SCC / Return to Juba

Getting out of Nimule took some time. We stopped in the market for a few things before hitting the highway, not least of which was some smoked and dried fish that Gladys wanted. We kept the windows open all the way back to Juba.

We made better time heading north than we had the day before (going south), but still took over three hours without a stop. Piled along the side of the road are bundles of straw for thatching, bundles of large sticks, and sacks of charcoal. Occasionally you can see large smouldering earthen mounds where the charcoal is being made. Charcoal is made in the rural areas and is a major source of income. Today seems to be pick-up day, since the unattended sacks that were set up on the road yesterday today have people standing by them. They flag us down, mistaking us for one of the charcoal merchants. The charcoal is shipped into the city where it is the fuel of choice for cooking and heating. Simon tells me that a large sack (about four feet tall) fetches the maker about 5 Sudanese pounds, but will sell in the city for five to seven times that much. It’s also water day, as we see numerous water trucks on the road and lots more containers set out. It seems ironic that water is so scarce that it needs to be trucked in, and at the same time the road construction site is continuously being watered.

We get to Juba in time for me to interview Michael Benson – my nephew’s name sake, who is a participant in the SCC’s HIV-AIDS program. Michael has been positive for about 8 years. A trained carpenter, his employer sacked him after discovering Michael’s status. This isn't at all unusual. Michael connected twitho SCC’s program and got counseling and some financial support, as well as better access to meds. "I'm still positive, but healthy now, and would really like to work," he says. He's not been able to get work yet, because stigma is still strong, although that’s slowly becoming less of an issue. He gets some occasional carpentry work, and is now heavily involved as a volunteer himself in SCC’s programs.

I took a few pictures around the SCC offices as they are under reconstruction. Some of the workers are apprehensive, a cautious response given the government’s practice of documenting and harassing civilians. A few other workers are more receptive, and I capture them as they are building concrete block walls or parging the surfaces. The SCC offices are in rough shape in a few places, and they are now able to make some repairs.

Getting out of Juba is almost hysterical. There is no line up at the check-in counter, just a wild crush of people at the desk thrusting their documents at the clerk who randomly chooses one. Eventually ours get selected (thanks to Gladys’ pushiness), and we get checked in. It’s all manually done with pen and paper. Next we have to clear exit control, where we fill in a long form. Fee: $45.00. The form and our passports need to be photocopied, so we’re sent to the photocopy desk, where photocopies are made for us at the price of a few Sudanese pounds. Back to the exit desk where our passports are stamped, and we go to security check. A perfunctory glimpse in our carry-ons, and we’re into the departure lounge. It's hot and crowded, and there is no signs or boards that say what the flight status is. Eventually, someone hollers "Nairobi" and there's a dash for the door.

It's an easy flight back to Nairobi, where I have to purchase another visa: visas and immigration control seem to be a major source of revenue and employment. The drive into Nairobi from the airport takes longer than the flight from Sudan, as traffic is totally snarled. At the roundabouts the confluence of cars, trucks, buses, matatus, pedestrians, hawkers, grinds to a standstill. The air is thick with exhaust fumes – there seems to be no emission controls; cars and trucks alike belch big black clouds of diesel smoke. Some cars take to the shoulders, more aggressive drivers actually cross the median and go the wrong way in the almost-empty oncoming lanes.

Peace Work in South Sudan

After four-hours riding in the back of a safari vehicle over rough roads (sort of like off-roading, but with a destination), it takes a little while to get my land legs when we get to Nimule and St. Patrick’s. Six of us made the trip: Gladys, our trip leader and staff of SCC, Martin our driver, Pastors Simon and James who both work in Juba and Nimule, Wendy, and myself. Gladys has arranged for us to meet with a number of leaders in the peace activities in and around Nimule. They come from different backgrounds and work in the church: Christian Brotherhood, Episcopal Church of Sudan, The Sudan Gospel Mission, the Catholic church, etc. The common ground is working for peace here in Nimule and the surrounding villages.

Simon takes the lead and talks about the trauma, detentions, harassment, and violence that continued after the peace agreement was ratified. Over and over again, the issues of tribalism and how it defines land, loyalty, community, family, and prejudices. Simon explains how during the war many thousands of people were displaced, and since the war, most (but not all) of those displaced persons have tried to return to their homelands and their homes. But, there’s a huge domino problem because so many have temporarily settled someplace and someone has to move first. And, some people have decided they like where they’ve settled, and don’t want to move, even though the land, houses, and buildings aren’t theirs. Commonly known as ‘land-grabbing’ it get more complex as different tribes live amongst each other with different traditions and practices (e.g. farming versus raising cattle, versus business) which are not seen as compatible on the same land. It’s hugely frustrating and humiliating when you have to build a new house within sight of your old one on the land your family has owned for generations. The government seems to ignore the problem, and is widely assumed to be biased because of their own tribal loyalties, and doesn’t have the capacity to provide local law enforcement anyway.

I don’t venture to understand the complexities and subtleties of tribalism. As a Westerner it’s easy to think in stereotypes, and it’s difficult to make the equivalent in our own context, though the effects of it are there in different ways. Suffice to say, people in East Africa identify strongly with their tribe, their homeland (when you ask an African where he’s from, there are often two answers – the ancestral home and the present place he is living). There are strong perceptions about the characteristics, traditions, and roles of different tribes, for example the Kikuyu seem to have the reputation of being good business people, and dominating Kenyan politics.

As each person tells their story, the common theme of land-grabbing, settlement, and tribalism comes up over and over again, each person giving their personal take on it. Dealing with the IDP (internally displaced persons, to distinguish from refugees, who are typically from outside Sudan) has created a lot of division and anger. The SCC helped by sponsoring a large gathering to which hundreds of people came: chiefs, elders, politicians, pastors and imams from the various tribes, including IDPs, in an effort to get overcome some of the barriers. Out of that meeting (and several more like it) arose the local peace committees. These leaders were at that meeting, and the next step is for us to meet with some of the peace workers in the villages.

We leave St. Patrick’s to go to Olikwi, a tiny, remote village on the Ugandan border, with a peace committee. Just as we arrive, the elders are seated in a semi-circle to hear a complaint from a tribes-woman, who is sitting on the bare ground with her child. None of us know what’s going on, but the hearing is either quickly dispatched or put on hold, upon our arrival.

We squeeze into a hut with the elders and our group – about 25 of us in a rough circle, seated on plastic patio chairs. The stories are told of the upheaval during the war, the land grabbing, and the climate of suspicion. This village is within a short walk of its former site; squatters live in their old homes, on their lands. Pretty soon, it comes out that there’s one tribe – Dinka – that supposedly is the source of all the problems, since everyone else apparently gets along. The Peace Committees have brokered some deals and small wins, but it’s clear the hostility is barely under the surface and that any truce is tenuous as best.. The fundamental issue of land-grabbing has not been addressed. Chief John is pretty skeptical, noting that “there really hasn’t been much progress about getting our land back, despite promises from the politicians.” The peace committee organizers agree, but won’t give up, since the alternative, open hostility or war is unthinkable.

The second site is even more remote: the new offices of the Mugali Payam, where we meet up with members of another Peace Committee. Seven members are there, a few having walked miles to join us. While land grabbing is still the dominant issue, they’ve also been trying to address social issues, such as spousal and child abuse. It’s clear they’re trying to fill the gap caused by remoteness and the lack of civil authority, while also walking a narrow line so as not to encroach on the traditional rights and authority of elders and chiefs. Paul is the most talkative of the group, and says their task is to “simply get people to talk and keep talking.” I asked Paul what SCC had done for them in all this, and he said “They gave us power and knowledge – skills to help problem-solve and mediate without getting too involved. We provide a service to the elders and chiefs without stepping on their feet.” Still, as at Olikwi, lots of problems continue to exist; while some social issues are getting better, the problems of land grabbing and settlers persist and are well entrenched.

The Peace Committees seem to be a good idea and there are legitimate, tangible results. At the same time. there are issues that are likely beyond their ability or capacity. The model of reconciliation and dialogue works best (only?) when all parties are committed. From the conversations, it seems that some are more committed than others, and some are simply not interested at all. The so-called “Comprehensive Peace Agreement” sounds like it’s more comprehensive on paper than in reality at present.

Leaving Nairobi -- Onward to the Massai Mara

I had hoped to get caught up on the blog posts last night, but internet access at the AACC guest house was not working, so I'm behind on that by several days. More will come.

In the meantime, a quick overview from the last few days: a day and a half in Kisumu to meet children and youth involved in the Kenya Association for Advancement of Children. KAAC helps organize clubs in primary and secondary schools around advocacy for rights. We met three groups: young adults, high-schoolers, and primary students. We met them in groups, which makes it really hard to get to individual stories, but so many of them, even at a young age, show signs of being strong advocates for social change.

Also, we met with three different groups of women who have set up their small businesses with loans from UCC partners orgs. Some of these give new definition to SMALL business -- talk about a shoestring. But that shoestring is often supporting a whole family as well as a couple of employees. Yesterday I visited a number of them in Nairobi's biggest slum. Operating out of closet-sized premises, the squeeze out a living in the harsh climate of the slums. It had rained (we starting the rainy season) and the streets and lanes were swamps of mud, yet people carry on. It's awesome and humbling how gracious and hospitable they are, how honoured they are to have a visitor from Canada, from their sponsoring organization's partner. The requests to carry prayers back to Canada on their behalf - that they are praying for us are sincere and profuse. And the groups are not just about taking care of business, they seems to have become extended family, and even take on charity works of their own. One group collectively supports a very elderly widow, paying her rent, buying clothes and food, and visiting her regularly. She joined us, and was bashful and excited to have a picture with the Munguzu (white person).

I'm at Wilson airport, Nairobi's small-plane airport that serves a lot of the safari traffic. Fortunately they have a free hot-spot, so I can do this quick update. I doubt there's an internet access at the safari site, so look for updates later in the week.

Lions and Tiger and Elephants, Oh My!!

Juba to Nimule

It’s about 9:00 p.m., and I’ve crashed for the evening in my room and have a chance to write. I won’t be able to post this until later, since there’s no internet connection here.

We’re at the Parish of St.Patrick’s Learning Centre is about a mile from the Uganda border in Nimule Town, and, much like the UCC learning centres, it has a couple of meeting rooms, food service, and accommodation. The bedrooms give new meaning to basic (the shipping container is looking pretty good from here), but after a long day trekking from Juba to here, and then to two small, remote villages, and back, the bed is amazingly comfortable.

The drive from Juba took almost four hours to cover about 200 kilometers. The road is the main one that runs from Juba to Kampala in Uganda, and on south through to South Africa. Much of it consists of dirt road, about two – three lanes wide, in very rough shape, and with no markings. Much of it is also under construction, and we’re simply driving right through the construction zone. Different from the trip to Nyeri, there are virtually no pedestrians on the road, and very few motorcycles. Gladys assures us the road is much improved recently, as it wasn't so long ago that the trip took a whole day.

As we were leaving Juba, we drove through acres of shanty-towns, constructed largely of rough wood and sheet metal. The main road is lined with tiny shops and businesses, most working out of the same sort of building – a few sticks as a framework and sides covered in corrugated sheet-metal. The fancier ones are in converted shipping containers. Garbage is everywhere, the heavy rains of last night having washed the debris into piles of plastic water bottles, bags, food wrappers, bits of clothing and shoes, and whatever (littering is common and accepted – when the buses stopped at the barrier above, the windows opened and empty bottles and garbage flew out). Even in remote places there is plastic litter everywhere, especially water bottles.

Despite it being a main arterial road, it’s quite isolated and much of the time we don’t encounter much traffic. At one point, however, we meet about a dozen big commercial tractor-trailers in a convoy racing north to Juba. Shortly after we halted at a police barrier because mines have been detected some where up ahead; not necessarily on the road itself, but close enough that they shut the road for about an hour (the picture is discreetly taken from the back seat - the green figure is the barrier guard). By the time the way is cleared, we’re at the front of a convoy of six large coaches and a number of trucks. As the barrier is removed, our driver guns it and we lead the pack. A few minutes later, horns are honking behind us, as the coach drivers want to pass. As it is, we’re barely holding the road, careening from side to side and really putting the suspension to the test. But, as we pull over to one side, the coaches sail past, taking the curve ahead almost on two wheels, and are soon out of sight. With the buses off our tail, Martin, our driver, relaxes a bit and eases back on the speed. Before we reach Nimule, we see several trucks ditched or overturned (one with bags of maize scattered all around it), but the buses obviously got at least to Nimule without incident.

Just as we passed out of Juba, we saw part of a shanty-town that had just burned to the ground – nothing left but some blackened sheet metal strewn on the scorched earth. This happens a lot – rough timber houses tightly packed and scores of charcoal cooking fires make it inevitable. The lack of infrastructure, security, and housing programs make it doubly so. I imagine the people who had lived there lost everything that terrifying night.

Just a little further on, we passed over the Nile. This branch is the White Nile, and joins the Blue Nile at Khartoum, in Northern Sudan. On the banks, there are hundreds of people loading up jerry-cans of water to take home. Many women are walking with a 5 or 10 gallon jug on their heads, others are on bicycles loaded with five or six cans, and others simply walk carrying a can in each hand. The simple task of getting water – the essential of life – is a huge undertaking. Water trucks are also filling up, and will deliver water for a price. Indeed, along the road to Nimule, there are water barrels and cans clustered along side the road, waiting for the water truck. The water is taken directly from the Nile, without any treatment, possibly explaining the proliferation of empty water bottles everywhere. Coca Cola seems to have the bottled-water business sewn-up here; the water I’m drinking is COOL brand, but the typestyle is all Coke.

Once beyond Juba, the tin shacks give way to a more traditional African construction: a circular building about 12 or 15 feet in diameter, with walls made of brick or wattle, topped with a steep thatched roof. A single door on one side, and maybe one or two very small windows or vents on the walls keep the construction simple. The outside is left plain or painted with a ziggurat or rolling wave pattern. The houses are in small family clusters, small villages, or in a fenced ‘compound,’ and are often accompanied by small outbuildings. Brick is used for alot of construction, and it’s made on site. Clay is dug and formed into standard sized bricks and stacked in a large cube with enough bricks to make whatever the project requires. Bricks are left out of the bottom several rows in places big enough to light fires in, to cure the bricks. I found a stack of them from a project at St. Patrick’s, and they’re curiously light. In every village or settlement, there seems to be at least one pile of bricks either ready to be cured or already being used for construction. The thatching is very thick and done with detail and craftsmanship.

Along the way, there are numerous schools, some in brick buildings, others in larger versions of the round houses. In many places, school takes place in the open, under the trees, each class under its own tree, complete with blackboard. Even in these isolated communities, the children wear uniforms in their school colours, many of them walking miles to get to school each day.

After a long steep climb into the hills, we come over the crest and see the valley beyond and Nimule in the distance. Clouds of dust rise from it as trucks rattle through or stop at the markets that line both sides of the road for a kilometer or two in the town. The road down into town is steeper than the climb was, and is full of switch-backs. Heavy loaded trucks labour up the hill, and those of us going down are doing our damndest not to lose control. We make it and head to St. Patrick’s to meet with the locals and learn about the peace work that’s happening on the ground.

Sudan Council of Churches / Juba

Wendy and I met with the staff leaders for various program mentioned in the previous pst. We heard what they’re doing and some of the challenges they’re facing. It’s not easy in a country that’s been at war for decades, just went through an independence referendum, and is in the process of building and rebuilding. Despite he existence of a ‘Comprehensive Peace Agreement,’ there is still a lot of conflict and insecurity, both socially and politically.

Disadvantaged children receive education assistance through the Sudan Council of Churches’ Basic Education Project each year. Although education is theoretically universal, each child is required to provide his / her own uniform, texts, and supplies, and pay fees; costs that quickly become major obstacles if money is tight. Children in difficulty – for whatever reason – can apply for school assistance to the SCC through their local parish or congregation. Although about 800 children get assistance each year, Edward Laku Waiwai, the lead staff for the program, notes that ‘many, many more children could be helped if funds were available.’

The Women and Youth projects also focus on education, but with a different slant. In a context where women and youth often have no voice or are devalued, SCC staff like Gunda Steigen help them find their voice, starting with their own congregations and working outward into the community. Leading up to the elections and 2011 referendum on independence, SCC provided information and discussion forums to help women and youth understand these landmark events. Other work focuses on coaching women on managing and owning their own businesses, and issues of sexual security.

HIV-AIDS is epidemic throughout much of Africa. People living with AIDS still face a lot of stigma and discrimination in housing, employment, and socially. Nelson King, at SCC, has been working on the HIV-AIDS portfolio for more than 15 years, and has seen a number of churches repent and find ways to help PWAs live better lives. “Teaching pastors about the sin of discrimination and stigma, and getting them to commit to preach about it from the pulpit was a big step to treating people living with AIDS with dignity,” noted King. Other programs include counseling, arranging testing, and facilitating support groups.

Talking with Edward, Gunda, and Nelson is helpful, and I get a real sense of their commitment to the work. Yet, at this point the work still sounds like policy and administration. I’m really interested in meeting directly with the beneficiaries of the programs – the people and communities that are on the receiving end of the initiatives that the UCC supports through agencies like SCC. While it’s not the whole story, for me it is where the rubber hits the road: how are we transforming lives and communities. Justice and Peace is the fourth pillar of SCC’s programs, and Gladys Mananyu, who met us at the airport, manages that program. Tomorrow Gladys is taking us to visit some projects at the ‘grassroots level’ (cliché alert!), in Nimule, near the Uganda border.

I’m writing this in the roof-top restaurant, where Wendy and I have quaffed a few, chowed down on some excellent sizzling beef and stir-fried veggies, and have discussed everything from church politics to movies. Just after she headed to her shipping container, the sky opened up and we’re in the middle of a torrential rain and deafening thunderstorm. Fortunately there’s a roof-head , but even so, the wind is blowing the rain throughout the restaurant. I'd better wrap this up (both the post and the computer) and make my way to my container as well.

Off to Sudan

The second part of our tour includes a couple of days in South Sudan to meet with the staff at the Sudan Council of Churches, based in Juba. The Council is an association of six Christian churches that operate in both North and South Sudan. South Sudan is predominantly Christian so much of their work takes place there. Working with the different churches, SCC describes itself as a unified voice and a single service provider for its denominations; it also works with foreign churches, like the UCC, and develops programs around issues such as peace, HIV-AIDS, women and youth. SCC was active in education and preparations for the elections.

Juba is the capital of South Sudan, with a lot of new development for government offices, as well as reconstruction after the war. I haven’t taken many photographs, as there’s still a lot of military presence. They, and many of the people on the street, take exception to being captured on film; and, I was told before leaving to be inconspicuous about taking photos. There are signs of the referendum on southern independence everywhere, the biggest of which is this countdown marquee in the centre of a roundabout.

We’re installed at the Hotel Paradise on the main road of Juba. Like most properties, it is enclosed by a high wall topped with razor wire, and is patrolled by full-time guards. The main building is a restaurant on two levels with the kitchen. The rooms are off a courtyard at the rear of the building. The rooms are built out of converted shipping containers, stacked two stories high, with an iron staircase up to the upper level entrances. The rooms are, shall we say, basic, although the price is closer to a suite at the Plaza!

We had a short drive through Juba to the SCC office. The centre of town consists of single storey cement buildings, rutted streets, throngs of street-vendors, crowds of cars, motorcycles, and lots of pedestrians. Everything from clothes to furniture, from electronics to shoes is sold in small, rough-hewn stalls that line the streets. Just like in malls, the shoe vendors are all clustered together. One whole lane is devoted to cell-phones and accessories: dozens of vendors eking out a living selling technology from a postage stamp-sized kiosk. Almost everyone here has at least one cell phone. Land lines either don’t exist or are so unreliable as to be useless. The absolute ubiquity of cell-phones is transforming how Africans communicate with each other and the world.

Here, as in Nairobi, street corners or trees are often crowded by young men on motorcycles – 125 CC size. They’re available for taxi service, and you often see them carrying one or two passengers and a load of groceries, charcoal, or water jugs.

The other noticeable thing on the streets is the money exchangers. Men stand around freely displaying a sizeable wad of cash, flipping idly through the bills. As soon as they see a prospective client (like me), they offer to exchange my dollars at and advantageous rate. Assuming, of course, that the bills are not fake. I would’ve loved to get a picture of this, but decided that that probably wasn’t wise.

Where is that guy?

Thanks for taking a look at my blog. My apologies for falling behind in posting. The trip to Sudan was very interesting and intensive, but I could not get a WiFi connection reliably enough to post text and pictures. And when I got back to Nairobi the WiFi was down at the guest house. Now I'm in Kisumu and borrowed a computer and G3 connection to check email. Look for a bunch of updates in the next day or so.

dan.

A Day Off to Visit the Rift Valley

The morning was overcast and mild as four of us made our way down Waiyaki Way to St. Mark’s Anglican Church. I was joined by Lauren Hodgson, Adele Halliday, and George (whose last name I didn’t get). Lauren is a United Church candidate for ministry and is doing her internship here in Nairobi, Adele works at the United Church office, but was also here in Nairobi for an ecumenical meeting, George hails from Uganda, and was at the same ecumenical meeting as Adele.

The service at St. Mark’s was rousing – it was the youth service, and was 90 minutes of praise and gospel. The minister had heard I was coming, and announced me from the pulpit; so three of us got introduced (Lauren has been there several times and has been given a local nickname of ‘Jerrie’ so didn't have to stand up with us). We were all invited for tea and samosas afterward.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera to church, so no pictures of church!

Because it was Sunday, we had the day off from work, so we all headed out to the Rift Valley. The valley cuts a wide swath through the middle of Kenya and is part of the same geological cleft that passes up through Egypt and north to the Dead Sea and Sea of Galilee. Both sides of the valley are almost sheer cliffs, and the floor is flat and fertile. Along the road that goes along the top of the cliff, there are many lay-bys: perfect vantage spots to see the valley below and the facing mountains and dormant volcanoes. Of course, each lay-by has its share of souvenir hawkers and stands.

Lake Navaisha is one of the larger lakes in the valley and is teeming with birds and wildlife. We stopped at a lodge for lunch, where the grounds are a small sanctuary for zebras, giraffes, and antelopes. We saw a couple of hippos off shore, but only their snouts coming out of the water for air. Nearby there are acres of greenhouses protected by high-fences covered with bougainvillea and signs “Photography of these premises strictly prohibited.” Apparently these factory farms for export roses have been under a some scrutiny for labour and environmental practices.

We pressed onwards to Hell’s Gate National Park. It’s about 70 square kilometers of parkland named after the deep gorge and its sulfur hot springs. Brian, our guide, took us down into the gorge by a steep, treacherous path with lots of big jumps and climbing. In places, the water sprays out like a shower, but hotter than any shower you’d want to take! The walls in places are covered with green moss and ferns, even though the land above is bone-dry. The fields leading to the gorge were loaded with giraffes, water buffaloes, wart hogs, antelopes, and gazelles. Although still quite wild, they were fairly relaxed about our presence, and several times stared us down as we drove down the road – almost daring us to butt heads / bumpers!

Tomorrow morning, we’re back to work and heading off to Juba in South Sudan.

What Do You Get For a Few Shillings?

Jennifer Muthoni, Charity Murugi, Shelmith Wangeri, and nine other women of the slums of Nyeri would answer with one voice: independence, dignity, and a brighter future for them and their families. These twelve women are successful entrepreneurs in their own right, thanks to micro-credit loans made possible by the National Council of Church of Kenya and funded by The United Church of Canada.

Jennifer runs an automotive spare parts store out of tiny room – about five foot square – jam-packed with the used car parts she sells to car mechanics who work in the adjacent lane. “I used to sell boiled maize, but with the loan I could set up my store and help support my family (including 3 grandchildren).” There’s plenty of competition; I counted four other parts stores just like Jennifer’s in the lane. But, every month she manages to pay her rent (about $36 a month) and suppliers, make her loan payment, and earn a profit.

Many Kenyans travel by the ubiquitous Matatus, mini-van sized buses that hold around 15 people. And there’s no better place to set up a snack cart than at the staging area where passengers catch their Matatus. Charity saw an opportunity, and with a loan of about $400 set up a stall in Nyeri’s main stage. There, she sells drinks, fruit, nuts, and candies to passers-by and passengers. “Before I had my stall, I was hawking bananas while walking around the stage. This is better and I make more: between 200 and 300 shillings a day ($2.00 - $3.00).” It may not sound like much, but often she can even manage to save a little bit after expenses.

Diversification is the key to Shelmith’s success: she sells groceries, serves tea, manufactures jikos (small steel-and-terra-cotta charcoal stoves used for cooking), rents several rooms, and manages the community’s water tap. Business is brisk, and she now employs three men to make the jikos, which sell for between 100 and 200 shillings, depending on size. As one of the few people in Kiawara that properly owns her land Shelsmith could use her loan to have the water line and meter installed. Now she is able to sell water to her neighbours at about a quarter of the rate in other areas of Kiawara. From behind her shop, we can hear two distinct sounds: a saw ripping through wood, and the ring of a hammer on iron. There, we found two workshops where a furniture maker is finishing a table-top, and a blacksmith is forging a crow-bar. Both rent their space from Shelsmith.

Walking through Kiawara, a vast slum of more than 10,000 people in the heart of Nyeri, you can’t help but notice the children. We aroused some notice – we were being watched as we walked through – yet a small wave and smile was returned ten-fold by everyone we met, children and adults alike. The youngest children, seeing my camera, came up asking to have their picture taken and laughed to see themselves on the LCD.

Micro-credit loans are a leading program of the NCCK’s Vulnerable Women’s Project in Nyeri. As Charity noted, “Loans at the banks can cost more than 20% and they want a guarantee like your house. If you miss a payment, they take your house! NCCK charges us 1%, and if we miss a payment, we talk about how to make it next week.” Every Friday, the women get together to talk about business, trade ideas, and help each other out. Along with starting twelve new businesses, the loans funded by the United Church have helped forge a new community.

For more about micro-credit, and some of the challenges in making it work (especially as for-profits get involved), see this CBC article.

Arriving in Kenya

3733 miles Toronto to Amsterdam, then 4147 miles to Nairobi makes for one tired Dan. Contrary to my hope, I didn’t get much sleep on the planes, so after almost 24 hours (and three in-flight movies) since I left my front door in Toronto, I arrived at the front door of the All African Conference of Churches Guest House in Nairobi.

The flights were really good, and KLM does it right, good service, pretty good food, and very friendly staff. Of course, any flight that goes up, stays up, and comes down in one piece as planned is a good flight!

The passengers on this flight seemed to be a unique mix. In Toronto there were several youth groups going to Kenya to work for March Break. I chatted with some and they were headed to Masai Mara to build a school. The various groups had team T shirts, with slogans like ‘Team Kenya 2011.’

At Amsterdam, we were joined by another church group of older adults from the U.S. wearing shirts with a similar slogan. On board, I learned that the man beside me was from an Arizona organization that worked in Africa (he does this route regularly and got bumped to Business after we were airborne – I wasn’t jealous). Seemed that this was one big mission flight! Really interesting to meet people doing this work and how we all come at it from different perspectives.

Departing Toronto

Waiting at Pearson for the first leg: Toronto to Amsterdam, then from there to Nairobi, arriving Friday evening (local time). Natch, the flight has been delayed, but I should still make the connection to Kenya.

My colleagues at wonder cafe have linked to this blog, so it might make some sense to explain myself a bit further (for those that don't know me. My name is Dan Benson, and I work at the national office of The United Church of Canada in the Communications Unit. We do all the neat stuff around publishing, editorial, web services, graphics, distribution, archives, media relations, marketing, multi-media productions, etc. It's a very busy group, often going in many different directions. It all works because there's an amazing team of talented pros that make it all happen (and make me, as the team leader, look good!).

Anyway, this trip is my opportunity to see the church at work in a global context. I've done lots at my local congregation (Bloor Street United in Toronto), and at the national office, but never before connected to what the church does globally.

There's lots going on here right now at the airport. There are four or five youth groups here that are on the same route as I am, to Kenya, for March Break!

Who we're visiting

It's Sunday afternoon. Laundry is in the machine, the suitcase is out with a few things thrown in to get started. Geordie-the-wonder-dog is looking askance at the luggage, as he knows what that means: the pack leader is disappearing again!

Instead of fretting how everything that needs to get done before Thursday evening gets done, I thought it might be a good time to do some homework for this trip, and get to know a bit about the organizations and partners I'll be seeing.

Wendy, as I mentioned before, is in the driver's seat for this trip. She's familiar with the people, the country, and the partners. My role is as an observer and learner. I'll be meeting the partners, listening and sharing stories about how the work is being done, and sharing some of what we're doing in communications and resource production in the United Church that may be helpful. And, perhaps most importantly, bringing back some of the stories of the struggles and successes in Kenya and Sudan to the church in Canada. We talk a lot about story-telling, and this is where some of that can happen.

I'll share more about the partners, their projects, and places we visit when I'm actually there, but here's a brief overview:

• PROCMURA is Programme for Christian Muslim Relations in Africa.
• NCCK is the National Council of Churches of Kenya.
• KAACR is the Kenya Alliance for the Advancement of Children.
• OAIC is the Organization of African Instituted Churches.
  
• SCC is the Sudan Council of Churches.

Like church alliances at home in Canada, these tend to focus either on a particular issue (say interfaith relations or children) across a broad base, or bring together diverse groups to seek common ground (say, independent 'instituted' churches). The recurrent theme seems to be building relationships and working together.

Each one of these programs is a partner with The United Church of Canada, and receives funding through the M&S Fund.

Map of Kenya

Here is a map of Kenya, showing some of the places we'll be visiting.
Our trip is covering a lot of ground in a short time. We start and finish in Nairobi, but will also be going to Kisumu, Nyeri, and the Rift Valley.

The upper left corner of the map shows the southern tip of Sudan. We'll be there for two days as well, which is pretty exciting seeing they've just elected to separate into a distinct country recently.

At the end of my visits with partners, I'll be staying on for a few days to do a safari in the Masai Mara region at Bateleur (not shown on the map).

Planning for Kenya

A week from tonight I'll be winging across the Atlantic to join Wendy Gichuru in Kenya for 14 days. Wendy, who was born in Nairobi, Kenya, is a colleague at the General Council Office for The United Church of Canada; she works in the Partners in Mission unit, and liaises with our international partners in Africa and the Middle East. Together, we'll be visiting our partners in Kenya and South Sudan.

The United Church works with local individuals and agencies around the world to help foster development and justice. This model has replaced the old style missionaries in which western, developed countries and churches exported their 'expertise, beliefs and superior ways' to developing countries. In partnerships, we work alongside locals who understand the context, needs, and goals in places like Kenya. Together, with all that everyone brings to the table, we build a better and just society. For more on the United Church's theology of partnership visit http://united-church.ca/partners/global

Here's a video interview with one of our partners in Kenya, commenting on the relationship.



Wendy and I will definitely be meeting with the National Council of Church in Kenya, but I'm not sure yet whether we'll be seeing Susie on this trip.

Stay tuned for more details.