Crazy Week - Part 3

Our final trip with the Foster Group was in Nairobi. The Foster Group left our home on October 3rd and the TI team traveled to Nairobi on October 5th and spent a few days there. We spent October 6th, our last day with the Foster Group in one of the many Nairobi slums, called Soweto.

Soweto Slums

Soweto is a name that is derived from the place in South Africa. It means “trouble”. Soweto in South Africa is a dangerous, dirty place (from what I’ve been told and read about). So does the curse of the word, the name, follow….who knows?

I’ve blogged about Soweto to you before. It’s a slum in Nairobi that is very much forgotten. It can’t even compare to the commercialism that has followed the largest slum in Africa, which is Kibera (Key-bear-a) and therefore little to no assistance reaches these people.

There is a school in Soweto that TI has a relationship with. We are good friends of the people who run the school, we sponsor a few children at the school and the Foster Group for the past months has provided the food to the students of this school. On most days, it’s the only food these children receive.

The group was shocked by the huge dump site on the outskirt of the slums, where there were dozens of people, children included, rummaging through the garbage for food to eat, and for plastic bottles to take back to recycling companies for money back, even if it was for only a few pennies. As we crossed the river, I could see the curled noses at the sight and stench of the dark grey river filled with garbage and human waste.

We did a tour of the slum, to which became too difficult for some of the group members. The dirty, hungry looking, sick children running around us, wanting to greet us and hold our hands, was overwhelming. Just being there for a half an hour was emotionally draining on some people.

We went to the school that we assist and were greeted with screams of excitement by the children. On mine and Daniel’s last trip there in May with Daniel’s parents, the children sang and danced for us. I had joined them in the dancing and (un)fortunately they remembered that and therefore some of the girls wanted me to stand alongside them again and be a part of the dancing. :-) Thankfully, I was saved from the teachers and they agreed that I didn’t practice the routines so I would be a little lost. “Next time, Mary! You dance with us next time.” That’s what they said. Yep, next time I will!

The students presented some songs and skits for us all. Their faces were painted and they even wore costumes for their performances. The teams got a tour of the school and were introduced to each teacher.

From there, the Foster Group presented to the teachers, books and supplies for the school. There was excitement in their faces; seeing that they have more supplies now to work with, to help better teach their students. It is so evident that these teachers love their job and love their students despite the hardships that they all encounter there on a daily basis.

After a few hours at the school, we headed back to the city, said our goodbyes to the Foster Group and parted ways with them. For me, it was an emotional goodbye. I have made some great friends in Sandy and Cathy and I really miss them.

Walking through Soweto

Doing skits for us

Beautiful kids of Soweto

Holding a doll, tightly...

TI in Nairobi

The TI crew stayed another day in Nairobi. We celebrated my birthday the evening we arrived (October 5th). Thank you to EVERYONE who sent me birthday wishes; I SOOOOOOOO appreciated and loved it. For my birthday, I got from the TI crew, a kick-butt 3-CD changer stereo. It’s pretty amazing.

On October 7th, the TI crew went to Nairobi City Park for some fun with the monkeys. We heard about this park from a few friends of ours and decided to check it out. Oh my, it was so much fun. Get some nuts, fruit and bananas and your guaranteed to have monkeys crawling all over you. And we did. It was so much stinkin’ fun!!!

We chased away the aggressive monkeys that weren’t letting the little ones eat or have fun. We got them to climb up on our shoulders, our heads and wherever else they knew they could get to the food. Some monkeys were a little more timid than others. It was a moment of, “Oh my gosh, I’m in Africa. I have monkeys on my shoulder, on my head.” It helped us release a bit of what we had just been a part of for the past two weeks; it allowed us to have some fun and enjoy the sillier things here…even if it was just for a little while.

Sean and his newfound friend.

Nate and his friend, ED

Me with George

"Give me food!"

Lauren's found love!

"Give me nuts!"

They were seriously fighting over Andrew.

Andrea & Andrew just hanging out with their friends.