"Together We Can" [Meru - Day 1]

After arriving the night before, "setting up camp" in Pastor Joshua's home, eating our hearts out, drinking lots of Chai, and getting a full night's sleep with two to a twin bed, we had a full day ahead of us. We drove to Kathanga Primary School where we were going to have a Kids Fun Day. When we arrived, the head teacher Christopher showed us around the school campus. We saw the plant nursery, the kitchen (which was pretty much a wood shack with open air walls for the smoke to escape), the pool (or "hole in the ground" with plastic lining, where roof rain water is caught and used for cleaning), several classrooms, and the staff room.

By 11am we began the Kids Fun Day with prayer, introductions, identifying the purpose of the day (which was HIV prevention). All of the kids from the different schools put on performances of dance, poems, songs, skits, and even solos--all of which had the message of HIV/AIDS and/or HIV/AIDS prevention. This was again a lot of fun and took pretty much all afternoon. Then, we had lunch, which was delicious, as always, and hung out with the kids, singing and dancing, before separating them into youth girls, youth boys, children, and adults for teaching.

We also had to separate the kids involved in KFS (Kids for School) from those who are not supported by HEART. Once that was all finished and figured out, each group separated into different classrooms or areas on the field. I was in the group that taught kids and any other youth that was there who was not involved in KFS, or simply didn't know where else he/she was supposed to be. Together with Breanna, Margaret, and Jen, I taught the kids about hand washing and HIV/AIDS.

I rubbed one hand in the dirt and left the other one the way it was. As I held them up, we asked the kids, "Which hand has germs?" The kids pointed to the hand with the dirt on it. We then went to explain that they were incorrect: both hands have germs. We then gave a demonstration on how to properly wash your hands with soap and water and explained when you should wash your hands and the various diseases you can prevent by washing your hands.

As we moved on to HIV/AIDS, we asked the kids what they knew about how it was transmitted and what to do to avoid becoming infected with HIV. Most of them already knew that it could not be spread by playing with someone who is infected or touching someone who is infected; so we simply reassured them that it is okay to play with HIV infected kids, and even encouraged them to do so. We then clarified that HIV is spread through sex, as well as blood-to-blood and mother-to-child. I was surprised at how much the kids already knew. We then talked about abstinence until marriage and did not need to go any further than that. I can now only hope that these kids take what they know and put it to practice. It is not the knowledge, but the behavior, that will change the outcome of this HIV/AIDS pandemic. We also stressed the importance of knowing one's status.

While the other girls talked about hand washing and HIV/AIDS, I had fun acting out what they were explaining with funny faces and gestures. I figured even if the kids did not quite understand what we were saying in English (or even what the translator was saying in Swahili), they could get the message through my dramatic movements and sound effects. It allowed me to connect with the kids in the midst of a time that could be very boring or seemingly impertinent for a young child.

After the teaching, the kids were dismissed to play games including jump-rope, football (aka soccer), and bubbles. There was also, as always, lots of singing and dancing from the "Wazungu," as the kids loved it when we would sing a song. They swarm around you like bees with hardly enough room to move around. One song they especially loved, I am pretty sure we sang 100 times. It was the banana song, which was perfect because they are starting to grow bananas at the school for a source of food and income! It had hand motions, which I will let you imagine, and goes: "Grow bananas, grow grow bananas. Pick bananas, pick pick bananas. Peel bananas, peel peel bananas. Cut bananas, cut cut bananas. Mash bananas, mash mash bananas. Eat bananas, eat eat bananas. GO bananas, GO GO BANANAS!" On the last part, we go crazy and jump around and fling our hair everywhere. The kids would constantly scream with excitement. They loved that song. I am sure they will be singing it for a long time.

By the end of the day, you hair is filled with dirt, your body is covered in dust, and your eyes are cloudy from the dusty air--most of which is from the people touching your skin and playing with your hair. Since most of the kids in Meru have never seen a white person before (aside from maybe on TV), they would crowd around you to touch your skin, shake your hand, play with your hair, or take a picture with you. I had never had that much attention from Kenyan kids, but one eventually explained to me that it was not just the color of my skin, but to them, I was very soft. If you know me at all, I hate it when people touch my face, but one girl reached up to touch my face, and I let her. It was too sweet. And I can still feel her hand rubbing my cheek.

Throughout the whole Kids Fun Day, people were encouraged to go to the HCT (HIV Counseling and Testing), which we had set up in one of the rooms at the school. By the end of the day, we had 236 come in and get tested. Zero were positive! This was an outstanding turn out for the day, and as much as the fact that none were positive was a surprise, I cannot say we were not overjoyed.

At the end of the day, we gathered all of the kids, HEART team, and teachers together for a final summary of all that was taught and all that was learned. Many "thank you"s were said, and a lot of the kids encouraged "our visitors to feel at home and come back again." After we closed with prayer, we headed back to the vans to load up. But before we left, we were called into one of the classrooms by the guardians. When we stepped in, many more "thank you"s were given, and they presented each one of us with gifts. I don't know how, but I ended up with a lasso (fabric that they wrap into a skirt), three necklaces, and a pair of earrings--all hand-crafted. Others received similar items, and still others received African gourds or handbags. It was a time full of lots of laughter and smiles--and blessing. A lot of these people are living off of less than 100 shillings (a little over one US Dollar) a day, and here they are, presenting us, who have plenty, with generous, beautiful, and somewhat silly gifts. It was precious.

Finally, we said our goodbyes once again and headed home to Pastor Joshua's where we exchanged stories and discussed the schedule for the next day. I love upcountry. Have I mentioned that God is good?