Throw together ten American artists with 16 African artists and over 100 kids in a slum in Nairobi.  And what comes out?   HOPE!

Today, (December 4) I am writing to you from Nairobi, Kenya!  It has been such a joy to come to Africa for a few weeks to work on a therapeutic arts camp. 

 
 The camp last week was a life changing experience for everyone involved.  Throw together 10 American artists with 16 African artists and over 100 kids in a slum in Nairobi.  And what comes out?  HOPE!  Creative artwork!  Transformed lives!  The participating partners were Build-a-Bridge, International, a non-profit organization from Philadelphia, which promotes arts-integrated education and intervention for children in the greatest need, and the Inspiration Center, a local volunteer program for children and youth which uses counseling combined with the arts to promote hope, restoration and healing for kids in the Mathare Valley slum in Nairobi.  

Teams led programs in visual arts, drama, music and movement, poetry and a community mural.  We all worked around the theme of hope, teaching the elements of future-orientation, positive expectation, intentionality, initiating, activity, realism, goals, inter-connectedness, and transcendence.  

One afternoon, we took a walk through the slum.  I have never seen people in such destitute circumstances.  Rotting trash and sewage litter the streets.  The river runs black with chemicals draining from illegal moonshine brewing.  HIV+ infections are placed at upwards of 70-80%.  Drug abuse is widespread. And staff at the Inspiration Center estimated that a full one quarter of the kids in the center have mothers working in prostitution.  Even the police and fire department refuse to come into the slum. Nathan Corbitt, co-director of Build-a-Bridge, who used to live in Nairobi said that the slum was even worse than when he was here just 10 years ago.  

I worked on the visual arts team, which had 20 kids under our guidance for the week. They were respectful and very well behaved.  They carefully placed each pen and oil pastel back into the boxes before they left each day and asked permission to go to the bathroom.  It was clear that the work of the Inspiration Center has made a huge impact in these kids’ lives.  And it gave me hope for their future.  For our projects, we did life maps, acrostic mobiles, hands reflecting our emotions in different colors, and a community puzzle.  We also talked about our future vocational goals, and each student determined what steps he or she will need to take to achieve those goals. 

“John” unfortunately had to come to grips with the fact that he will not be an American president when he grows up, since he was not born in the U.S.  (As you can imagine, President Elect Obama is quite popular here!)  Other kids chose vocations such as judge, professional soccer player, or journalist.  When the children drew their life stories, some talked about their experiences during the riots earlier this year after the election.  They described guns, teargas and violence in the streets. One boy had watched a pregnant woman being stabbed. Another saw a man hit and killed by a car.  Others talked about watching their homes burned down. 

One boy told me that in his short 9 years of life, six of his family members had died.  He whispered in my ear, “My uncle was a thief, so he was killed.  The others died because of sickness.” When I asked this little one how he continued to wake up each morning and go on with his life, he smiled a great big smile and said, “Because I pray to Jesus, and he gives me the strength to go on.  He helps me and protects me.  And on Sundays, I like to go to church and worship God.”  By the end of the week this boy’s shy, deferential demeanor gave way to a bright, confident air.   He told me he was going to get “A”s in school so that he could become a commercial pilot. 

In the music and movement group, the kids talked about what kinds of opportunities were available to them, and what drives them to succeed.  One boy responded, “…Because I refuse to die in Mathare!”  The drama group performed the poem, “And Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou.  Then, each student stated a personal struggle they face in their lives in the slum.  The whole group shouted back to each one, “…and still he/she rises!”   It was a powerful moment!  

I have learned so much from this experience, and I enjoyed working with such a remarkable group of people.  I plan to take what I have learned back to the New Life Center, as I continue my ongoing work with our New Life Center girls in Thailand. 

The reason I am writing from Nairobi at this time is because the airports in Bangkok have been overrun with protesters opposing the Thai prime minister.   So I was not able to return to Thailand last Saturday, as I had planned.  Fortunately, God’s plans are always better than ours, so I am experiencing God’s generous provision once again.  (editor's note Dec. 9:  Kit is now back safe in Chiang Mai!)

When Gideon Ochieng, the director of the Inspiration Center, and his wife Cecelia heard that I would be stranded, they invited me to stay with them.  This Christian family has taken me into their home, and they have been blessing me day by day with good food, good fellowship, and a comfortable bed.  Their hospitality has been an encouragement and an inspiration to me. 

Their two precious little girls, Gabi and Samara, are intrigued by my straight hair, and insist on running their fingers through my hair and touching my strange, white face!   Last night, Gideon and Cecelia’s small group Bible study was held here, in their home.  I felt a surprising kinship with these believers as we sang and worshipped the Lord together in the living room.  What was this strange affinity that I sensed with a dozen Africans whom I had never met?  I soon realized that it was the familiar face of Jesus that I saw in them.  Isn’t it amazing that no matter where we are, Christ is the same!













Kit Ripley
American Baptist Int'l Ministries
New Life Center,  Chiang Mai, Thailand

kitripley@pobox.com
http://www.newlifecenterfoundation.org