Karibu [Welcome]

Jambo from Kenya :) I have been in Africa for a few days now and it has still not sunk in that I am truly here. This experience has been a year in the making-a year full of doubt, questions, hard work, wrong turns and u-turns, excitement, and planning. And I am finally here-what am I supposed to be thinking and feeling? Ah, who knows? The trip here was uneventful, yet God's presence was truly apparent in the little things: Chris' flight was early to Chicago giving us plenty of time to board for London, we got to switch seats and sit next to each other, I picked the perfect book for the journey here: Eat, Pray, Love. It is a lovely read and filled with many insightful lessons. On the plane from London to Kenya, there were over 200 empty seats on the plane which meant that we got the run of it. We sat in the bulk head and then when it was time for sleeping, we each got our own row of 3 seats to slumber in. The flight attendants were fun and lovely to chat with. And the best part: all of our luggage arrived here with no problems! I am staying in a house far, far nicer than I ever could have hoped for. I have my own room with my own private bathroom. There is hot water that pours from the shower whenever I so desire to take one (a nice switch from the summer for certain) and I have a comfortable bed, a desk, and a large closet. I have yet to see a house lizard (they frequent the houses in Uganda at night) which has been the best blessing yet I think. I have electricity in my room and we have internet in the house (although it is not always the most reliable). I believe, by George, that I am in heaven :) The house is a guest house and is run by 2 lovely Franciscan nuns. Sister Theresita is older and a stern grandmother-like type but very loving and sweet. Sister Eddie is younger and a lot of fun. She announced over dishes the other night that we were now sisters. Last night Sister Theresita told me I was now her daughter. I am glad to have family here already. Jet lag has been my downfall thus far. It has me so exhausted all the time-it is throwing off my sleeping and eating. I cannot wait until I am adjusted to the time difference. The transition between YouthWorks and Kenya has been much harder than I planned for and dreamed it would be. The end of YouthWorks was a whirlwind that passed before I even blinked and left me tired, crabby, stressed out, and missing San Fran and my staff like crazy during my time at home which, of course, made things tense with my family. I didn't feel like our time together was put to it's best use considering I hadn't seen them for 3 months and I was about to take off again for a year. However, they stayed sane and loving through the entire 2 days and I love them all the more for it. I just wish I could have used my time with them more efficiently. However, I had no idea what was going on the whole time. As soon as I got to Kenya though I began to wish things had gone better while I was home. It's also quite lonely here in Kenya. Don't get me wrong, I am so glad to be here and I am excited to see what the semester here brings, but I feel so overwhelmed with all of these feelings and I am without the ease of picking up the phone and calling a best friend to work through it with. Of course I have email and that has been great-the people who have been consistently on the other end without fail have saved me-but I miss conversation with people who know me well and know the exact advice to give me. I miss being able to process through things with others. I can't wait until 2 of my favorite people in the world join me in Uganda in December :) The plus of not having anyone however has been what I have turned to in order to fill the gap. I have been journaling consistently-not average journaling, no-but thoughts, prayers, and praises to God about anything and everything. It turns out that He is the BEST friend and listener a girl could ask for. I am shamed that it took placing me on another continent away from all of my friends and family for me to realize this, but I am extremely glad that I did. Someone recently shared something quite amazing with me: in an interview with Mother Theresa before she died, she was asked what she did to pray. She responded that mostly she just listened to God. When asked what He said, she replied that He mostly just listened as well. For me, this is strikingly beautiful and something that not many people strive for-the ability to just BE in the divine presence of God-just listening to each other. The hustle and bustle of daily life surely diminishes one's capacity to do this. It is my goal to get there one day. I am coming to believe that God is sending me some sort of sign. Over and over again. I spent the summer living in San Francisco, hearing all about how it was named after a saint I had not spent much time learning about ever before: St. Francis of Assisi. I am thinking about doing an internship at St. Anthony's Foundation in San Fran next summer-a community of Franciscans. Now, I find myself in a huge community in the middle of Kenya of all places-of Franciscans. I live with 2 of them, I met the coolest Franciscan Friar today, and about 1/2 of the students at my university here are priests or nuns. Sister Eddie and our cook, Nora, are both telling me that I should become a nun. Ha! I told them I am too boy crazy for that profession. But I believe that there is something that God wants me to take from this St. Francis character, or from Franciscan spirituality or something of the like. We shall see, but as of now, I am paying attention :) Kenya is much different than Uganda and I am finding that I like being pleasantly surprised by my expectations not being fulfilled in the way I thought they would be. I like that things are different and that I am not completely comfortable yet. Although being so far outside of my comfort zone that I seem to have permanently misplaced it, is draining and a bit frightening when you realize it and have no hole to scamper off to. It's a bit like being a gopher and you venture out of your hole and then a fox comes and you can't remember your way back and have no where to hide for miles. Perhaps not that dramatic ;) We went to the market today and I loaded up on fruit-mangoes, bananas, papayas, pineapple, and watermelon. My dream come freaking true. Heck yes. Love it! At dinner, I had 1/2 a mango, a banana, and a huge slice of pineapple. So good... We took matatus to get there. They are the public transportation here. They are 15 passenger vans that they often squeeze more like 18 into and are about the size of 7 passenger minivans in the states. Music is blasting so you can't hear anything and they swerve so much that you have to hunch over as much as possible to avoid hitting your head on the ceiling. We almost died like 4 times and I believe I saw one with some chickens in it today. Luckily I was not inside that one. I think that about does it for now. In case I missed you on the email list, here is my address here in Kenya: (I will write back) Martha Kaempffer P.O. Box 15155- Code 00509 Langata, Nairobi Kenya Skype me anytime: kaemp002 And of course email works too: mtkaempffer@csbsju.edu Asante sana for reading :) More soon!

The summer I spent serving in San Francisco

Wow. When I began the summer, I meant to write every week. I suppose that just goes to show how crazy a YouthWorks summer gets. Especially one in San Francisco! I have so so so much to say about the summer that I spent serving in San Francisco. Too much. This summer rocked me to the core. It changed the way I view everything-the way I want to live my life. Let's start with the city: San Fran is the 2nd most populated city in the U.S. (The first being NY city). It is extremely dense (and foggy and cold) as well as diverse. Only 1/3 of the population of SF is native-born and raised. Another 1/3 is immigrants. 1/5 of the population will be completely changed out and replaced by next year. Crazy huh? Things are always moving and changing there. Most of the ministries that we worked with were in a place called the Tenderloin. It is the poorest district in San Francisco, only covering about 25 square blocks. It is a little triangle on the map in the middle of the city. On one side are all the government buildings, on the other the richest neighborhood in San Fran-Knobb Hill, and on the other-Union Square and all of the fanciest stores and hotels. All of these people have been pushed into this area of 25 square blocks. There are absolutely no residential homes or apartments in the Tenderloin. Zero. However, there are about 18,000 people that call the Tenderloin home. They live in what are called SRO's or Single Room Occupancy Hotels. They are old, run down hotels that people live in. There are no kitchens and the conditions are not anything that a human being should have to live in. They cost between $600-$1,000/month. A typical government check in SF is around $659/month. Even if living in a bottom line SRO, this leaves like $60 for food, clothing, medical expenses, etc. That's nothing. A person would have to work 195 hours/week in San Francisco at minimum wage ($9.00 there)in order to afford a basic place to live. The cost of living is insane there. Over 12,000 additional people remain still homeless in the Tenderloin. That's 30,000 people living in the Tenderloin-25 square blocks remember. On top of the housing situation, over 200 businesses in the Tenderloin have liquor licenses. It is easier to get alcohol in the Tenderloin than it is to buy a loaf of bread. How sick is that? We look down on these people for turning to substances to deal with their problems, yet bombard them with it and place them in an impossible situation with it. Not fair. Over 92% of the women in the Tenderloin are fleeing battered and abusive homes. 1 in 4 people you meet are veterans down there. I saw more drug use than I can count. I saw hatred for people and for life there. I saw darkness and grief. I saw the lost and the lonely down there. But I also found God there. I found Him working in the hearts of these people, right there where I never expected He would be. He was in the darkness and created light. He was the hope that I saw in eyes and faces I encountered. He was the love that I found there. I found a beautiful community of people there who knew and cared for and looked out for each other. My heart was broken so many times and my attitude was checked and my stereotypes and walls broken down by these people and my experiences there. I fell in love with them and with the ministries that we worked with. I also fell in love with 4 crazy wonderful individuals who were my support, my family, my challenge, and my growth this summer. Tom, Cecka, Maria, and Emma are a staff that I couldn't have picked better myself, for they were placed with me this summer by God. Tom was the best leader I've ever had. He challenged me and spoke truth to me and humbled me and taught me by his actions. Cecka, my sweetheart, was a strong force of faith and love and peace for me and supported me and laughed with me and loved me, also leading by example and action in her faith. Together, married, they were an example of what I want a relationship to be like someday, in Christ, a partnership, and a bond so strong and so dependent on God. It was incredible to witness and to be a part of. Maria and I were so different, but so similar as well. She challenged me and frustrated me because we were both blind by our own tiredness and frustrations but I learned so much from her example and her quiet strength and compassion for others, especially me. She was a force of joy and light in the lives of the children she worked with this summer. Miss EMMA was hilarious and a force to reckon with. She taught me patience and compromise and the release involved in letting things go and loving despite frustration. She is an example of faith and leadership and kindness. All of these people are near and dear to my heart and were placed in my life this summer to teach me all of these things and more lessons that I have not even discovered yet I'm sure. I miss all of them very much and I am praying for their transitions back home. :) I have so much more to say, but Dunn Bros is kicking me out and I want to go home and spend time with my family. Tomorrow I go to Africa for a year. After all the sweat, hard work, tears, and deliberation, I'm leaving in around 12 hours. My bags are packed and in theory I'm ready to go. Like I said, I have so much more to say... Perhaps I'll drag out my computer at the airport tomorrow and say it. For right now, pray for me :) I love you all!