The Worst Part of the Worst Road in Kenya (So Far)

Earlier today, I was driving in a rural part of Kenya, and asked one my staff members to record this small length of road. Hands down, this is the worst part of the worst road that I've driven on in Kenya. As you'll see, some of the potholes look like bomb craters!

Street Boys

If you've ever wondered what street boys look like in Kisumu, the Kjeldgaard's oldest son, Nick, just filmed and edited the following video showing life on the street in Kisumu. 

Please pray specifically for Tom Onyango, he's the boy in the red shirt at about 1:45 into the video. He jumped the fence at Agape about 2 weeks ago and isn't ready to come back yet.

I know, I know, he's raised the bar for videos on this blog.  I think I'll have to get a better camera and a Mac . . . .

The Street Boys of Kisumu from Creative Studios on Vimeo.

The Page Kids at Braeburn International School

We are really fortunate to have an international school in Kisumu that is "homeschooler friendly."  Braeburn allows homeschool kids to participate in their after-school clubs and individual sports, which has turned out to be a great opportunity for our kids to get to know other kids in Kisumu.  Connor and Sutton were a little resistant to the idea at first (they've never been the "new kids"), but they've started enjoying themselves.

Connor and Sutton line up with the other kids to learn the different "lines" in tennis.

Sutton takes a swing!

Connor looks very graceful . . .

Lyla and her friend, Kenya Grace, who's attending pre-school at Braeburn twice a week.

Believe it or not, this is not dance class . . . actually taekwando!

Our friend, Lisa Kjeldgaard, accidentally got stuck in a ditch leaving Braeburn. You can't really tell from the photo, but her front wheel is levitating!

New Boys at Agape

I know it's been awhile since I gave any updates on new boys at Agape, but here's a well intentioned post that will hopefully mark me getting back in the swing of keeping you all updated!

Since the beginning of January, we've seen a big influx of new street boys joining the Agape family, and the five boys listed below are our newest additions in the past week.  Please keep them in your prayers as they begin to settle at Agape and pray that they won't get drawn back to life on the street.

Daniel Odongo, Age 13.  

Daniel actually jumped the fence earlier this morning, but thankfully came back to Agape earlier today.

 

Daniel Omondi, Age 12

 

Paul Ojanja, Age 10

Shem Mboya, Age 14

Also, please keep Tom Onyango in your prayers.  Tom is actually a really nice boy, but he has a real attachment to life on the street.  He also really dislikes school.  He's been involved with Agape since the summer of 2009, and he's been back and forth between home, the street, and Agape since then.  When he came back to Agape most recently this past September, the staff didn't even want to give him new clothes, because he had jumped the fence so many times in the past.  Well, last Friday Tom and three other boys decided to jump the fence; three of the boys came back to Agape, but Tom still remains on the street.  Our Outreach Team has spoken to him on the street, and he's not ready to come back.  Please keep Tom in your prayers!!!

Tom Onyango, Age 13

Pray for Peace in Kenya

2007 post-election violence and rioting in Kisumu after the contested presidential elections

Tomorrow, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is releasing its ruling on whether enough evidence exists to try in court six prominent Kenyans, the "Ocampo Six", charged with inciting riots following Kenya's 2007 presidential elections.  The Kenyan government is beefing up security around the country due to concerns that further violence might erupt  following the court's ruling.  Those in favor of the defendants might riot if the ICC proceeds with the trial, and those against the defendants might riot if the ICC decides there's not enough evidence for a full trial.  We're heading to the grocery store this afternoon to stock up on groceries . . . kinda like when you're expecting snow in the south (Ha!).

Here's an excellent article that sums up all of the possibilities of the Ocampo Six Ruling:  http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2012/0120_kenya_politics_prospects_kimenyi_kamau.aspx

Please pray for peace in Kenya tomorow (and in the following days and weeks)!!!

Prayer Request - Proposed Transition Center

One of the challenges that we face at Agape is taking a boy that has been living on the street and transitioning him into a much more regimented environment at Agape's main campus.  While on the street, a boy does what he wants to do, goes where he wants to go, and does things when he wants to do them; so, you can imagine the challenges that can result when they have to begin attending class, doing chores, etc.

Currently, Agape runs a transition program for boys coming off of the streets at the main campus that lasts about 2 to 3 weeks (some of the "wilder" boys spend a few months in the program), and we've been pursuing the idea of establishing a separate Transition Center for these boys to go through counseling, discipleship, and training away from Agape's main campus.

Just around the corner from the main campus sits a run-down building that is owned by the city of Kisumu, and we've been petitioning the City Council to obtain "ownership" of the building.  We'd have to make significant renovations to the building and property, but our targeted site is a perfect location for a future Transition Center.

Now, the bureaucracy that exists in the Kenyan government is overwhelming; I haven't even begun to figure out how things work exactly.  Basically, we need a lot of prayer, that the City Council will eventually decide to allow us use of this building.  Please keep this in your prayers!!!

As you can see from this photo, the location is right around the corner from Agape.

Here's a view of the building from the street.

Yes, that is a man sleeping on the grass.  This "street man" is exactly what Agape is trying to prevent by getting boys off of the street while they are still young.  

Another view of the building.  As you can see, we'll probably have to replace the roof.

Lunch with the Agape Staff

Earlier today, we had about 50 of Agape's Kenyan staff over to our house for our inaugural Staff Appreciation Lunch.  A big thanks to the Warns and Eric Kjeldgaard who stood in for our staff as guards and house parents so that the maximum number of staff could attend the lunch.  Also, a big thank you to Caleb, Florence, Emmy, and Mary who helped do all of the cooking!

Florence prepares the vegetables for the beef pilau.

Emmy kneads the chapati flour while talking on the phone.

Beef Pilau . . . so good!!!

Here's a short video of Caleb explaining how to make the pilau.

We had over 30 prizes for our game.  The most coveted prize . . . the boda-boda (bike).

Our backyard transformed . . .

Alseba, Harriet, and Ann, three of Agape's teachers.

Joking around while waiting for lunch to begin.

 The start of the line:  chapatis (thick tortillas), ugali (hard grits), kachumbari (looks like cole slaw) . . . 

. . . . and the end of the line:  kuku (chicken), gravy (basically soup), and beef pilau.

Digging in . . . Kenyans eat big portions!

After lunch, we played a game where we gave away over 30 prizes to the staff.  Basically, we conducted a big drawing and when a individual's number was drawn they had to choose an envelope, which contained the name of the prize . . . they then had the opportunity to keep the prize or to try for another prize. The staff absolutely loved the game and were literally falling out of their chairs laughing!

Explaining the rules of the game with my two Vanna Whites.

Tammy having a good time!

Raymond, pick a card . . . 

Philip, one of Agape's guards, was the winner of the bike.  He was so excited!!!

This was the funniest table at the lunch . . . a bunch of hecklers!

Here's a quick video of part of the game!

Keziah tries to decide which card to choose . . .

The hecklers shouting advice to the contestants of the game.

The staff laughing and egging on the contestants.

Njeri tries to choose a card . . . .

. . . . and wins a new blanket!

Everyone enjoying ice cream, cookies, and cake.

Peter and Elphus enjoying their ice cream.

Douglas, Caleb, and Charles doing the same.

This is me trying to act like I know what I'm talking about.

At the end of the afternoon, we all closed with a song.

"School's Back From Winter!" (Insert your best Alice Cooper impersonation)

Yesterday was Agape's first day back at school after a month-long break for December.  The school calendar in Kenya is a little different than the US.  They have three terms with one month breaks in April, August, and December.  Personally, I think it makes a whole lot more sense than the traditional US school calendar.  Here's a few pictures of morning assembly yesterday.

A panorama of morning assembly.  We probably only had about 100 kids yesterday, but that should grow to around 150 by the end of the week.

Rodgers, Abraham, and Brian prepare for the first day of Class 5 (5th Grade)

Boys goofing around . . . some things are consistent across all cultures.

I think our new students may stick out just a little!  The Kjeldgaards have four of their boys attending Agape's school part time.

The new transition class lines up.  Our new boys go through a 3-week transition program upon arrival at Agape to transition them from their previous life on the streets.