Kenya Initiation Trip Report
Chapter One: Arrival & Machakos District Visit to Schools & VCTs
After a bit of a turbulent ride through the sunny African skies, the three weary travelers disembarked in Nairobi, and were greeted by Uncle Stephen Kiama Kamwele, the brother of Pastor Pius Nthenge, and our dear friends Edwin Aketch, Jacinta and John, and Pastor John as well.
Although we expected desert dryness, it was raining softly and quite cool as we arrived. Despite the midnight hour, the Kamwale family had a hot meal waiting, which we greatly appreciated. We slept soundly, and woke to a fresh and cool morning, hardly the
equatorial heat we expected. Our first day’s destination was the Machakos Presbyterian Baptist School, about one and a half hour’s drive from Nairobi. The roads are mostly paved, but quite bumpy, and we were amazed by the scenery, including flat topped trees called acacias, many with huge white crane type birds. We saw cattle with a large bony neck hump, donkeys and goats and camels and even some giraffes.
We arrived at the school, which is simply constructed of brick with metal roof, and has both a secondary and primary school. The classrooms have no electricity, but they do have glass in the windows, and the roofs are of corrugated metal. The students wear uniforms, including sweaters and ties, despite the midday heat. The church building, though simple, had electricity so we decided to do the practicing there.
Without showing the video, we had to teach the skit by just casting the parts and teaching them scene by scene. Claire and Kensei acted out the roles, and the trainees followed along. Within about an hour, they were able to do a rough version of the skit, minus sound effects. We then sang a song together, and Kensei breakdanced on the bare cement floor, pockmarked with big holes and rough areas, and the kids and adults loved it.
The next day, we began earlier, but were delayed by a flat tire, a stopover to greet Bishop Konoku, and traffic. We arrived in Machakos around 11:30 to find that about 150 parents who had been awaiting us since 9:30 that morning were about ready to leave. We tried to give quick remarks about why we were there, and after, Kensei did breakdancing on flat ground with rocks and pebbles all over. I think he got rock burns from all his crazy moves. The parents really loved it.
Afterwards, we met with a group from the church’s AIDS outreach group. There were representatives of three groups: those who have tested and know their status, and are mixed between HIV-positive and HIV-negatives (Neema), the group of those living positive (Imani) and the group of youth of mixed status, who are mostly college-aged (Cherish).
We heard about their programs, and we sang them the song “Hero”. Then we accompanied them to the community garden where 
they grow corn and beans to feed the AIDS-stricken families, and the small patch of tree seedlings they have made to sell, to create an income project, and then the Volunteer Counseling and Testing Clinic, where people both learn their status, but where they also meet as a support group.
We sat in a room filled with men and women who are at various stages of HIV infection. One mother had a one year old baby. Others looked quite exhausted. Some were former teachers, or had professional jobs. They shared the difficulties and the collaboration they have. They are all benefiting from the government’s decision to provide ARV’s at cheap prices, so all are on ARV treatment. But so many other issues persist. They worry about employment, food, and most of all, their children. One woman voiced the concern of most parents “What happens to my children if I die?” 
The issue of orphans is huge here. Just within a short time, we have already met so many people trying to care for AIDS orphans. Every school and church and agency is coping with a large number of orphans, because there is no way that all of these parentless children can just be absorbed by the near relatives. We heard that the worst hit areas are in the remote countryside. There, in the villages, whole family lines have been wiped out. There are houses just boarded up, with no one left, just the bodies buried there that used to be the living members of that family.
In Machakos, the community is banding together, taking steps to provide answers for their common situation. They are not weak and collapsing, despite their physical situation. They are honestly acknowledging their situation, and they are acting to be responsible and loving in that position.
We returned to find that someone had located a DVD player and a television to play our PAL-format video, which we began to show the parents and community members while we were called to do a presentation for the 500 primary school students. It was 
pretty amazing. We decided to present on a level place, down a set of steps, so we had the students all sit on the steps, and the three of us, without any music, or electricity, did an impromptu presentation. I introduced the issue of HIV and AIDS, and asked the children questions. They knew all the answers, so the information has obviously been quite effectively given here. But then, Kensei breakdanced—again, in the dirt and rocks—to the music of hand-clapping only! The kids loved the popping, especially his “popping eyebrows” and a lot of the other flips and other stuff he did. We sang “Hero” again, and then we brought the senior high school kids we had trained yesterday to perform the skit.
Claire narrated and Kensei and Aunt Kate cued them for entrances and exits, but the younger kids loved it, and the older kids got a taste of how they could teach others. At the end, we asked the older kids to speak about AIDS and WAIT and two young guys volunteered, and gave some encouraging speeches to the kids about waiting and sharing the message with others.
We then showed the entire audience the JUMP and performance DVD. We also spoke to the older kids about the upcoming performance, and left the videos and music CD with them to “study.” We got one girl to be the narrator, one to be the equipment manager, and one other boy to help cue them in their actions. After an eventful return trip, we met that evening with Uncle Edwin Aketch, who came with Jacinta and with Willis, who is in charge of a countrywide youth organization. We showed them the videos, and we made plans for further training for the young people they were connected to.
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