Beneath the surface

In front of me is a class of fresh faced smiling students, neatly dressed in school uniform, pen in hand, textbook open. My eyes scan across the room- if you didn't know it, they seem on the surface to be just like a school class in Australia; there are the smart kids, the helpful kids, the class clowns, the hard workers...
Yet these students have so much going on beneath the surface.

David is sitting in the front row, he is a super quiet kid but one of the cleverest in the school, he ALWAYS gets top mark for his year level and he will often giggle at puns or jokes I make that may go over the heads of the other students.... His mother has died and his stepmother doesn't like him. She doesn't allow him to live at home. When the other kids go home to their families in the holidays, he remains here at school.

Next to David is Nana, very friendly and welcoming she will always come and say hello and see me a few times a day... she returned to school late this term as one of her good friends, a 17 year old orphan, died from AIDs and she had to help organise the funeral. 

I see Brenda's wide grin in the second to back row, she is so hardworking and often asks me for extra help or information on the topics we cover... Although it doesn't show on her face, she is in pain.
Her holidays were very busy working in the fields and her only shoes are her school ones which she didn't want to ruin, hence she ploughed the field barefoot and sent a hoe right through her foot. As her family had no money for medical help she waited until she returned to school and I could treat it- unfortunately this meant that is had become infected and one of the most nasty cuts I have seen to date- it is going to take a while and a bit of treatment before it will fully recover.

Next to Brenda is an empty chair. Faith is not sponsored, her family couldn't afford school fees and she had to go home.

Godfrey on the far left has his books out ready, his homework completed. But he looks a little tired.... I would be tired if I had walked 7 km to school with an empty stomach. His only reliable meal is lunch at school. His father died many years ago and he has told me that he is now the responsible male figure in the family- despite being only 15 years of age. 


Geoffrey is absent today, his classmates said he is unwell. Yesterday I found him collapsed behind the tuition block. I immediately took him to the library/first aid area and did some tests- his family can't afford mosquito nets and he has contracted malaria. I gave him medication and told him to rest for a few days.

Yes on the surface these students seem to be just like any students anywhere, but its only once you get to know them and what goes on beneath the surface that you realise how difficult their lives are.
When they come and ask me for a band-aid its not just because they don't have any with them or they can't be bothered to wait until they get home. Its because they have no other means of getting one. When they ask to borrow a calculator for their exam it is because they can't afford one and without it they will likely fail.

The reason why these kids, with so much going on in their lives, are fresh faced and smiling is because unlike many others, they are at high school. They have the opportunity to become educated, find employment and potentially break of the cycle of poverty that their family has always been ensnared in.
Their hope for a bright future is what keeps them motivated and hard working.

Diary of a Day-Sunday 21st Sept

I am hurtling at 80 km per hour along a bone-shaking road, looking at the surface I think it would be fair to say there are more potholes than actual road. It is hot and sticky with the manky smell of wet carpet in the car I have borrowed. The air-con doesn't work and considering the truck in front of me is kicking up a storm of dust I figure it would be a disaster to open the windows. I glance over my shoulder at the student in the back seat, she is sitting silently, occasionally wiping blood from the gaping hole in her knee her friend also silent beside her...

Today started like any Sunday, slightly more of a sleep-in than a school day, brekky, a few students coming with various requests, then the 1km walk for Sunday service.
The speaker was a visitor from another region and he made several mentions of the 'visitors from without' (myself and the other Westerner) which considering I have lived here for 9 months I found slightly amusing. Walking back home down the dusty dirt road I found two little hands in mine and some gorgeous little girls skipping alongside me. I asked where they were from and was told their dad was going to pick them up from school later on that day. After  popping home for a quick lunch I headed over to school, the little girls were still hanging around so I played with them and gave them some sweets. I decided I may as well stay at the school library for a bit and do a few odd jobs before I kicked into my Sunday arvo plans.

I was just heading back to the house to pick up a few odds and ends when I was called back by a student 'madam, you are needed, someone is about to collapse'... unsure as to how serious this 'issue' is I quickly turned and headed back.
I found 16 year old Valery sitting outside the library, her leg covered in blood. She explained that a when running back to school a stick had tripped her and then flicked up and pierced her leg and it was very painful- it looked awful and I quickly grabbed gloves, water and gauze and set about cleaning it up. Once it was cleaned I could see more clearly- a large gaping hole.. by now a sizeable crowd of kids had gathered and were watching me closely. I asked Valery a few questions and she said it felt like there was still something inside. I got some tweezers and set about gingerly poking the hole, looking at the raw meatiness of it I felt so nauseous I quickly sat on the ground to avoid passing out or throwing up.
My efforts were fruitful as I soon pulled out a large splinter, but I still wasn't convinced...the wound looked bigger than just a splinter. I asked around but the students all said the other adults living onsite were not around... no second opinions available.

Not wanting to take any chances I grabbed my phone and quickly made a call to borrow a car. Then after giving her a few pain killers I bundled Valery and a couple of friends into the car and raced off to hospital.

After the usual hospital rigmaroles we finally found ourselves in a dirty corridor which had a small bed and table- this was the theatre room. There was only one doctor in the hospital so our wait was quite long, but eventually he came in. Valery was completely silent as he injected her with anaesthetic and then started digging around inside her knee, I was mesmerised and completely grossed out both at once and I found I couldn't keep my eyes off the proceedings, the doctor didn't seem to mind me poking my head in and asking him questions and he even laughed at my shock as he finally pulled out a comparatively enormous piece of wood from her small knee. I actually couldn't believe it and asked if I could keep it- the obliging doctor and nurse seemed a little surprised but carefully wrapped it up for me so I could take it home. A tetanus injection and a bagful of medication to prevent infection and we were out of there. All throughout this whole ordeal Valery hasn't complained once or even made a single cry of pain. Such a tough girl!

By now it was past 4:30 pm and the kids still hadn't had lunch. A quick scout of the hospital cafe and hotel found that both had nothing more to offer than tea- we decided to go back to our village hotel where the kids could get chapatti and stew.

Arriving back at school I realised that my Sunday afternoon was all but over, my previous plans of playing some football, putting up new clotheslines and getting my hair braided are now completely out of the question. I spend the last few hours of the day collecting drinking water for the school tomorrow and treating a few minor first aid issues.

Today didn't go exactly how I had planned and yet sitting down at the end of it I feel so blessed. Previously (at home in Aus) I have been known to faint in medical emergencies and yet today I remained conscious the entire time. So many people here wouldn't have a phone or a friend they could ring who would be happy to lend a car, and yet I had both of these. Even if they did have a car, most wouldn't know how to drive it and yet I have had my licence for years. Many people wouldn't be able to afford the 1400 shillings hospital bill and yet just last week I received another email from a friend at home letting me know they had transferred me some cash to use for people in need. Yes, today I feel one of my favourite verses was played out before me... "And God will supply every need of yours according to his riches" Phil 4:19

The offending stick once removed- as big as the car keys!

Parents Day!

After the holidays I hear talk that this term we will be having 'parents day', this is mentioned interchangeably with 'academic day' and I find myself wondering what exactly this will entail. Students are told to inform their parents to come on Friday of week two for consultation about 'academic matters'.

I ask one of the teachers what will be happening and he says he is not sure, perhaps the parents will come around to see the subject teachers or the maybe the class teachers, one thing he is adamant about- parents will arrive by 9 and therefore we will not be undertaking any regular teaching. I tell my classes that we will not be meeting on Friday and try to cover extra work to make up for it. 

Friday arrives and I head over to school at 8. Students are all over the place, half in uniform half not. There is obvious confusion about proceedings, this is soon addressed by the teacher on duty who wields a large ruler and demands everyone goes to class. I ask what is happening and someone tells me that teachers have decided to teach this morning. I check the schedule but my lessons aren’t until later on in the day. Some students are sneaking out of class and around the back of the building I assume to try and get properly dressed. The bell rings but it isn’t time for a lesson change or break.

Marquees and chairs which arrived late last night are stacked in a pile outside the principals office, there are no parents in sight. 

I again ask what the plan is and am told things won’t start until 10.

A few students come into the library and loiter. I ask them what they are doing and they say they have been locked out of class because they were late. I tell them they can’t just hide in the library and they need to go to class and wait outside. I soon see them walking the corridors looking for a class without a teacher in which they can seek refuge until they are permitted back in class.

Around 9:30 some students wander over and start to set up chairs and the marquees. A few parents have started to arrive and sit near the gate looking a little lost.

It is getting closer to the time I am scheduled to teach but I am not sure if I should prepare a lesson or not.

Suddenly a bell rings and assembly starts. I stand on parade still a little confused as to what is really happening. Various announcements are made about collecting forms and students accompanying parents to consult with teachers.  Then I am told its time for tea break. I don't feel like I have done much work yet but am happy to sit down to tea and white bread- until a crying students comes to me, someone dropped their boiling tea all over her and now she is burnt. My tea break is taken up treating her burn.

I emerge from the library and notice that there appears to be movement over at the tuition block- I head over there to investigate and realise parent teacher interviews are in full swing. I sit at an empty desk and am soon swamped by parents and my students. Unfortunately most of the parents have little English, so our interviews are somewhat challenging to say the least.
Watching the students bustling around, proudly introducing their parents to their various teachers, I feel a tug at my elbow. One student has come around the back of my table. I look up to see one of my form three boys, Amos. He wordlessly hands me the consultation form and I see that there is a blank space next to 'parent/guardian'. He has no parents. Not wanting to stand out he has still picked up a consultation form and is just going to the teachers by himself. My heart bleeds for this lad and I feel like taking his hand and going to visit the teachers with him, playing the role of guardian and congratulating him on his efforts, encouraging him where he could do better...

But I am a teacher and I am swamped by parents so I can't do any more than write an encouraging comment on his form and hand it back, then turn to deal with the parent in front of me who wants an explanation of why her daughter is failing physics (the fact I don't teach physics- or even her daughter in any subject seems to be a little difficult to communicate). 

After a hectic whirlwind of meetings we head to the marquees for introductions and some speeches. Being Kenya, this lasts for many hours and is mostly in Swahili. The principal introduces me and informs the sea of parents that I speak good Swahili and also run very fast, I find this slightly amusing that these are my outstanding features but then I guess I'm not completely sure thats what he said anyway (my Swahili really isn't all that good). 

I had thought I was just a passive participant and was enjoying watching a toddler blow raspberries on the side of the marquee until I was sharply brought back to reality by the MC announcing 'swahiliwordsidon'tunderstand MADAM TABBYmoreswahiliwords' and I realise I am being requested to give a speech about the library and computing matters! I decide to go against the flow and keep my speech down to around 5 minutes (not difficult seeing I had nothing prepared and suspect most don't really understand what I am saying anyways).

After several years the speeches finally finish and I breathe a sigh of relief- I can go and get some lunch! It is past 5 pm... However I am soon stopped by a random man I have never seen before. He throws tinsel around my neck and starts snapping photos. A few students run to join in and stick their heads through the tinsel wreathes as well. I am slightly confused- until the man starts asking for money so he can print the photos and bring to me- this is a common thing at events like this and I try to explain as best I can that I really don't need photos of myself as a human Christmas tree, return the tinsel and escape. 

I am stopped again by several students who want me to meet more parents and guardians. Some of the 'guardian's are barely older than the students themselves and I find out many are actually older siblings or relatives. 

I walk past the staff room and realise another meeting is taking place with the form four parents- however I don't have any energy left for more meetings so I excuse myself on the basis of needing to attend to students- a genuine excuse as considering I haven't been around all afternoon the crowd at the library door is quite large.

The day finally ends and as I watch the motley collection of grandpas, siblings, relatives and parents leave the school I feel a rush of affection to these people, it was a confusing day for them as well, many haven't had an opportunity to be educated themselves, but they recognise the importance of it for their children. They have put in the effort, scraped together what fees they can, walked the long distance to the school and shown these kids that they care about their future. 

Orphan

The word orphan is one that is associated with great need, it is a word that instantly pulls the heartstrings, that indicates someone who has no-one to care for them or provide for them.

As a child growing up in Australia I knew of only one person who was an orphan, and despite him being around 17 years of age and almost independent anyways I felt so sorry for him. Imagine having no one to look after and care for you!

Here in Kenya, orphans are many.

One of my students returned from holidays a few days late this term and I asked her why. She explained that one of her close friends had died so she had to bury her. She explained how her friend was an orphan, left with only a stepmother to care for her- who disliked her and mistreated her often. Her parents had died from AIDS and this girl was found to be HIV positive; as my student explained, she hated life because no one cared for her so she stopped getting treatment and she died. 'You see madam, when you lose your parents and have no one to care for you, your life is very bad...'
This is sadly such a common tale, parents passing away, no one to care for them, they feel like a burden, they have to fend for themselves.

Sometimes however, there are people who care. People who show these kids and young people that life is worth living, that others are out there who will look after them, cook their meals, share their laughter, sympathise with their sadness, wipe their tears.

There are some amazing people I have met here, who both work at Lela orphanage or else live in the community and have taken orphans into their houses. One such lady I was talking to at church about a small child she had recently taken in, her reasoning and reply was simple 'we share what little we have'.

When doing visits for sponsorship candidates, not a single one of the needy families we visited had only their biological children. Their needs are great because their generosity is great. Taking in many fatherless and sharing what little they have.
If we were to think of a good solution to the problem of so many orphans, surely we would brainstorm and come up with various strategies and finally one of the ideals would be that rather than abandoned or institutionalised they are cared for within homes by being accepted into existing family units.... and yet this is the default that is happening!
The only problem is enough money for these 'family units' to continue functioning.

The need is there. The solution is in place. All it needs is a bit more support.

http://www.agapeinaction.com/sponsor_now.html

Orphaned by AIDS, baby Davis is now cared for by a grandmother and sponsored through Agape in Action.