The Man Without A Name

I met the man with no name in 2009 in a town called Narok, Kenya.  Dr. Franco Sicuro coined a term, “Global Misery.” Most people have at some point tasted, if only for a short moment, misery. Misery might be described as a person beign knocked down, and someone steps on his neck! It is that moment when someone puts there heals on your head and grinds you into the ground.

This man could not speak English and I could not speak Swahili. He talked to me with his hands asking me to take his picture. So I did. He then wanted to see his image. I turned the camera and, for the first time, he saw his picture. He was making signs with his hands and I had no idea what he was telling me.

Joy Mueni, my Kenya boots on the ground rescued me. She started interpreting his words to me. The man was saying that he had no birth certificate, no drivers’ license, no wife, no children, and no proof that he had ever lived.   He wanted me to take his picture so there could be a record of his existance. People needed to know that he had been here, he had lived.

What hope can I give this man? Here you are my friend.

Hello From Kenya! DAY 4

Yesterday I went to a primary school in Githima.  This school is about three miles from the future site of Juanita's School.   What a great place!  The school has about 260 children from ages 3 to 8th grade.  They currently collect water off the roof of the school and then store the dirty water in containers.  Actually, this is a normal way for families to collect water here in Kenya. I am told that the biggest issue for the schools is the student to teacher ratio.  An average class size is 50 kids to 1 teacher. Most kids at the school do not eat during the day.  Many go hungy throughout the entire day.  This primary school will be one of many schools who will be able to send their graduates to our future Juanita's Highschool. The kids will be able to eat directly from the school gardens and bring excess produce back home to their families.

Munyu Medical Clinic Location on Google Maps

I will leave you today with my expereince visiting the Munyu Medical Clinic.  The most shocking thing for me was hearing how casually AIDS is mentioned during visits.  Sadly it is such a normal part of life for Kenyans that most people do not react like we would at home in the US. 

Hello from Kenya! DAY 3

Habari all,

I have been working on my Swahili!  This is day three of my time here in Kenya. These past days have been very busy.  We have already visited three churches and a social group meeting. Kenyans really know how to sing and praise. 

Yesterday I traveled to Kambi Ya Munyu village and had the honor of touring two schools and a local medical clinic.  My favorite moment has been visiting schools and meeting the students.  Most of the children have never seen a white man before and just wanted to touch me. They want to see "what white skin feels like". 

Although I am slowly picking up Swahili, it really helps that most people speak English.  I must brag on my host family, they are the best!   Regina and her family make me feel as if I've known them for years.                                                                                      

 I was warned that food in Kenya isn't very good and that I might often be hungry. However, I found most food very good.  Regina has let me cook American dishes for two days now.  We even went to the village welder and I drew plans for him to make a grill so we can BBQ. They loved my fried chicken recipe.  Traditionally Kenyas boil chicken,  I took boiled chicken and fried it and it was an instant hit.  Last night I introduced them to cinnamon, which we add to Chapati (the staple bread here in Kenya) with a hint of sugar.

 It's the funniest feeling to walk around with everyone staring at you. I'm told that me being here is just as fun and different for the community as it is for me.  I learn every day from the community and the people I am meeting. In the next few days, I will be able to witness the drilling of Juanita's Well, the only source of clean water for the entire community.   Wow, I cannot describe what that moment will feel like, and I hope to have some heart warming pictures and stories to share. 

Hadi wakati mwingine! (until next time)

Now That Is Called Volunteering

Two Ballwin Baptist Church members are giving everything they've got rehabbing future home of the Heron Fund Clinic.  

The Aqua Effect will be starting a low-income medical and psychiatric clinic in the heart of North Saint Louis.  The name Heron Fund Clinic will be in tribute to our founding charity name.  The clinic will have a grand opening later this year. Rob Nobell (left) and Vern Daffron (right) are members of Ballwin Baptist Church.  They are solely volunteering their days to this rehab.  Thank you to our volunteers for making the importance of health priceless. 

Inspirational Quotes

Sign Warns "Clean Water Polluted"

WATER FACTS

One billion (that is 1,000,000,000) people on earth do not have access to drinking water (Water.Org).

Today, California is in a water crisis and endure water rationing. The water table in California has fallen 100 feet! Governor Jerry Brown of California encourages people to take short showers and threatens a $500 find for long showers! How would he know?

One Billion (with a B) people on earth are subject to public deification (Unicef).

More people die each year of water borne disease that they do of cancer, heart attacks, and AIDS combined (Water.Org.)

More people have a mobile phone than a working toilet!

Can you imagine not having access to clean water?

When water falls from the sky it is free, but to put it where you need it cost money. We live in a society where water is a human right. It is inconceivable to picture our lives without a working faucet.

Globally people name water, “Liquid Gold.” Water is gold because of its scarcity and because of its color when they dig mud water or drink from a sewer. If this makes you cringe, then you are beginning to understand, “Global Water Poverty."

A World Without Water:

Kenya women spend a day of terror and toil walking miles to retrieve, from a polluted river, a baby's drinking water. The toil of a water walk robs women of precious time home schooling, raising crops, and family cooking. Water. Org states, “ 140 million hourse are waster per year, walking walking.

You can't drink without getting cholera or diarrhea. Without water raising a garden or farm animals is impossible. Hospitals cannot heal because their water is polluted. One water truck in Nairobi, Kenya reads, “Clean Water Polluted.” What does that mean?

The Lawala Medical Clinic in Kenya did not have clean drinking water. People from Lawala often visited the clinic due to water borne diseases. The clinic could not offer drinking water and treated the problems with medicine. The people were sent home to their polluted water. This is called, “The Global Misery Index.” Global misery equals, no hope. In 2009, The Aqua Effect drilled the clinic a clean water well (for free). The clinic now offers medicine and shares its clean water with the community.