugees from other areas have joined their extended families for safety, and the very little they have is being stretched further. One member of the committee has been made redundant as the economy is hit badly, and he is now a 'jua kali', selling whatever things he can get at the side of the road. He is a very good man who has had a real heart for those worse off than himself, and has been organising the micro-finance scheme there for the project - now he is truly one with them! There are many children who have come as orphans to Embakasi and arrived with just the clothes they wore, so we were realising that not only the areas where there were clashes were badly affected.
However, the nursery is going well and they have almost a full intake with some new fee-paying children and most of the sponsored ones back in school.
From there we went to Kariokor Church where we were in 1990 for 7 months because the Synod Committees were meeting, and we thought it would be agood opportunity to meet some old friends - and it was! These friends included two of the young men who were in the Lyfe for Kids project when Karibuni first started - James and John. John has been working at Kariokor as groundsman and odd-job man for a few years and has made huge progress, living locally in a small place. James has completed his computer course and was working casually to earn money to take the next course when the fighting started. He escaped from Kibera before his little slum home was burnt out, and is now living at Kariokor Church with donated clothes and bedding, and earning a little by cleaning cars or tidying the compound. He told us that Peter Kamau was also chased away from his home in Kikbera and it too was burnt down - Peter is living in the compound at Lang'ata Church.
On Sunday we went to Lavington Church hoping we would meet the new Superintendent of the circuit, but he was unwell. Sunday afternoon we met with the Kibera Management Committee at the Guest House, as they wouldn't let us go to meet them at Kibera because tension remains high, and people seeing us would think we were carrying gifts, and that would put the compound at risk. The wonderful thing is that although the project lost the mattresses and food, and the Church lost all it's sound equipment, keyboard, etc, the small mud building was spared because the rioters said that they knew the project helped all the people of any tribe!
Now we heard personal stories of suffering - the Chairman of the Church had his house and small kiosks looted and burnt down, as did the Secretary of the church - both managed to escape with their families unharmed, but they saw the most appalling things happening and remain very traumatised, with their children badly affected. Before the clashes the church was full every Sunday with children and adults - that day there had been just 27 people there - the rest still dare not return yet. Just 70% of the children came to the Saturday programme and only about 50% of the nursery children have returned. Most of the Primary children are back, although Kibera Primary is very low in numbers. All the secondary children are at school because they are in unaffected areas, as are those on Vocational Training courses. 28 of the project families remain in the camp at Jamhuri where life is very difficult. However, life can be more difficult for those displaced in other communities where there is no food distribution at all - Govt and Church aid is being channelled throught the camps and these others have to rely on neighbours or extended families, who are already struggling. We are so grateful for the money people sent to help with needs we came across and have been able to assist some in small ways - getting uniforms so that displaced children can go to the schools where they are now staying - remember they fled with only what they were wearing in many cases.
Monday we went to Tharaka which gets no cooler! But there is a new Methodist Guest House where we had a self-contained room (cold shower, very little water, but very comfortable) for 600 shillings each (about 4.50 sterling). There is no food provided - not even a cup of tea, but it's not far to walk to the rural training centre for breakfast - or, as we did, to the home of Helen Moorehead from Ireland, who is doing a fantastic job starting a school for the deaf in Marimanti, where there is no other provision for them. We visited her compound where she has already got 2 classrooms built and pit latrines, and 2 dormitories well on the way to completion. She had thought she would have a unit for the deaf, but finds she needs a complete nursery and primary school. We met her first 5 children who now know they have a name and after 5 months of teaching can write in perfect English in their books in beautiful writing. They had no concept of words, that anything had a name, not even themselves! Now they understand tenses and other grammar and can communicate with each other and in writing with hearing people - a big miracle! And Helen is a tonic to be with -she is so bright and positive, despite all the challenges of life in Tharaka, where even Kenyans are most unhappy to be posted to!
We met four of the five Form 4 graduates -the first from the project - and what delightful young people they are. Robert has been Head boy at Meru Secondary, Daniel was Head boy at Kaaga Boys, and both were Chairman of their respective Christian Unions. They were waiting for their KCSE results, hoping to go to University somehow! We have since heard some results - Robert got a C and Daniel a straight A - entrance to a national university if he can get the sponsorship. Jane has a B-. We are still waiting for the others! But what wonderful results!! We have visited Daniel's home and have shown slides of his mother, Salome, at home in a very tumbledown shack, and in her kitchen grinding maize - some of you will remember them - and now she has a son who has dreamt of being a doctor, and could now realise that dream - we are so thankful to God and to all of you who have supported the work Karibuni is involved in!
We met with the Management Committee and made some progress - we're hoping that some donkeys and carts may go there to help some families to start small businesses. The goats are doing quite well, although (apparently) due to the excessive heat at the moment, four of the kids were stillborn - a big blow to those families.
Then on to Kaaga where we are staying with our friends, Eunice and Justus again - they send their love to everyone who knows them - and you are many!
KCSE results here are Maureen B+, Lewis C+, and Patrick C. Now they need to look for the next move forward - none will get into national universities with those grades - competition is such that a straight A is the minimum! They could get places in private universities but they are very expensive - about twicw as much as national, about 3,000 sterling including simple accommodation. Is this Karibuni's next challenge? Where do we go from here? Do we leave them to search for scarce sponsorship here?
Monday we are going to Maua Hospital for a flying visit to see Mission Partners, Barbara and Claire, and also Stanley Gitari from the AIDS orphans programme and Melchizadek Ouma from DCC.
Tuesday we return to Nairobi - either by KenSilver or we may just have a lift from a friend!
God bless you all
Our love
Bill and Joy