WE SEND OUR GREETING TO EVERYONE ONCE AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME SINCE WE HAVE DONE AN UPDATE, BUT FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS THINGS HAVE BEEN MORE OR LESS THE SAME AS FAR AS THE HELP MIA HAS BEEN GIVING. BUT WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT GIVE ALL A QUICK UPDATE AND FILL YOU IN ON THE LATEST HAPPENINGS.

BUT FIRSTLY WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR TIRELESS PRAYERS AND SUPPORT, WE WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK WITHOUT ALL OF YOU.

GENERALLY THINGS HAVE SETTLED IN KENYA BUT TENSION IS STILL HIGH. THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT HAVE BEEN IN MEDIATION MEETINGS FOR THE PAST MONTH TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS FOR THIS CRISIS, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE HITTING BRICK WALLS CONTINUALLY.

Getting crowded at Barut Camp...

Life at the Refuge Camp...

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET IMPATIENT. I AM WATCHING THE NEWS AS I TYPE, THINGS ARE NOT LOOKING TOO GOOD. THE MEDIATOR KOFI ANAN HAS JUST SAID THAT THE TALKS HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED ONCE AGAIN AS THEY CAN'T SEEM TO AGREE. HE IS THREATENING TO LEAVE ON FRIDAY EVEN IF THEY DON'T COME TO A SOLUTION. THE USA IS THREATENING TO GET INVOLVED IF THINGS GET SOLVED. THERE IS TALK OF THE KENYAN MILITARY STEPPING IN TO KEEP PEACE IN THE COUNTRY. OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN. BUT ONCE AGAIN LET ME REMIND YOU A LOT OF THIS IS TALK AND IT IS STILL VERY HARD TO KNOW THE OUTCOME.

BUT WE ARE JUST WATCHING ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT IS BREAKING OUT ONCE AGAIN IN SOME AREAS NEAR NAIROBI. GANGS ARE CLASHING KILLING EACH OTHER.
THE POLICE FOUND WHAT THEY SAY WAS A TRAINING GROUND FOR YOUNG YOUTHS, THEY ARRESTED OVER 200 GANG MEMBERS.

LAST WEEK WE GOT A CALL FROM ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AROUND MIDNIGHT, SHE WAS FRANTIC TRYING TO TELL US THEY WERE BEING ATTACKED. THE PHONE CUT OUT, SO WE CALLED HER BACK. AS SHE ANSWERED WE COULD HEAR THEM SCREAMING AT THE ATTACKERS. WE WERE HELPLESS, THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO FOR THEM. WE TRIED CALLING THE POLICE POST IN OUR COMMUNITY BUT THEY HAD THEIR PHONES TURNED OFF. SO FRUSTRATING. WE CALLED BACK AGAIN, THANK GOD THE ATTACKERS HAD LEFT BUT NOT AFTER SMASHING IN SOME WINDOWS, AND LEAVING MARGARET (OUR SHOP KEEPER) AND HER FAMILY PETRIFIED.
APPARENTLY A GANG IS GOING AROUND FORCING YOUNG MEN/BOYS TO JOIN THEIR GANGS IF THEY REFUSE THEY THREATEN TO BURN THEIR HOME OR THEY BEAT THEM UP. THIS IS WHAT APPARENTLY HAPPENED AT MARGARET'S HOUSE, ALL BECAUSE HER YOUNG BROTHER REFUSED TO JOIN THEM.
THEN AGAIN THE OTHER NIGHT WE WERE WOKEN UP BY A PHONE CALL, IT IS 2.30AM. THIS TIME IT IS AN OLDER GENTLEMEN THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH IN THE KIKUYU COMMUNITY. HE WANTED TO INFORM US OF A RUMOR THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATING THAT THE KALENJIN TRIBE WE PLANNING AN ATTACK ON THEM THAT NIGHT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE MANY OF THEM DIDN'T SLEEP. WE WERE WORRIED FOR THEM.
IN THE MORNING WE SPOKE TO HIM AGAIN. APPARENTLY THE ATTACK DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THE KALENJINS KNEW THAT THE KIKUYU'S WERE EXPECTING THEM.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE RUMORS YOU JUST CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL, THEY ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY

NOW AN UPDATE OF SOME OF THE WORK MIA HAS BEEN DOING IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

IN GENERAL WE ARE STILL TAKING FOOD AND SUPPLIES TO THE IDP's (Internally Displaced People) IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
 
APPROX. ABOUT A WEEK AGO MIA WAS ASKED IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOME OF THE ORPHANS THAT ATTEND A LOCAL SCHOOL IN ONE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. SO A FEW OF THE LADIES CAME AND SORTED THROUGH SOME OF THE CLOTHING AND SHOE BAGS THAT WE HAVE.
WE WERE THEN INVITED TO COME TO THE SCHOOL AND BE PRESENT WHEN THEY DISTRIBUTED THE CLOTHES.
THE CHILDREN WERE SO EXCITED. WE WATCHED IN AWE AS THEY WENT THROUGH AND SELECTED ITEMS, THEY WERE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE LITTLE THEY GOT. IT MADE ME FEEL ASHAMED FOR THE AMOUNT OF CLOTHES I HAVE IN MY WARDROBE.

EVEN THOUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FREE, CHILDREN STILL CAN'T ATTEND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A UNIFORM. IT WAS REALLY SAD TO SEE THE STATE OF SOME OF THE CHILDREN'S UNIFORMS. JUMPERS HAD HUGE HOLES IN THE ELBOWS THEY LOOKED TATTERED AND TORN

The children going through the clothes at the school...

ONE LITTLE BOY'S SHORTS HAD A BROKEN ZIPPER AND YOU COULD SEE HE HAD NO UNDERWEAR, A LOT OF THEM HAD SHOES TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL FOR THEM, OTHERS HAD HUGE HOLES IN THEIR SHOES, BUT THEY NEVER COMPLAIN THEY JUST WANT TO BE AT SCHOOL.
 
WE ASKED THE HEADMASTER HOW MANY STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT. HE MENTIONED THAT NOT ALL STUDENTS ARE THERE BECAUSE OF THE CONFLICTS SO AT THE MOMENT THEY HAVE APPROX. 750. WE THEN ASKED HOW MANY TO A CLASSROOM. HE SAID CURRENTLY THEY ARE MANAGING 100 STUDENTS PER TEACHER, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? WE WERE SO SHOCKED

BUT DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS SOME OF THE TEACHERS ARE UNABLE TO WORK THERE ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THEIR TRIBE. AND THERE IS SUCH A SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS THEY CAN'T GET REPLACEMENTS

WE VISITED ONE OF THE CAMP IN THE VILLAGE OF BARUT (KALINJIN SIDE). THERE ARE A LOT OF IDP's CAMPING IN THE CHIEFS COMPOUND FOR SAFETY.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE GONE BACK TO THEIR HOMELAND. OTHERS HAVE INTEGRATED INTO THE VILLAGES SETTLING WITH OTHER FAMILIES.
BUT THERE WERE STILL APPROX 170 PEOPLE SLEEPING AT THAT CAMP EVERY NIGHT.
SOME OF THEM MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE TRANSPORT, AND NO WONDER!! PEOPLE THAT OWN TRUCKS ARE MAKING A KILLING HERE DURING THIS CRISIS, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN SUCH HIGH DEMAND THEY ARE CHARGING EXUBERANT AMOUNTS TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE.
THEY CAN ASK AS MUCH AS 70.000ksh OR MORE PER TRUCK WHICH IS APPROX.$1300 FOR A TRIP OF APPROX. 300 - 500 KMS.

 

One of the loaded up trucks...

The IDP's travelling inside the truck...

Handing out supplies to the IDP's at Kikuyu Refugee Camp.

Learning to make sisol rope straps....

WHILE WE WERE AT THE CAMP WAITING FOR THE TRUCK TO SHOW UP, BEC (OUR VOLUNTEER) AND I SAT DOWN WITH AN OLD GRANDMOTHER AND WATCHED HER AS SHE MADE A ROPE STRAP OUT OF SISOL. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE THE CROWDS BEGAN TO CLOSE IN ON US. EVERYONE WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND TO SEE TWO WHITE WOMEN SITTING IN THE DIRT WAS AN AMAZING SIGHT FOR THEM. AFTER WATCHING FOR A WHILE ESTHER (THE GRANDMOTHER) OFFERED THE STRAP TO ME TO HAVE A GO, WELL WHAT A SIGHT THAT MADE, EVERYONE WAS LAUGHING AT ME, BUT IN THE END THEY WERE SO SUPRISED THAT A MUZUNGU (WHITE PERSON) WAS ABLE TO PICK UP SO QUICKLY AT HOW TO PLATT THE STRAP. THEY WE VERY IMPRESSED. WE FOUND OUT THAT ESTHER WAS BETWEEN 80 & 90 YRS SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW OLD SHE WAS.

THEY LAUGHED AT US WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT WHY SHE CUT AND STRETCHED HER EARLOBES. "FOR BEAUTY" SHE REPLYED.
IT WAS SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO SIT ON THE GROUND AND SPEND A BIT OF QUALITY TIME WITH THE LOCALS AND JUST BE A PART OF THEIR CULTURE.

ESTHER KEPT INSISTING THAT WE COME AND VISIT HER HOME. "IT'S NOT FAR" SHE WOULD SAY, "JUST NEAR THAT MOUNTAIN" (NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE WERE A LOT OF MOUNTAINS) "HOW FAR"? I WOULD ASK HER, "ONLY A 30 MIN WALK" SHE REPLYED. WE HAD TO LAUGH AT HER, BUT WE DID PROMISE THAT WE WOULD COME AND VISIT HER ONE DAY.
 
ON MONDAY AS WE WAITED FOR THE TRUCKS TO ARRIVE OUTSIDE THE STADIUM REFUGEE CAMP, WE MET WITH A FRIEND OF OURS THAT WORKS FOR THE RED CROSS. HE TOOK US ON A TOUR OF THE REFUGEE CAMP (THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME IN ONE OF THE MAJOR CAMPS).
WE ASKED HIM HOW MANY REFUGEES AT THE CAMP. HE TOLD US THAT CURRENTLY THEY HAD ONLY 2000. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS A LOT, BUT HE ASSURED US THAT THIS WASN'T MANY THEY USED TO HAVE 8000 AT ONE STAGE, BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVE MOVED ON.

THEY HAVE SET UP A HUGE TENT THAT OPERATES AS THEIR HOSPITAL. IT HAS A CONSULTATION ROOM, GENERAL WARD AND ALSO A MATERNITY SECTION.

Stadium Refugee Camp.

THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY KITCHEN WHERE EVERY MORNING THEY COOK UP HUGE POTS OF PORRIDGE FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5. THIS PORRIDGE IS FULL OF THE NUTRITION THE CHILDREN NEED TO GROW. THIS HAD TO BE DONE, BECAUSE THEY USED TO GIVE EACH FAMILY ENOUGH FOR 2 WEEKS ACCORDING TO HOW MANY CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY, BUT ALL THE MEMBER OF THE FAMILY USED TO DRINK IT WHICH MEANT IT WOULD ONLY LAST THEM A FEW DAYS. SO THEY CAME UP WITH THIS SOLUTION.
WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT AT THE OTHER MAJOR REFUGEE CAMP SET UP AT THE SHOWGROUND THERE ARE APPROX 13,000 REFUGEES LIVING THERE.
HE TOLD US THAT RED CROSS IS HELPING APPROX. 23,000 REFUGEES IN THE NAKURU AREA

MIA WAS ALSO ASKED IF WE COULD DONATE SOME SORT OF SPORTS EQUIPMENT FOR THE YOUNG MEN IN THE COMMUNITIES TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED SO THAT THEY WOULD STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. SO WE BOUGHT A COUPLE OF VOLLEY BALLS AND NETS FOR 2 DIFFERENT AREAS.
TODAY WE WERE ASKED TO COME AND SEE HOW THEY HAVE SET IT UP, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THEM HAPPY AND BUSY.

At the refugee camp...

THERE IS A FAMILY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE VISIT OCCASIONLY AND TAKE FOOD TO THEM. IVAN TOOK A LOAD OF FOOD LAST FRIDAY AND NOTICED THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CLOTHES, AND THE ONES THEY HAD WERE OLD AND DIRTY. SO ON MONDAY WE DECIDED TO TAKE A COUPLE OF BAGS TO THEM.
THE "VONTRAP" FAMILY (THAT IS THE NAME WE CALLED THEM) CURRENTLY HAS 14 CHILDREN (2 DECEASED) THEY RANGE FROM THE AGE OF 17YRS TO 9MNTHS. THERE ARE 4 SETS OF TWINS AND THERE WAS A SET OF TRIPLETS BUT ONLY ONE REMAINS, THE OTHER 2 PASSED AWAY.
THE VONTRAP FAMILY IS PICTURED IN SOME OF THEIR NEW CLOTHES THAT WE BROUGHT THEM. THE OLDEST SON STANDS NEXT TO IVAN, THE YOUNGEST IS BEING HELD BY BEC OUR VOLUNTEER, THE REST OF THE CHILDREN ARE LINED UP OLDEST TO YOUNGEST STARTING WITH THE GIRL STANDING IN FRONT OF ME. THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE HEAD SCALF IS THE REMAINING TRIPLET.

The Vontrap family...