A Visit to the Village

In late December, the Chaves family visited Lucy's grandparents in the village of Mwer. It was a long and bumpy journey, but a beautiful destination. Below are some photos from our trip:

Making New Friends

Into Opar and Beyond

Lucy's grandmother is a woman of vigorous faith and while we were in Allego she organized an open air outreach in a neighboring village where many have never heard about Jesus. We traveled to the homestead of Lucy's great great grandmother and Lucy led a song while Dave was invited to serve as the guest preacher for the event. Meanwhile Josh explored the area:

On Christmas day, we visited a wonderful church in Opar, about forty minutes walk from where we were staying.

The World's Youngest Grandfather

The last born son of Lucy's grandfather is named 'Storm.' Storm is Lucy's uncle and therefore in Luo tradition is considered to be Joshua's grandfather. Here's a shot of Storm:

Below: Josh sits with his uncle on a traditional Luo reed bed.

The Pregnancy

"I don't care", she said. Standing next to the riverbank, Mary was nine months pregnant. Her other two children were born without a roof and grew up on the street. "Think about the baby", her friends implored. "You need to go." Despite poor health and numerous complications, Mary had no interest in going to a hospital. She was having trouble walking and the baby could come at any time.

Mary and her friends came to Mukuru Lunga Lunga Slum after being chased away from the field where they lived. Under the bridge next to the riverbank seemed like the most peace and best shelter they could find. Alex and I drove the car into Lunga Lunga as far as it could go. Amidst the potholed, narrow dirt path we squeezed our way through mabati shops and houses and wandering children and goats, only to be surrounded by a group of youth who demanded money to use their 'road.'

Alex continued toward the riverbank on foot. With tears in his eyes and much pleading, he convinced Mary to join us along with another pregnant woman and two friends.

At CANA Family Life Clinic in Mukuru Sinai Slum, a team of nurses, counselors, and community health workers spent the day with Mary and her friends. Started by an experienced nurse with a heart for the community, CANA offers health care, counseling, a maternity ward, and more to families in need. Wednesdays are pre-natal screening days at the clinic and recently we have had the opportunity to connect several young women in need to the clinic.

During her visit, Mary was given some very difficult news. The baby was healthy and near to delivery, but in routine testing, Mary was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. She needed immediate treatment. If she started on anti-retrovirals and came to the clinic for delivery it would be possible to avoid transmission to the child. Mary was shocked by the results, but after meeting with another HIV positive mother, she agreed to start on medication. . .

The good news of Christmas is that even when we don't care, there is Someone who does. For God so loved the world that he gave His only son. An unexpected child, born in the most humble conditions. Unto us a child is born and a son is given.

Please pray for Mary and her friends this Christmas season as they wait to deliver.

Notes:
Mary's real name has been changed for this story.
Alex is a graduate of Light and Power Centre and Akiba School. He started reaching out to families living on the street and people like Mary several years ago. Lately we've week connecting with Alex's ministry (Springs of Hope) on a regular basis.

Multimedia with a Difference

Our video production department has been slowly growing and taking on new projects. We started in 2009 with a borrowed camcorder and an aim of documenting Christian mission work in Nairobi. Over time we realized there was a need for quality video services and also an opportunity to use video as a means for positively influencing society. By empowering young people with worldview and skill-based training, we've set out to establish a media centre that can create much needed job opportunities while producing Christian documentaries, music videos, wedding and event videos, and more. . .

Currently, the department has two full time staff and several interns. Below is a short sampler of some of the projects we've worked on during 2011:

Slowly but surely we are working to improve quality and also to expand services. It has been a struggle at times, but God has been faithful and we are looking forward to what the next year holds. Below are two recent advertisements for wedding video services. Ben and Quin were interns over the past year and helped us out with the modeling. By offering coverage and editing services, we've been able to create several job opportunities.

Children's Television Programming

One of the areas that we are looking to expand into is children's television programming. Much of the media in Kenya is produced externally and is often lacking in kid friendly values. There is a dramatic need for local, contextually relevant, age-appropriate children's programming offering positive values and creativity to inspire young minds. With help from a former script writer for Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, we've been putting together ideas for a children's show to be filmed at Church Army Academy. Last week we held auditions for Cookie and Sly and are now sourcing for a sponsor to produce a pilot and the first several episodes. Cookie and Sly will feature a mix of drama between two childhood friends as well as interactive games and competitions with a live studio audience of primary school children. (Above is a sketch of two of of the main characters.)

From Waste to What?

Recently, Lucy challenged several of our job-seeking intern alumni to think about waste management in the city. Paper, plastic, and all sorts of waste litter the streets across Nairobi and are dumped in the river as well as near schools and public instititutions. There is no public system for regulating waste, and residents and private businesses are left to develop their own mechanisms for disposal. The results is that most waste is burned on the roadside, dumped in another part of the city, or left as litter on the ground. Private contractors ferry trucks to several dumpsites while street children pick through the waste in an informal and unhealthy recycling system.

Above: The remains of burnt tires at a burning site on the outskirts of Eastleigh, Nairobi.

As a result of Lucy's challenge, a small group has started meeting regularly and has interviewed garbage collectors, visited dump sites, and begun exploring opportunities for recycling. What started as a short brainstorming session is now blossoming into a community based organization. We are hoping to use waste management as a vehicle to create job opportunities, clean the environment, and mentor and minister to youth in the city. Creating a cleaner and kinder city through self-sustainable waste management is the goal. Our next question is "From waste to what?" Please be praying for the Tri-cycle Team and the continued research, planning, partnerships, and provision to launch a waste management program during 2012.

Demolitions across Nairobi

Over the past two months, thousands of homes and apartment buildings have been demolished in a campaign to make Nairobi more secure as well as to finght against grabbing of public land. Fake title deeds are rampant and unscrupulous government agents in the Lands Ministry have colluded with the City Council and local business leaders to defraud thousands of unsuspecting home buyers. The government has now demolished several slums as well as large estates including hundreds of homes in the multi-million dollar Syokimau Estate near the national airport. One of our friends recently awoke to find his apartment building surrounded by bulldozers and police. Along with other residents, he was given a few minues to grab whatever he could and vacate the building before it was razed to the ground. Opportunistic thieves take advantage of the confusion of demolition to make off with as many household goods as they can. Corruption, insecure land tenancy, and crime are three of the biggest challenges facing Nairobi. By putting money in the right pockets, private developers have snatched hundreds of acres of public land or stolen space from local owners by fencing plots overnight and hiring gangs to chase away the previous owners. Now it is hard to know what land is legitimate and what has been stolen. In the slums the challenges are even more acute, as the very existence of each slum is tenuous. Construction and development are largely informal and unregulated and based on payment of bribes to local leaders. Residents can be expelled at a moments notice and therefore lack any incentive for making improvements in their living environment.

A few years ago, one of the largest supermarkets in Eastern Africa was demolished during the night because it had been illegally built on a road reserve. . .Our apartment complex in South B is located opposite the Railway Training College and a large plot of government land that had been set aside for Railway employee housing. Over the past three years, the public land has been slowly snatched. It has been amazing to watch the fence posts move as dozens of private apartment buildings have been constructed on government land. Most of these buildings are now fully occupied with unsuspecting home buyers or tenants paying absentee landlords. There is speculation that some of these buildings in South B could be targeted next for demolition.

Church Army Africa Newsletter

Below is our latest newsletter highlighting some of the mission work from Church Army Africa. We've been especially involved in the Kibera mission as well as planning for a new medical centre.

http://www.churcharmyafrica.net/PDFs/link_november_2011.pdf

Yellow Hat and the Hide and Seek Fortress

Yellow Hat and the Hide and Seek Fortress from Church Army Africa on Vimeo.

New Beginnings Graduation

New Beginnings 2011

A short video put together by some of our interns from 2011 reflecting on their experiences during the year.

New Beginnings - 2011 from Church Army Africa on Vimeo.

Photos from Sinai

In September a gas pipe leakage and subsequent explosion resulted in the death of over one hundred residents in Sinai Slum.

A resident surveys the damage.
Anglican leaders at the site of the tragedy.
Devastation at the site of the explosion

The Site of the Fuel Leakage

Guitar Lessons

A Cake Baking Celebration!

In mid September, we hosted a cake baking party at our church. It was a competition among members of the youth group on who could bake the best tasting cake. The catch was that the cake needed to be prepared over a charcoal fire. Two cakes emerged from the competition in one piece: chocolate and mixed spice. In the end the panel of judges (Dave, Lucy, and Josh) awarded a victory to the spice team. It was a lesson in team building, creativity, and bringing different ingredients together to accomplish a task.

Car Seats

Josh has officially outgrown his current car seat and has recently been upgraded. Here's a couple shots from just before the transition:

The Lil' Drummer Boy

Adventures in Elementeita

Check out this short video from our trip:

Adventures in Elementeita from Church Army Africa on Vimeo.

Journey to Elementeita

The Chaves Family and friend Keith Webber spent three days earlier this month in Elementeita and Nakuru:

Waterfalls on the outskirts of Nakuru.

Accommodations at the Sleeping Warrior Camp.

The view from where we stayed in Elementeita.

Pointing out wildlife along the trail.

Inspecting the remains of a Cape Buffalo

Camping Craziness

Last week we led a group of our interns on a camping trip at Rowaland's Camp on the outskirts of Kibera. The first night it rained like crazy and one of our tents flooded. The guys spent the night curled up next to a campfire. It was cold and wet, but a great time. While on a short hike the next afternoon a group of monkeys attacked the other tent and made off with much of the food. For many of the interns it was their first time camping. Lots of fun but with some important lessons for next time:

1). Avoid pitching tents in puddle prone terrain.

2). Never leave food unguarded with the monkeys of Rowaland's.

The Team.

Quin, Steve, and Pascaline try to stay warm.

George gives the thumbs up as Esther and Duncan look on.

Ezekiel prepares the cooking pot.

Visit from Training Leaders International

During July we hosted a team from Training Leaders International. The group of pastors and teachers helped to coordinate workshops for Lay Readers in the Anglican Church as well as for pastors from three different informal settlements around Nairobi. Here's a few shots:

Top: The Team from TLI at the Nairobi skyline

Bottom: Small group discussions during the workshop at Church Army

Snapshots from July

At home in South B.

During July, we helped to organize a workshop for the mission coordinators from all Anglican Dioceses throughout Kenya.

Dave and his "Best Man", Darren Carlson, during a recent visit to Kenya.

This Baboon seemed to be enjoying his perch on an acacia tree in Nairobi National Park.

Dave prepares a subject for an interview by fixing a lavalier microphone on location.

Josh taste tests his first orange

Showing off my teeth with a bright smile.