Adventures in Kenya, Part 3: Friends and Bombs

One of the greatest things about being involved as a volunteer with Tumaini International Ministries www.tumainiinternational.org for all these years has been the opportunity to develop great friendships with incredible people on the other side of the world. 10 years since Tumaini was formed to address the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in the area of Masii, Kenya- I feel like I've been blessed to meet men and women who are so genuinely in love with God that all they do pours love into the people around them. They are on the front lines, working daily to bring hope and healing to their community. You would think that given the context of the work and the enormity of the problems they are faced with, these would not be fun people to hang out with. Too serious, too stuffy. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Along with their tremendous passion for helping the kids and working with families who have suffered so much, each of these men and women have a deeply rooted joy that is unmatched. We laugh together until we are wiping tears away and holding our sides. We have a few running jokes that get pulled out with each visit. We share stories, family updates, meals, and dreams together. And through it all, when someone is in trouble, we are there for each other. I could not be more grateful.

When our friend Paul received my panicked email explaining that we were in Nairobi and were in the middle of a very unpleasant fiasco and really needed his help, he didn't hesitate. I explained that we were not hurt nor were we in danger, just that we needed to leave the lodge as quickly as possible. I was exhausted, flustered and at a loss for what else to do, and hoped he could just point me in the right direction. He decided to send Josphat ("Tawa") and Elizabeth to our rescue. They had been out visiting a few Tumaini families, delivering food and supplies, and gathering sponsored child updates when they received his call. They were several hours away from our location, but came as soon as they could and collected us in the Tumaini van. Seeing them pull up to the compound was such a relief! After we exchanged hugs and piled into the van, I silently thanked God for blessing me with such dear friends.

During our time together, even though it was just a week, we grew even closer. Perhaps the fact that we didn't have a big team of people helped some, as it was a more intimate setting and easier to manage logistically. Less like the Wazungu Circus, more like a relaxed visit with out of town guests. Actually, as Paul liked to remind us, "You are more than our guests. You are family!" So awesome! We loved spending time with Paul and his family, Elizabeth, Tawa, Esther- we got to see our buddy Jackson, who has the craziest stories and silliest laugh, and hear about the different kids' families that he was preparing to go visit. We got to spend a bit of time in the office and observe all of the work that goes on, and marvel that anything gets accomplished with the many guests that drop in throughout any given day. By guests, I mean sponsored children stopping by, relatives asking about getting their grandchild/niece/nephew/son/daughter on the waiting list, church members asking how they can help, and Board members preparing for their upcoming meeting. Oh, and us, the big wazungus.

Ever the gracious hosts, Alli and I were treated to a couple of surprise visits with some of the kids that we sponsor. We visited her "daughter" Emma at her school, my "son" Rogers at his home, and even caught up with her "son" Palvine, who has since graduated from the Tumaini program, is taking college classes, and has a full time job. While each visit with the kids was special, this one stood out because seeing Palvine looking so handsome and healthy, able to care for himself as never before, was very powerful.

On the final day of our trip, Alli and I still needed to shop for some materials for our freshly established sewing projects in Masii. Elizabeth and Tawa took us to Nairobi, where we had lunch at the Java House before heading over to the downtown shopping centers. Tawa dropped off Elizabeth, Alli and I as we went on foot to hit some of the fabric shops. The first place we went into was okay, but not great. The next place we went into, however, was a jackpot! Reams and reams of gorgeous fabric: lessos, batiks, pashminas, in every quality and price range, plus a few finished products that were to die for. On top of that, the shop owner is a wonderful gentleman- welcoming and knowledgable with a warm Indian accent and 37 years in business at that location. We were having a blast going through fabrics when suddenly, the sound of an explosion caught us all off guard. This was much louder and more resonant than a car backfire; it was a bomb, and from the sound of it this was much too close for comfort. We all froze, slowly staring at each other with eyes wide. Within seconds, we could see a wave of panic on the faces of people outside as cries went up and people ran into shops, pulling down the metal security bars over the doors and huddling. The stark reality of life in the developing world was in our face. The next five minutes seemed like an eternity, as Alli and I stood out of sight, pressed back into bolts of fabric covering the walls of the small shop. Strangely, neither one of us felt panicked or afraid. "You OK?" I asked, "Yup, I'm good!" she replied. "That was a bomb," I said. "Yes, sure sounded like it," she replied. Standing there with my BFF, I was glad that the friend I have been closest to for my entire life was right there. It felt like we were kids again, playing superheroes in the backyard. Just like in our childhood adventures, somehow we knew everything was going to be okay. Elizabeth was on her cell phone with Tawa, trying to gather details. "Can you hurry up and finish?" he said, "It's getting bad out here." A few more minutes passed, and then a sense of relief as the security doors went back up, and life as normal resumed. Alli, Elizabeth and I finished our business and then headed back outside to find Tawa bringing the van around the corner just then. We piled back in the van, and got the update from him about the blast. Paul had been on the phone with him minutes after the explosion registered, as it had come out as Breaking News while he was at work and he was of course concerned about all of us. We learned that the bomb had gone off literally the next street over from where we had been shopping. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but nearly 30 people had been injured. Details would continue to unfold throughout the day and by the time we had flown out and were on the ground in Amsterdam, reports came that the Somali terriorist militia, Al-Shabboub, was suspected in the attack and a suspect had been identified. Needless to say, but our prayer life improved dramatically and we ask God for continued protection for our friends abroad.

You might think that such an adventure as this would discourage me from returning to Kenya, but you would be wrong. All the more, I want to strengthen my ties to the work being done in Kenya, both through Tumaini International Ministries and through our small business, WE Care Jewelry & Accessories, LLC. Terrorists SUCK, anywhere in the world. And the truth is bad things happen everywhere. I'm not rushing into the face of danger. I'm not a hero. I'm not a soldier, God bless them. I'm just a woman who believes that through education and development, through love and empowerment, this is how we can work together in building a better world and fostering peace. That, my friends, is worth living for.