January '08 Trip to Kenya & Product Update

Hello dear friends! I’ve just returned from a 3-week trip to Kenya. Yes, I knew it was during the elections and, no, I’m not crazy. (I’ve had to answer that question a few times.) The horrible violence that has gripped the nation was a surprise to me and everyone else.

In case you don’t know, Kenya’s presidential election was December 27th. I checked on the situation before I left on the 29th and there was tension because the election results had not been announced yet, but certainly no violence. Unfortunately as I was in the air, the winner was announced and violence erupted. There seemed to be corruption and rigged results from both parties. The predominant tribe of the party that lost began killing members of the tribe that won, even people who had previously been their neighbors and friends. Many businesses were burnt and people were forced to flee their homes. To date, reports are that 850 people have been killed and 300,000 displaced. “Displaced” sounds like such a nice word but what it means is that people grabbed anything they could in about 30 seconds and started running for their lives. Now they are huddled together by the thousands, seeking refuge at police stations or other so-called safe areas. Food, water, blankets, clothes—all of life’s basic necessities are gone—as is any sense of safety or certainty of the future.

For the most part, I was safe the entire time I was there. The night I arrived at the airport was a bit dicey since everything had just erupted and it was not safe for my friends to come get me. I managed to make friends with some people who were going to a nearby guesthouse. Thank goodness they had a room for me.

Much of my trip was spent with my friend, Amanda Smith, whom many of you know. She moved there in September as a full-time missionary and has been in Swahili classes ever since. Her apartment is in a safe area in Nairobi but it is very close to downtown where a lot of rioting occurred. Each day we tried to figure out what was happening and make plans in case I needed to get to the airport. Keep in mind; there are no multiple channels of CNN or Fox News showing minute-by-minute coverage. We tried to watch the news that came on every night at 9:00 on a very bad TV. There is Amanda (right) trying to get reception!
Needless to say, we didn’t learn much from that TV. For the first week, we had to stay inside for the most part, although we would definitely try to get a paper first thing each morning. I intentionally made this trip longer than the others from last year with the hope that I could spend more time relaxing and visiting with friends. Well, I certainly got that this time! But. after the first week, I was able to get out and about and accomplish my goals for the trip.
Here is a shot from inside our car window of the many police lined up in full gear to stop protestors.

Never too worried about our area, I was more concerned about my friends who live in the slums of Nairobi where groups of people were looking to harm other groups of people. To date, all of them are safe but the situation changes each day. Many of them did witness things no person should ever have to see—limbs and heads cut off, women and babies accosted or, at the very least, constant worry that their house was going to be burnt down at any minute. It is hard to even write those words much less to think of someone being in the midst of that kind of violence.


Peace Agreement Signed But Violence Continues
I returned to the U.S. on January 17th and in the days following it seemed like things were calming down in Kenya. However, last week new violence emerged, much of it worse than when I was there. I was “texting” with a friend last week who was surrounded by gunshots and screams outside his apartment. Thank goodness he is fine. As I write this today, former UN Chief Kofi Annan is mediating talks between the two parties and a peace agreement has been signed but there is so much work to be done. The violence has now taken on a life of its own, apart from the original election dispute.

My heart is broken for the people of Kenya. It has been a stable country for years. Most people there are not tribal fundamentalists. They are peace-loving people and are extremely proud of their country. And, by the way, everyone there votes. Most drive hundreds of miles to their homeland and stand in lines for 10 hours with no food or toilets to make sure they vote. This is a disgusting result of what was supposed to be a fair election.

But, like most Kenyans, I am extremely hopeful. I know they will suffer some tough times in the coming months no doubt, but I pray that things will get better and better. There is so much more I could write on the situation there but I’m sure I won’t do it justice and, truthfully, I don’t think I have processed it all yet. I learned so much on this trip about people—how one or two politicians, with just their words, hold the power to save lives or take lives, how resentments and prejudices from years ago always linger, how the mob-mentality can work, how hunger and dire need for a lifetime can boil over in anger in an instant, and how people at times cannot save a situation but instead God's supernatural powers are necessary.

If you have an interest in learning more, I suggest the following links. Some are personal blogs and I may not agree with their views, but it is interesting to see the situation from all different angles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/
www.vigilantejournalist.com/blog (warning—graphic)
http://www.kenyanpundit.com/
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18468272


How You Can Help the People of Kenya
First, pray for them - the situation, the leaders, those who have lost loved ones, those who are scared of new attacks, those who lost their homes, those who are in camps and hungry and afraid of the night time. If you feel led to donate money, I’m absolutely positive it can be used. People have lost their homes and all their belongings and many are not even able to leave these camps to go back to their homes. The situation is dire for so many. I know many people on the ground there who are investigating organizations where your donation will truly get to those who need the help. If you are interested, let me know and I will pass on that information as they give it to me.


Next Steps for Gifts on a Mission
The purpose of this trip to Kenya was:

• To visit with the artists who are making items for Gifts on a Mission, discuss upcoming orders, and to find new artists
  
• To continue plans for the orphanage we will be building in Lodwar, including visiting with the children who will live in the orphanage

It's strange to think of pottery and purses when people have lost their lives or their homes. But, the mission of this ministry and business has always been one simple thing: OPPORTUNITY. First, to give opportunity to people in a country where unemployment is anywhere from 50-90%. Second, to give opportunity to children through the profits of this business and through fundraising. This disaster has only made it worse for people to keep a job or get a job. The craftspeople I work with have already seen their business drop. And, certainly the children who are awaiting the orphanage we are building don't need to suffer anymore. So, as weird as this might feel to work on purses and pottery, that's exactly what I am doing. I believe God's calling is the same for me as it always was and I am moving forward.

Please Hold On! Products Coming Very Soon!
You all know that starting this business has been a fascinating learning experience - dealing with U.S. Customs, dealing with freight forwarders in Nairobi - these are the times when I know it is a calling from God and not necessarily a beautiful business model! Well, progress is being made and soon there will be no gaps in inventory like I have now. For the moment, I am expecting my next shipment in March and then a larger one shortly after that. I found more wonderful artists and more neat products on this trip and am excited to share them with you. By the time the March shipment is here, I will have the ordering section of the website up and running. Then, I will sell from the website, at various festivals and fairs throughout the year, and will be working on getting products into retailers.

So, watch out for announcements as soon as the products are ready!

House of Hope Home for Children - Fundraising Begins!
As you may have seen from my website, I am working with SERV International out of Woodstock to build an orphanage in Lodwar, Kenya, to be called HOUSE OF HOPE. This is an area where SERV has been ministering and taking food and where I have been working with the women who make baskets. It is a perfect fit for both of us and I am so excited to be partnering with them. We have already begun fundraising - thank you so much to those of you who have already donated!

On this trip, I was able to visit with the 12 children who have already been identified as those who will live in the home. We are working with SHARE, a ministry based in Lodwar. They are doing what they can to take care of the children until the home is built. Here are a few pictures of the children. They are Rebecca, Esekon, Kabo and another Rebecca with her brother Benson.

In addition to visiting with the children, I was able to meet with a local official to ask questions about the construction process and licensing of the home. He reminded me of some of the statistics including that there are 18,000 orphans in this region alone, the Turkana region of northern Kenya. But, truly, all children in this region are vulnerable considering there is very little food and very little opportunity. We plan for House of Hope to follow the new model of orphanages in Kenya where extended relatives of orphans are supported and encouraged to take them in. The home itself becomes more of an outreach tool into the community. As a last resort, the child will be brought into the home. The format will be more family-style with children broken into small groups and living with house parents.

We are in the process of gathering construction costs and hope to begin building in late spring or early summer. It can't be soon enough for these children!