This article is a Trip Recap.  In it you’ll find links to all the articles, travel journals, photo galleries and culture guides written during our summer in Nairobi, Kenya.

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From June 10 to August 7, 2009, World Next Door’s first summer interns lived in Nairobi, Kenya.  All three of them lived with Kenyan host families, ate Kenyan food and took Kenyan public transportation.  Despite illnesses, crazy meals and 10 hour hikes, they all managed to survive!

Christine Sullivan worked with Zana Africa, an organization dedicated to empowering young men and women in Kibera slum.  Scott Quigley worked with Tanari International, which seeks to restore rites of passage ceremonies to westernized Kenyan youth.  Jessica Shewan worked with Karura Community Chapel, a church heavily involved in the post-election violence.  The whole time, I lived in Kibera slum, working with Tumaini Church in the Raila neighborhood.

Articles

One of the most amazing things we learned this summer was just how sacrificial many our new Kenyan friends are.  Despite constant stress and endless inconveniences in Kibera slum, these selfless servants have dedicated their lives to helping their community.  Through their sacrifice and leadership, some have given a new meaning to the words “power” and “influence.”

We got to see firsthand the creative ways these organizations are redeeming their world.  From honorable burials of homeless people to after school study sessions for children in the slum, they are making a difference.  Through soccer clubs and free medical camps, people’s lives are being transformed.  And even in a community still wounded by the post-election violence, redemption is springing up!

Even though Kenya is plagued by disparity, the four of us learned what true generosity looks like.  And even though we often felt too small to make a difference, we were encouraged to realize that it’s the “small” people (not the huge initiatives) that truly do bring change.

Photo Galleries

There was plenty to photograph this summer, as well.  We had the chance to see the inexplicable hope found in the residents of a newly bulldozed slum.  We got to see the resilience of those living in Kibera at night.  And we found joy and life in the most unlikely of places.

But beyond simply the realities of Kenyan poverty, we got to see what organizations like Zana Africa are doing about them.  By handing out sanitary pads, they are providing uninterupted schooling for girls.  And by teaching women how to make fresh juice, they are perpetuating sustainability.

Of course, with a country as beautiful and diverse as Kenya, we had the chance to photograph some truly breathtaking sights as well!  We saw elephants, giraffes and zebras on safari, and stayed on an absurdly beautiful beach on the coast.  And yes, it really was that idyllic!

Travel Journals

Upon arriving in Kenya, the four of us jumped in head first.  By meeting new people and visiting new communities, we quickly learned the significance of our names and the importance of using correct greetings.  We also discovered what it’s like hiking ten hours through the Kenyan bush!

More significantly, each of us had our worldview changed this summer.  We had our understanding of America rattled, our addiction to conveniences exposed and even our image of Barack Obama altered…

While living in Kibera slum, I had the opportunity to see the world from the perspective of a Kibera child, and it definitely made me think.  But it was my experiences with rain and Kenyan time that truly changed me from the inside.

Culture Guides

The next time you head to Kenya, be sure to check out our “valuable” culture guides.  You can learn how to ride matatus like a pro, how to learn Swahili, and even how to eat food in Kibera slum!  When you’re finished with those, be sure to read up on how to survive all the stares you’ll undoubtedly get and learn how to prepare for a Kenyan road trip.

Our culture guides may not exactly be helpful, per se, but there is still plenty there to learn!

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At the end of our summer in Kenya, all four of us were undeniably changed forever.  By witnessing poverty and desperation, our hearts were broken.  But by experiencing true love and redemption, we were filled with an amazing sense of hope.  God is working in Kenya, and we got to see it first hand!