First morning at KACH!

Some of the kids got up at 6:30 to do their chores (make their beds, clean the floors and bathrooms).  Before breakfast, we did a morning workout with Dolphine, our dance instructor!  Lots of laughs...

The kids are in!

Today is extremely hard to describe with words...  and I don't think pictures can do it either... 

We went and picked up the first kids who will be staying at KACH.  Some seemed extremely excited about going (mostly the ones who had no real home and/or the ones who already knew Karambu, Mikey or myself) some of them seemed scared and a little confused.  KACH is such a great concept to me that I forgot about how, no matter how gentle the transition may be, moving to a new house with new faces can be difficult and scary.  As we drove through the Meru district, stopping at different boarding schools and houses, I became progressively more anxious to see how well the kids were going to adjust to their new surroundings..

As they moved in, they all seemed super happy and comfortable with each other!  Mikey, Karambu and I spent the night at KACH with them.  As I was laying in bed, I felt like I had to pinch myself to realize where I was and what was going on.  I kept telling myself: "I can't beleive I'm laying down on a bed in KACH right now!  The kids are here, they have a home, a new family and they seem happy!  Their new life starts right now!!"

I can't wait to see alice smile!!

Looking for Nora and Mercy was kind of like "where's waldo"

Faith and Patrick's father past away two weeks ago.

Their mom had been gone for a few years and they were now living

with their grand parents, who were having a hard time providing

for them.  All the kids moving in today have their stories..

most of the stories are not pretty..

Linet was picked up on the road by a lady who lived with her

110 year old mother.  She stayed with them for a few months

while KACH was being built.  As Linet was leaving them today,

the old lady grabbed her hand and gave her some advice about

boys, about being herself, making choices etc... Very powerfull..

"Welcome package"; toothbrushes, soaps, cups, towels, home made quilt

and  beanie babies!

Playing games to break the ice.

Taking a tour of the place with Karambu.

Dennis was so excited to move in that he forgot to pack half his things!

Ethically Engaged Youth

In June, right before we showed up, a group of students from the Vail Mountain School came to Meru to build a chicken/goat/rabbit pen for KACH.  Mikey and I heard lots about their trip from the Meru community and wanted to say:

Dear Ethically Engaged Youth of Vail Mountain School,

The housing structure for the goats, chickens and rabbits looks incredible! It definitely added to the shock factor of not seeing the KACH site since October, and now we are able to see something from our crayon drawn plan come to be. I have heard stories of the work that took place while you were here and I chuckle as I am sure you now know exactly what I was trying to explain to you at VMS back in April. The first six chickens just moved in the other day, and I can't wait to see the completed picture with chickens, goats, and rabbits. It has  been great to hear about how much fun it was for all the workers to have you around for 10 days. They tell us that there was an energy and excitement everyday that really impacted and motivated everyone on the site. Bernard asks my mom everytime he sees her, "Michele, What have you done with my students?" 

One thing that I have learned is the impact we have on the locals through the work we do. You all have definitely left this mark behind, as the workers are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that a group of students came all the way from America to help remove old nails from scrap wood, and with such enthusiasm and conviction.  In their eyes you gave them dignity in their work; you gave it a meaning that it previously lacked; you inspired them to take pride in what they were doing and helped define what KACH is really about.  For this I applaud you!

We are also staying with Auntie Kathy and Juju Anna and the overall effect you had here is the same. There isn't a dinner that goes by without a mentioning of the VMS students and how fun, polite, interesting and intriguing they were. Actually we have heard the same message from just about everyone who was lucky enough to cross paths with you. I feel a tinge of pride every time I hear about the Students from Vail, as I know we come from the same place and am honored to have worked on the same project as you.

I want to say Asante Sana Sana for the incredible work that you did as the impact that you left behind has rippled through to help open eyes and touch hearts. I am sure that Meru had a similar effect on you. It is the showing up and doing like you did that truly inspires those who lay witness. You provided much more than food for the beautiful children who will call KACH home. 

Amani,

Mikey Hovey

Hello Vail Mountain School crew,

Mikey pretty much summed it up but I wanted to add a few words and tip my hat to you as well!  The goat/chicken/rabbit pen looks awesome and I really enjoyed hearing all the stories about your visit in Meru as well.  One of my favorite story is about how some of the workers were rolling their eyes when they first saw the girls trying to pull nails out of the old boards, and how these 16 year old girls learned, gained confidence and were working just as well as any of the guys on the job site  ...and impressing the heck out of them!

I wish I had the guts to do something like that when I was your age (such a cliche thing to say..! but it's true).  I know you had to go out of your comfort zone to come all the way to Meru so that you can help the Kithoka community and that's no small thing..!  Bravo!  The veggies you planted are looking good too, Simon insisted I included some pics of that as well.  Bernard says hello!

JP Auclair.

PS; The pen is also one of my favorite spot to hang out at, later in the day when the work is done.

Plastering

My wrist is finally good to go for plastering so I got out of what Mikey referred to as the prison cell to help with the plastering of the cook's bedroom.  It's a super messy job and it's super fun!  Especially when you cram 6 guys in a tiny room.  

Injuries happen every now and then, usually minor things,

cuts and scrapes.  Mikey and I have our first aid kit

and a little knowledge so we play nurse...

When a worker cuts or scrapes himself, they come

right to us; "Dr. Mike!, Dr. JP!"  They're not used to clean

and dress cuts.. when we are not around they just let it be

and even though they were skeptical the first time

we got the first aid kit out, I think they enjoy the care

and now ask us to fix the smallest cuts!

Today, Denis got a hammer on the head...

On our way back, we hung out with Francis,

one of our favorite street kid.  It can get hectic when

12 of them see us biking by the Makutano main intersection.

When they all run after us, we don't have enough food for everyone

and it gets a little tense.  It's nice when we get to watch one

or two enjoy a quiet meal without having to fight...

he still looked over his shoulder as he ate though,

afraid an older kid might come to steal his prize.

Harambe = Togetherness

Fundraising is an event that happens all over the world; it takes different forms and is used for various reasons; and interestingly it is an event and thing that we, as Alpine Initiatives, have spent a lot of time recently thinking about. So it was very fitting for us to be involved in a couple in Meru, where they are given the Swahili term Harambe. 

The first Harambe we attended was a unique experience as Lisa, my Mom, and I were with Karambu, so immediately we were marked as special guests and asked to sit up front. Of course it would have been rude to refuse so up we went and not only were we up front, but pretty much on stage looking out at the rest of the audience. I like how Lisa put it when she said " Well I guess this is one way to help get over the dislike of being stared at." Super amusing because as Mzungus (english speaker/white) we are always the focus of the peoples gaze and here we were, front and center on display.

Today JP and I attended another Harambe in the Chugu village, the guest of honor, he who the money is raised for, needed a surgery for pancreatic cancer. Chugu came alive this afternoon as the forest intermixed with small farms was brushed by the brilliant bronze hues of the afternoon sun. We were honored as special guests and upon arrival, similar to most fuctions, served some mixture of rice, corn and beans along with a cup of chai. This was merely a start to the festivities as everyone was getting primed and ready. After thinking about it I realized that I have been to many different fundraisers around the world and realize that they all have one thing in common, there is either an auction or a raffle or both. The difference is the prizes that are presented for these events, and although very different, similar in a sense that the items are representative of the community. For example our raffle included many items like skis, goggles, outerwear, all things relating to the ski world because that is what we are a part of. 

The touching part of this auction is that everyone in the community brought whatever they could afford to bring. Since many have little the items being auctioned included fruits and vegetables from peoples farms, chickens, bags of beans, and lots and lots of sugar cane. JP even made a comment to our friend Purity about the amount of sugar cane and she replied that's because of the drought and the peoples condition, therefore, this was all they could afford to donate. It is very interesting to witness, how among a very poor community, everything that was brought was then bought for some price during the auction, and I think they raised a fair amount of money for the guest of honor.

JP and I partook and bought a few things. We got a large bag of Avocado and Papaya for 20 Kenyan Shillings, about $0.25, can you believe it? JP also got a chicken, which we named Little Nugget, to join the chicken, named Muffin (short for Egg McMuffin) I had bought at the first Harambe, who now both live at KACH. 

The Harambe was a great experience as we experienced a part of the culture and were able to be part of the community we have grown to love so much. We cherish the activities and events like this as our relationships with the locals strengthen and we are continually invited into their lives.

Chippin' away.

The past 4 days JP, a couple of our co-workers and I have been armed with hammers and chisels. Our task, to chip the floors of the kitchen. This entails hammering out little holes all over the concrete slab to give a texture to the surface so the mortar that will be laid on top has something to bond to.  The process of continually hammering is tiring on the arms, annoying to the ears, aches the back and painful to the thumbs. In the beginning the moment focus is lost one usually misses the chisel and strikes their thumb, which after many really hurts and starts to leave a mark. Our co-workers laugh and say this is the mark of Kenya, as they all have one as well. As the days passed we got better and better and it was easy to focus on the task while giving time to think. 

As I was hammering away, in between shots to my thumbs, I realized how much time, effort, and sweat I had put into that exact spot. Chiseling away had a strong similarity to the smashing of rocks, which lay beneath the slab we were now indenting.  Instead of being armed with a large mallet to perform the task of turning large stones into gravel, we now were armed with small hammers and chisels and were in a sense doing the same thing. Below that exists layers of dirt and stone that were gathered from all over the property and thrown within the foundation. The foundation itself was a huge task as we dug the trenches with shovels, pick axes, and crow bars. Then, we were the machine that mixed the concrete after collecting wheel barrow after wheelbarrow of sand, gravel, and cement bags. Each step was done for the same purpose of adding another level or layer to the building being transformed into the kitchen responsible for feeding the children of KACH.

This kitchen at the Kithoka Amani Community Home is not only the place where I have done the hardest work of my life, but it is a spot has come to represent so much to me. It represents all of the Kenyans that we have bonded with through hard work and with who our relationships grow each and everyday. We have truly morphed from strangers to co-workers, from co-workers to friends, and from friends to brothers. It represents the kids who will soon be able to call a place home, the ones  who on a materialistic level have next to nothing, yet are so inspiring as they so easily give away their beautiful smiles, giving a true feeling to as what this place is about. It represents the community that we have become a part of,  one that has no boundaries and extends across different cultures, genders, and generations. As our bonds tighten our thirst for collaboration grows and we are able to watch this idea mature into something great!

Seat (with cushion, for extra comfort), chisel, hammer,

concrete slab... pretty straight forward.

getting started; 798 suaqre feet to go...

Tribute to the garden

One of my best memories form last October was pulling rocks out of the ground to get the garden started.  It was a real therapeutic experience for me.  My life style is so different at home; stressing about work, dead lines, contracts, fixing the house and everything in it, getting mad when my computer crashes or when the internet doesn't work...  In the garden, I was 100% happy.  Every time I pulled a rock out of the ground, I would think; "One less rock in the garden!".  So simple, so tangible, so real...  ...so awesome!  That's when I realized I didn't work with my hands enough and acknowledged that I have a need to build and grow things.  I think that a lot of us are losing touch with that aspect of being human, including me.  Many of the things we do these days happen on a desk or on a screen and we don't get to experience the satisfaction of watching something we created come to life.

Coming back to see the state of the garden 8 months later was truly satisfying.  It looks beautiful.  At least once a day, I take time to walk through, look, touch and smell...  It's amazing to witness how it changes from one day to the next.  Not to mention it will provide food for the kids.  If you've never done it, try growing something!