Wednesday
Dec132006
Africa Update #3
Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 01:05AM
It was another amazing day with the children of the BCC. These kids are so…so….well, words fail me. One of the first things you notice about these kids is how absolutely beautiful they are. I mean it. They are beautiful. Their features are so elegant and expressive. They have amazing smiles. They take pride in their appearance and how they present themselves. But more than that, they all have a certain quiet air about them, almost a dignity, even at 7 years old. I may simply be putting an American spin on a Kenyan disposition, but to my eyes these kids seem noble (it’s the best word I can think of). I’m not sure if this aura of quiet dignity is found throughout Africa, but it is one of the things that makes us Americans fall so helplessly in love with these children.
.
And smart. Despite their difficult life, and despite a school system which groans under it’s own weight, these kids are, in many cases, razor sharp. Spend 2 minutes talking and you quickly realize that these children could hold their own in any school system in the world, if only they’d be given a chance. Most won’t make it through school empowered enough to attain anything resembling success as we Americans know it, but it certainly isn’t due to any lack of natural ability. On the contrary, in many ways these kids can process thought and see issues in a way that strikes awe in me. I watched a simple game of checkers (“draughts” to the Kenyans) between two boys, each about 15 years old. One boy, Paul, was recognized by the other boys as the best at draughts. Charles, his opponent, was thought to be a worthy challenger. Let me just say that in all of my years of playing and watching checkers, I have never seen, nor even imagined, a game of checkers being played with the skill that these two boys displayed. They were laughing and teasing one another, but I just stood there with my mouth hanging open as they plotted chess-like strategy. They tried to control the sides, dominate the middle, feint advances. They had decoy pieces. They backed all of their moves up with strategy launched 4 moves previous. In the end, the surprise winner was Charles. The two boys laughed and shook hands, totally void of any American-type bravado. They both enjoyed their game of draughts, knew it was well-played, and cared not one whit about the outcome.
.
Yesterday we took the kids to a “theme” park. There really isn’t anything in the U.S. to compare it too, so I’ll just describe it briefly. Located outside of Nairobi a bit, the “Paradise Lost” theme park occupied a fairly large chunk of land. There was a small lake, a really cool waterfall, a “pre-historic” cave, and a park area where many people had set up picnics. The kids got to go on camel rides, feed an ostrich, explore the cave, scramble on rocks by the waterfall, and just enjoy being out with one another in a new and exciting place.
I did see one thing which disturbed me, however, and if I am interpreting it correctly it shows just how difficult a life these kids have before them. Obviously, around us Americans these kids are king and queen. They are the center of our small universe, and we all think them wonderful. But at the theme park, while waiting for a boat ride in the lake, I saw a different, and more accurate I suppose, reality. What I saw is that these kids are ignored by their society. Time after time a boat would be retrieved by the staff working the boat ride, brought to shore, and loaded with new passengers. And time after time I saw these children ignored or, on occasion, flat-out denied. The staff would bring the boat to shore as far from the kids as possible. If the kids tried to go to the boat, other people would cut them off. Lifejackets, required for riding, would be passed over the heads of the children to other waiting behind them. For almost an hour I observed is. Perhaps my interpretation is wrong, or perhaps I am missing something cultural, but my impression, my strong impression, is that these kids stood out as orphans in a society which 1) strongly values family, and 2) is saturated with kids just like them. Because of their societal standing, these kids were treated as if they didn’t exist, and was very disturbing to me. Again, I want to say that I may have been misinterpreting the situation, but nonetheless, it stings.
.
We all feel that what we are doing here is valuable. We all think that our presence here can make a difference for these children. We may be fooling ourselves about any sort of long-term impact, but we know that for a short time we can honor and love and dignify these kids. We also know that the love of Christ exemplified can result in powerful happenings. It is our hope that the love we share with these kids takes root, and that God uses this experience to give these kids hope and peace. Buckner does a fantastic job of meeting the needs of these kids, but at some point they will have to leave the BCC and make their own life as best they can. Pray for them in this regard. Pray that the few days we get to spend with them will somehow, through the blessing of God, make a difference in their lives.
.
We only have two days left with these kids. I wish I could spend a lifetime with them, protecting and providing for them, but I can’t. All of us on the trip, I think, feel a certain urgency in what we are doing and want to jam as much love as we can into these last 2 days. Pray for us in this endeavor. I have provided a few more photos…enjoy.
.
And smart. Despite their difficult life, and despite a school system which groans under it’s own weight, these kids are, in many cases, razor sharp. Spend 2 minutes talking and you quickly realize that these children could hold their own in any school system in the world, if only they’d be given a chance. Most won’t make it through school empowered enough to attain anything resembling success as we Americans know it, but it certainly isn’t due to any lack of natural ability. On the contrary, in many ways these kids can process thought and see issues in a way that strikes awe in me. I watched a simple game of checkers (“draughts” to the Kenyans) between two boys, each about 15 years old. One boy, Paul, was recognized by the other boys as the best at draughts. Charles, his opponent, was thought to be a worthy challenger. Let me just say that in all of my years of playing and watching checkers, I have never seen, nor even imagined, a game of checkers being played with the skill that these two boys displayed. They were laughing and teasing one another, but I just stood there with my mouth hanging open as they plotted chess-like strategy. They tried to control the sides, dominate the middle, feint advances. They had decoy pieces. They backed all of their moves up with strategy launched 4 moves previous. In the end, the surprise winner was Charles. The two boys laughed and shook hands, totally void of any American-type bravado. They both enjoyed their game of draughts, knew it was well-played, and cared not one whit about the outcome.
.
Yesterday we took the kids to a “theme” park. There really isn’t anything in the U.S. to compare it too, so I’ll just describe it briefly. Located outside of Nairobi a bit, the “Paradise Lost” theme park occupied a fairly large chunk of land. There was a small lake, a really cool waterfall, a “pre-historic” cave, and a park area where many people had set up picnics. The kids got to go on camel rides, feed an ostrich, explore the cave, scramble on rocks by the waterfall, and just enjoy being out with one another in a new and exciting place.
I did see one thing which disturbed me, however, and if I am interpreting it correctly it shows just how difficult a life these kids have before them. Obviously, around us Americans these kids are king and queen. They are the center of our small universe, and we all think them wonderful. But at the theme park, while waiting for a boat ride in the lake, I saw a different, and more accurate I suppose, reality. What I saw is that these kids are ignored by their society. Time after time a boat would be retrieved by the staff working the boat ride, brought to shore, and loaded with new passengers. And time after time I saw these children ignored or, on occasion, flat-out denied. The staff would bring the boat to shore as far from the kids as possible. If the kids tried to go to the boat, other people would cut them off. Lifejackets, required for riding, would be passed over the heads of the children to other waiting behind them. For almost an hour I observed is. Perhaps my interpretation is wrong, or perhaps I am missing something cultural, but my impression, my strong impression, is that these kids stood out as orphans in a society which 1) strongly values family, and 2) is saturated with kids just like them. Because of their societal standing, these kids were treated as if they didn’t exist, and was very disturbing to me. Again, I want to say that I may have been misinterpreting the situation, but nonetheless, it stings.
.
We all feel that what we are doing here is valuable. We all think that our presence here can make a difference for these children. We may be fooling ourselves about any sort of long-term impact, but we know that for a short time we can honor and love and dignify these kids. We also know that the love of Christ exemplified can result in powerful happenings. It is our hope that the love we share with these kids takes root, and that God uses this experience to give these kids hope and peace. Buckner does a fantastic job of meeting the needs of these kids, but at some point they will have to leave the BCC and make their own life as best they can. Pray for them in this regard. Pray that the few days we get to spend with them will somehow, through the blessing of God, make a difference in their lives.
.
We only have two days left with these kids. I wish I could spend a lifetime with them, protecting and providing for them, but I can’t. All of us on the trip, I think, feel a certain urgency in what we are doing and want to jam as much love as we can into these last 2 days. Pray for us in this endeavor. I have provided a few more photos…enjoy.
in Whatnot
Whatnot
Reader Comments (4)
Super - love the updates! We are thinking of you and praying for all daily. Have an extra cup of tea for us. Bryan & Eraina
Eraina says to say jambo to Ann Mwelu. Also love the picture of Joseph!
Super,
Sorry I haven't commented yet. I guess I figured you wouldn't be posting from Africa.
Unbelievable. What incredible experiences.
Praying for you.
See you soon.
Jeff
Hey Dave, We've been thinking about you and praying for you, the kids, and your trip. It sounds absolutely amazing. We wish so badly we were with you. How was Helen? Call us as soon as you can after you return.
We love you,
Eric and Molly