Flickering Lights

It has been a week of power struggles in more than one way.

The first, we were without electricity for 4 days last week and without internet for 6 days. Two days without power due to a tall truck that took down the wire near Gideon's home and the other two days for who knows what...maybe because of the furious rains that came in!

Perhaps more important, the processing of power distribution in what it means to enter into this community. In our preparations, we explored the realities of power in a community that isn't used to seeing many “Vanilla Lattes”, the baggage that comes with it and the unavoidable topic that we have CHOSEN to enter into a hard place plagued by injustices, extreme poverty and unfathomable living conditions. I think that we are in a dangerous situation if we ignore these conditions, yet since our pre-trip planning a new dynamic has emerged.

***I want you to know that we are having a wonderful time. My thoughts below outline some of the questions that we face. These experiences are also surrounded by warm hospitality, people that are interested in learning about us and leaders that have blessed us in many ways.

The Mitatus
Mitatus are imported used white Toyota vans from Japan and Europe converted to squish together 15 passengers, and whose muffler secretes enough soot to make a gravel road look like asphalt. Each one tells a story with a layer of stickers on the exterior, blaring music and the young man hanging out the side herding passengers at each stop. The roads are FULL of these vehicles...people line the streets waiting to be picked up.

As I wait on the side of the road, I become the newest prey for the 20-30 shilling (40-50 cent) trip down the road. “Mzungu CAAM HEEYR”, (White person, come here) they call. I look at the route on the side of the van making sure that it is headed in the correct direction and jump in. I soon wish that my 34 inch inseem was cut in half as my knees dig into the seat ahead of me. Around me, people are talking...perhaps catching up on the upcoming Kenyan election, maybe pointing out a nice car or commenting on the driver's lead foot. But me...I don't know. I have no clue what they are saying...later to find out that they are joking about charging me more because I am white.

Down the pothole ladened road we go...at the mercy of one of many CRAZY matatu drivers...with inches between us and the car next to us, ahead of us and behind. Music blaring, Swahili lingo flying, stenches permeating, coins passing...and the white kid in the back seat.

Where the streets have no name...
I wouldn't know where to begin in painting a picture for you of what Kibera might look like. Some day, I hope to be able to find a way to share its personality, its appearance and some of the stories that are derived from it with you...but for now-as I have already begun to lose my initial shock, I will share some of my first impressions.

A bit of context on Kibera:
Kibera is the largest slum in Africa...Although there is now way to completely tell, there are around 1,000,000 people living in this area. NWesterners...this is more than Seattle and Tacoma proper combined. Michiganders...more than all of GR Metro. They live in approx. 2 square miles. (5,280 feet by 10,560 feet). A railroad track cuts between their beloved turf and it sits in the midst of a valley. Kenya is in the process of dealing with a dilemma in which rural villagers are moving to Nairobi in groves. This has been a common occurrence for decades. Historically, people moved to the city to make some money, to get educated or to make connections that would support their rural agricultural needs. Times have changed...and now they are not returning to their native communities. As people come to the city, the only affordable housing lies within the slums. While Kibera is by far the largest slum in Nairobi, there are 169 other slums throughout the rest of the city. 170 slums in a city of 4.5 million people! The main distinguishing factor about a slum is that the government owns the land, and residents are not allowed to build permanent structures on it. Consequently, infrastructures are terrible and people are forced to make temporary dwellings...usually mud/stick walls and rusty tin roofs. Electricity is available yet water comes from the river flowing through this sewerless community. Each year, people live with the question of whether or not they will have a place to call home in the future.

As we entered Kibera for the first time, It was raining. I got to pull my hood up over my head, focus on the muddy ground and seclude myself from the thousands of people around me. My long pants and jacket covered my pasty arms and legs, and I could bury my face by pretending to concentrate on the puddles. Was it that I didn't want to see? Or maybe, that I didn't want to be seen? Each time I enter the slums, I continually question whether I ever will or ever shall “belong”.

On Sunday, when returning from church in Kibera, a man began walking next to me and shared some of his thoughts in English: “Take a look around, these are my people. They are black. You are white. What are you doing here?” I blanked...I had absolutely nothing to say and kept walking. I wished that it was raining so that I could put my hood over my head again. He was right. What am I doing here? What gives me the right to enter into his community? Some might find this a bit cruel on his part...but you have to understand that many of these people have been taken advantage of by politicians, tourists, Hollywood actors, institution, non-profits, etc. How can I expect him to determine whether or not I am here to do the same?

For the past 25 years, I have been granted a sense of power. I am white. I am a male. I am balding and look older. I am educated. I have money. For the past 10 days, these seemingly positive attributes have been challenged. I have to rely on others to understand the language around me. I am White. I am Educated. I can leave whenever I want to...I don't “belong”.

Power is fearlessness.
Power is money.
Power is communicating.
Power is opportunity.
Power is belonging.

Loving life, identifying challenges and feeling blessed,
joel

A preview of Nairobi

The night before we left for Kenya, we met up with some friends from church for a small send off and some final goodbyes. During the party, Kris Rocke gathered everyone around to “bless us.” It was a wonderful experience that I feel has already brought many wonderful moments our way. Someone blessed us with safe travels and our travels were not only safe but flawless.... we were blessed with traveling mercies indeed!! Another person blessed us with smooth transitions and new friendships and that have also come to pass as we have met many wonderful people already... another blessed us with a strong and growing relationship with one another and I have been amazed at the peace and love I feel when I am with Joel. It is beautiful thing to experience God through your blessings! It has taught me to be free with blessing others and to hold back on cursing. How easy it can be to curse, especially in the heat of a moment, and how difficult it can be to bless. I hope that those who blessed us, have felt a return of blessings in their own lives.

Every day has been a new experience and as I learn more about the people and their culture, I find myself enjoying each moment all the more. It's a wonderful feeling when something as simple as going to the store becomes a new and noteworthy experience simply because it is not in the context of the culture that you are used to. Instead of a writing a novel (which I feel I could easily do :), I just want to highlight random thoughts, moments, or experiences that will allow you a glimpse into our life here in Nairobi.

~ A person can buy 5 Roma Tomatoes for the equivalent of $.15 and an avocado (that is TWICE the size of the avocados in the states) costs $.05. Produce is CHEAP!! I went to the market in downtown Nairobi on Saturday and bought over 50 pounds of fruits and vegetables for a little over $10.00. WOW :)

~ Many streets are not paved, and when it rains, it gets MUDDY! Kenyans are very talented at walking through the mud and keeping their shoes clean. I gave up on this task and bought “gum boots” (rubber boots that go up to your knees and wash off easily).

~ They have a store called Nakumatt that is similar to a Fred Meyer or Wal-Mart... there are many conveniences here that I did not expect...

~I found a group to play ultimate frisbee with!!

~We travel around town either by walking (YEAH for exercise!!) or by Matatu. Matatus are 14 passenger vans that drive on set routes and are aggressive on the road!! Many times they will weave in and out of traffic making sudden stops if they see a potential passenger and are consider by some to be bullies on the road. The lonely planet guide describes Kenyan drivers as BAD... and I see it differently, it's more of a talent to successfully drive on the roads here... there's such an ebb and flow to the traffic that doesn't exist in the states.

~They have ice cream here!

~Some fun Swahili words that you can use in your conversations:

Pole, pole: slowly, slowly

Karibu!!: Welcome!!

Asante: Thank you!

Sasa: Hello

Kwaheri: Goodbye

Lala Salama: Sleep well (this rolls off the tongue so nicely :)

I just also want to say ASANTE SANA (thank you very much) to those who sent me birthday wishes. Receiving letters from home was the best birthday gift I could have received this year, and it was so wonderful to receive even more blessings!! One of my prayers is that I will be able to bless others half as much as I have received this past month :)

Peace from Nairobi,

Mandy

The time has come!

Well, we have been in Nairobi for nearly four days! Lots has happened given the first 12 hours were spent trying desperately to stay awake while the next 12 were spent giving into the temptation.

Let me start by letting you know that I have no idea how this Blog thing will turn out. Some of you want a play by play of what is up in this neck of the woods (or shall I say desert) while others see this as an opportunity to enter into our minds of chaos, of affliction and the turmoil that comes with living in different contexts. Hopefully, it will be a bit of both...something that both Mandy and I can use as a collection of thoughts and something that we can process, share and be supported through given the benefits of a technologically globalized world.

The first thing that Mandy and I noticed as we touched down in Nairobi was the overwhelming discrepancy in the number of white people on our plane compared to what we had anticipated. Granted, we were coming from England, what some might call the motherland, but it still seemed a but odd. As a rule, I equate travel with opportunity which often corresponds with money. We began to wonder if the 2:1 of the plane that was white was a correct ratio of the Kenyan populus but were soon proven wrong as we drove the streets of Nairobi to Gideon's house.

Gideon is our main link in Nairobi. He heads up CTM in Nairobi and provides support and leadership for grassroot leaders working in hard places. He is an incredibly talented man with a heart for serving others in his own community. Despite the opportunity that he had to advance his education and to work in Seattle, WA, he returned to his own community to build up the work of leaders that work tirelessly to enhance the lives of those that live in the slums. He has a beautiful family whose pictures we will post as soon as possible. They have opened their home to us as we transition into life in Kenya. Their house is a beautiful cement home that is less than 1 year old. We enjoy basic amenities, running water and electricity.

We are certainly taking our time in getting settled as 10 hours is tough to make up. Saturday, we ventured approximately 1 mile to the supermarket. I am told that this is one of the nicer supermarkets in town with many of the same products from the states. I soon learned that there is a large price gap between food that is traditional Kenyan food and that has been brought in through western influence. While rice, beans, potatoes and local vegetables cost next to nothing, cereal, spaghetti sauce and cheese cost nearly twice what it would at home. It was an interesting experiment thinking about how a person living on a normal Kenyan salary might develop a food budget.

The second half of our day consisted of a 6 hour birthday celebration for Gideon's daughter Samara, who turned two. It would have been an 8 hour celebration but the guests were 2 hours late:). I can role with this schedule! We enjoyed the opportunity to meet lots of friends and family as we joined Samara and her family in celebrating this momentous occasion.

Sunday, we joined Gideon and his family for church...which was held in a huge tent that looks similar to the Denver Airport. We enjoyed our first church visit to a Kenyan church and eagerly anticipate the opportunity to begin our weekly venture into new churches around the city. The afternoon consisted of playing games, drinking chai and talking technology and politics with Gideon's family. I always enjoy hearing what others have to say about politics!

I am not sure when this blog will be posted as internet connections are hit and miss during the day. As you go on in your week, we thank you for the support that you have already shown from afar and hope that you will think of this place often.

I am hitting the sleep zone and should sign off before I fall asleep typinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.

T-town to Nairobi:

What a journey it has been. We haven't even stepped foot in Nairobi yet, but have felt a powerful presence of family and friends as we prepare for this transforming experience. A special thanks to those of you that have gone out of your way to clear any doubts in out mind that Tacoma is a place that we can call home. From gifts and prayers to garage sale funds and home made tiles, we are incredibly grateful for those that have chosen to embark in this journey with us.

To the airport we go...9 hours to London, 9 hours in Heathrow while the underground workers are on strike and 9 more to Nairobi.

We'll catch you on the other side.

Our blessings to each of you.

joel and mandy

3 Weeks and Counting!

Greetings! Things are coming together smoothly as we prepare for our September 5 takeoff. We have had a great response from family and friends in supporting our trip in a myriad of ways. What a gift to feel the love, support and investments of others. We are finalizing the last minute details on health insurance, have one last round of shots and are learning lots about what the IRS expects from those that are volunteering abroad!

We are currently living with Mandy's parents in Puyallup, WA and housesitting for friends from church for the month of August. Mandy and I will celebrate our 1 year anniversary tomorrow and we head to Vancouver, BC to join our cousins for a wedding reception.

Our emails will not change throughout this process and our phones will not be switched off until September 6. We'd love to hear from you!

Joel and Mandy

Joel email: jdzylstra@gmail.com Joel Phone: (253)414-4315
Mandy email: mandy.zylstra@gmail.com Mandy Phone: (253)732-1698

Learn about how you can partner with us in our journey to Nairobi, Kenya!

We have developed a 6 minute video to share a bit more about the people and the place that we will be serving. We are a bit on the amateur side of film production but hope that you can bare with us!

Happy Viewing,

Joel and Mandy

Note: The quality of the image above is not indicative of the resolution of the video.

2.5 months and counting!

Well, it sounds like a long time-but the summer if going to fly! Joel will be on the road for the next two weeks and Mandy will be teaching until the end of June. We will both be going to Michigan in early July and will move out of our apartment by the end of July. Oh, yeah-did I mention that we need to find some time to get all of our ducks in a row for this Kenyan adventure?

So...we are working on creating a small video to share our experience with you all a bit more in-depth and to paint a picture of what the upcoming year holds. We hope to unleash it by mid-June! The fundraising will begin sooner than later in hopes of raising $12,000, ($7,000 by the time that we leave.)

that's a brief update...we're plugging away.

much love from T-town,

Joel and Mandy