When Things of Heaven are Wed to Those of Earth*

Palm Sunday

Sr. Carol before she disappeared in the crowd

Kicking off Holy Week, I attended the Palm Sunday Youth Mass and Procession. It began with the blessing of the palms in the stadium in Embu town. Sr. Carol and I were a little late; as soon as we joined the crowd, Bishop Kariuki sprinkled us with holy water and off we went! The crowd consisted of about 200 young people, but as we processed through the streets of Embu, more and more people joined us.

Most people had full palm branches they waved while singing songs of Hosanna. I have never felt so close to Jerusalem before! As we processed through the streets, there was a great energy and excitement among our group. I could easily imagine Jesus was just a couple steps ahead of me.
I quickly lost Sr. Carol in the crowd, but one of my friends, Louise, found me in the crowd. After our hour walk to Karangu Girls Sec. School, Louise & I found a seat under the tents for Mass. The Embu University choir that had kept the music going as we walked there, continued to be awesome. They had so much fun, singing and dancing at Mass that I wanted to go join them!
Bishop Kariuki gave a wonderful homily on Pope Francis' theme for youth this year, "The Mighty One has done great things for me" (Lk 1:49) He described how Mary's words echo in our own lives, when we trust in God to work miracles.

Louise is such a sweetheart

During Communion, the skies opened and rain poured down. Although the Eucharistic ministers were under umbrellas, I knew I'd be drenched going to them. However, just as I was about to exit the tent, the Bishop (of all people) appeared right in front of me! #Godmoment
After Mass, the choir danced for entertainment & then the fundraising portion. At this point, it was about 1pm (we had started in the stadium at 9am). Louise & I were joined by Brenda, another student. We went to the food vendors that were gathered around the gate of the school, enjoying smokies and biscuits.
We then walked back to Embu with Sr. Carol and about 8 more students. It was so great seeing the girls in normal clothes (instead of school uniforms). They were so happy and free! It had only been a couple days since I saw them last, but I had missed them!

Chrism Mass
The Chrism Mass for Embu Diocese was on Thursday; although I would also be going to evening Mass, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to witness a priest procession! There were probably 40 priests there--one literally danced down the aisle during the procession.

Look at all those priests!!

Mass only lasted 2.5 hours, which was short! Afterwards, I was pleasantly surprised to get a plate full of rice, chapati, meat stew and a slice of watermelon for lunch. Then, being escorted by the sisters, I greeted almost every priest and sister from other congregations. Holy Thursday is the institution of the priesthood & religious life. So everyone was smiling, saying, "Happy feast!"

For supper, we really did feast! We had chicken, potatoes, soda and GRAPES!!! Delicious, sweet, red grapes that cost ksh 250 per package. I didn't know I had missed them so much. It was just another 'oasis in the desert.' :)

Holy Thursday

Vivian and Rachael

For the Holy Thursday liturgy, we went to the nearby parish, St. Francis. I decided to sit by myself, since the church wasn't very full. Luckily, it began to fill up as mass started. Two girls, probably around 8, sat next to me. At first, they kept their distance, but I kept catching them looking at me and my Magnificat. I handed it to them to look at as we waited for mass to start (this is Africa--nothing starts on time). They huddled close together, mouthing the words to the prayers.
Mass was not that different from home, but with extra songs added in.  My friends left for a bit, but when they returned, they sat right next to me. They were a lot less shy now. After Mass, Fr. Jeremiah invited the sisters (and their visitor) to greet the parish. When it was my turn, I spoke too fast, of course. I watched the whole church lean forward in the 'pardon?' gesture I've become very accustomed to. After repeating myself at a slower pace, everyone welcomed me with a loud, 'Karibu.' I love Kenya :)


Good Friday
What I've learned this Holy Week: I love processions!! And the Stations of the Cross procession left from right outside our gate for Good Friday. Leading our group, a full-size cross was carried by someone different each station. I found it very inspiring as the cross-bearers clung to the cross at each station. Then, they would hoist it up onto their shoulder with help from the people around. We walked at the pace of the cross-bearer, so in a way we were engaged in their journey.

I loved slowly walking and praying in the countryside.  Since I didn't understand the songs (except  'Nothing but the Blood of Jesus') or readings, I was able to enjoy the mystery of Good Friday at my own pace. The sun was high and hot, so every bit of shade was cause for celebration. The fragrance of the path was a mix of Grandma's garden, Georgian pine forest and something uniquely Kenyan. Just lovely prayer time!

The procession took 2 full hours from our gate to St. Francis church. Without realizing it, I received a righteous sunburn & as a result, felt light-headed and nauseous during the service. I spend most of it sitting outside the church, but I wasn't alone since many people with children were out there as well. Even in that momentary suffering, I saw God's hand, since it allowed me to be with Christ in his pain.

Easter Vigil
Once again, we headed to St. Francis Church for Easter Vigil at 7pm. We began outside, gathered around the bonfire. (As we waited, I made more friends--one little girl wanted to know all 3 names of everyone in my family. After each one, she said, 'oh, that's nice.')
The liturgy was rather simple: no brass section, gorgeous bouquets of flowers or ornate cloths. But, they had an energetic choir and parishioners, a keyboard with a variety of beats,and many songs! Around 20 new Christians were welcomed into the Church that night, many in darling white dresses.

Not going to lie, I fell asleep many times during this mass. It lasted about 4.5 hours! Luckily, once I got too comfortable, the keyboard would start again and we'd get up to dance and clap. Attending this liturgy was great (despite my sleepiness). It was simple and authentic, full of true human experience!

Easter Sunday

Sr. Jane showing me the ropes

Surprisingly, this was the most unexciting liturgy this week. The sisters decided to attend mass at Don Bosco Boys Secondary School (which is just down the road from us). There were only 15 people in total; mass only lasted 45 mins! Afterwards, Fr. Minor invited me and Sr. Jane to tea. Since I have only been to DBBSS once before, I was happy to visit with our neighbors.
For Easter lunch, I helped Sr. Jane make chapati (fried tortilla thing). Which is another way to say: she corrected my mistakes on each one! We feasted at both lunch and supper, since it was also the animator of the community's birthday. Sr. Geraldine turned 78! Like all celebrations here in Embu, we processed in with the cake, gifts and a drum, singing and dancing. It doesn't get much better than seeing sisters singing 'cut the cake-y' and trying to hit each other with balloons.

May the joy of the Risen Lord be with you and your families!

*the title for this blog is from the Easter Proclamation on Easter Vigil--I think it's beautiful :)

Let the Children Come

Our parade.

Adventures ensue with my travel mama, Alwine, Rainer, Irene & Miguel (the Spanish volunteers)! Visible from just outside the compound is what's known as 'the hill.' (I'm sure it has a more official name), which is about an hour and a half walk from us. Along with Honorada, the sisters' cook, we left the compound around 11am, while the air was still fresh and sweet, especially in the shade. But this is Kenya and it soon became extremely hot.

An hour into the walk, we arrived at Anne's house, who works in the production unit & was our guide for the day. The children around her nyumba  quickly pulled up chairs and a table for us, then came the large thermos of chai and boiled arrow root.  Sitting in the shade, chatting was very pleasant, but there was still a lot of trekking ahead of us.

Some of the children who walked with me.

From this point, we suddenly grew in number as more and more people joined us for our walk up the hill. Anne, her daughter, sister, nieces, nephews and children from the village joined us. Our group had gone from seven to around 20. At first, the children just stared at us (there were 5 wazungu in one group..) but as we rose up the hill, they became more outgoing.

One girl, Paris, began as the spokesperson for all the children. She was confident and had excellent English. She was the first to ask for her picture to be taken..the rest obviously followed. After our little photo shoot, I had lost my original group and was surrounded by children. I was pretty ok with it.

Once we broke through the tree line, the hill rose steeply and the sun beat mercilessly down on us. I was panting (and embarrassed) as the children walked past me. As always, the final stretch was the most strenuous, but the reward was worth it. The slopes of Mt. Kenya lay before us, with patches of sunlight and shadow caused by the fluffy clouds. It was a wonderful sight!

After resting for a while up top, we descended the hill on the other side. The path was not really a path, so the rowdy boys ran all over trying to find the best way down. I happily stayed in the rear of the group with the younger girls. One of them, Gloria, was an incredibly sweet girl of about eight. Her shoes were not appropriate for the steep, rocky hillside, so it took her a long time to climb down. At one point, we became separated from the rest of the group. She said I didn't walk very fast, but, I told her, I was walking with her. She smiled and from that point was constantly by my side.

'Jesus'..Gloria is on my right, in the striped shirt.

After we got to the bottom, all the children informed me that we were going to see Jesus. Logically, I expected to be taken to a church. Instead, we arrived at these sand towers that radiated heat. The kids all ran around, climbing all over them. I'm still not sure why they call them Jesus...

As we returned to Anne's, I was beginning to feel comfortable with the group of children that surrounded me. I felt like Don Bosco--a friend of the youth. As we said good-bye to them, I felt quite content with the way Jesus had blessed my hike that day.

With Jesus in the Desert

What sacrifice are you making for Lent? Is it to give something up, add prayer or make a resolution? Every year, I try to find something for each category, in order to celebrate the season of Lent fully.

This year, everything is flipped upside down. Instead of living in excess (like so many Americans do), I live very simply here: no sweets, little Internet, zero Netflix, etc. I also attend daily Mass, rosary and have time for personal prayer. Since being in Kenya, I have felt like I've been in Lent the whole time! The comforts I'm so used to are absent from my life, which has allowed me to love my neighbor better and discover God more easily.

But, I'm a rule-follower, so I was determined to find something I could sacrifice. Ash Wednesday was fast approaching and I still was unsure what could be trimmed out of my life. On Fat Tuesday, we journeyed over sand and stone for hours, while dust puffed in through the cracks in the vehicle, settling in every crease. The greatest feast at that moment was the cold water and soda waiting for us in North Horr.

The next day, my body was tired and trying to adjust to the weather. Normally, Ash Wednesday would be a time for fasting and prayer, but at that time I was too exhausted to make an effort in prayer. Instead, the events that unfurled for me were my prayer!

For example, we didn't have traditional fasting on Ash Wednesday. Since we had just returned from down Kenya, the sisters had to eat the fruit and veggies that we brought before they spoiled. So, I was told to eat well. Then, that evening after Mass, we went to the oasis in the middle of the desert, a project by the Salesian fathers. They had built a swimming pool, lounge area and sold cold drinks. I was overjoyed to get to swim! The water was cool and refreshing, the company was fun and engaging and my heart was content.

North Horr is actually an oasis itself--
they have no water problems!

As the stars and moon began to shine, I floated on my back, feeling guilty for having such a great time on a day that should be full of sacrifice. Yet, God

My sketch from the pool. It was one of those things
a camera cannot capture.

was listening to me. In that moment, I realized the significance of this Lent: I needed to discover the oasis in the desert. Instead of giving something up, I was asked to search for the joy in the midst of sacrifice. Sometimes, this is harder. It requires constant effort to find reasons to be grateful when living on mission. It goes beyond "don't eat chocolate" to "find Jesus, especially in the desert."



So far, I have been amazed at how beautiful and present God has been during this Lent. Sure, most of my meals consist of beans, maize, and cabbage, but sometimes we have chocolate (for Women's Day). And maybe it is difficult to communicate with friends and family back home, but I have made some great friends here in Kenya. And maybe the water in Embu rarely issues from the pipes, but there is beauty in experiencing poverty that is a reality for many people.

This Lent, I am excited to continue to be with Jesus in the desert and discovering the oasis of His mercy.

Adventure is the Name of the Game

If this picture doesn't spell 'adventure,' I'm not sure what does!

This past week, while the girls went on midterm break, I had the opportunity to head up north to the desert with Alwine and Rainer. I was excited to see even more of Kenya (although it is disputed if it is actually Kenya past Marsabit) and experience a new culture.

Jumping for joy on the sand dune!

We set off last Monday with a rough idea of what would unfold. But this wasn't an ordinary trip--it was divinely appointed. God perfectly planned our trip, without worrying us about the details. The night we arrived in Karare, the sisters there told us that the private driver would be heading to North Horr the next day and we should go with him. So we had only a quick stop over in the semi-arid desert before heading back to the 'road' to head up to North Horr. Alwine and I had a fun little game called "adventure." Whenever something was uncomfortable: we said adventure. New and exciting: adventure. Total surprise: adventure. Basically, anything is an adventure when you're putting your vacation in God's hands.

Watching some women build a new manyata.

Much of the first day and a half in the desert was adventure, without the fun. It was hot and windy and sunny and dusty. At first, there wasn't much to do. We spent the first day sitting around, trying to figure out how to keep our hair from blowing everywhere. By Wednesday night, we were able to go to the swimming pool after Mass. As I swam around, feeling refreshed by the cool water and watching the stars pop out of the vast desert sky, a great peace entered me.

From that moment on, my time in the desert was wonderful. Sure there were more unpleasant 'adventures' (like a scorpion in my room), but I felt so relaxed. Much of this was due to the company. Sr. Anisia and Sr. Jackie are wonderful--they laugh easily, love deeply and know how to make others feel welcome. I also made friends with Philipo (artist) and Dan (dj, driver, everything else) who work for the fathers there. We played music, hung out, discussed culture and just had fun together. The Gabra tribe that lives there is still very vibrant. Their dress, homes, music, and customs are largely pre-westernization. Although they were shy of us wazungu (foreigners), they were very friendly.

This will not be a trip I am likely to forget soon! Based on the joy and peace I experienced up there, I know God had it planned for me. We ended up staying 5 days in North Horr, something that made Alwine and I smile as we simultaneously said, "adventure."

Embu is in the middle of the map, Karare is just below Marsabit
and North Horr is in between Marsabit and Lodwar.

Day in the Life

For my 1 month anniversary in Kenya, I thought it appropriate to write about what I actually do here. It has been quite the journey. I spent 2 weeks in Nairobi doing odd jobs, then I continued to float around for an entire week in Embu. This past week, I was able to live out a schedule (Alleluia!). My mornings are rather unexciting, but any time to interact with the students is wonderful. After exams/ break, I will get to teach form 3 PPI, which is apparently a class about life and faith...so a Bible study!! Also, when the students return from break, I will commence a program to teach leadership to the prefects.

6:00 wake up--usually to the sound of goats, birds, roosters and 280 girls getting ready for the day
6:30 daily Mass--even early in the morning, the girls are energetic singing the songs for Mass
7 breakfast--Alwina made jam with papaya, mango, passion fruit and horn fruit (and she kindly gave me a jar:)
7:30-11 work in the school--my jobs are administrative and repetitive, such as: stapling exams, filing, covering books. it gives me a chance to play little challenges with myself in efficiency (all that sociology of work research resurfaces)
11:30-1 production unit-- I help make school uniforms by sewing on buttons, ironing & cutting material
1 lunch with the sisters/ volunteers--we are uber diverse: 2 Germans, 1 Brit, 3 Kenyans, 1 Pole and me!
2-4:20 more work in the school
4:20 join the girls in their afterschool clubs, movements, debate or games (aka sports)
5:30 rosary with the girls
6 dinner/ rec--sometimes in the crazy dining hall. if a student 'convinces' me to sit with them, they'll escort me to their table with cheers. a bowl, spoon and stool appear from nowhere & they all chip in some of their food to share with me. hospitality at its finest :)
7-8 Madame Librarian--basically, I just sit in the library so the students can come in & study
8-9:30 introvert time

As I start to form relationships with the girls, I find myself wanting to watch them grow and mature. Overall, they are very welcoming, energetic and fun. I am still overwhelmed by how I'm treated like a celebrity, but I pray I may be able to form real relationships with them. Can't wait to see it all unfold!

During rec time, the girls all swarmed together to have their picture taken!

The north side portion of the school. It was so quiet during the exams!

Emmelda & I felt like prisoners this week since we worked on printing out thousands of exams!

The Start of Something Beautiful

Everything the light touches...

After a week in Embu, I have gotten to know the students here a bit better.  This boarding school has a typical structure to many in Kenya. The students wake up at 4am every morning, even the weekends. Their time is spent in class, studying, daily mass, daily rosary, cleaning, clubs and recreation. They wear their uniforms or school-issued work out clothes the whole day. Every student is registered with a number and everything they possess here is labeled, from their blouses to skirts to washing pails to their stool in the dining hall. The education system back home is so different, that I was shocked by the militaristic approach to school.

During a sunset hike over the foothills of Mt. Kenya.

I am astonished by the work ethic of these girls. Their day starts while the sun is still fast asleep and is packed to the brim. During their study sessions at night, the school is quiet. It's amazing!

Despite such a strenuous schedule, the students here are very welcoming and joyful*. Most of them are so excited to meet me, touch my hair and ask me questions. They have so many questions about America, myself and my perceptions of all things Kenyan.

Top 3 questions:
1) How is Trump? Dunno. Haven't talked to him recently.

The house for the sisters! The grounds here are so beautiful!

2) How do you like Kenya? The people are very friendly and welcoming!
3) What is your education system like? Very different. Basically opposite.

Overall, I recognize that the sisters are trying to run a different school here. Since the education standards for Kenya are so strict, they find it difficult to run a school based on the preventative system of Don Bosco. However, they still try to treat everyone with reason, religion and loving-kindness. I hope I am able to befriend the students and teachers. My goal here (and everywhere) is to shine the light of Christ for all to see!

 *pictures of the students to come. I try to get to know them personally before asking for a picture because...duh.

Moving On Up

I had originally been placed at the Provincial House in Nairobi, with the hopes that I would be the communications expert for their new Development Office.  Although, I technically have a degree in Communications, it is neither my expertise nor my passion, so I asked to move. Within a few days, a place was found for me in Embu, where the Salesian sisters run a secondary school (high school). I looked forward to going where my talents would be better utilized. Sr. Geraldine, the superior in Embu, has planned for me to help in their youth ministry!

view from my porch

Therefore, Within two days of arriving at the Provincial House, I knew I was leaving. However, there was a bed shortage at Embu, so I stayed in Nairobi for two weeks. In that time, I helped a sister from Togo learn English, helped a sister from the Congo with a group paper, played with the kids at the boarding house on the weekends, helped the Spanish volunteers with the development office and did a lot of dishes. Although I loved the sisters there, I felt restless; I was still in transition.

Two days ago, I got in the Land Rover to move to Embu, a 2.5 hour ride north of Nairobi. The school here has about 270 girls, ages 13-17. The community has 5 sisters and a German couple, volunteering until April. Out here, we are literally in the country. They have goats, cows, large gardens and so much beautiful vegetation.

These beautiful flowers are everywhere, in red, purple, and white!

My new apartment in Embu. 

Unfortunately, my time in Embu has been tainted by sickness, but I was feeling better today. So, when the German couple, Alwine & Rainer, asked me to join them for a walk, I eagerly accepted. Although the sisters live about a 20 minute drive from Embu, there are houses here and there and a couple shops around. We walked on dusty red dirt roads, zig-zagging to hit the shade. In the shade, the heat is bearable, but the sun beats down with such ferocity!

Way off in the distance is Mt. Kenya. 

I know you can't see it, but trust me :)

. 

We walked for about an hour to a Canan Garden Resort. On their recommendation, we ordered fresh mango juice (which was a bit cold!) and water. At this point, I was parched and chugged it all down.  I was so happy!

Then, we visited some of their friends who live in the country. We travelled down twisting, dusty roads before arriving. We met the couple, two of their kids, a great-grandmother (who was either 102 or 120..they couldn't decide), and a bunch of other relatives that live next to them. Sitting in the shade of a tree, we sipped on orange drink and talked about little things. They were very hospitable. As we sat there, their chickens and rooster walked around, clucking. Their yard opens up to a river (where there are monkeys!). It was a very pleasant time, since the conversation was friendly and the breeze was refreshing.

I am very thankful for my first 'real' adventure into Kenya!