Head Shots

Leave it to the Selfie and a camera to create instant popularity! 

I was so glad to connect with one my favorites, Esther, from last year.  

Framed!

Telling secrets is universal. 

 Here's my new favorite cutie from Veronica's class.  She greets me with a hug each morning I come to be with them!

Even football can't keep this one from wanting to get in on a photo op! 

Teaching with the Teachers

Ann started our five days of training with a session on learning styles and assessments and introduced the teachers to the Mulitple Intelligences and the multiple forms of assessments teachers could use.  The second day we modeled linking past learning to new learning, and so, of course, we linked arms as she finished up and I began our sessions on Geometry.

Whenever I could I had teachers work interactively with both the materials and each other, something they don't often get the chance to do given the very cramped spaces they work in at Jamii.   

Here we are using our Bodily Kinesthetic Multiple Intelligence to act out different kinds of angles!

We are getting wonderful feedback from the teachers who are so appreciative of the chance for some professional development. 

Welcome to our School!

It is simply overwhelming to walk into the Jamii compound and be greeted by 500 students all chanting, "Welcome Teachers! Welcome to our school!"  

They sing us several songs and then pray for our day together.  

I was once again in Teacher Veronica's class which is the 4-5 year old class, called the "Top" class, as in the oldest pre-school classes.  The last two years she has had 63 students.  This year it is 72.  More little bench desks have been crammed into her tiny classroom so that now the desks extend from the back wall all the way to the front wall with the last benches directly underneath the chalkboard.

The only remaining space is the entry area with a small 1x2 ft table and two white plastic chairs on either side for Veronica and her co-teacher Ruth, who is new this year.  I could not take a picture to adequately take in the whole sea of kids.  Veronica and Ruth are both gifted teachers and the students are amazingly well-behaved.  The head band crowns they are wearing were part of the Bible lesson activity we presented on the healing of Namaan.  Veronica and I stapled all 72 headbands wending our way in and out of 72 little bodies.

Road to Eldoret

Packing up the vans for our trip to Eldoret.  We needed 5 vans to take 20 people with 9 crates of medical supplies and 9 crates/suitcases of educational supplies.  Ken Turney was once again helping out with some comic relief. 

 Each van had 4 people with 4 crates and personal suitcases for the 7 days we would be gone.

Passing through the Rift Valley is always one of the big highlights of our trip to Eldoret.

 Despite the cloud cover we were able to stop at the 8,000 ft. summit and take a few photos.

 Driving through the floor of the Rift Valley we took in the beautiful landscape complete with Acacia trees, along with sightings of Zebra, Warthogs, and baboons.

 We arrived to the Nobel guest house about an hour late, which didn't leave much time for Ann, Judy and I to set up for our first teacher training which started at 3 pm.  Ann did a wonderful job and it was so great to see the Jamii teachers again.

They were so excited to see us and get started on our training.  There were many new warm and friendly faces as Jamii continues to grow and hire new teachers.

You Know You're in Kenya when...

...You see monkeys on the roof next door to your guest house.

Yes, we have arrived and had a full first day preparing our medical supplies (which means repackaging and bagging and labeling enough supplies for the Jamii/ Eldoret medical clinic) and reorganizing and resorting and relabeling and retagging all of the educational supplies.  We are ready to leave for Eldoret tomorrow morning bright and early by 7 am.  We will be taking 5 vans filled to the brim with 20 people, their luggage for the next week, 7 medical crates, 5 Jamii education crates, 5-50lb suitcases of other supplies such as all the books, school supplies, bubbles, clothes, soccer balls, etc. that we have been collecting for the last 7 months.  Whew!

We took a bit of a break for lunch and went to the YaYa mall which is not too far of a walk from our Nairobi guest house.  Love the chicken curry and rice at the Java House.  Had a Malindi Chai Latte for dessert, followed by a quick bit of shopping and walk back to the guest house.

More packing pills tonight!  

Kenya 2014 Here we Come!

Packing up the crates and luggage! Finishing up to do lists at home and work! Trying not to be frazzled!

I am returning for a third time to Kenya with the mission group Kizimani.  Our work there continues to develop and expand and we are looking forward to being with the many friends we have come to know.  Our team will again be providing two free medical clinics and three education opportunities.  Team member Hans Blom will be teaching Bible to the staff of New Dawn High School as he has now for five years, but this year he will also be teaching the pastors and church leaders in Eldoret.  While in Eldoret, Ann Gerson and I will be providing more professional development to the teachers of the Jamii School, which is now a pre-school through 6th grade. Ann will focus on learning styles and difficulties and I will be teaching the next installment of math training (geometry and fractions.)  At New Dawn this year, a group of us will be conducting a Healing Arts Workshop focusing on how we can use the arts to find emotional and spiritual healing in our lives.  Judy will lead the Drama, Lance and Sanna, the song writing, Ann poetry, and I will lead a visual arts activity.  Ken Turney will preside over all of us as Chaplain and as he puts it "comic relief."  Given the topic, I think we'll be needing that.

We are excited to see the progress of the new Jamii school being built on their own land.  The well has been dug and bathrooms built.  Classrooms are next!  Funding has been received for a few classrooms and we are trusting for the rest, so that 10 classrooms and a faculty room can be built by the time we return in 2015.

In Kangundo our emphasis will be to provide food and a medical visits, and to check in on the plans for the building of the medical clinic and polytechnic school to support this struggling community and encourage micro enterprise.  

Our time will be full!  Please be praying for health and safety for our group.  The world is a little crazier this year.  I am so thankful for all of your support, both financial and emotional, as I have prepared for this trip.  Just know that you go with me.  I will try to keep up with my blog on a regular basis.  Love to all.

My Photo Book Kenya 2013

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