Nairobi Update

As much fun as we had with Joel’s folks around, it was a rude awakening to the reality that our time here is coming quickly to an end. In less than three months, we will be aboard a jet transitioning back into another world.

Here’s a look into some of the things that we hope to do before heading to the airport:

• Take more pictures-taking pictures is awkward…especially around people that have been exploited by entrepreneurial photographers. I don’t really like taking pictures of people, but I don’t think that the cows on the street, the fruit at the stand or the 100,000 white matatu vans will mind if we create some memorial tokens.
• Start a masters program…well this is happening on 2 fronts: 1.) Joel has been accepted into a masters program in educational leadership at Miami University of Ohio next fall and we have chosen to accept it. Nairobi…to the middle of miles of corn; can’t wait for this transition! 2.) By April 15, we hope to have all of the applications in for those that are interested in the CTM/Bakke Graduate University (Seattle, WA)/Carlile College (Nairobi) Masters program. We are hoping to have a cohort of 8-12 learners. The program will focus on urban ministry in the slums.
• Use our “resident status”. There is a long list of things that we have held off on doing since we arrived because of the huge difference in resident/non-resident prices. We were both able to get resident status through Mandy’s job at ISK and hope to take advantage of it and go to the new museum, do a game drive in Nairobi National Park and go see Mt. Kenya.
• Play some more Frisbee. We have been playing Frisbee for the past six months, but in May, we are co-organizing a tournament to benefit Dagoretti 4 Kids, one of the grassroots organizations associated with CTM. We are excited for the opportunity to teach kids how to play, to connect our expat friends with local kids and to raise some money for startup programs for Dagoretti 4 Kids along the way.
• Cook. We can’t leave Kenya without knowing the basics of cooking here. While we have our nights in the kitchen, we need to take time to perfect the Kenyan basics (ugali, chipati, stews and bean dishes). Kenyans are oral historians in the kitchen as much as they are in the village, hence, No recipes.
• Chart a way forward with CTM Nairobi-At this point, we are looking into registering it as a Kenyan organization. This may allow us to take advantage of some local opportunities. We are trying hard to be intentional about not making Gideon feel isolated from the North America office, while creating autonomy over here. This is a healthy process to go through as it requires thoughtfulness and creativity in how to move forward from a “listening post” to a healthy organization.

These are just a few of the things that will keep us truckin’ till the end. We are going to have a hard time leaving, but are hopeful that this won’t be our last time in Kenya.