On the 10th of November, Four ‘young adults’ set off for Kenya; set for adventure, full of ideas of Kenyan lifestyle and culture. Many of our expectations, based on geography books and stereotypes, were soon to be proven wrong as we quickly discovered a rapidly changing Kenya. What has been proven true, however, is the

warm welcome and generosity of the Kenyan people; despite increasing levels of hardship and poverty. Not too sure where to start, what I do know is that the word ‘amazing’ has been exhausted, ‘overwhelming’ is an understatement and ‘dinner’ means buttocks in Kiembu.

We have now been living in Kathageri for over 2 months and are more than at home here. Living under Madame Grace’s unwavering hospitality at Plainsview Academy, we have been lucky enough to experience the real Kenyan way of life.

Under the guidance of our Boss/Mother Chrissie, we were soon stuck in many areas; visiting local orphanages, hospitals and schools. Soon it was Christmas, and with numerous stories of a snow-covered England, we all looked forward to a blistering hot Christmas. It rained.

Christmas was a very successful time for Peacemakers Kenya, with the Plot looking more and more homely, we were able to host a party on Christmas eve for the children of Kigumu orphanage. Soon a large crowd had assembled and enjoyed games, presents and a nativity play like no other expertly performed by the Kivuria drama group (one of the 1st beneficiaries of the Peacemakers Prayer house). A great day, marked with a lot of happy faces.

With the arrival of Sophie’s parents, Jackie and Dave, we treated ourselves to a short break to Samburu National park to welcome in the new year on Safari. Joined by a large number of Baboons residing in our campsite (stealing our eggs), camping under the stars, with entertainment provided by Samburu warriors, this was truly a unique way to celebrate the new year!

The new year has brought a lot of new challenges; opportunities to work for longer periods of time in certain places. This has meant very successful weeks spent working with children in Embu Hospital (particularly the abandoned baby unit), as well as, holding teaching posts at Kivuria Primary school and here at Plainsview itself!

At the moment, we are enjoying being busy, still learning new things everyday and getting increasingly inspired by everything we see and do. The ideas of ways to help and improve quality of life for many people in this community are continually flooding in, the only problem we have from now until we return home is finding time to complete them all!

This is definitely an experience I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone. If you are willing to help and keen to interact with the local community, there is no end to the good you can do. Plus, with the imminent completion of the Peacemakers Open House, accommodation will be made that much easier.

Tom Beak

In February this year, Christine Gibbard, Kim Lambden and myself, visited Kenya to negotiate the purchasing of the land and to plan further training courses and to inspect the progress of the work on site.  Hardly any progress had been made from the last visit, which was disappointing and it was obvious that we needed somebody from the Peacemakers’ UK team to be permanently on site to organise, supervise and hire contractors to do the work and also to hire labourers locally on a daily basis.

 You may have seen from our website that Christine retired from her position as Headteacher at Ardeley JMI School at the end of the summer term and on July 9th flew out to Kenya to be that person from the UK team.  She is doing a wonderful job and is finding it very exciting and challenging, moving sometimes into uncharted territories.

Kim Lambden (Healthy Schools Consultant for Barnet & Hackney) visited schools and hospitals while she was there and saw the great need in abandoned and orphaned babies and children.  This is an area we need to bring in more training during the year 2010.

During this visit I met Mugo Karuguti who is the Education Secretary Diocese of Embu and arranged with him for Kim Henderson ( PE Sports Strategy Manager ) to hold a Sports Training Week for Secondary Teachers and pupils, in July.  This took place at two venues during July/August and sports equipment was donated to each school involved from your donations. As always Kim was fantastic and we are planning for a Cultural Festival on site next year.

With Christine being in Kenya indefinitely, it’s now possible for us to have young people in their gap year  and others from the age of 18 upwards, volunteering themselves to work for longer periods in their chosen fields.  Since she has been out there, we have had a trail of young people passing through.  At the end of July Hannah and Charlie stopped over from their world tour and helped plant a vegetable garden, so that we will be able to supply food for the restaurant in the future (yet to be built), thus becoming self sufficient.  In August Rob and Katherine, students on vacation from University, visited Kenya to interview local dignitaries  to get  first hand information about life there, for their dissertations. Now we have 4 gap year students, Fergus, Tom, Sophie and Rachel, who joined Christine on 11th November and will be there for 6 months.  This longer length of stay will enable them to integrate into the community and truly experience life there.  They have already visited schools and orphanages, and laboured on site.  I’m hoping that they will form a drama group with the Kenyan youth and perform a nativity play in the Prayer House at Christmas, inviting the community as the audience.  Dave & Jackie (parents of Sophie) are visiting at Christmas and we hope will be part of the audience.

Before the 4 students left for Kenya, Kim Clark (Social Worker) gave them a basic training on how to handle and stimulate babies and toddlers, who are deprived.  Also how important it is to become a member of a team etc.,

I do think this is a wonderful opportunity for young people to serve and give of themselves in this way, to see what life is like in another community.  It makes them appreciate what they have at home, but more importantly, it’s character forming and life changing.

The Peacemakers’ team will always be changing in personnel as the needs of time are met and new challenges arise. Kim Clark and Kim Lambden have joined the team this year, as Len Little moves on to support the ‘War Heros’ Charity.  Len was responsible and successful in heading up ‘Drugs Awareness’ seminars and DACA rehab groups. Raising funds in giving talks to various groups in the UK.  Many projects were formed amongst the youth of Kenya to provide income for them and also successfully formed a football league.  A few Kenyans are now trained and equipped to extend the training to others in surroundings areas, with the Resource Centre being the Headquarters.

This Christmas, in the newly completed Prayer House, we are giving children orphaned through Aids or Malaria, a party.  If you would like to donate money or a gift suitable for a girl or boy between the ages of 5 - 19, Dave & Jackie will take them across to Kenya when they travel on the 19th December. Thank you.

Despite the difficult financial times we are in, you have overwhelmed us by your love and kindness and your sacrificial giving. On behalf of all those who have been touched by your generosity, may I say A BIG THANK YOU.  You surely will be rewarded by God for your ‘LOVE’, and for going the extra mile in sharing what you have with those who have not.
 

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THIS CHRISTMAS AND 

MAY YOU HAVE A PROSPEROUS 2010

Brenda

The Oasis Project are holding a Community Christmas Wreath Festival at Watton Methodist Church Hall on Sat 5th Dec 10:30am  -- 3.00pm

Please come and view the hand made exhibits from various village groups and vote for your favourite.

Peacemakers will be represented with our "Helm of Life" wreath and a stall selling African jewellry and crafts. There will be a Bazaar with various stalls ( flower club, knit & natter, traidcraft, cards & crafts Tombola etc).
Refreshments will be available.

In the morning there will be a street organ player raising funds for Diabetes UK
and the event will be closed at 3.00pm by the
 Aston Hand Bell Ringers.

For more details contact: 01920 420 645.

DO COME ALONG IF YOU CAN.

Sports equipment is very scarce in most Kenyan schools. We have used “Alive & Kicking” footballs on each of the courses. These may be sponsored at £9.50
Other needs are for whistles, plastic marker cones, football shirts, skipping ropes, etc. Please help if you can!

The Director of Education for the diocese, Mr Mugo Karuguti was thrilled with the course. He especially liked the idea of developing the Olympic values promoted throughout Kim’s training:- Respect, Excellence, Friendship, Determination, Courage, Inspiration and Equality. The course outcome will help to support the framework of sports activities which will form part of ACK’s centenary celebrations in 2010.

Rob Parson and Katherine Henderson, daughter of Kim, arrived on 25th August. This time I came down to Nairobi by matatu and found my way, with the help of Martin Nyaga, to John and Susan’s in Loresho. Martin always responds to my text/ phone messages, saying “I’m getting near!... I’ve arrived-where are you?”.The terminus for the matatu run is in the centre of town, known as “Tea Room” and is a heaving mass of bodies and bags and a warren of streets and shops. Imagine how good it is to see a familiar face and to be led safely through the crowds to find another matatu which takes me to the Sarit shopping centre, from where I can take a taxi to Loresho. I can just about direct the taxi there now but the first time I entered John’s plot I was thrilled. You have to like cats and dogs if you stay there; well at least it helps; they have 4 dogs and 4 cats. The three old Labradors sleep outside but Jack the Russell terrier has the house as his kingdom, is unshiftable from the master bed, sleeps and sleeps with one eye cocked in order to “hoover” all the food left in all the bowls. One of the cats is very old and blind and wees on the floor if he can’t make it to the litter tray. Be careful when you step out of bed. The other 3 cats also sleep inside overnight if not on the prowl. Come the dawn and they start to roam around and play.

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