2014 Handmade Tour: African Adventures

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This post was written by one of our twenty-something MITS Handmade Tour interns,
who apologizes in advance for obscure cultural references or lame puns. 

The weird paradox of mid-length missions is that you can simultaneously feel like you’ve been somewhere forever and that you just arrived. We lived that paradox for 25 days in Kenya.

The foreign leg of The Handmade Tour comes to a close as we all arrive back in Nashville for Impact 2014 (but more on that later…). Like any great movie, our month in Kenya was filled with interesting characters, plot twists, happy endings, and a surprising amount of popcorn. If our movie had a title, it might be Catch me if you Kenya or Safari Wars Episode V: The Baboon Strikes Back or The Fault in our Cars. But we’ll settle for something a little more generic. So without further ado, we present to you, The 2014 Handmade Tour: The Kenyan Leg. We promise it’s more interesting then it sounds, and it’s not about a Kenyan’s leg, either.

Scene 1: In the MITSdle of it all.

Most of us had never even been to Africa before, so a lot of our time was spent trying to gain an understanding of what Made in the Streets is all about. We spent many of our mornings helping at the learning center, rolling around with toddlers at the Nursery, learning alongside skills center students, and helping cook the kids’ lunch. We got to spend so much time with students and staff alike. Of course, even in these seemingly straightforward tasks, we were often met with adventure. Like the time Scott had to roll hundreds of chapatti. Or that time Amy learned she was teaching an English class approximately 90 seconds before class began. Still, if you wanna know what life at MITS is for the students, just ask us. We know; we were MITS students for 25 days.

Scene 2: See you letter.

Scott and Shannon helping students write sponsor letters

One of the goals for our time in Kenya was to help each student at MITS write a new letter to their sponsor and take updated pictures of the students to put in hand-painted picture frames. Most weekday afternoons we had eight or nine students over to our house for cookie eating, letter writing, frame-painting, and picture-taking. This time not only helped produce material to send to sponsors, but it gave us an opportunity to spend time with each student in a more intimate setting. We learned more about each individual student, and played at least seven thousand rounds of “Matthew Matthew,” the national game of Kenyan schoolchildren. We’ll show you sometime. During the summer, we’ll be lookin

g for sponsors for the new intakes to MITS. We can’t wait to share their stories with you!

Scene 3: The Street and Narrow

We took a few trips into town to view the “before” of MITS students. We visited the Mathare Slum, home to an estimated one million Kenyans. We also did a few base visits around town. “Bases” are essentially localized group of street kids. They are places, often a large pile of trash or a hill by the highway, where street kids commune and live. We were able to visit a few of these bases, sharing encouragements and praying with the street kids there. We get to see so many joyful and hopeful faces at Made in the Streets, and when we see the lives all the students came from, we are, frankly, dumbstruck. It’s a testament to God’s ability to transform lives.

Scene 4: Never a Dull Day

Nothing ever goes as planned in Africa. And so, our time in Africa is riddled with various fun moments and stories. Like the time we almost killed a cheetah, or the time 200 hyenas almost killed us. Like the time six MITS staff members thought we had poisoned them, or the time we ate three breakfasts before 10a.m. Like the time Scott and Chris had to push a van down the highway during Nairobi rush hour, or the time Shannon flooded an entire house. Our trip was anything but boring. Actually, it was everything but boring. But don’t think we’re gonna spoil all of those stories right now! Come and see us on tour and ask!

Our time in Kenya was so full that it would take a lot more than one feature-length movie to describe it all. Even an Avatar-length movie. But that’s why we love the Handmade Tour. Because now, we’re back in America; and we get to spend the next 7 weeks travelling across the U.S. and talking to YOU about Made in the Streets, the Handmade Tour the Say No to Glue Campaign, the new Frontline program for highschoolers, and more. We'll be at Impact in Nashville, TN until June 21st-stop by and see us outside Allen Arena. And be on the lookout for a stop near you. Because the MITS movie never really ends, and you might be the star of the sequel.   

Be sure to follow us this summer on the Handmade Tour. 

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Naomi goes home

Hellen Muga and Minayo's uncle

 Naomi and her grandmother

Naomi and her cousins

Naomi Minayo finally had a chance to go home in Kakamega after four years of staying in MITS. She was not sure of the directions too because she had left her home when she was very young. when they arrived home she found their homestead where they used to leave with her father, was still there. unfortunately, her dad had already passed on and her mother had gone to the next town this demoralized her so much. Luckily her grandmother,uncles, aunts and her neighbors were at home. Others were not able to recognize her at first because they said she had grown into a beautiful young lady and also very healthy. They could not stop staring at her. They had alot to catch up with. we could tell with the unending smiles on their faces. Her family appreciated what MITS had done to their child. They said they can not explain the joy they feel for seeing their daughter again and what MITS has made her.
Minayo also showed her family the skills she has attained in MITS by plaiting her aunts hair. This was so awesome and everyone was so happy. Since then her family members have been coming to visit her including her mother who she never met when she went for a home visits.

Sylvester designing a bag

At the skills center we have Sylvester who joined sewing department. He is a very disciplined boy but during the first days of attending sewing classes he started loosing hope and he thought he could not make it. He talked to his teacher and requested if he could change his skill to something else but the teacher could not allow Sylvester to quit s

o soon. He was talked to and also given advice on the importance of perseverance and not giving up. He followed the advice to the letter and now he is doing very well and eager to learn something new everyday. He was able to design a casual bag and also make it and now he is using it.

CLOSING DAY.

listening to speeches

The end of first term 2014 is finally here. Everybody was in high spirit because all of us have at least one week of rest. The days ceremony was accompanied by speeches from our Advisor Charles Coulston, Administrator Francis Mbuvi, Head of literacy Phillip Kariuki and Head of Skills Jacktone Omondi. All of them gave encouraging words to the student to start new school term out with vigor. they should recognize and acknowledge the facts as they overcome educational and social hurdles,all the while trying to keep their own sanity intact it will be strenuous. They should never get tired because it will pay at some point. The key thing that everyone talked about was to never give up

Mary Wanjiku

Mary  also one of our former student, who is now a teacher in Diribu College also encouraged our students. She expressed her gratitude to MITS staff and all of its supporters and well wishers. she said they are very approachable and always ready to listen to students concerns.She said MITS has enabled her to be an excellent source of support to her students. Her words will spur the other students to do even better. she is working really hard on her new job and has also shown  so much love on her work. "It is not how much you do but how much love you put in the doing."

Beatrice and Nelly

At the girls residence they had spotted some girls who had done remarkable deeds. They include Naomi Minayo for being most cleanest and punctual, Brenda Wasike and Jacline Imam for solving problems between other girls, Beatrice mbithe and Nelly Nyawira for ensuring all the bananas are watered and put manure,and  Rehema Mishi for being most obedient girl.

Updates

The conference was attended on by the hair and beauty therapists and fashion design students.  This was an international platform and a big step forward for MITS.  There was good and wide publicity.

This was the first meeting to launch the organization in East Africa. The vice chancellor of Technical university of Kenya and other personalities of influence graced the occasion.

 The students had lots of fun and learned a lot.

Many people have shown interest in knowing what we do.

The new students  were taken to shop for clothes, unfortunately two girls ran away that was after they were given money to shop with. They thought this was so much that it could sustain them. Jane and Janet ran back to the streets, fortunately Jane came back to her senses and returned to the center in Eastleigh. All the new students are now having a Narnia story time  with Darlene everyday at 4.30. The other teachers are also having classes with them. Among the many good lessons they are having in this classes, they've had a goal class. Here they question themselves on the things they want to achieve in the period that they are here with us and beyond. They had an activity where they cut out the size of their feet on pieces of construction paper and wrote their goals on their feet since our feet lead us to all the places we go, they can look at them and keep reminding themselves to stay focused. 


Stella and zuhura

Janice

Mercy Ooka was among the new students, she came when eight months pregnant.  After a month of staying with us she delivered a baby girl called Janice Asami on 4th April at 3 a.m. Both the mother and baby are doing very well and also healthy.



We all about great food @MITS

Today I was teaching about the temptations of Jesus in the Bible class. We read that Jesus went for forty days and forty nights without food. One of the students said, “That’s hard!”

said Salim . He remembers when he was new in Nairobi and did not know where to get his next meal." I also did not understand “sheng”(slang) and so I went without food for days. It was so hard for me. When my friends finally offered me some food, I did not think about it. “ I ate like a hog”  Salim recollects. Salim is from the Coastal region of Kenya, where they speak fluent Swahili.

Dennis Amufa also said that he remembers the days when his own mother would deny him food for a day or two.” My stomach would hurt and my body became very weak.”

Fuad recalls when he got sick at the base and no one was kind enough to share a meal with him. “For three days I just lay there. I did not have any thing to eat. Just water! I  thought I would die. When I got better I ate as much as my stomach could take. Jesus was a strong man to refuse this offer. “He added.

We are so grateful to all those who are making it possible for all these children to get good clean  food every day and even learn how to make it.


Rep. by Angie

Student updates

The last couple of weeks the wood shop has been busy.  This time our assignment was to build furniture for the new sewing class. We made strong tables, cabinets and shelves. We like it when we have projects to work on because, other than doing class work theory and practical, woodworking students get to see furniture they have worked being used by someone else. I believe this makes them know that this field is relevant in the market today.

Davis working on a shelf

Having had the students for over a year now, the students have learnt how to use measurements and sketches given to them and translate them to actual products. Because of this reason, we have the pleasure of giving those items to them and watch them do their work with very little help. In addition to making the furniture, they have mastered their mounting skills, that is they can mount shelves and cabinets.

Mercy and her mom

Fridah and Irene

With addition to the new girls, we have two young mothers. Fridah is 15 years old and only four months pregnant and due in August. She is weighs 53 kg and is 5 ft tall. Fridah is in the beginners class where she is learning how to read and write and she is showing so much interest in class.
The pic is of Mercy together with her mother. They are at the base where she came from. She is 7 months pregnant and will be due in May. she weighs 42 kg.

7 new boys at Eastleigh

Juster receives Jackline

These are the new students who have joined us. The girls are 8 and boys are 7. Most of them have already settled in. Currently they are undergoing the our new  orientation program. They have six lessons/units which takes a maximum of one month. They include; Bible, character lessons, counselling, group activities and life skills lessons. All the teachers have been assigned these lessons.

Charles and team

In other reports... 
In Kenya we are now in our long rains period, due to this our van broke down because water seep through to the engine via the exhaust. Making the connecting rod of one of the pistons bend. So the Auto Mechanic team dismantled the engine and we replaced the connecting rod, piston rings, con bearings, main bearings and cylinder gasket. We have managed to buy all the parts required to fix it. The big bus is totally fixed and ready for our long/shorts trips 
Since the rain s are here, the farm dept. is also working hard to plant crops, trees. Our orchard has really produced a lot of mangoes this season. 

Intern Report -Amanda Morgan

Amanda and Rapahel

Over the Christmas holiday, I had the blessings and opportunity to spend a month in Kenya at MITS. I arrived at the beginning of December and stayed through the beginning of January. I traveled alone and lived at MITS by myself for the majority of my stay. This allowed me to step out and spend time with the people of MITS. I lived next to the girls place and from sun up to sun down we were together. We shared bathrooms and showers when my water wasn’t working correctly. We went to local shops together, chapel, school, and shared every meal together. The girls taught me how to cook, we laughed and danced, we would sing and tell stories. I spent many hours playing with the sweet babies that live with the mothers at the girls place and got to just be a community with these girls. Living together, working together, sleeping together, and sharing meals together brings people together in a special way. I miss these children.

I miss these students. I miss the workers and staff and community at MITS. They became my family and we spent all of our time together. I learned so much from the students about life, love, and joy.  I learned that our past does not make our present or our future. The students proved to be smart, talented, loved, and hard working.  They have a purpose, a goal, and their eyes on the prize set before them. They know that God loves them and that He continually provides and takes care of them no matter what may arise. They taught me what it means to be blessed, what it means to love your neighbor, and what it means to speak the name of Jesus daily. His name was on their every word, every moment of the day.  I gained lifelong best friends in Kenya. Friends, who pray for me, communicate with me, check on me, and have a desire to be a part of my life.

Betsy, Anthony and Amanda

They know me in ways that not many other people do. Life was fun and exciting at MITS, but life was hard and required work and time and energy, also. But life is so much better than on the streets and the students know this. They remember back to a life of glue, a life of hunger, and a life of constant pain. This life is something they never want again and praise God for being rescued and loved. I praise God for their example of what it looks like to praise Him through good and bad, to trust in His plan, to be a friend, and to love without end. I am thankful that God gave me the chance to go to MITS and to share His love with the children that blessed and forever changed my life.